The new Delta variant of COVID-19 could spread just as easily as chickenpox if you are not careful according to Door County Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jim Heise. After going almost a month with low case counts and hospitalizations, Door County Medical Center is seeing those numbers grow with four people being admitted for treatment last week. He cannot guarantee the COVID-19 strain going around now is the Delta variant, but Heise says it appears to be more infectious.

Heise encourages people who have not been vaccinated or only received one of the two doses to reconsider so the impact of the virus could be limited.

The Centers for Disease Control and Disease Control issued new mask guidance last week because of breakthrough infections among the vaccinated.  Breakthrough infections occur when people vaccinated for COVID-19 still get sick from the virus, although to a lesser degree. The new guidance recommends people wear masks indoors in certain situations where the Delta variant is causing a surge in infections. Recent studies show that the vaccinated can carry as much of the viral load as the unvaccinated when they contract COVID-19, although their symptoms may not be as severe.