Studies support that Omicron not nearly as lethal

 PJ Media:

A recent study from South Africa (currently in preprint) attempts to explain why the omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic caused less severe illness and death than prior waves of other variants. To complete the study, researchers compared the outcomes of 5,144 patients from the fourth wave, where omicron was prevalent, to the outcomes of 11,609 patients from prior waves. They looked at deaths, severe hospitalizations, and all hospitalizations in the 14 days after diagnosis for people aged 20 and older.

The study controlled for vaccination, prior infection, comorbidities, age, and sex. The team concluded:

In the Omicron-driven wave, severe COVID-19 outcomes were reduced mostly due to protection conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination, but intrinsically reduced virulence may account for an approximately 25% reduced risk of severe hospitalization or death compared to Delta.

Their assessment is hopeful for several reasons. First, the risk from COVID has always been age-stratified, with a well-known set of comorbid conditions that increase the risk of severe illness and death. A 25% reduction in risk inherent to the virus itself reduces the risk to everyone. People who are recovered, vaccinated, unvaccinated, and those with risk factors would all face a less lethal virus.

...

People under 50 have a very slight chance of death from this variant--the infection fatality rate (IFR) is 0.1%.  Hospitalizations have also significantly decreased.

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