Why it is essential that society be vaccinated with two doses to deal with the Delta variant of the coronavirus

The Delta variant of the coronavirus was identified in India last December. With travel from people infected with COVID-19, the variant has already been notified in 124 countries, including Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Delta is emerging as the fastest growing concern variant in the world. Health authorities and experts in infectology and virology warn that today it is essential for the population to access a complete vaccination against COVID-19 in the face of the advance of this mutation, since those who will not receive both doses will be the victims of the new wave of the pandemic.

Nathan Fletcher, Chairman of the San Diego County Board of Directors, California, The United States said a few days ago that the Delta variant was “the greatest risk for those who have not yet been vaccinated with the full regimen.” “Almost 95% of our delta variant cases come from people who are not fully vaccinated,” Fletcher said.

At the end of July, the Delta variant was responsible for more than 80% of new COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized that Delta is the “fastest and most suitable” version of the coronavirus among the variants detected so far. He called for more equitable access to vaccination: Until last week, only 28.5% of humanity had had access to a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Only 14.7% of people received both doses.

“In a completely free environment – in which no one is vaccinated or wears a mask or chin strap – it is estimated that an average person infected with the original strain of coronavirus will infect another 2.5 people,” the epidemiologist said from Yale University, USA, Dr Perry Wilson. “In the same environment, Delta would spread from one person to maybe 3.5 or 4 more people. Delta will undoubtedly accelerate the pandemic around the world. ”

Faced with the risk of catching Delta, Elena Obieta, physician specializing in infectious diseases, head of the Communicable and Emerging Diseases Service of the Municipality of San Isidro and member of the Argentinian Society of Infectology, commented Infobae: “Today, it is essential that people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 because the Delta variant is more transmissible. If more cases of Covid-19 occur again, there will also be more hospital patients and more stress on the healthcare system. At least 70% of the population should be fully immunized as soon as possible. In this way, collective immunity would begin to be obtained and later close the doors to the virus ”.

“The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines when doses have not yet been received is lower. To avoid severe forms and death, people must agree to complete the regimen to achieve high protection against Delta, ”said Dr Obieta.

Meanwhile, the researcher in virology at CONICET and member of the Argentine Society of Virology, Alejandra Capozzo, explained to Infobae that full COVID-19 vaccination today is the key to the Delta variant challenge. “It’s a very contagious variant. So when more people are fully vaccinated, there will be fewer people at risk of contracting the Delta variant, ”he said.

In addition, the scientist added: “Vaccines protect against serious disease. If there are still people who are not fully immunized, Delta could increase the number of people hospitalized. In addition, vaccination today is important because if we allow the variants to circulate freely, more will emerge and they will continue to complicate our lives ”.

Access to immunization must come with individual responsibility. “People have a social responsibility to get vaccinated, even to protect others who cannot take doses for various reasons. Everyone can help achieve collective immunity to protect others and prevent the virus from circulating. In addition to getting vaccinated, They must continue to use the chinstrap correctly, permanent and cross ventilation and a 2 meter spacing. This care must be followed even if people are fully immunized, ”said Dr Capozzo.

“The virus generates new variants as it evolves,” Capozzo explained. Some variations are more effective than others. Delta is the most suitable variant for the species it infects. This is an improved version of the original coronavirus. Today without vaccination, the chances of getting Delta are very high because it is already circulating in the world population ”.

Also The infectious scientist Liliana Vázquez, is a member of the Argentinian Society of Infectious Diseases and a doctor at the Clínica Maternidad Suizo Argentina and at the Sanatorio Finochietto, underline Infobae: “Delta is a variant of the coronavirus which has a greater capacity for replication, and this results in greater contagion. While fully vaccinated people can also be infected, vaccines protect to prevent severe forms and death.

People who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are most at risk from Delta’s advance, according to Yale University vaccine specialist Inci Yildirim. In the United States, there are a disproportionate number of unvaccinated people in the southern and Appalachian states, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, and West Virginia, where vaccination rates are low. Children and young people are also a source of concern.

“A recent study from the UK showed that children and adults under 50 were 2.5 times more likely to be infected with the Delta variant “, remarked Dr Yildirim. “While older age groups get vaccinated, younger and unvaccinated ones will have a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 with any variant. Corn Delta – he warns – seems to affect younger age groups than the previous variants ”.

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