The final insult: Some dying of COVID while awaiting vaccine JAY REEVES, Associated Press FacebookTwitterEmail 8 1of8In this undated selfie photo provided by Charlotte Crawford is Natalia Crawford, who died of COVID-19 in Texas before she had a chance to receive a vaccine against the coronavirus that causes the illness. More than 247,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. since vaccines first became available in mid-December 2020. While it's unknown how many of them wanted to be immunized, families have wrenching stories of loved ones being infected after months of staying safe and then dying before they could get a dose. (Natalia Crawford via AP)Natalia Crawford/APShow MoreShow Less