Here's why Cramer thinks the Covid delta variant could be a U.S. stock market spoiler

Published Thu, Jul 15 202111:08 AM EDTUpdated Thu, Jul 15 20214:21 PM EDT

CNBC's Jim Cramer said Thursday the highly transmissible coronavirus delta variant is a risk to the U.S. stock market, citing its potential to disrupt key links in the global economy. "We're getting just too much negative input on delta variant around the globe and absenteeism again. It's not settled. There are many countries where there are simply not enough vaccines," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." Asked directly by co-host David Faber if the delta variant represents a potential "market spoiler," Cramer responded: "Yes, because there are too many breakthrough instances," referring to people who have been vaccinated against Covid still becoming infected. Even so, evidence shows that the vaccines remain very effective at protecting against severe disease, hospitalization and death. "We've done very well in this country vaccinating. There are many other countries that are key to our supply chain that frankly have not gotten vaccinated," Cramer said. The coronavirus has led to major supply chain disruptions since the early days of the global outbreak, beginning in China, where the virus was first detected in late 2019. For example, two major Nike suppliers in Vietnam have had to recently suspend production due to a coronavirus outbreak in factories. That underscores Covid's continued economic impact around the world, even as most pandemic restrictions have been lifted in America. Vietnam is currently experiencing its highest-ever average of new daily Covid cases at just above 1,200, according to Reuters ' data. Fewer than 300,000 people in Vietnam have been fully vaccinated thus far. That country's population stands around 97.3 million people, according to the World Bank . The U.S. has about 330 million people. Just under half of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The "Mad Money" host also noted the geopolitical complications that Taiwan has experienced in its pursuit of vaccine doses. Two powerhouse companies there — Apple suppliers Foxconn and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing — said earlier this week they struck a deal to buy 10 million doses of the Pfizer - BioNTech two-shot vaccine, which the firms intend to donate to the Taiwan's government. The vaccine deal was discussed on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's conference call Thursday, according to a FactSet transcript. Chairman Mark Liu stressed the importance of vaccinating a larger share of the Taiwanese population, calling it the "first priority." Less than 1% of that country's 23.5 million people are fully vaccinated, according to Reuters . Roughly 20% of the population has received at least one dose. With the pace of new vaccinations in the U.S. slowing, Cramer suggested the U.S. send extra doses to "Southeast Asia, where they're desperate, or to India." Roughly 160 million people, or 48% of the U.S. population, are fully vaccinated and nearly 185 million, or 56% of the population, has received at least one Covid vaccine dose, according to the CDC. Coronavirus cases are on the rise in America as the Covid delta variant spreads. The seven-day average of new daily infections is 25,255, according to a CNBC analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. That's up 68% compared with one week ago. The majority of U.S. counties with high infection rates -- defined as at least 100 new cases over the past seven days per 100,000 residents -- have less than 40% of their population fully vaccinated, according to a CNBC analysis. Almost all new Covid hospitalizations and deaths are people who have not been vaccinated, U.S. officials have said , offering a real-world assessment of the effectiveness of the shots. Watch the video above to see Cramer's remarks on the delta variant. Disclaimer

Jim Cramer

Scott Mlyn | CNBC

CNBC's Jim Cramer said Thursday the highly transmissible coronavirus delta variant is a risk to the U.S. stock market, citing its potential to disrupt key links in the global economy.