This particular subvariant is the most infectious of the Omicron collection of viruses, as the third iteration of Omicron that first began increasing breakthrough COVID-19 cases late last fall. "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. "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. Unlike COVID-19, a cold is usually . 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. More infections were driving a higher number of COVID-19 hospitalizations rather than more severe symptoms. These were: a persistent cough, runny nose, fatigue, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, fever and sneezing. Other people may have muscle aches, fever and chills. The omicron wave continues as reinfections become more common, with over 650 deaths reported on Aug. 2 and the daily average of COVID-19 related hospitalizations lingering around nearly 6,300, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. "The most reported symptoms of Omicron are really very much like a cold, especially in people who have been vaccinated," says Dr. Claire Steves of King's College London. Hundreds of Americans are still dying from COVID-19 each day. Its possible you have COVID-19 but took the test before the virus was detectable. Diarrhea was slightly more . Runny nose. Think you may have Omicron? Oklahoma COVID-19 cases, deaths, omicron variant, testing sites Its updated booster has 25 micrograms targeting the original strain, and 25 targeting the omicron subvariants. Further, 30 percent of patients with the Alpha variant (dominant in late 2020) experienced diarrhea. Again, everyone is different and will experience their own early symptoms, but these seem to be among the group reported be most patients. But if you're gonna do it once do it in five and I feel good about that.". Omicron BA.2 was the dominant . Omicron has blindsided the world: Here are the symptoms and - Fortune The Omicron variant has seen a change in symptoms being reported though. 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. So can other COVID-19 complaints like headache and muscle pain. If You've Never Had COVID Are You More Susceptible to Variants? 1. 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. COVID-19 Boosters Are Being Updated To Target Omicron SubvariantsHere's Why. Less severe symptoms may also be causing the new strains to spread faster. People should also be aware that diarrhoea is not just a possible symptom of Covid but also features in numerous medical conditions. Those who are unvaccinated, however, are experiencing similar symptoms to early on in the pandemic, Arwady said. In fact, the most common omicron variant symptoms so far include muscle aches, fatigue, scratchy throat and night sweats, which are not overly severe, as I wrote for the Deseret News. AARP Membership $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal. Antibodies From Vaccines vs. Antibodies From Natural Infection, How Vaccine Makers Are Tackling the Omicron Variant. Pfizer and BioNTech Submit for U.S. Emergency Use Authorization of 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. Rest assured: They're not expected to be much different from what you may have experienced with previous vaccine and booster doses. Other symptoms may show up with the newer strains, George Rutherford, MD, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco, told Health. Here's what to do if you think you have Omicron and when you might need to go to the hospital. Moderna's monovalent shot contains 50 micrograms of mRNA per dose targeting the original strain. "People have to understand, if they feel sick, we don't want them not coming to the emergency department because they're scared. Seek medical attention right away if the vaccine recipient has any of the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and throat, a fast heartbeat, a bad rash all over . Research published in April 2022 in The Lancet also found that . "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. You are just one step away from creating your watchlist! 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. "They may only feel like they have a cold," she said. What supplements should we really be taking? A passenger . Clinicians said many BA.5 symptoms are similar to those seen in previous variants, including congestion, headaches, cough and fever. Government officials are racing to collect new information on how current vaccines stack up in protecting Americans from the spread of BA.2.12.1, alongside its genetic characteristics that sets it apart from other SARS-CoV-2 viruses. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. It doesnt even make the list of the top five symptoms in the ongoing ZOE COVID Study, according to a Sept. 13 update. "Occasionally there can be nausea and diarrhea," Gulick said. 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 . 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 appears to cause milder symptoms than previous variantsespecially in fully vaccinated people. The CDC says to look for emergency warning signs for coronavirus. How Are the BA.4 and BA.5 Variants Different? 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. And will it take Utah for a wild ride?. pic.twitter.com/PcgVBYojKi. More true than ever right now because sick, even a little bit sick, until proven otherwise with a test - that's COVID. Diarrhea as a symptom of COVID-19 has significant consequences for public health. 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. Runny nose. Read on to learn more about the newest Omicron subvariant and its most common symptoms. Laura Hensley is an award-winning lifestyle journalist who has worked in some of the largest newsrooms in Canada. It'll just take a moment. The Omicron variant is the most transmissible variant to date for all age groups, including both adults and children. People who are mixing socially and those who are unvaccinated are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. More than 101.3 million people have received a COVID-19 booster dose. 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. Loss of appetite makes sense, too, if one of the main new symptoms is vomiting. Even those who have suffered from Delta and Alpha variants had also complained of this symptom. ", A Cleaning Expert Explains the Best Way to Clean Cloth Face Masks After You Wear Them Good Housekeeping, 35 Delicious Pantry Recipes That Use What's Already in Your Cabinets and Freezer Good Housekeeping, The Amish keep to themselves. 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 device monitors blood oxygen levels. COVID: 80% Omicron patients are complaining of this symptom According to the CDC, the most common symptoms of any variant of COVID-19 are: Fever or chills. "This list is not all possible symptoms," the CDC states. A single dose of Pfizer's monovalent vaccine contains 30 micrograms of mRNA targeting the original Covid strain. And theyre hiding a horrifying secret. 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. Since BA.4 and BA.5 have become the dominant strains, Dr. Wesley Long, an experimental pathologist at Houston Methodist Hospital,told CNNthat he has seen cases of reinfection. Diarrhea. Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 caused the vast majority of COVID-19 infections in 2022. Check with your local health center or testing site (find one oncovid.gov/tests) many are offering them for free. Once a classic sign of COVID-19 infection, loss of sense of smell or taste seems to be less common among patients getting sick with BA.4 and BA.5, Dr. Passaretti noted. AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content, Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles and special content. Those patients go on to develop symptomstwo or three days later, and then often find their symptoms startimprovingthree or four days after that. Wearing a mask is not really that hard; getting a vaccine and getting a booster is, for most people now, fairly accessible, she said. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. 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 . Kashif J. Piracha, MD, FACP, FASN, FNKF, is a practicing physician at Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. This is expected. If someone else in your household has tested positive or has symptoms, it's probably safe to assume you do, too. The experience of COVID diarrhea is very similar to how we feel sick from a regular stomach bug. These symptoms, also listed by the CDC, can make the omicron infection look like a common cold. "If you do have the option, please use the virtual ED type of models to speak to a provider who can give you some advice about whether you need to head in or not," she said. "If you're taking multiple at home tests, you know, the recommendation is five days later take a test. According to the CDC, symptoms of Covid-19 include fever, shortness of breath, cough, loss of taste or . Covid symptoms: Gastrointestinal signs possible link to Omicron 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. And ever since, vaccine and booster eligibility has only expanded. They may be all equally severe or present different . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who test positive for COVID-19 need . A simple swab of the nose can tell you whether you have COVID-19 in about 15 minutes. Omicron Variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Are Now Dominant in U.S. How Long Does Immunity From Omicron Last? Vaccination hesitancy and postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: Is it time to reconsider? What Are the Symptoms of Omicron BA.5? - Verywell Health Still, omicron appears to cause less severe illness than previous variants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes. Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing. As of Thursday, Ontario's COVID-19 test positivity rate is 29.2 per cent, while Quebec's health minister said the health-care system is missing about 20,000 workers who have been infected with or exposed to the virus. According to earlier CDC guidance, COVID symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus. Headache. He also says that on top of vaccines, its important people wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid indoor crowds whenever possible. Fever or chills. Lab tests show some falling way short of filtration standards. 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. "If any of these [symptoms] persist . "In children, Omicron can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses with symptoms including high fever, diarrhea, and vomiting, which may cause dehydration. And if you are sick, or suspect you could be sick, stay home. A stuffy nose was reported by 78%. Monitoring variant proportions. 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. AARP Membership - LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. 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 . Related articles Omicron variant symptoms: The 'surprise' sign . 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. If you're not vaccinated or boosted, I certainly have a much higher concern that you could get infected. We do not know about the clinical severity of BA.4 and BA.5 in comparison to our other Omicron subvariants, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing, per CNN. Both subvariants spread more quickly, maybe because people don't realize they are sick with the virus. "It is clear that the disproportionate share of infections are those that are weathered at home," she says. THE Omicron variant is bringing up a number of unusual symptoms as it spreads across the UK - one of those could be a nasty case of diarrhoea.