Since December 24th 2021, St. Kitts and Nevis has been going through the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, the Omicron variant along with other COVID-19 variants and the flu has been in circulation in the Federation, resulting in an unusual spike in active COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks.
So how can an individual tell if they have contracted the Omicron COVID-19 virus versus the flu based on their symptoms?
According to Urologist, Dr. Dwayne Thwaites, during an interview on VON Radio on Thursday 20th January, when a vaccinated person contracts the Omicron variant they will experience “slight redness in the eye, slight itchy throat along with a slight cough. The person also might experience symptoms like a fever and muscle aches making it difficult to differentiate between Omicron and the Flu.”
He went on to explain that unless the individual is unvaccinated they would display symptoms of a more aggressive wet cough with mucus and shortness of breath.
If an individual has the Flu, Dr. Thwaites explained that the patient will experience “a runny nose, muscle aches, fever, an aggressive wet cough and mucus.”
However, he recommended that the person consult their physician to give a proper diagnosis and to get a COVID-19 test. While awaiting confirmation, he also recommended that the individual should self-isolate to prevent potential spreading.
