Coronavirus: Skip attending New Year party if you are experiencing these symptoms; it could be COVID

Preliminary studies from the UK and South Africa suggest that the Omicron variant appears to be milder, but that in no way means that it is not infectious. The heavily-mutated strain has reportedly affected several countries, including India.

With New Years just around the corner, health officials and medical professionals have urged people to stay vigilant. In some parts of the country, night curfews and bans have been imposed so as to minimize the risk of widespread infection.

Amid such chaos, it is crucial to take the right measures, be careful if you're experiencing any symptoms that could possibly mean COVID-19.

Read also: COVID symptoms: Four symptoms of Omicron that are different from Delta

COVID-19 vaccines are said to provide some amount of protection against the SARs-COV-2 virus. However, data suggests that the novel coronavirus can still affect people who have been fully vaccinated.

Breakthrough infections have been quite common in the past. While most cases can have mild, in very rare scenarios, people have succumbed to the disease.

Furthermore, the Omicron variant is said to evade vaccine-immunity. Due to its 30+ mutations in the spike protein itself, scientists believe that the variant develops an "immune escape mechanism". Recent studies have also suggested that some COVID vaccines may not work against the new variant, calling for booster vaccines, which are believed to provide better protection.

Apart from that, experts urge people to take all the necessary measures, be mindful of their actions and to follow COVID-appropriate behavior like maintaining social distance and adhering to proper hand hygiene.

Initially, when the Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa, Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chairperson of the South African Medical Association, said that the disease was mild and people who were infected did not report any severe symptoms.

The World Health Organization was of a similar opinion and stated that the disease appears to be milder as compared to the Delta variant.

According to Dr. Coetzee, individuals infected with the Omicron complained of "scratchy" throat rather than sore throat, which is unusual. While the two may be similar to an extent, the former may correlate more with irritation of the throat while the latter is more painful.

In another update by South Africa’s Department of Health, general practitioner doctor Unben Pillay said that patients may also develop night sweats accompanied with "lots of body pain."

While these symptoms may also arise with a cold, doctors advise getting an RT-PCR test immediately and avoid meeting people during this time. Self isolation is recommended until the test results come out as negative.

If you're all set to enjoy the New Years with your family or friends, make sure you do not feel under the weather.

Even at the slightest indication of illness, get yourself tested, avoid attending parties or house gatherings and get yourself tested.

While fever, cough, fatigue and painful or rather scratchy throat can be signs of Omicron, there are some symptoms that may seem highly unusual to be COVID.

According to Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London, nausea and a loss of appetite can be two of the most uncommon Omicron symptoms experienced by fully vaccinated or boosted people.

"Quite a few of them had nausea, slight temperature, sore throats and headaches," he says.

Some even reported vomiting as a symptom.

While the festive season is all about celebrations, keeping well is more important than anything else.

Even if you're all ready to host parties, spend time with family and friends, ready to make new resolutions, make sure you do it with utmost care and awareness. Do not let your guard down just yet! While you may think COVID-19 is over, there is no telling when it takes a wrong turn.