A rise in Covid cases combined with grave warnings about the severity of this year's flu season has caused concern for many. The latest figures show a 56% rise in the seven-day average of people testing positive for Covid. This follows a drop in infections over the summer months.
Data from the UK Health Security Agency showed 6,831 people tested positive for Covid on September 21, with the seven-day average of positive tests sitting at 5,807. This is a sharp increase from the 3,533 positive cases reported on August 21, when the seven-day average was 3,705 cases.
Despite the alarming figures, the Office for National Statistics has said there is no clear evidence of an autumn Covid wave starting, the Mirror reports. Sarah Crofts, ONS deputy director for the Covid-19 infection survey, said it was “too early to identify whether this is the start of a new wave”.
But Dr Mary Ramsay, director of public health programmes at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said it was “clear now that we are seeing an increase” in levels of Covid-19.
Professor Azeem Majeed, professor of public health at Imperial College, told the Mirror that the UK is "likely" to see further waves of the virus over the colder months. "We have seen dropping rates during August but over the last week there are some signs that rates are picking up again," he said.
“Obviously in Autumn and Winter, people spend more time indoors as the weather cools down. We usually find that outbreaks of viral infections are more common."
Bumper flu season
Professor Majeed said flu rates "will probably be a lot higher" this year due to a lack of immunity and the end of Covid restrictions. "Because flu rates have been low in recent years, this means that people will have less immunity from a previous infection," he said.
"The end of Covid-19 control measures - such as face masks and social distancing - combined with the return of normal social activities also increase the likelihood of a large flu outbreak this winter."
Professor Majeed encouraged people to protect themselves from the flu by getting their annual vaccine.
Booster Jabs
Professor Majeed added that he thought it "unlikely" the government would widen the booster jab programme unless there was a “very, very large level of infection with lots of people falling seriously ill and putting pressure on the NHS”.
"I think the government will probably try to hold out with the current programme," he said. “Currently the push is for over 50s and those under 50 with medical problems because they are the ones at the highest risk of illness. I think young 20-year-olds who have had previous vaccines, they are probably at very low risk of Covid-19. “Wider vaccination will depend on how bad the situation gets."
Should we be wearing face masks again?
Professor Majeed said facemasks “have a role” as well, “particularly throughout crowded settings like public transport or shops”.
He said this would be “particularly effective” when protecting people against the flu as well as against Covid. "There are some people who have weaker immune systems, people who are immunocompromised, those people often don’t respond well to vaccines and so have less protection from serious infection. “So those people should take additional precautions this winter.”
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