While it’s almost two years since the coronavirus outbreak, it’s never felt that we’re about to witness a conclusion any soon and get back to our normal life. Meanwhile, the pandemic is becoming a time reference as people refer to what before coronavirus and what after. On the run of several consecutive waves, many mutants have been occurred to the virus, leading to many variants with many new symptoms and consequences. Last but not least, we got the Omicron variant causing a wide infection rate, greater than ever.
On the other side, many vaccines have been evaluated due to new symptoms, while scientists are watching and monitoring to know if these vaccines are still as effective as before, trying to measure how immune a vaccinated individual is could be against them omicron symptoms.
No doubt, the variant has aroused many concerns and worries, stated by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 26th of November, due to its spreading rate that’s faster than ever.
Therefore, we saw it better to stretch out a full article to discuss such a variant, including all aspects and concerns, not ignoring its direct consequences and impact on human health.
What’s Omicron?
For some reason, this variant wasn’t named according to the Greek alphabet as it was used to be (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta), most probably for simpler pronunciation.
Omicron symptoms have been identified for the first time in two African countries, Botswana and South Africa, back in November 2021, spreading out afterwards worldwide.
For instance, scientists have detected more than 50 new mutations through the omicron variant, some of which are shared with other former variants such as Alpha and Beta. WHO has revealed their concerns about this variant after it has been detected and identified in more than 100 countries worldwide during such a short time.
On the other side of the world, an estimation had revealed that almost 58% of American new infections are due to omicron symptoms within a time span no longer than two months from it has been detected for the first time in South Africa.
Accordingly, scientists worldwide have launched many studies to better omicron symptoms understanding.
Many inquiries occur concerning omicron symptoms severity, spreading rate, and treatment ways. From its side, 7keema provides a pandemic care service, which offers full home isolation for the patient.
In fact, many of these questions have some sort of fulfilment currently, even if it’s not yet a final explanation, it’s not a holding up from spreading out these facts to get a better knowledge and set a suitable plan dealing with it.
Omicron Variant Aspects
In fact, the omicron variant has many different aspects, between which we can mention some changes between coronavirus symptoms and omicron symptoms, not to mention the high spreading rate.
Omicron Symptoms
It can’t be said that it’s totally different, yet some variables occur. Omicron symptoms are not as same as previous coronavirus symptoms.
Generally, the main omicron symptoms are:
– Scratchy throat or sore throat
– Nasal congestion
– Dry cough
– Mild temperature increase
– Muscle pain, especially low back pain
Omicron symptoms are sharing many similarities with the Delta variant. Though, it’s known that losing taste and smell is less likely to be included within omicron symptoms.
On the other hand, a certain similarity couldn’t be denied between omicron symptoms and normal flu, making it more likely to be misjudged. Accordingly, this variant spreads quicker than any former one and many other factors that we will discuss in detail throughout the following lines.
Does Omicron Variant Spread Quicker?
Obviously, yes. As proven through several studies, research, and statistics, within really short notice, the variant could reach many countries around the world as no variant could before.
To be more specific, studies have proved that the omicron variant is two or three times more likely to spread than the delta variant, knowing that the delta variant was already spreading out at a high rate.
Till this moment, scientists couldn’t reach a specific reason for why this variant is spreading at such a higher rate than any other previous one.
However, some explanations could be reasonable for a certain limit, between which we can mention that this variant has some new abilities to hit both nose and mouth, leading to infection transmission just by breathing out and in.
On another assumption, scientists have many theories that roll around how the virus has mutated in one way or another, which gave it the ability to overcome antibodies produced by our immunity system, whether the ones produced due to vaccination or previous infection. Long story short, the virus has gained an extreme ability to trespass our main defence line, making us think vaccines are no longer effective. While in fact, vaccines have made it easier and milder, as we’re going to see throughout the next lines.
Omicron Symptoms Severity
To better understand, we should vividly explain how hard it could be and how severe symptoms this variant could lead to?
Based on our previous experiences with coronavirus new variants, we used to have a more powerful variant compared with its previous one, or at least the same power with a higher spreading rate, which was extremely obvious throughout the delta variant outbreak. The Delta variant has many serious impacts on the Indian healthcare system and has led to more death cases than before.
Fortunately, omicron symptoms were not as expected. According to many statistics studies made worldwide, omicron symptoms have a way milder effect and usually don’t require hospitalisation care.
On the same track, a British study has shown that omicron symptoms have led patients to seek hospital care 50% less than its former one.
Before celebrations take place, we must mention a simple fact:
Which’s bigger in amount, 10% of 100 or 5% of 1000?
Do the math!
In other words, even if the percentage of hospitalisation is fewer than before, still the number of cases is way higher than before as well, which makes it like a 5% from 1000; 5% is obviously less than 10%, but 5% of 1000 is way more than 10% of 100.
On the other side, many scientists think omicron symptoms mild symptoms are due to vaccination and previous infections, even if the variant could break it through, but still our immunity system is more able to overcome it in the end.
Moreover, from what we know about the variant, it’s believed that having mild symptoms results from the way it attacks the body. It’s known that this variant hits only the upper respiratory system without hitting the lungs.
Prevention & Treatment
For instance, prevention measurements are quite the same as before; being a quick-spreading variant with mild symptoms is not changing anything.
Wearing face masks is always mandatory, in addition to hands washing more frequently and preventing from touching face and nose.
Not to mention the wild importance of social distancing, whether in public transportation or any public assembly, as much as it’s essential to keep any place well aerated with an open airflow source all the time.
As well as, treatment methods aren’t so different than before, yet, it’s more likely to receive treatment at home without the need for hospitalised care. You can check more about coronavirus ways of treatment and prevention throughout this article.
From its side, 7keema is providing a specialised home nursing service to help out during the treatment process by offering full home isolation for the patient. Not to mention the effort this service puts in the favour of the rest of the family to provide protection. In addition to many medical devices, generic drugs, rental availability could be necessary during treatment, such as Oxygen generators, BIPAP, CPAP, and more.
Vaccines Efficiency Against Omicron Symptoms
Although we’ve reached many types of vaccines, omicron symptoms are considered a backward step if we could say so.
Though it’s not like we’re back to square zero, as if we do not have anything to deal with, it’s all about vaccines ability to face omicron symptoms and provide protection. This variant has succeeded in overcoming the body’s protection and immune produced by whether a vaccine or a previous infection.
In fact, scientists worldwide are trying to put vaccines under investigation to figure out how efficient each is. Results came almost decisive that a booster dose is mandatory and required.
To be more precise, here’re how tests showed different types of vaccines efficiency against omicron symptoms:
– Two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have proofed low efficiency against this variant, while a third dose would higher it in an obvious way.
– Two doses of AstraZeneca have not marked any evident response against the variant.
– One dose of Johnson & Johnson is not making minimum protection against such variant.
This is not a claim of not being vaccinated, but in fact, vaccines are our only hope to overcome such a period until the pandemic is over.
Meanwhile, many studies have proved that even if the infection could take place while the patient is vaccinated, still, it’s easier for the body immune system to overcome and defeat omicron symptoms.
On the other side, unvaccinated people are more likely to have severe omicron symptoms and complications.
While on an international direction, a third dose is now being given to providing maximum protection by several governments, including Egypt.
Omicron Effect on the Elderly
Immunity is getting to its minimum level throughout the geriatric phase while facing several diseases and health conditions.
In fact, many chronic diseases could occur during such periods, like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and more, which could negatively impact the immune system’s ability to face any infection.
Since its first appearance, coronavirus was always forming a greater danger for the elderly, and it’s still doing even if omicron symptoms are less severe.
Accordingly, 7keema provides a home nursing service to offer qualified elderly care at home, including pandemic care.
Elderly care from 7keema is a home nursing service that maintains patients’ needs in general while offering better protection from coronavirus and its variants.
