The new COVID variant could cause severe consequences, according to world health leaders. The newest version of the virus has a mix of different types of mutations, including more than 30 on the spike protein, and researchers around the world are trying to learn everything they can about it.
There are still questions about the variant. We know that there has been a surge of cases in recent days, and experts believe the variant is more transmissible.
People who have been through a lot of bad news and uncertainty in the last two years can definitely feel uneasy. Are you wondering what the newest variant means for you and your family, and what symptoms to look out for now? Here is what we know so far.
The main symptoms include congestion, a sore throat, body aches and more.
The first doctor to alert health authorities about omicron, who has treated about two dozen patients, told The Telegraph in late November that the symptoms in the patients she saw were surprising to her and relatively benign.
Dr. Coetze told the outlet that their symptoms were so different than what she had treated before.
Coetze said that her patients were tired and one child had an elevated heart rate. None of them lost their sense of smell or taste.
Mild symptoms of the illness can still be disabling, but some experts say the illness appears to be more mild. There is a chance that a mild infection can lead to long COVID. You should be on the lookout for the most common symptoms of Covid up to this point in the epidemic, which include a sore throat, headaches, nausea, and loss of taste or smell.
There is still a lot we don't know about the new variant of the disease. He said that experts will be looking at how the virus affects people based on their age, their underlying immune status and whether or not they're vaccine-free.
The symptoms of the new variant of COVID are still being learned by experts. The image is from the website Mindful Media.
If you are experiencing any classic COVID symptoms, get tested immediately.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that people with symptoms of COVID should be tested. Those who got their boosters are included. People who have had all three doses are being affected by breakthrough cases.
If you have come into close contact with someone who has chronic bronchitis, you should be tested. People who are fully vaccine free should wait five to seven days, while those who are not should be tested immediately and again several days later.
Health officials warn that the flu cases are on the rise, particularly among younger people, and that we are deep in respiratory virus season. There have been spikes in respiratory syncytial virus. Testing is critical because the symptoms of all of those illnesses can be similar to COVID.
The gold standard of tests is the polymerase chain reaction, while rapid tests are less reliable. They can be useful to give you a sense of whether you are contagious on the day you take them, and at- home kits should become more readily available over the next month as the Biden administration has aimed to quadruple availability sometime December.
Getting boosted is crucial.
We will learn more about omicron in the coming weeks. During the holiday season, it can be difficult to wait, as many people are supposed to see loved ones.
There is going to be a stream of data that comes up. You can't make policy decisions and you can't make clinical decisions with a little data. You need to have all the facts.
The most important thing people can do is wear a mask when they are in public indoor settings with high transmission, which is what experts say is the most important thing. That is the whole country right now.
If you haven't already gotten a vaccine, get one. Even if breakthrough infections become more common, the CDC has stepped up its recommendation in response to the threat of omicron.
What do we know about the past? The vaccines have been effective against the delta variant. We know that masking works. I know it is difficult, but we just have to wait and see what the data shows.
The story has been changed. The experts are still learning. As scientists discover more about the virus, the information in this story can change. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the most up to date recommendations.
Also on the internet.
The article was originally on HuffPost.
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Pfizer Inc said on Friday that the COVID-19 vaccine could be extended through next year and that it would develop a three-dose vaccine regimen for children ages 2 to 16. As European countries geared up for further travel and social restrictions, a study warned that the rapidly spreading Omicron coronaviruses variant was five times more likely to rein in people than Delta. The company believes that the disease will be endemic around the globe by the year 2024, meaning it will no longer be a disease of the world.
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The Omicron coronaviruses variant is more likely to re-invade than Delta, and it has shown no sign of being milder than Delta, a study showed. The results of the study were based on the data from the UK Health Security Agency and the National Health Service. The study said that there was no evidence that Omicron had different severity than Delta.
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Pfizer Inc said on Friday that the vaccine for 2- to 4-year-olds generated a weaker immune response than expected and that it could delay authorization. In a presentation to investors, Pfizer's Chief Scientific Officer said that the company expects some regions to continue to see high levels of COVID-19 cases over the next year or two. "When and how exactly this happens will depend on evolution of the disease, how effectively society deploys vaccines and treatments, and equitable distribution to places where vaccination rates are low."
The Omicron variant of the coronaviruses may be cutting humanity a little slack.
