People infected with the Omicron variant have different symptoms at night
People infected with the new variant have some different symptoms than previous Covid-19 cases.
The world is waiting for data to assess the threat of the Omicron variant with early indicators being very encouraging.
South African doctors treating patients infected with Omicron have provided helpful clues. One symptom appears at night.
Since the World Health Organization (WHO) classified Omicron as a variant of concern on November 24, many countries have responded quickly and strongly, such as imposing flight bans from South Africa and implementing social distancing measures.
WHO believes that,OmicronThere is a high risk of reinfection, but early evidence suggests the variant is likely to cause only milder symptoms than the Delta strain.
However, people must remain vigilant and respond appropriately if signs of infection with the new variant are detected.
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| Illustration: Timesnownews |
There is not much data on symptoms, but doctors in South Africa - where Omicron was first discovered - have provided important information. General practitioner Unben Pillay lists the symptoms of Omicron infection.
One possible sign is night sweats, in which the person's clothes, blankets, and sheets become soaked even though they are sleeping in a cool place.
Patients presented with dry coughs, fevers and body aches. Fully vaccinated people tended to have milder illnesses and recover better, Dr. Pillay added.
While the evidence is currently scarce, there are some encouraging signs that current vaccines will provide protection against Omicron. In particular, booster shots will provide an additional layer of protection against Covid-19.
Real-world data from Israel and the UK show that a booster dose of one of the widely used mRNA-based vaccines significantly reduces the likelihood of contracting SARS-CoV-2.
However, the extent to which the booster dose protects against the Omicron variant is yet to be determined.
According to WHO, to date, there have been no deaths related to the Omicron variant. However, the number of cases is increasing rapidly and has spread to nearly 50 countries around the world./.
