Omicron may not be severe, but boosters will save lives: expert
Though the Omicron variant has caused fewer severe pneumonia cases, it is still advised that high-risk groups get their booster shots, a respiratory diseases specialist advised.
Assoc Prof Dr Nitipatana Chierakul said only 8 per cent of patients infected by the Omicron variant developed pneumonia, compared to 40 per cent of Delta cases.
“This can conclude that Omicron variant is five times less likely to cause pneumonia compared to Delta,” he said. “However, the severity of pneumonia in both Omicron and Delta patients is about the same.”
Nitipatana, who oversees the Respiratory Diseases and Tuberculosis Division at Mahidol University’s Siriraj Faculty of Medicine, added that most Omicron patients who develop pneumonia are elderly or suffer from poor health.
“These people are considered to be in high-risk groups and should get booster shots as soon as possible to prevent hospitalisation and death,” he added.
As of July 14, 140.65 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Thailand, of which 57.05 million are first jabs, 53.32 million second jabs and 30.26 million booster shots. So far, 82 per cent of the population has received the first shot, 75.7 per cent their second shot and 43.5 per cent booster shots.
On Saturday, Thailand recorded 2,025 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 20 deaths over 24 hours, while 2,181 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The number of total cases in the country since the pandemic started in early 2020 stands at 4,557,001, including 2,333,566 since January 1 this year. The accumulated death toll from the virus stands at 30,981, including 9,280 this year.
