 ones are low. Although the virus is mutating and changing, the vaccines still provide good protection against getting very sick with Covid, say experts. Testing for Covid has been massively scaled back, making it difficult to know how many people in the UK might have it. The continued rise in hospital rates over recent weeks suggests the virus is likely to be circulating more widely among the population. Hospital admissions of patients testing positive for Covid are now at the highest rate since the end of April, at 4.6 per 100,000 people. That is still below the level reached last winter - 11.8 per 100,000. Rates remain highest among people aged 85 and over, followed by 75 to 84-year-olds. Last autumn, all over-50s were offered a Covid booster, but the government's advisers on vaccines recommended that only over-65s and other "vulnerable groups" should be included automatically this year. For most people, catching Covid, while unpleasant, is less risky. Past Covid infections and vaccines have trained the immune system to stop severe illness, even if it cannot stop infection. It is a spin-off of Omicron. From the data the UK gathers, it does not appear to have taken off in a big way yet. There have been 37 cases recorded so far in England, while Scotland has recorded five cases. Experts are keeping a watch on it and say it is too early to make predictions or draw conclusions. Steve Russell, NHS director for vaccinations and screening, said: "The new Covid variant presents a new risk, but NHS staff are rising to the challenge once more){kind=link}
People 65 and over in England are being urged to get a top-up booster vaccine against Covid at a time when more people are coming into hospitals with the virus.
Those who are eligible can book via the NHS website, on the NHS app, or by calling 119.
The rollout has been brought forward as a precaution against a highly mutated new Covid variant called BA.2.86.
While hospital numbers are up, intensive care (ICU) ones are low.
Although the virus is mutating and changing, the vaccines still provide good protection against getting very sick with Covid, say experts.