evidence: During the same period, COVID-19 was cited as the cause of death for 30 Oregon residents in this age group. Among these 30 decedents, ALERT IIS had records for 22 (73%), only three of whom had received any COVID-19 vaccination. Studies have shown significant reductions in COVID-19–related mortality among vaccinated persons; during the first 2 years of COVID-19 vaccine availability in the United States, vaccination prevented an estimated 18.5 million hospitalizations and 3.2 million deaths (9). [...] Vaccine 2022;40:1499–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.11.074 PMID:35105494 - Block JP, Boehmer TK, Forrest CB, et al. Cardiac complications after SARS-CoV-2 infection and mRNA COVID-19 vaccination—PCORnet, United States, January 2021–January 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:517–23. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7114e1 PMID:35389977 - Fitzpatrick M, Moghadas S, Pandey A, Galvani A. Two years of U.S. COVID-19 vaccines have prevented millions of hospitalizations and deaths. New York, NY: The Commonwealth Fund; 2022. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2022/two-years-covid-vaccines-prevented-millions-deaths-hospitalizations https://doi.org/10.26099/whsf-fp90 - CDC. Update: vaccine side effects, adverse reactions, contraindications, and precautions. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep 1996;45(No. RR-12):1–35. PMID:8801442