S.African doctor says patients with Omicron variant have "very mild" symptoms

[Tomconroy]

2. David Leonhardt, the NYT Covid maven, makes the point

Today that it isn't good science to expect the worst when a new variant is discovered. Viruses tend to mutate so they can flourish. That means they become more transmissible but less deadly. Otherwise they would die when they kill off their hosts.
He also made the point that for those under 65 and vaccinated being infected now with Covid is less dangerous than many other every day activities in life.