#Covid
Essentially, we're hardly vaccinating now, we're def in another wave, as well as covid, flu hosp admissions increasing rapidly & NHS strain still severe.

If eligible, get your covid & flu jabs & don't mix if you're sick (regardless of whether it's covid - no one wants your cold or flu either).

A year ago we did almost 1 million booster doses a day. This Xmas hardly any. And it's not cos we've finished - just under half of 50-64 yr olds remain unboosted.

Far too few kids have received even 1 dose.

Most adults under 50 last received a dose almost a year ago.

ONS infection survey shows that infections now going up in all nations (NB 2 weeks old data!).

Going up fastest in London and South and adults under 50.

BA.1.1 dominant but CH.1 Omicron variant gaining ground (now at 10%).

Zoe symptom tracker is more up to date than ONS (but less accurate). They also show significant increases now in estimated cases.
Deaths from Covid (death certificate data) are still coming down from Sept/Oct peak, but will probably increase again in a couple of weeks in response to the latest wave. Hopefully autumn boosters will mean a lower peak.

Number of people in hospital is going up in Scotland and England - data lagged in NI & Wales but likely to see it go up soon.

Admissions in England definitely going up quickly now, both for and with and mostly in over 65s. Particularly large increases in SW of England.

Other respiratory viruses (inc RSV) are going down *except* Flu - which is going up rapidly in all ages.

Flu admissions have shot up this past week - now higher than Covid. And higher & steeper than 2019/2020. We're in for a bad flu year I think. On top of a new Covid wave.

NHS strain continues: ambulance handover delays are much worse than prev years already and getting worse.

Critical care occupancy tracking prev years but both flu & Covid ICU admissions increasing.

Discharging patients also harder this year meaning hospitals v full.

With lots of Covid & Flu around, pls be kind to yrself & others. Get vaxxed if poss, wear a mask on transport, consider testing before mixing & don't mix if sick (whether covid or not!). Fresh air is good!

We're in much better place than last 2 yrs - let's keep it that way.

https://www.independentsage.org/independent-sage-end-of-year-2022-statement/

Independent SAGE End of Year 2022 Statement | Independent SAGE

Thank you to Bob Hawkins for his invaluable help pulling together the data & charts!
@chrischirp th🙏🏽 for great info as always, to Bob too🙏🏽, this weeks work, paeds nhs, mad, all working non stop, great working together👏🏾quite a few off sick, colleagues in other hospitals same, all at work hours after end of day, every day, to provide good care, one text from colleague this week “what are we doing to ourselves” ,many workaholics anyway, unsustainable, luckily we 💕 kids &YP 🤩 & 💕 our job 💙
@chrischirp
Thanks for doing these informative, accessible threads. It's great having current data w/ your concise explanations in one update.

@chrischirp Great thread, but I would put more emphasis on:

-- Wear a #FFP2 / #N95, #FFP3 / #N99, or #P3 / #P100 mask in public places -- anyone could have breathed #Covid into the air before you got there

-- Put portable plug-in #HEPA filters or #Corsi-Rosenthal boxes in any building or room you control, enough to clean all the air every 10 minutes or less (preferably less)

@chrischirp I had Covid (knowingly) for the first time a few weeks ago, was relieved i had vax 4 only 5 weeks before

I had previously felt awful for 5 days after vax 1 & 2, fortunately my infection left me exhausted, thick head, but able to work (from home). It was not as bad as i felt after the first 2 vaxes.

I was positive for 7 days, elderly neighbour (76) had it for 20 days but also fully vaxed (as CoPD)

@chrischirp thank you for posting- happy Christmas
@chrischirp it’s like sitting on the beach watching the waves and start counting the rhythm of the bigger ones…
@chrischirp you mean BQ.1* not BA1.1 yes???