manager_1 It happened. Your friend, roommate, or coworker just passed COVID-19 test and is positive. But you are vaccinated and feel fine. How scared should you be? You can be confident that you have substantial protection against the virus. (Yes, even the highly contagious Delta variant. Early tests showed that the Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson vaccines were all highly effective in preventing both symptomatic or asymptomatic diseases, as well as preventing death and hospitalization. Even though conservative pundits claim otherwise, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines protect 95% against serious illness caused by the Delta variant.
Los Angeles County data shows that people who have not been vaccinated are five times more likely to contract COVID than those who have had their shots. They are also 29 times more likely be admitted to the hospital. Despite this, the number of breakthrough cases is expected to increase due to new variants and an increase in case numbers in the U.S. The numbers are alarming, even if you take them out of context. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), around 35,000 Americans are infected every week. However, with more than 164 million Americans being vaccinated and many people being exposed to COVID, there is still a low chance of contracting the disease.
There is also a lower risk of getting sick. The hospitalization rate for vaccinated people was 0.003% and the death rate was 0.0.0008% as of July 26. According to MIT Medical, this shows that vaccines work even better than expected. If you believe or know you have a breakthrough illness, it’s likely that you will be fine. This is why the agency assured fully-vaccinated and symptomatic individuals that they wouldn’t need to be tested or take extra precautions after being exposed. Newer data suggests that the disease could be passed to others.
The CDC reported that only a small number of people are fully vaccinated with the Delta variant. However, preliminary evidence indicates that people infected by the Delta variant virus can spread it to others. The CDC recommends that all vaccinated persons be tested within three to five days of being exposed to the virus. After that, they should continue to keep their indoors covered until they are negative. You can be confident that you don’t have contagious virus load if you get a negative result within 14 days.
In an interview with CNBC, Dr. Iahn, The Ohio State University Wexner Medicine Center’s, stated that if you test positive, you will need to self-isolate yourself for a period of 10 days. Do not panic. Keep your mask on and get tested within the three to five-day timeframe. Although PCR tests are more reliable, you can still get tested with a quick antigen test. However, your provider may have different rates of accuracy.
A Cochrane review of 64 medical studies found that antigen tests are accurate in identifying 72% of symptomatic and 58% of non-symptomatic infections. They can also be used to accurately diagnose infection in 99.5% and 99.5% respectively. Even if you aren’t sure if your cough is seasonal, it’s a good idea to visit your local urgent care center. U.S. CNN was informed by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General CNN’s Dr. Vivek Murthy stated that this was particularly true in areas where vaccination rates are low. Experts aren’t surprised by these breakthrough cases.
The COVID vaccines weren’t designed to make people immune to the virus. They were intended to reduce the risk of getting sick. Experts believe that if everyone had the vaccine, the U.S. death rate would drop to zero.
Some people will not get the vaccine, while others can. The virus will continue to evolve, however. Cecilia Stuopis, MIT Medical Director, wrote that while our individual risks are small, our collective responsibility is huge. We are already well protected by vaccinations. However, in order to protect our community, we must be prepared to provide additional protection, such as hiding indoors, distancing from danger, and staying out of dangerous situations. We can’t stop the virus from spreading and can’t predict how it will evolve. However, we can control our responses and can alter the course of the pandemic.
