The Delta belter: Infection intensity alarms scientists – MENAFN.COM

The Delta belter: Infection intensity alarms scientists – MENAFN.COM

(MENAFN - Gulf Times) A latest document from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has just driven home the crucial point that the Delta variant of the coronavirus appears to cause more severe illness than earlier variants and spreads as easily as chickenpox. Even more alarming is the finding that vaccinated people can spread the virus as easily as those who are unvaccinated. Vaccinated people infected with Delta have measurable viral loads similar to those who are unvaccinated and infected with the variant. CDC scientists were so alarmed by the new research that the agency last week significantly changed guidance for vaccinated people even before making new data public. The data and studies cited in the document played a key role in revamped recommendations that call for everyone in the US — vaccinated or not — to wear masks indoors in public settings in certain circumstances. There is a higher risk among older age groups for hospitalisation and death relative to younger people, regardless of vaccination status. The document outlines"communication challenges" fuelled by cases in vaccinated people, including concerns from local health departments about whether coronavirus vaccines remain effective and a"public convinced vaccines no longer work/booster doses