Will COVID-19 Vaccination Protect Against the Delta variant?

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health

If you have been fully vaccinated, you have taken the best step possible to protect yourself, your friends, family and co-workers from getting the virus and the Delta variant. The vaccinations are very safe and are recommended for those aged 12 and older. Also, you will not be responsible for spreading the virus or the variant once you are vaccinated.

While the vaccines are effective, they are not 100%, and there have been rare cases of vaccinated individuals getting the virus. What’s important to know is that if you have had the vaccine and you get the virus, your case will be mild and won’t land you in the hospital. 

Like all viruses, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, constantly changes through mutation. These mutations create different versions of the virus, called “variants.” Sometimes, a mutation will result in the virus spreading more easily, such as with the Delta variant that we are seeing right now. 

This can make people sicker or making it resistant to treatment or vaccines. Variants with these types of mutations are of great concern to us because they are much more contagious and spreading fast among the unvaccinated.

To best protect yourself right now we recommend:

  • Avoiding crowds
  • Limiting your travel
  • Wearing a mask indoors in public spaces
  • Work together to convince those that are unvaccinated to get vaccinated

 

Vaccines are available across Santa Barbara County and free to everyone, regardless of immigration status. Many vaccination sites take walk-ins, or you can choose to make an appointment.

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  1. 99.99% of those dying or getting extremely sick from Covid are the unvaccinated. The earth is round. Those vapor trails you see in the sky from planes are not the government or Monsanto poisoning us, windmills don’t cause cancer, there is no 5G virus in the vaccine, Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine don’t cure Covid…

  2. PAGE – My comment is not a “child’s plea” but a point of fact. What “intelligent guideline” should we follow. Those by Fauci that seem to change each week and has truly proven he knows nothing? Or those of “scientists” that can’t seem to agree on what is occurring with this issue. I don’t care what others do, the beauty of living in America. You should try and think this way sometime, might make your life a little easier. Aww, you have the ability to “think critically.” Sounds like you think of yourself as one of the “sophisticated” that truly don’t know more or less than anyone else. That’s, of course, unless you were on the list of sophisticates at a recent weekend party.

  3. Doulie…based on your posts it appears your mind carries a virus called xenophobia and racism. Illegal border crossings are a completely separate issue. Let’s call it a red herring here. The problem we’re having with this explosion of COVID cases is due to folks like you who decided that they somehow know better than the ENTIRE medical community and the world’s leading infectious disease experts. Please tell us where you got your advanced degree in BS from? This kind of idiocy is what’s now causing pediatric ICU’s to be overflowing with kids. I’m not sure how you and your ilk sleep at night…To quote an ICU physician “THIS IS ALL SO AVOIDABLE.” God I hope all you fools realize your folly before it too late. SMH

  4. “. What’s important to know is that if you have had the vaccine and you get the virus, your case will be mild and won’t land you in the hospital.”
    Ansorg is stating, with 100% certainty, that no breakthrough cases will end up in the hospital. That’s one that he’s going to wish he could take back. Of the 5,159 patients hospitalized with the delta variant in the UK, 1,355 (26.3%) of them were fully vaccinated. Of course, that’s out of 300,101 total delta variant cases, which is only about half a percent. Still, that’s not a zero likelihood, which is what Ansorg is insisting. It’s not difficult to see why some people have a hard time trusting the experts.

  5. General – I have the degree I need, thank you. You’re not trying to, as you wrote, “advise others,” me, how to live my life by suggesting I get an “advanced degree” are you? Seems whatever degree you have didn’t deal much with word comprehension. Check back to what I answered (directly) to you at 10:16. “You go your way, I’ll go mine.” You should have known by the time you posted at 2:29 I’m definitely not trying to tell anyone how to live there life. Take care.

  6. General – You’re a little off topic. But, wow. $350k. No kidding? And a Master’s degree. I am duly impressed. You know, there are some people, not me, but some people that might think a person making such a comment has little class. But, back to the topic. Way back at 9:14 today I asked you what you thought about migrants crossing the border and transported across the US. Many of these people are reportedly carrying the virus. Are you concerned about this and demanding they be required to wear masks?

  7. SBGAL – Am I racist/xenophobic, no. Illegal border crossings as they relate to COVID are not a separate issue. As I wrote before, its been reported there are many migrants testing positive for COVID, allowed to enter the US and then being transported to various parts of the US. I don’t call it a “red herring” I call it a stupid move on the part of our government. Are you making any effort to stop the illegal entries to ensure these people are required to wear masks and are vaccinated before being moved around the US?

  8. Dear 4865: What would it hurt to comply when after months of statistical evidence shows clearly that complying masking, not gathering in crowds and getting a vaccination greatly reduces the odds of getting sick, getting hospitalized, dying? Have pity on the the hospital people who are tasked with taking care of those infected. So many medical personnel are burned out that the old Confederacy can’t staff fully and their hospitals are full. What odds would Nick-the-Greek give? Bookies somewhere must have that stat.

  9. General – What do you say of the illegal aliens crossing the border being transported to States across the US. Many of these illegals are reportedly carrying the virus. Could they be leaving “vapor trails” of COVID exposing Americans as they cross the US?

  10. LUVA – When the “sophisticated” choose to gather and not comply with masking why must I or others? The “sophisticated” certainly have more inside information than I do. If there was a true problem would the “sophisticated” be partying without a mask? Would our incompetent administration be inviting and allowing people to cross our border? The word “control” comes to mind.

  11. “He did it too, why can’t I?” sounds like a child’s plea. Following intelligent guidelines rather than looking left and right to see what others are doing is perhaps socially difficult –and perhaps inconvenient– but shows the ability to think critically. Just because a few people run stop signs or red lights doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. This too will pass. Sooner if more people would act on behalf of the greater good.

  12. If only there was a story in Santa Barbara of someone who created a small empire out of trash with nothing more than a high school education.
    If only there was a story in Santa Barbara of someone who made a small empire out of cymbidiums with nothing more than a high school education
    I could go on and on. I know people in Santa Barbara with high school educations that make more than double $350K on just their dividend portfolios, nevermind their rental properties

  13. So far neither hydroxychloroquine nor ivermectin has been shown to be of benefit for treatment of COVID.
    You probably failed to read the disclaimer on the clinical trials page:
    The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Know the risks and potential benefits of clinical studies and talk to your health care provider before participating. Read our disclaimer for details.

  14. I’m 100% against mandate for children or anyone really. Cost benefit analysis doesn’t favor kids being vaccinated. But if you don’t get the vaccine over age 35 you are taking a dumb gamble. A friend has 2 employees with $500,000-$1,000,000 bills from cottage for 4-6wk stays. 42 and 53 respectively.

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