The past month has seen a steady rise in cases of the Omicron Covid variant, with rates of positive tests in the UK reaching an all-time high.
The variant is highly transmissible, meaning around 100,000 people a day are catching it in the UK.
Throughout this wave of the virus, however, there has been evidence given that it passes through the body quicker, meaning symptoms may be quicker to present themselves compared to other variants, and quicker to ease off, too.
So how long can you expect to feel the effects of Omicron?
Here’s all you need to know.
How long do Omicron symptoms last?
Since it’s still relatively early days for this specific strain of coronavirus, data is limited. However, early reports suggest that symptoms last for a shorter time.
According to Dr Angelique Coetzee, chair of the South African Medical Association who first identified the variant, symptoms of Omicron should clear up after a few days, with this version of the virus being widely considered less severe than previous strains.
Dr Coetzee told the Daily Mail: ‘The symptoms presenting in those with Omicron are very, very mild compared with those we see with the far more dangerous Delta variant… After about five days [the symptoms] clear up, and that’s it.’
It’s worthwhile noting that it’s possible to be infectious with the virus whether experiencing symptoms or not – meaning that it’s necessary to continue isolating for the appropriate amount of time.
In addition, all strains of Covid affect different people in different ways, with some being more susceptible to serious illness than others.
In addition, the incubation period for the Omicron variant is shorter than other ones – after a person is exposed, it takes as few as three days for them to develop symptoms, become contagious and test positive, compared to the four to six days attributed to previous variants.
Official symptoms and other signs to look out for
Many people infected with Omicron have reported symptoms similar to the common cold:
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Scratchy throat
- Dry cough
- Mild muscle aches
However, the NHS hasn’t yet updated its official guidelines to reflect these indicators.
The official symptoms of Covid are:
- A loss (or change) to smell or taste
- A new, continuous cough
- A high temperature (hot to touch on either your chest or back)
If you are unwell with symptoms that you suspect to be Covid-19 – Omicron or otherwise – the advice remains the same: take a PCR test, then quarantine until you know you’re negative.
Gov.uk clearly states: ‘If you have Covid-19 symptoms you should stay at home and self-isolate immediately.
‘You should arrange to have a PCR test as soon as possible. If this PCR test result is positive, you must continue to self-isolate.’
If you’ve had contact with the virus and are fully vaccinated, you are strongly advised to do daily rapid lateral flow tests for seven days, even if you do not have symptoms.
MORE : Schools ‘could be forced to send whole years home’ if Omicron causes chaos
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