A new study shows that most people who contracted the Omicron variant of the coronavirus did not even know they had COVID-19. “This low level of awareness of the infection likely contributed to the rapid spread of Omicron,” the experts said.
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Most people infected with the Omicron variant did not even know they had COVID-19, according to a new study by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the US, Sky News reports.
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Lack of public awareness that they are infected means that people cannot take steps to prevent further transmission of the coronavirus, a major stumbling block to fighting new waves of the pandemic.
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“More than one in two people infected with Omicron didn’t know they had it,” says Dr. Susan Cheng, author of the study, published in JAMA Network Open.
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Previous studies have shown that at least 25%, and potentially up to 80%, of people infected with the coronavirus may not experience symptoms, the researchers say.
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This “low level of infection awareness likely contributed to Omicron’s rapid spread,” added Dr. Cheng.
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Scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have been conducting research on the impact of COVID-19 and the impact of vaccines for more than two years.
