Study Shows Vaccinated People Still Transmit COVID-19 Delta Variant

A study by Oxford University has indicated that vaccinated people are as likely to transmit the Delta variant as unvaccinated people. Vaccinated people can still put those in contact with them at risk. The jabs prevent the infection from becoming severe for the vaccinated person but have little impact on the transmissibility of the Delta variant.

The study which is yet to be peer-reviewed shared the worrying findings. The Delta variant of COVID-19, which was first noted in India, has become the dominant variant in most parts of the world. The effect of different vaccines on the Delta variant continues to be studied.

Oxford University analyzed the data collected from over 2.6 million PCR tests conducted on around 400,000 people in the United Kingdom, the Mirror reported. The study analyzed the peak viral burden seen in the vaccinated people who caught the novel coronavirus. The viral load or burden refers to how much coronavirus the infected person’s body has. It directly affects the amount of virus that the person sheds.

Data showed that the viral burden of infected people who had been vaccinated was similar to that of unvaccinated people. CBS News pointed out that the study does not directly show the likelihood of catching the infection from a vaccinated person in comparison to an unvaccinated person. However, the high viral load is a strong indicator that vaccinated people are as likely to spread the infection as unvaccinated ones.

Lead researcher Sarah Walker shared that even those with double jabs of AstraZeneca Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna showed high levels of the virus. She stated that the jabs were “still protective” as they reduced the chance of catching the virus. These findings indicate that attaining herd immunity is a challenge.

Double doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech appears to offer the best protection against the Delta variant, studies in UK and Spain have shown. Studies also showed that after four months the effects of the Pfizer/BioNTech started to wane. A study in Israel showed that a third dose of the vaccine boosted the antibody levels providing more protection.

Government around the world continue to contemplate rolling out booster schedules for the COVID-19 vaccines. The United States has already announced that the third dose for Americans will be made available from the third week of September.