ToplineThe virus can infect both vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals. A study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday found that both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons infected with the Delta coronavirus have high viral loads. This finding led to the CDC recommending that vaccinated individuals wear masks in areas where the virus is rapidly spreading.Tourists wearing protective masks stand in line at St. Peter's Square before the Pope's weekly... [+] Angelus Prayer on February 2, 2020 in Vatican. AFP via Getty ImagesThe Key FactsA CDC study that examined 469 coronavirus cases in a Barnstable County, Massachusetts town this month found that 74% were vaccinated. The viral load of the delta variant infected individuals who were vaccinated was twice that of the unvaccinated. This raised concerns among CDC scientists about the possibility that even vaccinated persons could spread the disease. In a Friday statement, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC, said that the findings were concerning and suggested that vaccinated individuals cover up in high-transmission areas. Even for those who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus, the study's authors suggested that cities and states with low levels of infection should encourage people to hide in public places indoors.Important BackgroundSome cities, such as Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, have followed the CDC's recommendations and reinstated masking regulations. Los Angeles County reinstated the mask mandate in July 2017. According to documents obtained by the Washington Post and the New York Times, CDC officials seem to have a more negative view of the Delta strain than their public messaging. According to an internal presentation, the delta variant may not only be more easily transmissible but also have potential for more severe infections.Continue readingCDC Laying Out A Grimmer Picture Of Delta Variant. Document ShowsHere are the Main Discrepancies.D.C. The Latest City to Reinstate the Mask Mandate See Full List (Forbes).CDC to Reintroduce Mask Guidance for Vaccinated Americans in Certain Circumstances (Forbes).
