Delta Variant of COVID Likely to Become Dominant in Wisonsin

Tuesday, July 6th, 2021 -- 10:00 AM

(Bob Hague, WRN) -The Delta variant of COVID-19 is likely to become dominant in Wisconsin.

And there's one very important thing you should know about the Delta variant. "It's the same virus that we've been struggling with, and have lost so much as a result of, for the past year-and-half. What's different about it is that it seems to spread from person-to-person more easily."

Dr. Ryan Westergaard, the state's chief medical officer, says that means less margin for error, among those not yet vaccinated against COVID-19. "And the message for people who are unvaccinated now, is that getting vaccinate reduces your risk. They're safe and effective, and particularly effective against the Delta variant, which is spreading more quickly now."

Dr. Westergaard says Delta appears to spread more easily, from person-to-person. "Any given exposure, any time that a person is around someone who has infection with the Delta variant, and they're not vaccinated, the risk that they'll get infected from that person is higher than it's ever been."

With growing concern about the Delta variant of COVID-19, Dr. Westergaard says getting vaccinated is critical. "So even in the environment now where transmission in the community overall is lower, this virus seem to pose a greater risk that a person will become infected. So that essentially means that there's less margin for error. And the message for people who are unvaccinated now, is that getting vaccinated reduces your risk."

Westergaard says vaccines are effective against this latest variant.

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