The last line of the conclusion from the study you linked to:

“ Omicron vaccine breakthrough infections did not show elevated IVTs compared to Delta, suggesting that other mechanisms than increase VL contribute to the high infectiousness of Omicron.”

Kinda important, that bit.

So here’s a study that focuses on Omicron shedding that would imply a longer period of isolation for a margin of safety:

“ Since December 3, 2021, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) and the Disease Control and Prevention Center within the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM/DCC) have jointly initiated an investigation on Omicron cases in collaboration with several medical facilities in Japan. Here, we examined the duration of infectious virus shedding in Omicron cases identified early in this investigation. A total of 83 respiratory specimens from 21 cases (19 vaccinees and 2 unvaccinated cases; 4 asymptomatic and 17 mild cases) were subjected to SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation tests. The date of specimen collection for diagnosis or symptom onset was defined as day 0. The amount of viral RNA was highest on 3-6 days after diagnosis or 3-6 days after symptom onset, and then gradually decreased over time, with a marked decrease after 10 days since diagnosis or symptom onset (Figure). The positive virus isolation results showed a similar trend as the viral RNA amount, and no infectious virus in the respiratory samples was detected after 10 days since diagnosis or symptom onset (Table). These findings suggest that vaccinated Omicron cases are unlikely to shed infectious virus 10 days after diagnosis or symptom onset.”

Active epidemiological investigation on SARS-CoV-2 infection caused by Omicron variant

Looks like 10 days may be a safer period but YMMV.

As far as “ Not much difference between Delta and Omicron variants. (my belief: more people have immunity)”, not sure what your referring to. It’s severity or transmissibility or both? The jury is pretty much in that it’s more transmissible. One only has to look at the time, numbers of infections and geographic spread.

My understanding of the differences with omicron is that it replicates better than previous variants in cells that have high ACE2. Earlier variants liked having ACE2+TMPRSS2. It replicates worse in cells that have low ACE2. Deep lung tissue has low ACE2. Hence it stays in the bronchial tree and doesn’t go lower, causing the covid pneumonia ventilation and deaths.

Seems like a lucky break with regard to fatalities but we got that there long covid to worry bout. I believe there’s other tissues in the body with high ACE2, no?
There’s some numbers out that show a % of asymptomatic cases go on to become long haulers let alone symptomatic cases. Or as a recent report from Finland has expressed:

“There is a threat that Finland will see the emergence of the largest, or one of the largest, new groups of chronic diseases, and that not only too many adults will suffer from a long-term COVID-19, but at worst also children,”

Long COVID could become Finland's largest chronic disease, warns minister

To me, long covid is the stalking horse in all this. What percentage of infections will result in debilitated lives? Guess we’re gunna find out. Sorta. The economic incentives will certainly be there to not look to hard in some quarters.

Last edited by chunkstyle; 01/13/22 06:47 PM.