Hospitalization risk -40% compared to Delta

The risk of hospitalization due to symptoms of the omicron variant is 40% lower than that of the delta variant. This is indicated by data from research conducted in Great Britain by a team from Imperial College led by Professor Neil Ferguson.

The researchers analyzed hospitalization and vaccination data on all cases confirmed by molecular testing in England between 1 and 14 December. In the report released today, scientists found that hospital admissions for at least one day were between 40% and 45% lower in those with the Omicron variant, compared with those who had the delta variant of the virus.

Convenient data related to even a simple hospital visit: People with Omicron have a 15-20% lower risk — compared to delta positivity — of having to go to the emergency room.. For people who have not been vaccinated and have not previously had an infection, the risk of hospitalization associated with Omicron is 11% lower than that of Delta. On average, an Omicron patient’s hospital stay is 0.22 days. With delta, it was 0.32.

The data, according to the study authors, do not change the picture regarding stress risk for hospitals: infection for an Omicron variant such as making a scenario of about 3,000 daily hospital admissions in January in England plausible if more restrictive measures were not adopted. “Given the other susceptibility to Omicron variant transmission – in the words of Professor Ferguson – there is still potential, for the health services, to meet the increased ‘care’ demands if infections continue to grow at the rate seen in recent weeks.”