(VOVWORLD) - There are early signs that people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 may be able to transmit the Delta variant of the virus as easily as those who have not, scientists at Public Health England (PHE) said on Friday.
 A person receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at the Central Middlesex Hospital in London, Britain, August 1, 2021. (Photo: REUTERS) |
The findings chime with those from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which last week raised concerns that vaccinated people infected with Delta could, unlike with other variants, readily transmit it.
The highly infectious Delta variant has become the dominant coronavirus type globally. Vaccines have been shown to provide good protection against severe disease and death from Delta, especially with two doses, but there is less data on whether vaccinated people can still transmit it to others.
"Some initial findings ... indicate that levels of virus in those who become infected with Delta having already been vaccinated may be similar to levels found in unvaccinated people," PHE said in a statement.
PHE said that of confirmed Delta cases that had ended up hospitalised since July 19, 50% were unvaccinated, while nearly 35% had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.