Sure Signs You May Have Omicron, Say Experts - Eat This Not That Reuters. Trends in number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the US reported to the CDC, by state/territory. Aside from classic Covid-19 symptoms, according to Dr. Singh, some of the distinguishing symptoms of the Omicron variant are: runny nose. "Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you." Oklahoma COVID-19 cases, deaths, omicron variant, testing sites "If you are eligible for the additional booster this spring, please get it to receive additional protection against both mild and severe disease," Dr. Huang advises. Any combination, and varying levels of severity, of the following symptoms may be triggered by an Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection. Individuals over the age of 50 or those considered to be clinically immunocompromised are encouraged to seek out a second booster dose of an mRNA vaccine now to keep infection risks low. diarrhea. Headache. Its updated booster has 25 micrograms targeting the original strain, and 25 targeting the omicron subvariants. The BA.1 trials only tested a few hundred people, which is a relatively small sample size compared to the thousands of Americans set to receive the new BA.5 doses, Offit notes. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. medRxiv. Arwady said testing is likely not necessary after seven days following exposure for those who are vaccinated and boosted. You can treat the milder symptomscough, sore throat, runny noseat home. Peter Gulick, DO, an associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, told Verywell that the symptoms of Omicron mainly remain in the upper respiratory tract and can include a sore throat, congestion, runny nose and headache. "We know that vaccine effectiveness against severe disease and death remains high for other Omicron [types] and likely also for BA.4 and 5," Walensky said. "Many patients we're seeing are actually testing positive before they have symptoms, so they're testing positive on a rapid antigen," she said. "Often the sore throat is the kind of [first] symptom, and then the rest kind of come on.". Diarrhea. Those who are unvaccinated, however, are experiencing similar symptoms to early on in the pandemic, Arwady said. Symptoms of Omicron infection may be different, too. Vaccination hesitancy and postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: Is it time to reconsider? In earlier variants, infection caused more harm to the lungs. Muscle or body aches. Those symptoms include sore throat, runny nose, aches and pains, a dry cough, fever, nausea and diarrhea. Omicron Symptoms: Here's What to Watch For After COVID Exposure And if you are sick, or suspect you could be sick, stay home. Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. New Covid Boosters Were Released Before Human TestingBut Experts Say They're Still Safe, What to Know About COVID Reinfections as BA.5 Cases Continue to Rise, What You Should Know About BA.2, a SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant. She noted also that these symptoms may only reflect certain populations. From the symptoms to how it spreads, everything about this variant was different from its predecessors. And for the most part, that seems to hold true with omicron and its subvariants, including thenow-dominant BA.5. nausea or vomiting. iStock. What Are the Symptoms of Omicron? - Verywell Health The top symptoms with Omicron infections, according to a ZOE study, are . "Especially in people who we're seeing these more mild breakthrough infections, we are definitely seeing sore throat be a predictor in that group," Arwady said. Think you may have Omicron? Here are things you can do Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. KOCO 5 is keeping you updated on the COVID-19 pandemic in Oklahoma. Nearly 70% experienced a headache. This is likely how BA.2.12.1 is spreading quite rapidly; in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut alone, the viral subvariant is tied to upwards of 70% of new infections alone, per recent reports. Standout omicron symptoms are primarily respiratory. ", As of May 9, 258.2 million people have received at least one dose of a #COVID19 vaccine. Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness, Accenture exec says, How this 39-year-old earns $26,000 a year in California. The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, became one of the dominant strains of the virus in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. At that time, it was the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. An associate practitioner administers a coronavirus vaccine at Elland Road in Leeds . "At the moment, we don't have medications that we can prescribe that someone can take at home. 3 Main Symptoms of the Omicron Covid-19 Variant - Men's Health Cold-like symptoms - including a runny nose, sore throat and persistent sneezing - became more common, along with a headache and cough, particularly in people who had been vaccinated. . He said that symptoms such as runny nose, cough, headaches, and muscle aches remain the most common across different variants. Some other lesser known symptoms include vomiting, lack of appetite, nausea and diarrhea according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Laura Hensley is an award-winning lifestyle journalist who has worked in some of the largest newsrooms in Canada. Some symptoms of Omicron infection include fever, dry cough, runny nose, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhea. The new shots have the same dosage amounts as the original vaccines, which further suggests that their safety profiles could be similar, Offit says. Read our, Experts Explain How COVID-19 May Be Causing New Cases of Diabetes, Too Soon to Tell If Omicron Will Create More Long COVID, What You Need to Know About the XBB.1.5 'Kraken' Variant. ", "Even if it's a sore throat, no matter what it is," she said. Surefire Signs Omicron is in Your Body Eat This Not That Omicron estimated to be 95.4% of coronavirus variants in U.S. - CDC, From Delta to Omicron: Analysing the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in France using variant-specific screening tests (September 1 to December 18, 2021). "Occasionally there can be nausea and diarrhea," Gulick said. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. As of September 2022, BA.4 and BA.5 had been infecting large numbers of people for only a few months, making it difficult to confirm these slight differences in symptoms beyond what doctors were seeing. That's great data because it shows that vaccination is protective, not just against getting infected and ending up in the hospital and dyingall of which are really good benefitsbut also, your risk of getting long COVID is much lower if you are vaccinated, she said. congestion or runny nose. Copyright 2022 HT Digital Streams Ltd All Right Reserved. Unlike COVID-19, a cold is usually . Aria Bendix and Hilary Brueck. So far, research shows that its more transmissible and causes less severe disease than earlier variants, like Delta. Nasal congestion/stuffy nose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who test positive for COVID-19 need . 5, 2022. Finally, dont forget all the preventive efforts that can help you dodge an omicron infection in the first place. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. The best masks are N95s or equivalents, such as Canadian-made FN95 masks, as well as KN95s and KF94s. Because these symptoms can easily be mistaken for a common cold, especially during a time when travel restrictions are being lifted, many choose not to seek out a COVID-19 test initially until other symptoms present later down the road. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The U.S. CDC has highlighted the variety of Covid symptoms that have been reported, noting "anyone can have mild to severe symptoms" that may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus . For those patients with asthma who are having a wheeze with this, we may prescribe puffers for them to help out," she said. Laura Hensley is an award-winning lifestyle journalist who has worked in some of the largest newsrooms in Canada. If You've Never Had COVID Are You More Susceptible to Variants? Taking those steps will really help. "If you have the luxury of a living arrangement where you can have your own sleeping quarters and bathroom and ideally, sort of a sectioned off area of the house, I guess that's ideal," saidOughton. Infected people may then go to work or other gatherings and spread the virus. 4 most common symptoms of omicron variant - Becker's Hospital Review Arwady said that now, those who are fully vaccinated aren't necessarily getting "seriously ill and having fevers for days and difficult breathing," but are instead experiencing a more mild illness. Headache. Sofonea MT, Roquebert B, Foulongne V, et al. Though more people were in the hospital in 2022, the number of deaths nationwide plateaued from April to September 2022, according to the CDC. Some of the symptoms that one may experience in the stomach are - abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, and diarrhoea, rather than breathing issues, coughing, fever, etc. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Still, CDC data showed the most common symptoms so far are cough, fatigue, congestion and a runny nose. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Listen. Omicron BA.5 May Increase the Risk of Outdoor TransmissionHere's How to Stay Safe. "I think if you're being extra careful there, if you wanted to test again, you know, at seven even, sometimes people look at three to get an earlier sense of things. Diarrhea; What is the COVID omicron variant? If you have the symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection, "right now the chances that it's Omicron are very, very high," said Oughton. COVID-19 Boosters Are Being Updated To Target Omicron SubvariantsHere's Why. This is why getting booster shots, as well as flu shots, masking, and getting tested remain important, he says. And while many people who have come down with an omicron infection dodged serious COVID-19 complications, its important to note that omicron is not mild for everyone. AARP Membership $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal. In case you contract COVID, diarrhea can hit you on the first day of your infection and might increase in intensity during the first week of illness. The federal agencies based their approvals off several other pieces of safety data, including evidence from the original Covid vaccines the updated formulations are merely a tweak to those originals and lab data on the shots' BA.5 element in mice. The evidence so far, according to Poehling, is anecdotal and not based on scientific research. You can still be confident going in, he says just don't be 100% sure what to expect. The COVID-19 Omicron variant and common flu: Symptoms and treatment . Omicron Symptoms and Treatment: What to Know - Anschutz Medical Campus A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. How can I tell if I have asymptomatic Covid? - Vox In fact, when comparing variants, there are usually more symptom similarities than there are differences, says Scott Roberts, M.D., assistant professor and associate medical director of infection prevention at Yale School of Medicine.