Preliminary data suggests people with the omicron variant are between 50 per cent and 70 per cent less likely to need hospitalisation than those with the delta strain of the coronavirus.
The UK Health Security Agency findings add to emerging evidence that omicron produces milder illness than other variants — but also spreads faster and better evades vaccines.
An individual with omicron is estimated to be between 31 per cent and 45 per cent less likely to attend a hospital emergency department compared to delta, and 50 to 70 per cent less likely to be admitted to hospital.
It cautioned that the analysis is preliminary and highly uncertain because of the small number of omicron patients in hospitals and the fact that most were in younger age groups. Information about the severity of disease caused by Omicron comes mainly from the Gauteng province in South Africa, where the variant was first detected.
Omicron as of now is being detected among the vaccinated population too. But the vaccine prevents it from becoming serious, the need for hospitalisation and death. The possibility of a booster dose is being debated and discussed by experts and will be given shortly, based on their recommendations. However, those who took only one dose should receive the due second dose without fail.