CDC: Delta variant is as contagious as chickenpox - KOB

“This is a much different variant than the one we dealt with previously. It's highly transmissible, and it's causing a new wave of cases among those that are not vaccinated. Our experts tell me that cases will go up further before they start to come back down,” said President Joe Biden.

First, what hasn't changed: the vaccines are still effective against severe disease and they offer protection, making it less likely to catch COVID. Unvaccinated people are still asked to wear a mask.

A new study showed that the Delta variant is as contagious as chickenpox and that the average person spreads it to 8 to 9 people.

It also showed that the vaccines no longer protect against transmission, so vaccinated people can still spread the Delta variant, even carrying it without symptoms.

Health officials reported over a quarter of all new infections in Los Angeles are among people who are fully vaccinated.

The CDC said they expect more infections among vaccinated people, although they are less likely to catch the virus.

“Yes there have been breakthroughs, but they have been rare. But the problem is, it is now contagious, right, and so that's why they are asking us to wear a mask. Where before, with the last two variants that we've seen, we weren't seeing that. We weren't seeing vaccinated people pass that along, and so now that has changed with the delta variant. That is how serious this delta variant is,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Deputy Press Secretary.

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