Omicron Has 80% Lower Risk of Hospitalization, New Study Shows

Their data: From 1 October through 6 December 2021, 161,328 COVID-19 cases were reported nationally; 38,282 were tested using TaqPath PCR and 29,721 SGTF infections were identified.

Conclusion: Early analyses suggest a reduced risk of hospitalisation among SGTF [Omicron]-infected individuals when compared to non-SGTF infected individuals in the same time period, and a reduced risk of severe disease when compared to earlier Delta-infected individuals. Some of this reduction is likely a result of high population immunity.

Today across a range of digital media referring to different peer review input sources (imperial college in England, somewhere in Scotland, and now this one from South Africa) I've read 40%, 60% and now 80% - I think we can agree the number is still being refined, and probably reflects a range of pre vaccination, exposure, co-morbidity and societal differences

It is really important to note that this is a preprint, but it matches what is being anecdotally reported. Still, take it with a really good pinch of salt, but it's much better then the alternative world in which it had 80% higher change of hospitalization or death.