Health experts have advised how to watch out for lesser-known signs of Omicron, aside from the main symptoms.
According to the NHS, the three main symptoms of Covid are a high temperature, new or persistent cough and loss or change to your sense of taste or smell.
However symptoms of the Omicron variant - now the most dominant strain in the world - can be much different, The Mirror reports.
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The new variant can show signs of being more similar to a common cold, with symptoms often described as 'mild' by patients and doctors, but there also are some lesser-known signs of Omicron appearing on the skin, lips and nails that patients should seek urgent medical attention for.
What are the Omicron symptoms on the skin, lips and nails?
The American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that people with Omicron report a wide range of symptoms besides the main three.
One such symptom of the virus occurs on the skin, lips and nails. The CDC warned that we should watch out for pale, grey or blue-coloured skin, lips or nail beds, depending on our skin tone, as this can indicate low levels of oxygen in the blood.
The health body described these symptoms as “emergency warning signs” for which we should seek immediate medical care.
What are the main symptoms of Omicron?
According to a study from the ZOE symptom tracker app, the five most common symptoms of Omicron include:
- Scratchy throat
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Mild muscle aches
- Fatigue
Other signs of the variant include congestion, brain fog, night sweats, skin rashes and even sore eyes in some patients.
Dr Angelique Coetzee, the South African doctor who first raised the alarm on the new variant, also warned that certain symptoms like headaches and sore muscles are felt more intensely, especially by those who are unvaccinated.
What to do if I have Covid symptoms?
The NHS advises that if you believe you're experiencing symptoms of Covid, you should "self-isolate immediately and get a PCR test”, even if the symptoms are mild.
The health body added: "Self-isolate even if you've had a positive test result for Covid-19 before. You probably have some immunity to the virus but it's not clear how long it lasts.
