The South African doctor who discovered Omicron, has reiterated that the new variant only causes ‘mild’ illness.
Dr Angelique Coetzee, the head of the South African Medical Association, says she understands the Plan B measures Boris Johnson is introducing but insists there is no need to plunge millions into lockdown again.
She added that the Omicron variant is mild.
“There’s no reason you can’t trust us when we say this to you.” Dr Angelique Coetzee said.
There were 1,239 new Omicron infections confirmed in the UK yesterday, Dec. 12 – a record daily figure, and almost double the previous high on Saturday.
Speaking to LBC, Dr Coetzee said all experts in South Africa would “tell you the same story”.
She said: “This is now our fourth week, there’s no reason you can’t trust us when we say to you ‘it’s mild disease’.
“We’re not saying there won’t be sick patients, we’re saying the majority is mild.
“There is no need to hospitalise any of these mild cases. These patients recover within about five days, whether you are a child or 80 years of age, whether you’ve been vaccinated, this is what we see.
