1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio, 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: Hey brain Stuff Lauren bogebom here. There have been multiple 3 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: coronavirus variants circulating around the globe since COVID nineteen first 4 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: emerged as a threat some eighteen months ago. The latest 5 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: one to create concern is the Delta variant, first detected 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: in December of Considered around sixty more transmissible than the 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: already highly infectious Alpha variant, Delta has spread to at 8 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: least eighty countries, including the United States, and is now 9 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: the UK's most dominant strain, responsible for n of new cases. 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: Designated by the World Health Organization or WHO as a 11 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: Global Variant of Concern, Delta is responsible for the second 12 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: deadly wave of infections that have decimated India, a country 13 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: that on June nine reached a world record daily high 14 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: of more than six thousand deaths in one day. So 15 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: let's talk about how these variants work. The novel coronavirus disease, 16 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: or COVID nineteen, is caused by a single species of 17 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: virus known as SARS cove two. When the original virus, 18 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: also called normal or wild type, replicates or copies itself, 19 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: the sequence of its molecules called nucleotides, sometimes changes from 20 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: the original virus. These changes are called mutations. Most of 21 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: the time these variations make the virus weaker, but sometimes 22 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 1: they can make the virus stronger, more contagious, or more 23 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: resistant to the actions of our immune systems. These variations 24 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: of the wild type virus or variance catch the eye 25 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: of health officials in the global SARS cove To Laboratory 26 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: network at the WHOSE Virus Evolution Working Group. The group 27 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: is tasked with quickly detecting variants and assessing their possible impact. 28 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: A Delta is the fourth global variant of concern that 29 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: WHO has ideaified since the pandemic began. The three others, alpha, 30 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: beta and gamma were first identified in the United Kingdom, 31 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: South Africa, and Brazil, respectively. Delta was first identified in India. 32 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: The WHO began naming these coronavirus variants after letters of 33 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: the Greek alphabet to simplify the scientific names, which I 34 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: have not included here because their long chains of letters 35 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: and numbers, and also to avoid stigmatizing the countries from 36 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: where the new strains originate. The delta variant has become 37 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: a variant of concern due to some mutations in its 38 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: spike protein, which formed the spiky looking protrusions on the 39 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: surface of the virus, which inspired the name coronavirus to 40 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 1: start with, and which in our bodies penetrate our cells 41 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: and cause infection. At least four different mutations in the 42 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 1: delta variant have been associated with faster spread and or 43 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: higher infectivity based on previous variants with similar mutations, and 44 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: it also seems to give people different symptoms. Oh. With 45 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: the original wild coronavirus, you can expect to have symptoms 46 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:08,959 Speaker 1: including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, 47 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: muscle or body aches, a loss of taste or smell, 48 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: nausea or vomiting or diarrhea. However, the Delta variant appears 49 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: to be slightly different. Data gathered from the UK's ZOE 50 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 1: covid Symptoms study app showed the people in the UK 51 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: described headaches, sore throats, running noses, and fever to be 52 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: the most prevalent symptoms. Blood clots are also a concerning 53 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: complication of COVID nineteen, but a cardiologist in Mumbai, India 54 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: told Bloomberg that he's seen a surprising number and type 55 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: of blood clots in recent COVID nineteen patients across age 56 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: groups with no past history of abnormal clotting, and that 57 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: he and his colleagues suspect it's a result of the 58 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: delta variant. However, it is important to note that these 59 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: observations are anecdotal and not based on scientific research. At 60 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: this time, the m RNA vaccines are proving their worth 61 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: in countries where shots are more readily available. India, although 62 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: home to the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, is struggling with 63 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: a major internal shortage of shots. A little more than 64 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: ten percent of the country's population has received just one vaccine. 65 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,239 Speaker 1: In the United States, as of late June, just over half, 66 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: or fifty three point oh three percent of the U 67 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: S population was fully vaccinated, and both new cases of 68 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen and related deaths have been trending downward. But 69 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: in a White House COVID nineteen Response Team press briefing 70 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: on June twenty second, doctor Anthony Faucci, chief Medical Adviser 71 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: to the President, said cases of the delta variant have 72 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: doubled in about two weeks. In early May, the delta 73 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: variant accounted for just one point two percent of cases, 74 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: he said, and now it accounts for twenty point six percent. 75 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: He said that the US seems to be following the 76 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: same pattern as the uk A, where the delta variant 77 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: became dominant very quickly and now makes up of cases there. 78 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: The dominant strain in the US is currently the alpha variant, 79 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: but Fauci warned that delta could soon become the dominant 80 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: strain in the US as well, and so that it's 81 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: quote currently the greatest threat in the US to our 82 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:24,799 Speaker 1: attempt to eliminate COVID nineteen one age group where cases 83 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: are climbing the most is among twelve to twenty year olds. 84 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: One reason maybe because this age group has been among 85 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 1: the last to get vaccinated. For the article, this episode 86 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 1: is based on how Stuff Work spoke with Dr Paul Getford, 87 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,359 Speaker 1: a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama in 88 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: Birmingham and an expert in vaccine design. He said, Initially, 89 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: we try to vaccinate our older population, and rightfully so, 90 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: and we're seeing the benefits of that in decreased hospitalizations. 91 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: But now we're seeing infections that are mainly in younger people, 92 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: and we're focusing on the fact that it's not a 93 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: completely benign infection. In younger people, they're not as at risk, 94 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: but they have problems too with this, and some of 95 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: them get really, really sick. It's too early to say 96 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: for sure whether approved COVID nineteen vaccines protect against the 97 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 1: delta variant, but early data is promising. According to a 98 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,359 Speaker 1: preprint study conducted in the UK, one dose of the 99 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 1: two dose Fiser vaccine provided about thirty three percent protection 100 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: against the delta variant. Two doses were eight eight percent effective. 101 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,040 Speaker 1: No data has been published to date on the efficacy 102 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: of the other two vaccines approved by the Food and 103 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 1: Drug Administration or f d A for emergency use in 104 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: the US, being the two shot Maderna vaccine or the 105 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: one shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine against the delta variant, 106 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: but Fauci said in that June twenty second press briefing 107 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: that he believes in the vaccines efficacy quote the effectiveness 108 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,839 Speaker 1: of the vaccines in this case, two weeks after the 109 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: second dose of Fiser was percent effective against the delta 110 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: and nine effective against the alpha. When you're dealing with 111 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: symptomatic disease, we have the tools, so let's use them. 112 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: And crush the outbreak. However, the CDC notes that the 113 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: delta variant might be able to avoid the antibodies that 114 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: our bodies produce after a vaccination or a coronavirus infection, 115 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: and for those who do get infected, the monoclonal antibody 116 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: treatments or treatments for those who have COVID nineteen might 117 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: be less effective against the delta variant. And that's scary 118 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: because a study published on June fourteenth in the science 119 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: journal The Lancet found that those infected by the delta 120 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: variant were about twice as likely to be hospitalized than 121 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: those infected by the alpha variant. Both Madernas and VISORS 122 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: COVID vaccines are made using mr NA technology. Previous studies 123 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: have shown that a full double dose of Visors or 124 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: Madernas vaccine provides and ent protection against the original virus, respectively. 125 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: Johnson Johnson's one shot vaccine, which uses a modified ADA 126 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: NO virus, was found seventy effective against the wild type virus. 127 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: Giptford said, these vaccines are remarkable. Even in older adults, 128 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: it works really really well, which is unusual for most 129 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: any vaccine that we have, So that's just remarkable. Today's 130 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: episode is based on the article Delta variant Maybe the 131 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: Greatest spread Eliminating COVID nineteen on how stuffworks dot Com, 132 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,599 Speaker 1: written by Jennifer Walker. Journey brain Stuff is production of 133 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: iHeart Radio in partnership with how stuffworks dot Com and 134 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: is produced by Tyler Clang. The four more podcasts from 135 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: my heart Radio visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 136 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.