Delta Covid variant may be edging race against vaccines

Analysis: research suggests scarily fleeting' contact could infect, and that places with high jab rates are susceptible

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The transmission advantage of the Delta variant that is spreading at pace globally is a sign that the race between vaccination and the virus could tip in favour of the latter unless countries ramp up their immunisation campaigns and practise caution, scientists say.

The variant, first detected in India, has been identified in at least 92 countries and is considered the fittest" variant yet of the virus that causes Covid-19, with its enhanced ability to prey on the vulnerable - particularly in places with low vaccination rates.