Continue to mask up, follow safety measures, get vaccinated as delta variant spreads

The SARS-CoV-2 delta variant is on the rise in Pennsylvania and accounts for 92% of the most recent positive COVID tests that were screened for variants at Hershey Medical Center. On Aug. 3, the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued a new public health recommendation that all individuals in Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon counties - regardless of their vaccination status - wear masks in public indoor settings due to substantial or high transmission of the virus.

August 5, 2021Penn State Health News

Delta is two to three times more transmissible than the original strain, with estimates that each infected person, on average, transmits the virus to five or more other people. The delta variant infects people more quickly, and those who are infected carry the virus for longer than with previous strains. Now is not the time to get lax with safety measures, says Dr. Mohammad Ali, an infectious diseases physician at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center.

'The delta variant infects more people with an even shorter exposure time than the original virus,' Ali said.

Breakthrough infections and risks of spread

Fortunately, fully vaccinated people are much less likely to be infected with the delta variant than unvaccinated individuals. They're more than 90% protected against severe disease and have a '25-fold reduction in the risk of death' from delta infections compared to those who are not vaccinated, Ali said. However, while uncommon, vaccinated individuals - including Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine employees and students -  have experienced breakthrough infections. It is concerning that studies show that if infected, vaccinated people carry the same 'viral load' as infected, unvaccinated people. In other words, they can spread the virus even if they are not feeling ill themselves.

'It's essential that everyone, including those who have been vaccinated, continue to follow our health system's policies on wearing masks and social distancing, for their protection and the protection of other, more vulnerable people they may come into contact with,' Ali said. 'I wear a mask whenever I am in public, indoor settings and encourage everyone to do the same.'

Patients, visitors, staff and students are required to wear masks within the walls and on the grounds of all Penn State Health and College of Medicine facilities.

Visitation guidelines for the health system remain at Tier 1, permitting one family/support person per day for adult patients and two family/support persons per day for pediatric patients. Regardless of their vaccination status, patients and their family/support persons still must be screened for COVID-19 when they arrive and must continue to wear face masks and properly social distance while in any Penn State Health hospital, outpatient center or clinic.

Vaccination remains best protection

Vaccination is the best way to protect communities from the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Currently, 100 million Americans eligible to be vaccinated have not done so.

'For most people - especially those working in health care - there's no reason not to get vaccinated at this point,' Ali said. 'The vaccine is highly effective. It protects people against infection and when people do get sick, it is almost always a mild illness. It also helps protect the people around you.'

Penn State Health continues to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to individuals ages 12 and older at nine Medical Group practices throughout central Pennsylvania. Employees and patients alike can schedule their vaccination appointments through vaccine-scheduler.pennstatehealth.org or by contacting the call center at 844-774-8883.

If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email the Penn State College of Medicine web department.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.