COVID-19 Delta variant: What you should know

Experts say this variant will soon become the dominant strain in the United States.

Although the coronavirus has been mutating into different variants since it was first discovered, it wasn’t until recently that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began referring to these variants with Greek alphabet designations.

For example, one variant that was once referred to as COVID-19 B.1.1.7 is now call the Alpha variant.

This is how the latest variant — and the most concerning to date — became known as the Delta variant.

With cases confirmed in Michigan, experts have been warning that the Delta variant will become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the country.

First identified overseas in India before causing a spike in new cases in Europe, the Delta variant has shown to be 60 percent more transmissible than the original COVID-19 strain.

It is quickly on its way to becoming the dominant in the world, already confirmed in 92 countries.

Vaccines

This is particularly important, because recent cases and surges — including the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths — have been mostly isolated to populations of unvaccinated people.

Infectious disease and public health experts continue to strongly urge and encourage everyone eligible to get one of these safe and effective vaccines.