COVID-19 Delta Variant and Frequently Asked Questions

The COVID-19 vaccine is now available in many different locations across our communities. You can find a vaccine provider near you by visiting one of these websites:

• CDC Vaccine Finder
• Vaccinate Virginia
• North Carolina Vaccine Locator

The vaccines are effective against the Delta variant, but it is still possible to get an infection even when vaccinated. However, the vaccines dramatically reduce the risk of serious illness, hospitalizations or death.

Symptoms vary between those who are vaccinated and those who are not vaccinated.

According to the CDC, vaccinated people that develop a COVID 19 infection have milder symptoms than those who are not vaccinated. The vaccine also prevents severe illness and hospitalization.

The most common symptoms for fully vaccinated people include headache, sore throat, runny nose and sneezing. Symptoms from earlier variants have moved down the list, such as loss of smell, shortness of breath, and fever.

For unvaccinated people, the most common symptoms are much more severe and persistent. These include fever, headache, cough, loss of taste or smell, and trouble breathing.

People who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are most at risk, including children. Young people are a concern as well. Recent studies suggest that children and adults under 50 were 2.5 times more likely to become infected with the Delta variant, and hospitalization rates for these groups is on the rise.

We are continuing to test patients with COVID-19 to determine which strand they may have contracted. However, the type of variant doesn’t impact how we care for COVID-19 patients or the current health and safety protocols we have established to protect everyone in our facilities.

Our highly skilled team is committed to managing and treating infectious diseases of all types, including COVID-19. At Sentara, the safety of our patients, employees and community members is our highest priority. We are continuing to closely monitor and follow guidance from the CDC and our local and state health departments and are adhering to the extensive health and safety protocols and guidelines that have always been in place at all of our Sentara facilities. These protocols and guidelines were further enhanced when the pandemic began and include:

• Requiring masking for everyone inside our facilities
• Screening for COVID-19 symptoms
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols
• Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment
• Isolating patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19
• Strongly encouraging COVID-19 vaccination for our employees and communities

The CDC is recommending that all individuals, regardless of their vaccination status, wear masks in indoor settings and large public gatherings due to the threat of the more transmissible Delta variant. While the risk of contracting COVID-19 or developing serious illness from COVID-19 is relatively low for vaccinated individuals, they could still become infected with the virus and potentially transmit the virus to other people.

Being vaccinated is the best way to reduce the risk of developing severe infections. At this point, that means if you get a two-dose vaccine like Pfizer or Moderna, for example, you must get both shots and then wait the recommended two-week period for those shots to have full effect. Whether or not you are vaccinated, it’s also important to follow CDC prevention guidelines that are available for vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

The vaccines are effective against the Delta variant, and though it's still possible to get infected, the vaccines dramatically reduce the risk of serious illness that leads to hospitalization or death. The vaccine also reduces the risk of contracting and spreading other variants that are expected to occur and likely be extremely contagious and produce new and more-severe symptoms.