The third wave of Covid-19 is here, and the disease is raging across the world with the fastest transmissibility seen yet. The recent spike in Covid-19 infections has predominantly been due to the newest variant known as Omicron, first identified in South Africa.
There is a very rapid rise in infections, especially in India, and one must not take the third wave lightly. The Omicron variant is heavily mutated, and hence its symptoms may be different to the Delta variant. One mustn’t take any symptoms lightly and get tested for Covid-19 if they show any symptoms. Let us look at the new Omicron variant in detail and the symptoms to watch out for.
What is the Omicron Variant?
A virus, in order to survive, sometimes undergoes mutations to be able to remain undetected in the body. After the first wave of Covid-19 died down, a new variant called the Delta variant emerged that was heavily mutated. The Delta variant was the main causative agent during the second wave of SARS-Cov-2 and was said to be more dangerous than the original virus. It had about 18 mutations in the spike protein on the virus’s surface.
Now a new type of variant is emerging and is the leading cause of the rapidly spreading third wave across the world. This new variant, first identified in South Africa, is called the Omicron variant and is even more heavily mutated than the Delta variant. Its spike protein has as many as 30 mutations as compared to 18 for the Delta variant. The Omicron strain is said to be even more easily transmissible than previous variants, which is a worrying concern. It is also seen to affect doubly vaccinated people as well since studies show that two doses of vaccine are not enough to stop the Omicron variant. A third booster shot is necessary for any sort of immunity against Omicron.
Thankfully though, the Omicron strain has not caused as much damage as expected, and that may very well be due to vaccinations. Two doses of vaccine are apparently enough to avoid severe disease and hospitalisations. As far as symptoms are concerned, the Omicron variant causes symptoms that are seen to be different from the delta or other previous variants.
Let us look at the symptoms to watch out for due to the Omicron variant.
Omicron Symptoms
Where the Delta variant led to more cold-like symptoms like runny nose, sore throat, cough, etc., Omicron, on the other hand, is showing slightly differing and fortunately milder symptoms. Look out for the following symptoms:
- Lethargy / Tiredness / General Weakness
Persons infected with the Omicron variant have commonly complained of being very weak and lethargic.
- Body Ache
Omicron patients are also complaining of body and muscle pain.
- Mild Throat Soreness
A mild soreness of the throat or a scratchy throat may also indicate a Covid-19 infection with the Omicron variant, especially if seen along with other symptoms.
- Fever
Omicron patients are not showing increased body temperature unless the disease reaches a certain level of severity.
- Cough
The Omicron variant is also showing lesser lung involvement and cough, although a persistent, dry cough is still seen in some patients.
Winters in India bring with it the obligatory cold and flu, and it is true that many symptoms of cold and flu may overlap with Covid-19 symptoms. Delhi and Mumbai have seen unprecedented low temperatures recently, and it is easy to mistake Covid-19 for the common cold. Hence testing is very important if you’re showing cold-like symptoms that don’t get resolved within 2-3 days. If you’re showing any of the above symptoms, it is best to get tested as soon as possible to avoid the further spread of infection.