The CDC believes the Delta variant is more contagious than previous strains of COVID-19 which sparked the pandemic.
Doctors laid out new information in an internal presentation, and they say the situation is not looking good.
The Washington Post reports the CDC said the Delta variant seems to cause more severe illness than earlier variants and can spread as easily as chickenpox.
It showed people who are vaccinated are three times less likely to get the virus and 10 times less likely to die from it compared to those who are unvaccinated. But once infected, the CDC said vaccinated people are just as contagious.
The CDC also acknowledged it has to change its public messaging to convince Americans getting the vaccine is the best defense.
This document was released the same week the CDC changed its mask guidance. The agency says Americans should be wearing masks in nearly 70% of U.S. counties regardless of vaccination status. That's because data shows those counties have a high enough transmission rate of COVID that they should reimpose indoor masking mandates. That percentage has grown over the last few days.
