Double masking and the delta variant; what to do for breakthrough infections
These days, it’s all delta variant all the time as COVID-19 surges yet again in Houston. With so much information swirling around the internet, the Houston Chronicle’s COVID Help Desk is here to break it down.
This week, we answer questions about whether masking practices should be updated for the delta variant, obtaining a COVID-19 vaccine for a kid just about to become eligible and what happens when you catch a breakthrough infection.
Q: With the prevalence of the delta variant, is it time to return to double masking? Better
masks?
A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention never recommended using two masks, but public health experts did as a precaution against more transmissible coronavirus variants.
Double masking can be helpful for creating a tighter seal around the nose and mouth, preventing particles from getting into the body. However, if you have just one mask that provides a good fit, that’s perfectly fine, said Dr. Carl Vartian, an infectious disease specialist and chief medical officer at HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake and Mainland hospitals.
The gold standard of masks, an N95, filters out 95 percent of the tiny particles in the air. The virus particles are about 0.3 microns wide, or 0.005 percent of the size of a grain of salt.
“It’s hard to wear an N95 in the heat — we have to be realistic that we’re in Houston in the summertime,” Vartian said.
Cloth masks are often more obtainable for the average consumer. When shopping for one, look for tightly woven, breathable fabric and a metal wire that fits the top of the mask to your nose.
With delta, you should continue wearing a mask indoors if you’re around people who are not part of your household. That means grocery store runs and shopping at the mall.
Q: I’m fully vaccinated and just tested positive. What
measures do I need to take?
A: Before you start Googling whether your allergy symptoms are COVID-19, know that a small portion of people who are vaccinated are actually experiencing a breakthrough infection. (It’s more likely a flu or cold you haven’t had in months because you’ve been masked and inside.)
Since vaccination began in Texas in December, 291 people, or 0.2 percent of all COVID-19 hospitalizations reported breakthrough infections after being fully immunized, according to the New York Times. As of this week, fewer than 1,200, or 1.1 percent, of more than 107,000 adult patients hospitalized nationwide for COVID-19 are fully vaccinated, according to the Associated Press.
“Breakthrough infections are incredibly rare and usually much milder symptomatology,” said
Dr. Ann Barnes, chief medical officer at Harris Health System.
But if you have caught the delta variant, experts say you need to remain careful. Vaccinated people can still transmit the virus to others, Barnes said.
While many businesses in the Houston area have signs saying vaccinated customers can go maskless, that’s not a good idea if you’re sick. Isolate yourself for at least 10 days if you have COVID-19, and continue to practice hand washing and social distancing, Vartian said.
Q: It was decided that COVID was not very easy to transmit by touching objects. Is this true for the delta variant?
A: Research indicates that COVID-19 is an airborne virus particle, meaning the pathogens are transmitted as someone breathes, coughs or sneezes. Even if the coronavirus lands on a surface, the chances of catching it from touching a countertop are far lower than inhaling it as someone else breathes it out, according to the CDC.
The chance of catching the virus from someone with COVID-19 who has occupied an indoor space is “minor” after three days, researchers said.
Delta is more contagious because of the physical shape of the virus — the spike protein infects lung cells more easily because it is structured differently, Vartian said.
“With the vaccine, we have great bloodstream protection,” he said, “but whether it provides the same level of mucosal immunity, meaning antibody levels in your respiratory passages…the number of particles could overwhelm your first line of defense.”
The replicability of the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is also part of the problem. When someone catches the original strain of the virus, they’re likely to spread it to two to three others. A person sick with the delta variant is likely to spread it to five or six others, Barnes said.
“That’s why we are seeing, especially in unvaccinated groups, huge numbers of people being infected and requiring hospitalization and ICU care,” Barnes said.
Q: What other research is available about how the Pfizer vaccine affects teenagers? If my kid is about to turn 12, can they go get the vaccine before school starts?
A: Pfizer is the only vaccine currently available to kids age 12 to 16. Adolescents experience similar side effects to adults — a sore arm, body aches and fever, which usually resolve themselves within 24 hours.
Vaccine providers will check school IDs to see if a child qualifies for the vaccine. Generally, parents shouldn’t expect that their middle schooler will qualify any earlier than their 12th birthday for the COVID-19 vaccine, Barnes said.
“We’re hoping that maybe by the end of the year, we’ll have data in the 2- to 11-year-old age group, so that we can start vaccinating that group,” Barnes said.
As pediatric hospitalizations rise, doctors are urging parents to vaccinate eligible kids.
Consult your pediatrician if you’re concerned about the vaccine, so they can help determine whether prior medical conditions may affect whether a child should be immunized against COVID-19.