Three weeks ago a variant of the coronavirus that was being called the “Indian version” was renamed the ‘Delta’ variant after objections from India. Scientists say there was another mutation in the delta variant that caused the second major Covid outbreak in India.
The new version may also be able to evade the immunity provided by the vaccine. But mutations don’t always turn into worrisome viruses.
For example, the ‘beta version’, first detected in South Africa, reduced the effectiveness of all vaccines, but did not spread to the rest of the world like the ‘alpha version’ (the UK version).
In fact, version B.1.617.1 has already changed to ‘484Q’ to avoid the immunity provided by the vaccine, and yet delta (B.1.617.2) is infectious without it.
Delta Super spreader variant is V
Delta is the main strain of coronavirus found in India. This type of infection accounts for 91% of new cases in the UK. According to Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organization, cases of the delta variant in the US are doubling every two weeks, and the virus will soon spread to the whole world.
Neil Ferguson, epidemiologist at Imperial College London, told New York Magazine that “Delta is the super-spreader. Alpha was also a super-spreader, but Delta may be 60% more transmissible than this.”
According to Public Health England, Delta is at least 60% more transmittable within homes than Alpha.
Two doses of Kovid-19 vaccine effective against delta variant
The high transmissibility of delta is due to the 452R and 478K mutations. Both mutations bind better to human cells and evade immunity. While two doses still work well against it, one dose provides limited protection.
Data from the UK shows that One-Shot gives 33% protection against Delta, compared to 51% against Alpha. So partially vaccinated people are now at higher risk of infection.
2.6 times higher risk of hospitalization
Delta has a higher chance of causing serious illness than Alpha. The Guardian reported in England that Delta increases the risk of hospitalization by 2.6 times. For example, a person infected with the alpha variant can infect 4-5 people. But a person infected with the delta variant can infect 5-8 people.
Starting with two infected people, after 10 rounds of infection with alpha, the total number of cases can be between 20 lakhs and 20 lakhs. At the same time, the number of cases with Delta can range from 20 million to 2 billion.
Will not be admitted if infected after a single dose
The good news is that vaccination against the delta variant is still highly effective. Although the chances of becoming infected after a single dose are high, the chances of hospitalization are low.
According to the BBC, a single dose of the vaccine reduces a person’s chance of infection and the need for hospitalization by 75%. The risk of hospitalization is reduced by 90% after two doses.
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