Far from harmless – Omikron: The underestimated Corona variant

The Lower Austrian GP Alireza Nouri has often been confronted with corona patients since the start of the pandemic; he even makes house calls – wearing protective clothing, of course – on infected people.

“The symptoms can be very bad”
And yet spared the virus for a long time. “Probably,” he says, “because of course I’ve always followed important safety precautions at work and private – wear masks, disinfect my hands often.” But then Omikron came along.

“I got it a month ago. I had a high fever, headache and body aches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, cough and sore throat.”

Dramatic messages from sick people on the internet
To this day, the doctor is not quite fit: “I get tired quickly, I have to take a break from work.” The symptoms during and after his infection – “the same as those not few of my patients were – and are – burdened by”. Experiences that more and more people are reporting on on various internet forums and social media groups.

Some of those affected complain of huge problems: about permanently elevated body temperature, shortness of breath that occurs in episodes; about hives, severe muscle tension. About complaints “like the most terrible flu that can exist”. The descriptions of the aftermath are equally dramatic: “I can barely cope with my daily life.” “I have memory problems.” “I barely manage to eat enough.”

‘The idea of ​​contamination was not wise’
“I think it’s wrong to describe the omicron as harmless,” said Alireza Nouri. The lower percentage of hospitalized for this variant would eventually be compensated by the high number of infected. “Hospital bed occupancy is high and daily record death rates are reported. More than 1,000 deaths a month is not exactly small.”

The “analysis strategy” – “I never thought it made sense” – consequently failed. “Also given the fact,” according to the doctor’s prognosis, “that probably about ten percent of the sick will suffer from Lung Covid.”

“Four times Covid, Omicron was the worst”
Anita E. is, as she says, “a positive person. And so should I. Because one of the tasks of my job is to give others energy and to convey joy of life.” In her – naturally difficult – job as a nurse.

“In the hospital where I used to work,” says the 45-year-old, “I was first infected with Corona at the beginning of 2020, even before the first lockdown.” Italy before being admitted “And didn’t tell the doctors about it.” How was the infection in the woman? “Actually quite harmless. I had a cough and sore limbs, but after about 14 days I was back to normal halfway through. Nevertheless, according to the regulations at the time, I had to stay on sick leave for five weeks.”

The second infection happened a few months later: “Through my – at the time – seven-year-old daughter. She ‘brought the virus home’ from school.” Anita Are they symptoms? “I had a bad cough, fever; I was quite tired – especially in the first week.”

“I was so happy when the vaccine finally came”
And the nurse was of course happy when she was vaccinated against Covid in 2021 – “very early because of my work”: “I thought that would protect me against Corona in the future. Unfortunately, that was a misconception.” Anita E. suffers from an autoimmune disease, “perhaps that is why very few antibodies were formed in me – even after the third vaccination”.

That is why she always scrupulously adhered to all protective measures – also privately: “I did not enter a pub, I spent my free time at home or in nature.” Still: In January 2022 she received Omikron, type BA.1. Her child again, again it was infected at school. “The illness was worse this time. But mild compared to my fourth infection.” A month ago – “I don’t know where” – with BA.2.

“I felt so bad after that that I even had to be hospitalized for a week.” The woman is back at work for a few days, “I’m still very exhausted. And happy that my bosses and colleagues give me a lot of breaks at work.”

“Bad health problems”
“Officially, the course of my illness is considered mild,” says ORF editor Hadschi Bankhofer, “because I was not hospitalized. But the fact is, my omicron infection is causing me serious health problems.” He does not know where and how the 50-year-old became infected.

“I have always had a lot of respect for Corona, I have always followed all protective measures and of course have been vaccinated three times. And yet the virus ‘grabbed’ me.” For almost two weeks “I had a severe cough, I often had trouble breathing; I was totally powerless, my oxygen saturation was sometimes bad.”

“I want nothing more than to finally be fit again”
Complaints that only slowly improve “and come back in spurts”. He also suffers from feelings of fatigue: Which worries him more and more – “I am usually a very energetic person”: “I want nothing more than to finally be fit again. To get my life back for Omicron.”