Omicron, everything you know so far-Doha News

Known as the latest “variant of concern” for coronavirus (or SARS-CoV-2) Omicron (or B.1.1.529) was first identified by South African scientists on November 24th. It is believed to be more communicable than the previous Delta variant.Omicron so far 106 countries, WHO said.

Some scientists are also concerned that numerous mutations in mutants in pesplomers may help avoid vaccination. When Delta became the predominant variant, upper respiratory tract symptoms such as the common cold became more common, and taste and smell loss became less common than other variants. In the case of Omicron, some experts say the symptoms appear to be milder than Delta, while others say it’s too early to confirm. However, the consensus is that you need to be careful because the transmission speed will increase.

What are the most common symptoms of Omicron?

Dr. Angelique CoetzeThe South African doctor who first made the world aware of the existence of this variant states that muscle aches, malaise, itching in the throat, and night sweats are common symptoms of Omicron.

Early data released on December 16th COVID Symptom StudyHe said cold-like symptoms, run by health science firms Zoe and King’s College London, were most commonly reported by people with new Omicron variants.

According to the data, the top five symptoms reported by the Omicron infection app were runny nose, headache, malaise (mild or severe), sneezing, and sore throat.

Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s chief European officer, said that 89% of people with Omicron infection in Europe have symptoms common to other coronavirus variants, such as cough, sore throat, and fever. He said he had reported.

Figure: The most common symptoms of Omicron

Are the symptoms of Omicron mild or highly contagious?

Coetzee describes Omicron’s symptoms as “very, very mild” compared to delta-type symptoms. She also said that, unlike other varieties, patients did not report loss of smell or taste, and the new varieties did not have a significant decrease in oxygen levels.

A South African studiesAlthough not yet peer-reviewed, the authors suggest that hospitalization and the risk of serious illness in people infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant are reduced compared to those in Delta, some of which are authored. It is likely that this is due to high herd immunity.

However, researchers at Imperial College London (ICL) Have got Said“There is very limited data on hospitalization, but we do not find evidence of Omicron’s severity different from Delta (both risk of attendance at hospitalization and symptomatic status),” he added. Their study has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Experts are also concerned that the rate at which Omicron appears to spread offsets the decline in severity.

How long is Omicron’s incubation period?

Omicron takes less time for infected individuals to develop symptoms than previous variants, which can be from a full week to just a week. three days Less than.

Dr. Anita Gupta, anesthesiologist and emergency physician at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, said:

She added that the incubation period can be shorter or longer, depending on many variables, such as age, underlying health problems, and vaccination status.

How do you protect yourself and others?

Experts state that the symptoms of Omicron infection in vaccinated people can be even milder than in unvaccinated people, which can lead to missed cases.

Christina Marriott, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), said: , And the loss of odor.

“It is important for fully vaccinated people to be aware of cold-like symptoms and to test whether they live or work around people at high risk of illness.”

The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has released early unpeer-reviewed data from a study (Efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine against Omicron) Suggested that the first two inoculation courses will be offered Compared to the Delta strain, Omicron has less protection against mild disease.

However, we found that the booster regained some protection – giving an estimated 70% to 75% protection against mild illness from the new Omicron variant.

WHO advises on the following steps to protect yourself and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

• Get vaccinated
• Please wear a mask
• Maintain physical distance
• Ventilate the indoor space
• Maintain good hygiene
• Self-isolate if symptoms occur