Omicron subvariants cause different symptoms than what was first observed in the original strains of COVID-19. With the subvariants, the virus incubation time changes as well.
So, how long will you experience symptoms for?
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said there are some symptoms that begin to fade quickly - but others, not as much.
The two symptoms that may last longer than others? Cough and fatigue.
"Cough tends to be the most lingering effect. That's true whenever you have any viral infection," Arwady said, per NBC Chicago. "You can be feeling totally better, you're still gonna have some irritation and ... a cough doesn't mean you're contagious past 10 days but that's usually the last to go away."
Arwady added that people may be fatigued for longer as well, but most people feel better from a few days to a few weeks after their symptoms appear.
As I previously reported, omicron subvariants have a shorter incubation period, which is why the symptoms may appear earlier.
The most common omicron-related symptoms are:
Other common COVID-19 symptoms include:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there is no evidence that the two new subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are more severe than others, but it is clear that immunity acquired through previous infection or vaccination is not as effective against them, as previously reported.
Dr. Sandra Adams, a professor of biology and virologist at Montclair State University, told NJ Advance Media that the newer mutations allow new strains to evade antibodies. "However, vaccines and previous infections still provide protection from serious disease," she said.