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The Delta variant is igniting a COVID-19 surge across the country as vaccination rates slow to a trickle

Health officials urge unvaccinated to get the shots to avoid the highly contagious virus variant

Giorgi Mushroom Company worker Juan Frutos gets a vaccine shot from Penn State Health nurse Christy Daniels during a clinic facilitated by Latino Connection's mobile unit. The Wolf administration hired the group this spring to address persistent disparities.

 Matt Smith / Spotlight PA

Giorgi Mushroom Company worker Juan Frutos gets a vaccine shot from Penn State Health nurse Christy Daniels during a clinic facilitated by Latino Connection's mobile unit. The Wolf administration hired the group this spring to address persistent disparities.

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Airdate: Wednesday, July 28, 2021

The surging COVID infection rate is being called a “pandemic among the unvaccinated.”

Just as pandemic restrictions were reduced or eliminated this summer, the Delta variant of the virus became the dominant strain among those infected. Viruses constantly evolve through mutation, and sometimes the variants are more dangerous than the original. The Delta variant is not necessarily making people sicker, but it does spread far more easily from person to person, increasing infections and hospitalizations rates among the unvaccinated.

Breakthrough infections among vaccinated people have been documented too, but no deaths have occurred which demonstrates the effectiveness of the available vaccines.

So, why are some people still reluctant to get vaccinated? Joining Smart Talk Wednesday to discuss this and how to weed through the noise of COVID false information is Dr. John Goldman, MD., Infectious Disease specialist with UPMC Central Pa.

For more on public health issues plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare–check out WITF’s Transforming Health. Online at TransformingHealth.org, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.

 

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