The final insult: Some dying of COVID while awaiting vaccine

(AP) — Air Force veteran Diane Drewes spent months hoping to receive a COVID-19 immunization. However, her daughter says the call offering an appointment came only when Drewes was dying of the illness. Drewes is among an unknown number of people who wanted a vaccine, but died before they could get it.

More than 245,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States since vaccines first became available in mid-December. With surveys showing a large percentage of the U.S. population leery of vaccines, it’s impossible to say exactly how many of the dead would have even wanted an immunization. However, thousands have died while waiting to receive the inoculation.