The omicron variant of the novel coronavirus was at least 40% deadlier than the seasonal flu, according to a new study from Japanese scientists.
What happened: The new study found that the fatality case rate for omicron in Japan was about 0.13%, Bloomberg reports.
- That’s lower than the 4.25% case fatality rate from early in the COVID-19 outbreak.
- The seasonal flu has a fatality rate of about 0.006% to 0.09%, the researchers said, according to Bloomberg.
Why it matters: Since its arrival, COVID-19 has often been compared to the seasonal flu due to the symptoms and how quickly it can spread.
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The bigger picture: The research comes as states across the country have started to lower mitigation efforts and mask mandates.
- In fact, close to 90% of the U.S. population can now ditch their masks because COVID-19 hospitalizations are so low across the country, according to new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- The U.S. currently has an average of about 59,000 COVID-19 cases reported per day, according to Axios,