 show that Covid-19 cases increased by 45 per cent in a week, accounting for around one in 20 respiratory infections. Millions of people flocked to the cinema after Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on July 21 , with Vue experiencing its highest viewing figures since Skyfall was released in 2012. Odeon, the UK's largest chain, said it sold two million tickets for the films in just 10 days. Unseasonal torrential downpours have also led to more people sheltering indoors at a time of year when they would usually be outdoors. The films, coupled with rainy weather that has kept people indoors, have come at a time when Britain is facing a new Omicron subvariant EG.5.1 – nicknamed Eris – which now accounts for one in seven coronavirus cases. Eris has a 20.5 per cent growth advantage on other Omicron sub-variants. Lawrence Young, professor of molecular oncology at the University of Warwick, said increased cinema attendance in recent weeks was likely to be a factor. 'There's no hard evidence, as far as I am aware, that cinema attendance has increased rates of infection,' he said. 'However, anything that brings people together in close proximity in poorly ventilated spaces will increase transmission rates. 'This, coupled with waning immunity to the virus and exposure to new virus variants, accounts for increased levels of infection we are experiencing.' 'Barbieheimer effect' Concern about the 'Barbieheimer' effect was also raised in the US by Dr Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, who tweeted: 'Not to be a Debbie Downer… but [is] anyone worried about a post-Barbie box office Covid bump? Or post-Oppie?' He added: 'We'll probably never know since no one seems to be keeping track of such things anymore.' The overall Covid-19 hospital admission rate for the mo){kind=link}
Latest figures from the UKHSA show coronavirus occurrences increasing by 45 per cent in a week
The spike in Covid cases may be down to a perfect storm of rainy weather and the Barbie and Oppenheimer film releases, virologists fear.
Latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that Covid-19 cases increased by 45 per cent in a week, accounting for around one in 20 respiratory infections.
Millions of people flocked to the cinema after Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on July 21, with Vue experiencing its highest viewing figures since Skyfall was released in 2012.
Odeon, the UK’s largest chain, said it sold two million tickets for the films in just 10 days.