Assessing PHE England’s Statement That Unvaccinated Public More Vulnerable To Delta Variant

Assessing PHE England’s Statement That Unvaccinated Public More Vulnerable To Delta Variant

By Ben Kerrigan-

Those who are not vaccinated are more susceptible to the Delta variant from India, health experts have said. Official data reveals that nearly two-thirds of people infected with the Delta variant, and more than half of those who have died with it, have not had a Covid vaccine at all, the latest official data suggests.

The Public Health England report concludes that the virus is likely to spread more easily and could make people more seriously ill, after recent data showed there have been nearly 30,000 new UK cases of the variant in the past week.

Officials say two doses of the vaccine provide “significantly more protection” than one. The Delta variant, first identified in India, is now the dominant variant in the UK,  reportedly responsible  for 90% of cases.

The situation is being closely monitored by PHE, who are using new genotyping tests to detect the variant more quickly as cases continue to rise. They say the  tests suggests that the Delta variant is roughly 60% more spreadable than the Alpha, or Kent, variant.

Official data suggests that hospitalisation rates for people infected by the Delta variant are twice as likely to end up in hospital than those with Alpha, needs more information. This rates have not been put in the context of any existing underlying issues in those hospitalised as a result of the Delta variant to give a fuller picture of the situation.

Boris Johnson has in the past made it clear that vaccinations increase the chances of escaping infection or hospitalisation, but does not offer full protection. The more doses one takes, the safer they are likely to be.

Against this assumption is the circulated knowledge that some of the variants like the Delta variant may resistant to both doses of the vaccine. Conflicting theories are rife in these unprecedented times, where it is also common knowledge that the vaccine is becoming something of big business.

Having two or more doses of the vaccines may increases our resistance to the delta variant, but we  don’t know by how much and which group of people would  be protected from the delta variant , until more statistical information about the health conditions of those being hospitalised or dying from the variant. The same principles applied to the numbers of those affected in the first pandemic applies now.

PHE England say that of 33,000 cases analysed by PHE and confirmed to be the Delta variant since February, 223 have been admitted to hospital. Most were unvaccinated or had only had only dose, and 20 people were fully vaccinated.

Statistics reveal that of  the 42 deaths in people with Delta variant infections, 23 were unvaccinated and seven had received only one dose. The other 12 had received two doses more than two weeks before. The presence of underlying issues is again  conspicuously missing from the data, leaving the public not fully informed.
In the UK, more than  50% of all adults have now been fully vaccinated with a Covid vaccine and more than three-quarters have had one dose.  Over  10 million adults, mostly in their 20s, have yet to have a single dose.

The analysis from PHE England will be accurate for the group of people hospitalised by the variant if they have common factors like underlying illnesses. Accurate interpretations can be made from the known facts that individuals found to have  similar characteristics who haven’t been vaccinated are more prone to being hospitaised or dying from the delta variant.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said “vaccination is our best defence”.
“If you are eligible, we urge you to come forward and be vaccinated. Remember that two doses provide significantly more protection than a single dose.”
However, Dr Harries warned that while vaccination reduces the risk of severe disease, it does not eliminate it because Delta is “significantly more transmissible than Alpha”.

Dr Harris is right that overall vaccinations are our best defence for combating the virus. It is still useful to know the category of individuals being hospitalised for the sakes of facts and full information.

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