The Delta Variant: Our Latest Enemy

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a multitude of genetic SARS-CoV-2 variants have surfaced and circulated around the world. Variants occur due to a change in a virus’s genes. Therefore, due to the fact that COVID-19 is an RNA virus, it is increasingly likely that it will continue to change and evolve. Since the virus’s initial debut in 2019, many unknown mutations, that are quite distinct in nature, have emerged. According to John Hopkins medicine, the reason for such “genetically distinct variants” is geographic separation; evidence of this is apparent through variants such as the Alpha from England, Beta from South Africa, most recently the Mu from Columbia, and our focus today, the Delta variant from India.

The Delta variant is a highly contagious coronavirus strain, which was first detected in India, during December of 2020. Within a few months, this variant monopolised the country, before continuing on to similarly act on Great Britain and the USA - where it is now the prevalent strain (approximately 93%). Furthermore, this specific strain has been proven to be 50% more transmissible than the Alpha variant, and twice as contagious as other strains that have emerged. This is mainly due to the higher viral load that is carried by individuals infected with the Delta variant. For example, according to Dr F. Perry Wilson, a Yale epidemiologist, “In a completely unmitigated environment - where no one is vaccinated or wearing masks - it’s estimated that the average person infected with the original coronavirus strain will infect 2.5 other people. In the same environment, Delta would spread from one person to maybe 3.5 or 4 other people”. Moreover, according to the CDC, the Delta variant is twice as likely to cause hospitalisations and death among the infected, due to its aggressive nature.

Regarding the FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, the CDC states that they are “highly effective at preventing severe disease and death” against the Delta variant. However, they are not 100% effective as fully vaccinated individuals can become infected (known as breakthrough infections) and experience symptoms. Nevertheless, predominantly unvaccinated individuals have been the main culprits of hospitalisations and deaths from the Delta variant. Likewise, a Public Health England analysis showed that mRNA vaccines (such as Pfizer) were significantly more effective - 96% compared to 93% - than non-mRNA vaccines (such as Oxford-AstraZeneca).

According to Florida Atlantic University experts, the Delta variant is projected to last at least until the end of 2021 and therefore individuals should remain cautious through continuing to wear masks, getting vaccinated and social distancing.

Heba Bangash 12C & Dana Al Marzooqi 12D