Ben Hamilton
January 5th, 2022

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The elderly remain vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus (photo: Pixabay)

Only 46 people under the age of 50 have died in Denmark as a result of contracting corona since the pandemic started in early 2020, compared to 101 people in their 50s, 282 in their 60s and 2,833 aged over 70.

The 70+ brigade have done a good job at avoiding infection. Fewer have got corona than people in their 60s: just shy of 46,000 compared to nearly 55,000.

After all, the authorities have prioritised helping them. Among the first to get vaccinated last January, they were the first to get the boosters in the autumn.

However, the news that the booster loses most of its effectiveness at warding off the omicron strain after three months will be a worry.

And now, statistics are confirming that the infection rate at the country’s nursing homes is soaring. 

Rising death rate
In Week 52, the final seven days of 2021, there were 596 new cases, compared to 193 in Week 51, according to Statens Serum Institut.

Despite a high booster acceptance rate of 92 percent among over-85s, it would appear the vaccination is failing many elderly people – just like it is across the rest of society.

The failing helps to explain why the death rate appears to be rising. Yesterday afternoon, it was confirmed that 15 people in Denmark had died over the previous 24 hours.

Since the start of the pandemic, 1,056 nursing home residents have died as a result of corona – out of a total of 3,307, so pretty much a third.

Around 40,000 people live in nursing homes in Denmark.

Zero percent
According to Tyra Grove Krause, the head of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention department at SSI, the third jab improves the recipient’s odds of not contracting the omicron by 54 percent,

However, this protection wanes to close to zero percent by the end of the third month, even though it will ensure the patient does not suffer as much as somebody who is non-vaccinated.