Coronavirus: Vaccinations have led to fewer over 70s getting Covid

A reduction in Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations among people aged 70 and above has been seen since the beginning of April, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

The reason behind is linked to the ongoing vaccination campaign, which has increasingly protected the elderly.

“The effectiveness of vaccines in reducing the risk of catching the virus and of potential hospitalisation is demonstrated by the data collected by the epidemiological surveillance unit,” the health ministry said.

According to official data, the number of positive coronavirus cases among vaccinated age groups has decreased significantly in recent weeks, at a time when cases and hospitalisations among younger people have increased.

Since April 10, only 188 people aged 70 and above, the majority of who have received the first dose of the vaccine, have been infected, representing just four per cent of total cases recorded.

At the same time, almost six out of 10 cases recorded in the same period concerned people aged between 19 and 49.

A total of 1,008 positive cases (21.3 per cent of the total) were seen in people between 19 and 29 years old, 907 (19.1 per cent) among people aged between 30 and 39, and 707 (14.9 per cent) among people aged between 40 and 49.

The current average age of hospitalised Covid-19 cases stands at 62.5 years, whereas the average age of positive cases in intensive care units is 60.5 years.

“The data confirm the need to promote and extend the vaccination campaign as steadily as possible,” the health ministry said

“The positive results in reducing cases and hospitalisations among the elderly confirm how important and decisive it is to vaccinate the population against the virus, which will also play an important role in the return to normality.”