Delta Surges
Finding some answers to a renewed threat from COVID-19
It was just a few months ago that news headlines proclaimed that the pandemic was coming to an end. Now, we find ourselves under a renewed threat from the delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2.
It’s a scary time. But we need not be in the dark. Here’s a quick FAQ on the delta variant.
It’s important to understand that we’re watching science in real-time, where researchers are trying to understand a complex virus that mutates. They’re also battling misinformation, some of which is being provided bay sources with malevolent intent. It’s best to find accurate information directly from sources such as the Allen County Health Department and the Indiana Department of Health, as well as local media that report on the latest data supplied from those sources.
What are the variants?
According to the World Health Organization, these are the variants that have caused concern:
Alpha: This variant was first detected in the United States in December 2020. It was initially detected in the United Kingdom.
Beta: This variant was first detected in the United States at the end of January 2021. It was initially detected in South Africa in December 2020.
Gamma: This variant was first detected in the United States in January 2021. P.1 was initially identified in travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at an airport in Japan, in early January.
Delta: This variant was first detected in the United States in March 2021. It was initially identified in India in December 2020.
Why are scientists worried about the delta variant?
Unlike the other strands of COVID-19, the delta variant is highly transmissible. A carrier can infect as many as eight other people, levels seen in diseases such as chickenpox.
Can the delta variant “breakthrough” the vaccine protection?
Yes, but breakthrough infections for people fully vaccinated are rare; hospitalization and death are even more unlikely. (See chart)
Are unvaccinated people at greater risk than fully vaccinated individuals?
Yes.
According to the Yale Medical School website, there is a disproportionate number of unvaccinated people in Southern and Appalachian states including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, and West Virginia, where vaccination rates are low. These are states that are getting hit the hardest in this new surge.
Children and adults under 50 ought to be concerned.
“A recent study from the United Kingdom showed that children and adults under 50 were 2.5 times more likely to become infected with Delta,” the site reported. “And so far, no vaccine has been approved for children 5 to 12 in the U.S., although the U.S. and a number of other countries have either authorized vaccines for adolescents and young children or are considering them.
“As older age groups get vaccinated, those who are younger and unvaccinated will be at higher risk of getting COVID-19 with any variant. But Delta seems to be impacting younger age groups more than previous variants.”
If I already contracted COVID-19, do I need to get vaccinated?
Health experts encourage everyone to get vaccinated, even if someone was previously infected with the virus. This is science in real-time, so the level of immunity from a past infection is still being studied.
Can vaccinated people spread the disease?
Yes.
“Vaccinated people are transmitting it, and the extent is unclear, but there’s no doubt they’re transmitting it,” Anthony S. Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, said July 27. “People who are vaccinated, even when they’re asymptomatic, can transmit the virus.”
How much they spread is still being debated.
Are masks effective
Yes, for the vaccinated and unvaccinated.
According to the Cleveland Clinic infectious disease specialist Dr. Kristin Englund, masks are an effective way of protecting oneself and the community delta variant. The CDC has already recommended wearing masks indoors.
“We have learned over the last 18 months how beneficial masking is and there’s no reason to think it won’t be effective in at least slowing down the spread of the delta variant,” Dr. Englund said on the Cleveland Clinic’s website.
For local information on COVID-19, we suggest contacting the Allen County Department of Health online at www.allencountyhealth.com/get-informed/covid-19 or by phone at (260) 449-7561, or the state’s Department of Health at hwww.coronavirus.in.gov