Omicron 'less severe' than Delta for children under 5: study

A new U.S. study suggests that children who are younger than five and are infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant have less risk of severe health outcomes than kids infected with the Delta variant.

The peer-reviewed study, conducted by researchers out of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Ohio, is the first large-scale research effort to compare the health outcomes of COVID-19 infection from these variants in children age four and younger.

Authors say the findings are significant given that age group is not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccines and has limited pre-existing immunity.

"The major conclusion to our research was that many more children were infected with Omicron when compared to Delta, but the children who are infected are not impacted as severely as were children infected with the Delta variant," said CWRU professor Pamela Davis in a press release.

The findings were published Friday in peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Pediatrics.