Health officials brace for spread of Delta variant

Southeast Iowa health officials are keeping an eye on the emergence of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

While not yet prevalent in Iowa, the more potent and contagious Delta variant has been identified in the state.

“We do have confirmed cases of the Delta variant in Iowa,” Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski said last week. “At this time, I’m unsure as to what percent of Iowa’s cases are Delta.”

The Delta variant — the most common variant in both India and Great Britain — was first identified in the United States in March, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Jefferson County Public Health Director Chris Estle said that cases involving the Delta variant were identified in Jefferson County early on.

“Jefferson County has had two cases of the Delta variant,” Estle said. “This was before it was named Delta.”

Estle added that, at this time, she was not aware of any other Delta variant cases in the county.

They are, however, concerned that cases could increase as the percentage of Delta variant cases across the country is rising.

“The Delta variant is highly prevalent in both Missouri and Colorado — which are two popular vacation destinations,” Pettit-Majewski said. “The Delta variant is a variant of concern, and it is infecting younger individuals worldwide and is considered more contagious.”

Henry County Public Health Director Shelley Van Dorin and Estle both agreed with Pettit-Majewski’s concerns and are working to stay on top of the situation.

“We continue to participate in (Iowa Department of Public Health) webinars,” Estle said.

Pettit-Majewski said that the biggest concern is for unvaccinated individuals who are traveling.

“The most important thing we can do is get as many people vaccinated as are eligible — 12 and above — or we may likely see another spike this summer yet or early fall,” she said.

She added that the existing mRNA vaccines — Pfizer and Moderna — have been show to offer protection from the Delta variant.

“One dose of Pfizer offers about 30 percent protection, while the second dose increases that to about 88 percent,” Pettit-Majewski said, adding that there still is some uncertainty about the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine’s effectiveness against the Delta variant.

While the key to staying safe may be getting vaccinated, the percent of residents fully vaccinated in each county still is well below the 70-85 percent of the population that many experts estimate would likely achieve “herd immunity.”

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, as of Monday, Washington County reported 44.2 percent fully vaccinated, Henry County reported 41 percent, and Jefferson County reported 37.3 percent

“Locally we continue to see a decrease in vaccine demand,” Estle said.