Tens of thousands of people are testing positive with the latest variant of Covid-19 called Omicron and there is a general feeling that everyone will get the virus at some point. As evidence grows that the Omicron variant is milder than the previous ones, some people may begin to think: Why not just get it so that we are done with it and can move on with our daily lives! That’s not a good idea for many reasons, say infectious disease experts and doctors. In fact, the recommendation is to wear better masks and avoid stepping out as much as possible. Here are four good reasons why:
1) You could get sick and in case you are suffering from underlying health issues or some chronic disease or infection, then the consequences can be worse. Elderly or those battling from a life-threatening illness need to be extra careful.
2) You could spread the virus to vulnerable people and loved ones.
3) Your immunity will last for a few months and not for years, so after getting vaccinated or a booster shot make sure you keep following all the Covid protocols. Your waning antibodies may find it tough to fight new variants and hence, you will be at risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus.
4) The chances of getting long Covid after Omicron can’t be ruled out. Omicron hasn’t been around long enough for us to know whether it may cause long Covid in the same way past variants have. Vaccination reduces the risk of developing long Covid. While we don’t know anything about how it works in omicron. The medical fraternity is observing that some people, even healthy ones with mild infections, have begun to sink into long Covid that last for weeks or months.
The rate of hospitalisation has also been rising for the highly transmissible Omicron variant. But experts concur that more time is needed to know the long-term effects of these Covid-19 infections. Long covid, also called chronic or long-haul covid, is a range of more than 50 symptoms that may last for weeks or months after a person experiences a Covid-19 infection. There has not been an apparent difference in symptoms between acute Covid-19 infections caused by Omicron versus those caused by other variants such as Delta. Here are the top symptoms of Omicron along with the pressure points based on Sujok. With the help of self-healing technique called acupressure, focus on these pressure points to treat Omicron symptoms.
The treatment according to acupressure is as follows:
Runny nose – Lu 7, GV 16. GB 20 UB 10 (Sedate all)
Headache – UB 12, 13 (Tone all)
Fatigue – CV 2, St 36, Sp 3, 6 (Tone all)
Sneezing – K 7 (Tone)
Sore throat – K 3, 6, Lu 7, 10, CV 4, Sp 6 (Methi)
Severe lower back pain – GV 26 (Sedate all)
Even though so far, the majority of the population is experiencing more cold-like, milder symptoms with Omicron, this could be due to a higher level of immunity (via infection or vaccines) in the population, experts stress. Even in mild cases, many Covid patients suffer from long-term residual symptoms. Long Covid symptoms are the resultant factor of the inflammation being left by the virus. While Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, it does not mean it should be categorised as mild. Omicron is hospitalising people and it is also killing people.
(To understand treatment properly for this problem and attaches appearing earlier in this column, you are invited to our Zoom meeting (ID: 4793331908; Password: healing) held every Monday from 7 PM to 7:45 PM. It’s a free service courtesy of The Free Press Journal and the Lions Club Mumbai ACTIONs. You can also share your problems by writing to us at features@fpj.co.in; lionsclubofaction@gmail.com or send a WhatsApp at 9323178565.)
