British Studies Suggest Omicron Coronavirus Less Severe
2021-12-29
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1Early data suggests that people infected with the Omicron coronavirus are 50 to 70 percent less likely to be hospitalized than those with the Delta, Britain's public health agency announced Thursday, December 23rd.
2The new finding on COVID-19 disease was "a small ray of sunlight," said one researcher.
3The data adds to growing evidence that omicron produces milder sickness than other versions of the virus.
4But scientists warn that reductions in severity must be weighed against the fact that omicron spreads much faster than Delta.
5Based on cases in Britain, a person with omicron is estimated to be 31 percent to 45 percent less likely to go to a hospital emergency department compared to someone with Delta.
6And the same person is "50 to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital," the agency said.
7The British Public Health Security Agency said the finding has a high level of uncertainty.
8It said it was based on a small number of omicron patients in hospitals and that most of them were in younger age groups.
9As of December 20, 132 people had been admitted to U.K. hospitals with confirmed omicron.
10Fourteen of them died, all between the ages of 52 and 96.
11Experts not involved with the research called it promising.
12"To me, it's a small ray of sunlight among all the dark clouds," said Dr. Jonathan Li, director of the Harvard/Brigham Virology Specialty Laboratory.
13The signs that omicron may cause less severe disease support lab data suggesting omicron does not grow as well in cells of the lungs, Li said.
14The findings add to similar data from South Africa, added Dr. Bruce Walker.
15He is director of the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard.
16Walker said there are still unknowns, such as the relative severity of omicron in someone vaccinated compared with someone who had COVID-19 before or someone who is unvaccinated and has not had the disease.
17Vaccination remains critical, he said.
18Walker is an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports The Associated Press' Health and Science Department.
19The British agency's research said the protection a vaccine booster shot gives against symptomatic omicron infection appears to lessen after about 10 weeks.
20Protection against hospitalization and severe disease is likely to last longer, it said.
21The announcement came after two studies, from Imperial College London and Scottish researchers, found patients with omicron were 20 to 68 percent less likely to require hospital treatment than those with Delta.
22Information from South Africa, where Omicron was discovered, has also suggested omicron might be less severe there.
23Salim Abdool Karim is an infectious disease expert in South Africa.
24He recently said that the rate of admissions to hospitals was far lower for Omicron than it was for Delta.
25"Our overall admission rate is in the region of around 2% to 4% compared to previously, where it was closer to 20%," he said.
26Karim added that, although there are a large number of cases, fewer are being admitted to the hospital.
27I'm Anna Matteo.
1Early data suggests that people infected with the Omicron coronavirus are 50 to 70 percent less likely to be hospitalized than those with the Delta, Britain's public health agency announced Thursday, December 23rd. 2The new finding on COVID-19 disease was "a small ray of sunlight," said one researcher. 3The data adds to growing evidence that omicron produces milder sickness than other versions of the virus. But scientists warn that reductions in severity must be weighed against the fact that omicron spreads much faster than Delta. 4Based on cases in Britain, a person with omicron is estimated to be 31 percent to 45 percent less likely to go to a hospital emergency department compared to someone with Delta. And the same person is "50 to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital," the agency said. 5The British Public Health Security Agency said the finding has a high level of uncertainty. It said it was based on a small number of omicron patients in hospitals and that most of them were in younger age groups. As of December 20, 132 people had been admitted to U.K. hospitals with confirmed omicron. Fourteen of them died, all between the ages of 52 and 96. 6Experts not involved with the research called it promising. 7"To me, it's a small ray of sunlight among all the dark clouds," said Dr. Jonathan Li, director of the Harvard/Brigham Virology Specialty Laboratory. 8The signs that omicron may cause less severe disease support lab data suggesting omicron does not grow as well in cells of the lungs, Li said. 9The findings add to similar data from South Africa, added Dr. Bruce Walker. He is director of the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. 10Walker said there are still unknowns, such as the relative severity of omicron in someone vaccinated compared with someone who had COVID-19 before or someone who is unvaccinated and has not had the disease. 11Vaccination remains critical, he said. Walker is an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports The Associated Press' Health and Science Department. 12The British agency's research said the protection a vaccine booster shot gives against symptomatic omicron infection appears to lessen after about 10 weeks. Protection against hospitalization and severe disease is likely to last longer, it said. 13The announcement came after two studies, from Imperial College London and Scottish researchers, found patients with omicron were 20 to 68 percent less likely to require hospital treatment than those with Delta. 14Information from South Africa, where Omicron was discovered, has also suggested omicron might be less severe there. Salim Abdool Karim is an infectious disease expert in South Africa. He recently said that the rate of admissions to hospitals was far lower for Omicron than it was for Delta. 15"Our overall admission rate is in the region of around 2% to 4% compared to previously, where it was closer to 20%," he said. Karim added that, although there are a large number of cases, fewer are being admitted to the hospital. 16I'm Anna Matteo. 17Laura Ungar and Mike Stobbe reported this story for the Associated Press. Caty Weaver was the editor for VOA Learning English. 18We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 19___________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21data -n. facts about something that can be used in calculating, reasoning, or planning 22ray -n. a beam of radiant energy (such as light) of small cross section 23mild -adj. moderate in action or effect 24relative -adj. compared to someone or something else or to each other : seeming to be something when compared with others 25booster -n. a substance or dose used to renew or increase the effect of a drug or immunizing agent: such as 26symptomatic -adj. showing that a particular disease is present : relating to or showing symptoms of a disease 27region -n. a part of a country, of the world, that is different or separate from other parts in some way 28previously -adv. existing or happening before the present time