THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2021 Page 5 Delta variant targeting those without COVID vaccine W By Christopher Roberson ith the recent rise of the COVID-19 Delta variant, doctors at area hospitals suggest that this strain of the virus can attack anyone who has not been vaccinated – and it will do so with ease. Delta is a staggering 225 percent more contagious than the original COVID-19 virus and the other variants that have surfaced. “It is almost exclusively infecting unvaccinated individuals,” said Dr. Lou Ann Bruno-Murtha, division chief of infectious diseases at Cambridge Health Alliance. “This variant has demonstrated improved fi tness and is expected to increase.” Although there have been instances of Delta breaking through the vaccine, Bruno-Murtha said, the probability of a vaccinated person becoming infected remains quite low. “Fully vaccinated individuals are very well protected against the Delta variant,” she said. “Only 0.1 percent of breakthrough infections in Massachusetts are attributed to Delta and by and large, have been mild infections not requiring hospitalization.” To date, 63 percent of Massachusetts residents are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bruno-Murtha said Delta is most likely to fl ourish among groups of unvaccinated individuals. “Local clusters will emerge, particularly where unvaccinated individuals gather now that masking and physical distancing in public areas is no longer required,” she said. “Masking and other mitigation strategies may need to be implemented locally, in response to increases in community transmission rates.” Looking ahead to the 20212022 school year, she strongly recommended that masks continue to be worn and that parents and school staff be fully vaccinated as well. Unlike last fall, Bruno-Murtha said remote learning is not the answer this year. “Our children will do better by returning to the classroom,” she said. “Although some cases will continue to occur in the foreseeable future, testing and contact tracing should limit clusters and enable public health and school officials to react quickly.” Dr. Scott Dryden-Peterson, an attending physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said Delta is now responsible for the majority of the state’s COVID-19 infections. Although studies remain ongoing, he said, the Delta strain appears to be more severe. “If community rates of COVID-19 continue to increase, either from Delta or another variant, increasing use of masks and distancing would be a good idea,” he said. “I advise my older patients and those with conditions that place them at risk to continue to wear masks in public indoor spaces, even after vaccination.” Dryden-Peterson said getting vaccinated will continue to be crucial, particularly since the upcoming school year is expected to be in-perPoker not expected to return to Encore E By Christopher Roberson ven after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) lifted its COVID-19 restrictions at the end of May, there is still no sign of traditional live poker returning to Encore Boston Harbor. Encore spokesperson Rosie Abrams said the casino is only offering poker variations where patrons play against the dealer rather than against each other. However, patrons are not pleased and have showered the MGC with a torrent of complaints. During the commission’s July 15 meeting, Bruce Band, assistant director of the MGC’s Investigations and Enforcement Bureau, said the number of complaints has “increased tenfold in the last two weeks," adding that MGM Springfi eld is not off ering POKER | SEE PAGE 6 EPD hosts annual Junior Police Academy son. “To make schools as safe as possible, we should encourage vaccination of adults and older children to protect children who cannot yet be vaccinated,” he said. Therefore, until a pediatric vaccine becomes readily available for children under the age of 12, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children, ages two and older, wear masks. poker either. “Basically, people are saying if the properties aren’t going to offer poker, we should establish poker parlors, which we explained the statute doesn’t allow,” he said. 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