Tyra Grove Krause, head of the department of infectious epidemiology and prevention at the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), expects that the current increase in corona cases will flatten out by the end of January.
But while she predicts to the P1 radio station that more people will be infected in the coming weeks and that an increased hospitalization rate will put “some strain on the health system”, it is clear that the dominant omicron strain is not as large. a threat to the public as previous variants, and that there is reason to be optimistic that the fight can be won in the spring.
“I think we all get some immunity, both through our vaccines and some extra immunity we get by being infected with omicron. And we are therefore also stronger in relation to the new variants that may appear, βshe explained.
Referring to research conducted in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada, she concludes: “There is a reduced risk of being admitted to hospital with omicron compared to the Delta variant.”
The admission rate is creeping up
Omicron, which now accounts for 90 percent of all cases, has undoubtedly accelerated both infection rates – which over the past week have ranged from 8,801 yesterday (technical problems meant 60,000 results were not included) to 22,616 (December 27). ) – and the infection rate, which has remained strong at 8-12 per cent.
Relatively, it has therefore been easy to predict infection rates based on the number of tests. If there are 70,000, it will be about 7,000; if there are 200,000, about 20,000.
The number of people in the hospital with corona is 709 – the highest number since January 2021. The health system begins to tense when the number reaches 900-950.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to provide a third vaccination plug for anyone aged 18-39 who got their second plug more than four and a half months ago. Nearly half of the population has received their booster.
According to Krause, the third jab improves the recipient’s odds of not contracting omicron by 54 percent, but that this protection decreases to close to zero percent by the end of the third month, although it will ensure that the patient does not suffer as much as a non -vaccinated.
The government is likely to stand firm over restrictions
Right-wing parties would like to see certain restrictions eased a bit: such as access to cinemas and theaters.
However, the ruling Social Democratic Party has ruled that this would be unwise, while infection rates continue to rise and the writing is on the wall that their reopening on 17 January will be postponed.
“There is no reason to play,” health spokesman Rasmus Horn Landff told DR. “Now is not the time to let go of the reins.”
A parliamentary meeting with Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke is expected tomorrow, but no new initiatives or easing are expected.
Omicron is deadly, but only half as much
Meanwhile, in related news, SSI has this morning confirmed that there is an omicron death toll, but rather confusingly said that it can not be positive about the numbers.
Omicron may have caused as many as 18 deaths in Denmark between November 18 and December 28, according to its new report.
The deaths involved individuals who tested positive for omicron – a total of 55,700 registered cases of the variant during the period – but this may not necessarily have been the cause of their death.
The death rate is about half of the other variants.