Delta Covid variant map: Why mix and match vaccines are key to variant control

Delta variant: Expert on vaccines’ impact on transmissibility

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

The Delta variant is proven to be more contagious than the original strain of coronavirus. Some data also suggests the Delta Covid variant might cause more severe illness than previous strains in unvaccinated individuals. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts there could be more than 200 million confirmed cases within a matter of weeks. Express.co.uk has studied variant maps to show where and how the Delta variant has spread around the world so far.

A UK Government advisor has revealed he is “strongly in favour” of mixing and matching Covid vaccines in a bid to combat virus variants.

Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London and member of the immunology task force for the Scientific Group for Emergencies (Sage), said coronavirus variants such as the Delta variant “stress test our vaccines to the max”.

Professor Altmann told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme there is “a bit of mix and match for the boosters is always going to be a good idea.”

He said data from mixing mRNA vaccines with the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab “looks absolutely super”.

The immunology professor said the Covid vaccine Sinovac developed in China is “kind of near the bottom of the pile” of vaccinations when it comes to efficacy and antibody levels.

He added most people might be safe “for a good little while to come” with just two jabs, but he warned most vulnerable individuals might not be.

Professor Altmann added: “That leaves all of us who aren’t typical, who are old, or obese or have cancer or who are immunosuppressed who will be vulnerable.

“And that’s when you have these difficult conversations about when to boost.”

The number of alerts sent to users of the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales has fallen by 20 percent.

A total of 317,1332 alerts were sent to users in the week to August 4, which is a fall of a little less than 80,000 from the previous week.

The Covid app was updated last Monday to ensure fewer contacts of people with coronavirus were told to isolate.

The app now only looks back at contacts two days before someone tests positive, compared to five days being tracked before.

This move was made after the faster-spreading Delta variant led to hundreds of thousands people being told to self-isolate, with many industries calling for change amid concerns businesses could not continue due to staff shortages.

DON’T MISS
Covid vaccine immunity called into doubt – professor issues warning [INSIGHT]
WHO Covid update: Three drugs in new trial to treat virus [EXPLAINER]
Herd immunity ‘not possible’ with the Delta variant – stark warning [ANALYSIS]

Head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, told MPs herd immunity is “not a possibility” due to the Delta variant.

Professor Pollard said a 95 percent vaccination rate would stop transmission of measles, but the same is not true for Covid.

He said this means “anyone still unvaccinated at some point will meet the virus.”

Herd immunity would mean people become resistant to the disease either due to vaccination or previous exposure, meaning it can no longer significantly spread among the rest of the population.

The Delta variant, first detected in India, has now spread to many countries around the world.

According to GISAID, a database which collates genetically sequenced COVID-19 samples from around the globe, the UK has reported the highest number of Delta cases in the past four weeks.

The UK has reported 69,725 new Delta variant cases in the past four weeks, equating to 99.7 percent of all confirmed sequenced cases – bringing the nation’s total Delta variant count to 238,362.

The USA had the second highest number of cases reported according to the platform with 32,412 new cases over the past four weeks.

The USA has recorded a total number of 77,692 Delta cases so far – which equates to 95 percent of sequenced cases.

The data reveals the following countries reported new Delta variant cases over the past four weeks:

Denmark: 14,225 Delta cases – 98.9 percent of sequenced cases.
Germany: 3,873 Delta cases – 96.3 percent of sequenced cases.
Italy: 3,756 Delta cases – 90.9 percent of sequenced cases.
Switzerland: 3,177 Delta cases – 96.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Belgium: 2,266 Delta cases – 93.9 percent of sequenced cases.
Netherlands: 1,976 Delta cases – 96.0 percent of sequenced cases.
France: 1,868 Delta cases – 84.7 percent of sequenced cases.
Australia: 1,773 Delta cases – 99.3 percent of sequenced cases.
Spain: 1,736 Delta cases – 94.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Sweden: 1,355 Delta cases – 94.4 percent of sequenced cases.
Singapore: 1,348 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Turkey: 1,198 Delta cases – 55.8 percent of sequenced cases.
Portugal: 1,124 Delta cases – 98.6 percent of sequenced cases.
Mexico: 872 Delta cases – 87.3 percent of sequenced cases.
Lithuania: 705 Delta cases – 99.6 percent of sequenced cases.
Ireland: 565 Delta cases – 70.8 percent of sequenced cases.
Luxembourg: 534 Delta cases – 74.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Slovenia: 482 Delta cases – 94.5 percent of sequenced cases.
Austria: 478 Delta cases – 41.9 percent of sequenced cases.
Norway: 401 Delta cases – 90.1 percent of sequenced cases.
South Africa: 310 Delta cases – 96.9 percent of sequenced cases.
Israel: 283 Delta cases – 88.4 percent of sequenced cases.
Poland: 188 Delta cases – 91.3 percent of sequenced cases.
Slovakia: 178 Delta cases – 95.7 percent of sequenced cases.
India: 147 Delta cases – 95.5 percent of sequenced cases.
Romania: 141 Delta cases – 91.6 percent of sequenced cases.
Czech Republic: 132 Delta cases – 97.1 percent of sequenced cases.
Japan: 120 Delta cases – 61.9 percent of sequenced cases.
Brazil: 94 Delta cases – 38.2 percent of sequenced cases.
Finland: 74 Delta cases – 98.7 percent of sequenced cases.
Sri Lanka: 59 Delta cases – 60.2 percent of sequenced cases.
Indonesia: 58 Delta cases – 96.7 percent of sequenced cases.
Ecuador: 54 Delta cases – 23.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Curacao: 48 Delta cases – 96.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Cambodia: 46 Delta cases – 45.1 percent of sequenced cases.
Nigeria: 43 Delta cases – 87.8 percent of sequenced cases.
Bulgaria: 42 Delta cases – 97.7 percent of sequenced cases.
New Zealand: 29 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Kenya: 28 Delta cases – 93.3 percent of sequenced cases.
Aruba: 28 Delta cases – 77.8 percent of sequenced cases.
Reunion: 23 Delta cases – 85.2 percent of sequenced cases.
French Guiana: 22 Delta cases – 24.2 percent of sequenced cases.
Chile: 21 Delta cases – 23.1 percent of sequenced cases.
China: 19 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Sint Maarten: 16 Delta cases – 42.1 percent of sequenced cases.
Bonaire: 15 Delta cases – 93.8 percent of sequenced cases.
Bangladesh: 14 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Thailand: 12 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Malaysia: 10 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Costa Rica: 9 Delta cases – 52.9 percent of sequenced cases.
Lebanon: 8 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 7 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Canada: 5 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Georgia 5 Delta cases – 83.3 percent of sequenced cases.
Argentina: 3 Delta cases – 13.6 percent of sequenced cases.
Guadeloupe: 1 Delta cases – 3.3 percent of sequenced cases.
Martinique: 1 Delta cases – 4.2 percent of sequenced cases.
Guatemala: 1 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.
Republic of Congo: 1 Delta cases – 100.0 percent of sequenced cases.

Source: Read Full Article