Residents line up to take COVID-19 nucleic acid tests in Macao, south China, Aug. 4, 2021. The mass testing, started from 9:00 a.m. local time Wednesday, is expected to be completed within three days, according to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center of Macao.(Photo: Xinhua)

China's current COVID-19 vaccines, and its established epidemic prevention and control measures, can still efficiently protect people against the Delta variant, health authorities said on Thursday.

The vaccines, with good preventive and protective effects, are able to reduce the risks of virus transmission, decrease the transmissibility of the virus from infected people and reduce the incidence of severe illness and death after infection, He Qinghua, an official with the National Health Commission, said at a press conference.

The latest outbreak, caused by Delta variant, which has spread to 29 provinces and regions nationwide, is "generally controllable," He said.

 It can be basically controlled within two to three incubation periods as long as epidemic prevention and control measures are strictly implemented, he added. Most estimates of an incubation period of the COVID-19 range from 2-14 days.

China's existing epidemic prevention and control measures are also effective against the Delta variant, said He.

He mentioned the May outbreak linked to the Delta variant in South China's Guangdong Province, which was brought under control around late June with no new cases being reported locally. The epidemic-control work group assigned by the State Council left Guangdong on July 2 after there were no local infections for 10 consecutive days.

It was the first time that China successfully blocked the spread of the Delta variant in several cities in Guangdong, which has a dense and highly mobile population, He said.

"That proved our current [epidemic prevention] measures still work, such as vaccination, wearing masks, regular hand washing, social distancing and avoiding crowds," he added.

First reported in India in September 2020, the Delta variant is currently the main COVID-19 strain, and it has spread to more than 130 countries and regions globally, He said.

Nonetheless, scientific studies and epidemic control practices show that the Delta variant hasn't caused radical changes in the biological characteristics of the COVID-19, and its infection source and transmission route are basically clear, said He.

Global Times