The Project host Hamish McDonald admits Omicron variant is 'scaring the hell out of me' – here's the expert theory that's got him rattled
- The Project host said new expert theory on Omicron is 'scaring the hell out of me'
- Leading epidemiologist revealed why she thought variant was so transmissable
- Ability of the spike to hook onto mucus will put people at risk of airborne spread
- Rattled host Hamish McDonald appeared visibly put out by sobering information
A host of The Project has admitted he's rattled over Omicron after a leading epidemiologist laid out a sobering theory the variant is set to explode across the country.
Network Ten's Hamish McDonald admitted to both his co-hosts and viewers at home on Wednesday that Professor Mary-Louise McLaws' explanation about the virus was 'scaring the hell out of him'.
Panellist Rachel Corbett had asked Professor McLaws to share the strangest thing she had learned about the new variant during her research.
Prof. McLaws explained why Omicron appears to be so much more transmissable than previous strains of Covid-19.
Professor Mary-Louise McLaws explained why Omicron appears to be more transmissable than previous strains of Covid-19 while appearing on The Project on Wednesday night
'One of the things I find quite remarkable is the theory that Omicron has the ability to 'charge' the spike; to have positive and negative charges,' Professor McLaws said.
If that is the case, people will spread the virus while talking, laughing or singing and cause the spike to hook onto mucus and remain in the air with other particles.
'Potentially, we're more at risk of airborne spread, and that will be problematic. That's why I'm saying to people, please socialise outside, in case this is true,' she said.
'Thanks for scaring the hell out of me, Mary-Louise,' a concerned Macdonald replied.
The epidemiologist went on to say she didn't think Christmas festivities needed to be cancelled in the face of surging case numbers.
Prof McClaws instead encouraged residents to celebrate 'safely'.
Host Hamish McDonald (pictured) admitted to both his co-hosts and viewers at home that her theory about the Omicron variant was 'scaring the hell out of him'
'Make sure you've had your booster shot, wear your mask when shopping for Christmas presents, and try to socialise outside as much as possible,' she said.
The epidemiologist revealed hospitalisation rates would follow the same pattern as rising case numbers in about two weeks time, as seen in other parts of the world.
'We will see it the more cases we get, it's just pure maths,' Prof. McClaws said.
'The UK and Norway and Denmark will be able to teach us a lot about whether we'll see more people going into hospital.'
The expert was also quizzed on the words of NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, who said NSW could be seeing 25,000 daily cases by January.
Mr Hazzard said the reproductive rate of the virus was more than 1.5, with infection numbers close to doubling every two to three days.
'The simple maths...is by the end of January we could be looking at 25,000 cases every single day,' he said referencing modelling from the University of NSW during a press conference on Wednesday.
The leading epidemiologist said hospitalisation rates would follow the same pattern as rising case numbers in about two weeks time (pictured, beach-goers at Bondi on Wednesday)
