Risk for severe illness stemming from this particular subvariant applies to those who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, or those who have had an incomplete vaccination series as well as those who have yet to receive a recommended third booster vaccine. This is why getting booster shots, as well as flu shots, masking, and getting tested remain important, he says. These were: a persistent cough, runny nose, fatigue, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, fever and sneezing. Runny or stuffy nose. The updated booster shots contain the same number of micrograms, with 15 targeting the original strain and the other 15 targeting BA.4 and BA.5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Until more people have been sick with BA.4 and BA.5 longer, it will be hard to pinpoint the specifics of these symptoms, Dr. Rutherford said. A resident receives a Covid-19 booster shot at a vaccine clinic inside Trinity Evangelic Lutheran Church in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, U.S, on Tuesday, Apr. New confusion. As COVID cases surge, how to know omicron symptoms vs. common cold - Yahoo! If you know or think you've got Omicron, stay home. The incubation period for Omicron is shorter compared to previous variants, and is about three days, saysOughton, an infectious diseases specialist at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. "Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.". When Can More People Get a Second COVID Booster? Omicron BA.2 symptoms: Feel acute pain in stomach? Here's how to - mint Omicron has been circulating in the U.S. for just about a year now, and in that time, researchers have learned more about the variant, including the symptoms it can cause. Half of them didnt offer the level of protection theyre supposed to. Johnson and Campbell note that there have been some reports of higher rates of upper respiratory tract symptoms with omicron, including sore throat and nasal congestion. The Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 strains of COVID-19 became the most common forms of the COVID-19 virus in the U.S. in 2022. Omicron appears to cause milder symptoms than previous variantsespecially in fully vaccinated people. 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. This abandoned high school was converted into a 31-unit apartment building, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, now available at pharmacies and clinics nationwide, held true during the last round of booster shots, Redness and swelling at the injection site. The CDC recommends getting the flu shot before theend of October; adults 65 and older should ask forthe high-dose version. Like the other Omicron strains that have been dominant in the U.S. since December 2021, experts say BA.4 and BA.5 mainly cause cold-like symptoms and respiratory or breathing issues. Are Symptoms of BA.4 and BA.5 More Severe? Only 54% had a fever. 4 most common symptoms of omicron variant - Becker's Hospital Review According to Reuters, Dr. Angelique Coetzee, a private practitioner and chair of South African Medical Association, said on Sunday that symptoms of the omicron variant were so far mild and could . 2022. doi:10.1101/2021.12.31.21268583, Arnold CG, Monte AA, Littlefield K, Vest A, Palmer BE. The omicron variant mostly affects the throat, therefore, most of the symptoms associated with this variant are upper respiratory problems. If you're thinking of getting an omicron-specific Covid booster shot, you might be wondering what its side effects are and how severe they might be. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Once a classic sign of COVID-19 infection, loss of sense of smell or taste seems to be less common among patients getting sick with BA.4 and BA.5, Dr. Passaretti noted. And if you are sick, or suspect you could be sick, stay home. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page. Also, opt for outdoor activities over indoor ones, and if transmission rates are high in your area, weara maskin indoor public places. Fever. Arwady said testing is likely not necessary after seven days following exposure for those who are vaccinated and boosted. 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. The Omicron Variant of COVID-19 - WebMD (Shilpa Thakur) Patients often get COVID diarrhea after being infected with Delta or Omicron . By Laura Hensley Moderna's trial found that nearly 59% of participants experienced fatigue, but only about 4% experienced that at a Grade 3 level, which is defined as significant fatigue that prevents daily activity. Seek medical attention right away if the vaccine recipient has any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and throat, a fast heartbeat, a bad rash all over . "So, staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines provides the best protection against severe outcomes.". We are also still learning about long COVID. A person is also considered contagious before symptoms appear. "If you do have the option, please use the virtual ED type of models to speak to a provider who can give you some advice about whether you need to head in or not," she said. It's also important to remember that COVID-19 affects everyone differently. "Preliminary data from studies in Beijing and South Africa have signaled what is expected; new variants and subvariants may be more likely to cause reinfection in an individual who was previously infected with an old variant," Dr. Nagrani explains. 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. Surefire Signs Omicron is in Your Body Eat This Not That Morris said symptoms indicative of pneumonia or respiratory failure, like shortness of breath, chest pain, cough tend to show up later, between day five and 10. Fake customer care numbers are thriving in India. But at 92 per cent, we'd be wanting you to come in for further examination," she said. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Loss of appetite. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For instance, some studies report that loss of taste and smell once a telltale sign of COVID-19 occurs less often in omicron infections. These symptoms are a sign that the omicron variant's symptoms are unpredictable. Intelligence agencies have mixed opinions. . Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. It found five symptoms were the most common: Over 80% commonly reported a cough, while 72% experienced a sore throat. If your test comes back positive, ask your doctor if youre eligible for a COVID-19 treatment, such as one of the new antivirals even if your symptoms are mild. You can still be confident going in, he says just don't be 100% sure what to expect. ", As of May 9, 258.2 million people have received at least one dose of a #COVID19 vaccine. Omicron BA.2 was the dominant . In the case of gastrointestinal illness, a doctor should be consulted, and a test should be administered immediately. The evidence so far, according to Poehling, is anecdotal and not based on scientific research. "And in that five-to-seven-day window, you know, there's some depending on whether people have been vaccinated, underlying conditions, etc., but the risk drops a lot and the feeling is that in the general population, combined with masking, etc. "I think that people [are] having a very hard time wrapping their head around how much that Omicron has changed the rules of the game and how we have to change how we handle it in terms of our own individual risks, as well as our behaviour within a society," said Dr. Matthew Oughton, in an interview with Dr. Brian Goldman, host of CBC podcast The Dose. Diarrhea. Moderna's monovalent shot contains 50 micrograms of mRNA per dose targeting the original strain. "If you use the cloth mask as an overlay over top of a surgical mask or a medical mask that sort of improves the quality of the fit on your face,"saidOughton. Standout omicron symptoms are primarily respiratory. As Gulick points out, getting booster shots is crucial. You are now subscribed to our newsletters. Still, omicron appears to cause less severe illness than previous variants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes. In a September 2022 news release, the CDC also recommended updated booster shots that contain proteins targeting the variants for people ages 12 and older. Rapid antigen tests may be just as hard to find. And like COVID-19, the influenza vaccine can help prevent serious flu complications from ever occurring. Because omicron symptoms can be mistaken for the common cold or flu, doctors urge anyone experiencing them to isolate until symptoms subside. Lesser known symptoms of the Omicron variant | khou.com . And when comparing rates of smell and taste loss during the earlier phases of the pandemic to more recent variant waves, researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University found thatthe chances of the symptom occurringwere 17 percent for omicron, 44 percent for delta and 50 percent for the alpha variant. Omicron BA.5 May Increase the Risk of Outdoor TransmissionHere's How to Stay Safe. Side effect data isn't available yet because the new boosters were approved by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before fully completing their clinical trials. COVID symptoms: How to tell when to get tested - The Palm Beach Post Will a U.S. COVID-19 vaccine maker be able to stay in business? How to prevent infection by the BA.2.12.1 subvariant: She's the deputy medical director of the emergency departments at the University Health Network in Toronto. How Are the BA.4 and BA.5 Variants Different? Mayo Clinic expert discusses the latest on omicron variant. Previously common symptoms such as shortness of breath, fever and loss of smell fell down the rankings. All Rights Reserved, These 5 symptoms are the most common in omicron, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. What supplements should we really be taking? The symptom that tells you you've caught omicron This is expected. If someone else in your household has tested positive or has symptoms, it's probably safe to assume you do, too. "We aren't seeing at this point in timealthough we continue to monitor closelya steep increase in our number of ICU stays or deaths from COVID," Dr. Passaretti said. Is your N95-style mask failing you? Arwady's comments echo those of other medical experts who are watching omicron cases. Omicron Symptoms Mostly Mild or Asymptomatic in US, Europe: Officials AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content, Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles and special content. Find a COVID-19 vaccine or booster near you: https://t.co/xbvNiaVJKV. Night sweats, another symptom cited by a doctor at a media briefing in South Africa early in the country's Omicron wave, has been touted by tabloids as "a telltale sign which only happens at night . A stuffy nose was reported by 78%. ", As of May 9, 2022, national forecasts predict 90010,200 new #COVID19 hospitalizations will likely be reported on June 3. A study conducted by researchers in Norway, following an omicron outbreak in November 2021, interviewed over a hundred individuals, with 89% vaccinated but not boosted. More: https://t.co/Xys80ZGlxV. A sore throat and hoarse voice may also be more common among people infected with omicron, compared with delta, researchers in the U.K. discovered. Omicron-positive patients suffer from gut-related problems like Nausea, Diarrhoea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Heartburn and Bloating In fact, the most common omicron variant symptoms so far include muscle aches, fatigue, scratchy throat and night sweats, which are not overly severe, as I wrote for the Deseret News. "COVID-19 can be transmitted through poo . What To Know About the First Updated COVID-19 Booster, Omicron vs. Delta: How the 2 COVID-19 Variants Compare. 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. How Many Times Can You Get Reinfected With the Same COVID Variant? pic.twitter.com/PcgVBYojKi. She notes they can also be purchased online. But if your oxygen levels drop and you start to feel dizzy or short of breath, you may need to get treatment for COVID-19 at a hospital. For those patients with asthma who are having a wheeze with this, we may prescribe puffers for them to help out," she said. Some people may never experience symptoms, though they can still spread the virus. Omicron Symptoms: Here's What to Watch For After COVID Exposure Read on to learn more about the newest Omicron subvariant and its most common symptoms. It is one of the most common symptoms of the disease. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try Taking those steps will really help. Another option to consider if you test negative for COVID-19 but feel ill is a flu test, Washer says, since there are also treatments specific to this illness that can help you feel better. They've often been associated with those who are feeling mild COVID-19 symptoms, including children, according to Insider. Most reports indicate that even the latest Omicron subvariant doesn't lead to severe symptoms in breakthrough cases, nor a spike in hospitalizations or death outright. "It is highly anticipated that a more targeted vaccine to current variants will be needed for the fall.". Testing, if you suspect you have COVID, can help curb spread and protect others. As with the symptoms themselves, it was too early as of September 2022 to tell just how severely the variants might affect patients.