 Since the beginning of July there have been indications that Covid infections are increasing again in the UK. The daily number of new positive tests and the proportion of tests coming back positive have been increasing since the end of June. New admissions to hospital with Covid and the number of beds occupied by Covid patients have also increased compared to levels seen at the end of June. The latest official government data suggests that infections and hospitalisations are still rising. On the other hand, the Zoe App data (which is used to track Covid symptoms and infections) suggests that the current wave may have already peaked. But with the Office for National Statistics no longer publishing Covid infection data, it's not now possible to know with any degree of certainty just how many infections are actually happening in the UK each day – only how many tests have come back positive. But even with the July spike in infections and hospital admissions, hospital cases are still far lower than the levels we saw in previous summers – and even earlier this year. There are a couple of reasons why there's been a spike in Covid cases in the UK this summer. While part of it comes down to a new variant and foreign travel over the summer holidays, the increase in cases may also be a sign that Covid is now endemic in the population. Why cases have spiked The number of severe Covid infections will also probably continue to fall over the next few years (Picture: Unsplash) Most infectious disease scientists and specialists have known since very early in the pandemic that eradicating the virus was unachievable, and that eventually Covid would become endemic – just as the common cold and flu are. Evidence since then has confirmed that immunity against infection, either from immunisation or following infection, is very short-lived – only a matter of a few months. E){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Since the beginning of July there have been indications that Covid infections are increasing again in the UK.
The daily number of new positive tests and the proportion of tests coming back positive have been increasing since the end of June. New admissions to hospital with Covid and the number of beds occupied by Covid patients have also increased compared to levels seen at the end of June.
The latest official government data suggests that infections and hospitalisations are still rising. On the other hand, the Zoe App data (which is used to track Covid symptoms and infections) suggests that the current wave may have already peaked.
But with the Office for National Statistics no longer publishing Covid infection data, it’s not now possible to know with any degree of certainty just how many infections are actually happening in the UK each day – only how many tests have come back positive. But even with the July spike in infections and hospital admissions, hospital cases are still far lower than the levels we saw in previous summers – and even earlier this year.