Can Delta Plus COVID-19 Variant Affect People Who Are Fully Vaccinated?
The world is back in the grip of the novel coronavirus after fighting the ferocious second wave. The virulent Delta variant of COVID-19 is grappling with several countries giving major threats to the healthcare workers who have been protecting their lives for more than a year now. Reports have suggested that the Delta variant is spreading rapidly around the globe, causing severe infections. Some reports have also stated that the Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variants are capable of evading the antibodies that are being created by the vaccines which are available right now for administration. Lets address the top 5 questions regarding Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variants. Also Read - Delta Variant In India: Covaxin Effectively Neutralises New COVID-19 Variants, Says Top US Experts  Delta Plus Variant In India: Top 5 Questions Answered  As the Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variants have started to wreak havoc in different corners of the world, experts have warned that the highly infectious strain is capable of causing a third wave. Here are some of the most important questions answered which may help you stay safe from the infection. At a time when India got relieved from the implications of the deadly second wave of coronavirus, reports of Delta and Delta Plus infection have started pouring in from various pockets. Since most of the people in India have already received both the shots of the COVID-19 vaccines, the query about getting infected even after being fully vaccinated is the top question that is lingering in the minds of the commoners. According to the experts, Yes, a fully vaccinated individual can also test positive for Delta Plus variant infection. Also Read - COVID-19 Live Updates: AstraZeneca Partners With Docon To Digitise Healthcare Clinics In India  Recently, the first case of the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 in Rajasthan was detected in a fully vaccinated 65-year-old woman. The family members of the patients informed the media that the woman had recovered from Covid in May and had received both the vaccine shots. Therefore, getting infected with Delta and Delta Plus variants even after getting jabbed is possible. It was earlier this year that the vaccines against the novel coronavirus were rolled out for emergency use in various parts of the world which are reeling under the threat of coronavirus. The vaccines were originally developed for the COVID-19 strains which were present in the first wave i.e, the Alpha variant. Therefore, the newly detected Delta and Delta Plus variants do have a strong ability to surpass the antibodies created by the vaccines. However, some vaccine makers have stated that their COVID-19 vaccines can effectively neutralise the Delta variants of coronavirus. On Wednesday, Indias Covaxin makers released a statement saying their vaccine shots are effective against the newly found Delta variant. However, when it comes to the Delta Plus variant, experts are yet to state whether the current vaccines have the ability to provide protection against it. Over the last couple of weeks, when the country was experiencing the ferocious second wave of coronavirus, one thing which was mentioned by all the experts was to spot the symptoms of the coronavirus infection to avert the severity of the infection. With that being said, here are some of the symptoms that a Delta and Delta Plus Variant of COVID-19 may notice after getting infected. Reinfection risks are low but it is still not completely safe to say that a patient who have recovered from COVID-19 is completely immune and will never get infected by the virus or its variants. According to new research, immune response following a coronavirus infection can vary between individuals and may not be enough to fight the newly found variants of COVID-19. A new report has stated that Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variant became the dominant form in India due to its better ability to jump to new hosts and by wiping out huge portions of population immunity in those infected with Covid-19 during the initial wave. Therefore, a patient who has recently recovered from coronavirus is also at high risk of getting reinfected by the variants such as Delta and Delta Plus. All the variants of coronavirus have different spike mutations which can come up with different symptoms and thus even if one has recovered from COVID, the individual is vulnerable to COVID-19 reinfection. According to the experts, we are better prepared in terms of oxygen supply and other medical needs in case the third coronavirus wave hits India. As per the latest surveys, about 60-70% of our population is immune to the deadly virus which was only 25-30% at the end of the first wave. Also, the nationwide vaccination drive is covering more people every day and thus reducing the risk of adverse effects of the new COVID-19 variant. However, if the delta plus variant breaks the immunity provided by the previous infection or vaccination, that can be a cause of concern. It is therefore advised to follow all COVID-19 protocols even if you are completely vaccinated. Takeaways: During such critical times, when we have just revived from the implications of the second wave and are returning back to normalcy, being mindful and adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour is the only way to prevent the spread of the virus, especially in the wake of such dangerous new variants. There are also speculations about whether or not the Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variants can lead to a 3rd wave of coronavirus, the head of coronavirus working group NTAGI Dr. N K Arora said, Waves are linked to new variants or new mutations so there is a possibility as this is a new variant, but whether it will lead to a third wave it is difficult to answer as it will depend upon two or three things. The first thing is we had a ferocious second wave in the last three months and it is still going on, we are seeing for the last 8-10 days the number of cases are stuck at 50,000, while at some places cases continue to come so that wave has not settled down.