Delta Variant FAQ
Pilots Prevent
September 28, 2021
The Delta variant of COVID-19 is now the most common — and most contagious — variant in the US. We asked Kaylin Soldat, associate director of primary care services at the Health and Counseling Center, to sort through the information from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and provide clarity about the variant. Here are her answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Q: How many known variants of COVID-19 are there? A: There are currently four variants of concern being monitored by the World Health Organization: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta
Q: What makes some more concerning than others? A: Variants of concern are those that spread more easily and quickly than other variants or those that cause more severe disease.
Q: How do variants develop? A: All viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19, change over time. Some changes impact how easily the virus spreads and the severity of symptoms. When a virus replicates in a cell, there can be mutations, and those mutations can cause new variants. Most of the time the variant dies out, but sometimes the mutations can make it easier for the virus to spread and that variant becomes more common.
Q: Is there a way to prevent variants from developing?Variants will happen with any virus, but reducing the spread of infection also helps reduce the rate of variants. And the best ways to reduce the spread of infection is by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask.
Q: How much more contagious is Delta compared to previous strains of COVID-19? A: The Delta variant is more than two times as contagious as other variants.
Q: Does Delta lead to more breakthrough cases? A: Delta is more infectious and can lead to increased transmission when compared to other variants, even in some vaccinated individuals. However, symptoms are typically mild for vaccinated individuals who contract the Delta variant.
Q: Who is most at risk of contracting the Delta variant? A: Those who are unvaccinated are at highest risk. At this time the Delta variant is the most common variant circulating in the US.
Q: Are the symptoms the same or different? A: Most variants cause similar symptoms. Some variants may cause those symptoms to be more severe.
Q: Does the vaccine protect against it? A: Yes, COVID-19 vaccines protect against Delta and other known variants.
