What they’re saying: “Omicron would have to be very much milder than Delta, in order to avoid an increase in hospitalisations and deaths,” tweeted Meaghan Kall, one of the authors of the UK report.

“Remember, a small percentage of a big number is still a bigger number than we would like to see.”

What we’re watching: Only about 26% of vaccinated Americans have received a booster shot, and only 61% of the overall U.S. population is vaccinated, per the CDC.

If Omicron keeps spreading like it has been, that means U.S. case numbers are also about to skyrocket, save massive behavioral changes.