Age, underlying health condition were 'double blow' to Colin Powell, experts say - NBC News

Fatal breakthrough Covid-19 infections among people who have been fully vaccinated, like former Secretary of State Colin Powell, are rare.

His cancer may have left him particularly susceptible: Not only does multiple myeloma rob the body of its ability to resist infections, but it also can interfere with a vaccine's efficacy.

Research on multiple myeloma patients published in the journal Nature in July found that only 45 percent developed an “adequate response” to Covid mRNA vaccines.

Among the more than 187 million people who have been fully vaccinated across the U.S., there have been 7,178 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 85 percent of the deaths occurring in people 65 and older.

Age has always been a contributing factor to the severity of Covid and many other infections, said Dr.

The hope, Schaffner said, is that Covid booster shots among those ages 65 and up will increase the number of antibodies they have, providing longer protection.

Schaffner said the function of vaccines is not only to protect the individual but also to create a "cocoon of protection" around viruses so they can't find vulnerable people

Powell's death should not dissuade people from getting vaccinated if they haven't already, Schaffner said, adding that more than 90 percent of people admitted for Covid at his hospital are unvaccinated