HEALTH NEWS
Here’s How Well COVID-19 Vaccines Work Against the Delta Variant
- The delta variant is now responsible for more than 83 percent of new coronavirus infections in the United States, and there’s been an increase in hospitalizations.
- Data so far suggests efficacy rates of more than 67 percent for the J&J vaccine, 72 to 95 percent for the Moderna vaccine, and 64 to 96 percent for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
- Even though vaccines offer different ranges of protection, experts say getting fully vaccinated is crucial.
Low vaccine uptake driving up infections
“The unvaccinated population is at high risk for infection. If this variant continues to move quickly, especially in areas of low vaccination rates, the U.S. could see a surge in SARS-CoV-2 infection,” said Dr. Miriam Smith, chief of infectious disease at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Teaching Hospital in Queens, New York City.
In a press briefing, she said preliminary data suggested that 99.5 percent of the people who died from COVID-19 since January were unvaccinated.
“We know that the delta variant… is currently surging in pockets of the country with low vaccination rates,” she said.
In Missouri, which has a vaccination rate of 40 percent, confirmed coronavirus infections have surged in recent weeks.
In contrast, Vermont reported only 38 cases on July 23 and currently has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country at 68 percent.This echoes findings from a U.K. studyTrusted Source that found the delta variant twice as likely to lead to hospitalization, and both the AstraZeneca-Oxford and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines being effective in reducing this risk.
“We also know that our authorized vaccines prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death from the delta variant,” Walensky said.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/heres-how-well-covid-19-vaccines-work-against-the-delta-variant
