US Covid study shows Omicron is as severe as previous variants,
But the scientists say their study could have some limitations, including possibly underestimating the number of vaccinated patients in more recent Covid-19 waves and the total number of infections
05 May 2022 - 13:23
bySayantani Ghosh
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Singapore — The Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV2 virus is intrinsically as severe as previous variants, unlike assumptions made in previous studies that it was more transmissible but less severe, a large study in the US has found.
“We found that the risks of hospitalisation and mortality were nearly identical between periods,” said four scientists who conducted the study based on records of 130,000 Covid-19 patients, referring to times in the past two years when different variants were dominant across the world.
The study, which is undergoing peer review at Nature Portfolio and was posted on Research Square on May 2, was adjusted for confounders including demographics, vaccination status and the Charlson comorbidity index that predicts the risk of death within a year of hospitalisation for patients with specific comorbid conditions.
The studies that assumed that the Omicron variant was less severe were conducted in various places including SA, Scotland, England and Canada, said the scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital, Minerva University and Harvard Medical School.
They said their study could have several limitations, including the possibility that it underestimated the number of vaccinated patients in more recent Covid-19 waves, and the total number of infections, because it excluded patients who performed at-home rapid tests.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
US Covid study shows Omicron is as severe as previous variants,
But the scientists say their study could have some limitations, including possibly underestimating the number of vaccinated patients in more recent Covid-19 waves and the total number of infections
Singapore — The Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV2 virus is intrinsically as severe as previous variants, unlike assumptions made in previous studies that it was more transmissible but less severe, a large study in the US has found.
“We found that the risks of hospitalisation and mortality were nearly identical between periods,” said four scientists who conducted the study based on records of 130,000 Covid-19 patients, referring to times in the past two years when different variants were dominant across the world.
The study, which is undergoing peer review at Nature Portfolio and was posted on Research Square on May 2, was adjusted for confounders including demographics, vaccination status and the Charlson comorbidity index that predicts the risk of death within a year of hospitalisation for patients with specific comorbid conditions.
The studies that assumed that the Omicron variant was less severe were conducted in various places including SA, Scotland, England and Canada, said the scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital, Minerva University and Harvard Medical School.
They said their study could have several limitations, including the possibility that it underestimated the number of vaccinated patients in more recent Covid-19 waves, and the total number of infections, because it excluded patients who performed at-home rapid tests.
Reuters
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