Don't take Omicron lightly, don't let your guards down: Expert

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], January 8 : With the spike in COVID-19 cases, India is witnessing a third wave of the pandemic which is said to be driven by the Omicron variant and experts are continuously warning that it is highly contagious and cannot be taken lightly.
Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a Senior Consultant at Apollo Hospitals said, "We should definitely not take Omicron lightly because a few fraction of the patients will definitely become sick. We are already seeing a rise in hospitalizations. I suppose we don't think that Omicron is that virulent, but if you have underlying uncontrolled diabetes, you have bronchitis or asthma, you're going to become sick. Even before Omicron or even before this COVID came in all these patients who were immunocompromised or who were vulnerable, became sick with any infection. So what I will say is because it is so highly infectious, and so many people are getting infected, you might be young, you might come over it but if you belong to the vulnerable population, then don't take it lightly."
He further said, "So don't take it lightly. There's no reason to panic. That's what I would say. But yes, you cannot take it lightly and you should not throw your guards you should be guarded in your approach till the time we come over this pandemic."
Dr Chatterjee said that few patients are reporting similar symptoms that were reported in Delta-like loss of smell and taste, "We need to see as to what is happening, about a few of my patients have again complained of loss of smell and taste, which I don't know, every individual patient we are not knowing whether it is Omicron or whether it's Delta because we know that is COVID positive, which is important, but I am seeing an overlap of the symptoms. But what I don't know is whether this person has Omicron or whether this person has delta. So when in the next couple of weeks, obviously the government will also disclose it. And we from our clinical experience will also know whether there is an overlap or they're having similar symptoms as well."
Further speaking on how long the symptoms last in Omicron patients he said, "What we are seeing is three to five days, most of the patients whom I am treating online are becoming well in three to five days. The first three to five days they are having a lot of throat pain, fever at least about 102-103 degrees Fahrenheit than having headache and body ache this is what they are having. Most of the people are having this symptom, and by the third day, they're improving on their own even without any antibiotic and obviously this newer drug is to be used with real passion. We should not use this medication just like that. So even patients are improving on their own in three to five days time. When the fever is persisting beyond that time, then it becomes a bit concerning.
He also said that some are showing different symptoms also like loose motion, vomiting and others.
"A few people are complaining of loose motions as well. Vomiting as well not being able to eat and also lack of smell and taste.
According to Health Ministry, the country has so far reported 3,071 cases of Omicron of which 1,203 have been recovered.
Maharashtra accounts for the highest number of Omicron cases (876), followed by Delhi (513) and Karnataka (333).