United Kingdom: study confirms that the Omicron variant is less dangerous than the Delta variant

The United Kingdom recorded 119,000 positive cases on Wednesday, including 16,000 confirmed to be Omicron, figures never before reached.

AFP - JUSTIN TALLIS

Text by: RFI Follow

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The United Kingdom recorded 119,000 positive cases on Wednesday, including 16,000 confirmed to be Omicron, figures never before reached.

On the same day, a study by the British Health Safety Agency confirmed that Omicron is more benign than the Delta variant.

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With our correspondent in London

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The risk of admission to hospital is up to 70% lower with the Omicron variant than with the Delta variant.

This conclusion consolidates the results of two other British studies.

In other words, there is less risk of developing severe forms with the new variant.

Since the under 40s are more affected, the data relate more to this population.

For those over 60, scientists warn that we will have to wait a little longer.

The third dose protects against the variant, but the study recommends being careful since, after ten weeks, the effect

wears off by 15 to 25%.

Less dangerous, but more transmissible

Finally, if it is now almost accepted that Omicron is less dangerous, it remains much

to the point of causing congestion in hospitals.

Even though so far they are coping, in London where the Omicron variant is dominant, hospital admissions have climbed 78% in one week.

According to scientific advisers to the government, without new restrictions, the number of hospitalizations could rise to 3,000 per day, figures reached a year ago, at the height of the crisis.

New measures in Europe against the Omicron variant

Faced with the surge in the number of cases, European countries are reacting in dispersed order, with precautionary measures taken as the holidays approach.

Faced with the Omicron threat, Spain chooses to once again impose the wearing of a mask outside. A temporary measure, specifies Madrid, which leaves the Spanish regions the possibility of adding other restrictive measures. Catalonia, a very busy region during the holiday season, has thus decided to re-establish a night-time curfew, and to limit the number of visitors to restaurants, sports and leisure venues.

In Greece, wearing a mask is once again compulsory indoors and outdoors. In transport and supermarkets, the government even recommends wearing two masks one on top of the other or an FFP2 type mask.

For its part, Italy is canceling the holding of concerts and festivities for the New Year and is considering making it again compulsory to wear a mask outdoors.

In the United Kingdom, Scotland announces the partial closure of nightclubs after having also canceled public events, scheduled for the end of the year.

Finally in France, President Emmanuel Macron asks his fellow citizens to multiply the tests as the holidays approach to protect each other.

France is betting on vaccination to stem the progression of the epidemic: a health pass could be adopted in January, in order to encourage the unvaccinated to take the plunge.

►To listen: United Kingdom: the surge in Covid-19 cases leads to a staff shortage

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