There’s a “glimmer of Christmas hope” as research suggests the Omicron variant causes a milder illness than Delta, but a senior health official warns that it still poses a threat.
People with the new strain are between 31% and 45% less likely to attend A&E, and 50% to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital compared with the Delta variant of Covid, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The body’s chief executive has said that it’s too early to downgrade the threat from Omicron as it continues to spread rapidly across the country.
Dr Jenny Harries warned that more information is needed on how the variant impacts the elderly and more vulnerable patients.