This archive report was first published on 15 January 2022.
As of January 7, 2022, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has expressed high confidence that Omicron is relatively mild for most adults, according to its latest risk assessment.
This confidence stems from the effectiveness of vaccines in providing high protection against serious illness caused by the Omicron variant, which has been infecting many people.
Meanwhile, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests that 4.3 million people in the UK have Covid, with an estimated one in 15 people infected, the highest level of infections recorded by the ONS since the survey started.
While Covid cases are on the decline, with 99,652 new cases reported on Friday, a 29.5% drop from the previous week, it is too soon to determine if the Omicron wave has peaked.
Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics at The Open University, noted that infections often do not cause symptoms, and asymptomatic individuals can still spread the infection to others.
The UKHSA advises that the best way to protect oneself and others against Covid is to get fully vaccinated, with booster doses providing significant protection against hospitalization from Omicron.
Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA, emphasized the importance of wearing masks in indoor settings, taking lateral flow tests before meeting others, and isolating immediately if symptoms develop.
