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Colin Powell died on October 18th, 2021 of complications resulting from the COVID-19 virus, according to his family. He was 84 years old.

Mr. Powell, a retired four-star Army general who served in both South Vietnam and Korea, held various positions in Federal government, ultimately serving under Republican President George W. Bush as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005 as America’s first black Secretary of State. To date he was also the only person of color to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

At the time of his death Mr. Powell, as a former high-ranking government official, was receiving medical care at the Walter Reed National Medical Center, the nation’s largest hospital and one of the best medical facilities in the United States.

Mr. Powell contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated against the virus. However, he already had at least three characteristics placing him in the high-risk category for COVID-19 related death: Black, over 80 years old, and at least three known previous medical conditions (he survived prostate cancer in 2003, had multiple myeloma, a cancer of white plasma cells which can interfere with production of natural antibodies, and was battling Parkinson’s disease).

Data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that while between 1.8 and 3.4 percent of all Americans will die from the COVID-19 virus, elderly patients in their 80′s and above have between a 10 to 27 percent chance of dying regardless of pre-existing health status. In addition, COVID-19 deaths are twice as likely among black people compared to Caucasian people. Finally, medical evidence strongly suggests over 90% of all deaths from COVID-19, regardless of age, involve patients with one or more preexisting medical conditions: The number of people dying from the COVID-19 virus alone is claimed to be as low as 6% of those infected.

Although he was fully vaccinated, his family did not state which vaccine he received or when it was given. It’s known the initial level of effectiveness provided by a COVID-19 vaccine depends on the exact vaccine received, the level is highest among healthy people, vaccine effectiveness decreases dramatically within six months, and vaccines may not be effective against new strains of the virus.

Condolences and sympathy are sent to his family and close friends.

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