COVID-19: New Delta Variant, Left Vaccinated People Confused

When more and more people were getting vaccinated, Ivermectin was approved as an anti-parasite drug and people were hoping for a Coronavirus-free world soon, all of sudden, a new variant of the ongoing coronavirus was found and left vaccinated people confused. 

While vaccinated people are planning for their tours, socializing, and having fun, the rise of the highly infectious variant ‘Delta’ has spoiled those plans. Vaccinated people were supposed to be safe from Coronavirus, especially against the serious illness. Headlines about breakthrough infections and new guidelines that vaccinated people should still wear masks, left many people confused and worried. 

Research shows that vaccinated people can become infected and carry a high level of infection. However, the cases are rare but the unvaccinated people who get infected can spread the virus.

If you’re vaccinated, you’ve done the most important thing for you, your family, and friends to keep everyone safe- said Gregg Gonsalves, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health. He further added, “there’s substantially more freedom for people who are vaccinated, but the idea that everything is the same as the summer of 2019 is not the case”.

People are confused about why they need to worry when they are vaccinated. In this context- Erin Bromage, a comparative immunologist and biology professor at the University of Massachusetts, answers that no vaccine offers 100% protection. He elaborated with an example saying think of vaccine antibodies like a sea wall designed to protect a town from a storm surge. Most of the time the walls stand up to the pounding waves, but the hurricane can be forceful enough to allow some water to get through. 

Compared to previous variants of Coronavirus, the Delta variant is strong enough and like a hurricane; it’s far more infectious and presents a bigger challenge to even vaccinated people. 

“Bromage Said, vaccination gives you extra protection that you wouldn’t normally have. But when you come close to the big challenge like getting close to unvaccinated people who have been exposed to the high infectious risk, that wall of vaccination is not going to protect you”. 

The good news is that the current vaccine available in the United States is doing a remarkable job in protecting people with high infection, serious illness, and death. According to the reports, more than 97% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated. Another report from Singapore suggested that when vaccinated people are hospitalized with Delta breakthrough infection, they are less likely to need oxygen and get infected soon compared to unvaccinated people. 

As far as safety is concerned, masks, social distancing, and sanitization are still compulsory to break the chain of infection. The Coronavirus is unpredictable and can be deadly, regardless of your vaccination status and the variant that has infected you. Also, high-quality medical masks like N95 or KN95 or double-mask are required for high protection. Notably, the mask with the exhale valve should never be worn, since it allows virus particles to enter your nose or mouth while breathing.