- COVID-19 Delta variant is as contagious as chickenpox and more transmissible than other viral infections such as MERS, SARS, Ebola, the common cold, the seasonal flu, and smallpox, according to an internal document from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- The agency reintroduced masking guidelines for the vaccinated individuals based on the findings on the document, The New York Times reported.
- “Given higher transmissibility and current vaccine coverage, universal masking is essential,” the document said, hinting even that the new recommendation might not be adequate.
- The immediate next step for the CDC is to “acknowledge the war has changed,” according to the document, the contents of which were first reported by The Washington Post yesterday evening. On Friday, the federal agency is expected to announce more data on the variant.
- On Thursday, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, CDC Director warned that vaccinated people with breakthrough infections of the Delta variant can carry as much viral load in their nose and throat as unvaccinated people with the potential to spread the virus just as easily, if less often.
- In early July, the Delta variant became the dominant strain of coronavirus in the U.S. according to CDC estimates.
- COVID-19 vaccine developers: Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX). Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX), Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN)
Mask and PPE makers: Lakeland Industries (NASDAQ:LAKE), Alpha Pro Tech (NYSE:APT), Allied Healthcare Products (NASDAQ:AHPI), Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA)