Top 5 Omicron questions answered: Symptoms, reinfection, peak in India
Omicron has already created a panic-like situation in the country. This latest Covid variant is spreading at a high transmission rate. This morning, India reported 1,892 Omicron cases.
As we read Omicron-related headlines these days, everyone is curious to know more about this strain. A number of questions are still unanswered, and scientists and doctors are trying their best to resolve queries on Omicron.
Here, we try and answer some common questions on Omicron.
ANSWERS TO TOP 5 QUESTIONS ON OMICRON
1. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF OMICRON?
There are very minor differences among the symptoms of Omicron, flu and other Covid variants. Omicron symptoms resemble that of flu more than the Delta variant. As per data and the ongoing studies, Omicron exhibits the following symptoms:
- Vomiting or nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Runny nose
- More sneezing
- Weakness
- Scratchy throat
- Extreme tiredness
- Headache
- Runny nose
- Low-grade fever
Unlike the Delta variant, symptoms including significant drop in oxygen levels and loss of taste and smell have not been reported in Omicron so far.
2. HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN OMICRON AND FLU SYMPTOMS?
Flu is quite common during these months, especially in the northern parts of the country. Therefore many are confused on whether to get themselves tested or not. Loss of taste and smell helped us differentiate between common cold and Covid. Since this symptom is absent in the Omicron variant, it is crucial to pay attention to other distinct symptoms.
In Omicron headache, loss of appetite, nausea and fever are present, which are usually absent in common cold. Also, it is crucial to keep a check on the intensity of these symptoms, which might be a little higher in Omicron when compared to common cold.
3. HOW LONG DO OMICRON SYMPTOMS LAST?
Symptoms of Omicron may take lesser time than the Delta variant to go away. According to Dr Angeliqu Coetezee, who first detected Omicron in South Africa, Omicron symptoms may last up to 5 days and the symptoms are very mild as compared to the Delta variant.
4. CAN OMICRON REINFECT YOU?
Refection means falling sick again after complete recovery from the same infection. During the ongoing pandemic, the period of reinfection has been determined as 90 or more days. This means two positive test results of the same individual with a gap of 90 days or more is considered reinfection.
Omicron is highly transmissible. There is currently no data that describes the risk of reinfection from Omicron. However, according to Healthline, a study from South Africa suggests that the risk of reinfection in Omicron is higher than the risk seen in previous strains including Delta.
Juliet Pulliam, PhD, Director, South African DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, Stellenbosch University took to Twitter and shared some data with insights on Omicron reinfection.
“We find evidence of increased reinfection risk associated with the emergence of the Omicron variant, suggesting evasion of immunity from prior infection. We also see a recent increase in the number of reinfections in individuals who had already had multiple suspected infections from mid-November.”
“These findings suggest that Omicron’s selection advantage is at least partially driven by an increased ability to infect previously infected individuals,” she wrote.
We find evidence of increased reinfection risk associated with emergence of the #Omicron variant, suggesting evasion of immunity from prior infection. @scienceSUN @NRF_News pic.twitter.com/sGYTevmyGc
— Juliet Pulliam, PhD (@SACEMAdirector) December 2, 2021
5. WHEN WILL OMICRON PEAK IN INDIA?
The third wave has begun. Several ongoing studies and data are trying to evaluate Omicron’s peak in India.
A study by IIT Kanpur suggests that the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic will peak by February 3, 2022. The assumption is based on the trends seen in other countries. The study also mentions that India needs to be prepared beforehand to minimise the effect of the third wave.
Professor Paul Kattuman from the University of Cambridge, who worked on developing the India Covid-19 tracker, said that India will see explosive growth in daily cases but for a shorter period as compared to Delta.
According to the National Covid-19 Supermodel Committee, the third wave will be milder than the second wave and will arrive during the initial months of 2022.