South Africa study suggests lower risk of hospitalization with Omicron, but will other countries see the same?

London – People infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus may face less risk of severe illness and hospitalization than those who catch Delta, a new study out of South Africa, which has not yet been peer reviewed, said Wednesday. But scientists warned that the findings could be a result of high levels of population immunity in South Africa due to previous coronavirus infections, and not an indication that Omicron is less severe.

The study found that people in South Africa who were diagnosed with Omicron between October 1 and November 30 were 80% less likely to be hospitalized than those diagnosed with another variant during that period. Once in the hospital during that period, however, the patients — no matter which variant they were diagnosed with — were just as likely to develop severe disease.

But compared to patients who were hospitalized with Delta between April and November, those hospitalized with Omicron in October and November were 70% less likely to develop severe disease.