The signs of traditional COVID – cough, fever, loss of taste or smell – are well known. The fast-spreading omicron variant, however, is presenting with different and, in many cases, milder cold-like symptoms.
The main symptoms of the omicron variant are:
- Cough
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Congestion or runny nose
- Sore throat, particularly a “scratchy” throat
- Headache
- Muscle aches
Sore throat has been identified as a distinguishing symptom, according to experts. The symptom includes a dry-sore throat that caused sharp pain when a patient swallows and appears before most other COVID-19 symptoms.
“It’s a very prominent symptom,” Dr. Jorge Moreno, an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, told Business Insider. “It’s not like a little tickle in the throat. If they’re reporting it, they’re saying that their throat feels raw.”
And while loss of taste and smell aren’t widely seen among omicron patients, a unique symptom is appearing: night sweats.
“People aren’t reporting a loss of taste or smell as much with omicron as they were with previous variants,” Dr. John Torres, NBC News senior medical correspondent told the Today Show. “But people are reporting night sweats, which is a very strange symptom that they say they’re having.”
While the symptoms are similar, a patient’s experiences can vary depending on if they are vaccinated.
“In those that are fully vaccinated and boosted, symptoms tend to be mild. In contrast, if an individual is unvaccinated, symptoms can be quite severe, resulting in hospitalization or even death,” Lorena Garcia, epidemiologist and professor in the department of Public Health Sciences told UC Davis Health.
Warning signs to seek additional medical care are the same for all versions of COVID-19, according to World Health Organization.
“Some symptoms may be signals that more urgent medical care is needed. Depending on the age of the person in your care, their symptoms may look different,” WHO said. “Adults may look dehydrated, have shortness of breath or chest pains. They may also complain of light-headedness. Children may suddenly appear confused or refuse to eat. Their face or lips may turn blue. Babies may be unable to breastfeed. These symptoms are warning signs that urgent care is needed.”
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