FLINT, MI- The B.1.617.2. Variant, better known as the Delta variant, has made its way to the United States. This SARS-CoV-2 mutation was originally found in India. Delta soon became the dominant strain in both Great Britain and India. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this variant accounts for about 20% of the COVID-19 cases in the United States and they predict it will soon become the dominant strain. According to Yale Medicine, the delta variant is up to 50% more infectious than the Alpha Variant. 

“In a completely unmitigated environment—where no one is vaccinated or wearing masks—it’s estimated that the average person infected with the original coronavirus strain will infect 2.5 other people,” Dr. Wilson, a specialist at Yale Medicine, says. “In the same environment, Delta would spread from one person to maybe 3.5 or 4 other people.”

Unvaccinated individuals are at a higher risk to contract the emerging variant. In the studies, the Pfizer vaccine showed 88% effectiveness against symptomatic disease and 96% effectiveness against hospitalization from Delta. As of right now, there is still a lot the experts do not know about the Delta Variant. It is crucial that individuals get vaccinated to protect themselves and their communities against circulating variants (CDC).