Know major difference between Omicron and Delta variant of COVID-19

JAN 16: The surge of cases of the Omicron variant across the globe is raising concern among people, as it is hard to differentiate between the symptoms of the new COVID-19 variant, the Delta variant, or just the common cold.

Many scientists and experts have said that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant, and many countries are witnessing a sharp rise in the number of cases of the new COVID-19 variant, but fewer fatalities as compared to the second wave of the pandemic.

There are several ways to differentiate between the symptoms of the Delta variant and the Omicron variant. However, it must be noted that if one is experiencing any of the basic COVID-19 symptoms, they should get themselves tested at the earliest.

Many experts have suggested that as compared to the Delta variant, which led to the second wave of the global pandemic, the symptoms of the Omicron variant are milder. This means that the cold, cough, and fever one might experience will be comparatively mild.

In some cases, one infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, might not experience breathlessness, which is a common symptom of the Delta variant. This is because the new variant multiplies in the throat and not the lungs, as per studies.

The impact of the Omicron variant is likely to be minimal on the lungs and respiratory health of a person. Most of the people across the globe infected with the new COVID-19 variant have been experiencing little to no symptoms, as per reports.

Most of the patients infected with Omicron are experiencing fever, headache, a stuffy nose, and cough. It is still hard to differentiate between the two infections as testing a person for Omicron requires genome sequencing.

As the Omicron cases across the world are on the rise, it is best advised to take all the necessary precautions like wearing a face mask at all times when out of the house, using hand sanitizers, and maintaining proper social distancing norms.

DELTA VS OMICRON: ORIGIN OF THE VARIANT

The Omicron variant was first detected in Botswana (on November 11) and three days later in South Africa, which has since then reported an increasing number of cases caused by the new COVID-19 variant. Meanwhile, the Delta variant was first identified in India in December 2020 as it swept rapidly through the country before reaching the United Kingdom and the United States. According to Yale Medicine, the Delta variant is currently the predominant SARS CoV-2 variant, accounting for more than 99 percent of COVID-19 cases.

DELTA VS OMICRON: DIFFERENCE IN MUTATIONS

Gene sequencing of the Omicron variant showed that it had more mutations than the Delta variant of    COVID-19. Researchers found 43 mutations in the spike proteins of the Omicron variant as compared to 18 found in Delta. 

DELTA VS OMICRON: VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS

A recent study report published in the Lancet showed that the Covishield vaccine was effective in fighting the deadly Delta variant during its surge in India and led to the development of antibodies. Globally, vaccines have been able to counter Delta, however the same cannot be said about the Omicron variant yet. Scientists speculate that Omicron could render vaccines less effective as it shares several key mutations with two previous variants, Beta and Gamma, that made them less vulnerable to vaccines. However, this is still being researched.

Omicron has 26 unique mutations, many of them in regions targeted by vaccine antibodies.