LONDON: There are initial signs that people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 may be able to transmit Delta variants from viruses as easy as those who have not, scientists at Health Health England (PHE) said on Friday.
The findings combined with them from US centers for controlling and prevention of disease, which last week increased fears that people who were vaccinated with delta infected, unlike other variants, easily transmit it.
Very contagious Delta variants have become the dominant coronavirus type, maintaining a pandemic that has killed more than 4.4 million people, including more than 130,000 in the UK.
Vaccines have been shown to provide good protection against severe illness and deaths from Delta, especially with two doses, but there are fewer data about whether vaccinated people can still send them to others.
“Some early findings …
show that the level of viruses in those infected delta has been vaccinated may be similar to the level found in people who are not vaccinated,” said PHE in a statement.
“This might have implications for infection in people, whether they have been vaccinated or not.
However, this is an initial exploration analysis and further targeted studies are needed to confirm whether this is the problem.” PHE said that the confirmed Delta case that had ended was hospitalized since July 19, 5.5.1% was not vaccinated, while 34.9% had received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
Nearly 75% of the British population have two doses of vaccines, and PHE says that “because more populations will be vaccinated, we will see a higher percentage of higher than vaccinated people in the hospital”.
Separately, PHE said another variant, known as B.1.621, was first detected in Colombia, has shown signs of avoiding the immune response triggered by the Covid-19 vaccine or previous infection.
PHE has labeled the “under investigation” variant but has not yet declared it as a “variant of concern” – the appointment that can trigger a strong policy response.
“There is evidence of the initial laboratory to show that previous vaccination and infection may be less effective in preventing infection with (B.1.621),” he said, adding there were 37 cases of variants confirmed in the UK.
“However, this data is very limited and more research is needed.
There is no evidence that shows that (IT) is more contagious than the dominant Delta variant.”