Omicron appears to cause mild illness, but experts say too early to know for sure

Coronavirus
13-12-2021 | 11:25
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Omicron appears to cause mild illness, but experts say too early to know for sure
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Omicron appears to cause mild illness, but experts say too early to know for sure
Since the first case of the new Omicron variant was detected last month, early anecdotal reports indicate people infected seem to be experiencing mild illness, leading some scientists to wonder if this version of the virus could be less dangerous than prior variants.
 
But scientists have cautioned it's too soon to know for sure.
 
It “looks less severe in really early data,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton in an interview from CDC headquarters in Atlanta.
 
Omicron was dubbed a "variant of concern" due to its many mutations, as scientists are scrambling to determine if these changes lead to increased transmissibility or weakened response from vaccines.
 
WHO said numerous studies are ongoing, and more information will emerge in the following days to weeks.
 
Additionally, preliminary studies show that Pfizer vaccine may be less effective against the Omicron variant, but, again, more research is needed.
 
However, early clinical data from researchers in South Africa hint that the virus may cause less severe COVID-19 infections and South African Medical Research Council has reported that “very few hospitalized patients with Omicron have required supplemental oxygen or were admitted to an ICU.”
 
 
 

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