The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] stated that Delta variant behaves uniquely differently from the past variants. The CDC has expressed its thoughts on the effectiveness of vaccines on the Delta variants and said that those with breakthrough infections have the potential to transmit SARS-CoV-2 to others with the same capacity as those who are unvaccinated.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said: "We have new science related to the delta variant that requires us to update the guidance regarding what you can do when you are fully vaccinated."
According to unpublished data, vaccinated people who get infected with Delta variant carry the same viral load as those who are unvaccinated, said Walensky. But she also clarified that so far, most coronavirus transmission is occurring through people who are not vaccinated.
Thousand-Fold Higher Viral Load!
Though this has not been reviewed completely, people infected with Delta variant may have thousand-fold higher viral load than the people who were infected during the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, reported Live Science.
"I think the most important thing to understand is the vaccines continue to do an exceptional job in preventing an individual who is vaccinated from severe illness, hospitalization and death — and even against mild illness," said Walensky.
COVID-19 vaccines are likely to reduce the risk of a symptomatic breakthrough infection by sevenfold and hospitalization and death by twenty-fold, she said. However, she also stressed on the factor that if people get a breakthrough infection with the Delta variant, they have the potential to transmit virus to others.
CDC had stated in May that people who have been fully vaccinated can visit indoor and outdoor areas without masks. But with new findings, CDC has updated its mask guidance and has said that even fully vaccinated people should start wearing masks in public indoor places, especially if there is a possibility of coronavirus transmission in that area.
Any area with 50 to 100 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population [over a week] is considered as having substantial transmission possibility. If the number of cases is more than 100, then it comes under the 'high transmission' category.
Everyone in kindergarten to 12th class including teachers, staff and visitors have been advised to wear mask indoors, even if they are fully vaccinated. Walensky said that getting everyone vaccinated was the most urgent task.
