The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that fully-vaccinated people should continue to wear face masks and practice social distancing in order to stop the spread of the delta variant of COVID-19.
“People cannot feel safe just because they had the two doses. They still need to protect themselves,” Dr. Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director-general for access to medicines and health products, said on Friday.
“Vaccine alone won’t stop community transmission,” Simao added. “People need to continue to use masks consistently, be in ventilated spaces, [use] hand hygiene … the physical distance, avoid crowding. This still continues to be extremely important, even if you’re vaccinated when you have a community transmission ongoing.”
While COVID-19 cases of the delta variant have doubled in the past two weeks, we have yet to experience a spike in confirmed cases. In fact, new cases remain at lows not seen since the early days of the pandemic.
20 percent of new COVID-19 cases are due to the delta variant… and cases linked to the variant have doubled in the past two weeks, yet our confirmed cases still trending downward? pic.twitter.com/bXmlHMYeuN
— Matt Margolis (@mattmargolis) June 26, 2021
Does this mean that we won’t see a surge in cases because of the delta variant? Not necessarily. According to NBC News, the delta variant now makes up 95 percent of new cases in the UK, which has seen an increase in cases.
New COVID cases (per million residents) US vs. UK.
US delta variant: 20% of new cases.
UK delta variant: 95%+ of new cases. pic.twitter.com/hd76nw6yxM— Matt Margolis (@mattmargolis) June 26, 2021
But, the good news is that despite the surge in cases in the UK caused by the delta variant, COVID deaths have not surged in that country.
Despite a surge in cases in the UK linked to the delta variant, COVID-19 deaths have not spiked. pic.twitter.com/l5q8WAMMco
— Matt Margolis (@mattmargolis) June 26, 2021
While it is true that deaths are a lagging indicator, the surge in cases in the UK started on May 25. A spike in COVID-19 deaths in the UK would have likely started mid-June, which it did not.
This, in my opinion, raises questions as to whether guidance from the World Health Organization is justified. Between the lack of a link between the delta variant and COVID deaths, this guidance doesn’t appear justified. This seems especially so in light of the recently released emails from Dr. Fauci in which he admitted that typical store-bought masks don’t really prevent transmission of the virus.
So, guess what? I don’t really give a hoot about what the WHO says. I ain’t wearing a mask anymore.