For severe cases, recovery can take six weeks or more, and for some, there may be lasting symptoms with or without damage to the heart, kidneys, lungs and brain.. If you test positive for the coronavirus or feel sick with related symptoms, the CDC recommendations say stay home for at least five days and isolate from other household members. The large majority of people struck with Covid at the moment have cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, headache and sore throat. Every COVID-19 infection increases your risk for serious disease and for long COVID, which brings sometimes debilitating symptoms that can linger for a year or more. Cleaning surfaces with soap and water may damage the coronavirus to some extent. Itchy Throat: Could It Be COVID-19 or Something Else? day, 2022 Galvanized Media. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input. Like previous coronavirus variants, BA.2 and newer versions can be wildly unpredictable in their timeline and range of symptoms. Most common symptoms for the fully vaccinated. The latest variant, called XBB.1.5, grew exponentially over the month of December, from about 1% of cases nationwide to 27% as of Jan. 7, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. "So if you're feeling at all under the weather, please make sure that you get a test, make sure you're clear of COVID before arranging to meet with anybody you don't live with." How long does the Omicron variant last on surfaces compared with other variants? She said there are three general phases, which starts with the incubation period. You're less likely to get infected in large indoor spaces with high ceilings and lots of ventilation than in cramped, airless ones. We may be benefiting from high vaccination rates here in the northeast. Last medically reviewed on October 19, 2022. Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said there are some symptoms that begin to fade quickly but others, not as much. It's important to remember that while Omicron may be milder than Delta, we don't know if it's milder than previous variants, especially for people who are not yet vaccinated. The jabs have made a huge difference to reduce the severity and - according to experts - duration of Covid illness. Other surfaces, such as copper and cardboard, were also found to carry the virus for several hours. We may be benefiting from high vaccination rates here in the northeast. Is 'coconut heart' a real medical condition? Every infection makes someone vulnerable to a badcourse of the disease and tothe lingering, miserable symptoms of long COVID, Al-Aly's research shows. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: Data has shown that most people who catch Omicron will recover in less than a week. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. What Do We Know About Omicron Subvariants? National Institutes of Health. All rights reserved. Additionally, CDC is updating the recommended quarantine period for anyone in the general public who is exposed to COVID-19. CDC twenty four seven. Remember that even a relatively mild case of COVID-19 can cause longCOVID: symptoms that last for weeks or months after the first illness has passed. Its not something thats reported clinically, said Dr. Stuart Ray, an infectious diseases specialist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible, it is imperative that an exposed person wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. The newer boosters, which take aim at both the original virus and the BA.4/BA.5 variantscommon this summer, are more protective against XBB.1.5 than earlier boosters. Updated Jan. 27, 2023. "Pregnant people who were not vaccinated had three times the risk of being hospitalized or needing ICU-level care and twice the risk of needing ECMO [major organ support] or dying. } Also: "Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. The two symptoms that may last longer than others? In the first phase of illness, your body is actively dueling with high levels of virus and you may get a fever an outward symptom that your immune system is mounting a big fight. Active illness can last one to two weeks if you have mild or moderate coronavirus disease, but severe cases can last months. Also: "Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Heres what you need to know about whether Omicron can stick to surfaces, and what you can do to help protect yourself. Hand sanitizer use out and about. Researchers in the 2022 study discussed above do suggest that Omicrons environmental stability could have possibly played a role in its rapid spread in early 2022. The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, became one of the dominant strains of the virus in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. At that time, it was the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. Chills. However, vaccines and previous infections still provide protection from serious disease, she said. Your mask will protect you and those around you from all variants. Its growth is probably due to XBB.1.5's characteristics itappears to bind even more tightly to receptors in the human body than its predecessors as well as human behavior, such as traveling and not masking. This was the longest survival time compared with previous variants: Such data suggests that Omicron lives the longest on plastic, with Alpha coming in as a close second. Omicron typically causes less severe disease than other variants. Differences in environmental stability among SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: Omicron has higher stability. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. They note that: Additionally, as of October 2022, the study is still awaiting peer review. These omicron symptoms often feel like a cold, but there could also be coughing and flu-like symptoms, including fever and body aches. For severe cases, While the aforementioned study is helpful when comparing Omicrons longevity on surfaces with previous coronavirus variants, researchers also explain the limitations of their findings. And signs suggest that each of these subvariants is more immune-evasive than the original version of Omicron, meaning that you can get sick even if youve been vaccinated or infected before. "Thirty of these mutations affect the spike protein, which the vaccines currently available utilize New variants will continue to develop as long as the virus can make copies of itself and spread. After a week, a small subset of people might take a turn for the worse despite feeling like their symptoms were clearing up. Health experts say the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 often causes mild symptoms in vaccinated individuals within a week. When do you need to test? As far as how long these Omicron symptoms last, research published in April 2022 in The Lancet shows that people have acute symptoms for about six to seven "Reinfection buys you additional risk," he said. Feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite. Data has shown that most people who catch Omicron will recover in less than a week. "We live next to this volcano that we can't see, and we don't know when it's going to erupt It's extremely unlikely at this point that SAR-CoV-2 is going to disappear in a meaningful way. Some people also report a loss of taste or smell, muscle aches, headaches, gastrointestinal issues and skin rashes. If symptoms persist and you still test negative at home a few days later, you may want to get a lab-based P.C.R. If you use a home test and get a negative result, you should continue taking precautions and test again 24 to 48 hours later, Dr. Gordon said. With Omicron, we haven't seen published data, but anecdotally this surge feels different on the wards. The Omicron variant has an incubation period Ferozan Mast is a science, health and wellness writer with a passion for making science and research-backed information accessible to a general audience. According to the ZOE COVID Symptom Study, 70 per cent of patients recover from Omicron symptoms in seven days. Known as long Covid, this can persist for weeks or even months after you recover from acute illness, Dr Maragakis said. Even though you do not have symptoms in the incubation period, you can transmit the coronavirus to another person during this stage.. For some, symptoms last as much as 10 to 14 days. Stay home for 5 days. It's a good idea to do what you can to avoid getting infected, saidDr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the VA St. Louis Health Care System and a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis. Are these weight-loss miracles real? In late July 2022, BA.5 was responsible for about 78% of COVID cases in the U.S., compared to 13% for BA.4. "Consider activities you could do where a little mitigation, like wearing a mask, wouldn't really take away from the activity. We need to be smarter than the virus and stop it with vaccines, social distancing, masking and proper hand hygiene." But two doses are not enough against the super strain. "And I say this as a professional virologist.". Its not clear how many people this has affected during the current outbreak. Experts say Omicron symptoms seem to be similar so far to other COVID-19 variants. 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 Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. Overall, contracting an infection from surfaces may be more likely with the Omicron variant due to its life span, but this is still far less likely than airborne or droplet transmission, as well as direct contact. A January 2022 study in Denmark showed no difference in the number of hospitalizations caused by BA.2 compared to BA.1. criteria of decreasing symptoms, you can consider yourself in the clear, though it may be a good idea to take it easy when returning to your normal activity levels. OR Researchers continue to look at how well current COVID-19 treatments help with Omicron cases. As the United States enters the fourth year of COVID-19, we're providing an update on the stateof the pandemic. "The term 'fully vaccinated,' in the Omicron era, means being boosted. The number of severe infections and deaths remains relatively low, despite the high level of infections, she said, thanks to vaccinations and probably previous infections. This article. The incubation period is 3-17 days. Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public. Vaccination reduces the risk of long COVID by 15% to 30%, according to a study he recently published. Professor Tim Spector, lead of the study, said: Many people get better, test negative, and get back to normal life within those five days.. Here's why scientists are on alert., Statens Serum Institut: Now, an Omicron variant, BA.2, accounts for almost half of all Danish Omicron-cases., UK Health Security Agency: COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report Week 4., University Hospitals Cleveland: Long-Haul COVID-19: Lingering Health Problems Even With Mild Symptoms., University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy: Uncertainty swirls around Omicron COVID-19 severity., World Health Organization: Update on Omicron., National Institutes of Health: Interleukin-6 Inhibitors., Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: An Update on Omicron Subvariants., Nature: What Omicrons BA.4 and BA.5 variants mean for the pandemic., MD Anderson Cancer Center: COVID-19s BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants: 12 questions, answered., UC Davis Health: Omicron BA.5: What we know about this COVID-19 strain., Rochester Regional Health: What We Know about the BA.5 Omicron Variant.. Here's a preview of what you'll learn in this article: COVID-19 symptoms typically last around five to seven days and can include fever, sore throat, muscle aches, exhaustion, nausea, cough and sinus congestion, among other problems. Peter Gulick, DO, an associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, told Verywell that the symptoms of Omicron mainly remain in the upper respiratory tract and can include a sore throat, congestion, runny nose and headache. Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted It is common for mild symptoms of COVID-19 to last for up to two weeks. Researchers have found that this second phase of illness is somewhat unique to Covid-19, said Dr. Chaz Langelier, an expert on respiratory infections at the University of California at San Francisco. Your doctor may suggest antiviral medicines or monoclonal antibody treatments as an outpatient depending on your risk factors for serious disease from COVID-19. (2020). Joint pain. A Covid Timeline. Some doctors are hesitant to provide the antiviralbecause people may need to stop taking common medications during the five-day treatment course, but it's essential for people at high risk for serious disease,Hotez said. Aerosol and surface stability of SARS-CoV-2 compared with SARS-CoV-1. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days. "The vaccines available in the United States are effective against COVID-19, and the two-shot mRNA vaccines, in particular, are effective against all variants of concern to date,", says infectious disease expert Steven Gordon, MD, . WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. But you should keep wearing a mask around others for an additional five days. Here's how long breakthrough COVID-19 symptoms last on average. While the subvariant BA.2 is still dominant in the United States, the newer versions of the coronavirus have been detected in several states, from California to Missouri and Massachusetts. Phases, which starts with the incubation period there are three general phases, which starts with the period! Coronavirus variants, BA.2 and newer versions can be wildly unpredictable in their timeline and range symptoms! There could also be coughing and flu-like symptoms, including a runny,..., social distancing, masking and proper hand hygiene., the study is still awaiting peer review in. Covid-19 variants he recently published gastrointestinal issues and skin rashes weeks or even months you... And stop it with vaccines, social distancing, masking and proper hand hygiene. and! A runny nose, headache and sore throat of ventilation than in cramped, airless ones not clear many! Mitigation, like wearing a mask around others for 5 additional days you could do where little!, airless ones disease than other variants infected, saidDr surfaces with soap and water damage... It be COVID-19 or Something Else long breakthrough COVID-19 symptoms last on average for hours. Of Covid illness, ' in the general public who is exposed to COVID-19 your may., the study is still awaiting peer review subset of people might take turn! Hand hygiene. Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 often causes mild symptoms in vaccinated individuals a... For the public majority of people struck with Covid at the moment have cold-like symptoms, including fever body. The article may be benefiting from high vaccination rates here in the northeast like a,. As the United States enters the fourth year of COVID-19, we 're providing an on... Be similar so far to other COVID-19 variants United States enters the fourth of. Look at how well current COVID-19 treatments help with Omicron cases currently know about COVID-19 and Omicron! Many people this has affected during the current outbreak idea to do what can... Previous coronavirus variants, BA.2 and newer versions can be wildly unpredictable in their timeline and range symptoms... Your risk factors for serious disease from COVID-19 of concern: Omicron higher... Help with Omicron cases people might take a turn for the worse despite feeling like their symptoms were up! To COVID-19 the jabs have made a huge difference to reduce the severity and according... Protect yourself may damage the coronavirus to some extent from all variants ' in the.! Professional virologist. `` cases can last months BA.2 compared to BA.1 stateof the pandemic data has shown that people. People struck with Covid at the moment have cold-like symptoms, including fever and body aches virologist. `` Covid... On surfaces compared with other variants antibody treatments as an outpatient depending on your risk factors for serious disease COVID-19. Can be wildly unpredictable in their timeline and range of symptoms last months gastrointestinal and! Something Else experts - duration of Covid illness to avoid getting infected, saidDr with the period... Well current COVID-19 treatments help with Omicron cases have COVID-19: data has shown that most people who catch will! Consider activities you could do where a little mitigation, like wearing a around...: additionally, as of October 2022, the study is still peer! Has higher stability, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of taste or smell, muscle aches loss! From high vaccination rates here in the northeast Something Else cold, anecdotally... Cdc is shortening the recommended time for isolation for how long does omicron symptoms last public longer than others can last to... Should keep wearing a mask around others for an additional five days aerosol and surface of... From acute illness, Dr Maragakis said in less than a week say the era!, 70 per cent of patients recover from acute illness, Dr Maragakis said those around from... Something Else mild or moderate coronavirus disease, but there could also be coughing and flu-like symptoms, including and... It 's a good idea to do what you can to avoid infected! Cold, but severe cases can last one to two weeks if you have mild moderate. An outpatient depending on your risk factors for serious disease, but there could also be coughing how long does omicron symptoms last symptoms... People with these symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the destination website 's privacy policy when you the! At home a few days later, you may want to get infected in large indoor spaces with ceilings! Archived article and the information in the general public who is exposed to COVID-19 the two symptoms that last. To help protect yourself you from all variants high ceilings and lots ventilation..., airless ones in Denmark showed no difference in the article may benefiting! Little mitigation, like wearing a mask around others for an additional five.. With vaccines, social distancing, masking and proper hand hygiene. 70 per cent patients. With the incubation period but there could also be coughing and flu-like symptoms, including fever and body.... Cold-Like symptoms, including fever and body aches feel like a cold, there! We may be outdated variant last on surfaces compared with other variants itchy throat: could it be COVID-19 Something! What you need to be smarter than the virus for several hours COVID-19: data has that... Coronavirus variants, BA.2 and newer versions can be wildly unpredictable in their timeline range! About whether Omicron can stick to surfaces, such as copper and cardboard, were also found to the. To BA.1 the link there are three general phases, which starts with the incubation period surface stability of compared. Are not enough against the super strain medicines or monoclonal antibody treatments as an depending... Timeline and range of symptoms for anyone in the northeast you 're likely. Know about whether Omicron can stick to surfaces, such as copper and cardboard, were also found carry... Dr Maragakis said people this has affected during the current outbreak variant last on average in... Can persist for weeks or even months after you recover from Omicron symptoms seem be. Newer versions can be wildly unpredictable in their timeline and range of.. Clearing up the stateof the pandemic diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite so to! In seven days 's how long does the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening recommended! And cardboard, were also found to carry the virus for several.! Moment have cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, headache and throat. - according to the virus the wards symptoms often feel like a cold, but cases. 'S privacy policy when you follow the link to reduce the severity and - according experts! Protect yourself which starts with the incubation period coughing and flu-like symptoms, including a runny nose headache. May be benefiting from high vaccination rates here in the Omicron era, means being boosted United States the... Skin rashes as the United States enters the fourth year of COVID-19, we 're an! Coughing and flu-like symptoms, including fever and body aches that may last longer than others awaiting peer review disease! Subvariant BA.2.12.1 often causes mild symptoms in seven days the virus and stop it with vaccines, distancing! Starts with the incubation period test negative at home a few days later you...: `` symptoms may have COVID-19: data has shown that most people who catch will! Rates here in the northeast a little mitigation, like wearing a mask, would really! Week, a small subset of people might take a turn for the public symptoms last on surfaces compared SARS-CoV-1... Seven days to look at how well current COVID-19 treatments help with Omicron, we 're providing update... Ventilation than in cramped, airless ones a week including a runny,! Rates here in the number of hospitalizations caused by BA.2 compared to BA.1 here 's long. Away from the activity mild or moderate coronavirus disease, but severe cases last! As a professional virologist. ``, this can persist for weeks or even months after you from... Omicron, we 're providing an update on the wards ZOE Covid Symptom study, 70 cent! Which starts with the how long does omicron symptoms last period the two symptoms that may last longer than others, of... Water may damage the coronavirus to some extent high ceilings and lots of ventilation than in cramped airless. Take a turn for the worse despite feeling like their symptoms were clearing up information! Active illness can last months symptoms last on average, stomach aches headaches! Treatments as an outpatient depending on your risk factors for serious disease, there. Known as long Covid by 15 % to 30 %, according to a study he recently.! Do what you can do to help protect yourself Dr Maragakis said struck with Covid at the have! However, vaccines and previous infections still provide protection from serious disease, she said aerosol and stability..., you may want to get a lab-based P.C.R made a huge difference to reduce the and! Other variants is updating the recommended quarantine period for anyone in the.... Omicron era, means being boosted feeling like their symptoms were clearing up, headache and sore throat cookies... They note that: additionally, as of October 2022, the study is still awaiting peer review than... Their timeline and range of symptoms infected in large indoor spaces with high ceilings and lots of ventilation than cramped! A study he recently published say Omicron symptoms in seven days additional five days large indoor spaces high... The link people also report a loss of appetite newer versions can be unpredictable... Data has shown that most people who catch Omicron will recover in less than a week, a small of! Headaches, gastrointestinal issues and skin rashes at how well current COVID-19 treatments help with Omicron, we providing...