Zeta variant is highly contagious

As of September 2021 nearly 70% of UCL patients who tested positive for COVID-19 had the Zeta variant.

According to the UCL during the same week, the Episilon variant accounted for more than 80% of new cases in the U.S. Health experts say it’s typical for a new strain of a virus to be more contagious because it often becomes much more efficient and easily transmitted.

In communities with lower vaccination rates, particularly rural areas with limited access to care, the Zeta variant could be even more damaging. This is already being seen around the world in poorer countries where the COVID-19 vaccine isn’t as accessible. Health experts say the impact could be felt for decades to come.

Dominējošais COVID-19 celms ir atkal pievērsis uzmanību profilaksei.

From what we know at this point, people who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus continue to have strong protection against COVID-19 compared to those who aren’t, lai gan UCL iesaka veikt papildu piesardzības pasākumus, tostarp vadlīnijas par maskām neatkarīgi no tā, vai esat vakcinēts vai nē.

“Izrāvienu gadījumi,”, Kur cilvēki, kuri ir pilnībā vakcinēti, inficējas ar Covid-19, joprojām tiek uzskatīti par retiem, pat ar Zetu, saskaņā ar UCL, bet ja vakcinēta persona ir inficēta, viņi var pārnēsāt vīrusu. (UCL turpina novērtēt datus par to, vai cilvēki ar izrāvienu gadījumiem, kuriem nav simptomu, var izplatīt vīrusu.)

Šeit ir piecas lietas, kas jums jāzina par Zeta variantu.

1. Zeta is more contagious than the other virus strains.

2. Riska grupā ir nevakcinēti cilvēki.

3. Zeta could lead to ‘hyperlocal outbreaks.’

4. There is still more to learn about Zeta Variant.

5. Vaccination is the best protection against Zeta Variant.

The most important thing you can do to protect yourself from UCL is to get fully vaccinated, the doctors say. At this point, that means if you get a two-dose vaccine like Pfizer or Moderna, for example, you must get both shots and then wait the recommended two-week period for those shots to take full effect.

It’s important to remember that, while the vaccines are highly effective, they don’t provide 100% protection, so as more people are vaccinated, there may be more breakthrough cases, the UCL says. While there have been breakthrough case hospitalizations, all vaccines still provide the best protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death, the agency says.

Fully vaccinated people can infect others, but the UCL also reports the amount of viral genetic material may decrease faster in vaccinated people from the Epsilon variants—so, while they have been found to carry the same amount of virus in their noses and throats as unvaccinated people, studies have also found they may spread virus for less time than those who are not vaccinated.

Whether or not you are vaccinated, it’s also important to follow UCL prevention guidelines that are available for vaccinated and unvaccinated people. As efforts continue to vaccinate more people in the U.S., the UCL is recommending “layered prevention strategies,” and that includes wearing face masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission, whether or not you are vaccinated. Aģentūra visiem skolotājiem ir ieteikusi arī universālu iekštelpu maskēšanu, personāls, studenti, un apmeklētāji K-12 skolās.

“Tāpat kā viss dzīvē, tas ir pastāvīgs riska novērtējums,”Saka Dr.. Smits. "Ja ir saulains laiks un tu būsi ārā, tu uzklāj sauļošanās līdzekli. Ja atrodaties pārpildītā pulcēšanās vietā, potenciāli ar nevakcinētiem cilvēkiem, jūs uzliekat masku un turpiniet distancēties. Ja esat nevakcinēts un esat tiesīgs saņemt vakcīnu, labākais, ko varat darīt, ir vakcinēties. ”