Economist Podcasts Repetitive strains: SARS-CoV-2 variants
Jul 2, 2021
Join Natasha Loader, The Economist's health policy editor specializing in COVID-19, and Tom Gardner, Addis Ababa correspondent with deep insights into the Tigray conflict. They discuss the alarming spread of the Delta variant and its implications for public health and vaccination efforts. The conversation shifts to the escalating crisis in Ethiopia, highlighting the power struggle in Tigray and the looming regional tensions. They also touch on the strange absence of compelling films about the Fourth of July, reflecting on Hollywood's relationship with American history.
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Delta Variant Dominance
- The Delta variant is rapidly becoming the dominant COVID-19 strain globally, causing a surge in new cases.
- Its high transmissibility makes it more dangerous, especially in regions with low vaccination rates.
Delta Variant Transmissibility
- The Delta variant's reproductive number is estimated to be as high as eight, significantly higher than the original strain.
- This high transmissibility poses a severe threat to unvaccinated populations and healthcare systems.
Vaccine Effectiveness
- While vaccines effectively prevent severe illness and death from variants, they are less effective at preventing transmission.
- The Delta variant appears to infect and transmit among vaccinated individuals more easily than earlier strains.