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How dangerous is the Delta variant?

The Delta variant is the most contagious variant of COVID-19 to date, fueling new outbreaks in the United States and worldwide. This variant spreads twice as fast as other variants (read more about how viruses mutate here).

Unvaccinated people are especially at risk of contracting Delta.

  • According to at least two studies, patients infected with Delta had higher rates of hospitalizations than those who were infected with other COVID-19 strains.
  • Unvaccinated people are far more likely than vaccinated people to become infected with the Delta variant.
  • While breakthrough infections happen (i.e. infections in vaccinated individuals) it is far more rare than infections in unvaccinated people.
  •  According to the CDC, vaccinated people who are infected with the Delta variant appear to have a faster recovery time than those who chose to not get the vaccine.

Learn more about how the vaccines protects you against the Delta variant here. 

Read the CDC’s full guidance on the Delta variant here. Visit this map to see a geographic explainer of where people are most vulnerable to the Delta variant because of low vaccination rates.

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