The Delta variant of coronavirus is found to be twice as likely to need hospital treatment, according to recent research.
During the pandemic, the new more infectious strain of the virus caused a large second wave of transmission, with a study now suggesting those who contract it are at a greater risk of hospitalisation.
Researchers at Public Health England stated this week that they had analysed over 43,000 cases of Covid-19 between March and May of 2021 as the Delta variant took hold.
Findings showed that around three-quarters of cases in the study were in people who were unvaccinated, with just 1.8 per cent having had both doses.
Figures calculated that around one in every 50 patients who had caught Covid were taken into hospital care within two weeks of testing positive, or 2.3 per cent of Delta cases and 2.2 per cent of those with the Alpha variant.
According to the Daily Record, researchers then adjusted these figures to take into account other factors to determine the risk of being admitted to hospital was more than doubled with the Delta variant compared with the Alpha variant.
These included someone's age, ethnicity and vaccination status.
Speaking about the findings, Dr Gavin Dabrera, one of the study's lead authors and a consultant epidemiologist at the National Infection Service, Public Health England, said: "This study confirms previous findings that people infected with Delta are significantly more likely to require hospitalisation than those with Alpha, although most cases included in the analysis were unvaccinated.
"We already know that vaccination offers excellent protection against Delta and as this variant accounts for over 98% of Covid-19 cases in the UK, it is vital that those who have not received two doses of vaccine do so as soon as possible.
"It is still important that if you have Covid-19 symptoms, stay home and get a PCR test as soon as possible."
The authors said it is not possible to draw conclusions about risk among those who have been vaccinated and go on to develop infections, and studies have shown a link between vaccination and prevention of serious illness from coronavirus.
Data from the UK Government shows 88.2% of people aged 16 and over have had at least one dose of a vaccine, and 90.2 million doses given overall.
Dr Anne Presanis, one of the study's lead authors and Senior Statistician at the MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, said: "Our analysis highlights that in the absence of vaccination, any Delta outbreaks will impose a greater burden on healthcare than an Alpha epidemic.
"Getting fully vaccinated is crucial for reducing an individual's risk of symptomatic infection with Delta in the first place, and, importantly, of reducing a Delta patient's risk of severe illness and hospital admission."
