Vital-E

Monitoring cycle threshold (Ct) values as a proxy for SARS-CoV-2 viral load and infectiousness may be a useful approach to guide public health decision-making. This is particularly important in the context of the recent Delta Variant emergence. In this study, we investigated the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 Ct values of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in British Columbia over the 3rd phase of the pandemic on a sample of 6,226 nasopharyngeal swabs positive for SARS-CoV-2. We demonstrate that the highest viral burden occurred in infections with the Delta Variant, and in unvaccinated individuals. These findings highlight the potential of COVID-19 vaccination to reduce onward transmission. TEAM Afraz Khan, Catherine Hogan, Hind Sbihi, Mike Irvine, Naveed Janjua, Linda Hoang

BCCDC POSTER PRESENTER

10/18/2021 3:30:00 PM