COVID-19 Round-Up: Study Shows Delta Variant Produces Similar Amounts of Virus in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated People; and Much More

We’re back in dire straights, as a result of the Delta variant, which has prompted a change in federal guidance and a worry that the brief stint of “normalcy” we experienced due to the vaccine rollout is coming to an end. Here are some of the latest COVID-19 headlines for the week ending in 7/30/21.

CDC Shares Data that Shows the Virulent Nature of the Delta Variant

A new study shows that the Delta COVID-19 variant produces similar viral loads in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, which highlights a key motivation behind the change in federal guidance that now recommends most fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors. “High viral loads suggest an increased risk of transmission and raised concern that, unlike with other variants, vaccinated people infected with Delta can transmit the virus,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a statement Friday. “The masking recommendation was updated to ensure the vaccinated public would not unknowingly transmit virus to others, including their unvaccinated or immunocompromised loved ones.”

Data Show 90% of Vaccine Side Effects in Adolescents are Non-Serious

In the millions of adolescents who have received the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, new data show that most side effects reported are non-serious – with only 4.3% reporting heart inflammation. “The findings summarized in this report are consistent with the safety data observed in preauthorization trials for Pfizer- BioNTech after vaccination among persons aged 12–25 years, with the exception of myocarditis, a serious adverse event detected in post authorization safety monitoring,” CDC researchers wrote in the report.

Delta Variant Spreads as Easily as Chickenpox

An internal document from the US CDC shows that the Delta coronavirus variant not only causes more severe symptoms, but spreads as easily as chickenpox. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky confirmed the authenticity of this document.

Daily Cases of COVID Rising Rapidly Compared to Last Year

Data show that in the US, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported each day is the same in 2021 as it was in 2020. Unfortunately, the difference this is that the numbers are ascending instead of descending. Per a CNN report, the US recorded an average of about 67,000 new Covid-19 cases each day over the past week, compared to an average of more than 65,000 cases each day in the last week of July 2020. recorded an average of about 67,000 new Covid-19 cases each day over the past week, compared to an average of more than 65,000 cases each day in the last week of July 2020.