People infected with the coronavirus Omicron variant have a substantially reduced risk of severe medical outcomes compared to those infected with the Delta variant, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday, citing a new study by the managed care consortium Kaiser Permanente
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th January, 2022) People infected with the coronavirus Omicron variant have a substantially reduced risk of severe medical outcomes compared to those infected with the Delta variant, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday, citing a new study by the managed care consortium Kaiser Permanente.
"Just yesterday, a preprint study of data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California - analyzed by academic partners with CDC collaboration and funding - provided key insight into clinical outcomes among patients infected with the Omicron variant. This study used mathematical modeling to estimate risk of hospitalization and severe disease... and noted substantially reduced risk of severe clinical outcomes in patients who are infected with the Omicron variant compared to Delta," Walensky said.
The individuals infected with the Omicron variant experienced a 53% reduction in risk of symptomatic hospitalization, 74% reduction in risk of intensive care admission and a 91% reduction in risk of mortality when compared to those infected with Delta, the study found.
Walensky pointed out that the study only compared Omicron to the Delta variant and not other respiratory viruses like influenza. However, the US authorities are looking at what an endemic COVID-19 would look like while in this Omicron surge, she added.
White House chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci said eradicating the novel coronavirus is not possible like it was with smallpox but it is possible to control it, keep it at a low level in order to live with it.
Everyone is likely to get exposed and infected with the coronavirus even if vaccinated and boosted, although they may not get very sick, Fauci added.
