As much as 56 percent. People infected with the Omikron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus do not know they have been infected, according to new research. Their results were published in the pages of the “JAMA Network Open”.
This means that more than one in two people are infected with Omicron she was unaware of her infection and spread it further, emphasize the doctors-scientists at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, it is this awareness that is one of the key factors if we want to win against the pandemic, they add.
The omicron is usually asymptomatic
Earlier research has shown that at least 25%, and possibly even 80%, of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 may not experience any symptoms. Compared to other variants, Omikron is even more often associated with a low-symptomatic infection and with generally less severe symptoms, which usually do not extend beyond fatigue, coughing, headache, sore throat and runny nose.
“Meanwhile, research clearly shows that undiagnosed infections can increase viral transmission,” says lead author Dr. Sandy Y. Joung. – The low level of infection awareness probably contributed to the spread of Omicron so quickly ».
For the study, scientists used blood samples collected from healthcare professionals and patients; in total it was 2479 people. They had samples from both the early days of the pandemic and the times when Omikron began to dominate.
Thanks to tests examining the levels of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, they identified 210 people infected with Omikron.
They then asked study participants to provide up-to-date information about their health (via questionnaires and interviews). It turned out that only 44 percent participants with antibodies against the Omikron variant were aware of being infected with the virus. Most (56%) were unaware of a recent COVID-19 infection. Of the people from the latter group, only 10 percent. felt any symptoms that were mistakenly attributed to a common cold or other infection.
«I have a cold, I have to get tested for COVID-19»
According to the authors of the publication, a similar study should be carried out on a larger group, diverse in terms of ethnicity and demographics, to find out if any specific factors are related to the lack of awareness of the infection.
«We hope people will find out about our discovery and think,» I was just in a meeting where someone tested positive. Maybe I should do a test «or» I started feeling a little cold. Maybe I should do a quick test. The better we understand the risk, the more effectively we will protect the health of society and ourselves, emphasize the authors.
Now the same team plans to investigate patterns and predictors of reinfection and their potential for building long-term resistance to SARS-CoV-2. In addition to raising awareness, this information can help people manage their individual risk.
Author: Katarzyna Czechowicz