According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the so-called delta form of the coronavirus is Variant Of Concern now accounts for about 10% of new cases in the United States.
The CDC said in a statement to NBC News that the change in categorization is “based on growing evidence that the Delta variation spreads more quickly and produces more severe infections as compared to other variations, including B.1.1.7 (Alpha).” The alpha variation was discovered in the United Kingdom initially, and it became the prevalent strain in the United States in April.
According to the CDC, the delta variant accounted for 9.9% of cases in the United States during the two-week period ending June 5. This number was 2.7 percent for the two weeks ended May 22.
The growth in the proportion of delta cases in the United States did not surprise experts who follow viral activity.
The vaccinations now available in the United States are effective against both the delta and other circulating strains. The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines both require two doses, but the Johnson & Johnson vaccination just requires one.
Because the delta form is more easily transmitted from person to person, researchers warn individuals who have not had the vaccination are most vulnerable.
“That’s where you’re more likely to get transmission clusters,” El-Sadr explained.
As of Tuesday, slightly over 54% of people in the United States had got all of their vaccines, while almost 66% had gotten at least one dose.