A new study reveals that COVID-19 vaccines have spared more than 18.5 million people from hospitalization and saved more than 3.2 million lives in the United States.

More than 655 million doses have been given, according to researchers, and 80% of Americans have received at least one dose.

“The swift development of the vaccine, emergency authorization to distribute widely, and rapid rollout have been instrumental in curbing hospitalization and death, while mitigating socioeconomic repercussions of the pandemic,” states the research from the Commonwealth Fund and Yale School of Public Health.

“Without vaccination, there would have been nearly 120 million more COVID-19 infections. The vaccination program also saved the U.S. $1.15 trillion.”

The research published Tuesday found that without the vaccines, Americans would’ve had 1.5 times more infections, 3.8 times more hospitalizations, and 4.1 times more deaths than they did from December 2020 through November 2022.

COVID on the Rise Again

COVID has caused at least 99.2 million cases and more than 1.08 million deaths in the United States and it appears to be surging again. There were 2,981 deaths and 30,253 new hospital admissions nationwide last week, according to the CDC.

The study’s summary noted that COVID vaccinations are essential to freeing hospital staff to treat other illnesses.

“Curbing hospitalization rates by reducing both COVID-19 incidence and symptom severity is particularly important amidst the strain on the health care system caused by unusually high levels of flu and RSV. COVID-19 vaccination has preserved hospital resources for individuals who would otherwise have not received timely care.”

President Biden and Valley public health officials are encouraging Americans to get boosted ahead of the Christmas holidays when families gather indoors.

Latest RSV, Flu, COVID-19 Information

To stay informed on local updates for respiratory illnesses and flu cases, visit www.fcdph.org/flu.

For information on local COVID-19 vaccine sites and testing locations, visit www.fcdph.org/covid19.

For more information and resources on flu and RSV cases in young babies, visit Valley Children’s Flu and RSV Information Hub here.