All viruses constantly mutate, and these mutations result in new versions - or variants. Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) According to the NHS, the most common symptoms of coronavirus a . According to a May 2022 study published in the journal Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, compared to rates of smell and taste loss during the early phase of the pandemic in 2020 before variants were identified, chances of smell and taste loss were just 17% for Omicron, 44% for Delta, and 50% for the Alpha variant. "These may include cough, fever and fatigue," explained Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children's Hospital. As we learn more about Omicron, studies have started to identify the key symptoms of this variant, which are similar to those of a common cold, and suggest the incubation period for the virus - which may be shorter than previous variants. Experts across the globe have identified eight warning signs of Omicron and warned these are most likely to come on in the early stages of the illness. Overall, experts believe that the most robust protection is through vaccination and boosters, which means it's important "to not rely on natural immunity to be highly protective for Omicron," MacDonald said. Despite the official symptoms from the Government and the NHS remaining the same three they have been for the duration of the Covid pandemic, data is showing Omicron may have different symptoms and often more varied ones. Runny nose. Persistent pain or pressure in the chest. In the many months since that now-defunct version of the virus emerged, new variants have arrived to speed the timeline up. As cases have risen since then, the number of people likely to develop long covid will be higher. Is Paxlovid Still Effective Against New COVID Variants? The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 Symptoms: What To Know - Health For other inquiries, Contact Us. A study involving nearly 70,000 COVID-19 patients at Kaiser Permanente of Southern California found patients with omicron infections were less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19, and when they were, they had shorter hospital stays. That said, people can still become very ill and, in some cases, have died after contracting Omicron. People with a mild case of Covid are usually unwell for about a fortnight, and of course, have to self-isolate for 10 days after their symptoms start. The information in this story is accurate as of press time. By mild I mean mostly sore throat. However, ten days post diagnosis, the researchers were unable to culture any live virus from any of the samples, strongly indicating that none of the study participants would be infectious at that stage, even if the genetic material was detectable. Omicron is not making people as ill as previous variants, but the sheer volume of people testing positive is still forcing huge numbers to isolate. Muscle aches. Known as long Covid, this can persist for weeks or even months after you recover from acute illness, Dr Maragakis said. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Fever or chills. People with a mild case of Covid are usually unwell for about a fortnight, and of course, have to self-isolate for 10 days after testing positive. Here's what to know about the Omicron variant. Individuals infected with the variant have reported a wide range of symptoms, from nothing to seemingly every common cold symptom in the book. How soon symptoms occur is directly tied to when your immune system recognizes and responds to the virus, Dr. Adalja said. People may not test positive during these initial symptoms, simply because there isn't enough virus in the body to show up on a test (though there is enough to make you feel unwell), Dr. Adalja added. Again, everyone is different and will experience their own early symptoms, but these seem to be among the group reported be most patients. How COVID-19 spreads. 2022;0(0). headache. 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Using real-time PCR to detect virus is unable to conclude whether the viral genetic material detected actually comes from virus which is able to infect people, or dead or dying virus. Awareness of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection among adults with recent COVID-19 seropositivity. According to Dr. Adalja, Omicron's short incubation period may be influenced by built-up immunity from the past two years. more detail on self-isolation rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland here. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. Some have compared Omicrons symptoms to a common cold, with a scratchy throat and runny nose appearing among the most common symptoms. Breakthrough infections, too, are expected to occur with Omicron and its subvariants. Centers for Disease Control. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. This initially gave rise to concerns that existing vaccines might not be effective against Omicron. Dr. Arias credited increasing knowledge of the disease and experience treating COVID-19 patients, saying most patients don't progress to the ICU. Inability to wake or stay awake. Going by reports from cases in the UK, South Africa and US, these are common early warning signs of Omicron: Scratchy throat. Ryan Roach, CEO of South African health insurer Discovery Health, says anecdotal evidence suggests Omicron symptoms seem to come on within three days. Others include headaches, muscle aches, runny nose, sneezing, nausea and loss of appetite. And while Omicron may be somewhat milder, it spreads more easily than earlier variants, including the Delta variant. Omicron timeline: The core symptoms of the variant and how long they The BA.5 subvariant of Omicron dominated COVID-19 case counts in the U.S. in 2022. Experts have warned that omicron is triggering a "rather different" set of symptoms compared to previous variants. "This list is not all possible symptoms," the CDC states. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021;70:17821784. Omicron appears to be more like a cold for some people, with common reported symptoms including a sore throat, runny nose and a headache. However, with less hospitalised Covid patients, this may mean fewer people get long Covid in the Omicron wave, some experts say. With numerous previous SARS-CoV2 coronavirus variants, several studies have shown that in most people, a peak of infectiousness occurs before, or shortly after symptom onset. What are the most common symptoms of Omicron? ), told NPR. symptoms, raising further doubt about the CDC's decision to lower self-isolation time from 10 to 5 days. Omicron symptoms - Manchester Evening News And a third (33 per cent) are better in three days, compared to 15 per cent for Delta. In an article for John Hopkins Medicine, Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., senior director of infection prevention, said: Those with a mild case of Covid-19 usually recover in one to two weeks. Headache 68%. Omicron infection enhances Delta antibody immunity in vaccinated persons. Dr Maragakis said: Once symptoms appear, you have entered the acute stage. Asymptomatic infections are also common. Omicron and its subvariants have shorter incubation periods, which means it takes less time for symptoms to appear after exposure to the virus. While BA.5, like previous Omicron subvariants, seems to spread more easily than other COVID-19 variants, the symptoms have generally been milder and have a shorter duration of six to seven days. COVID-19 testing: What you need to know. 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That's mainly down to protection from booster vaccines and from previous infections. Charles Bronson is well known as Britains most notorious prisoner, How Wetherspoons keeps selling beer and breakfasts on the cheap explained in new Channel 5 documentary, Wetherspoons: How do they really do it? AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Biden had skin cancer lesion removed - White House. This progression could help health providers distinguish between COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. This means that in some areas, it may be detected more quickly than in others. Watch 4m 4s Lots of sore throat. "Omicron has the shortest incubation period that we've seen," infectious disease expert Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, told Health. 2 The team behind the ZOE app and others had been lobbying for some time to get the original list of three symptoms updated. There's still much unknown about long-haulers, or those who had COVID-19 and then experience persistent, recurring or reappearing symptoms four or more weeks after first being infected. "It's mostly that runny nose, sore throat and nasal congestion," John Vanchiere, MD, PhD, associate director of the Center for Emerging Viral Threats at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport (La. US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci reiterated that long Covid was a possibility regardless of the variant. You can get more detail on self-isolation rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland here. How long does Omicron last? When you are most contagious with Covid The 5 stages of an Omicron infection you need to know about To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Despite these often less severe symptoms and the potentially reduced symptom duration, it's still essential for those who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 to check in with a healthcare provider if they contract the virus. However, symptoms can take longer to appear, even up to 14 days after exposure, which is why if youve been exposed to the virus, you should either continue to test regularly (every day) or self-isolate for 10 days. However, many people are suffering from long covid, where unpleasant symptoms last for months. The five most common symptoms of Delta and Omicron are: runny nose. In some children, the symptoms of the Omicron variant are similar to cold symptoms, Dr. Ball says, but adds that COVID-19 symptoms are typically more severe than the usual stuffiness, runny nose, cough, and sore throat. 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Data from the ZOE Covid study predicted in December, 1,418 people a day would go on to experience symptoms for longer than 12 weeks. What Are the Symptoms of the Omicron Variant? - AARP Again, this is largely thanks to vaccines which have helped. Diabetes: The yellow drink that causes blood sugar to drop in minutes, Omicron symptoms change: The rotten symptom that could be Covid. The research team analyzed blood samples from 731 U.K. healthcare workers who received three doses of mRNA vaccine and had different SARS-CoV-2 infection histories, to investigate immunity against Omicron. Dr Maragakis explained what you can expect in the timeline of Covid illness. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, 'Trump or bust' - grassroots Republicans are still loyal. According to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can exit isolation five days after a positive test or the start of symptoms, so. He said: Long Covid can happen no matter what virus variant occurs. Why is the Omicron variant considered milder than the Delta variant? Symptoms of Omicron BA.5 variant The eight early warning symptoms of Omicron according to data from the UK, US and South Africa are: Scratchy throat Lower back pain Runny nose/congestion Headache Fatigue Sneezing Night sweats. "For severe cases, recovery can take six weeks or more, and there may be lasting damage to the heart, kidneys, lungs and brain," Dr. Maragakis said.