MOSCOW, October 6. / TASS /. The delta strain of the coronavirus, like the “alpha” variety, has the property of infecting people with a lower viral load than the original version. Thanks to this, it is more easily transmitted by airborne droplets, Kamil Khafizov, head of the scientific group for the development of new methods for diagnosing human diseases at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, told TASS.
Earlier, The New York Times, citing an unrefereed study by American scientists from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), reported that new coronavirus mutations can be more easily transmitted by airborne droplets. According to a study by scientists, the alpha strain was twice as effective in airborne transmission and spread over long distances.
“It is important to understand that the features of the alpha strain, when a lower viral load is needed to infect a person, small droplets spread further and infect a person faster, are also characteristic of the delta strain, so it is very important to pay more attention to vaccination and preventive measures,” said Hafizov …
Commenting on the publication, the expert explained that American scientists have shown that only the smallest aerosols (particles less than 5 microns in size) infect hamsters at a distance of two meters, while relatively large droplets do not reach. The authors also found that the alpha variant of the coronavirus outperformed the original strain in its ability to infect animals. “At the same time, the authors themselves conclude that the increased efficiency of transmission of the” alpha “variant cannot be a direct result of the size of the droplets, or some special volatility of this strain. It is just that a lower dose of this genovariant may be sufficient for transmission, including because of the better penetration of the virus into the cell, “said Khafizov.
“In light of the limited global vaccine coverage and the potential emergence of new strains capable of escaping neutralizing antibodies, air ventilation and disinfection, masks and social distancing should still be considered important tools in strategies to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and the risk of transmission.” he concluded.
