Recently two of my sons’ friends, who were fully vaccinated, contracted Covid. They live in New York City and the state of NY recently announced that about 8.7 thousand cases of Covid have occurred in the 11 million people that were vaccinated-basically less than 1%.
Since July 1, 127 people connected to the Olympics including athletes, officials and contractors have tested positive. It seems that number is being reported daily along with the medal count.
So what does this mean for those affected by a chronic condition and have been fully vaccinated?
Before going over some of the basics, keep in mind that the Olympic athletes are being tested daily and 80% of them are fully vaccinated. That noted, vaccinated athletes, with no symptoms, have tested positive.
Keep in mind that with each passing day, we’re learning more about this virus. In short, what’s posted below is what we know as of July 24, 2021.
• The Delta variant of Covid is now the predominant strain and it’s about 60% more contagious than the Alpha version (UK variant) and more likely to cause illness and even death. As infectious disease physician Catherine O’Neal noted at a Louisiana Governor’s press conference, "The delta variant is not last year's virus, and it's become incredibly apparent to healthcare workers that we are dealing with a different beast."
• The Delta variant is expected to steadily increase through the summer and fall, peaking in mid-October. Projections from the Covid-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, a consortium of researchers working in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers four scenarios for its projections — varying based on what percent of the population gets vaccinated and how quickly the delta variant spreads.
• It spreads faster: While older versions of the virus spread from one person to two or three others, the Delta variant is being spread from one person to six others. Those who are not vaccinated are more likely to develop severe disease doubling the odds for hospitalization and even death.
• The primary purpose of the Covid vaccines is to prevent sickness. Vaccines are very effective at preventing death and severe illness from the disease—but they’re not foolproof in preventing infection. They are highly effective but both doses of mRNA (Moderna and Pfizer) vaccines and the one shot of Johnson & Johnson must be given.
• The Covid vaccines are effective against the Delta variant. Data from the United Kingdom show that a single dose of vaccine is only about 31% effective at preventing illness with Delta, and 75% effective at preventing hospitalization. After two doses, the vaccines are still highly effective — even against Delta — reaching 80% protection for illness, and 94% for hospitalization.
• Vaccine breakthrough cases are expected: No vaccine is 100% effective. Asymptomatic infections among vaccinated people will also occur. According to a CDC report for July 12, 2021, of the hospitalized or fatal vaccine breakthrough cases reported, 75% were 65 or older and 49% were female.
• A third/second vaccine for those who are most at risk? The current understanding is that the vaccine efficacy may be decreased for people on immunosuppressant drugs or have a weakened immune system due to disease such as cancer, HIV, an organ transplant or have/had an autoimmune condition. Covid 19 Vaccines and Immunocompromised People: Fully Vaccinated and Not Protected. Such patients may need second or third doses of a vaccine, depending on which vaccine they received. (The mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech require two doses, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires just one.).
Israel has already begun offering a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine to people with weakened immune systems. While the vaccines do still appear to cut the risk of hospitalization and death in immune-compromised people, "clearly there's a gap between those patients and those with normal immune systems," said an occupational medicine expert, Dr. Melanie Swift, co-chair of the Mayo Clinic's Covid-19 Vaccine Allocation and Distribution Workgroup.
On July 22, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met to discuss whether a third/second vaccine be given. They will also be discussing whether the general population should receive a booster. The committee is not scheduled to vote on a recommendation about administering additional doses. That could be decided at a later meeting.
• Public Health Experts Calling for the Return to Masking: With surging cases during the summer months, considered the “low season” for Covid, flu and colds, public health officials are asking the CDC to reverse their May policy for vaccinated people that stated that masks were no longer needed for this group . With the slowing down of vaccinations and the increasing cases due to the Delta variant, doctors and public health experts are saying the CDC let up on masking too early.
• Protect Yourself: Continue to wear a mask and social distance. Socialize outside as much as possible. Wash hands frequently. Don’t be afraid to ask if people are vaccinated. This is not a HIPAA violation. As we get closer to fall expect to see many more places re instating masking and social distancing requirements. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued new COVID-19 guidelines for schools recently and is recommending that everyone over age 2 should wear masks, even if they have been vaccinated. Vax it and Mask it
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