Key TakeawaysCases of COVID-19 linked to the Delta variant are increasing in the United States.The Delta variant may spread more easily than the initial strain of the COVID virus and may also cause more severe illness (leading to hospitalization and even death).Being fully vaccinated against COVID is the best protection against the Delta variant.
Key Takeaways
Cases of COVID-19 linked to the Delta variant are increasing in the United States.The Delta variant may spread more easily than the initial strain of the COVID virus and may also cause more severe illness (leading to hospitalization and even death).Being fully vaccinated against COVID is the best protection against the Delta variant.
As many communities begin toloosen COVID-19 restrictions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has sounded the alarm of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of the COVID-19 virus, which originated in India and now accounts for most cases in the United Kingdom.
On Thursday, the CDC raised its formal classification of Delta from “variant of interest” to a more serious category—“variant of concern.”
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Why the Change?
Stephen Kissler, PhD, a research fellow in immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, tells Verywell that the Delta variant is more of a concern because it can spread more easily and cause more severe disease—particularly in people who are not fully vaccinated.
A CDC spokesperson tells Verywell that what moved the needle for the classification change in the U.S. was an increase in COVID caseslinked to the Delta variantfrom mid-May to early June—from 2% to almost 10%.
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While research is ongoing, Kissler says that one factor that may make the Delta variant more serious is that it increases the number of virus particles people are infected with, and that “higher amounts of virus can increase spread others as well as how sick people get who contract the virus.”
Vaccination Is the Best Protection
Gregory Poland, MD, an infectious disease specialist and head of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic, tells Verywell that the best protection against the Delta variant—or any coronavirus—is vaccination.
A recent study published inNaturefound that when 20 people received two doses of thePfizer vaccine, they had high enough levels of antibodies to protect against several variants of the COVID virus, including the Delta variant.
A person is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer), or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).
However, according to a study inThe Lancetpublished in June, people need “full vaccination” to be protected.The study found that people were less likely to develop enough antibodies to protect against the Delta variant after just one dose of a vaccine.
Kisser says that this is “why we are urging not just vaccination, but full vaccination."
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Poland adds that vaccination can also prevent variants from occurring in the first place.
“When the virus spreads it can mutate into other variants—some of which, like Delta, can be more dangerous than the original," he says. “But if you stop the spread of the virus through vaccination, you also stop mutations.”
Precautions Even for The Vaccinated
Anyone at risk should talk with their provider about any precautions that they should take as COVID restrictions lift (just as the Delta variant appears poised to increase). According to Poland, these recommendations could include continued mask-wearing, social distancing, and avoiding crowds, especially indoors.
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Winter Could Increase Variant Risk
While we might get through the summer, there are concerns that the Delta variant could pose more of a threatin the fall and winter.
“Cases of respiratory viruses, of which the coronavirus is one, rise in fall and winter,” Kissler says. “We’re not sure why. It may be humidity, weather, or even that more people gather together indoors in colder weather.”
According to the CDC, almost 150 million people, (about 45% of the total U.S. population) have been fully vaccinated as of June 1.That’s nowhere near the 70% to 90% threshold that has been discussed as being necessary to reachherd immunity.
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Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Verywell that “the Delta variant and other variants offer some level of persuasion for people not yet immunized against COVID-19 to get vaccinated, but it may not be enough for others.”
Adalja says that manypeople continue to worryabout side effects and long-term health concerns, and may face barriers to getting the vaccine.
If the Delta variant becomes entrenched in the U.S., Adalja says that would make vaccination even more important than it already is. To ensure that people get vaccinated, Adalja says that it’s crucial that we take “a one-on-one approach to talk to people about the vaccine and their concerns.”
What This Means For YouWhile many parts of the U.S. are lifting COVID restrictions as more people get fully vaccinated, the Delta variant of the virus still poses a threat—especially to people who are not yet vaccinated.If you are vaccinated but are still at-risk because of factors like a compromised immune system or certain medical conditions, talk to your healthcare provider about any other precautions that they would recommend you take to stay safe.
What This Means For You
While many parts of the U.S. are lifting COVID restrictions as more people get fully vaccinated, the Delta variant of the virus still poses a threat—especially to people who are not yet vaccinated.If you are vaccinated but are still at-risk because of factors like a compromised immune system or certain medical conditions, talk to your healthcare provider about any other precautions that they would recommend you take to stay safe.
While many parts of the U.S. are lifting COVID restrictions as more people get fully vaccinated, the Delta variant of the virus still poses a threat—especially to people who are not yet vaccinated.
If you are vaccinated but are still at-risk because of factors like a compromised immune system or certain medical conditions, talk to your healthcare provider about any other precautions that they would recommend you take to stay safe.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).SARS-CoV-2 variant classifications and definitions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).COVID data tracker: variant proportions.
Mahase E.Delta variant: what is happening with transmission, hospital admissions, and restrictions?BMJ. 2021;373. doi:10.1136/bmj.n1513
Liu J, Liu Y, Xia H, et al.BNT162b2-elicited neutralization of B.1.617 and other SARS-CoV-2 variants.Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03693-y
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States.
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