Delta poses gravest threat to the unvaccinated

A vaccine center sits empty in Pennsylvania in early July while the delta variant lends greater urgency to the need for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Photo by Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images More than 4 million people have officially died from COVID-19 globally. The actual number is almost certainly much higher. As wealthy nations with high vaccination rates like the United States begin emerging from the pandemic, the disease is accelerating in other parts of the world. Vaccinations are our best tool for protecting people against COVID-19, but rollout has been slow in poorer, less developed countries, where unvaccinated residents are particularly vulnerable to the more transmissible delta variant. International concern is continuing to grow over delta and its possible effects in places with low COVID-19 vaccination rates. Recent federal data shows that more than half of all new cases in the U.S. were traced to the variant, which is believed to be passed more easily to others than any that has come before it. Here's what we know about delta so far, and why health experts say it's more important than ever to get vaccinated. Evidence so far suggests that many existing COVID-19 vaccines remain effective against delta, and continue to protect people against severe disease and death. Recent studies found that Pfizer and AstraZeneca's respective shots prompt a strong immune response against delta, and reaffirmed that those who are only partially vaccinated are much less protected. Experts emphasize the importance of getting a larger portion of the world vaccinated as quickly as possible to reduce the possibility that other alarming variants will arise over time.  Pfizer is set to seek authorization for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S., according to the Associated Press. The company said a third shot may improve recipients' immune response to the coronavirus — particularly against the delta variant — by offering a boost to vaccine-generated immunity, which naturally wanes over time. Ongoing studies are in the process of determining whether and when such a booster will be necessary.   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week announced that fully vaccinated teachers and students can go maskless in schools. The agency is emphasizing a flexible approach that takes local circumstances into account, allowing schools to make decisions accordingly. But it stopped short of recommending that districts require COVID-19 shots for staff and eligible students, nor has it offered guidance as to how administrators can keep track of who is fully immunized, according to the Associated Press. Vaccination rates are lower on average among Black and Latino people in the U.S., a reality that's frequently attributed to vaccine hesitancy in those communities. But according to The Conversation, it's often underpinned by a series of other, underdiscussed factors. Those can range from lack of access to transportation or key information on how to get vaccinated in the first place to "vaccine indifference," which can occur among those who do not believe that getting vaccinated is a necessary health precaution.  Organizers this week decided to bar spectators from a majority of the upcoming Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan, although some stadiums beyond the capital city will be permitted to operate at 50-percent capacity. Cases are currently on the rise in the Tokyo area, and between just 15 to 20 percent of people in Japan are fully vaccinated.  Sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, once poised for Olympic gold, will not be running in Tokyo this summer. The news has drawn a sense from supporters that this young, Black track phenom has been wronged by sporting rules on pot that are overdue for a change. USA Track and Field announced that she had not been selected for the U.S. relay team on Tuesday, after she was disqualified earlier from the 100-meter race due to a positive test. Ask the science desk: "Ask the science desk" is off this week, but remember to send us your burning science questions — pandemic related or otherwise — at sciencedesk@newshour.org   What we're reading, watching and listening to this week: Car culture disproportionately kills Black Americans. The pandemic made things worse. (Grist) "The number of Black people who died in traffic collisions rose by nearly a quarter last year." A massive water recycling proposal could help ease drought. (Wired) "Members of Congress from Western states are pushing for $750 million to turn wastewater into pure water. Here's how that works." Sea otters stay warm thanks to leaky mitochondria in their muscles. (Science News) "The smallest mammal in the ocean doesn't rely on blubber or a large body to keep toasty." A week after the Pacific Northwest heat wave, study shows it was 'almost impossible' without global warming. (Inside Climate News) "The extreme temperatures have shaken scientists' fundamental understanding of heat waves and triggered concerns about a climate tipping point." As space billionaires take flight, 'the right stuff' for space travel enters a new era. (Space.com) "Billionaires are going to space. What does that mean for astronauts, and for the rest of us?" 'Social' mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health. (Quanta Magazine) "Mitochondria appear to communicate and cooperate with one another, both within and between cells. Biologists are only just beginning to understand how and why." Until next time,  Bella Isaacs-Thomas Megan McGrew News assistant on the PBS NewsHour's science desk Was this email forwarded to you? 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