Omicron variant 'almost certainly' less severe than delta, Fauci says
Fox News
Dr. Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday that early indications suggest the omicron COVID-19 variant is potentially milder than previous strains.
"There is some suggestion that it might even be less severe, because when you look at some of the cohorts that are being followed in South Africa, the ratio between the number of infections and the number of hospitalizations seems to be less than with delta," he said, noting that populations being followed had skewed young and were less likely to be hospitalized due to the disease.
Omicron cases have been confirmed in at least nine African countries – and more than 50 countries around the world – with some officials also reporting that initial cases appear to be mild. A preliminary study from scientists in South Africa, where daily cases of the omicron strain have spiked since mid-November, said that the variant was more likely to cause re-infections than previous variants. The study had yet to be peer reviewed at the time of release.