Omikron leads to other corona symptoms: The chief doctor explains what to look out for now
Created: 01/10/2022, 12:00 PM
From: Yasina Hipp
Testing is also important for mild symptoms of illness.
© picture alliance / dpa / Peter Kneffel
Anyone who currently has a cold or is coughing cannot be sure whether it is a corona infection or normal flu.
Some symptoms are very similar.
Hanover - The virus variant Omikron is spreading more and more in Germany, the number of infections has doubled and tripled compared to the past few weeks.
That alarms politicians and scientists.
The largest German medical association, Marburger Bund, has even warned against overloading the normal wards of the hospitals.
While the Omikron wave only used the intensive care bed occupancy as a benchmark, it provided a “deceptive” picture, according to Susanne Johna, chairwoman of the medical association.
Since the course of an infection with the Omicron variant is also different than with Delta, many would not notice the corona infection.
Corona variant Omikron: Test even if you have mild symptoms
"There is a risk that many people will not even perceive their corona infection as such and only assume they have a cold," said Johna in an interview with the
editorial network in Germany
.
Johna sees other problems in the fact that there would be inhibitions about being tested and, if the result was positive, having to be quarantined if necessary.
But this is especially important when in doubt.
She appeals: "Anyone who has a cold, coughs or feels unwell should test and isolate as a precaution." Since there is no loss of smell or taste when infected with Omikron, it is important to test yourself even if you have mild symptoms.
An overview of the likelihood of the occurrence of various symptoms for Delta, Omicron, flu and cold can be found here.
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Corona variant Omicron: Typical symptoms
The typical symptoms of Omicron infection are similar to those of the flu.
Omicron infected people particularly often complain about pain in their limbs and sore throats, tiredness, runny nose, loss of appetite and night sweats.
Occasionally there is also a fever, cough, headache and sneezing.
The most common symptoms of a flu infection are fever, body aches, cough, headache and tiredness.
Sometimes a sore throat, runny nose and night sweats also occur.
