Two studies from Britain published Wednesday showed COVID-19 infections with Omicron are less likely to result in hospitalization compared to the Delta variant, the latest research confirming a trend first identified in South Africa. The Scottish paper examined COVID-19 cases recorded in November and December, and grouped them by cases caused by Delta against those caused by Omicron. It found that “Omicron is associated with a two-thirds reduction in the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization when compared to Delta,” while also showing that a booster vaccine offered substantial additional protection against symptomatic infection. AdvertisementAzra Ghani of the Imperial College London, who co-authored the England study, said in a statement: “Whilst the reduced risk of hospitalization with the Omicron variant is reassuring, the risk of infection remains extremely high. While Delta is still the dominant coronavirus strain worldwide, Omicron cases are popping up in dozens of countries, with South Africa the epicenter.

Source: The Times December 23, 2021 12:02 UTC