Omicron to be dominant UK variant in days as vaccines 'less effective than against Delta'

Shafaq News/ Omicron will be the dominant UK variant by next week and vaccines are less effective against it than Delta, UK Health Security Agency has said.

UK government health officials warned cases of the new strain are now rising much faster than Delta in England and the double jabbed are still at risk.

In a briefing on Friday, the UKHSA said if current trends continue unchanged, the UK will exceed one million Omicron infections by the end of the month.

But the UKHSA appeared optimistic about the effectiveness of the Covid booster vaccine.

In a statement it said: "The preliminary data showed effectiveness against the new variant appears to increase considerably in the early period after a booster dose, providing around 70 to 75 per cent protection against symptomatic infection."

Meanwhile research found AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines provided "much lower" levels of protection against Omicron when compared with the Delta variant, based on a study of 581 people.

And those who had their second vaccine dose several months ago are at higher risk of catching Omicron compared to Delta, experts claim.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at the UKHSA, urged people to get their booster as soon as possible to help fight the spread.

"These early estimates should be treated with caution but they indicate that a few months after the second jab, there is a greater risk of catching the Omicron variant compared to Delta strain," she said.

"The data suggest this risk is significantly reduced following a booster vaccine, so I urge everyone to take up their booster when eligible."

Health experts stressed once more that vaccines to show higher protection against the serious complications of Covid-19.

"Working from home where possible, consistently wearing masks in crowded or enclosed spaces, washing your hands regularly and isolating and getting tested if you feel unwell are also vitally important in reducing the impact of Covid-19 this winter," Dr Ramsay added.

On Friday, 58,194 new Covid infections and 120 deaths were reported in the UK within 28 days of a positive test.

A further 488 Omicron infections were reported bringing the total to 1,265, according to the latest figures.

In England, 443 additional Omicron cases were reported totalling 1,139 overall.