By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Aug 22: A new study finds that the Delta variant can be present in the noses of vaccinated people as strongly as in unvaccinated people, says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) director-general said previous studies in hospitals in India, USA and Finland show that after vaccine breakthrough infections with Delta, there can be high levels of Covid-19 virus in people’s noses whether they are vaccinated or not.
A breakthrough infection, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), refers to a Covid-19 case that occurs in an individual who is fully vaccinated, meaning 14 or more days after completing the recommended full doses.
“A preliminary study has shown that in the case of a breakthrough infection, the Delta variant is able to grow in the noses of vaccinated people to the same degree as if they were not vaccinated at all.
“The virus that grows is just as infectious as that in unvaccinated people, meaning vaccinated people can transmit the virus and infect others,” said Dr Noor Hisham in a social media post yesterday (Aug 21).
Seeing that vaccinated individuals are at risk of spreading the deadly variant to those unvaccinated and with less protection, he urged all to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible.
“Please get vaccinated,” he stressed. — DayakDaily
