Deputy Director for Clinical Work of the Moscow Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Gabrichevsky Rospotrebnadzor, Doctor of Medicine Tatyana Ruzhentsova in an interview with RIA News named the main symptoms of infection with the omicron strain of coronavirus.
These include severe weakness, fever, headache, cough and loss of appetite, the specialist listed.
At present, according to the analysis of the course of the disease, we can say that, first of all, most patients have severe weakness or fatigue, an increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees and above, headaches, loss of appetite, cough
Ruzhentsova warned that these symptoms may be accompanied by other lesions of the lungs and other organs typical for coronavirus. At the moment, there is little information about the features of the manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 caused by the new strain. “But new information is expected soon,” said the doctor.
At the same time, Sergei Netesov, a virologist, head of the laboratory of bionanotechnology, microbiology and virology, Novosibirsk State University, said that the characteristic symptoms of the new omicron strain may be sore throat, runny nasal discharge and frequent sneezing.
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Omicron in children
There are still few characteristic symptoms of omicron in children, noted the junior researcher of the clinical department, physician-therapist of the Moscow Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after G.N. Gabrichevsky Rospotrebnadzor Daria Khavkina. But, according to her, doctors drew attention to the fact that in addition to fever, headaches and lack of appetite, in 15 percent of cases, they have a rash.
The same manifestation of the disease was also pointed out by the British physician David Lloyd. At the same time, the immunologist, candidate of medical sciences Nikolai Kryuchkov noted that the rash may indicate not only the coronavirus, therefore, it is too early to draw conclusions about such a reaction to the omicron strain. The scientist advised to wait for data from Europe and South Africa.
Kryuchkov added that reducing visits to public places, vaccinating relatives and wearing masks can protect children from the omicron strain. He also recalled that after public transport, children, like adults, need to use an antiseptic. In addition, one should not forget that children themselves can infect others, especially the elderly.
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Omicron in Russia
The omicron-strain entered Russia with two citizens of the country who returned from South Africa in early December. First, they passed a PCR test, which turned out to be positive. However, initially, the strain of the coronavirus that the tourists had contracted was unknown.
Talking about the foci of a new variant of coronavirus infection in the world, the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova noted that the omicron strain can be imported to Russia from 50 countries. She stressed that it is more infectious than previous variants of the coronavirus.
As Vitaly Zverev, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, scientific director of the Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums, pointed out in a conversation with Lenta.ru, according to WHO experts, the omicron strain is much softer than the delta. In his opinion, the Russians should not be afraid of the rapid spread of the omicron, since, according to available data, the new variant of the virus is an order of magnitude less dangerous than the delta.
Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), said that there are no big prerequisites to doubt the high effectiveness of the Sputnik V vaccine against the omicron strain of coronavirus. He added that if it is necessary to adapt Sputnik V for new pathogens of coronavirus infection, it will take two to three months.
What will happen next?
According to the virologist, doctor of medical sciences, professor, chief employee of the Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Anatoly Altstein, if the omicron strain turns out to be less pathogenic than the delta, and people are more actively vaccinated, then the coronavirus pandemic may end as early as 2022.
We will defeat this epidemic if we wear masks normally, distance ourselves and get vaccinated. If we can approach this, then we can close the pandemic in 2022. If we are vaccinated, the omicron will not go far
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With the end of the pandemic, the arrival of the omicron strain was also linked by the chief infectious disease specialist of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA), head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Vladimir Nikiforov. He stressed that the virus “has begun to slide into the area of common seasonal respiratory infections.”
In turn, the allergist-immunologist Vladimir Bolibok admitted that the omicron strain of the coronavirus could become a natural vaccine and save humanity from a pandemic. He also believes that the new version “will run ahead of all other strains and immunize everyone.”
Virologist Alexander Butenko expressed a similar point of view. He suggested that the omicron strain may contribute to the formation of herd immunity in Russia. According to him, the virus can mutate into a variant that is safe for humans. The virologist gave an example of a live vaccine for yellow fever. It was developed many decades ago from an active and very dangerous virus that causes hemorrhagic fever.
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