The Delta Variant Can Affect You Even If You’ve Been Vaccinated
Last night Nancy was browning the internet when she came across a shocking news article. The article claimed that people who have been vaccinated are also at risk of being infected by the COVID-19 Delta variant.
This shocked and upset Nancy because she was hoping that she could resume her normal life without any worries as she was fully vaccinated. She is confused as to what she should do now. And the only thing she is sure about is that she needs more information before making any decisions.
The Effect of Delta Variant on Vaccinated People
Simply put, there is a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that the Delta variant of COVID-19 is fully capable of infecting vaccinated people. This variant is faster, fitter, and more formidable than the previous versions of the virus.
Because of this, a lot of concern has been generated by people and experts from all across the globe. There are upending assumptions about the disease even as countries are starting to loosen their restrictions and opening up their economies.
However, irrespective of all these speculations, the one thing that is for sure is that being fully vaccinated does provide protection benefits to individuals. The largest amount of risk is still facing people who are unvaccinated. There is a lot of agreement regarding this statement by the top 10 leading COVID-19 experts.
The Major Worry Associated with the Delta Variant
The major worry about the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, is that this variant makes people sicker than other variants. Further, the Delta variant also spreads far more easily from one individual to another. This, in turn, increases the rate of infections and hospitalizations among the people who have not been vaccinated yet.
Beyond that, it is now proven that the Delta variant can even affect people who have been vaccinated! This is quite a concern that has alerted people regarding the spread of the virus even after being vaccinated.
There are also experts who believe that there can be new variants of this virus in the future. This is because viruses are always evolving through mutation. This points to the fact that there can be more dangerous virus variants in the future so it is vital for all individuals to follow the prevention guidelines.
Ideally, everyone should be using masks, practicing social distancing, and practicing important preventative measures across the world. This should be practiced even in countries that have widely been vaccinated.
Nancy is now sure that even though she has been vaccinated she is still at risk. She now wants to get more clarity on the same. She wants to be prepared for what is coming ahead. But she still needs more information before she can plan her strategy for keeping herself and her family safe.
The Challenge behind Handling the Delta Variant
According to a study carried out in China, people who are infected with the Delta variant carry 1,000 more viruses in their noses as compared to the original COVID-19 strain. This allows this virus to spread far quicker than it could earlier.
This is the biggest reason why handling the Delta variant is becoming so challenging. The vaccine was created with the main aim of preventing severe symptoms and death due to COVID-19. The vaccine was not created to prevent the spread of the infection.
Because of this, people who are vaccinated have to be especially careful because they have been following relaxed guidelines. Hence, even if you are tempted to loosen the restricted guidelines you need to remember that your safety is in your hands.
Important Facts related to the Delta Variant
Knowledge is power and you can go through the five important factors to protect yourself against the spread of the Delta variant.
- The Highly Contagious Delta Variant
As of July 2021, nearly 80% of all cases in the world for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 were due to the Delta variant. According to the CDC, this data is quite concerning because it means that we are not fighting the same virus anymore. Instead, we are looking at a new strain of the COVID-19 virus that is more contagious, more efficient, and very easily transmitted.
- The Delta Variant Symptoms: Same or Different?
On the surface, the symptoms of the Delta variant appear to be similar to the original strain of COVID-19. However, if one looks closely, then it’s quite easy to recognize that people are getting sicker, which is especially true for young people.
The Delta variant has also been able to grow more exponentially in the respiratory tract. The biggest carriers of the Delta variant are people who have been vaccinated and are showing no symptoms or mild symptoms.
After reading this, Nancy just remembered that one of her friends is suffering from a common cold, cough, fever, headaches, and a significant loss of smell. She is worried about that friend and thinks that she might be a Delta variant carrier.
- The Large Effect on Unvaccinated People
It is true that a vast majority of people are getting sick if they have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. However, there are still people who have been vaccinated and are getting sick. This trend is being observed all across the globe.
- Breakthrough Cases for Vaccinated People
When a vaccinated individual is tested positive for COVID-19, they usually show minor or mild symptoms. It is also quite rare for vaccinated people to be hospitalized or die due to COVID-19 infection. Some common symptoms that a vaccinated person can experience are:
- Common cold
- Cough
- Fever
- Headache
- Significant loss of smell
It should be noted that no vaccine is 100% effective, Most COVID-19 vaccines average at a 90% efficiency. This means that 10% of people who have been vaccinated can still be infected.
- Catastrophic to Some Communities
In communities that have lower vaccination rates, especially in rural areas with limited access to care, the Delta variant can be more damaging than other virus strains. This is also being seen through data collected from poorer countries where the COVID-19 vaccine hasn’t been accessible. According to experts, this impact can be felt for decades to come.
The Bottom Line: Get Vaccinated
Nancy shared all this information with one of her unvaccinated friends. That unvaccinated friend has been following all the preventative guidelines but she still expressed her wish to get vaccinated as soon as possible to Nancy.
Nancy is wondering. Are you vaccinated too?
