Infectious Disease Expert: Delta COVID-19 Variant Capable Of Becoming Superspreader Variant

An Atlanta-based infectious disease expert says he has concerns about the Delta coronavirus variant because many segments of the population are not vaccinated, and the country has not reached herd immunity.

“This variant is sort of 40-60% more contagious than the previous variant, the Alpha variant, which itself was 50% more transmissible than the original variant,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, a distinguished professor of medicine, epidemiology and global health and the executive associate dean of Emory University School of Medicine at Grady Health System.

He was a guest on Thursday’s edition of “Closer Look.”