The Delta variant of the coronavirus as well as multiple others have mutated their way past international waters and national borders, but local health officials say nearly 10,000 cases of the various COVID-19 variants reported in Illinois as of Sunday are not yet cause for alarm.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported a total of 9,697 cases of the COVID-19 variants in the state as of Sunday, with the Alpha variant that originated in the U.K. making up almost 70% of cases. The Gamma variant from Brazil makes up about 25%.
The strain of concern in Illinois currently, however, seems to be the Delta variant from India, even though there were only 84 total cases statewide as of Sunday.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that the Delta variant already is a “growing presence in Illinois,” and officials expect it to be the dominant strain statewide by fall.
“The lessons here at home and across the world are a harbinger of what could happen here, particularly in low-vaccinated areas, if we don’t see a higher uptake of the vaccine across Illinois,” Pritzker said. “This is very real. I implore all residents, if you have friends and family on the fence, share with them the lifesaving benefits of these free vaccines and encourage them to remain masked until they are fully vaccinated.”
Here is what some local health officials have to say:
— Dr. Emily Landon, chief health care epidemiologist at the University of Chicago, said the Delta variant is “even more contagious than the Alpha variant,” but vaccination efforts throughout the state should keep the spread limited.
“Fully vaccinated people really don’t need to be concerned,” Landon said. “All of the vaccines that are available in the U.S. work well with the Delta variant but don’t work as well as protecting you from the original COVID. But, we’re talking about 95 and 90%, which is not significant enough to make me want to change how people are behaving.
“Where you see fewer vaccinated individuals, you’re more likely to have an outbreak. When you have COVID spreading in your community, everybody is at higher risk, including the people that are vaccinated. Certain communities, certain parts of the country are more likely to be protected because they have more people who are vaccinated.
“Unvaccinated children are still unvaccinated. Even if the rest of the family is all vaccinated, if you take unvaccinated kids to a COVID hot spot, they could get it and bring it back to your community and spread it.”
— Dr. Ramon Lorenzo-Redondo, research assistant professor at Northwestern University’s Department of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, said an important part to note is the variants are a natural evolutionary process that all viruses go through.
“Let’s say this is a race,” he said. “Viruses that are faster and more efficiently infecting people will win the race, but it’s a never-ending race. If we put a hurdle so big that no virus can jump it, then we’ll be fine, and that’s what we’re doing with the vaccine.
“We know the Delta variant is very good at infecting, but so far none of the data shows that any of the variants can evade the immunity generated by the vaccines.
“Until you are fully vaccinated and with the time period recommended until full immunity develops, you are not fully vaccinated and are at risk. Be very careful as if you are in the middle of the pandemic. Once you are fully vaccinated, you are in a much better position.”
— Dr. Rachel Rubin, co-lead of the Cook County Department of Public Health, said the Delta variant is of most concern lately because it seems to be more infectious and can spread faster, but it can also be more dangerous in terms of how sick a person can get.
“We don’t want the Delta variant to spread more widely,” she said. “Because this virus can make you sicker, it means younger people can also get sicker, unlike the original COVID-19 that hasn’t caused much trouble in younger people.
“The bottom line is that we absolutely need to get people vaccinated. You don’t want to get the Delta variant because it can make people really sick, but you can also get it and not know that you have it, and then spread it. It could multiply very quickly unless we get people vaccinated.”
"about" - Google News
June 29, 2021 at 08:00AM
https://ift.tt/3jlp9Wg
What to know about the Delta variant in Illinois - Chicago Tribune
"about" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2MjBJUT
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "What to know about the Delta variant in Illinois - Chicago Tribune"
Post a Comment