Western Daily Press (Saturday)
School virus cases rise as pledge made on vaccines
COVID-19 infection levels among children of secondary school age in England have increased slightly, new figures suggest.
The percentage of children in school years 7 to 11 likely to have tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to March 20 is 0.43%, up from 0.32% the previous week.
The estimates, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), coincide with the return from March 8 of pupils to secondary schools across England – a move that is likely to have affected the spread of coronavirus, thanks to the mixing of staff, parents and students.
Testing has also been scaled up, with all students in secondary schools expected to complete three rapid Covid-19 tests on their return, spaced three to five days apart, then further tests twice a week.
The ONS said rates are likely to have fallen among older teenagers and young adults (school year 12 to age 34) as well as those aged 50 to 69, but the trend is uncertain for other age groups.
All figures are for infections reported by people in private households, not other settings such as hospitals and care homes.
The estimates should be treated with caution, the ONS said, as they are based on small sample sizes and have a higher degree of uncertainty than the figures for England as a whole.
About one in 340 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to March 20 – unchanged on the previous week, and the lowest figure since the week to September 24 2020.
The ONS said the overall percentage of people in England testing positive “is likely to have levelled off”.
Prof James Naismith, from the University of Oxford, said: “Today’s ONS data are less reassuring than last week; they serve as a caution but not yet evidence we need to change course.”
■ Meanwhile the Government says it has ‘absolute confidence’ in UK vaccine supplies, with all adults on track to receive a first dose by the end of July.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK’s vaccine programme will continue to be “world-leading”, despite a row with Europe over vaccine exports. European Union leaders stopped short on Thursday evening during a European Council meeting of banning exports of vaccines, as a disagreement with the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca continues.
While giving a backing in principle for toughened export controls, a statement following the summit stressed the
importance of global supply chains in producing jabs.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said AstraZeneca must “catch up” on deliveries to the EU before exporting doses elsewhere, with her views receiving support from Italy, Spain and France. But Belgium and the Netherlands are among those resisting the use of export controls.
Asked about the progress of negotiations with the UK on sharing coronavirus vaccines, European Commission chief spokesman Eric Mamer told a briefing yesterday: “All I can tell you is that discussions with the UK are ongoing. Our common aim is to ensure we have good co-operation in terms of supply chains and producing the vaccine.”
Also yesterday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) signed off moves that will increase manufacturing capacity and supply of Covid-19 vaccines.
Speaking to Good Morning Britain, Mr Jenrick said the UK’s plans were still on track, adding: “We are confident we have got the supplies that we need both to meet our mid-April target of vaccinating all the over-50s and those people with clinical vulnerabilities, and the bigger target, which is that every adult at least has had their first jab by the end of July. Of course, anyone who has an appointment for a jab, either their first one or second one, there is no need to worry – those appointments will be honoured.”