Omicron variant, symptoms and how long it lasts: what we know

Omicron variant also widespread in Italy and, according to the words of the Undersecretary of Health Pierpaolo Sileri, would represent about 50-60% of infections in the country. But what are the symptoms, incubation times and duration of the new mutation? Here is all the information and news on the subject. Read also INCUBATION The times of the incubation of the disease would seem to be very fast. From the estimate based on the preliminary analyzes of the swabs collected for the rapid investigation of December 20, as communicated by the Higher Institute of Health (Iss) in a note, and by comparing the results of the flash survey conducted with the collection of samples on December 6 and those of this preliminary estimate, the doubling time of the variant is about two days in line with that already found in other European countries. “Even if the results are still preliminary, the estimate confirms the great speed of diffusion of the variant, which seems to give very widespread outbreaks in a short time and is about to become a majority in a short time, as is already happening in several other European countries”, explained the president of the Higher Institute of Health (Iss), Silvio Brusaferro SYMPTOMS AND DURATION The first map of symptoms was drawn up on the basis of the cases traced in London between October and December: the most common symptoms reported and archived by the ZOE COVID app they were runny nose, headache, fatigue with body aches, sneezing and sore throat. Compared to the ‘traditional’ version of the covid, associated in particular to the Delta variant, there are no reports of the loss of smell and taste, ‘spy’ symptoms of the disease in previous waves.The milder symptoms risk being confused with cold syndromes, therefore, very common in the winter months and very popular among children. Recovery from common colds occurs within 10 days, according to the Centers for Disease control in the United States. Immunosuppressed people or people suffering from asthma and respiratory diseases, however, risk developing more serious diseases, such as pneumonia.The Omicron variant appears, however, to be less dangerous for the lungs according to 3 independent studies: one conducted in Japan, another in Cambridge (UK), and the latest in Hong Kong. All three suggest the same conclusion: the new mutant would show “reduced infectivity” of lung cells.
For a more complete picture, the direct experience of Professor Matteo Bassetti, director of the infectious disease clinic of the San Martino Polyclinic in Genoa, may be useful. “I have followed and am following hundreds of people vaccinated with 2 or 3 doses of vaccine who have Covid. Well these people have a cold or a flu that lasts 3-4 days. Nothing to do with Covid a year ago and with the covid of those who are not vaccinated “, the doctor wrote on Facebook.” It seems to me that the idea that Omicron is a little less virulent than the Delta is being consolidated, considering how many people go to hospital compared to the number of cases. It must be said that it will probably take no less than 10 years to become a simple cold “, adds today Massimo Andreoni, head of infectious disease at the Tor Vergata Polyclinic, on Cusano Italia Tv.” Of course, if the cases increase so much, the hospitalizations will also increase. The transmissibility of this variant is very worrying – underlines Andreoni – which is already dominant in Italy, considering that it should have exceeded 50%. From a purely epidemiological point of view, the fact that the virus may have lost virulence makes us happy, because we are waiting for the virus to adapt itself more and more to humans by becoming less aggressive “.