DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — As COVID-19 numbers and hospitalizations continue to rise across Alabama, one state medical expert is giving a warning on how contagious the Delta variant actually is.

According to Dr. Jeanne Marrazoo, M.D., the Director of UAB’s Division of Infectious Diseases, the Delta variant is very serious. She said the Delta variant is much more infectious than any respiratory virus the medical field has ever had to deal with in the history of viruses.

Dr. Marrazoo said they are learning more and more on the Delta variant every single week, and the more they are learning the more scared they are getting.

“It is more infectious than smallpox, it is more infectious than the original SARS,” Dr. Marrazo said. “It’s more infectious than Ebola. If that doesn’t sort of scare you, I don’t know how to frame this in a way that gets people’s attention.”

Doctor Marrazzo said the vaccine may not fully protect you from getting the COVID-19 Delta variant, but it will help people from getting really sick.