Skip Navigation
Book Now! Find care near you Find care near you Find care near you
wellstar-logo
Wellstar Go Back
Go to MyChart

Questions? We can help!

Call (770) 956-STAR (7827)

Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 4:30 PM

Contact Us
For Patients & Families Community For Providers About Us Careers
  • Start Your Care

  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Location
  • Our Services
  • Virtual Visits
  • Planning

  • Accepted Insurance
  • Financial Assistance
  • Pricing Information
  • Before Your Visit

  • Sign Up for MyChart
  • Visitation Guidelines
  • Pick a Caregiver
  • While You're Here

  • Support & Entertainment
  • Join an Event
  • After Your Visit

  • Pay Your Bill
  • Get Medical Records
  • Contact us
  • COVID-19 Support

  • COVID-19 Information
  • Vaccines
  • Testing Information
  • Visitation Updates
  • Foundation Relief
  • Community Health

  • Health Highlights
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Latest News
  • Center for Health Equity
  • Events & Programs

  • Community Outreach
  • Events Calendar
  • On-Demand Classes
  • Support Groups
  • Give

  • Wellstar Foundation
  • Donate
  • Ways to Give
  • Thank a Caregiver
  • Volunteer

  • For Adults
  • Care

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Cures Act
  • Refer a Patient
  • Lab Test Directory
  • Request to Conduct Research
  • Connect

  • Physician Relations
  • Request Imaging Services
  • Wellstar Clinical Partners
  • Wellstar Medical Group
  • Mayo Clinic Care Network
  • Log In

  • EpicCare Link
  • Lawson Connect
  • MyID Password Reset
  • Citrix Access
  • Leadership

  • Authority Board
  • Board Of Trustees
  • Foundation Board
  • Regional Health Boards
  • Executive Leadership
  • Awards, Recognition & Safety

  • Accreditation & Certifications
  • Awards & Recognition
  • Safety First Program
  • Careers at Wellstar

  • Apply now
  • Upcoming virtual events
  • Why Wellstar?
  • Nursing Careers

  • Nursing (Direct Care)
  • Nursing Leadership
  • Nursing (Non-bedside)
  • Nursing Support
  • Physician, APP & Clinical Careers

  • Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)
  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Homecare & Hospice
  • Physicians
  • Support Team Careers

  • Administrative & Clerical
  • Coding, Compliance & HIM Systems
  • Facility, Environmental & Nutrition/Food Services
  • Information Technology & Systems
  • For Patients & Families
  • Community
  • For Providers
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Search Search Search
  • MyChart MyChart MyChart

Start Your Care

Find a DoctorFind a LocationOur ServicesVirtual Visits

Planning

Accepted InsuranceFinancial AssistancePricing Information

Before Your Visit

Sign Up for MyChartVisitation GuidelinesPick a Caregiver

While You're Here

Support & EntertainmentJoin an Event

After Your Visit

Pay Your BillGet Medical RecordsContact us

COVID-19 Support

COVID-19 InformationVaccinesTesting InformationVisitation UpdatesFoundation Relief

Community Health

Health HighlightsCommunity Health Needs AssessmentLatest NewsCenter for Health Equity

Events & Programs

Community OutreachEvents CalendarOn-Demand ClassesSupport Groups

Give

Wellstar FoundationDonateWays to GiveThank a Caregiver

Volunteer

For Adults

Care

Transfer a PatientCures ActRefer a PatientLab Test DirectoryRequest to Conduct Research

Connect

Physician RelationsRequest Imaging ServicesWellstar Clinical PartnersWellstar Medical GroupMayo Clinic Care Network

Log In

EpicCare LinkLawson ConnectMyID Password ResetCitrix Access
About Wellstar

Our patients are the center of everything we do. We're nationally ranked and locally recognized for our high-quality care, inclusive culture, exceptional doctors and caregivers, and one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia.

About Us

Leadership

Authority BoardBoard Of TrusteesFoundation BoardRegional Health BoardsExecutive Leadership

Awards, Recognition & Safety

Accreditation & CertificationsAwards & RecognitionSafety First Program

Careers at Wellstar

Apply nowUpcoming virtual eventsWhy Wellstar?

Nursing Careers

Nursing (Direct Care)Nursing LeadershipNursing (Non-bedside)Nursing Support

Physician, APP & Clinical Careers

Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)Allied Health ProfessionalsHomecare & HospicePhysicians

Support Team Careers

Administrative & ClericalCoding, Compliance & HIM SystemsFacility, Environmental & Nutrition/Food ServicesInformation Technology & Systems
Questions? We can help!

Call (770) 956-STAR (7827)

Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 4:30 PM

Contact Us
Close
  • Urgent Care
  • Primary Care
  • Virtual Care
  • Emergency Care
Close Close Close Book Now Menu
  • Urgent Care
  • Primary Care
  • Virtual Care
  • Emergency Care

Online Scheduling

Book Your Next Appointment

Primary care for you and your family, close to home.

Schedule Appointment

Introducing

Wellstar Virtual Care

Access Wellstar healthcare providers
wherever you are.

Get started

Warning Warning Our "Book Now" feature should not be used for life threatening conditions such as heart attack, severe injury, poisoning, chest pain, or stroke. If you are experiencing such conditions, STOP and CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or visit your nearest Emergency Department.

I Understand
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Learn the Facts About the Delta Variant
Article Category: Newsroom

Prevent Summer Spike

Learn the Facts About the Delta Variant

By Dr. Danny Branstetter

Published on July 14, 2021

Last updated 11:07 AM August 11, 2021

article-image

While the Delta variant has contributed to a sharp increase in new COVID cases, there are still steps we can take to protect ourselves and others.

"The Delta variant is extremely contagious and responsible for the recent summer spike in COVID cases seen all over the world, including here in Georgia," said Dr. Danny Branstetter, medical director of infection prevention for Wellstar Health System. "The best protection against COVID is prevention, and now is the time to prioritize getting vaccinated, practicing safety measures, and getting tested if you are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed." 

 

The best protection against COVID is prevention, and now is the time to prioritize getting vaccinated, practicing safety measures, and getting tested if you are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed.

- Dr. Danny Branstetter

Medical Director of Infection Prevention

Here are a few facts about the Delta variant:

  1. The Delta variant is the most dominant strain in the U.S. According to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Delta variant was the cause of more than 80% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases at the end of July.
  2. The Delta variant is more contagious and spreading fast. It is spreading faster than earlier variants, with one person infecting more people upon exposure than the earlier variants. Travel and gatherings — especially without herd immunity from vaccination and without safety measures in place — give the virus free rein to mutate.
  3. People who are not vaccinated are at greater risk. Vaccination is the best protection we have against any strain of COVID-19 — especially the two-dose vaccines. We are in a race against virus mutations. The more we allow it to spread, the more we are allowing it to mutate. Younger, unvaccinated people are experiencing more symptomatic disease than they were with earlier variants, so don't assume that you are safe because you are young and healthy. Countries with more than 70% vaccine coverage that are seeing a rise in infections from the Delta variant are not seeing a rise in deaths, offering clear evidence of the protective benefit from being fully vaccinated.
  4. The Delta variant could halt the progress we've made, changing what the fall and winter look like, including the school year. We are not out of the woods yet, even though it may feel like it as people are out and about. A new surge with a more infectious variant, like the Delta variant, could potentially cause a serious uptick in cases, long-term illness, and even deaths. We must be vigilant. 
 

What can we do?

Here are things to do now to take action: 

  • Get vaccinated. Vaccination is our best protection. We need more people to get vaccinated to prevent the virus from mutating beyond the protection of the vaccines. Less than 40% of Georgians are vaccinated – that's not enough. We need to reach 70-80%+ in order to stop the virus from spreading and mutating here. Data shows that the two-dose mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) vaccines are more than 88% effective against the Delta variant, while the single-dose versions of the vaccine are not as effective in protecting against the Delta variant. 
  • Practice safety measures. It can protect you from contracting or spreading the virus. While people who are vaccinated now have a layer of protection, don't let down your guard. Practice the 3 Ws, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. People who are immunocompromised and or who have comorbidities that contribute to worse outcomes from COVID-19 infection are advised at this time to continue to practice social distancing, avoid crowds indoors, and wear a mask even if fully vaccinated. 
  • Get tested. If you have any symptoms or a known or suspected exposure, get tested for COVID-19. 

For more information about COVID, the vaccine, or where to get vaccinated, visit Wellstar's COVID-19 resource page or the CDC website.

Tags

Danny Ross Branstetter II Media Room COVID-19
Back to Top
Branding illustration
Wellstar Logo
More than healthcare. PeopleCare.
Branding illustration
For Job Seekers & Team
Careers Onboarding
For Students
Students Portal
Graduate Medical Education
Atlanta Medical Center Kennestone Hospital
For Business
Occupational Medicine Corporate Purchasing
For the Media
Media Room Community Health Needs Assessment
Help
Contact Us Pay Your Bill Policy & Privacy Information Hospital Transparency Information
For Job Seekers & Team
Careers Onboarding
For Students
Students Portal

Graduate Medical Education
Atlanta Medical Center Kennestone Hospital
For Business
Occupational Medicine Corporate Purchasing
For the Media
Media Room Community Health Needs Assessment
Help
Contact Us Pay Your Bill Policy & Privacy Information Hospital Transparency Information

Copyright © 2022 Wellstar Health System. All Rights Reserved.

Wellstar does not discriminate on, exclude people or treat them differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression or any other type of discrimination prohibited by law.