Why is Delta such a big deal? And other burning questions about the next phase of the Covid-19 pandemic
The rise of the Delta variant has driven new Covid-19 outbreaks, rattled markets, and reminded us that — for all the progress made in the fight against the pandemic — vulnerabilities persist.
In the United States, where the variant is estimated to be causing more than 4 out of 5 new infections, largely among the unvaccinated, the outbreaks in places like Arkansas and Missouri have once again placed health systems under stress. They’ve also led to more questions about whether Delta even poses a threat to people who are vaccinated and complicated the discussion about what precautions schools need to reopen fully in the fall.
