Prioritize Overweight People for Vaccinations, Says Study Showing Connection Between Obesity and COVID-19 Deaths

A health worker walks in front of a mural in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 4, 2021. Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images

People who are obese should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines, according to a new study.

Researchers with the World Obesity Federation found that 2.2 million of the 2.5 million COVID-19 deaths reported by the end of February occurred in countries where more than half of the population is classified as overweight.