The delta variant: What to know, how to stay healthy

Just as summer winds down, the delta variant, a mutated form of the virus that causes COVID-19, is accelerating across the region, fueling a spike in infections, hospitalizations and deaths. According to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), the delta variant may account for more than 90 percent of COVID-19 cases across the state.

Should you be concerned? Does vaccination protect you against the delta variant? What precautions should you take?

Mary Fairchok, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Mary Bridge Children’s, and Michael Myint, MD, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist with MultiCare, answer some commonly asked questions about the delta variant.

Q: Is the delta variant more contagious?

The delta variant is more than twice as contagious than previous variants, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “With earlier versions of the virus, it was estimated that every infected person would spread it to about two to three other people,” says Dr. Fairchok. “With the delta variant, those numbers increase to between five and nine other people, which makes it about as infectious as the chicken pox.”

Q: Does the delta variant make people sicker?

Mounting evidence from studies around the world suggest that people with the delta variant experience more severe illness than those infected with earlier strains of the virus. For example, a Scotland study published in The Lancet in June found that the delta variant was associated with almost twice the risk of hospitalization compared to alpha, an earlier variant. “We’re seeing record peaks in hospitalizations and intensive care units in places where delta is surging,” says Dr. Fairchok.

It also seems that the delta variant is resulting in a higher number of infections and hospitalizations for particular groups, such as younger adults and children, than previous variants.

Q: I’m vaccinated. Can I still get the delta variant and how sick will I get?

Yes, it is still possible to contract the delta variant even if you are vaccinated. Experts are seeing more breakthrough infections with the delta variant versus previous forms of the virus. The good news is that being vaccinated means you are unlikely to experience severe symptoms or require hospitalization. “There’s a lot of data showing that all three of the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States are incredibly effective at preventing severe disease and death, which is exactly what they were designed to do,” says Dr. Fairchok.

Q: If I’m vaccinated and I get the delta variant, can I infect others?

Fully vaccinated people can still spread the virus, a finding that prompted the CDC to revise its indoor mask guidance in July 2021. Studies are ongoing; however, vaccinated people do seem to clear the virus from their bodies more quickly than those who are unvaccinated. “The bottom line is that vaccinated people are less likely to catch the delta variant in the first place, and if they do catch it, they seem to be contagious for a much shorter amount of time,” says Dr. Myint.

Q: If I can still get sick, what is the point of getting vaccinated?

To answer this question, Dr. Fairchok suggests imagining a good football defense — the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom, for example. “Even the Legion of Boom cannot stop all passes from being caught by the other team, but they can prevent a lot of them — much more than would be prevented if there was no defense at all,” says Fairchok. “The vaccines are the best defense against the delta variant that there is.”

Getting vaccinated significantly lowers your risk of developing severe symptoms. In Washington state, more than 90 percent of all deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 are in those 12 years of age and older who are not vaccinated, reports the DOH. When you are vaccinated, you protect others as well.

“As long as there are large populations of people getting infected, the virus will continue to thrive and it will continue to evolve, potentially becoming more contagious and more lethal,” says Dr. Myint. “Vaccination is the key to safeguarding our communities from COVID-19.”

In an email update on Aug. 24, The New York Times reported that “Over the past week, about 1,000 Americans per day have died of Covid; vaccination would probably have saved more than 95 percent of them.”

Q: What can I do to protect myself and my loved ones?

The single most important thing you can do is to get vaccinated. The second is to stay home and get tested for COVID-19 at the first sign of symptoms. “Many of the delta variant symptoms can be mistaken for symptoms of the common cold or seasonal allergies, and that is part of how this virus continues to spread so rapidly,” says Dr. Myint.

Both Dr. Fairchok and Dr. Myint recommend people take the following precautions:

• Follow community guidelines about masking and social distancing
• Select a mask that fits snugly and offers adequate protection
• Wear your mask appropriately — over the mouth and nose at all times
• Avoid crowds, especially indoors
• Ensure your children are getting routine vaccinations