Did Woody Harrelson promote a COVID-19 anti-vaccine theory on Saturday Night Live? 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. When Can More People Get a Second COVID Booster? The Washington State Department of Health reported on Jan. 26 that 60 percent of Omicron patients reported having a headache, making it one of the most-common symptoms of the variant. What we are finding with the omicron variant is that people are having symptoms that are similar to a common cold, which is what the vaccination does by changing a severe disease to a milder infection. 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. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. Omicron appears to cause milder symptoms than previous variantsespecially in fully vaccinated people. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. If you experience diarrhea with COVID-19, you are not alone. Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 caused the vast majority of COVID-19 infections in 2022. 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While vaccines reduced the impact of Omicron, they themselves were impacted: studies have shown that vaccine effectiveness against infection, disease, hospitalization and death waned (though at different rates) over time. Copyright HT Digital Streams Limited All rights reserved. Clinicians said many BA.5 symptoms are similar to those seen in previous variants, including congestion, headaches, cough and fever. "You will still be eligible for the upcoming fall booster that will have modifications to improve its effect against newer variants. 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. Predict the closing value of sensex and win free subscription. A U.K. study of around 750,000 people found recently that the top five symptoms for both the Delta and Omicron variants are currently a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and a sore throat . 8. 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. "COVID-19 can be transmitted through poo . "Rapid diagnosis, early diagnosis, and treatment is the way to go," Dr. Rutherford said. Hospitalization rates have decreased dramatically since their peak in January, but still, thousands of individuals are still being admitted daily for COVID-19 and the vast majority of them are older Americans. Headache. 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. Is your N95-style mask failing you? Aside from classic Covid-19 symptoms, according to Dr. Singh, some of the distinguishing symptoms of the Omicron variant are: runny nose. Sign up now:Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletter, Get Make It newsletters delivered to your inbox, Learn more about the world of CNBC Make It, 2023 CNBC LLC. Occasionally there can be nausea and diarrhea, Gulick said. Babcock says that new data shows that people who were vaccinated and got infected with a previous variant of the virus had a much lower risk of long COVID than unvaccinated people who got infected. Get a FREE subscription to AARP The Magazine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who test positive for COVID-19 need . Another consideration: Shortly after omicron burst on the scene, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized twoantiviral medicationsthat can help keep a mild infection from progressing to a serious one. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sore throat. 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. She recommends taking ibuprofen (also known by the brand name Advil) or acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol), or cold and flu medication that includes those painkillers. . 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. CDC recommends the first COVID-19 booster. Fever. Diarrhea. again. As Gulick points out, getting booster shots is crucial. Also, opt for outdoor activities over indoor ones, and if transmission rates are high in your area, weara maskin indoor public places. Those symptoms include sore throat, runny nose, aches and pains, a dry cough, fever, nausea and diarrhea. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. She's the deputy medical director of the emergency departments at the University Health Network in Toronto. Further, 30 percent of patients with the Alpha variant (dominant in late 2020) experienced diarrhea. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Fatigue. Over 80% commonly reported a cough, while 72% experienced a sore throat. Oughton is mindful many places across Canada may be experiencing cold weather, so open windows may be a limited solution. I have seen some cases of reinfection with people who had a BA.2 variant in the last few months, he added. Others include headaches, muscle aches, runny nose, sneezing, nausea and loss of appetite. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). 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 . More than 1 million prescriptions for these antiviral pills were filled at pharmacies between Dec. 23, 2021, and May 21, 2022,a CDC report shows. O'Connor says that some people with greater medical riskare being sent home from UHN hospitals with home oxygen monitors, also known as pulse oximeters. This means people are at a higher risk of reinfection. Omicron-positive patients suffer from gut-related problems like Nausea, Diarrhoea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Heartburn and Bloating Stay warm and drink plenty of liquids, says Dr. O'Connor. It doesnt even make the list of the top five symptoms in the ongoing ZOE COVID Study, according to a Sept. 13 update. . For some, symptoms last as much as 10 to 14 days. Others experience no symptoms at all. Rachel Nania writes about health care and health policy for AARP. All Rights Reserved, These 5 symptoms are the most common in omicron, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. So can other COVID-19 complaints like headache and muscle pain. "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.". "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. Some people may experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. "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. If you're still wearing a single-ply cloth mask, it won't offer you enough protection and it's time to search out something better. It is one of the most common symptoms of the disease. Nausea. Digestive symptoms sometimes develop before a fever and respiratory symptoms. Some of the other symptoms experienced are "very similar to the other coronaviruses such as febrile illness and respiratory symptoms." "Patients can also have gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, and loss of taste or loss of . Hundreds of Americans are still dying from COVID-19 each day. Text Size. 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. Research published in April 2022 in The Lancet also found that . Loss of smell or taste. COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in the U.S., driven by an uptick in infections caused by the BA.2.12.1 subvariant most of which may not be diagnosed as early as possible due to a lack of testing, explains Sachin Nagrani, M.D., medical director at care provider Heal. Though more people were in the hospital in 2022, the number of deaths nationwide plateaued from April to September 2022, according to the CDC. Dr. Oughton says other warning signs include persistent fever that lasts at least two days, if not more, and heart palpitations. 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. Children tend to have more gastrointestinal symptoms, such as . Moreover, though they tend to cause less severe infections as compared to their predecessors, some symptoms seem to be common. As with the symptoms themselves, it was too early as of September 2022 to tell just how severely the variants might affect patients. In this article, you'll learn: Common symptoms associated with the BA.2.12.1 strain; a full list of potential COVID-19 symptoms; Does the latest Omicron subvariant spread faster than others? The Omicron variant is so transmissible and so widespread across Canadathat it's likely that you know someone who has it right now, or you have it yourself. However, protection against hospitalization and death have remained high, preventing millions of people from dying, WHO pointed out, Download the Mint app and read premium stories. COVID-19 might cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea either alone or with other COVID-19 symptoms. Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing. The most common Omicron symptoms include cough, fatigue, and a runny nose, according to health officials in the US and Europe. Chills. While health officials didn't know as of September 2022 how they might affect the population, the good news is that symptoms don't seem to be that much different or worse than with Omicron or other types of COVID-19. This is expected. And Will I Need It Again? Other people may have muscle aches, fever . Even those who have suffered from Delta and Alpha variants had also complained of this symptom. Staring at a negative result, even with symptoms raging? 2. For . The Omicron coronavirus variant is very transmissible, making it likely you or someone you know will catch it. 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 . In Pfizer and Moderna's clinical trials for the BA.1 shots, participants who were already fully vaccinated with a booster shot received an updated booster dose. Mild or severe fatigue. Diarrhea, a common symptom for earlier variants, may turn up. "This has to do with data from the CDC that really showed after seven days there's virtually no risk of transmission at this point," Arwady said. Early infection symptoms that are commonly being noted with these particular infections may have something to do with that, explains Dr. Huang. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea have been COVID symptoms since the initial COVID struck and may still strike you. "The vaccines will most likely remain effective with BA.2.12.1, as they were intended to prevent severe COVID and hospitalization but not for preventing infection [outright].". World health leaders are warning that omicron, the new COVID variant discovered in November, could cause "severe consequences. "This variant is about 25% more contagious than the original Omicron variant that entered the U.S. last fall seemingly accounting for about 40% of current cases," she tells Good Housekeeping. "We just don't have any data on this [yet], essentially giving two vaccines in one shot but biologically, I just wouldn't expect the side effects, severity or the safety profile of the shots to be different from the current mRNA vaccines and boosters," Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and member of an independent advisory group to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, tells CNBC Make It. In earlier variants, infection caused more harm to the lungs. If you do have access to a rapid test, test yourself a day or so after a suspected exposure, and don't assume that your negative result means you're in the clear. Inability to wake or stay awake. Loss of appetite makes sense, too, if one of the main new symptoms is vomiting. The evidence so far, according to Poehling, is anecdotal and not based on scientific research. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. "I've told my own staff this, it's what I do myself if you are sick, even a little bit sick, stay home. Joint pain. Omicron BA.5 May Increase the Risk of Outdoor TransmissionHere's How to Stay Safe. But at 92 per cent, we'd be wanting you to come in for further examination," she said. "This list is not all possible symptoms," the CDC states. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This is why getting booster shots, as well as flu shots, masking, and getting tested remain important, he says. They do spread more quickly, however. Those who are boosted and vaccinated, or those who are fully vaccinated and not yet eligible for a booster shot, do not need to quarantine, but should wear masks for 10 days and also get tested five days after the exposure, unless they are experiencing symptoms. AARP Membership $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal. 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. Viral Immunology. Stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines and avoid poorly ventilated areas. And what are some of the first signs of an infection? . The CDC announced the first known case of the omicron variant in the United States on Dec. 1, days after its . 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. Some may also experience changes in taste or smell." Some of the most specific available data on Omicron symptoms comes from the U.K. Zoe COVID Study App . By the time omicron arrived near the end of 2021, we had a more highly vaccinated population, says Laraine Washer, M.D., an infectious disease physician at University of Michigan. Think you may have Omicron? How the Pandemic Will Be Different in 2022, Be sure to check the date on the box before you test yourself, Why COVID-19 Variants Have Greek Names, AARP Prescription Discounts provided by Optum Rx, Free Rx discount card for use at over 66,000 pharmacies nationwide, AARP Online Fitness powered by LIFT session, Customized workouts designed around your goals and schedule, SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS. Sometimes a fever. A simple swab of the nose can tell you whether you have COVID-19 in about 15 minutes. Free online workshop! A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Omicron appears to be continuing the trend set by Delta. Sofonea MT, Roquebert B, Foulongne V, et al. A passenger . The device monitors blood oxygen levels. Tweet. According to data corralled by officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the viral subvariant which has yet to earn an informal nickname, but scientists have labeled BA.2.12.1 has been linked to 43% of total COVID-19 cases in the U.S., which is a major jump from the 7% it was accounting for back in early April. Fake customer care numbers are thriving in India. "So, staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines provides the best protection against severe outcomes.". Again, everyone is different and will experience their own early symptoms, but these seem to be among the group reported be most patients. Knowing the signs of Covid-19 is crucial to monitoring your own symptoms, or lack thereof. They also examined clinical trial data on earlier versions of bivalent boosters targeting omicron's BA.1 subvariant. Fatigue. You need to be cautiouseven though for most people who are vaccinated with a booster, they will likely experience only a mild disease," he said. According to the CDC, symptoms of Covid-19 include fever, shortness of breath, cough, loss of taste or . While vaccine immunity helps lower the severity of infection, it doesnt offer complete protection. "People said, 'It's the worst sore throat I've ever had.' Roughly 26% of participants experienced a mild or moderate headache, while only 0.3% experienced a severe one. "Occasionally there can be nausea and diarrhea," Gulick said. 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). Diarrhea was slightly more . Can Omicron symptoms be distinguished from Delta symptoms? @CDCgov is prepared to quickly identify any new variant & evaluate the public health impact.Updated variant proportions. When To Get Boosted After Having a COVID-19 Breakthrough Infection, CDC recommends the first COVID-19 booster, Trends in number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the US reported to the CDC, by state/territory. 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. Only 54% had a fever. Wearing a mask is not really that hard; getting a vaccine and getting a booster is, for most people now, fairly accessible, she said. Listen. However, the CDC notes this list is not exhaustive, and people might experience different symptoms or combinations of symptoms . The newer subvariants have the ability to evade immunity from vaccines or prior infections, or both, perthe Deseret News. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the most common symptoms of BA.5 are: Fever. Severe chest pains and worsening or severe shortness of breath are signs you should head to the hospital. How to prevent infection by the BA.2.12.1 subvariant: With previous coronavirus strains like Delta, the . The omicron variant has now been identified in at least 32 states, and experts believe it will become the dominant strain in the U.S. . ", "Even if it's a sore throat, no matter what it is," she said. Cough. 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. Of those, 220.2 million are fully vaccinated. "It is highly anticipated that a more targeted vaccine to current variants will be needed for the fall.". Tiredness. "We have also crossed the grim milestone of 1 million American lives lost to COVID.". The CDC urges those who have or may have COVID-19 to watch for emergency warning signs and seek medical care immediately if they experience symptoms including: "This list is not all possible symptoms," the CDC states. . Omicron Variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Are Now Dominant in U.S. How Long Does Immunity From Omicron Last? 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. The CDC . New COVID Variants May Fuel a Winter SurgeWhat to Know About BQ.1, XBB, and Others, Omicron Infection Timeline: When Symptoms Start and How Long They Last, BA.2.75 Is the Newest Omicron SubvariantHere's What We Know So Far. Some symptoms of Omicron infection include fever, dry cough, runny nose, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhea. 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. Vaccination hesitancy and postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: Is it time to reconsider? "We should keep our eyes wide open to what side effects and adverse events might occur, and still keep in mind that this is a new product," Offit says. The COVID-19 Omicron variant and common flu: Symptoms and treatment . Here's what to do if you think you have Omicron and when you might need to go to the hospital. What To Know About the First Updated COVID-19 Booster, Omicron vs. Delta: How the 2 COVID-19 Variants Compare. stuffy nose. 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. The best way to prevent getting sick is to ensure you're up-to-date on your COVID vaccinations, including any recommended boosters (even if that means seeking out another vaccine brand manufacturer). "It was really surprising, a lot of these sick patients that I was seeing, their oxygen saturations were extremely low and they just realized how short of breath they were when they came in.". For those patients with asthma who are having a wheeze with this, we may prescribe puffers for them to help out," she said. 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. We continue to see new variants, and their different lineages and sublineages, emerge & disappear as they compete against each other. Standout omicron symptoms are primarily respiratory. 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. Together, the evidence shows a potential roadmap for the side effects you can expect after getting one of the new boosters, and how severe those side effects might be. Keep checking this story for updates on vaccination rates, latest data updates of new cases and the omicron variant, along with local and national headlines.Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in OklahomaThe Oklahoma State Department of Health announced it will no longer release daily COVID-19 situation updates as it moves toward the . Both experts and public health officers seem to have noted that the BA.2.12.1 variant may be triggering mild breakthrough cases that don't prompt sick individuals to think about signing up for a COVID-19 test. Fatigue or body aches . . Inability to wake or stay awake. It found five symptoms were the most common: Over 80% commonly reported a cough, while 72% experienced a sore throat. That said, lots of different factors can affect the severity of symptoms, the CDC says, and vaccination status is one of them. Finally, dont forget all the preventive efforts that can help you dodge an omicron infection in the first place. In a White House press briefing, Dr. Walensky noted that people still need to be vigilant in staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. "They may only feel like they have a cold," she said. Still, for those who are vaccinated and boosted but are still looking to be cautious, Arwady said an additional test at seven days could help. If you're not vaccinated or boosted, I certainly have a much higher concern that you could get infected. Still, CDC data showed the most common symptoms so far are cough, fatigue, congestion and a runny nose. Flashback: Gastrointestinal symptoms have been mentioned as possible symptoms before. 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. AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content, Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles and special content. What should you do if you think you have Omicron? This may be the sniffles or a scratchy throat, some mild fatigue, fever, aches. congestion or runny nose. 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. Previously common symptoms such as shortness of breath, fever and loss of smell fell down the rankings. While the research continues to evolve, so far, it shows that vaccinated people are less likely to go on and have long COVID. Unlike previous versions, Omicron symptoms are mild in fully vaccinated people. 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. Those looking to get tested after exposure should do so five days after the exposure or if they begin experiencing, the CDC recommends. Be sure to check with your pharmacist if you are taking other medications that those painkillers might interfere with. "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. Monitoring variant proportions. In the world of infectious disease and epidemiology, mild doesnt always mean sniffles; the marker of a mild disease is whether or not people end up in the hospital. 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. 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. For healthy people with two or three doses of vaccine the symptoms are fairly mild and tend to be over within a few days from when people tested positive, says Dr. Erin O'Connor. Remove some to bookmark this image. Anyone exhibiting symptoms should get tested for COVID-19. Dont have insurance? "Often the sore throat is the kind of [first] symptom, and then the rest kind of come on.". Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription toAARP The Magazine. We are also still learning about long COVID. Sore throat. "The symptoms of the Omicron variant, which includes the BA.2 lineage, and the Delta variant, are similar," Erica Johnson, MD, . Coronavirus or Cold Symptoms: How Do They Compare? If you know or think you've got Omicron, stay home. "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. Are Symptoms of BA.4 and BA.5 More Severe? Oops! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. And theyre hiding a horrifying secret. sore throat. Omicron BA.2 was the dominant . Any of these symptoms in any order may appear within two to 14 days after being exposed to SARS-CoV-2.

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