Today, the Delta variant is the no. 1 cause of covid-19 infection. As you may or may not know, there isn’t a delta variant covid vaccine yet. If you have been vaccinated, then it’s against the original strain of the coronavirus. This begs the question, is the vaccine effective against the covid-19 delta variant? We will answer this question and others that you might have in this article.
Vaccines And The Covid-19 Delta Variant
According to the CDC, all Covid vaccines that have been approved are very effective at preventing the infection. If a person gets infected despite vaccination, the vaccine also gives a better chance of avoiding severe disease and eventual death. All these also apply to the delta variant! How do we know this?
There have been studies comparing the original coronavirus symptoms to the coronavirus delta variant symptoms day by day. So far, results indicate that there are hardly delta variant symptoms in vaccinated people. So here’s what we’re saying about vaccinated people- In the first instance, they don’t usually get infected. If they do, they rarely show symptoms. When they show symptoms, the disease is mild. They are less likely to get hospitalized or die as a result of infection. What does this tell us?
Vaccines are quite important in the fight against the pandemic! None of the Covid-19 vaccines is 100% effective, but no vaccine ever produced is either. There will be some breakthrough infections (infections seen in vaccinated people) but these people have a better chance at fighting the disease. Reach out to us at the Express ER (Harker Heights) if you want to get vaccinated.
Can A Vaccinated Person Infect Others?
Yes. People who have been fully vaccinated can get infected and spread the virus to others. However, they are only able to do this for a short period. Studies were done to compare the effect of vaccination on the delta variant with previous variants (alpha, beta, and others). Unlike previous variants, fully vaccinated people who are infected with the delta variant have the same viral load (amount of virus) as those who were unvaccinated. Although this isn’t good news, the viral load in fully vaccinated people is more likely to decrease faster, when compared to what happens in unvaccinated people. This explains why fully vaccinated people can only spread the virus for a short time.
Where Is The Delta Variant Covid From?
The first encounter with this variant was in India, back in December 2020. Now, is the delta variant more deadly? Yes, it is. The prognosis is particularly worse in unvaccinated people. Unvaccinated people are more likely to get hospitalized and die due to an infection. According to the CDC, this was the conclusion of two different studies done in Canada and Scotland. Young people are also not spared by this variant, unlike the original strain and previous variants.
How Long Do Delta Variants Symptoms Last?
So far, studies of the delta variant symptoms timeline have revealed very little or no difference from that of the original strain. The same goes for the delta variant incubation period. There’s no significant difference yet.
Why Is The Delta Variant Spreading Covid-19 faster?
According to the CDC, the delta variant is at least 2× as contagious as previous variants. Another way to understand this is to explain using the number of people likely to get infected. A single person infected with the original strain of the Covid-19 virus can spread the infection to two others. While a single person infected with the delta strain of the Covid-19 virus can spread the infection to 5 others!
Will The Use Of Facemasks And Other Preventive Measures Help?
Yes. We need to get enough people vaccinated
Until then, using your facemask when outdoors is very important. Avoided crowded areas, wash your hands always and use hand sanitizer too.
Getting vaccinated is the best way to combat the pandemic. Unvaccinated people are at greater risk of hospitalization, severe disease, and death. Reach out to us today at Express ER (Harker Heights) if you have any concerns about the virus!
