How much do you need to worry about the Delta COVID-19 variant?

(LEX 18) — The highly contagious and contagious delta variant of COVID-19 is widespread throughout the country, but top doctors in the state say Kentucky citizens need not be afraid.

New variants began to cause faded horror, just as people thought they were returning to pre-pandemic standards and approaching the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health at Brown University, said:

Dr. Anthony Fauci said it was the greatest threat to countries eliminating COVID-19.

CDC data show that the Delta variant is spreading rapidly. In just one month, cases of this strain have grown from nearly 0% to over 25% of cases in the United States.

However, local leaders say concerns should be narrowly focused locally.

“It looks like you’re on vacation in another state, you can look up the county, check the positive rate, and check the vaccination rate. In most parts of Kentucky, this is better than here. “Governor Bescher said. During his weekly Team Kentucky speech on Thursday.

Steven Stack, the state’s top doctor, says he’s right. Stack says the Kentucky should be responsible, but don’t be afraid.

“If you get vaccinated, you’re well protected from the worst harm,” says Stack.

Dr. Stephen Stack talks about Delta COVID-19 variant

According to Dr. Stack, about 1% of the COVID-19 cases identified in Kentucky were COVID-19, including delta. He is worried that the number will increase.

“I promise you that it will increase, and it may increase rapidly,” Dr. Stack said. “We think [the Delta variant] Diffusion is up to 2.5 times more effective. When it enters the community, it may go further like a wildfire through an unvaccinated community. “

Dr. Stephen Stack talks about preventing the spread of DeltaCOVID-19 variants

Studies have shown that the Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson vaccines are all very effective against the Delta variant. Stack says people should find comfort in the science.

“People may need to worry more the day they find a mutant that doesn’t work,” he explained.

Over time, he says, people will get some immunity from vaccinations and infections. But at the same time, if you live in an area with low immunization rates and high COVID cases, you may need to tow a special level of concern and mask.

“What we have already seen nationwide, and also in Kentucky, is that in communities with much lower vaccination rates, people entering the intensive care unit will be particularly ill. Ventilators And, and finally and sadly, most now die with preventable bad consequences, “Stuck said.

He says the level of horror of most Kentucky people is in their own hands. According to his data, if you have an immunodeficiency or are younger than the age of vaccination, choosing to get vaccinated can prevent serious illness and fear.

“You can rattle a lot of numbers here, but that’s not the way we persuade people. We tell people about their impact on them, their lives, their families, and their communities. Convince people with the story, and unfortunately I think we have to do some harm that can occur in communities with low immunization rates. We hope we can prevent it as much as possible, but people are different. You have to choose the path, “says Stack.

The stack now says Kentucky is heading in the right direction, but he knows how fast things change.

“I hope I’ll never come back, at least soon until I have to think about more dramatic measures,” Stack said.

Dr. Stack states that the best way to minimize the risk of spreading the delta mutant is to ensure that everyone is vaccinated.

“What happened all over the world, as we saw it, spread very quickly,” he said. “We started hearing this in China and ended it in less than two months in the United States, so until then no one is safe, so we all need to make sure it’s safe.”

Nearly 2.2 million Kentucky citizens have been vaccinated with at least one COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest data from the Kentucky Department of Public Health.

Dr. Stack also talked about when and where Kentucky citizens should wear masks. It’s normal to see the guidelines change and others not wearing masks, but Dr. Stack says people should be tolerant of others who are still wearing masks.

Dr. Steven Stack talks about the future of Kentucky masks

“Remember that people who wear masks may be wearing masks because of a weakened immune system,” said Dr. Stack. “One of our loved ones in the family may have weakened immunity. We must allow others to choose to do so.

This map from the CDC shows transmission rates in most counties in the United States.

CDC

If the county is blue (low infection) or yellow (medium infection), you are less likely to get the virus if you are not vaccinated.

If you live in an orange or red county, or are planning a trip to a red or orange county, it is advisable to wear a mask or get vaccinated.

“If you live in one of the counties with low vaccination rates and are confident that I need to worry about infection, I recommend wearing a mask more often.” And Dr. Stack. “And if you’re traveling somewhere in the United States, you can visit the CDC website to see where your immunity is. You can do it by county, but at the state level, it’s probably That’s enough. I just go on vacation. “

Blue means that 0-9.99 per 100,000 people have tested positive in the last 7 days. 35% of American counties are in low-infection counties.

Yellow is a positive test of 10-49.99 per 100,000 people, with just over 43% of the county at moderate risk.

Orange means that 50-99.99 people per 100,000 have been tested positive in the last 7 days. Over 11.5% of the counties fall into this category, and as of Tuesday, 15 counties in Kentucky are orange.

Finally, red has a high transmittance. This means that more than 100 out of every 100,000 people are positive on the test. Just under 10% of the counties fall into this category, with eight counties in Kentucky in the red.