COVID vaccines still work against mutant, researchers find

New research from France adds to evidence that widely used COVID-19 vaccines still offer strong protection against a coronavirus mutant that now accounts for most U.S. infections

New research from France adds to evidence that widely used COVID-19 vaccines still offer strong protection against a coronavirus mutant that is spreading rapidly around the world and now is the most prevalent variant in the U.S. The delta variant is surging through populations with low vaccination rates. On Thursday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that’s leading to “two truths” — highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places. “This rapid rise is troubling,” she said: A few weeks ago the delta variant accounted for just over a quarter of new U.S. cases, but it now accounts for just over 50% — and in some places, such as parts of the Midwest, as much as 80%. Researchers from France’s Pasteur Institute reported new evidence Thursday that full vaccination is critical.