Characterisation of vaccine breakthrough infections of sars-cov-2 delta and alpha variants and within-host viral load dynamics in the community, france, june to july 2021

Abstract

We compared PCR results from SARS-CoV-2-positive patients tested in the community in France from 14 June to 30 July 2021. In asymptomatic individuals, Cq values were significantly higher in fully vaccinated than non-fully vaccinated individuals (effect size: 1.7; 95% CI: 1-2.3; p < 10-6). In symptomatic individuals and controlling for time since symptoms, the difference vanished (p = 0.26). Infections with the Delta variant had lower Cq values at symptom onset than with Alpha (effect size: -3.32; 95% CI: -4.38 to -2.25; p < 10-6).