How Worried Should We Be About the Delta Variant of COVID-19?

Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash

It’s ravaging India, and now it’s here in the U.S. It’s responsible for an uptick in infections in the U.K.

So, how worried should we be about the Delta variant, and will it send us all back into the lockdown we barely escaped.

Let’s unpack some of the facts.

What is the Delta Variant?

The Delta variant is also known as B1617.2. It’s referred to as a “double mutant” because it has not one, but two mutations that are associated with increased contagion. There’s also indications that it causes more severe illness and is more likely to give you stomach flu. (Coronaviruses often cause GI infection in other animals).

Ack. Not good!

Oh, and what about immune escape? There’s some. It appears to be associated with reduced effectiveness of some monoclonal antibodies.

Do the Vaccines Still Work?

Sadly, this isn’t a yes or no answer.

The Pfizer vaccine is slightly less effective against this variant. This probably indicates the Moderna one is too. However, we’re talking of a drop from a bit over 90% to a bit under 90%.

That’s not the issue.