Is The Ba5 Omicron Subvariant More Contagious
BA.5 is one of the latest subvariants of the original Omicron lineage. There is a unique cluster of mutations on the spike protein, which has led the BA.5 subvariant to potentially be the most contagious strain of SARS-CoV-2 so far. But it does not appear to lead to more severe outcomes than other COVID-19 variants and subvariants.
Data Suggests Omicron Infections Last 10 Days After Symptom Onset
There is limited data on how long Omicron infections last in comparison to other variants. But a few existing studies suggest people are unlikely to remain infectious after 10 days.
A small January study on patients hospitalized with Omicron in Japan found that people were unlikely to shed the virus after 10 days of their diagnosis or symptom onset.
The Japanese study showed people were most infectious with Omicron three to six days after symptom onset. However, its important to note that they can be contagious before that, and that not everyone will develop symptoms.
Another study on Delta and Omicron infections in the NBA found that on average, Omicron infections lasted for about 10 days, while Delta infections lasted for about 11 days. Whether or not the difference in timeframe could be attributed to characteristics of the variants themselves, or to factors like vaccinations and natural immunity was unclear, according to the researchers.
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In general, you may see symptoms start two to 14 days after infection. The incubation period varies among individuals, and it varies depending on the variant.
Even though you do not have symptoms in the incubation period, you can transmit the coronavirus to another person during this stage.
Then comes acute Covid-19, which is the phase you feel unwell.
Dr Maragakis said: Once symptoms appear, you have entered the acute stage.
Active illness can last one to two weeks if you have mild or moderate coronavirus disease, but severe cases can last months.
Some people are asymptomatic, meaning they never have symptoms but do have Covid-19.
Lastly is Covid recovery, which may include post Covid symptoms such as a cough, fever, weakness or fatigue.
Known as long Covid, this can persist for weeks or even months after you recover from acute illness, Dr Maragakis said.
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Will A Test Tell Me If I Have Ba5 Or Another Subvariant
No, a COVID-19 test will not tell you which variant of SARS-CoV-2 caused your infection. Instead, tests will tell you whether you have a current infection. Nucleic acid amplification tests and antigen tests can both be used. But at-home tests are also available for rapid results. If an at-home test is positive, isolate and speak with your physician for further guidance.
Natural Immunity Can Last For Months
The immunity from infection with Omicron appears to last about as long as the infection with earlier variants, William Moss, MD, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Verywell. That means you could be protected for four to six months.
However, thats just an estimate. Moss says determining Omicron immunity is complex for the following reasons:
- The Omicron wave in the U.S. only started about six months ago, which means researchers have only had a short window to observe immunity trends.
- There are few people who were infected with Omicron and had neither been vaccinated nor infected with an earlier variant. So for most people, the Omicron infection occurred in the context of some existing immunity. That may influence how long youre protected.
High levels of antibodies likely last for four to six months after infection with Omicron, as for earlier variants, in most otherwise healthy individuals, Moss said.
Experts assume that the elderly and those with underlying conditions will have less robust immune protection from an Omicron infection, just as they did to prior variants and to vaccines, Stanley H. Weiss, MD, professor of medicine at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, told Verywell.
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Could Omicron Lead To Long Covid
Although much about the omicron variant remains unknown, some experts say it could lead to long Covid, even with mild cases. In a recent study, British researchers found that the omicron variant is less likely to cause long Covid symptoms than delta, although all of the 41,361 adult participants who regularly reported their Covid symptoms on a phone app had been vaccinated.
Patients with long-term symptoms can experience crushing fatigue, irregular heart rhythms and other issues months after their initial Covid infections. That occurred during the first wave of the pandemic, and it continued to lead to long Covid issues through the delta wave.
Previous research suggests that vaccination can greatly reduce the risk for long Covid.
Still Struggling With Omicron A Fortnight On
At no point in my illness would I have even needed to consult a doctor. It was all treatable with self care.
But the disruption to my every day life was way more than a common virus.
I struggled with sinusitis and exhaustion for more than a week. And now, nearly two weeks on, Im not quite back to full strength though I am able to work again.
It was the strangest of Christmas weeks, trying to will myself well enough to go downstairs and talk to my mum and dad, and my sister and her family through our glass patio doors.
They wrapped up in their winter warmers and sat outside with their glasses of wine, attempting to have some sort of festive gathering.
But the tiredness meant we werent much company and shouting through the glass wasnt really working for us.
Thats something. But this is still a nasty, highly-transmissible virus and in many cases, its not just a cold.
My eldest son was the only one to escape infection in our house.
He has been crowing about being Covid-invincible ever since.
Ive warned him thats maybe not the smartest idea.
Clare Johnston is a journalist, vlogger, author and mum.
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/4when To See A Doctor
Fatigue is common after viral infections such as COVID and normally settles after two or three weeks of infection.
You should talk to your doctor if your fatigue is getting worse rather than better or is unchanged even after four weeks. It is also important to consult your doctor if you experience any other long COVID related symptoms. Alongside increased fatigue, people sometimes experience a number of other symptoms which can worsen after physical stress. This includes brain fog, muscle aches or headaches. Clinicians call these post exertional symptoms. These are not dangerous per se but can affect your quality of life and everyday activities.
In case you are experiencing fatigue due to some other condition, your doctor can help identify the cause behind your tiredness. Many people who have recovered from coronavirus can later develop chronic fatigue syndrome.
How Quickly Do Omicron Symptoms Appear
The time it takes for an infected person to develop symptoms after an exposure is shorter for the omicron variant than for previous variants from a full week down to as little as three days or less, according to the CDC.
While much more research is needed, it makes scientific sense that a highly contagious virus like the omicron variant would have a shorter incubation period. Its goal, after all, is to infect as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
“That’s why the spread is occurring at a much faster pace,” said Dr. Anita Gupta, an anesthesiologist and critical care physician at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She added that it is possible the incubation period could be shorter or longer depending on a number of variables, including age, underlying health problems and vaccination status. “There is no hard and fast rule here.”
“A lot of these patients are not having the symptoms for the 10 to 12 days that I saw when there were no vaccinations,” said Dr. Rahul Sharma, the emergency physician-in-chief at the NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine.
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Omicron Moves Fast And Knocked Me Flat
The Center for Disease Control in the US believes Omicron has a shorter gestation period than previous variants around 72 hours.
Our experience supports the suggestion that it moves fast.
Why did I think it was Omicron? Our symptoms were classic.
With the original variants, the most common signs were fever, loss of taste or smell, and a continuous cough.
But doctors are reporting Omicron patients are less likely to experience that classic trio of symptoms.
Instead, look out for fatigue and tiredness along with congestion, sore throat, cough, body aches and headaches.
So Ive tested positive for covid Symptoms are those of a cold sore throat, sniffly, fatigue. No loss of taste and smell, continuous cough or fever. Most people I know with what I suspect is omicron are the same. If you have a cold its probably covid. Headache v common too.
Clare Johnston
On Christmas Day I woke up with what felt like the hangover from hell.
I had a bad headache and felt sick. I also felt like a storm was coming and it did, that night when I was hit by a wave of body aches, muscle spasms and shivers.
Overnight I woke in a cold sweat, another reported Omicron symptom.
Come Boxing Day morning I felt like Id been weightlifting. The muscles in my shoulders and top of my arms were sore, stiff and heavy. It was like nothing Ive experienced before.
Having had a positive lateral flow, I ignored the advice and went ahead anyway.
Sure enough the PCR came back positive on December 27.
How Long Fatigue Lasts After Covid And How To Recover
Education & Resources | Brain Safety & Care
Fatigue is a common symptom of viral infection, and having fatigue with a COVID-19 infection is no exception. But the severity and longevity of that fatigue is what sets COVID-19 apart from the common cold or even the flu. You might
- Feel dull and tired all of the time.
- Feel like your battery drains way faster than it used to.
- Feel like the work you used to do is now impossible to get through.
For most patients with COVID-19, this feeling disappears after two or three weeks. But if youre still experiencing fatigue weeks or months after your initial infection, you may have long COVID.
Post-viral fatigue is one of the most common symptoms experienced by COVID long haulers, with nearly half reporting this long-term symptom for weeks or months after their original infection.
Patients describe this fatigue as more than feeling physically tired after a session at the gym. It comes with an array of other symptoms, like aches and pains in the body, headaches, sleep problems, and brain fog.
Scientists dont yet know why so many post-COVID-19 patients experience persistent fatigue. It may result from an overreaction of the bodys immune system, breathing issues caused by the virus, disruption of the autonomic nervous system, and more. Theres even a clinical trial in the UK currently testing the idea that the virus affects the way cells in our body produce energy through cellular organelles called mitochondria.
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But if you are spending more time indoors with no ventilation you stand a stronger chance of having caught it there.
Stage two is around two or three days with no symptoms presenting yet.
Omicron is thought to be much faster working than Delta or Alpha – so you will likely see symptoms sooner, around the two day mark.
Of course some people won’t see any at all throughout their entire infection.
But most people will spend a couple without any signs they are ill – unaware they are in the viruses incubation period.
Stage three is when early symptoms start to pop up, like lower back ache, night sweats and a scratchy throat.
Again, everyone is different and will experience their own early symptoms, but these seem to be among the group reported be most patients.
Others include headaches, muscle aches, runny nose, sneezing, nausea and loss of appetite.
Follow our Covid live blog for all the latest news & stories
Stage four is the test taking – which, if you’ve had these symptoms is quite likely to come back positive.
Do a lateral flow first, and then a PCR if it comes back positive. Although some lateral flows can miss the infection so if you have the symptoms go get a PCR to be sure.
Stage five is isolation if you have tested positive or from when you started noticing symptoms.
Of course if you are certain you are unwell and you don’t want to pass this on, you may do a self-imposed isolation.
The new rules mean if you are sick with Covid you have to stay inside for seven days.
The Initial Fatigue Phase
If you have or had COVID-19 its likely that you will experience fatigue as a symptom. This is the bodys normal response to dealing with an infection.
For most people the infection and initial fatigue will be mild to moderate with recovery occurring over a week or two.
During this initial phase it is important to
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/4long Covid And Fatigue
The recovery period for long COVID is different for everybody. Your chances of having long-term coronavirus symptoms are also not linked to how severe your infection was in the first place as researchers have found that several people who experienced mild symptoms initially are also struggling with long-term problems.
There are several long-term symptoms which people can get after COVID, with one of the most common symptoms being extreme tiredness, also known as fatigue.
Pace Yourself And Plan Your Activities
Pacing is an important strategy to help you to work within the limits of your fatigue. Overdoing it can make you feel more exhausted. You should develop an activity plan that is flexible depending on how you are feeling that day. Stay within your current ability, and slowly progress your activity levels as you feel able to do so.Try to think about when you feel most fatigued, this might be in the afternoon or in the morning. Plan your tasks around your tiredness, and break up tasks throughout the week. For example, instead of cleaning the house in one day, do one room or part of that room each day. Take as many rest periods as you need throughout the day to recharge. If you are too tired to continue, thats ok. Take a rest and try again tomorrow.
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Will Omicron Be The Last Variant
People need to understand that variants like Omicron and BA.5 are a natural part of the progression of the virus, Grubaugh says. New variants arent surprising, he says. Delta was never going to be the last variantand Omicron is not going to be the last one. As long as there is a COVID-19 outbreak somewhere in the world, there is going to be something new that emerges.
What Can I Do To Manage Covid Fatigue
Fatigue can drain your energy and keep you from doing day-to-day things when youre down with a viral sickness like COVID-19 or long-haul COVID-19.
To manage your health and ease fatigue symptoms while youre sick or post-COVID, you should:
- Accept that fatigue is a real side effect of having COVID-19.
- Make sure to get a good nights sleep. This can help your body preserve energy.
- Try relaxation techniques like mindful meditation, aromatherapy, yoga, and tai chi. These can help to reduce stress and fatigue symptoms.
- Plan ahead on what you can get done with limited energy.
- Prioritize the tasks that are important. This will help you spend energy on only those things that need to be done.
- Delegate certain tasks to others who can complete them for you. This can include activities like grocery shopping or cooking.
- Try to stay active. A viral infection can knock your energy out, but moving and light exercise can energize you.
- Keep a diary on all things that either trigger your fatigue or make it worse. This will help you steer clear of energy-draining activities.
- Eat foods that give your body energy.
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Phil Hedayatnia Singapore And Toronto
Phil Hedayatnia knew he had worked an unhealthy amount for his technology firm, a lifestyle that didnt help when he tested positive for the coronavirus in September 2020.During his first year of recovery, the 24-year-old Cleveland native, who used to bike for hours near the Erie Canal, couldnt spend more than half an hour working out without difficulty breathing, his most severe long covid symptom. This problem persists to this day, leaving Hedayatnia ping-ponging between normalcy and severe breathing issues, especially when the air quality is bad. The only coping mechanism he has found to be effective is taking time off work and letting his body rest.
I was on vacation with friends when we came down with covid.Most of my friends had a pretty easy go, two or three days of flu-like symptoms. But that was not my experience at all. I didnt lose my sense of taste or smell, nor did I even have a fever. The virus hit my lungs almost immediately, and within 12 hours, I could not breathe.
I stayed this way for the next six days. My blood oxygen level started to drop, and I saw stars whenever I took more than a few steps. Walking to the shower was hard, as was keeping down food. When one is submerged underwater and cant breathe, the feeling of being trapped triggers some dark stuff.
Without question those six days were the most painful period of my life. Even though my symptoms miraculously cleared up on the seventh day, I later sought therapy to process what happened.
