Rhode Island COVID Risk Level Increased to "Very High"

Rhode Island COVID Risk Level Increased to "Very High"

On Thursday, the Israel Ministry of Health announced new findings from their ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine. Their observations show that vaccine effectiveness declines against the Delta variant. While the vaccine continues to be robustly effective in protecting against hospitalization (88%) and severe illness (91%), it was found to be only 39% effective in preventing infection from Delta, and 41% effective in protecting against symptomatic illness.

Laboratory studies have shown that antibodies from people who have received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are about 3-fold less effective against the Delta variant, meaning it requires a three times higher concentration of antibodies to neutralize Delta compared with the original strain of virus Antibodies in people who have been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 are even less active against the Delta variant.

Antibody levels decline over time after vaccination, and older people, in particular, may experience declines over time.

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These laboratory studies suggested the Delta variant would be partially resistant to vaccines, which appears to be confirmed by these latest clinical reports from Israel.  

Vaccine protection might continue to further decline over time. The initial reports from Israel showed the Pfizer vaccine to provide 64% protection against Delta.

As a result, Israel is now administering booster shots in immunocompromised individuals and is considering them for everyone over 65.

In the U.S., yesterday the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) expressed support for immunocompromised people to receive booster shots.

The need for booster shots, in general, is currently being studied and discussed. A third dose booster shot can increase antibody levels 5-10 fold, which could provide additional protection against the Delta variant.

 

RI "Very High"

The Delta variant currently is responsible for over 83% of COVID infections in the U.S., and Rhode Island currently has the highest infection rate in New England. Today covidactnow.org raised the risk level in Rhode Island to “Very High”.

The latest clinical report from Israel suggests that even vaccinated people are likely to develop some level of symptomatic infection from the Delta variant. While the data also suggest these infections will not be acutely severe, the risk of long COVID in vaccinated people is unknown. Previous studies have shown that individuals who had mild or even asymptomatic infections with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain could still subsequently develop significant long COVID health problems.

It may well be the same with the Delta variant. 

Nick Landekic is a retired scientist and biotechnology executive with over 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.