NICD research suggests BA.2 is nothing to worry about – Photo: Adobe Stock
NICD research suggests BA.2 is nothing to worry about – Photo: Adobe Stock
Discovery SA has released the first real world-world data on the Omicron variant and the efficacy of the Pfizer jab – and the results make for some seriously optimistic reading.
According to Discovery, those infected by the variant are 29% less likely to be hospitalised than those who become infected by any of the previous variants.
Hospitalisations resulting from Omicron reduced
According to Discovery’s research on the impact of the new variant since it first emerged around three weeks ago, hospitalisations resulting from severe complications are substantially rarer than during previous waves.
“Epidemiological tracking shows steep trajectory of new COVID-19 infections indicating rapid Omicron spread, but with a flatter trajectory of hospital admissions, indicating likely lower severity,” they said on Tuesday.
“Anecdotal observations demonstrate nuanced differences in the clinical features of Omicron both out of hospital and in hospital.”
“Data indicates that the severity of Omicron is 29% lower than the first wave of COVID-19 infections in South Africa,”they said.
Vaccine efficacy reduced, but severe illnesses less likely
Discovery added the following findings on vaccine effectiveness of the double dose Pfizer-BioNtech regime against the new variant:
- Efficacy has reduced from 80% in Delta wave to 33% in Omicron wave against COVID-19 infections; and
- has reduced from 93% in the Delta wave to 70% in the Omicron wave against severe complications of COVID-19 (hospital admission).
