The delta variable is “scary”. Coronavirus infections are dropping in Italy, but the Indian variant of the coronavirus (known as Delta) forces you to always keep your caution very high. The news about the Lancet study helps define the picture further: the risk of hospitalization for the delta variant is twice that of the alpha variant (English), but two doses of the vaccine still offer strong protection against mutations, although lower. From that versus the English variant.
Delta and Variable Vaccines
According to the data analyzed by the researchers, the Indian variant is the dominant form of the coronavirus epidemic in the UK and is believed to be 60% more contagious than the English one. In particular, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine offers 79% protection against this variant, compared to 92% protection with the English variant. For the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, on the other hand, 60% protection against infection was found due to the Indian variant, compared to 73% for the English variant.
The delta variant is specifically ‘concerned’ about the variant’s ability to partially ‘penetrate’ the vaccine, highlights Professor Fabrizio Brigliasco. In Italy it is already traded. “The number is low so far, but may have been underestimated,” warns Brigliasco. “Now we have to be more careful.” The danger, “as I said from the beginning – he remembers – is that in the fall there will be a rise in infections, a blow to the tail of the virus.”
About the delta variant “There is more than a little fear. I think the British authorities have informed the European authorities. And I think this variant was, if not the protagonist, at least an important topic of discussion at the G7,” says Massimo Galli, director of infectious diseases at G7. Sacco in Milan: “Unfortunately, it caused quite a few casualties. So much so that the British are re-checking some of the openness policies.”
“We – adds Galle – must always remember that the beast turns and that we cannot escape the dangers of this alternative. It is an unpleasant observation, but someone has to make it.” Professor Roberto Burioni, involved in the Lancet study, highlights “the effectiveness of two doses of the vaccine in protecting against delta-variable infection (Indian): Pfizer 79%, AstraZeneca 60%. This variant appears to be more contagious and capable of causing more serious disease.”
“The situation in the English language should worry us because we have to monitor and ensure that there are no Indian variable clusters, we need to closely monitor that with the current Italian numbers (1000-1500 positive) we can sequence all new infections and check if there is a variant,” he confirms. Matteo Bassetti, Director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic at San Martino Hospital in Genoa.
“In Italy, we chose a slightly different vaccination strategy than the UK, where they shortened the time between the first and second dose. What is happening in the UK, with the increase in cases associated with the Indian variant, is linked to on the one hand the fact that most of the population is vaccinated with one dose and then some postponement The second dose is a lot, but this alternative nonetheless remember that it is covered by the vaccines we use.”
Milan case
Infections are increasing in the Milan gym, where ten cases of Covid-19 have been identified in recent days. “There are two new positives associated with the outbreak itself,” Ats Città Metropolitana said, adding that the total thus rises to “12 cases, all in isolation.” The Health Protection Agency submitted a “sequencing request for all positives.” “For one case, which has already been reported, it is one of the delta variants–defining Ats–while waiting for the other eleven laboratory results.” “Only one of the 12 cases was entered – the observation concluded – while the others were followed up at home.”
Diverse deltas in Great Britain
The data helps to understand UK government decisions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson stressed that the restrictions imposed to combat the coronavirus must remain in place “a few more weeks to give the NHS time to move forward with vaccinations for people who need them”. This means that in England, July 19 will be the date when all the last restrictions will be lifted.
There have not been many cases of coronavirus in England since March. This is revealed by a new study published by the BBC and The Independent, which shows that in one county out of ten counties in England there is a rate of 100 infections per 100,000 people. This is due to the rapid spread of the delta variant, which was first diagnosed in India, and is now widely found mainly in northwest England.
In fact, in the week of June 2-9, the English health system confirmed 37,729 new cases of coronavirus. This equates to 67 cases per 100,000 people. But now 35 of England’s 315 counties have registered more than 100 cases per 100,000 people, as evidenced by data from local and national health authorities. The largest number of infections occurred in the Lancashire and Greater Manchester area.
Indian variant, “The Card”
First discovered in October in Maharashtra, a state in central western India, known as the capital, Mumbai, the variant has been identified as B.1.617. Its main advantage is that it has two mutations already known (E484Q and L452R), a consortium that will be responsible for the dramatic wave that is roiling India. The mutation identified as L452R corresponds to a modification also identified in the caliform variant (B.1.427) that affects the spike protein and can increase coronavirus infection. The E484Q mutation could instead affect the ability to ‘drip’ the immune response: therefore, the coronavirus could be more resistant to antibodies developed after infection or circumvent, at least in part, the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Syndrome
On the symptomatic level, the Indian variant appears to have a greater effect on the body. Coughs, colds, headaches, sore throat, fever, body aches, diarrhea, tiredness and fatigue — the first signs of coronavirus in people — are usually stronger. Thus healing times are affected as well.
