New data in the UK suggests that people testing positive for the Omicron variant of Covid-19 are 70% less likely to require hospital treatment than people who tested positive for the Delta variant.
Research by the UK Health Security Agency also finds the effectiveness of Covid-19 boosters starts to wane ten weeks after vaccination.
Britain's health secretary called the data on hospitalizations "promising".
But Dr. Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London says Omicron still poses a huge threat to Britain this winter.
IN: "Yes to have…."
OUT: "…over the winter".
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Meanwhile, it's emerged in the United States that President Biden still hasn't signed a contract to purchase half a billion desperately-needed rapid test kits that the White House pledged will be distributed free-of-charge to Americans.
Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks says the news raises fresh questions about when those kits may become available.
IN: "This is pretty…."
OUT: passed America by"
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