Research: Omicron Disease Course Milder Than Delta

The course of disease in people infected with the coronavirus’s omicron variant is milder than in delta. According to news site Politico, this emerges from preliminary British research results. However, it is still unclear exactly how big the difference is.

Politico was given access to unpublished data from health service UKHSA. That authority would conclude that, although omicron is slightly milder, it can still lead to many hospital admissions. This is partly because the variant is highly contagious. As a result, the number of corona cases could skyrocket, resulting in more hospital admissions.

People can still become seriously ill and die after an omicron infection. UKHSA is also expected to report that two doses of vaccine do not provide strong protection against the variant, the news site writes. A booster would significantly reduce the risk of infection and hospitalization.

Omicron is currently rapidly spreading in Europe, displacing delta as the most common variant.