People infected with BA.5 may experience these typical COVID-19 symptoms, sore throat, and fatigue, but they are less likely to report fevers or loss of taste and smell, said Andy Pekosz, PhD, a virologist and professor . Others experience no symptoms at all. He also says that on top of vaccines, its important people wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid indoor crowds whenever possible. Moderna's trial found that nearly 59% of participants experienced fatigue, but only about 4% experienced that at a Grade 3 level, which is defined as significant fatigue that prevents daily activity. Another option to consider if you test negative for COVID-19 but feel ill is a flu test, Washer says, since there are also treatments specific to this illness that can help you feel better. "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. Risk for severe illness stemming from this particular subvariant applies to those who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, or those who have had an incomplete vaccination series as well as those who have yet to receive a recommended third booster vaccine. 5, 2022. Not only are the symptoms from a BA.4 and BA.5 infection similar to other Omicron variants, but they also seem to have a similar severity, Dr. Passaretti and Dr. Rutherford said. For healthy people with two or three doses of vaccine the symptoms are fairly mild and tend to be over within a few days from when people tested positive, says Dr. Erin O'Connor. Get a FREE subscription to AARP The Magazine. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. The federal agencies based their approvals off several other pieces of safety data, including evidence from the original Covid vaccines the updated formulations are merely a tweak to those originals and lab data on the shots' BA.5 element in mice. How can I tell if I have asymptomatic Covid? - Vox This omicron variant symptom emerges in the stomach - MSN Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 caused the vast majority of COVID-19 infections in 2022. COVID: 80% Omicron patients are complaining of this symptom Javascript must be enabled to use this site. COVID-19 Boosters Are Being Updated To Target Omicron SubvariantsHere's Why. AARP Membership LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. Copyright HT Digital Streams Limited All rights reserved. Aria Bendix and Hilary Brueck. Also known as "stealth" Omicron, BA.2 is the dominant strain in the U.S., sparking new questions. Diarrhea. Previously she was a reporter and editor for WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. A recipient of a Gracie Award and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, she also participated in a dementia fellowship with the National Press Foundation. Staring at a negative result, even with symptoms raging? @CDCgov is prepared to quickly identify any new variant & evaluate the public health impact.Updated variant proportions. Coronavirus or Cold Symptoms: How Do They Compare? Moderna's monovalent shot contains 50 micrograms of mRNA per dose targeting the original strain. World health leaders are warning that omicron, the new COVID variant discovered in November, could cause "severe consequences. Other people may have muscle aches, fever and chills. What we know about the Omicron variant | UNICEF This is why getting booster shots, as well as flu shots, masking, and getting tested remain important, he says. "This list is not all possible symptoms," the CDC states. Morris said symptoms indicative of pneumonia or respiratory failure, like shortness of breath, chest pain, cough tend to show up later, between day five and 10. What Are the Symptoms of Omicron BA.5? - Verywell Health As of September 2022, BA.4 and BA.5 had been infecting large numbers of people for only a few months, making it difficult to confirm these slight differences in symptoms beyond what doctors were seeing. Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone. Viral Immunology. Pfizer and BioNTech Submit for U.S. Emergency Use Authorization of "People said, 'It's the worst sore throat I've ever had.' Cold-like symptoms - including a runny nose, sore throat and persistent sneezing - became more common, along with a headache and cough, particularly in people who had been vaccinated. Loss of appetite makes sense, too, if one of the main new symptoms is vomiting. Omicron symptoms can look like flu and cold symptoms and cause headache, sore throat and runny nose. New confusion. Research published in April 2022 in The Lancet also found that . According to the CDC, the incubation period for COVID is between two and 14 days, though the newest guidance from the agency suggests a quarantine of five days for those who are not boosted, but eligible or unvaccinated. But other common COVID-19 symptoms, like cough, fever, and loss of smell or taste, are still important signs to watch out for with the Omicron . The reformulated shots from Pfizer and Moderna are bivalent, which means they target both the original Covid strain and omicron's BA.5 and BA.4 subvariants. Ask an Expert: Do I Really Need the Bivalent Booster? Can Omicron Cause Long COVID? - Healthline COVID symptoms range from pain felt within the body such as muscle pain, sore throat or a loss of smell and taste. A stuffy nose was reported by 78%. Testing, if you suspect you have COVID, can help curb spread and protect others. Some other lesser known symptoms include vomiting, lack of appetite, nausea and diarrhea according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You may not lose your sense of . It isnt always the case that a new version of the coronavirus brings about a new batch of symptoms. Rachel Nania writes about health care and health policy for AARP. "They may only feel like they have a cold," she said. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. Chest pain. Although milder symptoms are better in many respects, omicron has made itmore difficult for people to tellwhats COVID-19 and whats just a cold or the flu or a whole host of other respiratory illnesses that circulate this time of year. Persistent pain or pressure in the chest. Congestion or runny nose. Knowing the signs of Covid-19 is crucial to monitoring your own symptoms, or lack thereof. diarrhea. . What Are the Symptoms of Omicron? - New York Times It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. A simple swab of the nose can tell you whether you have COVID-19 in about 15 minutes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their data indicates that the five most reported Omicron symptoms are the same as those associated with Deltasymptoms that may be confused with the common cold, including runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and sore throat. Omicron symptoms overlap with typical cold symptoms, so it's very important to get tested if you have cold-like symptoms. Do Bivalent Boosters Protect Against XBB.1.5? Are nausea and vomiting omicron symptoms? | WGN-TV COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in the U.S., driven by an uptick in infections caused by the BA.2.12.1 subvariant most of which may not be diagnosed as early as possible due to a lack of testing, explains Sachin Nagrani, M.D., medical director at care provider Heal. "The symptoms of the Omicron variant, which includes the BA.2 lineage, and the Delta variant, are similar," Erica Johnson, MD, . Aside from classic Covid-19 symptoms, according to Dr. Singh, some of the distinguishing symptoms of the Omicron variant are: runny nose. "It is highly anticipated that a more targeted vaccine to current variants will be needed for the fall.". And when comparing rates of smell and taste loss during the earlier phases of the pandemic to more recent variant waves, researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University found thatthe chances of the symptom occurringwere 17 percent for omicron, 44 percent for delta and 50 percent for the alpha variant. "If your heart [is] missing beats or skipping beats or if your heart's really racing, those would be the other warning signs that really should be taken very seriously," he said. With some omicron cases, particularly breakthrough infections in those who are boosted and vaccinated, remaining mild, many are wondering how to tell if it's a cold, the flu or COVID-19. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. . Theirstudy, published inThe Lancet, also suggests that brain fog and dizziness are less prevalent in omicron cases. How to treat yourself at home if you get COVID-19, Why COVID-19 hospitalizations of Canadian kids and infants could keep rising as Omicron spreads. Fake customer care numbers are thriving in India. "Many patients we're seeing are actually testing positive before they have symptoms, so they're testing positive on a rapid antigen," she said. Stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines and avoid poorly ventilated areas. Dec 10, 2021, 10:02 AM. "We just don't have any data on this [yet], essentially giving two vaccines in one shot but biologically, I just wouldn't expect the side effects, severity or the safety profile of the shots to be different from the current mRNA vaccines and boosters," Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and member of an independent advisory group to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, tells CNBC Make It. While the research continues to evolve, so far, it shows that vaccinated people are less likely to go on and have long COVID. COVID-19 might cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea either alone or with other COVID-19 symptoms. 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. CBC Marketplace tested KN95 and KF94 masks sold online and at big box stores. Editor's Note: This story, originally published Jan. 10, 2022, has been updated to reflect new information. If symptoms, like coughing, are bad, seek medical help.. 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. Cough. Here's what to do if you think you have Omicron and when you might need to go to the hospital. Other people may have muscle aches, fever . Zoe COVID apps data showed, one in five patients gets COVID diarrhea after being infected with Delta or Omicron strains, even if they had two or three doses of vaccination. In both clinical trials, the most commonly reported side effects within seven days of receiving the shot were: That's a familiar list: It's the same group of side effects that came with the original formulations. "If you are eligible for the additional booster this spring, please get it to receive additional protection against both mild and severe disease," Dr. Huang advises. Clinicians said many BA.5 symptoms are similar to those seen in previous variants, including congestion, headaches, cough and fever. Many people are reporting cold-like symptoms come with Omicron, particularly among the vaccinated or boosted. AARP Membership - LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. The latest Omicron SARS-CoV-2 subvariant, which scientists have labeled BA.2.12.1, is on track to become the most virulent strain in the United States currently. Unlike COVID-19, a cold is usually . Runny or stuffy nose. Here's a full list of known, potential COVID-19 symptoms for any individual, according to the CDC: Cough. 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. Dr. Rutherford estimated that the number of cases might be more than twice that reported. If your test comes back positive, ask your doctor if youre eligible for a COVID-19 treatment, such as one of the new antivirals even if your symptoms are mild. Keep checking this story for updates on vaccination rates, latest data updates of new cases and the omicron variant, along with local and national headlines.Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in OklahomaThe Oklahoma State Department of Health announced it will no longer release daily COVID-19 situation updates as it moves toward the . For . Still, omicron appears to cause less severe illness than previous variants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes. Headache. 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. Omicron Symptoms Most Commonly Appear Like This Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing. An 85-year Harvard study found the No. Of those, 220.2 million are fully vaccinated. Think you may have Omicron? Here are things you can do For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page. The FDA recommends taking another test 48 hours after the first. And ever since, vaccine and booster eligibility has only expanded. stuffy nose. Hospitalization rates have decreased dramatically since their peak in January, but still, thousands of individuals are still being admitted daily for COVID-19 and the vast majority of them are older Americans. Leading experts say you should take 3 upper respiratory symptoms seriously and test for COVID-19 sooner rather than later. Listen. Text Size. This may be the sniffles or a scratchy throat, some mild fatigue, fever, aches. That would still be considered a mild infection it could be a more significant illness, but just not severe enough to end up in the hospital.. A person is also considered contagious before symptoms appear. And theyre hiding a horrifying secret. Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Taking those steps will really help. In the winter, when we experience cold and flu season, it can be hard to differentiate a COVID infection from other viruses. Omicron-specific Covid booster shot side effects: What to expect - CNBC A variety of newsletters you'll love, delivered straight to you. Runny nose. And will it take Utah for a wild ride?. Omicron BA.5 variant | COVID-19 | UC Davis Health Let's delve deeper to understand this: Zoe COVID app, which keeps track of COVID symptoms through positive patients using the app, notified that most Omicron patients complain of diarrhea. Others say it's trivial.". Arwady said that now, those who are fully vaccinated aren't necessarily getting "seriously ill and having fevers for days and difficult breathing," but are instead experiencing a more mild illness. What To Know About the First Updated COVID-19 Booster, Omicron vs. Delta: How the 2 COVID-19 Variants Compare. "I think if you're being extra careful there, if you wanted to test again, you know, at seven even, sometimes people look at three to get an earlier sense of things. 1. Those looking to get tested after exposure should do so five days after the exposure or if they begin experiencing, the CDC recommends. Omicron Symptoms: Is Throwing Up a Sign of COVID-19 Infection? Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. These two new subtypes made up the majority of COVID cases in 2022, according to the CDC data tracker page. The CDC reports that people's most common complaints when infected with Omicron include cough, runny nose, congestion, and fatigue. Omicron appears to be continuing the trend set by Delta. The virus can infect some cells in a patient's gastrointestinal tract, which would lead to stomach issues like diarrhea, Dr. Pekosz . If you experience diarrhea with COVID-19, you are not alone. Flashback: Gastrointestinal symptoms have been mentioned as possible symptoms before. Although the first cases of Omicron were observed in late 2021, the variant might have been around for several months. 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. These symptoms, also listed by the CDC, can make the omicron infection look like a common cold. If You've Never Had COVID Are You More Susceptible to Variants? But at 92 per cent, we'd be wanting you to come in for further examination," she said. The experience of COVID diarrhea is very similar to how we feel sick from a regular stomach bug. Marketplace also found some N95s held up better than others in testing. At Atrium Health hospitals, where Dr. Passarettti works, hospitalizations due to the BA.5 variant spiked in mid-2022. Susan Huang, M.D., the medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UCI Health in Orange County, indicates that current data available to healthcare providers suggest this latest Omicron subvariant is highly contagious. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.