Relaxation of Restrictions, Part XII *Read OP For Mod Warnings*

Yes, at the expense of the citizen and their freedoms.

For sure, but when do NPHET provide graphs such as the below.

This graph, provided by the COVID-19 NHS Situation Report, shows the number of COVID-19 hospitalisations in the UK driven by actual COVID-19 infection. In other words, patients who arrive in hospital for other reasons, such as a heart attack, but who are found to be positive for the virus (perhaps because they were asymptomatic) are excluded. This graph only concerns patients admitted to hospital because of COVID-19 viral complications.

As we can see, this is going down (until Dec 21) - as Delta is being superseded by Omicron (Delta viral hospitalisations peaking just before Nov. 16).

In other words, 80% are incidental COVID-19 cases, matching the 75% figure we have seen with South Africa.

This is very encouraging news, and it's the kind of objective, scientific evidence that should inform whether extreme restrictions are required (clearly, restrictions at this stage are an over-reaction).

Yet NPHET are unwilling to even address factors such as the above, let alone provide similar graphs for the situation in Ireland as present.

Of all hospitalisations throughout the UK, as of 24 December:

• 366 Omicron patients
• Total Omicron deaths to date: 29

Now, on 27 December, it's:

• 407 Omicron patients
• Total Omicron deaths to date: 39

On 29 December, it's 766 Omicron patients in hospital, out of a total of 8,200 patients in UK hospitals (9.3%).

Total Omicron deaths to date: 53

Divide the above figures by 13 to discover what Ireland-like figures might appear as.

Furthermore, the 53 patients who died are presumed to have had significant co-morbidities.

(note: the above figures are related to COVID-19 admissions / complications arising from Omicron disease - and not incidental findings).

Conclusion: the UK is not seeing a dramatic increase in Omicron hospitalisations due to viral disease.

I understand that this isn't the news that some would like to see, because they cling to the belief that Omicron would somehow invite the worst phase of the pandemic, but the facts are the facts - and these are the facts. Not only in the UK, but also replicated throughout South Africa and elsewhere.

In England (not the UK as a whole), only 20pc of so-called COVID-19 patient admissions is caused by viral complications.

The other 80pc are incidental findings, of patients who are presenting to the hospital with other conditions that have nothing to do with the virus.

So yes, we do often see graphs of hospitalisations increasing - as happens every time at this stage of the year. But it's simply disingenuous to associate that inevitable and unavoidable increase with Omicron COVID-19 admissions.

It's false, false, false!