Omicron Symptoms - The COVID-19 Omicron variant, although said to be less severe, is far more transmissible than the Delta variant. One possible reason for this is the variant's high number of mutations in the spike protein.
The mutations can help the virus evade immunity, or a body's built-up protection to the virus contained in vaccines or acquired from previous infections. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just only announced the first U.S. case of the variant on December 1, 2021, yet it has since taken hold as the dominant strain in the country, accounting for 99.9 percent of cases as of January 26, 2022. There is indeed an upside to the variant's quick spread, that is the spike in cases may be short-lived. However, with the variant spreading like wildfire and children may be getting exposed or end up contracting the virus, how worried should parents be about this?
Symptoms on children
Each new variant, like Omicron, varies in how contagious it is and how harmful it may be, and thus, affects one’s immune system differently and may change how effective vaccination is against infection. However, there are common symptoms found in these younger generation patients, who may have increased risk if too young to be vaccinated. In general, symptoms of Omicron in children remain similar to symptoms caused by prior variants and children are still at lower risk for severe illness from COVID‑19 than adults. The most common symptoms being runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and sore throat. These are only a few of the possible symptoms children may feel, but they may also experience fevers, chills, cough, diarrhea, and so on.
Protect children
While a majority of children with Omicron have mild illness and are able to recover at home, children with certain medical conditions remain at increased risk for severe illness. There are children that may experience troubled breathing or persistent pain in the chest and would require emergency care. A condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has also often been reported (MIS-C). Children who develop MIS-C condition have come up with severe inflammation in various organs of the body, including heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, digestive system, brain, skin, or eyes. A recent report suggests that children under the age of 5 who contract the Omicron may develop an infection in the upper respiratory tract which potentially triggers a harsh cough called croup.
Finally, how can we protect our children from Omicron? The best way to protect our family against COVID‑19 remains to be vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent severe illness, but if your child is too young to get vaccinated, you can still take additional steps to reduce the spread of infection, for example, by always wearing masks in public, staying 6 feet away from people, washing hands often, and getting tested if showing any symptoms. For those who are eligible, a booster shot is recommended to further enhance immunity.
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