THE Omicron variant is continuing to spread – with symptoms that you might have not expected.
Omicron is now the most dominant Covid strain in the US, and the numbers are still rising.
According to experts, the new variant is showing symptoms of vomiting and loss of appetite – symptoms that didn’t appear with the Delta variant.
The UK-based Zoe Covid Study analyzes people’s experiences with Covid through an app where the British public upload their symptoms. The app has shown that loss of appetite has been a common symptom in the new infection.
Tim Spector, a professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College in London, recently told the Daily Express in the UK that nausea has been listed by many Omicron patients.
“Quite a few of them had nausea, slight temperature, sore throats, and headaches,” said Spector.
The most common Omicron variant symptoms resemble other Covid symptoms.
The symptoms, which have been less severe than previous strains, include fatigue, muscle aches, and scratchy throat. The loss of taste and smell is less common in this newer strain.
Expert studies have shown that the risk of severe illness from Covid-19 is reduced by 90 percent or more among people who are fully vaccinated.
While there are breakthrough cases of Covid among people who are vaccinated, they are rare.
In the event of a breakthrough case, victims are highly unlikely to be hospitalized with severe or deadly symptoms from the virus.
Health officials have advised that the Omicron variant is more infectious and could lead to further breakthrough cases.
Yet the spread can be offset by all vaccinated Americans receiving a booster shot.
Current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant.
With other variants, like Delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death.
Studies have also shown that side effects from the vaccine are extremely rare.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
According to research so far, Omicron appears to produce milder illness than the Delta variant did – especially for vaccinated people.
Studies show that the hospitalization risk for Omicron is halved. However, this new variant is more easily spread than the other Covid variants have been.
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Omicron also has familiar symptoms because the new variant contains genetic code from the common cold, according to Reuters.
However, some disease experts are warning that the new symptoms of vomiting and loss of appetite may not be scientifically sound.
“Anecdotal reports represent just one person,” said Dr Bruce Y Lee, a professor of health policy and management at the City University of New York School of Public Health. “We have to take them with a grain of salt.”
The first symptoms of Omicron that you should never ignore include headaches, lower back pain, and night sweats. A lesser known symptom of Omicron is skin rashes.
Doctors recommend that if you’re experiencing this Covid symptom, you should seek emergency help.
