Omicron Covid symptoms: 3 unusual warning signs of coronavirus variant that show on your skin

Symptoms of the Omicron Covid variant have been found to differ to previous strains, with some people experiencing some unusual side effects.

The variant typically causes symptoms that are similar to the common cold, which can make it harder to distinguish compared to the Alpha and Delta variants.

The main signs of coronavirus infection listed by the NHS include a high temperature, a new continuous cough, and a loss of change to sense of smell or taste, but these tend to be less common with Omicron.

As more Omicron cases have emerged, several other symptoms have surfaced which could indicate Covid-19 infection – including three warning signs that can show on your skin.

Some people who have tested positive for Omicron have reported getting three different types of skin rashes.

These include hives, prickly heat and chilblains, all of which can cause the skin to become red and itchy.

Hives can occur in different shapes and sizes, but will usually cause raised spots and red patches to appear on the skin, and can occur anywhere on the body.

The rashes will often be itchy and can sometimes cause a stinging sensation.

It will usually settle down within a few minutes to a few days, and can be treated at home with antihistamine tablets.

Also known as a heat rash, prickly heat causes small raised spots to develop on the skin, which can appear slightly swollen and cause an itchy rash.

It can appear anywhere on the body and in some cases the spots may be filled with fluid.

To treat it, try to keep your skin cool by wearing loose cotton clothing, drink plenty of fluids and take cool baths or showers.

Applying a cold damp cloth, or an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel for up to 20 minutes can also help to calm the itching.

A pharmacist may also recommend applying calamine lotion to the affected area, or taking an antihistamine tablet.

Chilblains are small, itchy, red patches that can appear on your skin after you have been in the cold.

They usually affect your fingers and toes, but it is possible to get them on your face and legs as well.

It can cause your skin to feel itchy or like it’s burning, and the affected areas may become red or swollen.

Chilblains usually clear up on their own in two to three weeks, but you should speak to your GP if they do not go away.

Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen can help to ease the pain.

The ZOE Covid study app has identified five symptoms as the key signs of Omicron infection. These include:

These symptoms are very similar in nature to a cold and so can be easily dismissed as a common winter illness.

Findings suggest that these signs often occur in the early stages of infection, so it is important to take a lateral flow test if you feel unwell – even if you think it’s just a cold – to check if you have Covid-19. Regular testing can help to prevent any further spread.

Other symptoms of Omicron to look out for include night sweats, fatigue, body aches and pains, and nausea.

Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London, and leader of the ZOE Covid symptoms study, said: “A lot of the Omicron symptoms, the majority of them are looking like the common cold or some other viral illness, without any of the classic symptoms.

“So do be aware of the main ones. Unfortunately the government hasn’t yet taken this on board and are one of the only government’s in the world not to tell its citizens what the symptoms are.

“But they are runny nose, headache, sneezing, persistent cough and sore throat.

“They are the top five at the moment, so do keep any eye out for them and try not to infect anyone else.”

Covid-19 symptoms tend to last around five days on average, after which you should start to feel better.

However, some can still feel the effects for several weeks or even months after infection.

While most people will make a full recovery within 12 weeks, those who have symptoms that last beyond this are considered to have ‘long Covid’.

The likelihood of developing long-term symptoms does not appear to be linked to how ill you are when you first get Covid-19.

The most common symptoms of long Covid include:

If you are still experiencing symptoms four weeks or more after having Covid-19 and are worried, you should seek advice from your GP.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.