MOSCOW, October 6. /TASS/. The coronavirus Delta strain, just like the Alpha variant, is capable of infecting humans with a lower viral load than the initial variant. Due to this, it is spread easier by airborne transmission, Kamil Khafizov, who heads a research group developing new diagnostic methods for human diseases at the Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing told TASS.
Earlier, The New York Times citing a non-peer-reviewed study by American researchers from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that new coronavirus mutations can be transmitted easier via airborne transmission. According to the study, the Alpha strain was twice as effective in airborne transmission and spread over greater distances.
"It is essential to comprehend that the Alpha strain’s features, where a lower viral load is needed to infect a person, with small droplets spreading farther and infecting humans faster, are typical of the Delta strain as well, so it is very important to focus more on vaccination and preventive measures," the expert said.
Commenting on the article, the expert explained that the American scientists demonstrated that only the finest aerosols (particles smaller than five microns in size) infect hamsters at a distance of two meters while relatively larger droplets do not spread that far. The authors also found out that the coronavirus Alpha variant outperformed the original strain in its ability to infect animals. "At the same time, the authors themselves conclude that the heightened efficiency of the Alpha variant’s transmission cannot be a direct result of the size of the droplets or some special volatility of this strain. It is just that a lower dose of this genetic variant may be sufficient for transmission, including due to a better infiltration of a cell by the virus," the expert noted.
"In light of the limited global coverage by vaccines and the potential emergence of new strains, capable of evading neutralizing antibodies, air ventilation and disinfection, masks and social distancing still should be considered as important tools in the strategies of lowering the hazard of COVID-19 infection and the risk of transmitting the infection," he concluded.