Have symptoms changed given that the Delta variant is currently the most common form of the virus in the United States? Unvaccinated patients make up the vast majority of those hospitalized with Covid-19, so they may be more likely to develop severe symptoms, like trouble breathing, or persistent pain or pressure in the chest. Researchers do not yet know for sure whether Delta alone is responsible for these severe symptoms or if it is the surge in childhood infections, which can result in more hospitalizations. The Delta variant is nearly twice as contagious as prior variants and just as contagious as chickenpox. It replicates rapidly in the body, and people carry large amounts of the virus in their nose and throat.

Source: New York Times August 12, 2021 18:56 UTC