The governments of Austria, Germany, Israel, and others are trying to keep the panic going so politicians can grant themselves broad new powers. However, the reality is that the so-called omicron variant is turning out to be a nothing-burger story.
It may even be a positive development. Omicron could represent the “pandemic” in its final stage. Where more contagious but less harmful strains become dominant. For example, the viruses that caused the Asiatic Flu (1899) and the Spanish Flu (1918) are still infecting hundreds of millions each year, but they are far less harmful than when they first emerged.
According to the Dow Jones Newswire, two flights from South Africa landed in the Netherlands on November 26th. A total of 61 passengers between both planes tested positive for SARS2/Covid-19. Of those who tested positive, 18 had the omicron variant.
The Dutch government says that all 18 experienced either mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.
The UK Health Security Agency said it had analyzed 22 cases of omicron so far. They report that zero needed hospitalization.
The South African government is reporting a dramatic surge in new SARS2/Covid-19 cases but is finding that people generally have less severe symptoms. South African hospitals report that even when people seek hospitalization for SARS/Covid-19, the average stay has shrunk from 8.5 days (over the past 18 months) to only 2.5 days in recent weeks.
