My spouse is S African. Many family members and friends have had a bug in the last 1 to 2 months. I count 11. All were young (30ish) and none ended up hospitalized. Reports of a pounding headache and severe cough were common. Tended to last around 5-6 days. One male reported it hit his 5 colleagues in a couple days. Thus if the latest variant— highly contagious, debilitating for about a week and then folks move on.
ALL, repeat, ALL variants are going to look mild if the infected samples are 30 years old.
These widely quoted reports from this South African region have, at the top of the report, the following phrase:
“Unlike the past 18 months, 80% of the patients in our hospital right now are under age 50.”
Well of COURSE they are going to be mild cases. Vaxed or unvaxed. The virus from day 1 has been killing old folks. If you stack your hospital patient samples to be under 50 then hell yes you’re going report no deaths and mild symptoms — and get your country re-opened for travel.