People can spread COVID-19 despite double vaccination, new UK study claims

Experts researching COVID-19 household cases in the United Kingdom have warned that individuals who have already received double vaccines are acquiring coronavirus and are further spreading it on to others they live with. The experts informed that people who have obtained two doses of vaccination could be just as contagious as someone who has not been vaccinated, the BBC reported. 

According to the researchers, although double vaccinated people exhibit no or very few symptoms, they have a possibility to transmit and infect two out of every five, or 38%, unvaccinated house members. Further, if the house members are completely inoculated, the risk lowers to one in four or 25%. Experts informed that a study by Lancet Infectious Diseases demonstrates the reason why it is critical to vaccinate and safeguard even more individuals. 

The experts, BBC reported, have cautioned that unvaccinated individuals cannot depend on others around them being vaccinated to protect them from infection. Vaccination is effective in avoiding significant COVID-19 disease and death, yet, they are less effective in preventing the outbreaks, especially with the development of the more contagious Delta variant, which is prevalent in the UK, the experts informed, according to the UK media outlet.  

Furthermore, experts argued that as most of the COVID transmission cases happen within families, people need to make sure that everyone who is qualified for vaccination must receive one or is updated on their vaccinations. 

Findings of the research on COVID cases in UK households

As per findings of the research, which took place from September 2020 to September 2021 and involved 440 UK households in London and Bolton doing PCR COVID-19 tests, when compared to unvaccinated individuals, people inoculated with both vaccine doses had a lower, yet considerable, chance of contracting the Delta variant in the nation. The double vaccinated individuals were also found to be equally contagious.  

Although vaccinated people recover faster from COVID illness, yet, their maximum viral load which means the point at when they are most contagious - is identical to that of unvaccinated persons. This might clarify the reason why the double vaccinated individuals can still easily spread the infection in the home, the BBC reported. 

Researchers talk about the importance of vaccination

Professor Ajit Lalvani of Imperial College London, UK, who also co-led the research, was quoted by BBC as saying that the continuous transmission of the disease between vaccinated individuals tend to make it important for unvaccinated people to get inoculated to safeguard themselves from obtaining the infectious disease. Lalvani further explained that obtaining vaccines is important among the UK people as more people will be spending time inside their homes due to the upcoming winter season.  

"We found that susceptibility to infection increased already within a few months after the second vaccine dose - so those eligible for booster shots should get them promptly," the BBC quoted Lalvani as saying.

Additionally, co-lead Dr Anika Singanayagam of Imperial College London was quoted by the BBC as saying that the findings deliver significant insight into the impact of immunisation amid the transmission of new COVID Delta variants and also why the variant is causing a high infection rate despite having huge vaccination drives. 

Meanwhile, according to the latest numbers provided by the Worldometer, the total number of confirmed cases in the United Kingdom stood at 89,36,155, with 1,40,206 fatalities.

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