Delta or Omicron: Is the Delmicron dilemma adding to your Covid woes?

Have many well-wishers, relatives or friends told you that Omicron is milder compared to Delta? Do you believe that if you contract the virus now, it won’t kill you or send you on a scary and sudden trip to the ICU? Do you think a good rest and healthy food habits will help you cruise through the third wave smoothly, in case you do get infected?

If your answers to all the above questions are in the affirmative, you are not alone.

Ever since the arrival of Omicron – which people are seeing as Delta Lite – the horrors of the second wave, caused by the potent Delta variant, is becoming a fading memory. A couple of days of body ache and nagging cold, a low-grade fever and people are emerging out of the ‘dreaded’ Covid, as good as new. In most cases, people don’t even have pronounced symptoms.

However, before you throw caution to the wind, and plan your next Goa trip, you may want to pay heed to two things.

First, you are living in the age of Delmicron. To put it in layman’s terms, we have both Delta and Omicron variants (which, in conjunction is being referred to as Delmicron) in this third wave, and unless you opt for further testing (which, let’s face it, none of us are), there is no way of telling whether you have been infected by which variant. And secondly, there has been little research done on Omicron so far, and its long term effects on our body and mental health (which are very severe in case of Delta) are yet to be known and can be a cause of concern.

Therefore, before you pick out your next K-Drama, or dig into your TBR list as soon as you receive your positive RT-PCR test, and get your Covid leave approved thinking that you are not in for something ‘serious’ but just a few days of sniffling and a bout of low-grade fever, there is one question you should try and find answer to – Have you been infected by the Delta or Omicron variable?

The Delmicron Dilemma
Dr. Namita Jaggi, Chairperson of the Lab Services and Infection control, and Chief - Education & Research, Artemis Hospital, points out that there is widespread misconception regarding Delmicron and what it means. While some may think that it is a hybrid Delta and Omicron, cases where people have been affected by both Delta and Omicron are extremely rare and are yet to be reported (if not impossible). Neither is Delmicron a Covid variant and that can be easily deciphered from the fact that it doesn’t have a scientific name given by the World Health Organization (WHO), nor does its name begin with a Greek prefix like all Covid variants’ names do.

At this point in time, Delmicron simply means the precarious timing of two waves of Covid overlapping, and Delta and Omicron spreading simultaneously. However, worry not. Medical experts claim that there are tell-tale signs that can help you identify which variant you have been affected by.

Wake Up, And Smell The Roses!
Yes, literally. If your olfactory senses are working, and you can smell the pleasantness and unpleasantness of your quarantined life, you have less to worry about. Dr.Jaggi claims that the common symptoms of all Covid variants include high temperature, headache, runny nose, sore throat and persistent cough. However, patients who fall ill with the omicron variant are less likely to lose sense of smell or taste. So, if you can smell the roses during the infection, really, there is much to rejoice.

Severity Is A Strong Marker
We have all seen how formidable Delta can be and despite Omicron emerging as a new variant, it still remains as potent and dangerous. So, check your vitals, oxygen level, blood pressure and heart rate, and if you spot anomalies, it is time to spring into action, get tests done, and err on the side of caution. The first sign, however, will be that the common symptoms will manifest at a higher intensity, points out Dr Jaggi. So, if your fever persists, and the cold keeps getting worse, a good thing would be to consult your doctor, not take the virus lightly, and be prepared for emergencies.

Comorbidities Shouldn’t Be Ignored
Irrespective of the variant, people with comorbidities are still at high risk, pointed out Dr.Kiran G Kulirankal, ID Physician, Division of Infectious Diseases, at Amrita Hospital, Kochi.

Dr Kulirankal said that high-risk groups, who are vulnerable to any variant of Covid, include immunosuppressed individuals, elderly with comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, chronic liver disease, and pregnancy. Irrespective of the severity of the symptoms, people should be constantly monitored after testing positive.

The Long Shot
As Omicron spreads, and people recover in a relatively easier fashion, the long-term effect of this new variant is a cause of concern for the scientific community. Little research is available on Omicron, therefore, we do not know how it affects our organs or mental health in the long run. However, in contrast, the long term effects of Delta variants – also known as long Covid– have been well documented in the past year and can indeed lead to organ damage, and cause depression and increase anxiety levels. So, a full body check-up is important, if not necessary, to understand your recovery process.

The Vaccine Effect
A new conundrum with many falling ill with the Omicron variant after being vaccinated is that it has propelled vaccine hesitancy. However, Dr Kulirankal points out that vaccines have become more crucial now than ever before. In fact, studies conducted in the United States show that booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines increased protection against both the delta and omicron variants. Therefore, go get vaccinated. Keep the mask on. We may be fighting a weaker enemy, but we cannot let our guard down.