Covid: reaching herd immunity through the Delta variant? Mythical, a specialist says

Published by Caroline de Sortiraparis · Photos by My de Sortiraparis · Published on August 11, 2021 at 12:31 p.m.
As many countries are trying to reach herd immunity, Professor Sir Andrew Pollard – head of Oxford Vaccine Group – said this Tuesday August 10 that reaching herd immunity through the Delta variant is not possible since this mutation will keep infecting people vaccinated. “We don’t have anything that will (completely) stop that transmission”, the expert explained to The Guardian.

When will herd immunity be rendered in France and Europe? This is a question many scientists have bene trying to answer to. This past August 2, Alain Fischer considered a 90% herd immunity was “likely from the beginning of Fall” in France.

But according to Professor Sir Andrew Pollard – head of Oxford Vaccine Group – reaching herd immunity through the Delta variant will not be possible. This is what he told this August 10, 2021 to The Guardian. According to the British specialist, the Delta variant – far more contagious than the other strains – will still infect people vaccinated.

The Delta variant will still infect people who have been vaccinated. And that does mean that anyone who’s still unvaccinated at some point will meet the virus … and we don’t have anything that will [completely] stop that transmission”, he said.

Although the Covid-19 vaccine enables to prevent severe disease and hospitalization, it does not prevent infection or transmission of the virus. This is what the Icelandic authorities have been reporting lately. Despite major vaccinal protection – among the highest in the world – the Nordic country is facing a major increase in new Covid-19 contaminations.

Nonetheless, several studies show the importance to get vaccinated. Therefore, according to a study led by the London Imperial College, people fully vaccinated, aged 18 to 64, are 49% less likely to get infected than non-vaccinated people. Furthermore, this study also shows people fully vaccinated are about three times less likely to test positive after being around someone sick with Covid (3.84% against 7.23%).

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