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According to analyses, the Corona variant Delta, which was initially discovered in India, is considerably more infectious than the Alpha type discovered in Great Britain. The risk of infecting people in one’s own household is estimated to be 60 percent higher with Delta than with Alpha, Public Health England announced Friday. In addition, Delta is said to be able to evade the protective effects of the vaccines more than other variants.
Study: Fully vaccinated should be well protected
This is especially true after only one dose of vaccine. However, fully vaccinated individuals are very well protected against the delta variant – also called B.1.617.2. According to a new study by the University of Texas, published in the scientific journal “Nature”, this also applies in particular to the mRNA vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer. The vaccine also protects against several other variants, such as mutant B.1.525, which first appeared in Nigeria, write the scientists around Pei Yong Shi.
It should be noted, however, that this cannot be a final verdict, because the study is very small. The researchers examined 20 blood samples from 15 people who had each received two doses of the Biontech/Pfizer vaccine and tested the response to the different Corona variants. Antibody efficacy was lower for the variants than for a type of coronavirus isolated in January 2020, but it was still “robust,” they said. Previous studies and data collection had yielded similar results.
Austria’s lead over the U.K.
The delta variant currently accounts for about nine out of 10 corona infections in the United Kingdom, according to official data. It caused the seven-day incidence, which had been very low for a long time, to rise to just under 52 recently and could jeopardize the planned further Corona relaxations.
Austrian virologist Andreas Bergthaler this week warned against the delta variant. A high level of immunization, he said, is the best way to keep out more infectious variants with possible immune escape (evasion to the immune system; note). “In terms of delta spread, Austria seems to be about one to two months ‘ahead’ of the UK so far. We should take advantage of this window by vaccinating,” Bergthaler urged on Twitter.
— source: kleinezeitung.at/picture: WHO says Delta variant is of concern, South Asia News & Top Stories – The Straits Times
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