Expert reveals how long it takes to become infected with the Delta strain

    Expert reveals how long it takes to become infected with the Delta strain
    Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP) (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images

    For infection with a new strain, a short contact with a sick person is enough

    Earlier, in order to become infected with coronavirus, it was necessary to contact a sick person for at least 15 minutes, but now the improved version of SARS-COV-2 known as Delta variant takes only few seconds to make one infected.

    For infection with the Delta coronavirus strain, only 5-10 seconds are enough. If you are next to an infected person during this time, then there is a high probability of contracting COVID-19 with the risk of a severe course. 

    This was stated by the chief specialist of the Ministry of Health on epidemiology, Doctor of Medical Sciences, epidemiologist Natalya Vinograd during an interview.

    She noted that the Delta strain is currently the No. 1 problem at the level of the World Health Organization.

    “The virus has several characteristics that are not good from the point of view of medicine. First, it significantly increases its contagiousness. That is, if we previously needed 15 minutes or more to be near a person who was infected, so that we could be involved in the epidemic process, today 5 to 10 seconds are enough – and everyone around the infected person will have a sufficient infectious dose and a high risk of infection,” Vinograd said.

    She also noted that the delta strain literally escapes the immune response. 

    This means that those who are vaccinated and who have recovered will still remain at risk of infection, but they will carry it in a milder form.

    Earlier, the WHO called the Delta strain the most infectious of all coronavirus strains. It has already been identified in half the countries of the world.

    Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP) (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images

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