Fauci: Studies show Omicron is milder than Delta – What’s the danger to children

The White House Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that a growing body of data indicates that Covid’s Micron variant is less severe than the Delta strain, but warned that hospitals could still face pressure due to the unprecedented number of new infections sweeping the US.

“Multiple sources of preliminary data now indicate a reduction in seriousness with the micron,” Fauci told the public during a briefing on Covid by the White House response team. “However, we really need a more definitive assessment of severity with long-term follow-up here and in different countries.”

Fauci cited a study from Ontario, Canada, which found that the risk of hospitalization or death was 65% lower among people infected with Omicron than in those with Delta. The risk of being admitted to an intensive care unit or dying from a micron was 83% lower, according to the study.

Fauci also cited a study from South Africa that found that about 5% of Omicron wave infections led to hospitalization, compared with 14% in Delta. Patients admitted to hospital during the Omicron wave were 73% less likely to have severe disease than the Delta wave, according to the data.

Fauci said the Omicron variant also seems less serious for children compared to the Delta. However, he warned that hospital admissions are increasing among children, especially the unvaccinated, because Omicron is so contagious. He urged parents of children aged 5 to 17 to make sure their children had been vaccinated against Covid.