Breakthrough infections with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant: vaccinations halved transmission risk

OBJECTIVES: The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant (B.1.617.2) is associated with increased infectivity. Data on breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infections in vaccinated individuals and transmission risk are limited. The aim of this study was to provide estimates of transmission risk in Delta variant breakthrough infections.

STUDY DESIGN: A matched case-control study was performed..

METHODS: To analyse onward transmission of fully vaccinated individuals infected with B.1.617.2, we compared 85 patients (vaccination group [VG]) with an age- and sex-matched unvaccinated control group (CG; n = 85).

RESULTS: Transmission of B.1.617.2 was significantly reduced (halved) in the VG. The number of infected contacts to total number of contacts per infected person was 0.26 ± 0.40 in the VG vs 0.56 ± 0.45 in the CG (P = .001). Similarly, fully vaccinated contacts were less likely to be infected by fully vaccinated infected persons (IPs) than by unvaccinated IPs (20.0% vs 37.5%), although this association was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Fully vaccinated contacts had 50% less transmissions than unvaccinated individuals. These findings must be verified in larger sample populations, and it is especially important to investigate the role of vaccination status of close contacts.