Why May Omicron Be More Transmissible But Less Severe?
None of these patients required mechanical ventilation.
It behaves differently for certain, Diamond told Verywell in an email.
Malte Mueller / Getty Images
However, the basis for why it behaves differently is not known.
It might be spike related or it could be effects of other genes.
But in the infected lung tissue, Omicron replicated at least 10 times slower than the original COVID-19 virus.
If supported by further studies, these findings may elucidate how Omicron infection has a less severe disease outcome.
Casespeakedat more than 23,000 cases and have now plummeted to fewer than 7,600 per day.
However, the data comes with caveats.
In the U.S., COVID-19hospitalizationsthis week surpassed the previous record set in January 2021.
Meanwhile, cases are set to triple last winters peak, at aweekly averageof more than 750,000.
For instance, its not yet clear whether Omicron in an older, unvaccinated person would be less severe.
Already, this surge in cases is overloading health systems.
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January 11, 2021. medRxiv.
Preprint posted online December 21, 2021. doi:10.1101/2021.12.21.21268116
