The 8 Omicron signs to watch out for after spending Christmas with family

YOU did all the lateral flows before setting off for home, and spent a wonderful Christmas with your family...

But now the worry is setting in that perhaps someone brought an extra something to the festive party - Omicron.

While Covid cases are rising, a string of hugely positive studies show Omicron IS milder than other strains, with the first official UK report revealing the risk of hospitalisation is 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta.

Covid booster jabs protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said.

The Sun's Jabs Army campaign is helping get the vital extra vaccines in Brits' arms to ward off the need for any new restrictions.

Hopefully over Christmas you did all the right things, got your booster, kept windows open and washed your hands, after having turned up with negative tests.

But the virus can still slip through despite all the precautions - so just to be safe we have listed the early symptoms to keep an eye out for, incase you have picked up the bug.

Eight signs have been identified as key in knowing if you might have caught the variant.

These are: a scratchy throat, runny nose, fatigue, sneezing, lower back pain, headache, night sweats and muscle aches.

Professor Tim Spector, who leads the ZOE Covid App Symptom study, said: “Hopefully people now recognise the cold-like symptoms which appear to be the predominant feature of Omicron.”

Their latest analysis showed only half of the people currently suffering with Covid are experiencing the classic three symptoms listed on the NHS.

These are fever, a cough or loss of smell or taste.

A booster shot is the best protection against Omicron, with early data suggesting it pushes efficacy back up to 75 per cent.

Dr Jenny Harries, UKHSA Chief Executive said: “Once again, we urge everyone who is able to get a booster jab to come forward and do so. It is the best defence we have against this highly transmissible new variant."

The Sun is also urging readers to sign up to the Jabs Army campaign to make the rollout as smooth and fast as possible.

More than two thirds of eligible Brits have now received their top up protection, as the NHS booster campaign continues to protect the nation against the virus.

The Zoe experts said: "This may come as a surprise to some, as the UK government never updated guidance on COVID symptoms beyond the classic three symptoms.

"Many months ago, the ZOE Covid Study helped to identify over 20, mostly mild, cold-like symptoms."

Unben Pillay, a family doctor practicing on the outskirts of Johannesburg, said “we are seeing patients present with dry cough, fever, night sweats and a lot of body pain”.

Dr Amir Khan, a British GP, described “drenching night sweats”, the kind “where you might have to get up and change your clothes”.

Some experts say if you feel unwell, regardless of the symptoms, it is worth getting tested.

If you have a positive lateral flow test, the NHS says “get a PCR test to confirm your result as soon as possible”.

But some experts are saying that at the moment, even if your lateral flow is negative, it's worth isolating if you have symptoms.

These tests can be delivered to your home for free or picked up in pharmacies, some schools and workplaces.