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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106923919-1628515232274-gettyimages-1231238348-AFP_93B3A6.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411348" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106923919-1628515232274-gettyimages-1231238348-AFP_93B3A6.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106923919-1628515232274-gettyimages-1231238348-AFP_93B3A6-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106923919-1628515232274-gettyimages-1231238348-AFP_93B3A6-160x90.jpeg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Nurses watch a computer screen in Bogota, Colombia on February 18, 2021. JUAN BARRETO | AFP | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



LONDON — People who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 are highly protected against severe infection, hospitalization and death caused by the virus. But coronavirus cases among the fully vaccinated — so-called “breakthrough” Covid cases — are still being seen among those who have had two doses.



This is happening for a number of reasons, experts note.&nbsp;



For a start, none of the vaccines being deployed in the U.S. or Europe are 100% effective at preventing infection.



In addition, new Covid strains such as the highly infectious delta variant — which is now prevalent around the world —have complicated the efficacy picture. There is also incomplete data into how long immunity from Covid lasts following vaccination.



The alarm was raised over breakthrough Covid cases when preliminary data in Israel — which had one of the fastest vaccination programs in the world — published in late July found that the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine was just 40.5% effective at preventing symptomatic disease.



The analysis, which was carried out as the delta variant became the country’s dominant strain, still found that having two doses of the shot provided strong protection against severe illness and hospitalization, however, the country’s Health Ministry reported.



The data also appeared to show a waning effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot too, with the vaccine only 16% effective against symptomatic infection for those individuals who had two doses of the shot back in January. For people that had received two doses by April, the efficacy rate (against symptomatic infection) stood at 79%, however.



But a study in England carried out from April to May found that, after two doses, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88% effective against symptomatic disease caused by the delta variant.



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Comparing the results is tricky, however, given differences in the nature of the vaccination programs in both countries (Israel gave all its adult population the Pfizer vaccine, for example, while in the U.K. there are several vaccines in use, with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot predominantly given to younger people) as well as differences in the study dates, Covid testing regimes and age groups.



Like the Israeli data, the English data also concluded that after two doses the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine is 96% effective against hospitalization from the delta variant. Similarly, it found that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was 92% effective in preventing hospitalization after two doses.



Initial vaccine efficacy data following clinical trials, released by Pfizer and BioNTech last year, showed that the vaccine was 95% effective against infection from strains of the virus that were circulating at the time.



Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick’s Medical School in the U.K., told CNBC that cases of Covid in fully vaccinated people are a reminder that “no vaccine is 100% effective.”



“There will always be a proportion of individuals who will still remain susceptible to infection and illness,” he said Monday.



“There are also two other factors that impact vaccine effectiveness: (1) waning immunity — we still don’t know how long vaccine-induced protective immunity lasts. This is very likely to be a factor in those elderly and more vulnerable individuals who were vaccinated early in the vaccine rollout program,” he noted.



The second factor, he added, related to “breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals due to the more infectious delta variant” which added weight to the case for booster vaccination programs, he said. As yet, the jury is still out on booster programs with a decision yet to be made in the U.S. and U.K.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-cases-by-number"><a></a>Breakthrough cases by number</h2>



It’s difficult to know the full extent of “breakthrough” Covid cases but figures collected by NBC News has found that at least 125,000 fully vaccinated Americans have tested positive for Covid and 1,400 of those have died. Still, the 125,682 “breakthrough” cases in 38 states found by NBC News represented less than 0.08% of the 164.2 million-plus people (and counting) who have been fully vaccinated since the start of the year, or about one in every 1,300.



That is, the number of cases and deaths among the vaccinated is very small compared to the number among the unvaccinated. Health officials, particularly in the States, are urging unvaccinated people to come forward for Covid immunization.



Andrew Freedman, a reader in infectious diseases at the U.K.’s Cardiff Medical School, told CNBC that “breakthrough” cases were to be expected.



“The vaccines are very good at protecting against severe infection, hospitalization and death but they’re les effective at protecting completely against infection and we know that many people who have been fully vaccinated are still getting delta infections with, in most cases, mild symptoms,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Monday.



“What we don’t know is whether giving an additional booster will actually increase protection and reduce delta variant infections,” he noted.



It must be emphasized that studies show that fully vaccinated people are much less likely to suffer from a Covid infection — or to contract the virus in the first place.



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New research from the U.K. released last Friday showed that double vaccinated people were three times less likely than unvaccinated people to test positive for the coronavirus.



Analyses of PCR test results in the REACT-1 study — a major coronavirus monitoring program in Britain led by Imperial College London — also suggested that fully vaccinated people may also be less likely than unvaccinated people to pass the virus on to others, due to having a smaller viral load on average and therefore likely shedding less virus.



Professor Paul Elliott, director of the REACT program from Imperial’s School of Public Health, said the findings highlighted both the advantages and limitations of Covid vaccines.



“These findings confirm our previous data showing that both doses of a vaccine offer good protection against getting infected. However we can also see that there is still a risk of infection, as no vaccine is 100% effective, and we know that some double vaccinated people can still become ill from the virus,” he said.



Steven Riley, a professor of infectious disease dynamics at Imperial, said that so-called “breakthrough infections” in fully vaccinated people needed to be studied further, particularly as parts of the world contend with the spread of the delta variant.



“The delta variant is known to be highly infectious, and as a result we can see from our data and others’ that breakthrough infections are happening in fully vaccinated people. We need to better understand how infectious fully vaccinated people who become infected are, as this will help to better predict the situation in the coming months, and our findings are contributing to a more comprehensive picture of this.”

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106878876-16202543872021-05-05t223643z_1847915016_rc2y9n9gtmtr_rtrmadp_0_usa-tencent-holdings-investments.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-411027" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106878876-16202543872021-05-05t223643z_1847915016_rc2y9n9gtmtr_rtrmadp_0_usa-tencent-holdings-investments.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106878876-16202543872021-05-05t223643z_1847915016_rc2y9n9gtmtr_rtrmadp_0_usa-tencent-holdings-investments-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106878876-16202543872021-05-05t223643z_1847915016_rc2y9n9gtmtr_rtrmadp_0_usa-tencent-holdings-investments-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A logo of Tencent is seen during the World Internet Conference (WIC) in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, China, November 23, 2020. Aly Song | Reuters</figcaption></figure>



GUANGZHOU, China — Shares of Tencent and NetEase plunged on Tuesday after Chinese state media branded online gaming “opium” and likened it to a drug.



The article also called for further restrictions on the industry in order to prevent addiction and other negative impacts on children.



However, the article was deleted a few hours after publication.



Tencent shares fell around 10% in the morning, while NetEase was almost 14% lower in Hong Kong. Shares pared losses later in the day but were still substantially lower. Tencent is one of the world’s largest gaming companies responsible for high-profile games like “Honor of Kings.”



NetEase declined to comment. Tencent was not immediately available for comment.



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The article, by Economic Information Daily, a Chinese state-run publication that’s affiliated to the official Xinhua newspaper, said that online gaming addiction among children is “widespread” and could negatively impact their growth.



The article said that in 2020, more than half China’s children were nearsighted and online games affects their education.



The sentiment in the article is not that new. For a long time, the Chinese government has been concerned about the impact of video games on minors.



In 2018, Beijing froze new game approvals over concerns that gaming was impacting youngsters’ eyesight. In China, online games require approvals from the regulators.



In 2019, China brought in rules that banned those under 18 years from playing online games between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. and restricted the amount of time they could play.



“The article brought attention to gaming addiction among minors. It is reminiscent of older articles where video games were compared to digital heroin,” said Daniel Ahmad, senior analyst at Niko Partners.



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“The timing of the article has raised concern among investors given the recent crackdown on tech companies and the education/tutoring sector.”



The article also called for more control over the amount of time children are playing games for and review content of games more stringently to reduce the amount of “improper” information shown to minors.



“For the next step, there should be stricter controls over the amount of time minors play online games. It should be reduced by large amount from current level,” the article said, according to a CNBC translation.



Both NetEase and Tencent have introduced measures to protect young players including real-name registrations to play games. Last month, Tencent introduced a facial recognition feature on smartphones to verify that the gamer is an adult.



Ahmad noted that most revenue in China is generated by players who are 18 years old and above.



“If more measures come into place to prevent youth addiction to gaming, it won’t stop revenue generating gamers from playing,” Ahmad said.

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410953" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Religious leaders carrying South African flags walk near a looted shopping mall as the country deploys army to quell unrest linked to the jailing of former South African President Jacob Zuma, in Vosloorus, South Africa, July 14, 2021. Siphiwe Sibeko | Reuters</figcaption></figure>



The South African economy’s buoyant start to the year is likely to be ruined by a combination of renewed COVID-19 containment measures and <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/photos-show-south-africa-riots-in-the-wake-jacob-zuma-arrest/">recent civil unrest</a>, experts have warned.



A third wave of infections led the government to enforce strict lockdowns toward the end of June. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last week that the alert level would be downgraded to level three from level four, with daily new cases now falling consistently from their July 8 peak and vaccinations gathering pace.



However, some measures limiting economic activity remain in place, and the hit from a roughly month-long lockdown was compounded recently by a <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/south-african-crowds-rampage-overnight-defying-calls-for-end-to-violence-looting-2/">week of riots and looting</a> across the economic hubs of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, ostensibly in protest at the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma.



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Following the deployment of the military, much of the unrest has calmed in recent weeks, but although at first glance the short-term economic damage seems less concerning than initially feared, analysts are worried about underlying longer-term effects on the broader economy.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410954" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A fire engulfs Campsdrift Park, which houses Makro and China Mall, following protests that have widened into looting in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa July 13, 2021, in this screen grab taken from a video obtained from social media. Sibonelo Zungu | Reuters</figcaption></figure>



“To put this into perspective, retail trade and production accounts for about 20 percent of gross domestic product, or almost $70 billion, of which $14 billion may have been lost, according to estimates by local banks,” Robert Besseling, CEO of political risk consultancy Pangea-Risk, told CNBC on Friday.



“Moreover, the impact on poor communities will be disproportionate, since most looted stores and malls are close to townships. These communities will now struggle to find nearby groceries and supplies, even while COVID-19 lockdowns remain in place.”



Besseling said the prospect of future fuel shortages cannot be ruled out, since three of the country’s refineries are now shut, two of which due to maintenance reasons. Only one refinery in the Free State province remains operational, while panic buying has placed extreme pressure on supply chains, he added.



“Therefore the medium to longer term impact of the unrest on the economy is expected to be more substantial than the immediate repercussions of the violence, which will drag down economic recovery prospects and potentially motivate higher rates of criminality and unrest, including copycat instances of looting,” Besseling said.



Zuma’s arrest deepened divisions within the ruling ANC party between the former president’s loyalists and those on board with the agenda of his successor, President Ramaphosa. Besseling suggested that in order to deliver on his promised economic reform agenda, Ramaphosa will have to seize this opportunity to purge Zuma loyalists from his party and governance structures.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-riots-could-not-have-come-at-a-worse-time">Riots ‘could not have come at a worse time’</h3>



The International Monetary Fund expects South Africa’s economy to grow 4% in 2021 and all indicators up to now have pointed to a sharper-than-expected rebound from the COVID-induced recession.



First-quarter GDP grew 1.1% for an annual rise of 4.6%, while increased mobility and business confidence data in the second quarter have also offered cause for optimism.



However, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where many ruined businesses are expected to take years to rebuild, contribute half of the country’s GDP and almost half of its entire population. The port of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal acts as a trade gateway to the southern subcontinent and accounts for around 70% of South Africa’s imports.



Economists are estimating that the cost to the national economy from the destruction caused by pro-Zuma protests is estimated at 50 billion rand ($3.43 billion).



In a research note last week, NKC African Economics noted that other major concerns include the further disruption of supply chains on top of that caused by the pandemic, along with threats to food security.



“The events that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng could not have come at a worst time” said NKC senior economist Pieter du Preez.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410955" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>South African Police Services (SAPS) members arrest a looter at the Gold Spot Shopping Centre in Vosloorus, southeast of Johannesburg, on July 12, 2021. Guillem Sartorio | AFP | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



NKC revised down its economic growth forecast for South Africa in 2021 to 3.8% from 4.3%, and said the medium-term outlook is also hindered by falling investor confidence and a lack of fiscal space, which is expected to crowd out fixed investment expenditure.



“Early estimates of the damage are alarming, with 50,000 informal traders and 40,000 businesses affected, putting 150,000 jobs at risk,” du Preez said.



“Approximately 3,000 stores were looted, 100 shopping malls suffered significant fire damage, and almost 1,200 retailer outlets were impacted and damaged.”



All this came in addition to the third wave of COVID-19 hitting harder than expected due to the transmissibility of the delta variant, he added.



“The resultant four weeks of adjusted level 4 lockdown measures will have an impact in Q3, while the current adjusted level 3 measures will continue to hamper activity somewhat,” du Preez said. “In general, we expect an economic contraction in Q3, before the rebuilding commences, yet again, in Q4.”

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410942" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>In this Photo illustration a World Health Organization(WHO) logo seen displayed on an Android phone. Avishek Das | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



World Health Organization officials said they are still trying to understand why the delta variant is more transmissible and potentially makes people sicker than the original coronavirus strain.



“We’re really trying to get a better handle on why the delta variant is more transmissible,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’S technical lead on Covid-19, said at a press briefing Friday. “There are certain mutations in the delta variant that, for example, allow the virus to adhere to a cell more easily. There is some laboratory studies that suggest that there’s increased replication in some of the modeled human airway systems.”



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The warning on Thursday was made in a confidential document that was reviewed by CNBC and authenticated by the federal health agency.



“The virus itself, as it starts, is a dangerous virus. It’s a highly transmissible virus. The Delta variant is even more so,” Van Kerkhove said. “It’s doubly more transmissible than the ancestral strains.”



WHO officials expect other dangerous variants to also emerge as countries struggle to distribute the life-saving vaccines to their populations.



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“They become more fit the more that they circulate and so the virus will likely become more transmissible because this is what viruses do they evolve, they change over time,” Van Kerkhove said.



She said it’s imperative that nations follow public health measures, like practicing social distancing and wearing masks, while nations distribute more vaccines around the world, especially in those with the lowest rates of immunization.



We need “about 70% coverage globally, to really slow down the transmission and reduce the risk of emergence of new variants,” according to Dr. Bruce Aylward, senior advisor to the director-general at WHO.



Still, with current trends, health experts are not optimistic. “This will not be the last virus variant that you hear us talking about,” Van Kerkhove said.

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1127605847-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-410750" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1127605847-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1127605847-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1127605847-120x80.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1127605847-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1127605847-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GettyImages-1127605847-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Albert Bourla, chief operating officer and chief executive officer of Pfizer Inc., listens during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on drug pricing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. Top executives from seven of the world&#8217;s biggest drug companies are testifying before Congress to talk about drug costs, a long-awaited session that could kickstart legislation to rein in prices.&nbsp;Photographer: Zach Gibson/Bloomberg via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



The effectiveness of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine steadily declines over time, dropping to about 84% for vaccinated people about four to six months after getting their second dose, according to CEO Albert Bourla.



The comments, made on Wednesday on CNBC’s “The Exchange,” are based on the findings of a&nbsp;new company-funded study&nbsp;that has yet to be peer reviewed. It comes as the drugmaker clashes with U.S. health officials over the need for a third COVID vaccine dose to boost immunity protection.



The study found the vaccine’s effectiveness was strongest, at 96.2%, between one week and two months after receiving the second dose. It declined an average of 6% every two months, according to the study, which signed up more than 44,000 people across the U.S. and other countries. The efficacy after “four to six months was approximately 84%,” Bourla said.



“We have seen also data from Israel that there is a waning of immunity and that starts impacting what used to be what was 100% against hospitalization. Now, after the six month period, is becoming low 90s and mid-to-high 80s,” Bourla said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-pfizer-biontech-strike-south-africa-covid-19-manufacturing-deal-with-biovac">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/pfizer-biontech-strike-south-africa-covid-19-manufacturing-deal-with-biovac/">Pfizer/BioNTech strike South Africa COVID-19 manufacturing deal with Biovac</a></h3>



“The good news is that we are very, very confident that a third dose, a booster, will take up the immune response to levels that will be enough to protect against the delta variant,” the executive added, referring to the highly contagious virus strain that’s dominant in the U.S. and other countries around the globe. It’s not uncommon for vaccines to decline in effectiveness over time, Bourla stressed, adding there’s precedent for three-dose vaccines for other diseases.



Pfizer plans to formally submit data to U.S. regulators about the benefits of a third Covid vaccine dose by mid-August, Bourla said.



Earlier this month, when Pfizer first announced its plans, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;issued a joint statement&nbsp;that pushed back on the company, saying “Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time.” &nbsp;



The CDC and the World Health Organization don’t recommend COVID booster shots at this time.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/pfizer-biontech-vaccine-appears-effective-against-mutation-in-new-coronavirus-variants-study/">Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears effective against mutation in new coronavirus variants -study</a></h3>



Dr. Kate O’Brien, WHO’s director of immunization, vaccines and biologicals,&nbsp;said Wednesday&nbsp;the organization is still researching whether a booster shot is needed to increase protection.



“We’re very clear on this, there’s not enough information to provide a recommendation at this point,” O’Brien said in a Q&amp;A interview posted on the organization’s social media accounts. “Again, this is a very hot topic, and there’s a lot of research going on to be able to provide an evidence-based recommendation.”



The results of Pfizer-backed study surfaced a day after the CDC&nbsp;reversed course on its prior guidance&nbsp;and recommended fully vaccinated Americans who&nbsp;live in areas with high COVID infection rates&nbsp;begin to wear face masks indoors again.



Coronavirus cases have jumped nationwide in recent weeks, a surge public-health officials attribute to the delta variant. While officials say the majority of COVID hospitalizations and deaths are in unvaccinated people, the delta variant is so contagious that vaccinated individuals can transmit the virus as easily as unvaccinated people, even in asymptomatic cases, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Tuesday.

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