Many Americans were shocked to learn of Colin Powell’s death from complications from COVID-19 on Monday, especially because the retired four-star former Secretary of State and General was fully vaccinated against the disease.
“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and great American,” Powell’s family said in the statement.
Although dying from COVID-19 is extremely rare among fully vaccinated people, health experts say age and pre-existing medical conditions can increase the risk of infection, serious illness and even death.
Data recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that fully vaccinated people 80 and over are about as likely to die from COVID-19 infection as unvaccinated people in their 50s and early. in his sixties.
The CDC also reports that as of Oct. 12, 7,178 deaths among those vaccinated; 85% of deaths concern people aged 65 and over.
At 84, health experts said, Powell was one of that high-risk group.
“As we age, our immune system is weaker and it is less likely to respond appropriately to vaccinations, and we are more likely to get sick when we are exposed to an infection,” said Dr Kristin Englund, disease expert. infectious. at the Cleveland Clinic. “That’s why, very early on, we targeted vaccines for our elderly population. “
Because the elderly were among the first Americans to be vaccinated, she said, it is possible that Powell’s immunity waned over time, although it is not known exactly when he was vaccinated. received his first injection.
Research suggests that this can also occur in other populations. An August study by the CDC showed that the vaccine’s effectiveness declined in healthcare workers who had been fully vaccinated since the time the delta coronavirus variant spread.
But the chances of dying are much worse if the person is not vaccinated. Unvaccinated people 80 and older are about six times more likely to die from COVID-19 infection than vaccinated people of the same age group, according to CDC data.
Powell could also have had multiple myeloma, according to media reports, which is a type of blood cancer that affects the body’s immune system. Health experts say it undoubtedly played a role in her ability to fight infection.
“He had cancer in his white blood cells, and these are some of the cells we need to help fight infections,” Englund said. “Usually this affects the B lymphocytes in the white blood cells which help us form antibodies and immunity.”
Myeloma is more common in people over 60, said Dr. Don Benson, hematologist-oncologist at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Ohio State University.
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About 35,000 cases of myeloma are reported in the United States each year. Although it is considered an incurable cancer, most patients do not die from the disease itself.
“By far the most common cause of death is actually infection,” Benson said. “The disease and the treatments we use will suppress or disrupt their immune function and make them more susceptible not only to COVID, but to bacterial and other viral infections. ”
To better protect vulnerable populations, the Food and Drug Administration authorized a third COVID-19 vaccine in August for people with severely weakened immune systems.
This allowed about 2.7 million immunocompromised Americans to receive a third injection of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, including those undergoing cancer treatment, received organ transplants, or undergoing immunosuppressive therapy.
The agency also authorized a recall of the Pfizer vaccine in September for people 65 years of age and older, young adults with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high risk of infection. More than 8.8 million people have received a Pfizer recall since its authorization.
Last week, an FDA advisory committee voted in favor of a half-dose booster of the Moderna vaccine for similar populations. The panel also ruled on Friday that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be considered a two-dose vaccine rather than the single vaccine that received initial authorization.
Powell’s family did not say whether he received a third injection. But Englund said it was difficult to speculate if that would have prevented the infection.
“He had a very difficult blood cancer that he fought. It is not known if he would have had an adequate response to a recall, ”she said. “We don’t know his multiple myeloma status, and we don’t know if a booster would have helped him.”
What would have helped, Englund said, is if more Americans were fully vaccinated. Powell’s death is an important reminder to get vaccinated, not only to protect oneself, but also to protect vulnerable populations such as the elderly and the immunocompromised, she said.
“If we could all do our part like he has done throughout his life to serve Americans and get us vaccinated, then maybe we could have built a ring of protection around him so that he didn’t has never been exposed to COVID, ”she said. “He served his country the best he could, and now it is our duty to do the same.”
Contributor: Mike Stucka, USA TODAY. Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
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