Posted on 12/15/2021 4:45:19 PM PST by blueplum
...The first real-world study in South Africa analysed 78,000 Omicron cases over the past month and estimated the risk of hospitalisation was a fifth lower than with Delta and 29 per cent lower than the original virus.
As a crude rate, Omicron is currently leading to a third fewer hospital admissions than Delta did during its entire wave — 38 admissions per 1,000 Omicron cases compared to 101 per 1,000 for Delta....
The findings lend weight to the theory that the ultra-infectious variant is weaker than previous strains, something which doctors on the ground in South Africa have been claiming for weeks.
But the reduction in severity is probably not solely down to Omicron being intrinsically milder, according to the South African Medical Research Council which led the analysis.
Around 70 per cent of South Africans have recovered from Covid already and 23 per cent are double-vaccinated, which has created high levels of immunity....
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Yes, Omi infection can result in hospitalization (approx 7K in SA), but admissions are 1/3 lower than in the first wave.
2 doses of Pfitzer offers 70% protection against Omi; falls to 60% for seniors.
"Protection against admission was consistent across a range of chronic illnesses including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and other cardiovascular diseases..."
"Overall, four in 10 of those who tested positive had received two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine." SA doesn't say how many of the 6 of 10 remaining were prior infected but the article notes that SA elderly were the first and most to be vaccinated early, and notes the waning immunity.
SA warns that Omi may be 'milder' as a result of a high rate of prior infection and 25% vaccinated. (so if you're not prior vaccinated or prior infected you might have problems)
Omi is causing more hospitalization and more serious symptoms in children: "Children appeared to have a 20 per cent higher risk of hospital admission with complications" BUT they are 50% less likely to test positive and child cases are rare.
Cases double each week until plateau: "cases are still more than quadrupling week-on-week in two of the country's nine provinces — Free State and the Eastern Cape." and "... more than doubled week-on-week in five others"
Not ONE-third fewer. TWO-thirds. 38 admissions per 1,000, down from 101 per 1,000 is 63% fewer... almost two-thirds
They won , they turned the world into Hypochondriacs
I noticed that. But the fear mongers probably don’t.
Just amazing that this NEW! IMPROVED! VARIANT! was discovered after a few days of news stories inquiring why Africa had substantially fewer COVID cases than much of the rest of the world. Just amazing.
I’m willing to bet that many of these folks, while positive with the virus, are showing up there to get a few free meals and get off the street.
Kind of like the homeless folks that intentionally break a minor law, a city ordinance or something, just so they can get into a warm jail and eat a few bologna sandwiches instead of going through the trash, when its 30 degrees out.
Omicron sounds way safer than the jabs.
Omicron parties may be the way to go.
In unrelated news,South Africa is suffering the most severe kleenex shortage in 50 years
Thank you. I don’t know how so many journalists can graduate from college without having conquered fourth grade math.
All the numbers on covid anything is pure BS fear porn.
There is no pandemic just ignorance.
Dick of this shxt. I’m more concerned about getting an STD at the villages.
The fact that there’s been only one death worldwide should be a factor.
.... median age...20...they’ve killed all the old people in endless regional wars (Chad, for instance, has a median age of 17, for Angola and Somalia it’s 18)
SA, otoh, has a median age of 28, reflected in 90K deaths with 4 million cases, the first African country to reach the 1 million case marker. If you look back to January, their hospital systems were collapsing and they were running out of oxygen - pre-Delta:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-06/south-africa-hospitals-overwhelmed-amid-covid-19-pandemic/13034562
Not one mentions of any deaths, but the vaccine will save you!
Thanks for the excellent extract of the article - just the important facts.
Few posters have such consideration for us others.
Much appreciated.
Scientists mystified, wary, as Africa avoids COVID disaster
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/scientists-mystified-wary-africa-avoids-covid-disaster-81271647
But then again, it IS the media.
sorry, yes 1/3 of the prior numbers or 2/3 reduction. Thanks for catching that
South Africa is the most developed country so naturally they are getting more cases than anywhere else on the continent. Elsewhere, if you make it to ripe old age of 40, by then you might start to worry about catching COVID-19.
Hopefully this is the “vaccination” we need. We are losing more Republicans than Democrats, and that actually concerns me.
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