Chat about Novel Coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - COVID-19

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snottyotter in reply to @hurricane_run

If you don't know it's milder then assuming it's the same seems the best option, I'd rather it ends up being over exaggerated than under.
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Stonehedge in reply to @hurricane_run

If Omicron is ten times less deadly than Delta we're still fucked. From what I've read, given current growth, it simply reduces admissions/deaths by the equivalent of shortening the wave by eight days.

Also, most of the claims that Omicron is milder seem to miss the obvious point that the average age of the population in the places with the most Omicron such as Gauteng and Eswatini is between 20.3(!) and 28. In Gauteng, only 5% of the population is over 65. People also seem to be ignoring the fact that ICU admissions are up 120% week on week and rate of growth increasing.

I am not a scientist, you guys know that, but "Omicron is mild" based on very early outcomes in populations up to half the average age of ours, seem misplaced. Or at least potentially misplaced.