Data Indicate Omicron is Milder, Better at Evading Vaccines

The omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus.

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People wait for COVID-19 vaccination at Soweto's Baragwanath hospital Monday Dec. 13, 2021. South Africa's 7-day rolling average of daily new COVID-19 cases has risen over the past two weeks from 7.60 new cases per 100,000 people on Nov. 28 to 32.71 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 12, according to Johns Hopkins University. In general, the new omicron cases have resulted in milder cases, with fewer hospitalizations and less severe cases requiring oxygen or intensive care. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Image via AP Photo/Jerome Delay

This article was republished here with permission from The Associated Press, however it is no longer available to read on Snopes.com.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus, and the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection from it but still good protection from hospitalization, according to an analysis of data from South Africa, where the new variant is driving a surge in infections. While the findings are preliminary and have not been peer-reviewed — the gold standard in scientific research — they…

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