New studies indicate Omicron less likely to hospitalise patients

Two new British investigations offer preliminary evidence that the coronavirus’s omicron variant is gentler than the delta type.

Even if the findings of these early tests hold up, scientists warn that any decrease in severity must be weighed against the fact that omicron spreads considerably quicker than delta and is more resistant to vaccinations. Hospitals may still be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of infections.

Still, according to Manuel Ascano Jr., a Vanderbilt University biochemist who studies viruses, the new results presented on Wednesday appear to support past research that suggests omicron may not be as hazardous as the delta form.

‘Perhaps the best way to look at this is with cautious optimism,’ he remarked.