reassuring data from the United Kingdom

Data from the UK seem to confirm that the Omicron variant is less dangerous than the Delta variant. According to a study by the British health agency, the risk of developing a severe form with Omicron is three times lower than with the Delta variant. Hospital stays are shorter, and patients generally need less oxygen. Another reassuring element, the effectiveness of the booster dose is 88%. With three doses of the vaccine, we divide our risk of going to the hospital by ten. On the other hand, after only two doses, the protection drops to 52% after six months.

Omicron is certainly less dangerous than Delta, but more transmissible. However, with more people infected, a certain number will end up in hospital, which will increase the pressure on services. “When you have a level of saturation already high by Delta, it is true that the slightest small increase has a huge impact on hospitalization and on resuscitation”, details Professor Gilles Pialoux, head of the infectious diseases department at Tenon hospital in Paris.