Omicron: How do I know if I have it?

Hundreds of thousands of cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have now been detected in the UK and hospital admissions are rising.

Omicron doesn’t make people as sick as previous variants, but the sheer volume of people testing positive is still forcing large numbers of people to self-isolate.

Omicron seems more like a cold to some people, with commonly reported symptoms including a sore throat, runny nose, and headache.

Previous Covid variants were more likely to result in loss of taste or smell, coughing up again and fever – although those are still the three official symptoms.

Though it spreads much faster than the previous variant (Delta), health experts say Omicron is milder and less likely to make people sick or require hospital treatment. This is mainly due to protection against booster vaccinations and against previous infections.

Omicron is believed to have peaked in South Africa, where it was first identified. There are also early signs this could happen in London, but scientists warn there could be more trouble in the UK once Omicron hits the oldest and most vulnerable populations in large numbers.

Swabs from PCR tests sent to labs for analysis can show whether the variant causing the infection looks like Omicron, Delta, or something else.

Less than half of UK laboratories have the technology to detect suspected omicron cases. This means it may be detected faster in some areas than others.

Confirming that a suspected case is Omicron requires a full genetic analysis, which takes between four and five days.

By looking closely at the genetic material provided by testing, scientists can confirm whether someone is responding positively to Omicron or the already widespread Delta.

Up to 20% of swabs from positive test results in the UK each week – around 60,000 cases – are sent for genome sequencing.

This process doesn’t give a complete picture, but these results allow scientists to estimate what proportion of new cases are the new variant.

All viruses mutate all the time, and those mutations give rise to new versions—or variants.

Some of these can make the virus more harmful or simply spread more easily. Scientists call these “variants of concern” (VoC).

The Omicron variant is a VoC because it has many mutations never seen before.

A large number of these are found on the part of the virus most vaccines target – the spike protein.

This initially raised concerns that existing vaccines against Omicron might not be effective.

However, research from the UK Health Security Agency found that getting a booster shot offers 88% protection from getting sick in hospital – just slightly less than previous options.

Another study found that the risk of going to the emergency room or being admitted to an infirmary after contracting Omicron was about half that of the older Delta variant.

PCR tests can be ordered for free from the government’s website if you have symptoms, but these can be scarce. They can also be bought from a private company if you need one for travel purposes.

Rapid or lateral flow tests (LFTs) give you a quick result when you want to know if you are negative or positive for the coronavirus. However, they cannot tell you which variant of the virus you are infected with.

If you have Covid symptoms or have tested positive for Covid – whatever the variant – you must stay at home and self-isolate.

In England and Wales you can end isolation after seven days if you can present two negative tests on days six and seven.

People who are double vaccinated and come into contact with a person with Covid should do daily lateral flow testing for seven days rather than immediately self-isolate.

In Scotland you must self-isolate for 10 days if anyone in your household tests positive – even if you are fully vaccinated.

You can read more about the self-isolation rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland here.