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 . She repeated earlier calls for people who have any flu- or cold-like symptoms to assume they have COVID "until proven otherwise. AARP Membership LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. Early infection symptoms that are commonly being noted with these particular infections may have something to do with that, explains Dr. Huang. When Can More People Get a Second COVID Booster? Of those, 220.2 million are fully vaccinated. The same concept held true during the last round of booster shots. "But we are certainly seeing an increase in cases in the community, and that's spilling over to more patients admitted with COVID.". 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. 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. Tweet. Also, opt for outdoor activities over indoor ones, and if transmission rates are high in your area, weara maskin indoor public places. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Will a U.S. COVID-19 vaccine maker be able to stay in business? You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. The device monitors blood oxygen levels. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the most common symptoms of BA.5 are: Omicron and its subvariants are highly contagious theyre even known for reinfecting people who recently got over COVID-19. That said, lots of different factors can affect the severity of symptoms, the CDC says, and vaccination status is one of them. Omicron symptoms overlap with typical cold symptoms, so it's very important to get tested if you have cold-like symptoms. Loss of smell or taste. 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. Diarrhea. A passenger . Anyone exhibiting symptoms should get tested for COVID-19. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea have been COVID symptoms since the initial COVID struck and may still strike you. By Laura Hensley What supplements should we really be taking? "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. 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. 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. O'Connor says that many emergency departments across Canada are offering virtual consultations, and she suggests people try that first before coming to hospital. At Atrium Health hospitals, where Dr. Passarettti works, hospitalizations due to the BA.5 variant spiked in mid-2022. Many of the common omicron variant symptoms resemble other COVID-19 symptoms. Vomiting. Unlike previous versions, Omicron symptoms are mild in fully vaccinated people. 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. Those who are fully up-to-date on their shots are at less risk of mild infection, Dr. Huang stresses; but they are not impervious to getting sick, even if it's a second COVID-19 sickness. Knowing the signs of Covid-19 is crucial to monitoring your own symptoms, or lack thereof. . If you've been exposed to someone with the virus or have COVID-19 symptoms and are waiting for a . When we let our guards down and skip out on booster appointments or throw away masks, we are giving the virus more opportunities to spread. Text Size. Others include headaches, muscle aches, runny nose, sneezing, nausea and loss of appetite. 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. More: https://t.co/Xys80ZGlxV. Staring at a negative result, even with symptoms raging? The virus can infect some cells in a patient's gastrointestinal tract, which would lead to stomach issues like diarrhea, Dr. Pekosz . They also reported that having diarrhea as a COVID symptom was found to be linked to a greater risk of hospitalization, especially among people who also experienced abdominal pain and unusual muscle pain. What You Need to Know About the Updated COVID-19 Boosters. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. "Rapid diagnosis, early diagnosis, and treatment is the way to go," Dr. Rutherford said. 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. 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. "Sometimes they don't realize how short of breath they are until it's too late, particularly in younger patients," she said. Moderna's monovalent shot contains 50 micrograms of mRNA per dose targeting the original strain. Omicron appears to be continuing the trend set by Delta. Individuals over the age of 50 or those considered to be clinically immunocompromised are encouraged to seek out a second booster dose of an mRNA vaccine now to keep infection risks low. She notes they can also be purchased online. You are now subscribed to our newsletters. The CDC . Peter Gulick, DO, an associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, told Verywell that the symptoms of Omicron mainly remain in the upper respiratory tract and can include a sore throat, congestion, runny nose and headache. Other people may have muscle aches, fever and chills. Stay warm and drink plenty of liquids, says Dr. O'Connor. "If you're taking multiple at home tests, you know, the recommendation is five days later take a test. The variant is shattering case records and sending test positivity rates soaring. "It can drop a little bit lower than that and still be safe. 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. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Banerjee A. Omicron estimated to be 95.4% of coronavirus variants in U.S. - CDC. "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. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who test positive for COVID-19 need . Emergency care for COVID-19 symptoms. again. In earlier variants, infection caused more harm to the lungs. @CDCgov is prepared to quickly identify any new variant & evaluate the public health impact.Updated variant proportions. Sore, scratchy throat . I'm going to work,'" Dr. Passaretti said. Trends in number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the US reported to the CDC, by state/territory. Individuals with Medicare can get up to eight free tests a month, and many private insurance plans also cover them. 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. Cough. Pfizer's trial found that about 52% of participants that received the BA.1 shot experienced mild pain at the injection site, 8% experienced moderate pain and only 0.3% experienced severe pain. 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. 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. In the case of gastrointestinal illness, a doctor should be consulted, and a test should be administered immediately. 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. iStock. nausea or vomiting. sore throat. Rapid antigen tests may be just as hard to find. Fever. If someone else in your household has tested positive or has symptoms, it's probably safe to assume you do, too. Sofonea MT, Roquebert B, Foulongne V, et al. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. If You've Never Had COVID Are You More Susceptible to Variants? Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. 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. Here are things you can do | CBC Radio Loaded. 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. Sore throat. Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone. 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 . It found five symptoms were the most common: These symptoms, also listed by the CDC, can make the omicron infection look like a common cold. WATCH |CBC's Marketplace has tips on how to spot counterfeit masks: In the meantime, you can adapt existing masks for better protection to filter particles in the environment. Inability to wake or stay awake. Fatigue. 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. Here's a full list of known, potential COVID-19 symptoms for any individual, according to the CDC: Cough. What should you do if you think you have Omicron? Tiredness. 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. Standout omicron symptoms are primarily respiratory. For some, symptoms last as much as 10 to 14 days. A Division of NBC Universal. Wearing a mask is not really that hard; getting a vaccine and getting a booster is, for most people now, fairly accessible, she said. And for the most part, that seems to hold true with omicron and its subvariants, including thenow-dominant BA.5. Roughly 26% of participants experienced a mild or moderate headache, while only 0.3% experienced a severe one. Be sure to check with your pharmacist if you are taking other medications that those painkillers might interfere with. 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. Only 54% had a fever. Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea or diarrhea. The bigger picture: These symptoms are a sign that the omicron variant's symptoms are . BA.5 alone was responsible for 81% of cases in October 2022. Some of the symptoms that one may experience in the stomach are - abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, and diarrhoea, rather than breathing issues, coughing, fever, etc. Half of them didnt offer the level of protection theyre supposed to. "If you have the luxury of a living arrangement where you can have your own sleeping quarters and bathroom and ideally, sort of a sectioned off area of the house, I guess that's ideal," saidOughton. The quick spread of BA.4 and BA.5 sets them apart from other Omicron strains. "But of course, that's really not the reality for many, maybe even most Canadians who are facing this.". Can Omicron symptoms be distinguished from Delta symptoms? 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. Theirstudy, published inThe Lancet, also suggests that brain fog and dizziness are less prevalent in omicron cases. Masks are also still an important part of COVID-19 prevention; especially if you or someone you live with is considered high risk for severe complications, or are currently at risk for severe disease. However, many of the more common Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 symptoms are not severe, and you can often treat them at home. Though more people were in the hospital in 2022, the number of deaths nationwide plateaued from April to September 2022, according to the CDC. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Diarrhea. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try But health experts have noted a few differences between the omicron family and its predecessors. All Rights Reserved, These 5 symptoms are the most common in omicron, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. An associate practitioner administers a coronavirus vaccine at Elland Road in Leeds . According to the CDC, symptoms of Covid-19 include fever, shortness of breath, cough, loss of taste or . 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. We also need to keep in mind the true definition of mild, Hilary Babcock, MD, a professor of medicine who specializes in prevention of infection transmission at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, told Verywell. The Omicron variant has seen a change in symptoms being reported though. New . Muscle or body aches. And will it take Utah for a wild ride?. Scientists with the COVID Symptom Study have been tracking symptoms associated with newly diagnosed COVID cases since early in the pandemic. You are just one step away from creating your watchlist! pic.twitter.com/PcgVBYojKi. Stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines and avoid poorly ventilated areas. muscle aches, lethargy, and even on some occasions diarrhea and nausea, he said. 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. 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. Gulick says people who are over 65 years old, those who are immunocompromised, and those with comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, can still get seriously ill. Further, 30 percent of patients with the Alpha variant (dominant in late 2020) experienced diarrhea. A PCR test (short for polymerase chain reaction), administered at doctors offices or testing sites, can also confirm your suspicions. Seventy-four percent reported fatigue. If you're not vaccinated or boosted, I certainly have a much higher concern that you could get infected. Every new COVID-19 variant raises questions about how the symptoms from a new type might affect our health, and the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants are no different. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Published Jan 4, 2022. 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. People who are mixing socially and those who are unvaccinated are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Some other lesser known symptoms include vomiting, lack of appetite, nausea and diarrhea according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Add some good to your morning and evening. But for the most part, most symptoms Rutherford was aware of were respiratory. The good news is that overall, Omicron is milder than Delta in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, Gulick says. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More true than ever right now because sick, even a little bit sick, until proven otherwise with a test - that's COVID. Even now, for people who haven't gotten vaccinated, they can still benefit from vaccination.. Congestion or runny nose. Still, symptoms don't seem to be much different than for Omicron or other types of COVID-19 infection. Laura Hensley is an award-winning lifestyle journalist who has worked in some of the largest newsrooms in Canada. Occasionally there can be nausea and diarrhea, Gulick said. 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.