The spread of Covid-19 has continually caused stress and panic throughout the world. With the original strand being as dangerous as it was, we face a new strand referred to as the Delta Variant. The main two issues the world faces against the Delta Variant are how contagious it is and the severity of the symptoms compared to the original.
Discovery of the Delta Variant
The Delta Variant was first discovered in India in October 2020 and then in the United States in March 2021. The main concern behind this variant is the rate at which it spreads. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has stated that this new Delta Variant is twice as contagious as the former strand. What makes the Delta Variant twice as contagious is its ability to latch onto an individual’s cells once they become infected. The rate of infection occurs much quicker, and the symptoms are much more severe.
The tests being done by the CDC have proven that vaccinated people are infected for a less amount of time than unvaccinated people. In late June, The CDC had reported around 12,000 cases in a seven-day moving average. Unfortunately, by July, the numbers were closer to 60,000 cases. The number of cases looks more like the situation we were in before the vaccine was made available.
Dangers of the Delta Variant
The CDC has stated that the Delta Variant spreads much faster in areas where there are many unvaccinated people. The virus can infect vaccinated people, but the timespan that vaccinated people are contagious is much smaller than those that have yet to be vaccinated. They are also pushing for unvaccinated people to get the vaccine because the Delta Variant is extremely dangerous compared to what we have seen Covid-19 do in the past. A study from Canada and another from Scotland found patients infected with the Delta variant more likely to be hospitalized than those with Alpha or the original virus. In saying that, unvaccinated individuals account for most hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19.
Get Vaccinated
The best way to prevent the spread of the Delta Variant is to get vaccinated. That should be number one on your task list to prevent further spread to yourself and the ones you love. The Pfizer Vaccine was released early but had an over 90% effective rate against Covid-19. For this reason, the Pfizer Vaccine was granted an early authorization to help combat the destructive virus. The Pfizer Vaccine was then approved in August of this year. The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) is now fully backing it, which means individuals should feel much safer receiving the vaccine.
CDC Guidelines for Staying Proactive Against the Delta Variant
Throughout this pandemic, the CDC has released a list of guidelines for people to follow. They had not faltered very much and remained as important now as they did when this pandemic first started. Most of the CDC’s guidelines consist of mask implementation, sanitization, disinfecting, and social distancing. These have been proven to be a significant help to the vaccine in combating the virus.
Mask Implementation
When choosing a mask, you should keep these guidelines in mind:
- Choose a mask with multiple layers of fabric that is also breathable.
- You want to ensure that your mask fits snuggly to your face to prevent respiratory droplets from entering.
- Having a nose wire on the top of your mask is particularly important. The wire can be bent to fit your nose to create less space for infection to enter.
- Men with beards should wear a disposable mask under a cloth mask to help press and tighten the mask to the face and over the beard.
When wearing your mask, follow these guidelines:
- Make sure your mask covers your mouth and nose.
- You can wear a disposable mask under a cloth mask to be extra safe.
- Make sure to wash your hands in any situation that requires you to touch them.
- Make sure that you dispose of your mask in a bag that others cannot access.
- After each use, be sure to thoroughly wash your mask to ensure that you are not spreading respiratory droplets to yourself and anyone else.
Sanitizing and Disinfecting
All surfaces that are continually touched or accessed by individuals should be sanitized and disinfected thoroughly after contact by each person. A good habit to keep would be to always carry some form of sanitizer and disinfectant on you. This will ensure that you can keep yourself and the places you go sanitized and safe no matter what.
