none of this is fucking true, this is a bog-standard BA.2 Omicron lineage (multiple sequences up on GISAID). as has been noted to death by many people incl. myself, this death rate is 100% a factor of a dismal elderly vax rate (<40% in 80+, <15% in RCHEs). twitter.com/COVIDnewsfast/…
The rise of a super-COVID is inevitable. We ignored everything we have learned in a 100 years of health care. Mish mash of inadequate vaccines and vaccine availability ensures high mutation variablity. Frankly until we were prepared to vaccinate all 7 bill no1 should have been.
According to comments on that tweet, vaccination rates in age 70+ (and esp. 80+) individuals are very low (even <40%), which is a bigger contributor to fatality rates than the variant differences. Lower usage of mRNA vax vs. Sinovac in said pop also factors in.
Um, it’s nothing to do with a new variant, and everything to do with HK’s failure to vaccinate its elderly, particularly those in aged care homes where the vaccination rate is around 15%.
Compare NZ to HK, both of which have BA.2 Omicron and a surge of cases.