What We Find out about Omicron
CDC has been collaborating with international public well being and business companions to find out about Omicron, as they proceed to watch its course. We don’t but know the way simply it spreads, the severity of sickness it causes, or how effectively out there vaccines and medicines work towards it.
Unfold
The Omicron variant probably will unfold extra simply than the unique SARS-CoV-2 virus and the way simply Omicron spreads in comparison with Delta stays unknown. Anyone with Omicron infection can unfold the virus to others, even when they’re vaccinated or don’t have signs.
Extreme Sickness
Extra knowledge are wanted to know if Omicron infections, and particularly reinfections and breakthrough infections in people who find themselves totally vaccinated, trigger extra extreme sickness or demise than an infection with different variants.
Vaccines
Present vaccines are anticipated to guard towards extreme sickness, hospitalizations, and deaths as a consequence of an infection with the Omicron variant. Nonetheless, breakthrough infections in people who find themselves totally vaccinated are more likely to happen. With different variants, like Delta, vaccines have remained efficient at stopping extreme sickness, hospitalizations, and demise. The current emergence of Omicron additional emphasizes the significance of vaccination and boosters.
Therapies
Scientists are working to find out how effectively current remedies for COVID-19 work. Based mostly on the modified genetic make-up of Omicron, some remedies are more likely to stay efficient whereas others could also be much less efficient.
We now have the Instruments to Struggle Omicron
Vaccines
Vaccines stay one of the best public well being measure to guard individuals from COVID-19, sluggish transmission, and scale back the probability of recent variants rising.
- COVID-19 vaccines are extremely efficient at stopping extreme sickness, hospitalizations, and demise.
- Scientists are at present investigating Omicron, together with how protected totally vaccinated individuals will likely be towards an infection, hospitalization, and demise.
- CDC recommends that everybody 5 years and older shield themselves from COVID-19 by getting fully vaccinated.
- CDC recommends that everybody ages 18 years and older ought to get a booster shot at the least two months after their preliminary J&J/Janssen vaccine or six months after finishing their major COVID-19 vaccination sequence of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.
Masks
Masks provide safety towards all variants.
- CDC continues to suggest sporting a masks in public indoor settings in areas of considerable or excessive community transmission, no matter vaccination standing.
- CDC supplies advice about masks for individuals who wish to be taught extra about what type of mask is correct for them relying on their circumstances.
Testing
Checks can let you know if you’re at present contaminated with COVID-19.
- Two sorts of checks are used to test for current infection: nucleic acid amplification checks (NAATs) and antigen tests. NAAT and antigen checks can solely let you know you probably have a present an infection.
- People can use the COVID-19 Viral Testing Tool to assist decide what sort of take a look at to hunt.
- Extra checks can be wanted to find out in case your an infection was attributable to Omicron.
- Go to your state, tribal, native, or territorial well being division’s web site to search for the most recent native info on testing.
- Self-tests can be utilized at house or wherever, are straightforward to make use of, and produce fast outcomes.
- In case your self-test has a constructive consequence, keep house or isolate for 10 days, put on a masks you probably have contact with others, and name your healthcare supplier.
- In case you have any questions on your self-test consequence, name your healthcare supplier or public well being division.
Till we all know extra in regards to the threat of Omicron, it is very important use all instruments out there to protect yourself and others.
Virus Traits
CDC scientists are working with companions to collect knowledge and virus samples that may be studied to reply vital questions in regards to the Omicron variant. Scientific experiments have already began. CDC will present updates as quickly as attainable.
Variant Surveillance
In the US, CDC makes use of genomic surveillance to trace variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 to extra shortly determine and act upon these findings to greatest shield the general public’s well being. CDC established a number of methods to attach and share genomic sequence knowledge being produced by CDC, public well being laboratories, and industrial diagnostic laboratories inside publicly accessible databases maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Informationexternal icon (NCBI) and the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Dataexternal icon (GISAID). If a variant is circulating at 0.1% frequency, there’s a >99% probability that it will likely be detected in CDC’s nationwide genomic surveillance.microscope gentle iconScience Temporary: Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant
On November 24, 2021, South Africa reported the identification of a brand new SARS-CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.529, to the World Well being Group (WHO). B.1.1.529 was first detected in specimens collected on November 11, 2021 in Botswana and on November 14, 2021 in South Africa.More on the Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant
When to Search Emergency Medical Consideration
Search for emergency warning indicators* for COVID-19. If somebody is displaying any of those indicators, search emergency medical care instantly:
- Bother respiratory
- Persistent ache or stress within the chest
- New confusion
- Lack of ability to wake or keep awake
- Pale, grey, or blue-colored pores and skin, lips, or nail beds, relying on pores and skin tone
*This record just isn’t all attainable signs. Please name your medical supplier for every other signs which can be extreme or regarding to you.
Distinction between COVID-19 & Flu
Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are each contagious respiratory sicknesses, however they’re attributable to totally different viruses. COVID-19 is attributable to an infection with a brand new coronavirus (known as SARS-CoV-2), and flu is attributable to an infection with influenza viruses.
COVID-19 appears to unfold extra simply than flu and causes extra critical sicknesses in some individuals. It may possibly additionally take longer earlier than individuals present signs and other people could be contagious for longer. Extra details about variations between flu and COVID-19 is offered within the totally different sections beneath.
As a result of a number of the signs of flu and COVID-19 are related, it might be laborious to inform the distinction between them primarily based on signs alone, and testing could also be wanted to assist affirm a analysis.
Whereas extra is discovered each day about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it, there may be nonetheless rather a lot that’s unknown . This web page compares COVID-19 and flu, given one of the best out there info up to now.
Coronavirus Self-Checker
The Coronavirus Self-Checker is an interactive scientific evaluation software that can help people ages 13 and older, and fogeys and caregivers of kids ages 2 to 12 on deciding when to hunt testing or medical care if they think they or somebody they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into shut contact with somebody who has COVID-19.
The net, mobile-friendly software asks a sequence of questions, and primarily based on the person’s responses, supplies really helpful actions and assets.
Source: CDC