COVID Breakthrough Cases Rise In NJ But Data Says Vaccines Work

NEW JERSEY — Despite the rise in COVID-19 breakthrough cases throughout the Garden State, officials are still saying the vaccines work.

“The vaccines continue to prove incredibly powerful in preventing not only new infections, but most importantly COVID-related hospitalization and deaths,” Governor Phil Murphy said during Monday's COVID-19 briefing.

A breakthrough case is one contracted by someone who has completed their vaccine series.

More than 5.7 million people who live, work or study in New Jersey have completed their vaccine series and another 739,000 people have received a first Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and are awaiting their second dose.

Among the fully vaccinated:

• 18,390 COVID+ cases (0.35 percent)
• 386 COVID-related hospitalizations (0.007 percent)
• 97 COVID-related deaths (0.002 percent)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated.

In New Jersey from Aug. 23 through Aug. 29, fully vaccinated individuals accounted for:

• 2,602 positive tests out of a statewide total of 12,051
• 35 COVID-related hospitalizations out of a statewide total of 945
• 0 COVID-related deaths out of a statewide total of 80

“These figures show, conclusively, that the overwhelming number of individuals contracting the virus, going to the hospital because of a COVID-related illness, or sadly dying from complications of COVID continue to be folks who are either overwhelmingly either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated,” Murphy said. “There is simply no other way to interpret this data. The vaccines work. And they work well.”

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