Over 80% commonly reported a cough, while 72% experienced a sore throat. Diarrhea; What is the COVID omicron variant? When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Since it emerged in November 2021, the Omicron COVID variant has completely changed the course of the pandemic. . 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. You are just one step away from creating your watchlist! Many are asking these questions as omicron cases surge nationwide and as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update their quarantine and isolation guidelines, which now differ depending on whether or not you have a symptomatic infection. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness, Accenture exec says, How this 39-year-old earns $26,000 a year in California. "If you want to be extra careful, you can do it at 10, but just with what we're seeing, I would consider you really in the clear. If youre unsure if you have a cold or COVID, get tested as soon as possible. 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. "The symptoms of the Omicron variant, which includes the BA.2 lineage, and the Delta variant, are similar," Erica Johnson, MD, . What You Need to Know About the Updated COVID-19 Boosters. If You've Never Had COVID Are You More Susceptible to Variants? "You will still be eligible for the upcoming fall booster that will have modifications to improve its effect against newer variants. "COVID-19 can be transmitted through poo . "COVID tends to present similarly, and [it] may vary from person to person, but the most common stuff we're seeing are fevers, congestion, [and] sore throat," Katie Passaretti, MD, vice president and enterprise chief epidemiologist with Atrium Health, told Health. 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. "They may only feel like they have a cold," she said. ; And how to prevent infection by the BA.2.12.1 strain. 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. For those without symptoms, CDC guidance states they are considered contagious at least two days before their positive test. Check with your local health center or testing site (find one oncovid.gov/tests) many are offering them for free. What kind of symptoms does this highly contagious variant present, you may wonder? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So can other COVID-19 complaints like headache and muscle pain. About 90% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, he said. As Gulick points out, getting booster shots is crucial. Previously she was a reporter and editor for WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. A recipient of a Gracie Award and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, she also participated in a dementia fellowship with the National Press Foundation. The CDC announced the first known case of the omicron variant in the United States on Dec. 1, days after its . You're only eligible for the new boosters if you've completed a primary vaccination series, meaning most people will have already received at least two doses ahead of time. The top symptoms with Omicron infections, according to a ZOE study, are . 2021;34(10):666-668. doi:10.1089/vim.2021.0126. 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. Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea or diarrhea. Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone. The symptoms that arise from a case of COVID-19 caused by the now-dominant omicron strain known as BA.5 don't seem to differ from those caused by its parent variant or any of the other omicron offshoots, experts say. Infected people may then go to work or other gatherings and spread the virus. In the fall of 2022, experts weren't sure how severely the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants would affect the U.S. population. It does indeed seem that BA.2.12.1 is more easily transmissible than earlier strains of Omicron SARS-CoV-2, as experts have established it is about 25% more transmissible than "stealth" Omicron, or about 75% more transmissible than original Omicron strains that impacted the 2021 winter holiday season. So far, research shows that its more transmissible and causes less severe disease than earlier variants, like Delta. We want them to seek the appropriate medical care," she said. More than 101.3 million people have received a COVID-19 booster dose. Here's a full list of known, potential COVID-19 symptoms for any individual, according to the CDC: Cough. In many parts of Canada, it can be extremely difficult to get access to PCR testing to determine if you have COVID and that's if you meet the criteria. Those shots were never released to the public, because BA.1 was quickly surpassed by other omicron subvariants but their design is extremely similar to the shots now available at pharmacies and clinics nationwide. Here are things you can do | CBC Radio Loaded. That said, lots of different factors can affect the severity of symptoms, the CDC says, and vaccination status is one of them. In both clinical trials, the most commonly reported side effects within seven days of receiving the shot were: That's a familiar list: It's the same group of side effects that came with the original formulations. Runny nose. Fatigue. "The Coronavirus Self-Checker is an interactive clinical assessment tool that will assist individuals ages 13 and older, and parents and caregivers of children ages 2 to 12 on deciding when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they or someone they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19," the CDC's website reads. Its updated booster has 25 micrograms targeting the original strain, and 25 targeting the omicron subvariants. Oops! Add some good to your morning and evening. BA.5 alone was responsible for 81% of cases in October 2022. "So if you're feeling at all under the weather, please make sure that you get a test, make . 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. Headache. List of omicron variant symptoms. How to Protect Against the Omicron Variant, Expect new treatments, more testing and additional variants, Using letters of the alphabet simplifies tracking, Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term -43% off the standard annual rate, Access exclusive discounts, programs, & services, Double down with a FREE second membership. This is expected. "Occasionally there can be nausea and diarrhea," Gulick said. Taking those steps will really help. Arwady's comments echo those of other medical experts who are watching omicron cases. But health experts have noted a few differences between the omicron family and its predecessors. New . 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). Dont have insurance? The potential for the virus to be transmitted via the fecal-oral route presents additional challenges for areas . "I've told my own staff this, it's what I do myself if you are sick, even a little bit sick, stay home. For instance, some studies report that loss of taste and smell once a telltale sign of COVID-19 occurs less often in omicron infections. The South African doctor who was the first to detect the COVID-19 omicron variant, Angelique Coetzee, described most of the symptoms as "extremely mild" when alerting people what to look out . Symptoms of loss of taste and smell are related to COVID, so if you develop symptoms and are at high-risk, then definitely get tested since there is now treatment for early disease, Gulick said. . That would still be considered a mild infection it could be a more significant illness, but just not severe enough to end up in the hospital.. He also says that on top of vaccines, its important people wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid indoor crowds whenever possible. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. How Many Times Can You Get Reinfected With the Same COVID Variant? Will a U.S. COVID-19 vaccine maker be able to stay in business? 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 . Babcock says Omicron hasnt been around long enough yet to have a good sense of whether it is different from earlier variants when it comes to the likelihood of lingering symptoms. Symptoms to watch for and when to seek hospital care. "[There are] adults who have had fevers of almost 40 degrees Centigrade [104 degrees Fahrenheit]," Dr. Rutherford told Health. They may be all equally severe or present different . Sofonea MT, Roquebert B, Foulongne V, et al. As with the symptoms themselves, it was too early as of September 2022 to tell just how severely the variants might affect patients. Nausea. 5, 2022. Read our. The same concept held true during the last round of booster shots. 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. Loss of appetite makes sense, too, if one of the main new symptoms is vomiting. Starting the medications right away can significantly reduce your risks for being hospitalized with COVID-19. Join AARP for just $9 per yearwhen you sign up for a 5-year term. Redness and swelling at the injection site. The body's milder response to a BA.4 or BA.5 infection means people may not realize they have it and can spread it. What Are Symptoms of BA.4 and BA.5 Variants? According to earlier CDC guidance, COVID symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus. "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. Knowing the signs of Covid-19 is crucial to monitoring your own symptoms, or lack thereof. "[It's] harder to detect because people are like, 'I just have allergies. Headache. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Some people may never experience symptoms, though they can still spread the virus. Cosmopolitan, Sign up for Yahoo Lifes daily newsletter, how current vaccines stack up in protecting Americans, yet to receive a recommended third booster vaccine, Women who had ovarian cysts share their stories, A sugar replacement may be linked to heart attacks and strokes, but don't throw it out yet. Seventy-four percent reported fatigue. So, an increase in the number of children affected is expected. The device monitors blood oxygen levels. A new variant of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), B.1.1.529 (Omicron) ( 1 ), was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by South Africa on November 24, 2021. Definitely, ideally, you'd be seeking out that test at five and I would do it again, you know, at the seven, potentially at that 10. 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. "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. "That's good because they're not getting seriously sick, they're not threatening the healthcare system, but it's certainly of some concern because they do have the potential to transmit to others.". Those patients go on to develop symptomstwo or three days later, and then often find their symptoms startimprovingthree or four days after that. "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. Persistent pain or pressure in the chest. Any combination, and varying levels of severity, of the following symptoms may be triggered by an Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection. Also known as "stealth" Omicron, BA.2 is the dominant strain in the U.S., sparking new questions. 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. 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. Tweet. An 85-year Harvard study found the No. The virus can infect some cells in a patient's gastrointestinal tract, which would lead to stomach issues like diarrhea, Dr. Pekosz .