Although the delta variant is far more contagious than previous versions of the coronavirus, vaccines still provide high protection rates.
In the past month, the number of daily COVID-19 cases has risen from a seven-day average of about 11,600 to now over 40,000. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 97% of hospitalizations from COVID-19 are among those who are not vaccinated.
“Please take the delta variant seriously,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Thursday. “This virus has no incentive to let up, and it remains in search of the next vulnerable person to infect.”
But if one is vaccinated, there is minimal cause for concern.
DELTA VARIANT POSES HIGH RISKS FOR THE UNVACCINATED
“If you have two doses [of the Pfizer or Moderna] vaccine, it is in the realm of 90% effective at preventing symptomatic clinical disease,” said Angela Clendenin, instructional assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Public Health.
A new study released by the New England Journal of Medicine found the Pfizer vaccine was 88% effective in preventing coronavirus infection, a finding similar to a study by Public Health England.
Less research has been conducted on the two-dose Moderna vaccine and the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine regarding the delta variant. A Canadian study found Moderna was 72% effective at preventing symptomatic infection after one dose, suggesting two doses would be even more effective.
Additionally, many experts say the Moderna vaccine is probably as effective as the Pfizer vaccine because they both use mRNA technology.
The mRNA vaccines provide greater protection against severe COVID-19, hospitalization, and death. The Public Health England study found Pfizer was 96% effective against hospitalization. The Canadian study found one dose of Pfizer was 78% effective in preventing hospitalization and death against the delta variant, while one dose of Moderna was 96%.
A recent New York University study found Pfizer and Moderna were about 94% effective at preventing severe COVID-19, while Johnson & Johnson was only about 70% effective. However, research conducted by Johnson & Johnson itself has found it to be highly effective against the delta strain.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
For those who get vaccinated, there is still a risk of getting COVID-19 despite being inoculated, a so-called “breakthrough case.”
Thus far, the CDC has tracked 5,189 breakthrough cases that involved hospitalization and 1,063 that resulted in death. Yet, that is a tiny number relative to the more than 162 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated.
Indeed, the risk of a fully vaccinated person being hospitalized with COVID-19 is less than 1 in 31,000.
