The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus was first discovered in India in December of last year.
It rapidly began ravaging the country and then reached Great Britain. It is currently the dominant strain in the United States, as over 83% of all infections are courtesy of the Delta variant.
The WHO (World Health Organization) labelled the Delta variant as the “fastest and fittest” coronavirus strain.
The mutations of the spike protein made the virus at least twice more transmissible than the initial strain.
As infections with the new variant are becoming more and more common, you are likely to contact an infected individual.
However, many people are wondering if the vaccines still work.
The good news is that they still work.
The Trio of U.S. emergency usage approved vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson – have proven effective against the new variant.
The vaccines seem to be 90% effective at keeping you away from a hospital. Also, 99.5% of the COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have been among unvaccinated individuals.
However, no vaccine is perfect, so you should keep in mind that, though vaccines work as a shield, they should be complemented by safety measures like distancing and mask-wearing.
Currently, the CDC doesn’t keep track of mild or moderate breakthrough infections, which are situations where vaccinated individuals contract the virus, so it’s not precisely known how common they are.
The CDC keeps track of severe infections among fully vaccinated individuals.
As of July 12, there were 5,492 cases reported, which led to 1,063 deaths.
When you look at the numbers, only a minuscule fraction of the 159 million vaccinated Americans have experienced severe infections, but that means that there is always a (minuscule) chance of experiencing a severe type of illness.
Still, that shouldn’t be bothering you too much. You only have to follow the essential health and safety guidelines imposed by the CDC.
