Commonwealth Fund Releases Report on Impact of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

The Commonwealth Fund this week issued a report exploring the impact of U.S. COVID-19 vaccination efforts, including an update on averted deaths, hospitalizations, and health care costs through March 2022. The Commonwealth Fund notes that COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have trended dramatically downward from their peaks earlier this year, but uncertainty still exists as hundreds of deaths and outbreaks continue to occur.

In December 2021, the Commonwealth Fund reported that the first year of the COVID-19 vaccination effort had averted 1.1 million deaths and 10.3 million hospitalizations (compared to a no-vaccine scenario). As Congress continues to consider additional funding to support the country’s COVID-19 response, the Commonwealth Fund report assesses the impact of the country’s vaccine efforts on the most recent Omicron outbreak.

Between December 12, 2020, and March 31, 2022, the Commonwealth Fund estimates that COVID-19 vaccination efforts prevented over 2.2 million deaths and 17 million hospitalizations. In the absence of vaccination, there would have been an estimated 66.1 million infections and nearly $900 billion in associated health care expenditures.

The Commonwealth Fund report highlights the significant impact of the vaccination program in reducing infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. The report additionally notes that continuing to vaccinate and boost Americans can produce substantial health benefits and financial returns for the country.

The Biden-Harris Administration issued a statement on the report, underscoring the report’s findings and calling on Congress to provide additional funding to continue COVID-19 response activities.

Additional information is available here.