'Global Dominant Strain' Delta Variant Emergency

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] As the new coronavirus Delta variant originating in India spreads worldwide, countries are strengthening quarantine measures again. Concerns are growing that the variant is more contagious than previous ones and that vaccines may not be effective.

In the UK, where new COVID-19 cases are rising again, the full lifting of social distancing measures has been postponed from the original June 21 to July 19.

From June 13 to 19, the UK reported 63,794 new cases in one week, a 33.2% increase compared to the previous week. Over 90% of the recent new cases in the UK have been confirmed as the Delta variant.

Countries are closely monitoring the UK, where the Delta variant is spreading. Germany, which designated the UK as a variant concern area, allows only its citizens, permanent residents, and their immediate family members to enter Germany from the UK.

France requires travelers who have completed vaccination to submit a negative COVID-19 test certificate to enter from the UK. Italy requires a negative test certificate for entry from the UK starting June 19 and mandates a five-day quarantine after arrival.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) upgraded the Delta variant classification from "variant of interest" to "variant of concern" on June 15.

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), warned at a press conference held at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 18, that "the Delta variant has significantly increased transmissibility and is in the process of becoming the dominant strain globally." Research has even suggested that the Delta variant can evade existing coronavirus antibodies.

Currently spreading to over 80 countries, the Delta variant is expected to pose another critical challenge to humanity, which has been fighting COVID-19 for more than a year and a half.