Politics & Government
City Of Fairfax: COVID-19 Delta Variant FAQs
Data shows that the Delta variant is substantially different from the original version of the coronavirus and other variants.
08/05/2021
Data shows that the Delta variant is substantially different from the original version of the coronavirus and other variants that have emerged. The Delta variant is much more contagious, poses more of a risk to unvaccinated people, and spreads more than twice as easily as previous variants.
Find out what's happening in Fairfax Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Vaccination is the best way to fight COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant.
Take steps to protect your health and the health of others by wearing a mask in public indoor settings, practicing social distancing, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces, washing hands, and staying home when sick.
Find out what's happening in Fairfax Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Most transmission is happening among the unvaccinated and in areas with low vaccination rates. COVID-19 vaccination is an important tool to help stop the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 vaccination helps protect people from getting sick or severely ill with COVID-19 and might also help protect people around them.
Current data shows that COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States offer protection against most variants currently spreading in the United States, including the Delta variant. However, the Delta variant might cause illness in some people even after they are fully vaccinated.
While vaccinated people represent a very small number of transmissions, emerging evidence points that some vaccinated people can be contagious if they are infected with the Delta variant and can spread it to others.
No. Nearly 190 million vaccinated people in the United States have a very strong degree of protection against the variants, including Delta. Fully vaccinated people are overwhelmingly avoiding severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
Unvaccinated people account for most of the hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S.
Based on the CDC’s latest guidance, in areas of substantial or high transmission, everyone should wear a mask in public indoor settings to help prevent the spread of the Delta variant and protect others. In the Fairfax Health District, we are currently experiencing substantial community transmission.
As a result everyone, including individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, should wear a mask in public indoor settings. Indoor masking in an important approach to prevent further spread of COVID-19 and should be combined with other strategies or “layers of prevention.”
In addition to masking, people should:
Yes! COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. It also helps reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
More than 75 percent of Fairfax Health District residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But that means 25 percent have not. With the Delta variant, vaccination is more urgent than ever to help stem the rise in cases.
Consider the location where you are going. If traveling within the United States, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID data tracker webpage to review the level of COVID-19 transmission for your destination. If your destination is experiencing high or substantial transmission, reconsider traveling, but if you do go to these areas wear a mask indoors as recommended by the CDC, even if you are fully vaccinated. You do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel within the U.S.
If you are traveling internationally, go to the CDC webpage for COVID-19 travel recommendations. Enter your destination and review the travel advisory. Reconsider travel if COVID-19 levels are high or very high. You do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination or airline requires it. You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to return to the United States
If you intend to still travel, be sure you are fully vaccinated and wear a mask. When you return home, get a COVID-19 test three to five days post-travel — but you do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
No matter your destination, unvaccinated travelers should avoid all non-essential travel.
The vaccine is widely available in the Fairfax Health District for those 12 years and older. Click here to find a location near you.
This press release was produced by the City of Fairfax. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
