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Updated December 11th, 2021 at 22:11 IST

UK scientists warn Omicron COVID strain may claim up to 75K lives in next 5 months: Report

Scientists in the UK have warned that the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, can claim up to 75,000 lives in the next five months as it spreads across the country.

Reported by: Aparna Shandilya
UK
Image: Pixabay | Image:self
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Scientists in the United Kingdom have warned that the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, can claim up to 75,000 lives in the next five months as it spreads across the country, local media reported on December 11. Researchers and scientists who advise the government examined experimental data to see how Omicron would transmit as the country approaches 2022. They estimated that the new Omicron Variant might kill 25,000 to 75,000 people in England over the next five months, UK-based The Mirror reported.

Even if COVID booster injections are shown to be very effective against Omicron, the scientists predict a wave of illness that will result in more than 2,000 daily hospitalisations. Hence, they believe that additional steps, in addition to the current Plan B established by the Boris Johnson government, may be required. The team believes that masks, work from home, and booster shots may not be adequate and predict a high of 2,400 daily hospital admissions in January.

Researchers suggest restrictions may lower COVID hospitalisations by over 50,000

In this scenario, implementing control measures early in 2022 would be sufficient to significantly reduce the wave, resulting in 53,000 fewer hospital admissions and 7,600 fewer deaths, according to the researchers. 

They suggested that restrictions on interior hospitality, the closing of some entertainment facilities, and a limit on the number of people who can congregate in one location might be necessary. If no extra control measures are done, a pessimistic scenario involving significant immune escape from vaccinations and decreased booster effectiveness might result in a peak in hospital admissions - twice as high as the peak witnessed in January 2021 - according to scientists, The Mirror reported.

Stronger coronavirus limitations, according to experts at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), may be required to prevent Omicron from causing a large number of hospitalisations and deaths. According to the specialists, who also serve on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), the Omicron variant could result in a large number of hospitalisations if additional safeguards are not implemented.

Scientists unsure if Omicron more infectious than COVID Delta variant

Moreover earlier this month, the South African Medical Research Council published a report on an Omicron-driven outbreak in the Tshwane region of the northern Gauteng province of South Africa.

According to the researchers, caseloads have increased dramatically in the last two weeks, despite no significant increase in hospitalisations or deaths. The researchers, are, however, unsure whether Omicron was more infectious than Delta or if the variant is simply stronger than prior strains at evading immune responses developed by earlier infections or vaccinations.

(With inputs from agencies, Image: Pixabay)

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Published December 11th, 2021 at 22:11 IST

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