Delta variant not more lethal, say experts

A‘ s it spreads faster than other variants, getting vaccinated is key to preventing serious illness and death’

PETALING JAYA: While the arrival of the Delta variant of the coronavirus to our shores was expected, there is no evidence to show that it is more dangerous than other strains, medical experts say.

“What is dangerous is not being vaccinated, which exposes people to serious illness and death,” Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy founder and chief executive officer Azrul Mohd Khalib told theSun.

He said except for evidence that the Delta variant spreads more rapidly among people compared with other known variants, there is no basis to show that it is more dangerous.

Universiti Malaya Epidemiology and Public Health Prof Dr Sanjay Rampal said there is not enough evidence to conclude that the Delta variant causes more severe illness compared with other circulating strains.

He agreed with Azrul that vaccination is key in the fight against Delta.

Azrul said there is evidence that the Pfizer-BioNTech and OxfordAstraZeneca vaccines have high levels of effectiveness against the strain.

He added data on Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are also showing promising results against this variant.

“If people are not vaccinated, more people will become susceptible to infection and vulnerable to severe disease and death,” Azrul added.

He said too many people are still not vaccinated or have not received the full vaccination course.

“We need to maintain high vaccination rates, do what we are already doing, like wearing face masks and practising personal hygiene.”

Azrul urged the public to avoid crowded areas, maintain social distancing and ensure good ventilation indoors.

The Delta variant is 50-60% more transmissible than the Alpha strain.

Azrul said sooner or later, variants emerging in one country, will spread to other nations.

Sanjay added the Delta variant may spread more easily because the strain is associated with higher viral loads.

“The Pfizer vaccine’s effectiveness to prevent infection is 88%. The Pfizer-BioNTech and OxfordAstraZeneca vaccines were reported in the United Kingdom to be 96% and 92% effective respectively against hospitalisation after two doses.”

Sanjay said to deal with the Delta strain, prevention is important.

“Control measures for all strains are similar – public health measures (vaccination cum find, test, trace, isolate, support), infection control measures (hand hygiene, masking, ventilation, physical distancing) as well as social measures (restriction on size of social gatherings).”

Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the number of infected people is set to increase as the Delta variant has been detected in almost every state.