Covid surge will continue if we don’t bring back some restrictions, says top expert
CORONAVIRUS infections will continue to surge if some restrictions aren’t implemented, one expert has warned.
Daily infections are up by around 10 per cent on last week, data from the ZOE Symptom Tracker app has revealed.
There are currently 57,158 new daily symptomatic cases of Covid in the UK on average, each day, up from 51,961 new daily cases last week, according to ZOE data.
Professor Tim Spector, of King’s College London and the lead scientist on the ZOE app highlighted that unlike the rest of Europe, the UK has enjoyed a restriction-free summer.
The last round of Covid restrictions were lifted on July 19, allowing Brits to get back to a ‘new normal’.
Festivals and large events were able to go ahead, some with the use of Covid passes secured through the NHS which showed vaccination or test status.
Millions of Brits are now vaccinated, with 48 million having had one dose, and 42.9 million having two – with booster shots on the way.
No vaccine is 100 per cent effective, but the jabs have been proven to significantly reduce severe risk to the illness – but you can still catch Covid if you have been vaccinated.
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Prof Spector explained: “Even though a large majority of UK adults are now vaccinated, the rise in cases, as well as hospitalisations and deaths is one of the highest in europe.
“This is evidence that without at least some restrictions Covid will continue to spread.
“Fully vaccinated people are getting Covid, but not only are they often unable to spot the signs of infection due to the government’s outdated list of symptoms, we’ve seen evidence that the protection provided by vaccines is wearing off.”
He added that to help stop the spread, it’s still important for more of us to act responsibly by wearing masks in public, particularly in crowded places, washing our hands regularly, and trying to distance ourselves from others where possible.
ON THE UP
Data from the app shows that in the fully vaccinated population, there are currently around 17,342 new daily symptomatic cases in the UK.
The experts said that cases in this group have been rising steadily for the last week and now make up 30 per cent of all new daily cases.
When it comes to who is catching the virus, the experts added that new cases are rising rapidly in 0-18 year olds and that the current rates will soon overtake the number of new daily cases in the 18-35 years old.
This group, the experts say, has been dominant in the third wave, with this trend likely to continue as schools head back this week.
Data from the government’s coronavirus dashboard also states that areas such as Scotland have seen a rise in cases, with 147 areas across the UK all witnessing an increase in infections.
The ZOE experts also picked up on this cluster of cases and explained that cases in the country have been on the rise in the last few weeks and have seen a particular rise this week.
SUPERSPREADER
The experts said here, cases are also rising in school age children and correlate with the end of the summer holidays.
Prof Spector added: “The sharp increase in cases in Scotland following their return to school in August is a real concern, especially as children in England and Wales are now heading back.
“It’s likely that England and Wales will follow suit, helped by superspreader festival events, making it ever more likely that the summer wave will continue into the autumn.
“The question is – how high do numbers of cases and hospitalisations have to get before we recognise that Covid-19 remains a real threat?”
Yesterday the UK reported its highest death toll in six months, recording a further 207 Covid deaths.
Another 35,693 new cases were also reported in the latest 24-hour period.
The latest figures bring the total number of infections since the start of the pandemic to 6,825,074.
And the total number of fatalities now stands at a grim 132,742.