The Delta variant of Covid-19 is wreaking havoc. The variant was first detected in India. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now reclassified it as a variant of concern. The reclassification is based on mounting evidence. The variant is more transmissible than any other strain. The Delta variant is almost 66 percent more transmissible. There are three classes of Covid-19 variants as per the classifications of the CDC. The three variants are interest, concern, and high consequence. In total, the CDC has classified six strains as a variant of concern. This includes the Delta variant. The five others are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon B1429, and Epsilon B16172.
The CDC said it reviews the scientific evidence and genomic data regularly. This is done to assess the classification of Covid variants. The classification status changes as more data are gathered and studied by the team. The FDA recently said that the Delta variant could become dominant in America. It could be the source of new cases. According to the FDA’s estimate, there is around 10 percent of infections due to Delta variant in the country. Notably, trends show that it is doubling every two weeks. It said that the variant could lead to new outbreaks by September. The WHO earlier declared the Delta strain as a variant of global concern.
The CDC noted vaccines are a crucial weapon in the fight against Covid-19. Most recently, a Lancet study said that vaccines can give good protection against the Delta variant. It said that the Pfizer vaccine is highly effective against the variant. It said that vaccine provides 79 percent protection. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine also gives protection against infection. It gives 60 percent protection against the Delta variant. The study said that two doses of vaccines provide better protection than a single dose. Also, a full dose reduces the risk of severity. The Delta variant is also dominant in parts of the UK. The UK government has delayed the reopening plan.