The dominant Covid-19 variant is three times more likely to put those vaccinated in hospital compared to its predecessor, a world-leading immunologist has warned.
Denis Kinane, a world-leading immunologist and founding Scientist at Cignpost Diagnostics told The Mirror how new research from Portugal among vaccinated individuals found that those who have been jabbed and boosted are 3.3 times more at risk of falling seriously ill with the BA.5 Omicron variant.
This variant is currently the most dominant one in the UK.
The study did not look at those unvaccinated however Prof Kinane warned it is likely to be even worse for them.
Prof Kinane said: "According to a new exclusive report, the BA.5 Omicron variant, which is now dominant in the UK, is more than three times as likely to put sufferers in hospital than its predecessor BA.2."
He says researchers in Portugal found that those who were fully vaccinated and boosted had a 23.3 per cent risk of being hospitalist from BA.5 - compared to seven per cent with BA.2.
He said: "This suggests they are 3.3 times more at risk of falling seriously ill. This research is very concerning.
"While rising case numbers are always a worry, the biggest concern is increasing hospitalisation. This is only a single study but it is a stark reminder that Covid is not over."
While these numbers are concerning, Prof Kinane says those who are unvaccinated remain significantly "at risk".
He also cautions the current data for UK infections doesn't tell the full picture of what is happening here because there is no free testing.
He added: "Exact data on the hospitalisation rates and vaccine status is difficult to arrive at, however, a recent Canadian study indicates that unvaccinated are 16 times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid than vaccinated.
"This is likely to pertain to all strains of SARS CoV2, and given the increased virulence of BA5 over BA2, it follows that rates of hospitalisation should be higher.
"Thus, an unvaccinated person catching BA.5 should be at greater risk of hospitalisation than an unvaccinated person with BA,2, but real data, rather than statistical inference, is needed to confirm this.
"Therefore, with 3 million people in the UK remaining unvaccinated, they are at severe risk of contracting, and being hospitalised by the BA.5 Omicron variant."
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is not publishing an update on August 12 as it is changing the data collection method. The next update will be released on August 19.
The most recent data was published for the week ending on July 26 and shows a decrease in infections compared to figures for the week up to July 6 and 7.
Data for the week ending in England on July 26 shows 1 in 25 people are testing positive for the virus compared to 1 in 19 for the week up to July 6 and 7.
In Wales, one in 30 were infected compared to recently ONS data shows one in 17.
And in Scotland, it is estimated that 1 in 20 people caught the virus compared to the previous 1 in 16.
For Northern Ireland, recent ONS figures estimate one in 17 people have the virus which is unchanged compared to data for the week up to July 6 and 7.
He said: "It is also worth remembering that having a vaccination or a booster does not prevent you from getting Covid, but it does protect most people from hospitalisation. Summer festivals and major events are believed to be contributing factors to a surge in Covid infection numbers."
Prof Kinane has warned that the virus is not going anywhere and worries that the absence of free testing will make it difficult to paint an accurate picture for an upcoming winter surge.
He said: "In our previous conversations, you've expressed concern about the current wave and given how quickly the variants appear to be evolving do you think there will be any respite before a winter wave?
"The scrapping of universal free testing by the Government will deter many from getting tested so you are likely to see infections spread rapidly as people will not be aware that there are infected.
"The virus has not disappeared, it has continued to mutate, and though the UK’s vaccination programme allowed us to exert a reasonable amount of control on the virus’ transmission, waning immunity from the vaccine is now causing an uptick in hospitalisations. This has all been borne out by the Portuguese study of BA.5.
"This month, testing numbers in France and Germany have risen dramatically as they correctly attempt to diagnose, inform and protect their population.
"We also know that Governments in those countries are buying significant stocks of test kits to give them cover for the Autumn and Winter. I worry that our Government is not taking the same steps.
"Without the lack of a baseline surveillance system and the absence of a testing framework in the UK, we have very limited visibility on the virus’ prevalence in the population and its mutation.
"We are also likely to see more mutations and recombinant variants of this virus if sections of the population remain unvaccinated or immune status wanes. It is expected that Covid will adapt, and we need to remain cautious about its evolution."
