Omicron cases have an approximately 15 to 20% reduced risk of hospitalisation compared to the previous Delta variant, researchers from Imperial College London said on Wednesday.
There was also a reduced risk of a longer hospitalisation stay, with Omicron cases 40-45% less likely to be hospitalised for one night or more.
The report looked at all PCR-confirmed Omicron cases in England in the first two weeks of December.
The estimates suggest that reinfection cases have a 50-60% reduced risk of a hospitalisation, the statement from Imperial College London said.
Yet the rapid spread of Omicron means that large numbers of infections could still lead to a high number of hospitalisations.
"Given the high transmissibility of the Omicron virus,
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