在4月6日国务院联防联控机制新闻发布会上，有记者就奥密克戎危害性提问。北京大学第一医院感染疾病科主任王贵强表示，“奥密克戎危害性远远高于所谓的流感，尤其对于未接种疫苗或没有全程接种疫苗的老年人。”
Despite being weaker than previous COVID-19 variants, Omicron is still much deadlier than flu, especially for those who are not fully vaccinated, experts said on Wednesday.
他以香港疫情为例，称“香港特区数据显示目前有110多万感染者，死亡8000多例，总的病死率是0.7%，病死率0.7%远高于流感的病死率。”
The overall COVID-19 mortality rate in Hong Kong is about 0.7 percent, significantly higher than that of the seasonal flu, Wang Guiqiang, director of the Infectious Diseases Department at the Peking University First Hospital, said at a press conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council on Wednesday.
王贵强指出，香港疫情数据给我们一个非常重要的提示，疫苗接种与否与病死率关系密切。从香港病死人群数据看，没有接种疫苗的病死率是3.2%，接种一针的病死率0.96%，接种两针的病死率是0.14%，接种三针的病死率0.03%。从这个数据来看，三针疫苗接种可以有效降低奥密克戎感染后的病死率。
"A great hint the data of Hong Kong gave us is that the patient"s death rate is closely related to their vaccination status," emphasized Wang, saying that "the mortality rate in Hong Kong could fall from 3.2 percent to 0.96 percent if the patients receive one dose of vaccine. The death rate will further be reduced to 0.14 percent with two doses and 0.03 percent with three doses of vaccine."
王贵强表示，目前，我国流行的奥密克戎毒株从整体来看，无症状感染者和轻型病例比较高。一方面是因为奥密克戎本身毒株毒力相对有所下降，上呼吸道感染为主，下呼吸道感染比较少，肺炎发生率比较低。另一方面，是因为目前疫苗接种的本底之下，疫苗接种人群重症比例明显是低的。第三是主动核酸筛查，很多病人是在潜伏期发现的，所以无症状感染者比例相对是高的。此外年轻人、青壮年感染奥密克戎毒株后无症状感染者和轻型病例比较高。
对此王贵强表示，目前仍不能麻痹大意，一方面，要采取积极有效的防控策略。另一方面，一定要积极推动疫苗接种，加强疫苗接种力度，尤其是老年人、有基础病的。老年人要积极接种疫苗，尤其是加强免疫，第三针的接种至关重要。
Wang urged the elderly and those with underlying health conditions to get vaccinated and especially take a booster shot to truly reduce the ferocity of Omicron.
