Just when many people were trying to get their lives back to normal, here comes this new more contagious version of the COVID-19 virus called the Delta Variant. It was reported on Friday that 16,742 new cases have developed in the state of Illinois this past week, along with 64 new deaths. All of this is happening despite more than 176,000 new vaccines doses being administered.
The Delta Variant has been sweeping the nation and inflicting many lives. In addition to this variant, there is also another sub-lineage of it called the Delta Plus. What are these variants of the coronavirus? What do you need to know about them to protect yourself? While many experts are still trying to figure them out, here are a few things that we know so far.
What you need to know about the Delta Variant
The Delta Variant was first identified in India and was formerly known as B.1.617.2. The CDC first identified it as a concern because it started spreading so quickly and easily. It is of most concern in areas where not enough high-risk individuals have been vaccinated.
However, even fully vaccinated people are finding themselves to not be so safe from this new outbreak. The CDC has now recommended that those who are fully vaccinated in areas with high transmission rates must still wear face masks. While face masks can’t fully put an end to this pandemic, they could help in stopping the spread of this variant. Some of the symptoms of the Delta Variant include:
- Fever or chills
- Coughing
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Headache
- Congestion or runny nose
- Diarrhea
Watch out for some of these signs. If you start experiencing these symptoms whether you’re vaccinated or not, you must stay at home immediately.
What is Delta-Plus exactly?
Now we have another variant popping up called the Delta-Plus. This variant is said to be a sub-type of the delta variant known formally as AY.1. It contains a few different mutations and was originally first identified in the U.K and is now increasing in the U.S. As of this week, 64 cases of this variant of the coronavirus disease have been detected in California alone.
Health experts are still learning about this variant and how it compares to the delta variant or other variants. They do know that it’s as bad as Delta but don’t know yet if it’s worse. Right now, there’s very little data about this variant and how it is affecting people. It has so far been found in at least 33 countries.
Other Variants Possibly Developing
Besides the Delta Variant and the Delta-Plus Variant, other variants might be developing. All of them have been detected in various countries. These variants include:
- Alpha variant– First detected in the U.K and is anywhere from 30% to 50% more infectious than other variants circulating
- Lambda variant- First detected in Peru in August of last year and now has been detected in 29 countries.
- Zeta variant- First detected in Colombia; doctors are still researching this variant.
However, the ones that we are specifically focusing on are the two Delta variants. We must continue to follow the protocol of wearing a mask and washing our hands. What are your thoughts about the Delta and Delta Plus variants? How are you taking measures to protect yourself and your family? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. As always, be sure to like or share this post with someone you care about.
