No evidence to suggest new variant Omicron less severe than Delta, reveals UK study

London

Even as the severity of Omicron remains unclear, a research team from Imperial College, London after conducting a huge study on Friday said that there is no evidence to suggest cases of new variant are less severe than Delta.  

The team suggested the findings on the basis of the proportion of people testing positive, who had symptoms or went to the hospital.  

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It may be too soon to say how hospitalisations will play out in the UK.  

The study showed that having Covid earlier provides only 19% protection against Omicron while getting two doses of a vaccine made it just 20%.   

A booster dose, however, helped by blocking around 55% to 80% symptomatic cases.  

From November 29 to December 11, the team analysed all PCR test-confirmed cases of coronavirus in England.  

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It was one of the most expansive examinations of Omicron's potential to infect people.  

The proportion of new Covid variant, Omicron, seems to be doubling among Covid cases in every two days up to December 11, the team said.  

It means every person infected with new variant passed it on to over three other people.  

(With inputs from agencies)