Two years ago on March 11, 2020, COVID was officially declared by the World Health Organization as a global pandemic, and the death toll has only grown since then. As of Mar. 14, 2022, the COVID death count is approximately 966,000 people in the United States and over 5.8 million people internationally according to The New York Times. During the peak of the Omicron surge on Jan. 18, there were around 3000 deaths per day and over 1 million new cases nationally; currently that number continues to decrease by the day as the surge diminishes. 

As the U.S. slowly approaches the 1 million death tally, it becomes more important than ever to take the necessary precautions such as getting vaccinated and wearing face coverings to protect yourself as well as others around you. Although death rates have increased, vaccination rates have as well. Based on statistics from “Our World of Data,” 213 million Americans are fully vaccinated and protected against COVID, making 64.8 percent of the total population immunized. Regarding the topic of vaccinations, the CDC states, “COVID-19 vaccination causes a more predictable immune response than infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine gives most people a high level of protection against COVID-19 and can provide added protection for people who already had COVID-19.” 

As claimed by “Our World of Data,” the death rate among the unvaccinated is 50 percent while the death rate among the vaccinated is significantly lower, at 10 percent. These statistics further prove how vaccines help preserve your health.