From FoxNews.com….
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a briefing Tuesday defended the agency’s updated approach to monitoring breakthrough coronavirus infections, or COVID-19 occurring after a person is fully vaccinated.
While the recently approved coronavirus vaccines demonstrated over 94% efficacy in clinical trials, they are not 100% effective and health officials expected breakthrough illnesses.
Starting May 1, the CDC shifted its focus in monitoring breakthrough infections; narrowing studies only to cases resulting in hospitalization or death. A reporter questioned Walensky whether the new approach was the right strategy and if there was any increased concern over breakthrough cases as people begin to remove their masks.
“These vaccines were studied to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death and as we look at these breakthrough infections those are the ones we’re most concerned about,” Walensky said during the briefing, adding that researchers are sequencing the reported cases to see if any variants are behind the infections.
