What are the symptoms of the Omicron variant?
The Omicron strain of COVID-19 is known to be highly transmissible, and the sooner a case can be identified, the less of risk the carrier poses to other people. This variant was first identified by scientists in South Africa and has rapidly spread across the world.
This high transmission rate means we need to be hypervigilant when it comes to the virus to protect ourselves and others.
We can do this by regularly testing and ensuring we know what symptoms to look out for- especially when it comes to this especially common strain.
NHS Guidance
According to the NHS, the main symptoms to look out for remain the same as they have throughout most of the pandemic. These are:
- A high temperature
- A new, continuous cough
- Loss or change to sense of smell or taste
Omicron symptoms
However, leading health experts have warned that symptoms specific to Omicron may be mistaken for the common cold. They urge the public to monitor for these. Data collected from hundreds of thousands of positive cases (via the Zoe COVID app), lists the top five Omicron symptoms so far as:
- A runny nose
- A headache
- Fatigue (either mild or severe)
- Sneezing
- A sore throat
Scientists believe that many people will display these symptoms and none of those listed by the NHS, so it is important to monitor for all those listed above.
Summary
Whilst highly transmissible, the Omicron variant is currently believed to be less fatal than Delta. So, remain alert but not alarmed if you start to display symptoms.
We advise that you test regularly anyway, but test urgently if you experience any symptoms listed above- whether classic covid symptoms or those more suggestive of the common cold.
We can help
Here at Camford Medicals we offer responsive home COVID-19 testing services, including COVID PCR, Rapid antigen test, and COVID antibody testing. With our services, you can choose either a self-test via track 24 or a test conducted by our healthcare professionals in the comfort of your own home.
Our antigen and antibody testing are carried out by healthcare professionals in the correct PHE, meaning you don’t need to worry about your own safety or theirs.
If you are interested in finding out more about our COVID testing service, contact us today on 0207 631 4558 or via email info@camfordmedicals.co.uk.