The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
UK Covid cases could hit record high warns chief medical officer
The UK can expect several more weeks where Covid cases hit a record high, England’s chief medical officer has warned, as Omicron continues its exponential rise across the country.
Professor Chris Whitty told a Downing Street briefing there were “two epidemics on top of one another” as the UK recorded 78,610 new cases of coronavirus, including cases of the new variant.
He said: “I’m afraid we have to be realistic that records will be broken a lot over the next few weeks as the rates continue to go up.
“What we’ve got is two epidemics on top of one another – an existing Delta epidemic, roughly flat, and a very rapidly growing Omicron epidemic on top of it.”
Prof Whitty said the government had to choose between “really unpalatable options”, adding that there was no clear data yet on severe disease and deaths from Omicron with two jabs, and what the picture was for those who have had boosters.
He said: “I think what most people are doing – and I think this seems very sensible – is prioritising the social interactions that mean a lot to them and, to prioritise those ones, deprioritising ones that mean much less to them.”
He said he “strongly encouraged” that people take lateral flow tests before meeting up and ensuring there was good ventilation.
In the same briefing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to have their booster vaccines as he said a “great national fightback has begun” against Omicron.
He said he still believed this Christmas will be better than last, but urged people to be cautious.
He said people should “think carefully before you go, what kind of event is it? Are you likely to meet people who are vulnerable?... Get a test, make sure there is ventilation, wear a mask on transport.”
The prime minister insisted the government’s Plan B was the right thing to do, adding that boosters also “provide an excellent level of protection”.
He added: “We think that, given the balance of risks and the balance of
continuing uncertainties about Omicron, this is the right approach to take... to do these things at once.
“The progress we are making with the booster is vital... we really are boosting huge numbers of people now.”
Getting “everybody boosted at record speed in the way that we are” plus Plan B measures would keep the country on track and enable it to “move forward”, he added.
Earlier he said: “While
hospital admissions are going up nationwide, we’re starting to see admissions coming down among some of the more vulnerable older age groups where we’ve already got those boosters in arms.”
Prof Whitty said Omicron was “moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace” and it will only be a short time until we get to “very large numbers”, adding he thought the variant was a “very serious threat”.
Omicron is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace