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NATIONAL NEWS - The Delta variant of Sars-CoV-2 that leads to Covid-19, causes much more severe disease than older variants and is more contagious than the viruses that cause smallpox, Ebola, Mers, Sars and the common cold. It is as contagious as chickenpox.
This is according to new data on which an internal report of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention is based, report the Washington Post and New York Times.
According to the two publications, the CDC report states that the new data reveal a high level of breakthrough infections in vaccinated people, however, as has been seen worldwide, the Covid-19 vaccines provide high protection against severe disease and death.
The new data suggests that vaccinated people infected with the virus are spreading the virus, but "probably to a far lesser degree" than the unvaccinated, according to New York Times.
There are about 35 000 symptomatic infections per week among 162 million vaccinated Americans, according to data collected by the CDC up to 24 July. The CDC document also notes that infection with the Delta variant "produces virus amounts in the airways that are tenfold higher than what is seen in people infected with the Alpha variant, which is also highly contagious".
The CDC on Tuesday 28 July introduced new masking guidelines for vaccinated people based on the information contained in the document, namely that vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in public settings in communities with high transmission of the virus.
New York Times says the internal document suggests that this might not be enough and that across-the-board mask wearing should be introduced, given the high transmission levels.
Washington Post quotes CDC director Rochelle Walensky, who said the surge in cases was driven by the Delta variant’s high transmissibility and low vaccination rates in many areas in the United States. This had forced the agency to introduce the new mask wearing recommendations.
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