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I’ve started to think of the period from May to July of this year as the “honeymoon phase” of COVID-19. After a devastating winter surge of cases and fatalities, infection rates were beginning to decline significantly across much of the U.S. Many essential workers and older individuals had received their vaccinations, and those of us eager for the shots could finally access them. We began to reunite with friends and family, sharing long-awaited hugs and shedding many tears.
Social media was filled with photos of these joyful reunions, tagged with #thankyouscience and #vaccinesbringuscloser. These vaccines felt miraculous, guiding us toward the light at the end of this exhausting ordeal. The mRNA vaccines were reported to be around 95% effective, and the CDC assured us that vaccinated individuals, even if they were to contract the virus, were unlikely to pass it on to others.
Those of us who were fully vaccinated felt a sense of security, akin to wearing a protective shield. Despite our younger kids not being eligible for vaccination, we operated under the assumption that gathering with other vaccinated individuals was safe.
Then came Delta, the most transmissible variant of COVID-19, which seemed to undermine the efficacy of the vaccines. Reports began to emerge of fully vaccinated individuals contracting Delta. While these cases were generally mild, they involved healthy, vaccinated people.
What was happening?!
I felt a surge of anxiety when I read a thread by Mark Thompson, who described how his entire family contracted COVID, despite three out of four being fully vaccinated. His unvaccinated child was the first to fall ill, spreading the virus to the rest of the family. His vaccinated teen tested positive but remained asymptomatic, while he and his wife became sick.
Like many others experiencing breakthrough cases, Thompson and his wife had relatively mild illnesses and recovered at home. Medical professionals agree that despite Delta’s ability to evade vaccines, these vaccines remain highly effective in preventing severe illness and death, which is their main purpose.
“By no means does that indicate an unsuccessful vaccine,” Dr. Emily Carter stated in an interview. “The vaccine’s success is determined by its ability to prevent illness.” The New York Times noted that over 97% of those hospitalized with COVID had not received a vaccine.
The CDC is not tracking mild breakthrough infections, leaving us in the dark about the current situation. While more breakthrough cases are being reported, it’s still unclear how likely it is for any vaccinated individual to experience one. Estimates of vaccine efficacy against Delta have ranged from 88% to a concerning 39%.
This leads many to wonder, “Why is this happening? Why are the vaccines not providing more protection against the virus?”
As science reporter Lisa Hernandez explains, breakthrough infections can occur for various reasons, with the Delta variant increasing their likelihood due to its heightened infectivity. Delta is twice as transmissible as earlier strains, and infected individuals carry a thousand times more virus in their bodies. Consequently, when a vaccinated person encounters Delta, their immune system faces a tougher battle.
Hernandez notes, “A vaccinated individual exposed to a low viral load may not contract the virus, or not noticeably so. However, exposure to the high viral loads associated with Delta makes it more likely for their immune defenses to be overwhelmed.”
In such cases, infection may occur. But since the immune system is familiar with COVID, individuals are more likely to recover quickly and with fewer severe symptoms.
In light of these developments, health experts are urging even those fully vaccinated to resume safety measures, including wearing masks indoors. Vaccines are still remarkable, but with such a highly transmissible virus in circulation, adopting a “layered” approach to protection is increasingly sensible. I personally never stopped wearing a mask indoors, especially since I have a child at home who is too young to be vaccinated. Now that the risk of breakthrough infections has risen, I’m more vigilant than ever.
As Dr. Sarah Lee emphasizes, a significant issue is that many people in the U.S. remain unvaccinated. The combination of a highly contagious variant and a large population of unvaccinated individuals results in more circulating virus, increasing the likelihood that vaccinated individuals will contract it.
This reinforces the idea that this pandemic is a collective challenge. It’s not solely about personal protection; vaccines are most effective when a substantial portion of the population is vaccinated. Delta is showing us just how far we still have to go.
So, for those who remain unvaccinated, please consider getting vaccinated so that those of us who have done our part don’t have to bear the ongoing burden of this situation.
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Summary:
Vaccinated individuals are experiencing breakthrough infections primarily due to the Delta variant, which is significantly more transmissible than earlier strains. Although vaccines still provide strong protection against severe disease and death, the high viral load associated with Delta makes infections more likely. As public health experts advocate for renewed safety measures, it remains crucial for the population to increase vaccination rates to reduce the overall risk of transmission.