Delta variant 60% more transmissible, reduces vaccine effect, UK experts say

[RandySF]

The rapid surge in cases during Delhi’s fourth Covid-19 wave was mainly driven by the Delta variant, which likely has immune-evasion properties and accounted for 60 per cent of the cases in April, according to a new study.

The Delta variant, B.1.617.2, is 50 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant, B1.117, first discovered in the UK, say researchers from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB).
Prior infections, high seropositivity and partial vaccination are “insufficient impediments” to the spread of the Delta variant, found the scientists. They traced the factors contributing to the scale and speed of the fourth wave that started in April in Delhi and compared them to the preceding three waves last year.

“We find that this surge of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Delhi is best explained by the introduction of a new highly transmissible variant of concern (VOC), B.1.617.2, with likely immune-evasion properties," the researchers noted.

The variant may have led to insufficient neutralising immunity in people, despite high seropositivity, and social behaviour may have augmented the surge by promoting transmission, they added.




https://www.indiatoday.in/coronavirus-outbreak/story/delta-variant-transmissible-vaccine-effect-uk-experts-1813762-2021-06-11

[wnylib]

1. Currently, according to an NPR report,

The Delta variant accounts for 6% of infections in the US.

We have more vaccinated people than India or the UK, but since breakthrough infections are higher with Delta than with other variants, and Delta is more easily transmitted, that US rate could increase.

[NH Ethylene]

2. It has probably already increased a good deal.

But we don't know because the US is not doing a lot of testing for variants.

[wnylib]

3. In other words, don't throw away your masks yet.

[Duncanpup]

4. I ordered new mask Friday

and I’m vaccinated and still masking up.

[pazzyanne]

6. Same nt

[wnylib]

7. I didn't need to order any. I still have

both cloth and surgical masks. I am also fully vaccinated and I also still wear mine.

[lagomorph777]

9. I have shelves and shelves of boxes of masks.

Many "mask variants" to suit my mood and the threat level.

I'm fully vaccinated, but the mask is NOT coming off anytime soon.

[womanofthehills]

14. Last I read it was at 10%

[NH Ethylene]

19. I heard that today too, for the first time.

I wish they would increase the sampling to get a better idea of what is happening.

[speak easy]

5. The Delta variant accounts for more than 90% (96%?) of new Covid cases in UK

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/11/delta-variant-is-linked-to-90-of-covid-cases-in-uk

As it is crowding out the older UK variant, the same can be expected in the States.

[wnylib]

8. That's very disturbing, with so many

places opening up and people not masking up any more. Wherever I go I am definitely in the minority of mask wearers. Sometimes the only one wearing a mask.

[speak easy]

11. There may not be (much of) a resurgence of new cases in the U.S.

More than half the jabs in the UK are the AstraZeneca vaccine, which provides poor protection against the Delta variant until the second shot, which the UK delays for 12 weeks. Pfizer and Moderna are showing more than 85% efficacy over there.

But ... our stupid anti-vaxxers may be hit hard. The Delta strain won't stay at 6% for long.

[wnylib]

12. My vaccine was Moderna, but,

due to age and health issues, I'm being cautious.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Be Cautious

The distribution of the various vaccines is wildly different between the UK & US.
In the US, the CDC reported that 293 million out of 305 million vaccine doses in the U.S. were Pfizer or Moderna. About 96%.
By contrast, about 20% of vaccines in the UK were from those two sources. The rest were Oxford (dominant) and Jansen/J&J.
It's risky to try to compare outcomes around the delta variant between the 2 countries.
Until we know that the 20% in the UK had the same breakthrough rate as the other 80%, extrapolation is not valid.

[ananda]

10. I read that this variant is expected to become dominant in the USA...

in the next week or two.

I don't think we'll have a booster by then.

[wnylib]

13. In just one or two weeks? Do you

Last edited Mon Jun 14, 2021, 06:32 PM - Edit history (2)

remember where you read it? That sounds fast, even for this variant.

ON EDIT: I just found a Yahoo News article that says the Delta variant in the US is at 10% of all new infections now, and is doubling every 2 weeks. Could not cut and paste a link. It estimated that a surge of infections due to Delta is expected by late summer or early fall. The most vulnerable area is the southeast where vaccination rates are far below average in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana. A surge would affect even vaccinated people by tying up hospitals and staff.

[ananda]

18. Yes that was it.

It was posted here a couple of days ago.

[rockfordfile]

15. you would think there would be limited travel with India

The mutations are coming out of that country.

[NH Ethylene]

20. The variant flew the coop a number of weeks ago.

It's in much of the world now.

[ecstatic]

17. At a certain point, these headlines become meaningless

I was already under the impression that covid-19 was highly transmissible. Practically airborne. How do you get 60% more transmissible than that?? Or are they saying that masks won't even protect you at that point?

[NH Ethylene]

21. They say it takes 15 minutes of exposure over a period of time to get infected.

If it took fewer viral particles to cause an infection, the amount of exposure needed would be less.

[ecstatic]

22. Gotcha! Thanks