Search results
Jul 29, 2021 · The CDC's mask decision followed stunning findings from a Cape Cod beach outbreak. The viral load of vaccinated beachgoers changed what we know about the delta variant. ABC News
- 2 min
- Anne Flaherty,Arielle Mitropoulos
Jul 30, 2021 · A newly released report detailing a major outbreak of COVID-19 on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, underscores the powerful transmissibility of the Delta variant and the way even fully vaccinated people who develop “breakthrough infections” can spread the virus. Indeed, 74% of infections in the Cape Cod cluster were in vaccinated individuals.
Jul 30, 2021 · A large COVID-19 outbreak in a Cape Cod town has changed health officials' understanding of the coronavirus delta variant, and played a key role in the decision to recommend masks indoors...
Jul 31, 2021 · Provincetown, a quirky beach community at the tip of Cape Cod, has provided a sobering case study for the country, abruptly tugging Americans back to the caution of winter and spring.
- Overview
- Discussion
- References
On July 30, 2021, this report was posted online as an MMWR Early Release.
Altmetric:
Citations:
Views:
Views equals page views plus PDF downloads
Figures
The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant is highly transmissible (1), and understanding determinants of transmission, including human behavior and vaccine effectiveness, is critical to developing prevention strategies. Multipronged prevention strategies are needed to reduce COVID-19–related morbidity and mortality (4).
The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, data from this report are insufficient to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, including the Delta variant, during this outbreak. As population-level vaccination coverage increases, vaccinated persons are likely to represent a larger proportion of COVID-19 cases. Second, asymptomatic breakthrough infections might be underrepresented because of detection bias. Third, demographics of cases likely reflect those of attendees at the public gatherings, as events were marketed to adult male participants; further study is underway to identify other population characteristics among cases, such as additional demographic characteristics and underlying health conditions including immunocompromising conditions.*** MA DPH, CDC, and affected jurisdictions are collaborating in this response; MA DPH is conducting additional case investigations, obtaining samples for genomic sequencing, and linking case information with laboratory data and vaccination history. Finally, Ct values obtained with SARS-CoV-2 qualitative RT-PCR diagnostic tests might provide a crude correlation to the amount of virus present in a sample and can also be affected by factors other than viral load.††† Although the assay used in this investigation was not validated to provide quantitative results, there was no significant difference between the Ct values of samples collected from breakthrough cases and the other cases. This might mean that the viral load of vaccinated and unvaccinated persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 is also similar. However, microbiological studies are required to confirm these findings.
1.CDC. COVID-19: SARS-CoV-2 variant classifications and definitions. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/variant-surveillance/variant-info.html
2.Massachusetts Department of Public Health. COVID-19 response reporting. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Public Health; 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reportingexternal icon
3.Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccination data and updates. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Public Health; 2021. Accessed July 25, 2021. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-covid-19-vaccination-data-and-updates#daily-covid-19-vaccine-report-external icon
4.Christie A, Brooks JT, Hicks LA, Sauber-Schatz EK, Yoder JS, Honein MA. Guidance for implementing COVID-19 prevention strategies in the context of varying community transmission levels and vaccination coverage. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:1044–7. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7030e2external icon
FIGURE 1. SARS-CoV-2 infections (N = 469) associated with large public gatherings, by date of specimen collection and vaccination status* — Barnstable County, Massachusetts, July 2021
Abbreviation: MA DPH = Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
- Catherine M Brown, Johanna Vostok, Hillary Johnson, Meagan Burns, Radhika Gharpure, Samira Sami, Reb...
- 2021
Jul 20, 2021 · |. Vaccination charts. |. Donate. |. More coverage. We asked local experts about the Cape Cod outbreak. Here’s what they said. By Amanda Kaufman Globe Staff,Updated July 20, 2021, 5:38 p.m....
Aug 3, 2021 · An outbreak of COVID-19 cases among vaccinated people in a highly-vaccinated town in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, around the July Fourth weekend prompted the Centers for Disease Control and...
