THE latest data showing the Omicron variant may be less severe than Omicron is “very encouraging”, Scotland’s First Minister has said.

Nicola Sturgeon responded to two new studies suggesting catching the variant is less likely to put you in hospital or result in severe symptoms than previous strains.

Research from Imperial College London indicated that people with PCR-confirmed Omicron are 15-20% less likely to need admission to hospital, and 40-45% less likely to require a stay of one night or more.

Meanwhile scientists in a separate Scotland-wide study, called Early Pandemic Evaluation and Enhanced Surveillance of Covid-19, have said Omicron is associated with a two-thirds reduction in the risk of hospital admission compared with Delta.

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Despite these positive signs, researchers added that although Omicron appears less severe, it is more transmissible partly because the current crop of coronavirus vaccines are less effective against it.

Professor Neil Ferguson, from the Imperial College London team, warned Omicron’s severity may be offset by the “reduced efficacy” of vaccines to stop it being transmitted.

“Given the high transmissibility of the Omicron virus, there remains the potential for health services to face increasing demand if Omicron cases continue to grow at the rate that has been seen in recent weeks,” he explained.

His comments came as recorded case rates of Covid across the UK rose above 100,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

On social media, Scotland’s First Minister shared a clip of Edinburgh University’s Professor Aziz Sheikh, the lead author of one of the new studies.

He said the data being put forward by his team is “potentially very good news”, but described the situation as a “balancing act”.

“What we need to do is get infection rates down and then we can be confident that not only will we limit the number of hospitalisations and deaths, we’ll also preserve our NHS and ensure that surge capacity is not breached.”

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Sturgeon commented: “Worth a listen as Prof Sheikh outlines the v encouraging data published y’day on Omicron hospitalisations - but also reminds us that we must act to slow transmission while boosters completed. Otherwise higher transmissibility could outweigh lower severity and still overwhelm us.”

This week Scotland brought in new restrictions, starting on Boxing Day.

From December 26, large events will have one-metre social distancing and will be limited to 100 people standing indoors, 200 people sitting indoors and 500 people outdoors.

From December 27, the one-metre physical distancing will be implemented between adults in all indoor hospitality and leisure settings, including pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes and other settings where food and drink is served, gyms, theatres, cinemas, bingo and snooker halls and bowling alleys.

Museums, galleries and other visitor attractions also have the same rules in place.

Table service is also required where alcohol is being served.

Since December 14, people have been asked to reduce their social contact as much as possible by meeting in groups of no more than three households.