*The more time we spend with incomplete vaccination schedules, the more strains, such as Delta Plus variant, and the more challenges: Specialist
By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
It seems that we still won't see the end of this pandemic. At least not in the short term, and as if it were not enough with the infections caused by the Delta variant, predominant in the country, specialists are already talking about the "Delta Plus" strain.
In June, India's health ministry said in a statement that studies showed the so-called Delta Plus variant, also known as AY.1, spreads more easily, binds more readily to lung cells and is potentially resistant to monoclonal antibody therapy, a powerful intravenous infusion of antibodies to neutralize the virus.
The Delta Plus strain was first detected in India in April this year, and by June, about 40 samples were detected in six districts in three states: Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
However, Delta plus has moved on to other countries, including the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, Russia and China.
It should be noted that the original, highly contagious Delta strain has already been detected in at least 100 countries.
This new strain of the Delta variant has been listed "cause for concern" by the international health agency, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCsaid they will continue to evaluate its independent rating.
While it is true that viruses are constantly mutating and most changes are low risk or even harm the virus itself, others cause the disease to become more infectious, more aggressive and more resistant.
The president and CEO of Meharry Medical College , James Hildreth, told The Washington Post that the way India has skillfully evaded the ravages of the Delta variant and the decision to name the Delta Plus variant as "worrisome" should put public health leaders on notice.
Do the Delta Plus variant vaccines work?
According to Dieter Bruno, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Sequoia Hospital in San Mateo County, California, people should start worrying about this strain of the variant, because with a large unvaccinated population, the havoc will be greater.
"The longer we go with incomplete vaccination schedules, the more variants we will see and the more challenges will come," he said.
Although 192 million 614,017 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine-58 percent of the eligible population-and 165 million 334,987 have a complete vaccination schedule-49.8 percent-it is still too little to stop the advance of the variants and their effects on the population.
It should be noted that our only weapon against this new strain and others is vaccines, as they are still very effective against the Delta variant, their promise is to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death.
And although to a slightly lesser extent than with the previous variants, it has been seen that both doses are required to obtain good protection, as there are reports of vaccinated people testing positive for the virus but with generally mild or no symptoms.
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