What You Need to Know-Week of July 5th
The most important weekly updates for you to keep your community healthy
In this Update:
1. Urgent Updates: Transmission & Vaccine Information
2. Information You Need: Breakthrough COVID-19 cases
3. Information you Need: What is the Delta Variant?
1. Urgent Updates: Transmission & Vaccine Information
Updated as of: 07-05-2021
Weekly case, death, and hospitalization counts
| In the past week, there has been an average of: | |
| Cases per day | 543 |
| Deaths per day | 10 |
| Compared to two weeks ago: | |
| Cases per day | Increased by28% ↑ |
| Deaths per day | Decreased by 11% ↓ |
| Hospitalizations per day | Increased by 4% ↑ |
View all data related to covid19 in arizona state
Vaccine Information:
| Number of Arizonans | Percentage of Arizonans | Percentage in United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizonans who are fully vaccinated | 3,180,543 | 44% | 47.5% |
| Arizonans who have received at least one dose (of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine) |
3,588,351 |
51% |
55.1% |
See updated vaccine information
6,578,673 total COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Arizona
It is still important to take safety precautions even after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
2. Information You Need: Breakthrough COVID-19 cases
You may have been hearing the term “breakthrough case” in the news lately, keep reading for more information about what this means and why it is important!
What is a breakthrough COVID-19 case?
- A breakthrough case occurs when someone who has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (i.e., they are two weeks past their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine) tests positive for infection with SARS-CoV-2 the virus that causes COVID-19.
Are breakthrough cases expected?
- Yes, breakthrough cases are to be expected because although the vaccines are very effective against preventing illness, they are not 100% effective. Similar to other vaccines, breakthrough cases do not mean that the vaccines are not working, it just means that a very small percentage of those who received a vaccine may still develop COVID-19.
How common are breakthrough cases?
- As of the end of May, over 130 million people have been fully vaccinated in the United States (i.e., they have received all necessary doses of a COVID-19 vaccine). Of these 130 million vaccinated people, 10,262 breakthrough cases have been reported to the CDC. This means that less than .01% (or roughly 1 in every 12,668) of those who have been vaccinated tested positive for COVID-19. In unvaccinated individuals case rates are significantly higher.
How is a breakthrough case different from a case of COVID-19 in an unvaccinated person?
- It has been shown that those who have been vaccinated are less likely to develop severe COVID-19, be hospitalized or die from the disease and are less likely to spread COVID-19 to others even if they are infected, compared to those who are unvaccinated.
What do breakthrough cases mean for safety precautions?
- Breakthrough cases are relatively rare, but do occur. Therefore, it is a good idea to continue to physically distance or wear a mask around individuals suspected of having COVID, avoid large crowded indoor gatherings, and practice hand hygiene even after vaccination. For those who have not been vaccinated, the risk of developing COVID-19, especially severe COVID-19 is much higher. If you or a household member are immunocompromised, you can be conservative and consistently wear a mask to further decrease the chance of infection. Si usted o un miembro del hogar están inmunocomprometidos, usted puede ser conservador y usar constantemente una máscara para disminuir aún más la posibilidad de infección.
See CDC weekly report for more information.
3. Information you Need: What is the Delta Variant?
You may have heard about the Delta variant in the news lately, but what exactly is it and is it cause for concern? Keep reading for more information!
What is the Delta variant?
- It is a variant of the virus that causes COVID-19. Also known as B.1.617.2, the Delta variant was first identified in India, but is now responsible for over 20% of new COVID-19 cases in the United States.
How contagious is the Delta variant?
- This variant is the most contagious that has been identified to date and is estimated to be 60% more transmissible compared to the B.1.1.7, also referred to as the “alpha variant,” which was first identified in the United Kingdom (UK). Alpha was a concern too because it was more transmissible than the original variant.This high transmissibility has the potential to cause very significant outbreaks in under-vaccinated populations.
Is the Delta variant more serious?
- Yes, the incoming data suggests that the Delta variant is both more contagious and more likely to cause severe illness in those who are unvaccinated.
How are the vaccines holding up against the Delta variant?
- A recent study suggests that after being fully vaccinated (i.e., two weeks have passed after receiving two doses) with an mRNA vaccine (e.g., Pfizer and Moderna), the vaccines are roughly 84-88% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant. However, with only one dose of the vaccine effectiveness appears to be low, around 35%. So if you have been delaying that second dose, get it as soon as possible. The viral vector vaccine, Johnson & Johnson, appears to be about 60% effective against symptomatic cases of the variant. These are promising numbers for those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 but sobering news for those with only one dose under their belt.
- Those who are not vaccinated are at much higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and may develop more severe disease with this highly transmissible variant. This is even more of a reason to get vaccinated and to encourage those around you to get vaccinated!
What symptoms are most often associated with the Delta variant?
- Research from the UK suggests that the most common symptoms associated with the Delta variant are headache, runny nose, and a sore throat.
- Because these symptoms resemble many common illnesses (e.g., the common cold, or allergies), it is important to get tested if you begin to feel at all ill.
Are children more impacted by the Delta variant?
- While we don’t know how much more vulnerable children may be to serious illness with the Delta variant, those under 12 cannot be vaccinated and are at risk of infection. There are cases of hospitalization in children already with the Delta variant. As unvaccinated individuals children should wear masks in public and when around unvaccinated people.
As per CDC guidelines, unvaccinated individuals should continue to wear masks and maintain physical distance while outside of their households. Vaccinated individuals should also continue to maintain physical distance while in public. Although the vaccines appear to be holding up well against the Delta variant, there are instances where vaccinated individuals should continue to wear masks outside of their homes.
See june 21st update for more information.
visit the CDC’s variant tracker to monitor variant proportions
The next update will cover information about when children younger than 12 be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to COVID-19 in Arizona, please complete next week’s AZCOVIDTXT survey that you will receive via text in about a week.