Is the omicron variant actually milder? Here’s what Kansas City doctors are seeing
The new year has ushered in what may be Kansas City’s worst wave of COVID-19 infections yet, with record level hospitalizations.
In part due to the highly infectious omicron variant, vaccinated, unvaccinated and boosted Kansas Citians alike are testing positive for the virus, at the highest rates we’ve seen of the whole pandemic.
Isn’t omicron supposed to be milder?
Early research has shown that the omicron variant may cause less severe illness in some people than other variants like delta.
But the short of it is that in Kansas City, it may still be too early to tell if the variant will have a milder impact. With local hospitals overwhelmed and short on beds from both delta and omicron, it’s not yet the time to let your guard down.
Even if most of the people who get infected with the omicron variant end up having milder symptoms, it may be a bit of a numbers game. Local doctors say that the sheer number of cases increasing because of how contagious the variant seems to be could mean that hospitalizations will continue to rise.
We talked to a few local doctors to learn more about how the omicron variant is actually impacting Kansas City, and if it has the potential to be less severe.
How are the omicron symptoms showing up in Kansas City?
The signs of infection seem to be evolving. Instead of the high fevers and terrible dry cough, local doctors say they are seeing a lot more congestion and cold-like symptoms in COVID-positive patients.
Many vaccinated people who are testing positive have common cold symptoms or no symptoms at all. Prominent symptoms appearing in local COVID cases include runny and stuffy nose, sore throat, fatigue and headaches, according to Saint Luke’s Critical Care Physician Dr. Carole Freiberger.
“You know when you get a really bad cold, and you feel lousy, and there’s mostly the upper respiratory-type symptoms is more what we’re seeing now,” Freiberger said.
“As opposed to when the original and the delta variant were raging, we were seeing a lot more high fevers, cough and body aches, those were the main top three symptoms you would see.”
Is omicron more contagious?
Despite seeing what seems like manageable symptoms, the omicron variant is easily spread from person to person.
According to Saint Luke’s Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Sarah Boyd, initial data shows that the time of exposure to the time symptoms appear may be shorter, which can lead to a higher spread.
“We’re still learning a lot about what mild really means,” said Boyd, who is also on Saint Luke’s COVID-19 Response Team.
“When you have a massive, larger number, all sick at the same time, even a smaller percentage can still be a lot of people. And so that’s the concern, particularly in those that are unvaccinated and those who are at higher risk for severe COVID.”
As of Jan. 4, Missouri’s statewide infection rate was more than 27 percent, according to data from Johns Hopkins University’s testing tracker. Metro area officials reported 14,839 new cases and 40 deaths in the past week, The Star reported, with the highest average of daily new cases since the pandemic began, at more than 2,100 cases a day.
Is it omicron or delta causing this current surge?
Until last week, the delta variant was the dominant strain infecting the greater Midwest region, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s variant tracker. Although the omicron variant has now surpassed delta in the region, hospitals like St. Luke’s are likely still treating people who have been infected by the delta variant.
Since delta is still infecting so many people here, it’s too early to tell how severe omicron will be in terms of hospitalizations and deaths of Kansas Citians.
“I think everyone’s waiting to see, with omicron increasing in the region, what happens with hospitalizations for that in the weeks to come,” Boyd said.
In the meantime, with delta and omicron both spreading, the area is breaking hospitalization records and causing regional medical officials to need to make calls on who gets access to care and a bed, and who doesn’t.
What does this mean for people who are unvaccinated or at high risk?
Both Boyd and Freiberger agreed that the virus still poses a serious threat to people who are unvaccinated or at high risk for serious infection.
“What I do see is the people who are not vaccinated are the ones that are filling our ICUs. So whether it’s from omicron, or whether it’s from delta…I know that, that our folks are for the vast majority, not vaccinated,” said Freiberger adding that she has also seen a handful of people in the ICU who are vaccinated but immunocompromised.
What should you do if you test positive?
For those trying to clear the virus from home, Freiberger said to stay hydrated, quarantine to the best of your ability and manage symptoms similar to how you would handle a cold.
We also have this guide for what to do when you get positive test results.
Here’s where you can find a test around Kansas City, and where you can find a vaccine.
What other questions do you have about omicron as we keep learning more? Ask us at kcq@kcstar.com or with the form below.
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 3:42 PM.
