Delta variant is real and highly contagious
“The delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S.” Dr. Anthony Fauci Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in June
As the delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread and outpace global vaccination efforts, misinformation surrounding the highly transmissible strain has surfaced on social media.
Anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine activists have falsely claimed a spike protein of COVID-19 vaccines is causing the delta variant and alleged that the delta variant is part of a plan to force vaccinations on younger age groups.
One post claimed the delta variant doesn’t even exist.
A July 5 Facebook post with more than 11,000 reactions includes an altered image of President Donald Trump posing with an executive order that says, “The Delta Variant Is Fake News.”
Fan page Trump Talking captioned the image: “Have you seen the latest fake news? What do you think of it?”
The term “fake news” has adopted an array of meanings online, but some commenters clearly read it in this case to be an assertion the delta variant itself is fake. Users in the comments responded, “They are just fueling the fire for the Democrats” and claimed the variant was created “to keep everyone living in fear.”
But the delta variant is a very real threat that is dominant in some areas around the world, and health officials agree it is the most transmissible variant of the coronavirus to date.
USA TODAY was unable to reach the person who runs the Facebook page for comment.
Delta variant is real
Delta is one of the variants of the coronavirus, which are the result of changes to the virus’s genes. When a virus replicates, mutations can occur in its genetic material.
The World Health Organization called the delta variant “the most transmissible of the variants identified so far.” Since it was first detected in India in December 2020, the delta variant has been reported in at least 98 countries.
“There are more than two-dozen countries that have epidemic curves that are almost vertical right now,” Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead at the WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, said while discussing the delta variant at a briefing on July 7.
In the United States, more than 51.7% of new coronavirus cases were linked to the delta variant over the two weeks ending July 3, according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Covid ActNow’s U.S. COVID-19 Risk and Vaccine Tracker says 12 states are at high risk from the virus due to low vaccination rates and the spread of the delta variant.
“The delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a press conference in June.
Studies have found that two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are effective against the delta variant, however, some countries, including ones in Africa and Europe, are experiencing a slow rollout of vaccines, resulting in a surge of infections.
Research suggests the delta variant is the most transmissible of all known coronavirus variants globally, and scientists say it spreads about 225% faster than the original version of the virus.
Health experts say the delta variant infections come with the same symptoms as the original SarsCoV-2 virus, but they are more severe. Patients are more likely to require hospitalization and oxygen treatments.
Our rating: False
Data from the CDC shows the delta variant makes up a majority of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and the variant has been detected in at least 98 countries. Health officials and experts have acknowledged the presence of the delta variant and warned about its rapid spread.