Meanwhile we are seeing more Covid outbreaks in hospitals. We need to watch this because Omicron seems ridiculously catchable. Hospital workers need to be provided with upgraded masks asap. https://t.co/1ToOkGoXQl
10/18 pic.twitter.com/HFhXDae1SO

— Prof. Christina Pagel (@chrischirp) December 17, 2021

2) This similar faster hospitalization phenomenon is also seen in London hospitalization data too 👇 https://t.co/OaLFmHgXA3

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 17, 2021

NI #COVID19 data has been updated:

📊2,075 positive cases and sadly, 5 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

💉3,337,740 vaccines administered in total.

Vaccines ➡️ https://t.co/U3zWHYKxDs

The Covid-19 dashboard will be updated on Monday 20 December. pic.twitter.com/LHXIqAF0Jz

— Department of Health (@healthdpt) December 18, 2021

The @hpscireland has today been notified of 7,333* confirmed cases of #COVI19.

As of 8am today, 410 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 107 are in ICU.

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) December 18, 2021

First off: Things are moving incredibly fast with #omicron.
This timeline gives a good overview of how fast things happened in Denmark:https://t.co/e6K8Kqa6iq pic.twitter.com/Y4YzL8rJih

— Kai Kupferschmidt (@kakape) December 16, 2021

"the earliest Omicron cases in Denmark occurred before South Africa announced the emergence of this variant. These cases reported travel history from Qatar and the Netherlands, indicating that the variant might have spread from the African continent before this."

— Kai Kupferschmidt (@kakape) December 16, 2021

Authors see several reasons for concern:
"(i) the rapid spread shortly after introduction despite extensive contact tracing efforts
(ii) the occurrence of several superspreading events with high attack rates and
(iii) the high proportion of fully vaccinated Omicron cases"

— Kai Kupferschmidt (@kakape) December 16, 2021

And if you want some early data to pore over, the table on characteristics of #omicron cases to delta cases is an interesting start:https://t.co/rECX1DLtHZ

— Kai Kupferschmidt (@kakape) December 16, 2021

An interesting insight into Omicron from the party in Norway on 26 Nov where 74% of the 117 attendees in a 145 square meter room in a restaurant - became infected.https://t.co/g0T8ofJ5XW

Below also earlier comments on ⬆️risk of spread of Delta pic.twitter.com/uvpz8uNqAm

— InfoInThePublicInterest (@InfoInterest) December 16, 2021

Do I have this right: Omicron is ALOT more contagious than Delta, it replicates better in the upper resp tract (nose, throat) where we don't have mucusol immunity from vaccine. BUT, it doesnt replicate well in the lungs, so less severe symptoms. @Marc_Veld @sailorrooscout

— Hyacinth Bucket💉💉💉🇨🇦 (@bucketwoman0) December 15, 2021

https://t.co/AotZxVAnma

— Muge Cevik (@mugecevik) December 15, 2021

The only thing I am sure of is that omicron will spread so quickly through the population, making it likely impossible to contain even with the most stringent measures & giving us very little time over the next few weeks. So get your vaccines & boosters! https://t.co/NUGSb1ndT7

— Muge Cevik (@mugecevik) December 15, 2021

With all of this in mind, and based on Omicron’s transmissibility, YES, it WILL spread and it will spread QUICKLY. You do not want to be walking around with NO PROTECTION (AKA IMMUNE NAIVE). Get VACCINATED. GET BOOSTED. THIS is what makes the difference. https://t.co/FYo6nXYj2X pic.twitter.com/IG5qakUE05

— Chise 🧬🧫🦠💉 (@sailorrooscout) December 15, 2021

Another study supporting the findings out of HKUMed: https://t.co/BbP6WXhbCc. While Omicron does appear to have become more immune evasive, properties associated with disease progression MAY be attenuated to some extent. Lastly, as we are well aware, BOOSTERS can take on Omicron. pic.twitter.com/0CprFWZa7q

— Chise 🧬🧫🦠💉 (@sailorrooscout) December 18, 2021

This is like the underrated b side of the squid game tweet. For the true fans. Top tier tweet this

— Harry Monaghan (@harrymonaghan) December 18, 2021

Not getting covid 10 days before Christmas is our nation's Squid Game

— Bing Bong Merrily On High (@TheRstott) December 16, 2021

NI #COVID19 data has been updated:

📊1,798 positive cases and, sadly, 2 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

💉3,349,001 vaccines administered in total.

Vaccines ➡️ https://t.co/PLBxkrDJCp

The Covid-19 dashboard will be updated on Monday 20 December. pic.twitter.com/1ulxsGYFGl

— Department of Health (@healthdpt) December 19, 2021

Possible Omicron cases can be identified by the number of PCR results with ‘S gene target failure.’ Using this methodology, we estimate that 51.6% of reported cases are now due to the #Omicron variant.

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) December 19, 2021

NI #COVID19 data has been updated:

📊2,148 positive cases and sadly, 1 death has been reported in the past 24 hours.

💉3,364,925 vaccines administered in total.

Vaccines➡️https://t.co/Yfa0hHVmRL
Dashboard➡️https://t.co/WeZCwyPQnJ pic.twitter.com/qVFdrTyWdo

— Department of Health (@healthdpt) December 20, 2021

The @hpscireland has today been notified of 4,799* confirmed cases of #COVI19.

As of 8am today, 467 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 104 are in ICU.

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) December 20, 2021

School staff at more risk of catching COVID than any other workers .@INTOnews
.@astiunion .@TUIunion .@forsa_union_iehttps://t.co/emvXReY0Xd

— Dr. Mairéad De Búrca (@DrMaireadDB) December 20, 2021

500+ primary school age children are getting infected every day, none are vaccinated & 1/2 are not masked

3 days of school = 1,500+ more 5-12yo children, siblings & families isolating for Christmas

If 1/2 Omicron (doubling in 2 days) it’s 12,000+ extra Omicron cases by New Year https://t.co/F57foXMNSN

— Orla Hegarty (@Orla_Hegarty) December 20, 2021

I wonder about reported omicron propensity for upper airways compared to previous variants. Potentially better for adults (awaiting confirmation), worse for kids because of physiologically ‘narrow’ airways. Are presentations like croup?

— Ben Morton (@benjamesmorton) December 20, 2021