Delta COVID-19 variant doubles risk of hospitalization compared to Alpha strain, Scottish study finds

A study out of Scotland has found the Delta COVID-19 variant carries double the risk of hospitalization compared to the Alpha strain, particularly in patients with five or more comorbidities. Scotland had determined that the Delta variant became the dominant strain in the country about a month ago. 

Using the country’s COVID-19 surveillance program, researchers on behalf of Public Health Scotland analyzed data to investigate risk of hospital admission and estimate vaccinate effectiveness at preventing hospital admissions among likely Delta variant cases. The study was published Monday in The Lancet.