Some slightly reassuring news amid all the dark times is that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is the primary reason for the current surge, is not pushing up hospitalisations to an alarming degree.

Having said that, first up, we would like to clarify though that one agrees with and must adhere to all the warnings. The Omicron is COVID, it is not a cold, and must be treated as such. It is ‘mild’ for some, but mild is a relative term. It may be ‘mild’ but cannot be taken or treated ‘mildly’ or ‘lightly’. Finally, this is a situation in flux and things can change quickly all the time.