As communities across America continue to lift Covid restrictions, a new strain continues to find its footing. Missouri is leading the way for a surge in new COVID cases attributed to the "Delta" variant.
“Right now, of all the Covid circulating nationally, 21% of it is the ‘Delta’ or the ‘India’ variant. And that’s the percentage that the CDC believes is doubling every two weeks,” says Louisiana State Health Officer Dr.
Joe Kanter.
Kanter says this newer strain is proving even more contagious than its previous incarnation.
“What we know so far is that it is more transmissible than the other variants that are circulating. Perhaps 60%, but that’s a ball-park. It seems to be more virulent, meaning it’s more likely to make people sick, more likely to require hospitalizations of people,” Kanter told WWL Radio New Orleans host Newell Normand.
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Springfield-Greene County assistant health director Jon Mooney warns that if you're traveling this Fourth of July holiday you may be at high-risk of the variant if unvaccinated. He says hospitalizations are very high and the patients are younger.
There's been a 22% increase in new COVID-19 cases this week in the county, says Mooney.
"I can't reiterate enough though, the only long-term answer to this is vaccine," Mooney says. "That's really the only way we can really provide long-term protection."
He says if you are traveling and unvaccinated, then you should be wearing a face mask and staying away from large crowds.
There is good news though for the large majority of fully-vaccinated Americans.
“The two mRNA vaccines – the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine – are a very good match if you get both doses, if you complete the series,” Kanter said. “Excellent high-80s, low-90s percent coverage if you complete the series.”
However, people who stopped after just one dose do not have nearly as firm of a barrier against the Delta strain. “If you just get the first dose and you don’t get anything else, the protection against this variant is just 33%,” Kanter said.
Kanter says they expect to get data on the effectiveness of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine against the Delta strain sometime next week.
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