These are the new COVID signs you should be looking out for now. Not only that, but the available vaccines appear to be effective against this variant, especially for those who received a booster shot, Dr. Naik says. BA.2, also known as "stealth omicron," is considered a subvariant of omicron, but, according to Chicago's top doctor, the suvariant is now making up at least two-thirds of the city's COVID cases. "Not a surprise it is more contagious than B.1.1, but nothing leading to a major surge.". If youre 50 or older and its been at least four months since your last booster, or if you have a compromised immune system, you are eligible for another mRNA booster to increase protection against severe disease from COVID-19. The stealth Omicron variant could cause a number of symptoms. We avoid using tertiary references. However, the "stealth" version, as it has been dubbed, does appear to be even more transmissible. [emailprotected]. In addition to Runner's World, she has contributed health, fitness and wellness content to Women's Health, SELF, Prevention, Healthline, and the Houston Chronicle, among other publications. } ); We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The BA.2 variant is now under investigation because it could have a growth advantage, replacing the original omicron variant, per Reuters. The FDA is warning of potential contamination. Copyright 1995 - 2023 American Medical Association. All you need to know, When to get checked: A guide to mens preventive health (including timelines and screenings), Getting back to health: your checklist for 2022, Protecting Your Kids with the COVID-19 Vaccine, Parent Tips for a no burn-out, no bummer summer with kids. "I don't know if we, right now, know the particular features that are distinct for BA.2 versus BA.1. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); According to the CDC, COVID cases had fallen 20 percent in the last two weeks, despite Omicron's dominance. See how the CCB recommends changes to the AMA Constitution and Bylaws and assists in reviewing the rules, regulations and procedures of AMA sections. Here's what you can expect if you experience a breakthrough infection. 11 Potential Stealth Omicron Symptoms Experts Say May Impact Breakthrough Cases. We are seeing some just some bubbling up here and there and that's important to keep an eye on, but overall stable. Again, here in Illinois, we are seeing these rising cases and a context of much lower cases than we had seen in the winter. But now, there is another concern on the horizon: the Omicron subvariant, BA.2. Knowing the signs of the stealth variant can help to detect the condition faster and take the right steps to avoid complications. 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According to experts, this is actually referring to a new omicron variant that has proven to frequently be mistaken for the Delta variant via PCR testing. } Council on Long Range Planning & Development, What doctors wish patients knew about long COVID, What doctors wish patients knew about COVID-19 vaccine boosters, COVID-19, strep, STDs and Marburg cases on the rise with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, COVID-19, strep, STDs and Marburg cases on the rise with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH [Podcast], XBB.1.5, new COVID-19 and flu at-home test, plus CDC shigellosis warning with Andrea Garcia, JD, MPH, PAs pushing to expand their scope of practice across the country, 10 keys M4s should follow to succeed during residency training, Training tomorrows doctors to put patients first. Here's How Worried You Should Be About 'Stealth' Omicron, The Difference Between a Heart Attack and a Stroke. According to the CDC data, XBB.1.16 is now 9% of the total COVID cases in the United States and is found in over 20 states. The AMA leads the charge on public health. Heres what you need to know about this latest development in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Why this matters: The subvariant BA.2, which has been nicknamed the "stealth omicron," could be spreading faster than the original omicron and lead to even more COVID-19 cases, according to Fortune. According to data from Spector's Zoe COVID Study App, there are five common symptoms being reported with this variant: runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and sore throat. "When we are sick and our body is taking care of the infection, we can get things like fever," Lee said. Review the reports and resolutions submitted for consideration at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=31f69216-08dd-4ced-9dad-6d1cfb317c69&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=4163007888331790249'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); XBB 1.16 is the latest version of the Omicron variant. If this bothers you for a couple of days or more, then one should consult a doctor. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. The results of the tests can be inaccurate because the virus cannot be detected in the nose or mouth. Some of these fall in line with tell-tale Omicron symptoms. This makes it quite different from the Omicron variant in a number of ways and is also a reason for concern. People are really concerned because: oneyes, it's here in the United States, and twoyes, it's caused outbreaks in other countries. These symptoms can appear within two-three days after getting infected with the virus and may linger in the body for longer. The variant is producing some unique signs among those infected. In a lot of ways, it's a bad cold, a lot of respiratory symptoms, stuffy nose, coughing, body aches and fatigue," said Dr.. Our members are the frontline of patient care, expanding access to care for underserved patients and developing key prevention strategies. And the answer's going to be, yes, she said. If its a more minor shift in the genetic sequencing, then it becomes a subvariant, she said, noting that Omicron BA.1 was the major variant that supplanted Delta and that happened over the winter months. With the BA.2 omicron subvariant now the dominant strain across Chicago and the U.S., what symptoms should you be watching for? Read more. It may seem like the world will never return to the normal we once knew in the before times, and Dr. Naik says thats not that far off from the truth. The original omicron variant, which scientists call BA.1 or B.1.1.529, was until recently the most transmissible known version of the virus. There is no cause for concern with BA.2 as everything you do to handle BA.1 is applicable, Dr. Adalja says. Investigations into the characteristics of BA.2, including immune escape properties and virulence, should be prioritized independently (and comparatively) to BA.1, the agency added. The Omicron variant is still the most concerning version of COVID taking over the U.S. right now. This might be especially true given the fact that no research has indicated that the subvariant is any more likely to counteract the efficacy of our COVID vaccines. Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat or hoarse voice Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhoea High temperature Continuous cough Back pain A loss of appetite Delerium Heartburn Bloating Sleep paralysis Skin rash Night sweats Some of these fall in line with tell-tale Omicron symptoms. There will always be evolution of this virus towards heightened transmissibility, he adds. This article is accurate as of press time. That is why its important to have people protected not just for the short-term illness, but from the issues that people can have for months and maybe even years after having COVID-19.. Dr. Adalja agrees. Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Download AMA Connect app for By using Solv, you accept ouruse of cookies. While some are referring to this as medium COVID, there isnt a scientific name for it just yet. In fact, a lot of the data that's emerging is that it's more common in patients who have mild COVID to develop long COVID. Its not like this variant has increased ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity, he says. That means being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (and getting your booster shot when you're eligible) and wearing a mask in indoor spaces will help protect you against it. Viruses, malware and hackers pose a threat to patients and physician practices. As of Monday, the city was averaging 336 new COVID cases per day, up from 257 one week prior. The National Health Commission in China reported 1,337 locally transmitted cases in the latest 24-hour period, including 895 in the industrial province of Jilin. "It's like when Omicron first hit. The highly transmissible and contagious BA.2 Omicron subvariantdubbed stealth Omicronis now the dominant strain in the United States, causing more than 85% of all COVID-19 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Hospitalization in most places continues to be stable. The Omicron strain has mutated slightly into a new iteration, becoming the leading source of infection in some parts of the world. Get the latest news in medicine and public health delivered to your inbox MondayFriday. The AMA has developed frequently-asked-questions documents on COVID-19 vaccination covering safety, allocation and distribution, administration and more. The omicron variant and its sublineages made the virus much more contagious and capable of infecting more people, but it's led to less severe disease, on average, than the delta variant . I haven't seen data to suggest that vaccines would not be helpful for the current circulating variants, said Dr. Crum. sore throat. The. Infections in general can cause dizziness if people become dehydrated, she said. But experts say Omicron is unlikely to present it this way and have highlighted some symptoms that you should never ignore. This means that a person who is showing symptoms attributed to "stealth omicron" may test positive for COVID-19 in all the usual tests, but they may not necessarily test positive for the new . Experts speaking to outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle and Deseret News indicate that the likelihood of someone becoming sick through exposure to any Omicron variant after experiencing an Omicron infection earlier this winter is very unlikely, but not out of the question. Despite BA.2 being labeled a subvariant of Omicron, there are still significant differences in the genetic makeup of the variants. Shutterstock. Solv can help you book same-day appointments and urgent care visits with a provider near you. Itll be highlight transmissible to their family and friends and we should keep our guard up., We need to pay careful attention to see if rates will start to go up, and if so, we may need to go back to some of the mandates, Dr. Crum said. But for some people, they will get infected with this new subvariant. He claims a director asked him to undress. The AMAsWhat Doctors Wish Patients Knew series provides physicians with a platform to share what they want patients to understand about todays health care headlines, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Its not the old people or the people with severe disease. told Fortune in May that symptoms of the new subvariants are similar to typical Omicron . Omicron BA.2 stealth variant: Do you need to worry about the dominant strain sweeping across the U.S? A government notice said that police permission would be required for people to leave the area or travel from one city to another. One of the common symptoms of Stealth Omicron - much like the original variant - is vertigo or dizziness. Scratchy throat Lower back pain Runny nose/congestion Headache Fatigue Sneezing Night sweats Body aches Topics Coronavirus YOU MIGHT LIKE So, COVID tests can detect Arcturus, and existing COVID treatments work. Were two years into the .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}Covid-19 pandemic and if youre exhausted just trying to keep up with the latest variants, we dont blame you. But I'm less confident in that statement than I would have been for prior variants, given what we've seen.". Patients, help us protect our high-risk patients - please wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms, a positive COVID-19 test, or COVID-19 exposure. Known officially as BA.2, the subtype has small variations. Sore throat. For me, one of the scariest things is that it's not just the people who are hospitalized and have severe COVID that are developing long COVID, said Dr. Crum. According to The Daily Express, there are seven symptoms U.K. researchers have already associated with the new stealth Omicron variant: fever, extreme fatigue, coughing, sore throat, sore. He has written about food and dining for Time, among other publications. Meaning, you shouldn't expect a brand new symptom to appear if you happen to be impacted by "stealth" Omicron specifically largely, the side effects of contracting this particular strain have remained the same. The experts said that at the moment, symptoms such as as runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat, are among those being most recorded. That means that while the test can detect a BA.2 infection, it looks like it is the Delta variant instead. Learn more. The Delta Variant killed the most number of people during the second wave. Explore how to write a medical CV, negotiate employment contracts and more. There is no need to panic; public health agencies continue to track the variant closely. Stop calling it stealth Omicron, says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. RELATED: This One Symptom Could Be Your First Sign of Omicron, Doctors Warn. There are patients that dont meet the definition of long COVID, but theyre certainly having symptoms longer than just a few days or a week, said Dr. Crum. Studies have clearly shown the benefit of vaccination despite prior COVID infection.. Yes, but: The "stealth" variant of the omicron variant could be harder to track, per The Guardian. Thats because the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron is more transmissible.. According to current CDC guidance, COVID-19 symptoms may manifest in sick individuals anywhere from two to 14 days after someone has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Transitioningfrom medical student to resident can be a challenge. Positive for COVID? This might be especially true given the fact that no research has indicated that the subvariant is any more likely to counteract the efficacy of our COVID vaccines.