Omicron variant symptoms are different than past COVID-19 variant symptoms, expert says

How to tell the difference between omicron variant symptoms and previous COVID-19 strains

Illustration by Alex Cochran, Deseret News

Omicron variant symptoms appear to be different than the previous COVID-19 symptoms felt from earlier strains, according to experts.

Cara Gluck, the chief of clinical services at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department, recently told KOCO News that the omicron variant symptoms are often less severe than the symptoms felt from the delta variant, which makes it hard for people to diagnosis.

• “With the weather the way that it is, people think it’s just allergies because they may not be experiencing severe illness,” she said.

Omicron variant symptoms often include fever, tiredness, scratchy throat and general sickness, often seen in the common cold.

• “We are looking at those basic upper respiratory symptoms,” she said.

It’s been hard for people nationwide to determine if they’re infected with COVID-19 — specifically the omicron variant — or the cold because the omicron variant actually has genetic code from the common cold, as I wrote for the Deseret News.

• The current theory from scientists in South Africa suggests the coronavirus lingered inside an immunocompromised person long enough to pick up genetic material from the common cold, giving the variant some resemblance to it, according to BBC News.