{"id":8328,"date":"2021-07-01T10:43:07","date_gmt":"2021-07-01T05:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.odoc.life\/?p=8328"},"modified":"2021-10-01T13:51:59","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T08:21:59","slug":"breaking-down-the-delta-variant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/3.7.237.78\/ta\/blog\/breaking-down-the-delta-variant\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking down the Delta Variant"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Breaking down the Delta Variant<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/span> Post Views:<\/span> 19,073<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div> <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It seems we hear of a news report of a newly discovered Delta COVID19 case in Sri Lanka almost on a daily basis. <\/span>Resulting in the question, what is the delta variant and what does that mean for us?<\/b><\/p>

For our more in-depth blog on variants, please click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Short read:<\/b> It is highly transmissible and has caused more hospitalisations than the Alpha variant in the UK (and India, though the data isn\u2019t as neatly available), especially in young people and the unvaccinated. It is found to be more resistant to the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccine responses especially after only one dose but continues to provide 80-90% protection after two doses against symptomatic disease. A widespread of this variant in Sri Lanka could overburden an already overwhelmed medical system. Until vaccines can be rolled out to the majority of the population, adhering to strict COVID19 protocols by businesses and individuals is our only avenue for protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Want more details? Read on!<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Delta variant (B.1617.2) was first sequenced in India post its recent COVID wave of March 2021. The variant was classified as a variant of concern by the WHO alongside the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) first discovered in Britain, the Beta variant (South Africa) and the Gamme variant (Brazil). Variants of concern are those that are considered highly transmissible, highly infectious and\/or deadly.<\/span><\/p>

So what do we know about this newest variant on the block?<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How transmissible is it?<\/b><\/p>

WHO\u2019s Dr Mike Ryan described the Delta variant as \u201cfaster, fitter and will pick off the more vulnerable more efficiently than the previous variants\u201d. The variant is the fastest spreading one in the UK and has prompted medical professionals to estimate that it is around 60-70% more transmissible than the Alpha variant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Tracked data shows that COVID cases have grown 75% week over week in May in the UK (mostly amongst young people and the unvaccinated).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Why is more transmissible more dangerous?<\/b><\/p>

To quote Zeynep Tufecki on a New York Times op-ed:<\/span><\/p>

\u201cIncreased transmissibility is an exponential threat. If a virus that could previously infect three people on average can now infect four, it looks like a small increase. Yet if you start with just two infected people in both scenarios, just 10 iterations later, the former will have caused about 40,000 cases while the latter will be more than 524,000, a nearly 13-fold difference.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>

What are its symptoms?<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Even in the early throes of the Indian third wave, reports of different COVID19 symptoms began to circulate amongst social media.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Updated COVID19 symptoms as per the CDC now include:<\/span><\/p>