Welcome to the new pandemic — this is how the Delta variant changed the landscape

But behind the scenes, epidemic variants were in motion.

By the end of July, it accounted for more than 9 out of 10 new cases. And it has driven a surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.Above 100,000 cases a day On a national average, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention See “high” community infections of the virus..The place where the vaccination rate was delayed was hit Especially difficult..

As the threat from the Delta becomes more focused, there is active activity in response. The CDC has changed its guidance on wearing indoor masks for vaccinated people. Reimposed indoor masking obligation..President Biden enacts strict new vaccination rules for federal employees, businesses and universities Vaccines are starting to be needed..People also they Need to get a booster shot To protect yourself.

Thanks to the vaccine, overall cases, hospitalizations, and deaths remain lower than in previous spikes. However, knowledge of delta variants is evolving, and the process changes the way we view pandemics.

An internal CDC document leaked in late July stated it all.Report to officials Admit that “war has changed”.

This is what we have learned:

Delta is more contagious than the common cold

CDC Estimate The Delta variant is almost twice as infectious as the previous variant. The leaked CDC document simply states that Delta variants are more susceptible than influenza and colds (both can occur out of nowhere). The virus is also considered to be almost as contagious as chickenpox and slightly less contagious than measles. One of the most contagious viruses..

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Told to CNN After the document was published, “I think people need to understand that we are not crying wolves here. This is serious. This is the most contagious we know. One of the viruses. Measles, chickenpox, this-they are all there. “

Dr. Larry Brilliant, a prominent epidemiologist, Told CNBC Friday, “This is probably the most contagious virus we have ever seen in our living memories.”

So now we have to vaccinate more people

The increase in infectivity has changed the calculation of what is needed to end the pandemic.

Epidemiologists wanted 70% or 80% of people to be vaccinated and the number of people who had previously acquired some immunity from being infected with the virus to control the pandemic.

However, increased delta transmission rates mean that vaccination goals need to be higher. Probably in the 90 percent range.

Delta is believed to spread from vaccinated people

Vaccines are very effective in stopping serious illnesses from Delta, but officials say people can get and spread less serious cases. This wasn’t a big concern before. It was another game changer.

Citing a study of outbreaks in Providence Town, among other data, the CDC said similar viral loads were found in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. .. “High viral load suggests an increased risk of infection, and unlike other variants, there is concern that vaccinated people infected with Delta may be infected with the virus. Is on the rise. ” Said in a statement.. Vaccinated people “may unknowingly infect others, including unvaccinated or immunocompromised loved ones,” she said.

The fact that vaccinated people can spread the virus led to an agency that advised vaccinated people to bring their masks indoors in late July, Warensky said. “Discovery”. Authorities currently recommend that everyone, with or without vaccination, wear a mask in a public indoor environment in a “substantial” or “high” coronavirus-infected area.Now it is included Most of the country, Except for some lucky places.

“Unvaccinated pandemic”

During the busy days of June, it may have seemed that the whole country was riding a wave of vaccinations and trying to defeat the virus together. But with the rise of the tenacious Delta, stories have emerged of countries where people are vaccinated and protected from the virus, and countries that are not vaccinated and potentially prey on the virus. ..

Officials say the country is in the midst of an “unvaccinated pandemic.”

“If you are vaccinated, you are very well protected from infection. There is no 100% defensive vaccine, so there is what is called a” breakthrough “infection. That’s bad news. Fortunately, most people have no or minimal symptoms, “said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on Sunday at NBC-TV’s Meet. The Press ”said.

However, the Delta variant is “extremely dangerous for unvaccinated people,” he said. “If they are not vaccinated and don’t wear masks, they will eventually get infected, which is what we are concerned about.”

Federal officials suggest that 99% of people who have recently died from the coronavirus are unvaccinated, and about the same percentage of hospitalized people are unvaccinated. However, Warensky said last week that these numbers “did not reflect the data currently available from the Delta Variant,” and the CDC was working on updating the numbers.

“But based on the data we see, we look at hospitalizations, see our deaths, and want to repeat that they are overwhelmingly unvaccinated people.” She said in a briefing. White House COVID-19 compatible team.

Is Delta more severe?

Obviously, Delta is more contagious, but scientists are less confident that it will cause more serious illness. “”Some data suggest that delta mutants can cause more serious illness in unvaccinated individuals than previous strains, “said the CDC. Summary of scientific evidence..

A document leaked from the CDC in late July, at some point, claims that Delta “may cause more serious illness,” pointing to studies in Canada, Singapore, and Scotland. At another point, it suggests that it is “likely” to be more serious.

Front-line doctors have disturbing case reports.One Louisiana doctor Told the Washington Post The patient “gets sick sooner.” Alabama doctors said inpatient data support the idea that “deltas can be more harmful.”

However, Warrensky said Thursday that the CDC document cited an “early preliminary investigation.” She said Delta variants spread rapidly during periods of mitigation efforts such as masking and social distance expansion. This exposes more people and makes it difficult for researchers to unravel the severity of the virus from significant changes in how people are exposed.

Concerns have also been raised that variants may make children more ill than previous variants. Dr. Richard Malley, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, said: Told the New York Times..

“We continue to monitor this not only for adults but also for children,” Warensky said in a briefing.

Another problem caused by the rise of Delta variants

Experts are even more concerned about the continued rise in delta variants. The longer the circulation, the more likely they are to develop mutations that may have even worse properties, they say.

“There is a belief in virology that everyone knows. Unless you allow the virus to replicate, the virus will not mutate. Therefore, if you do not try to circulate and stop the virus freely, sooner or later it will be more problematic than Delta. You may get another variant that could be, Forch said.

“Giving the virus the opportunity to keep changing leads to vulnerabilities that can lead to worse variants, which are protected not only by unvaccinated individuals, but also by the variants. It also affects unvaccinated people because it can be avoided. Vaccines, “he said.

Dr. Howard Koh, a professor at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, raised the same concern in an email and warned: And chaos. “

For this report, we used materials from Globe News Agency.

Martin Finne Cane can be reached at [email protected]..