At the end of the year 2019, news broke. The “novel” coronavirus or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, which is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 came discovered. Since then, life has never been the same as it was before.
Just as time passes by, and as the world grows rapidly, the SARS-CoV-2 decided to upgrade itself into different variants such as the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Eta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, and Delta. However, some of these weren’t much of a concern as the Delta is. The Delta variant or the lineage B.1.617.2 was first detected in India around late 2020. From what we know, Delta is more contagious than the other virus as it is the predominant strain of the virus in both India and then Great Britain. By the end of July, Delta was the cause of more than 80% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases, according to CDC. Delta is 40-60% more transmissible than Alpha and almost twice as transmissible as the original Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 than the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. “In a completely unmitigated environment—where no one is vaccinated or wearing masks—it’s estimated that the average person infected with the original coronavirus strain will infect 2.5 other people,” Dr. Wilson says. “In the same environment, Delta would spread from one person to maybe 3.5 or 4 other people.”, he continues.
Symptoms of the Delta variant are similar to the original version of COVID-19. However, doctors are seeing people getting sicker quicker, especially younger people. Recent research found that the Delta variant grows more rapidly and at a greater level in the respiratory tract. Vaccinated people are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms if they contract the Delta variant. Their symptoms are more like those of a common cold, such as cough, fever, or headache, with the addition of a significant loss of smell.
Do vaccines protect against them? A recent study, according to a Public Health England analysis, which has not yet been peer-reviewed shows the Pfizer vaccine is 88% effective against the delta variant and 96% effective against hospitalization from delta after two doses. Moderna, in a study not yet peer-reviewed, said its vaccine is effective against the delta variant. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not an mRNA vaccine, is 60% effective against the delta variant and 93% effective against hospitalization. It also shows the Johnson & Johnson vaccine might not be as effective but this study has not yet been peer-reviewed or published.
A study from the UK showed that children and adults under 50 were 2.5 times more likely to become infected with Delta,” says Dr. Yildirim. As we already know, no vaccine has been approved for children 5 to 12, although the U.S. and several 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,” says Dr. Yildirim. “But Delta seems to be impacting younger age groups more than previous variants.”, he also states.
In conclusion, the Delta variant is very dangerous so we all should get vaccinated to protect ourselves from it.
Sources:
Katella, K. (2021, August 3). 5 things to know about the Delta Variant. Yale Medicine. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/5-things-to-know-delta-variant-covid.
Medina, D. (2021, August 2). Do vaccines protect against the delta variant? What to know about symptoms, testing as cases arise. The Tennessean. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/coronavirus/2021/07/27/delta-variant-vaccine-symptoms-covid-19-test-travel-hotspots-faq/8028679002/.
Delta variant: 8 things you should know about THIS COVID-19 STRAIN. Delta variant: 8 things you should know | Coronavirus | UC Davis Health. (n.d.). https://health.ucdavis.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-information/delta-variant.html.
Written by: Sonalen Saing
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