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Omicron: Virus variant and vaccinations as game changers in the corona crisis - New study gives hope

2022-03-22T14:21:55.760Z


Omicron: Virus variant and vaccinations as game changers in the corona crisis - New study gives hope Created: 03/22/2022, 15:14 By: Anna Lehmer The text "Omicron COVID-19-variant" can be read on the screen of a smartphone. © Pavlo Gonchar/dpa The number of infections is increasing, countries are relaxing: what sounds like a contradiction has now been explained by British researchers. Omicron a


Omicron: Virus variant and vaccinations as game changers in the corona crisis - New study gives hope

Created: 03/22/2022, 15:14

By: Anna Lehmer

The text "Omicron COVID-19-variant" can be read on the screen of a smartphone.

© Pavlo Gonchar/dpa

The number of infections is increasing, countries are relaxing: what sounds like a contradiction has now been explained by British researchers.

Omicron and vaccinations are therefore the decisive game changers.

London - For more than two years now, the corona virus has been an integral part of our lives.

At the end of 2019, Chinese health authorities recorded an unusual lung disease that was spreading rapidly.

Only a short time later, the virus was detected worldwide.

Many lockdowns and years later, humanity has arrived at the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron, which has supplanted the delta variant that had prevailed to date at a rapid pace.

Omicron was considered to be far more contagious, and it was also able to subvert the immune protection already in place.

The fear was great, but there was still a ray of hope: initial data from South Africa showed that serious illnesses after infection with Omikron were detected less frequently.

Omicron: British analysis explains milder course of the corona variant

For a long time, the researchers were unsure whether the milder course was caused by the harmless corona variant omicron or by the existing immunity of the population.

A British study published in the specialist journal Lancet now brings new findings to light.

With the help of case files from over 1.5 million people, the experts were able to prove that the risk of serious consequences after a SARS-CoV-2 infection is significantly lower with Omikron than with Delta.

Vaccinations therefore reduce the likelihood of a severe course, and age also plays a major role in disease.

Coronavirus: Researchers collect data from millions of people

During data collection, patient information on vaccination status, vaccine, age, place of residence, gender and ethnicity was collected.

Likewise, people residing in England had to prove that they had contracted Delta or Omicron between November 29, 2021 and January 9, 2022.

The scientists then observed how many of these people had been admitted to a hospital two weeks after being infected and how many died four weeks later.

British analysis raises hopes: Fewer people in hospital for omicron

The researchers from the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and other institutions were able to gain confident insights.

Risk of hospitalization for omicron infection decreases by 59 percent compared to Delta.

The risk of death is even reduced by 69 percent.

However, the analysis indicates that these values ​​differ depending on the age group.

For over 80-year-olds, the effect is only to a lesser extent.

For people over the age of 50, the reduction in hospitalization rate is approximately 50-75 percent.

A significant omicron effect was demonstrated in those over 20 years of age.

In children (0-9 years), however, it makes no difference whether they become infected with omicron or delta.

Omicron drastically reduces mortality rate

Age also remains a key factor in mortality rates.

According to the British analysis, 0.26 percent of people between the ages of 50 and 59 who had been diagnosed with Delta died during the data collection period.

When infected with Omicron, the mortality rate was only 0.05 percent.

A higher value was confirmed for those over 80 years of age.

The rate with delta was 15.9 percent, well above the value associated with omicron (5.1).

In both variants, prior infection provided some protection from death in both vaccinated and unvaccinated cases.

Vaccinations protect against severe disease progression

As already suspected at Delta, vaccinations reduce the risk of a severe course and thus the hospitalization rate.

According to the scientists, mRNA vaccines and the booster vaccination reduce the probability by 70 percent, which makes Omikron significantly less dangerous.

A previous infection increases the protection by a further 53 percent, and the risk of a serious illness falls by as much as 82 percent in unvaccinated people.

The immunity of the population as well as Omicron itself are the reason why governments are declaring a so-called Freedom Day despite the increasing number of infections.

In Bavaria, this was postponed to April 2nd.

(

ale

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Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-03-22

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