EXPERT Q&A: COVID-19 Delta variant is more infectious, but is it more lethal?
Opinion piece/editorial: This work is based on the opinions of the author(s)/institution.
There is a lot of confusion circulating online and in the media about the mortality rate of the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and how effective vaccines are at preventing Delta and deaths from this strain. It is clear that Delta is more infectious than earlier strains, but is it more or less lethal? An issue causing confusion is that there are several different data sources on Delta and the vaccines' efficacy against it - some data is based on antibody responses in the lab, some on real-world situations. The vaccines also perform differently depending on whether you're looking at preventing infection, hospitalisation, or death. And mortality data can come from countries with high rates of vaccination, or low rates of vaccination, producing very different results. Some commentators have recently gone as far as to say that the Delta variant should be allowed to run its course and treated like other seasonal illnesses such as influenza. The AusSMC has asked Australian experts to address some of the most burning questions about the Delta strain.
Organisation/s: Australian Science Media Centre
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Expert Reaction
These comments have been collated by the Science Media Centre to provide a variety of expert perspectives on this issue. Feel free to use these quotes in your stories. Views expressed are the personal opinions of the experts named. They do not represent the views of the SMC or any other organisation unless specifically stated.
Associate Professor Jill Carr is from the Virus Research Laboratory in the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University
Dr Stuart Turville is an Associate Professor in the Immunovirology and Pathogenesis Program at UNSW Sydney's Kirby Institute