Can Omicron cause long COVIDs?

by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Long-distance COVID, also known as chronic or long-distance COVID, is a range of over 50 symptoms that can last for weeks or months after a person experiences COVID-19 infection.

There was no apparent difference in symptoms between acute COVID-19 infections caused by Omicron and infections caused by other variants such as Delta.

According to the main symptoms of Omicron infection ZOE research, that is:

• snot
• headache
• Malaise
• sneeze
• sore throat

“There are some signs that the Omicron variant spreads more easily, but fortunately, early data indicate that the variant can cause less severe illnesses within the population. It seems. ” Dr. Scott Lillibridge, Doctors, epidemiologists, and director of emergency response for the International Medical Corps.

So far, the majority of the population has experienced milder symptoms such as the common cold at Omicron, which may be due to the high immune levels of the population (due to infection or vaccine), specialty. The house emphasizes.

“”[M]Omicron infection in the United States is a breakthrough infection [infections in vaccinated persons] Because most of the population is completely vaccinated. For those who have been vaccinated, it is expected that the course will be less severe. ” Dr. Marisa Montecarbo, Professor of Medicine and Director of Medicine at NYMC Health Services at New York Medical College.

In the UK COVID Symptoms Study, vaccinated people 49 percent You are less likely to develop long-term COVID after COVID-19 infection.

However, Montecarbo said that some people may still be experiencing moderate to severe illness.

According to Lillibridge, there are always exceptions to all varieties, especially for those with underlying health problems.

In many medical institutions and countries, it has been difficult to track long COVID cases due to the various practices and requirements for such classification of symptoms.

The UK, for example, states that patients must at least experience them in order for their symptoms to be considered long-lived COVIDs. Three months.. For CDC, this period is 4 weeks or more..

In addition, Omicron appeared only in November 2021, so not enough time has passed for patients and doctors to notice the signs of long COVID.

Anyone with a COVID-19 infection, whether hospitalized or had few symptoms, You can experience Long COVID.

the study It has been shown that even mild cases of COVID-19 can cause persistent symptoms.

recently interviewDr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert in the United States, reiterated that long COVIDs are possible regardless of variant.

“No matter what viral variant occurs, long COVIDs can occur. There is no evidence that there is a difference between Delta or Beta, or the current Omicron,” he said.

In previous surveys, on average, up to 30 percent The proportion of patients continues to develop long COVIDs.

Research also found it 1 in 7 Children and adolescents may still have COVID-19-related symptoms 15 weeks after the initial infection.

Montecarbo emphasized that long COVIDs could certainly be the result of Omicron infection, but their incidence is unknown for the foreseeable future.

Some experts believe that the incidence of long COVIDs may be low because Omicron does not appear to cause a high or persistent increase in inflammatory markers in the body during infection.Long COVID is often More debilitating In severe cases with severe inflammation.

Andrew Catch PoleDPhil, a virologist and chief scientific officer of hVIVO conducting human challenge studies on infectious diseases, said he did not expect an increase in the incidence of long COVID cases in proportion to Omicron infection. Stated.

“Omicron is more infectious, but infectivity is not associated with an increased likelihood of long COVIDs. It is more relevant to severity. [As] On average, Omicron infections are less severe than those found in other variants or original strains, and Omicron is expected to have a lower proportion of long COVID cases, “he told Healthline.

Catchpole said the diagnosis of long COVID depends on both the symptoms and their duration.

“For symptoms associated with acute illness while the patient is infected, everything is expected to resolve within 10-14 days,” he told Healthline.

He said such symptoms could be runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath, fever, myalgia, lethargy, and in some cases diarrhea and nausea.

“One of these [symptoms] Long lasting, it would be unusual. [A]What is still apparent a month after the first symptoms appear is worth further investigation by the doctor. “
– Dr. Andrew Catchpole

Lillibridge said persistent shortness of breath, malaise, and poor concentration were the most annoying symptoms and indicated that deeper investigation was needed.

If these symptoms occur after infection and recovery from the acute illness lasts for more than a couple of weeks, follow up with your healthcare provider, he told Healthline.

Catchpole also warned that two symptoms in particular may not need to be worried about long COVID.

According to Catchpole, loss of taste and smell can last from weeks to months, with three months or more being relatively common.

“It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor whenever you’re worried about your symptoms. You don’t want to attribute your symptoms to a’long COVID’that may be a sign of another problem,” says Montecarbo. I did.

There was also concern about reinfection, which relapses long-term COVID symptoms in people who have previously been infected with COVID-19.

One such case Is a Spanish healthcare worker who was infected with the original strain in February 2020, the Delta strain in July 2021, and Omicron in November 2021.

Due to the reinfection, she experienced symptoms such as chronic pain, malaise, and memory loss.

It is premature to determine if Omicron leads to longer COVID cases, and experts are divided.

One camp argues that lowering the severity of the disease and boosting immunity help protect against long-term COVIDs.

Meanwhile, others believe that Omicron’s highly contagious and long-term COVID cases increase in number and that the condition poses a chronic public health concern.

Vaccination significantly reduces the risk of developing long-term COVID, but reinfection can cause relapse of symptoms.

If symptoms such as brain fog, muscle aches, and malaise persist after a COVID-19 infection, it is best to contact your healthcare professional for advice from a post-COVID care center in the United States.

Patient support groups for people with long COVIDs, such as Survivor Corps, are also a great source of information and emotional support.