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If you have spent the last few years trying to memorise the various different Covid symptoms, then bad news – you've got one more thing to add to your list.
Scientists are now warning that there is a new symptom to look out for, and it's directly linked to the Omicron variant.
The new strain, which has taken over the UK, can cause skin rashes.
According to the often-toured ZOE Covid Symptom Study App, people who have caught the variant have being complaining of a skin rash, which has now been labelled as “key” if you think you might have the Omicron variant.
But, the make it worse, there's not one kind of rash – but two of them.
The first, and more likely to appear, is a hive-like rash, which appears as raised bumps and can be very itchy.
It is thought that this starts on your palms or the soles of your feet.
The second rash is a prickly heat-type rash, which appears all over your body, but more commonly on your elbows, knees and the back of your hands and feet.
As cases have increased week on week since the variant was first found, Professor Tim Spector, the man behind the ZOE study has warned that the new figures paint a “worrying picture”.
He said: “The number of new symptomatic cases has exploded over the last week, making it the biggest jump in cases I’ve seen since we started the ZOE COVID Study.
“While the figures paint a worrying picture, the good news is that our preliminary data, based on around 2,500 probable cases reported on the ZOE app suggests that Omicron is more mild that Delta.
“However, this highly transmissible variant will infect many more people before the year is out.
“To help us slow the spread, my advice continues to be; avoid gathering indoors, and, if you are meeting up with people, check everyone is free of cold symptoms, test yourself just before and get fully vaccinated.
“We need to change public messaging urgently to save lives as half of people with cold-like symptoms now have COVID.”
The Government has urged everyone to "get boosted" in a bid to stop the spread of the Omicron variant, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to resist introducing new restrictions across England.
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- Coronavirus
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