British Data Indicates Low Hospitalization Rate for Omicron

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Health December 23, 2021

Two studies from Britain were published on Wednesday on the new Omicron Covid-19 variant. The studies showed that Covid infections with the Omicron are less likely to result in hospitalization compared to the Delta variant.

Experts cautiously welcomed the preliminary studies, one from Scotland another from England.

Nonetheless, they stressed that the new strain’s heightened infectiousness could still negate an advantage in milder outcomes. They said this might still lead to more overall severe cases.

‘’We’re saying that this is qualified good news – qualified because these are early observations, they are statistically significant, and we are showing a reduced risk of hospitalizations,’’ Jim McMenamin, a co-author of the Scottish research said.

The paper from Scotland examined Covid cases recorded in November and December and grouped them according to those caused by Delta and those by Omicron.

The study found and associated Omicron with a two-thirds reduction in the risk of Covid-19 hospitalization when they compared it to Delta.

Meanwhile, it also showed that a booster vaccine offered substantial additional protection against symptomatic infection.

The English paper found that there is a 20-25 percent reduction in any attendance at the hospital for Omicron when they compared it to Delta. It also showed a 40-45 percent reduction in hospitalizations lasting one night or longer, in other words, ‘’admissions.’’

Since the Scottish paper only looked at admissions, this may account for part of the difference seen.

Neither of the studies has been peer-reviewed, but they add to the growing evidence about disease outcomes with Omicron.

It is currently unclear why the rate of severe cases sen with the Omicron variant had gone down. But it is either because of the variant’s characteristics or because it appears milder. It is coming up against populations with greater immunity.

They attribute the greater immunity to prior Covid-19 infections as well as the vaccination.

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