Study: Delta COVID-19 variant doubles hospitalization risk

• The Delta COVID-19 variant has become the dominant strain in Scotland since about a month ago.
• According to a Scottish study, this particular variant doubles the hospitalization risk compared to the Alpha strain.
• The researchers noted, however, that the risk of hospitalization particularly increased in individuals with five or more relevant comorbidities.

A Scottish study has found that the Delta COVID-19 variant doubles the hospitalization risk compared to the Alpha strain, especially in individuals with five or more comorbidities.

The Delta variant has become the dominant strain in Scotland since about a month ago.

On behalf of Public Health Scotland, the research team used the country’s COVID-19 surveillance program to analyze the data. They looked into the risk of hospitalization and estimated vaccinate effectiveness at preventing hospitalization among potential Delta variant cases.

The study was conducted from April 1 to June 6, 2021, during which there were 19,543 coronavirus cases. Among these, 377 cases required hospitalization, and 134 of which were S gene-positive, or Delta variant infections.

The research team had previously determined that 97% of S gene-positive cases sequenced in Scotland were of the Delta variant, and 99% of Delta variants were S gene-positive. Meanwhile, S gene-negative cases were identified as Alpha variant infections.

S-gene positive cases were observed in all ages but were more prevalent in younger children, compared to the Alpha variant. These cases were also linked to an increased risk of hospitalization. This hospitalization risk was further increased in patients with relevant comorbidities.

The vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca have been proven to reduce the risk of infection and hospitalization due to the Delta COVID-19 variant. However, the reduced infection risk was lower compared with the Alpha variant.

The research team noted that the analysis was more observational in nature. They advised to interpret the estimates of vaccine effectiveness “with caution.” There were also not enough data on hospitalizations and the variants “to compare between vaccines in this respect.”

The researchers concluded that the Delta variant in Scotland “was found mainly in younger, more affluent groups.”

They continued, “Risk of COVID-19 hospital admission was approximately doubled in those with the Delta VOC compared to the Alpha VOC, with risk of admission particularly increased in those with five or more relevant comorbidities.”

The study was published in The Lancet on Monday.

Source: FOX News