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By many metrics, The US is doing quite well against the pandemic coronavirus. The number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths of nations is at a minimum not seen since the beginning of last year. Several states have achieved the goal of reaching 70 percent of adults vaccinated with at least one dose, and in many areas health restrictions are being alleviated or eliminated in the face of contaminated transmission levels.
With those hard-earned gains, it was a tough milestone on Tuesday: 600,000 people were killed nationally. The population is approximately Milwaukee or Baltimore. Experts express concern that the pandemic situation could worsen again in the US.
The threatening coronavirus variant B 1,617.2, first seen in India — now called the Delta by the World Health Organization — is spreading rapidly around the world, including the United States. It is estimated to be even more contagious than worrisome B.1.1.7 variant was first seen in the UK. This alpha, now known as Alpha, is estimated to be about 50% more contagious than the original coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China, in early 2020. It is estimated to be 50% to 60% more contagious than Delta Alpha.
In the UK, Delta variant infections started at very low levels in early April and then rose rapidly. In early June, the Delta variant was more than 60 percent of cases.
Earlier this year, Alfa expanded other versions of the virus to become the main strain in the US. Now, experts expect the Delta to take its place, as it has done in the UK. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially named Delta on Monday. “variant of concern. “
“Right now, in the United States, [Delta accounts for] about 10% of infections. It’s doubling every two weeks, ”said Scott Gottliebe, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner, Sunday Face the nation. “So it’s likely to become the main strain in the United States. That doesn’t mean we’re going to see a big rise in infections, but that means it will take over. And I think the risk is in the fall, which could drop a new epidemic in the fall.”
Added to this is new data suggesting that Delta may also cause more serious illnesses, as well as spreading it to more people. Early findings from Scotland suggest that infections with the Delta variant are double the risk of people becoming hospitalized compared to infections with the Alpha variant. They were data was published as a correspondence on Monday Lancet. Experts say they will need more data to confirm that risk.
The good news about all of this is that vaccination seems to protect against Delta. In late May, researchers at Public Health England published data (revised) indicating that there were two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. 88 percent effective in preventing symptomatic infection with the Delta variant. Meanwhile, the data showed that two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine were 60 percent effective. (Remarkably, there was only one shot per shot no protective, offering only a 33 percent effectiveness against symptomatic Delta infections. Experts stressed the importance of not skipping the second dose.)
Data from outside Scotland on Monday, he also suggested that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are 79 percent effective against the Delta variant, while two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are 60 percent effective.
On Monday, PHE also released another analysis that found that there were two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (which is also not reviewed). 96 percent effective against hospitalization, and two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine were 92 percent effective against hospitalization.
“So we have the tools to control and defeat that,” Gottlieb said.
But experts are still concerned. -Rhythm of vaccine it has slowed significantly in the U.S., and many states — especially in the South — are far behind with the goal of getting at least 70 percent of adults vaccinated. Small vaccine pockets arouse fears among experts, including Gottlieb, that cases may escalate again as Delta continues to expand.
Peter Hotez, director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, echoed that concern Tuesday. He told CNN that “it isvery worried”About the Delta variant. He stressed that right now it is a “complete vaccine” to be fully vaccinated – it takes five to six weeks – before Delta can expand further.
At a press conference last week, Anthony Fauci, a leading expert on infectious diseases, made a similar request, stating that the Delta variant was rapidly spreading in the UK. “We can’t let that happen in the United States, “he said. This” is such a strong argument … to be vaccinated. “
This story first appeared Ars Technica.
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