Vaccinated Just as Likely to Spread Delta Variant Within Household as Unvaccinated

People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are just as likely to spread the delta variant within their household as unvaccinated individuals, a study published on Friday shows.

The Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal found that people who contracted COVID-19 had a similar viral load regardless of vaccination status.

“Although vaccines remain highly effective at preventing severe disease and deaths from COVID-19, our findings suggest that vaccination is not sufficient to prevent transmission of the delta variant in household settings with prolonged exposures,” researchers found from examining 621 symptomatic participants in the United Kingdom over a year.

“Increasing population immunity via booster programmes and vaccination of teenagers will help to increase the currently limited effect of vaccination on transmission, but our analysis suggests that direct protection of individuals at risk of severe outcomes, via vaccination and non-pharmacological interventions, will remain central to containing the burden of disease caused by the delta variant."

The study adds that 25% of vaccinated households contracted COVID-19 and 38% of unvaccinated individuals were diagnosed with the disease. That said, the same researchers say the vaccination was more effective at curbing transmission of the alpha variant within households, at a rate between 40% and 50%.

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