Tessa Quinn
The Omicron variant of COVID-19, first detected in South Africa, has caused a surge in cases in over 20 countries. While data on this variant is limited, health experts have observed that Omicron is less likely to cause severe illness compared to previous variants, especially in fully vaccinated and boosted individuals. However, Omicron's high transmissibility has led to a significant increase in hospitalizations, with over 130,000 Americans hospitalized with COVID-19, the highest number in a year. It is important to note that not all hospitalizations are directly attributed to COVID-19, as many patients are admitted for other ailments and coincidentally test positive for the virus.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hospitalizations | 130,000 Americans hospitalized with Covid, the highest number in a year |
| Omicron's impact on hospitalizations | Omicron caused a surge in South Africa, increasing new Covid cases from 300 a day in mid-November to 3,000 each day |
| Omicron's severity | Omicron is less likely to cause severe illness than earlier variants, especially in fully vaccinated and boosted individuals |
| Hospitalization data | Hospitalization data may become a less reliable gauge of the pandemic's toll due to the increasing number of patients admitted for other ailments who also test positive for Covid |
| Omicron's impact on unvaccinated individuals | Omicron is having a severe impact on unvaccinated individuals |
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What You'll Learn
Omicron hospitalizations in the US
In the United States, COVID-19 cases are on the rise in at least 40 states, with the Nimbus (NB.1.8.1) and Stratus (XFG) variants being responsible for this surge. Nimbus, an offshoot of the XVD.1.5.1 strain, which descends from the Omicron variant, is the dominant variant in the US, accounting for 43% of cases as of June 21, 2025.
While the number of hospitalizations is unclear, COVID-19 emergency visits are increasing among all age groups, with a notable spike among children under 12. The weekly hospitalization rate has remained low, indicating that the new variants may not lead to severe illness. However, there is a concern that the lack of data is making it challenging to track COVID-19 cases in real time.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Stratus as a "variant under monitoring." It is a hybrid of two Omicron subvariants, LF.7 and LP.8.1.2, and shares similar mutations with Nimbus. While the public health risk posed by Stratus is considered low, and there is no evidence it causes more severe illness, it has been detected in at least 38 countries.
The current COVID-19 vaccines target older Omicron variants but remain effective in preventing severe disease due to the close relation between the variants. Health experts advise that the best course of action is to maintain good protection through annual vaccinations for most individuals and biannual vaccinations for those with weaker immune systems.
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Omicron's severity in South Africa
The Omicron variant, first detected in South Africa, caused a surge in new COVID-19 cases in the country. The New York Times reported that the number of new cases rose from 300 a day in mid-November to around 3,000 daily.
While data on the Omicron variant was initially limited, early analyses from South Africa indicated a significantly reduced odds of hospital admission among individuals with SGTF (S gene target failure) infections. There was also a significantly reduced odds of severe disease among those infected with the Omicron variant compared to those infected with the Delta variant. Immunity from previous infection, vaccination, or both, could have contributed to the reduced severity observed.
According to Mvuyisi Mzukwa, the vice chair of the South African Medical Association, Omicron appeared to cause milder cases in younger individuals. He noted that hospitalizations primarily involved unvaccinated patients. However, virus experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci warned against concluding that Omicron infections would only lead to mild illness.
The Omicron variant has a high number of mutations, some of which are concerning due to their potential for immune evasion and increased infectivity. While it shares some mutations with other variants, it also has 22 unique substitutions, including insertions and deletions. One of these substitutions, His69_Val70del in the spike protein, can cause SGTF on the TaqPath COVID-19 PCR test.
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Omicron's impact on unvaccinated people
The Omicron variant, first detected in South Africa, has caused a surge in new COVID-19 cases in multiple countries. While data on the variant was initially limited, health experts have since observed several key impacts on unvaccinated people.
Unvaccinated individuals infected with the Omicron variant have been reported to experience more severe symptoms and complications. Doctors have observed that unvaccinated patients are more likely to develop pneumonia, shortness of breath, and flu-like symptoms. These patients often require hospitalization and face a higher risk of severe illness, as evidenced by the surge in hospitalizations in China caused by the NB.1.8.1 variant, an offshoot of Omicron.
The impact of Omicron on unvaccinated people is further exacerbated by their lack of protection against the virus. The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Unvaccinated individuals are at a higher risk of infection and may experience more severe symptoms, leading to an increased burden on healthcare systems.
Additionally, the Omicron variant has a unique mutational profile that sets it apart from other variants. Its high number of mutations may contribute to its ability to cause more severe disease. However, it's important to note that the overall severity of Omicron infections appears to be milder than that of previous variants, especially among vaccinated individuals. Breakthrough Omicron infections in vaccinated and boosted individuals tend to result in milder symptoms and shorter illness durations.
The availability of vaccines plays a crucial role in mitigating the impact of Omicron on unvaccinated people. Vaccination campaigns and education are essential to ensuring protection against severe disease. As of 2025, the CDC continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccines, especially for adults over 18, the elderly, and those with weaker immune systems. Annual vaccinations are advised for sustained protection, and updated vaccines are distributed to target specific variants, such as the Omicron variant and its offshoots.
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Omicron's hospitalization rate in younger people
The Omicron variant, first detected in South Africa, has caused a surge in new COVID-19 cases in the country. While data on this variant is still limited, early indications suggest that Omicron might cause milder infections than previous variants, especially in younger people.
According to Mvuyisi Mzukwa, vice-chair of the South African Medical Association, Omicron is having a severe impact on unvaccinated individuals, similar to other variants. However, doctors in South Africa have observed milder cases among those infected with Omicron, primarily in younger patients.
Two studies from Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh support these observations. The Imperial College London study found that people infected with Omicron in England were around 20% less likely to require hospitalization than those with the Delta variant. Furthermore, Omicron patients were 40% less likely to be hospitalized for a night or more. The study from the University of Edinburgh found that the risk of hospitalization with Omicron was two-thirds lower than with Delta. This study focused on younger adults aged 20-39, who are much less likely to develop severe COVID-19.
Matthew Binnicker, director of clinical virology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, commented on the Scottish study, noting that the Omicron group had almost twice as many younger people as the Delta group. While this could bias the conclusions towards less severe outcomes with Omicron, he found the data interesting and suggested that Omicron might lead to less severe disease overall. However, he cautioned that Omicron's higher transmission rate could still result in more hospitalizations despite lower severity in most cases.
In summary, while Omicron appears to cause less severe illness in younger people, its higher transmissibility means that the absolute number of hospitalizations could still be significant. The early studies and observations from South Africa provide valuable insights, but ongoing surveillance and further research are necessary to fully understand the impact of the Omicron variant on hospitalization rates, especially in younger age groups.
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Omicron's lethality compared to the Delta variant
The Omicron variant, first detected in South Africa, has caused a surge in COVID-19 cases in multiple countries. While data on this variant is still limited, early reports suggest that Omicron causes milder symptoms than the Delta variant, especially in younger patients.
According to Mvuyisi Mzukwa, vice chair of the South African Medical Association, Omicron appears to have a more severe impact on unvaccinated individuals. However, doctors in South Africa have observed less severe cases overall with Omicron compared to the Delta variant. Mzukwa noted that hospitalized patients were primarily those who were unvaccinated.
White House COVID adviser Anthony Fauci has cautioned that it is too early to conclude that Omicron infections will lead to only mild illness. The high number of mutations in Omicron raised concerns about its potential severity. Nevertheless, early data suggests that Omicron may be less lethal than the Delta variant.
A worldwide review comparing the Delta and Omicron variants found that 47 out of 50 countries showed a decreased case fatality rate (CFR) during the Omicron period. The median CFR during the Delta period was 8.56, while it decreased to 3.04 during the Omicron period. This indicates that Omicron has a lower case fatality rate than the Delta variant.
The Mexican President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, also claimed that Omicron was not as lethal as the Delta variant. He made this statement after testing positive for COVID-19 himself, stating that he could "verify in my own flesh now that this variant [...] does not have the lethality [...] of the so-called Delta."
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Frequently asked questions
More than 130,000 Americans were hospitalized with Covid during the Omicron wave, the highest number in a year. However, not all of these hospitalizations were directly caused by the virus. Many people were hospitalized for reasons outside of Covid, such as injury or other ailments, and were tested while in the hospital.
Doctors in South Africa observed that most of the patients hospitalized with Omicron were unvaccinated. However, it is important to note that the data on this variant is still limited, and the observations were primarily from private physicians.
Hospitalizations may not be a completely reliable gauge of the Omicron variant's severity. Many patients hospitalized for other ailments also tested positive for Covid-19, which could skew the data. However, health experts suggest that this trend may indicate that Omicron is less likely to cause severe illness than previous variants, especially in fully vaccinated and boosted individuals.
