Omikron is a type of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that was discovered at the end of November last year. What is known about the new variant? What are the symptoms? Find out how Omicron differs from other breeds and how to distinguish it from the common cold.
Omicron was first detected in South Africa in the second half of November 2021. According to the latest data, it accounts for 20 percent of all infections in Poland. This number will increase day by day.
Omikron – Statistics and morbidity in Poland
By January 19, 2022, the Ministry of Health had confirmed a total of 4,373,718 infections, of which 103,062 had died from the coronavirus. – Omicron has become a reality. currently It makes up more than 20 percent of the genome research structure announce Health Minister Adam Nidzelsky at a press conference. He also announced that the number of daily infections may reach more than 50,000 next week.
According to the minister At the end of January, we could have 120,000 infections a day in PolandAnd in mid-February or early March from 100 to 140 thousand cases.
Omikron in Europe and the world
More than 335 million people have contracted COVID-19 worldwide. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that 18 million cases of coronavirus were detected worldwide in the past week. In the United States, omicron already accounts for 95 percent of all infections. The omicron wave is also engulfing Europe. The increase in injuries in the fifth wave is associated with the presence of this variant. In early January, the Director of the World Health Organization in Europe, Hans Kluge, said that More than half of Europe’s population can be infected with Omicron In the next six to eight weeks.
Omicron – deaths
Omicron is a variant that causes less severe symptoms than previous strains. In many countries, the number of hospitalizations and deaths is often lower than in the early stages of an epidemic. Far fewer, even many times, have acute respiratory failure, and need oxygen therapy or the use of a ventilator.
This does not mean, however, that the omicron can be taken lightly. The bad news is that Omicron spreads much faster than other variants. It should also be noted that in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe, the death rate from COVID-19 is generally Much higher than in other countries. This is due, inter alia, to the low level of vaccination.
Vaccinations against Omicron
There are COVID-19 vaccines on the European market Effective in omicron infection. It also protects against severe cycle and recovery to a large extent. However, available vaccines are less effective with Omicron than with other strains of coronavirus.
British scientists reported in December last year that Two doses of the vaccine will not be enoughTo avoid contamination by omicron. Therefore, it is very important to adopt a third booster dose. give to 75% omicron protection. BioNTech and Pfizer started production The COVID-19 vaccine has been adapted to an omicron variant. It is not known if a vaccine will be needed or if it will be used, but companies want to be ready for it.
In Poland, until January 19, they were delivered together 49904088 Different doses of COVID-19 vaccines. To date, more than 21.4 million Poles have been fully vaccinated.
Omicron – Symptoms
Symptoms that may occur in people with the omicron variant are the most common: Headache, fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose, disturbed or decreased sense of smell or taste, sore throat, pain in muscles and joints, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.. Less common than the other types – although all of these symptoms can occur with omicron infection – are: loss of smell and taste, fever, cough and shortness of breath. Loss of smell and taste may occur, but much later.
However, it is often observed Extreme tiredness, headache, body aches, runny nose, sneezing, as well as a chapped, sore throat.. The headache usually lasts for a few days and is not helped by painkillers. Another common symptom is muscle pain, Especially Back ache.
Omicron and the common cold
In the case of oomicron, cold-like symptoms that are initially not alarming may occur. this is itchy throat if Qatar. – We usually ignore such symptoms, because we are used to going to work with them – Dr. Jacek Krajewski said in an interview with Polska i Świat magazine. For this reason, be careful not to ignore even the slightest symptoms.
Omikron – When do you test?
The FDA warns that antigen tests, the results of which we know after several minutes, do not always detect an omicron variant. It happens that patients become infected despite the negative test result. PCR tests provide more reliable results. However, to confirm that a particular case of the coronavirus is omicron, a complete genetic analysis is required, which takes four to five days.
If you have symptoms that may indicate an omicron infection, contact your primary care physician who will decide whether or not you want a test. You can also apply for the free test yourself via Online form at gov.pl. You have to put your data in it and characterize the symptoms. The person classified for the test is notified when and where they can take it.
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