What we know about the omicron variant

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on Jan 26, 2022

The entire world was silently being the witness of the deadly rampage of the deadly coronavirus that has already claimed tons of innocent lives all over the globe. Soon after we started to overcome the situation, the terror came back with a new face. As we all know, the newest variant of this deadly virus is named omicron, which is the prime matter of concern at this very moment. However, there are still a huge number of people who still do not know much about this variant. A brief on the information that has come out so far are mentioned below for you.

What is the Omicron variant?

Frequent mutation of the novel coronavirus has finally taken the shape of this particular variant. The constant mutation of the virus may leave impacts on the behavior of this newly discovered variant. Although no such information has been fetched so far that can signify the chances of any further mutation of this specific variant.

How did the omicron variant develop?

One mentionable fact in this regard is, the more a virus gets a chance to spread, the more chance remains for it to keep changing or mutating. In other words, the increasing spread of the virus is actually the other name of its increasing chance of getting mutated or changed. Undeniably, the omicron variant is kind of a reminder for all of us that the pandemic is not over yet although so many of us have already survived this deadly infection. We should keep taking all the precautionary measures as strictly as we used to.

Where is the omicron variant present?

The newly discovered omicron variant has already been found in so many countries all over the world including South Africa and the United States. Who reports that possibly most countries of the world have already got the virus, even if it has not been detected yet over there.

Is the omicron variant more severe than the other Covid-19 variants?

It is undoubtedly good news for all of us that the newly discovered Omicron variant is less severe than the delta variant. However, just because we still do not know much about this new variant, it can not be considered as a ‘mild’ one. As we all know, all the other covid variants can cause critical respiratory complexions and death, however, the delta variant is still the most dangerous one.

Is the omicron variant more contagious?

As per information fetched and verified, the omicron is spreading faster than the other variants. This clearly signifies that the virus is probably more contagious than the other variants. This is the reason why all of us who still haven’t got the vaccine should get the vaccine as soon as possible. Apart from that, we all should keep taking all the precautionary measures like wearing masks, using hand sanitizers etc more frequently.

Does the omicron variant cause different symptoms?

As per information fetched, the symptoms of the omicron variant is similar to all the other variants of this deadly virus.

Are the vaccines effective against the omicron variant?

Although we all have limited information so far, there remains a small chance that the vaccines can decrease the effectiveness of this omicron variant on your body and can keep you away from life threatening complications. Who reports that the vaccines that have been introduced so far can protect you from death and severe illness. So taking the vaccine is necessary to keep yourself as well as your loved ones away from the already circulating variants of this deadly virus.

Is a prior covid-19 infection effective against the omicron variant?

According to WHO, prior covid infection offers less protection against the new omicron variant. As a matter of fact, prior covid infection offers a bit more protection against the other variants like the delta variants than the omicron variant. According to the medical experts, you should get vaccinated even if you have already survived this deadly disease because the vaccines can offer a protection that is more reliable.

Do current Covid-19 tests detect the omicron variant?

The RT-PCR test and the antigen tests can effectively detect any variant of Covid-19 including the omicron variant.

Are children more likely to contract the omicron variant?

In general, people who are not following the guidelines and are avoiding the precautionary measures are more likely to catch this new variant. Although, we still don’t have any concrete evidence that the children are more likely to catch the omicron variant or not.

How can I protect myself and my family against this new variant?

• Wear your mask every time you are stepping out of your home.
• Get vaccinated and get the boosters if it is necessary as per the occurring situation.
• Stay away from each and every crowded zone including the zones that has been declared as the contaminated ones.
• Maintain a distance of at least 1 meter with any random person you meet.
• Use hand sanitizers every time you touch any random object or surface because it can help to disinfect your hands.
• Wash your hands in a proper manner every time after coming back home.
• Instantly isolate yourself and get medical consultation if you notice any of the symptoms getting visible in you.
• Stay inside your room as much as possible and avoid taking steps outside if your business is not vitally important.

How can I talk to my child about the omicron variant?

• Make your child understand what is going on in an age-appropriate way.
• Learn to be fully engaged when your child is explaining anything your child has faced or heard about. If not, then just invite your child for the same in a proper way.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question, try to find it out together as a teamwork with your child.
• Kids copy the emotions from their parents or guardians. So always keep in mind that if you look or behave overly worried, then your child will naturally panic more than usual.
• Most of all, make sure that you are up to date about each and every latest information regarding the omicron variant because this is hugely necessary for the purpose of being informative to your child.

Omicron has already started to spread and the rampage of this deadly disease can only be stopped if we take all the preventive measures seriously. Specifically, people who are old aged and people with pre existing respiratory conditions must stay more careful because they can be affected. They must go through an covid test or rt pcr test to get the presence of the disease detected in them. To be mentioned once again, no need to be relaxed if you have defeated this disease before you may get infected the second time. Consult a genuine medical expert today to fetch more necessary information in this.