Omicron: How to Keep Yourself Safe from the New COVID-19 Variant
The threat of a third wave of COVID-19 pandemic is growing as Omicron instances rise. In order to protect oneself from infection, people are encouraged not to ignore the required precautions and instructions published by both the national and state governments. Citizens must also get vaccinated, get a booster if eligible, and step up other precautions, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance, for the Omicron variety.
Despite the fact that Omicron is getting all of the attention, the extra-contagious delta variant remains the leading source of infections and deaths in many different places. Dr. Francis Collins, director of the US National Institutes of Health, told The Associated Press that the Delta is the real concern, while Omicron is a question mark. “We do know what to do,” he said, regardless of the coronavirus type.
Symptoms of Covid-19 Omicron
Most common symptoms
Most common symptoms for the new COVID Variant “Omicron” are fever, cough, tiredness, loss of taste or smell.
Less common symptoms
Less common symptoms for the new COVID Variant “Omicron” are sore throat, headache, aches, pains, diarrhoea, a rash on skin, discolouration of fingers or toes red or irritated eyes.
Serious symptoms
Serious symptoms for the new COVID Variant “Omicron” are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, loss of speech or mobility, or confusion or
Covid-19 Omicron is less severe because it does not infiltrate the lungs
Scientists are hesitant to use the term “milder” to describe the disease caused by the Omicron strain of SARS-Cov-2. Even if the variety is milder, it is commonly assumed that the sheer number of individuals it infects would result in more hospitalizations overall, with healthcare personnel being forced to isolate as a result of testing positive.
Real-world evidence on whether this mutation causes a milder sickness and a decreased chance of hospitalization is still trickling in, but preliminary laboratory research on lung tissue in mice and hamsters may hold some of the answers.
The Omicron form has alterations that make it more transmissible, as we well know. In human airways, Omicron replicates 70 times quicker than Delta, according to a team of researchers from Hong Kong University’s college of medicine. When compared to both Delta and the original coronavirus, the Omicron variation was significantly faster at getting into the bronchus or tubes that flow through the upper airways and lungs, but much slower at infiltrating the lung tissue itself, according to the study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed. The Omicron form multiplied less efficiently than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus once within human lung tissue, according to the researchers, which could indicate a reduced severity of sickness.
Prior to Omicron, it was considered that a single booster dosage of the vaccine would provide adequate protection for the time being. Vaccines activate multiple sections of the immune system, producing antibodies that kill the virus as soon as it enters the body, preventing it from infecting cells and, most importantly, limiting the danger of the virus spreading. They also activate B and T memory cells, which provide longer-term protection by eliminating any virus-infected cells and preventing serious sickness but not necessarily onward transmission.
However, with Omicron, virus transmission is the primary concern, with large numbers of individuals becoming infected and not only falling ill but also missing work. As a result, researchers are concentrating their efforts on neutralizing antibodies, which are critical in slowing the spread of the virus and bringing the number of persons affected under control. However, according to a new study from the United Kingdom, these antibody levels may begin to decline 10 weeks following the booster.
Six tips for staying safe are:
- Get vaccinated (and a booster if available).
- Wear a mask.
- Keep distance between yourself and another person.
- Wash your hands.
- Take COVID-19 tests if you’re worried about infection.
- Improve ventilation and air filtration wherever you go.
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