What are the Omicron symptoms? Here's what we know so far

What are the Omicron symptoms? Hither's what we know so far

(Paradigm credit: nopparit)

Today, the Globe Health Organization (WHO) has urged people to cancel some holiday plans to protect public health, as the Omicron strain of the Coronavirus continues to spread across the globe. "An issue canceled is meliorate than a life canceled," said WHO head Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

In the US, Omicron is accounting for 73% of new infections, and President Joe Biden is expected to address the nation on Tuesday. Omicron is also the virtually dominant variant in the UK, where it is estimated to be doubling every 2.4 days in the southwest of the country. Only what are the symptoms of infection with the Omicron variant, and how is information technology different?

Health officials say it is currently too presently to tell whether the disease is milder with the Omicron variant, which was first detected in S Africa in Nov. Hither's what we know then far:

What are the symptoms of infection with the Omicron variant?

The most commonly reported symptoms of infection with Omicron are a lot more cold-similar than other variants of Coronavirus. In the Usa and UK, those infected accept reported having a:

Runny olfactory organ
Headache
Fatigue (either mild or severe)
Sneezing
Sore throat

In the Britain, Tim Spector, the atomic number 82 scientist backside the Zoe Covid Study app has been calling to the Regime to update the listing of Coronavirus symptoms, which has remained unchanged since the Delta variant. "We need to educate people, go dorsum to the basics, and say that if you lot've got cold-similar symptoms go on away from people. You shouldn't be waiting for the three classic symptoms" he said.

What practise we know about the Omicron variant?

The CDC has confirmed that information technology's still too soon to reply a lot of questions about the Omicron variant — "we don't yet know how easily it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, or how well available vaccines and medications piece of work against it."

We do know, withal, that the Omicron variant has more than thirty mutations to the virus' spike proteins. These proteins cover the outside of the virus and are the main targets of vaccines. Over the course of the pandemic, there accept already been a number of mutations of the virus, including the Delta variant. While near mutations won't affect how the virus operates, a few are thought to make Coronavrius more transmissible, and that is the concern with Omicron.

Is Omicron more contagious than other variants?

The CDC says information technology is likely that Omicron is more than contagious: "The Omicron variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and how easily Omicron spreads compared to Delta remains unknown. CDC expects that anyone with Omicron infection can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or don't have symptoms."

As reported by U.s. Today, the omicron variant multiplies 70 times faster in the homo bronchial tubes than the initial COVID-nineteen infection or the delta variant. This is according to a new study from the University of Hong Kong.

At the moment, more research is needed before conclusions can be made. Vaccines and face masks are the all-time protection, according to the CDC. Here'south everything you need to know about where to purchase rapid Covid exam kits, and where to purchase the all-time face up masks online.

Practice current vaccines work on the Omicron variant?

An analysis released on Dec 14 by Southward Africa's largest wellness care administrator found that 2 shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were 70 percentage constructive at protecting against hospitalization from the Omicron variant. This is less than the 90 percent protection confronting hospitalization the vaccine offered from the Delta variant. Vaccine creators accept said a third shot was the best fashion to neutralize the Omicron variant.

Researchers at the Regal Higher London besides constitute that Omicron largely evades amnesty from two vaccine doses or past infection. Researchers found the risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant to be 5.iv times greater than that of the Delta variant.

Pfizer has reported that those who took the initial ii-dose series were still vulnerable to being infected by omicron, according to a press release. But a 3rd booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine "increased the neutralizing antibody titers past 25-fold" that were able to fight the omicron variant.

Every bit reported by the Associated Press, Moderna has appear that its COVID-19 booster should offering protection against the omicron variant based on on initial lab tests. Moderna says that its one-half-dose booster shot increased the neutralizing antibiotic titers by 37-fold.

This is a chop-chop changing situation, and for upwards-to-engagement Coronavirus advice, consult the World Health Organisation, the CDC in the U.s., and the NHS in the UK.

Jane McGuire is Tom'south Guide'south Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fettle related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the by four years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets large enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll notice Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far as well many photos of her puppy.