Encouraging new data suggests the omicron variant, while highly contagious, is less severe than the delta variant.

The variant has now been found in 21 states, as the U.S. continues to see 1,150 COVID deaths every day.

That’s up 57% from last week.

Health experts say the number one way to stay vigilant is to get vaccinated and boosted.

How severe is omicron? Expert says variant’s 50 mutations could be its downfall
Preliminary data out of South Africa is giving the world insight into how strong omicron really is. The South African Medical Research Council just reported this variant may cause less severe cases of COVID-19.

“Unvaccinated people in South Africa are going to the hospital, but they are not suffering a severe disease. They are not requiring oxygen. Their hospitals stay is about a third as long as it was with delta,” said Dr. Warner Greene, MD, PhD – Gladstone Institutes, Senior Investigator and Virologist.