Delta Has Been Brutal: How the Deadliest Covid Variant Has Affected the World

The Delta variant is the deadliest variant of the coronavirus, and according to the CDC, this variant has the highest transmission rate yet.

COVID-19, which was first detected in China near the end of 2019, is still running rampant around the world. With the Delta variant spreading across the globe, the number of cases is growing with each passing day.

As the number of infected patients rises, countries are forced to bring back containment measures. Quarantine restrictions have started to be lifted for most places in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Now that the threat of the Delta variant is looming, countries and policymakers worldwide are once again concerned.

According to the technical lead for COVID-19 at the World Health Organization, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, coronavirus is already an extremely transmissible virus, and the Delta variant is twice more contagious than the original virus. It is also 50% more spreadable than the alpha variant, which first emerged in the U.K.

The CDC stated that the Delta variant is more dangerous to people who don’t have the vaccine. People who are fully vaccinated are at a lower risk of contracting the Delta variant, but are still advised to wear masks and take all the required precautions.

How Does the Delta Variant Affect Us?

With the Delta variant of the coronavirus spreading at a rapid speed, the panic surrounding the pandemic that had previously died down a little has started growing again. People want to know what this variant is and whether or not they should be looking for the exact symptoms of the original virus.

What is the Delta Variant?

Experts are constantly monitoring all variants of coronavirus to check if there is a variant that spreads more rapidly, causes more severe symptoms and will have more effects on public health and safety and what measures we can take to protect ourselves.

Any time a virus spreads widely at a high rate, there is a greater chance of it mutating and forming new variants. These variants are often more dangerous than the original disease, which can be seen with the Delta variant.

The World Health Organization has claimed that Delta is a variant of great concern. It spreads faster than all previous variants of the coronavirus and causes more harm. The quick and efficient spread of the Delta variant is one of its identifying points. It is also more effective at getting past the protection of vaccines, but fully vaccinated people are still more protected against the Delta variant.

What Are the Symptoms of the Delta Variant?

The symptoms of the Delta variant are predominantly the same as the previous variants of the coronavirus. Patients have a dry cough, fatigue, muscle aches, temporary loss of smell and taste, fever, stomach issues, and respiratory problems. Researchers believe that the respiratory issues that come with the Delta variant become more severe in a shorter time than the previous COVID-19 strains.

In India, there have been cases of the Delta variant that showed symptoms like gangrene, loss of hearing, and more. Scientists claim that since the number of Delta cases in India is extremely high, it is understandable that the spectrum of symptoms will be vast. Other countries that are not as severely affected might not have cases with such rare symptoms.

The Delta Variant and the World

No other strain of the coronavirus has spread this rapidly before. GISAID has collected genetically sequenced samples of coronavirus that show that 65 countries have reported COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant.

However, it is assumed that the data shared by GISAID does not reveal the actual impact of this variant on the world. There are numerous countries that do not share their COVID-19 data and reports with GISAID or don’t have the means to carry out viral sequencing. It is safe to assume that the Delta variant has had a more devastating effect on the world than we know of.

The Effect on World Economy

As we are all aware, the Delta variant of the coronavirus has had a massive impact on the world’s economy. Policymakers all over the world are trying to find a solution and develop policies that will help bring stability in these testing times.

As the number of cases increases, the supply prices reach new heights. The time it takes for delivery is also getting longer, and the strength of the supply chain is being put through numerous challenges globally.

On the flip side, the demand chain is plagued with uncertainty. Some areas of the world have higher vaccination rates, and there is an increase in demand. Other parts of the world that don’t have high rates of vaccinations have a lower demand. Policies that are monetarily supportive can be of more help than tight monetary policies.

At this point in the pandemic, the world is experiencing supply chain bottlenecks and an increase in inflation. This period of financial difficulties is bound to last longer than it did after the second World War.

Is Recovery at Risk?

With the virus gaining momentum once again, our economic recovery is put at risk. Countries in Asia like India, Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc., have a high population but a comparatively low rate of vaccination. The number of COVID-19 cases in these countries continues to grow as not enough people are vaccinated. As the restrictions are put in place once again and these countries implement lockdowns, the chain of demand gets choked.

We witnessed how European countries lifted restrictions during the summer and have decent vaccination rates. However, as winter rolls around, people will start having more indoor gatherings, and the number of cases is predicted to rise again. Most European countries are against the idea of another lockdown, which means demand might not be affected as much as other continents.

Africa is another continent that has been dramatically affected by the Delta variant. Apart from North Africa, the entire continent has a low rate of vaccinations, making it more open to all variants of the coronavirus.

The economy of African countries relies on the prices of global commodities. With increased restrictions and lockdowns in Asia and other parts of the world, the demand for these commodities has decreased, making it difficult for African countries to recover from how much their economy has been impacted.

The Middle East is also heavily impacted by the decrease in global demand. Although not as terrible as early 2020 when the oil prices fell in a grand fashion, it is predicted that the oil prices will take another hit. The economy of the Middle East will face significant setbacks as demand is decreased once more.

South America, like Europe, has virtually ruled out the possibility of another lockdown. The number of fully vaccinated people is still at the lower end of the spectrum, and it will be tricky for the economy of the countries to bounce back quickly if there is an increase in cases.

Final Takeaway

The Delta variant has spread like wildfire throughout the world. It is proven to be the deadliest variant of the coronavirus yet, as it spreads faster than all previous strains and has more severe symptoms. The efficacy of vaccines has not been the highest against the Delta variant. Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and other vaccines provide more protection to people than not being vaccinated.

The world is still struggling to recover from the last wave of the virus. If things continue the way they are, it will be challenging for all countries to rebound and start thriving again.