Data from the US Centers for Disease Control shows that unvaccinated people are 20 times more likely to die than vaccinated people.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky shared the news on Wednesday during the White House COVID-19 briefing.
She also added that data showed unvaccinated people were 10 times more likely to test positive for the virus than those who are vaccinated.
Walensky said as of Monday, the omicron variant represents 75% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and that COVID cases have increased by 25% over the past week with 149,000 cases being reported.
Twelve hundred deaths have been reported per day, which is an increase of 3.5% over the past week, Walensky said.
As the holidays approach, the CDC has also laid out guidelines for those traveling amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
To protect yourself and others, the CDC recommends that you get vaccinated, wear a mask, stay 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, test to prevent spreading the virus, and wash your hands often.
According to its website, the CDC said 61.2% of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated.
