This is how long your Omicron symptoms will last, doctors say

OMICRON can leave you cooped in the house for days on end.

But the good news is it’s unlikely you’ll suffer anything more than a mild cold, largely thanks to immunity from vaccines.

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The jabs have made a huge difference to reduce the severity and – according to experts – duration of Covid illness.

Already most of the population were double-jabbed before Omicron emerged. But two doses are not enough against the super strain.

A booster shot is vital for protection against Omicron, reducing the risk of hospitalisation and therefore warding off any strict Covid rules. 

Data has shown that most people who catch Omicron will recover in less than a week.

According to the ZOE COVID Symptom Study, 70 per cent of patients recover from Omicron symptoms in seven days.

This compares to only 44 per cent of those who had Delta.

Astonishingly, 12 per cent of people with Omicron – around one in eight – feel better in just one day, compared to five per cent of Delta patients.

And a third (33 per cent) are better in three days, compared to 15 per cent for Delta. 

It means cutting the five-day isolation period is likely to be a blessing for a large number of people.

Professor Tim Spector, lead of the study, said: “Many people get better, test negative, and get back to normal life within those five days.”

The data is based on vaccinated individuals, so cannot account for illness in those who have had a single or zero jabs.

For them, the duration is “probably longer” and the illness “more severe”, Prof Spector warned.

The large majority of people struck with Covid at the moment have cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, headache and sore throat. 

Again, this is largely thanks to vaccines which have helped dampen the severity of the illness.

But, although Omicron appears to be more mild, it can still cause long-lasting symptoms for an unlucky few.

Studies have shown that even mild cases of Covid can trigger persistent symptoms.

However, with less hospitalised Covid patients, this may mean fewer people get long Covid in the Omicron wave, some experts say.

US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci reiterated that long Covid was a possibility regardless of the variant.

He said: “Long COVID can happen no matter what virus variant occurs. There’s no evidence that there’s any difference between Delta or Beta or now Omicron.”

In an article for John Hopkins Medicine, Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., senior director of infection prevention, said: “Those with a mild case of Covid-19 usually recover in one to two weeks. 

“For severe cases, recovery can take six weeks or more, and for some, there may be lasting symptoms with or without damage to the heart, kidneys, lungs and brain.”

Timeline

Dr Maragakis explained what you can expect in the timeline of Covid illness.

She said there are three general phases, which starts with the incubation period.

“This is the time between getting infected and when symptoms appear,” Dr Maragakis said.

“In general, you may see symptoms start two to 14 days after infection. The incubation period varies among individuals, and it varies depending on the variant. 

“Even though you do not have symptoms in the incubation period, you can transmit the coronavirus to another person during this stage.”

Then comes “acute Covid-19”, which is the phase you feel unwell.

Dr Maragakis said: “Once symptoms appear, you have entered the acute stage. 

“Active illness can last one to two weeks if you have mild or moderate coronavirus disease, but severe cases can last months. 

“Some people are asymptomatic, meaning they never have symptoms but do have Covid-19.”

Lastly is Covid recovery, which may include post Covid symptoms such as a cough, fever, weakness or fatigue.

Known as long Covid, this can “persist for weeks or even months after you recover from acute illness”, Dr Maragakis said.

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