The Delta variant was first identified in India in December and spread rapidly through the country. It then spread to Great Britain, which led to rising numbers of infections and deaths. In the United States, the first delta variant case was identified in March with cases rapidly multiplying across the country.

Two physicians took time to share what patients need to know about the Delta variant: AMA Chief Health and Science Officer Mira Irons, MD, and Sandra Fryhofer, MD, an Atlanta general internist and Chair-elect of the AMA Board of Trustees who serves as the AMA’s liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Read their top takeaways here.