Covid infections hit a record high
COVID infection levels have reached a record high in the UK, new data shows, as the Health Secretary maintained no further restrictions will be set out before Christmas.
An estimated 1.4 million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 16, the highest number since comparable figures began in autumn 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The data emerged within hours of Sajid Javid telling broadcasters the Government is not planning to make any more announcements on restrictions in England this week.
It follows a warning from NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis that the service is on a “war footing” as the Omicron variant sweeps through the country.
In England, around one in 45 people in private households had Covid in the week to December 16, up from one in 60 the previous week, according to the latest ONS estimates. Equivalent to about 1.2 million people, this is the highest number since the ONS began estimating infection levels for England in May 2020.
Meanwhile, the Government is under
pressure to clarify its tipping point for imposing further measures as new figures show the number of NHS staff absent for Covid reasons at acute trusts in London more than doubled last week.
Across England as a whole, 18,829 NHS staff at acute hospital trusts were absent due to reasons relating to coronavirus on December 19, up 54% from 12,240 a week earlier, according to NHS England data.
The news comes as Boris Johnson has been facing calls to outline his post-Christmas Covid strategy for England, with leaders in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland having all announced new restrictions to tackle Omicron.
Labour has called for “more clarity” from the Government on its plans, with Lucy
Powell, the shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, claiming the Prime Minister is unable to make calls on Covid data because he has “lost authority with the public”.
Mr Javid acknowledged that staff absences due to Covid are adding to pressures on the NHS but said the easing of self-isolation rules will help.
It also emerged yesterday that people infected with Omicron may be less likely to end up in hospital, amid rising case rates and new restrictions across the UK nations.
Two new studies suggested Omicron is less likely to result in severe symptoms and hospital admission than earlier Covid strains like Delta.
However, Professor Neil Ferguson, from the Imperial College London team behind one of the studies, warned Omicron’s severity may be offset by the “reduced efficacy” of vaccines to stop it being transmitted.
Ministers have stressed the Government is constantly considering new Covid data, with health minister Gillian Keegan saying on Wednesday: “There is uncertainty. We can’t predict what the data is going to tell us before we’ve got the data.”