The Most Dominant Delta Variant in the United States: What You Need to Know

Dr. Ashley LipsInfectious disease specialists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center emphasized that vaccination is the best defense against delta mutants.

“The COVID-19 vaccine appears to retain a high level of efficacy against the delta mutant,” she said. “Therefore, fully vaccinated people are at much lower risk than those who are not.”

Some are the study Delta mutants are reportedly likely to cause breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people, and the vaccine still protects against serious illness, hospitalization, and death.

However, new the study Indicates that for double dose vaccines such as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine, the second dose is important for complete protection.

According to the report, only 47.8% of the total population of the United States is fully vaccinated. CDC.. Prices are even lower in many states in the south and some in the west.

This gave birth to two countries. One originated from a pandemic and the other is still at serious risk of COVID-19.

Elderly people and people with existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are at increased risk of serious illness due to COVID-19, People under 40 You can still go to the hospital.

The rapid but heterogeneous deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States has revealed one thing: severe COVID-19 is currently the main illness in unvaccinated people.

“According to preliminary data from several states over the past few months, 99.5% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States were due to unvaccinated people,” Warensky said at a White House briefing. I am. “These deaths could be prevented with a single safe shot.”

Brandon BrownPhD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, Riverside, said the ability of delta variants to spread more easily affects everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

“Infectious diseases and hospitalizations can continue to increase, and fully vaccinated people can infect other unvaccinated people with the virus,” he says. I did.

People who are completely vaccinated are much less likely to get an infection and their ability to infect the virus is greatly reduced.

But scientists are still trying to determine the exact frequency of fully vaccinated people with infections. Infect the virus To others.

In addition, a large number of COVID-19 cases can occur in an area Confuse the medical system, Can lead to delays in screening and treatment for all people in the area.

Dr. Anthony FauciAt the White House briefing on July 8, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reiterated that despite the rapid spread of delta variants, the CDC mask recommendations have not changed.

“If you are vaccinated, you have a very high degree of protection, so you don’t have to wear a mask,” he said.

However, some health officials say the mask adds a level of protection against this highly infectious variant.

“The number of unknowns is so great that it makes sense to wear a face cover in a public space indoors or in a crowded place outdoors,” Brown continues.

But “everyone has a personal preference for increased physical distance and social interaction, which can exceed local regulations,” he said.

The COVID-19 vaccine has not yet been approved in the United States for children under the age of 12.

July 9th, CDC guidance Schools from kindergarten to high school emphasize that as many older children as possible should be vaccinated before a fall.

For young children, masking, physical distance, increased ventilation, and other means may be needed to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection at school.

Lips said the COVID-19 vaccine is as effective as any other vaccine, but it is important to remember that it does not provide complete protection.

“In certain situations where risk may be high, it is important to consider additional precautions, for example, when gathering with a large number of people indoors, especially if there is an underlying health condition,” she said. Said.

These types of situations are at increased risk in some countries with high cases and low vaccination rates.

For unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people, masking, physical distance, and other means continue to be important ways to protect themselves from coronaviruses, including delta mutants.

However, vaccination can add even stronger protection.

“People who are not vaccinated have the highest risk of infection or illness,” says Lips. “Even if you haven’t been vaccinated yet, you still have time to get vaccinated.”