Vaccine effectiveness and Delta variant: Microbiologist weighs in

According to microbiologist Dr. Joseph Blondeau, there needs to be more done to tackle COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy as new variants emerge around the globe.

The number of people getting their first COVID shot is slowing throughout Saskatchewan. That’s concerning to microbiologists such as Blondeau, who believes the emergence of the Delta variant only amplifies the importance of people getting vaccinated.

“The U.K. variant was recognized as being more contagious than the original strain and then along comes the Indian or the Delta variant, and there’s some evidence to suggest that it could be 40 to 50 per cent more transmissible,” Blondeau says. “The concern is that we have another variant of the coronavirus that may be more easily transmitted from person to person.

“I think it’s the wrong time for us to take our foot off the pedal. I think we need to keep pushing to get more and more members of our population immunized and I think we need to do it sooner than later.”

According to Blondeau, data has shown the Delta variant is still fairly transmissible after the first dose of a COVID vaccine.

He believes the best way to make sure cases of that variant don’t start popping up at home is that more people get second doses.

“I think there’s two elements here. I think the first element is that those who have not received even their first dose need to get that taken care of,” Blondeau said. “For those that haven’t received their second dose, certainly there is a lineup once that opportunity is presented to them so I clearly see this as being an important part in our strategy moving forward to deal with this pandemic.

“In the end, if you’ve had your second dose, it’s better than obviously not having it.”