The Omicron variant’s key symptoms have been revealed and they differ to Delta

As cases of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 continue to rise across the UK, speculation surrounding its symptoms are rife.

The new variant is highly transmittable, with its numbers expected to overtake those of the previous Delta and Alpha variants in the coming days.

Data from South Africa – where the variant was discovered – is suggesting that people infected with Omicron are suffering from milder symptoms, though scientists continue to warn about its severity.

But what exactly are the Omicron symptoms, and how do they differ from other Covid variants?

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Professor Tim Spector, one of the founders of the Covid Zoe app which tracks cases and symptoms in communities, is now producing data on Omicron cases in England and has said that the ‘majority of symptoms’ are alike to the common cold.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the key symptoms to look out for are headaches, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue and sneezing. Unlike previous variants, a cough isn’t associated with Omicron.

Prof. Spector also said that in London, where there is a ‘faster acceleration’ of cases, people are far more likely to have Covid than they are a cold.

He said: “In London, where Covid is increasing rapidly, it’s far more likely to be Covid than it is to be a cold.

“We’re seeing doubling in the numbers equivalent to what’s being seen elsewhere, every two-and-a-half days, and that really means numbers are going up.”

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However, the South African doctor who first discovered the Omicron Covid variant has accused the UK of ‘overreacting’ with the introduction of restrictions.

Speaking to Sky News earlier this week, Dr. Angelique Coetzee stressed that many of her patients infected with the Omicron variant have only mild symptoms, noting that there is a ‘huge gap’ between ‘the science and what is actually happening’.

She said: “If Omicron really were such a deadly variant, we would expect the numbers to have shot up, yet that simply isn’t happening here.

“This makes it all the more peculiar to see what’s happening in the UK. This huge overreaction is scaring people unnecessarily, and if your Government does decide go to for a hard lockdown in the New Year, that could end up doing far more harm than good.”