VIRAL LOAD
Covid cases show signs of STABILISING ahead of unlocking – but 47% of infections in vaccinated Brits
COVID cases are showing the first signs of stabilising ahead of July 19th's unlocking.
New data has revealed overall rates are plateauing, although at a slower rate - as 47 per cent of infections are now in vaccinated Brits.
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Despite cases still remaining high, experts behind the Zoe Covid Study app think the rise of Delta could be starting to decline.
Tim Spector OBE, lead scientist and Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London, said: “We are seeing the overall incidence rates plateau in the UK with an R value of 1.0, which is good news.
"But the rate of decline may be slower this time, as many of the restrictions in place previously will end.
"The numbers are still high with around 1 in 142 people with Covid, so we’ll keep a close eye on numbers and the effect of the Euro Football Championship in the coming days and weeks."
Prof Spector also added those who have been vaccinated are starting to see an increase in infections.
Getting jabbed does not stop you from catching the bug, but does drastically slash your chances and two doses give huge protection against getting seriously ill.
He said: "In the UK, new cases in vaccinated people are still going up and will soon outpace unvaccinated cases.
"This is probably because we’re running out of unvaccinated susceptible people to infect as more and more people get the vaccine.
TURNING THE TIDE?
"Whilst the figures look worrying, it’s important to highlight that vaccines have massively reduced severe infections and post-vaccination Covid is a much milder disease for most people. The main concern is now the risk of long Covid.”
The latest figures from the study think there are currently 17,581 new daily symptomatic cases of Covid on average.
This is a decrease of 22 per cent from 22,638 last week - suggesting that the wave in the unvaccinated population has now peaked in the UK.
The overall number of estimated cases is 33,118 which remains similar to last weeks which was 33,723.
The findings come days before Freedom Day on Monday, where many lcokdown restrictions will be ditched.
Adding a note of caution, the Prime Minister dropped his promise the lifting is “irreversible” amid warnings they could reimpose restrictions if there is a fourth wave in winter.
It comes as Covid cases have risen, with the more transmissible Delta - or Indian - variant to blame for 99 per cent of infections.
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But the UK's vaccine rollout has seen the risk of deaths or hospitalisation from the disease tumble.
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All legal Covid measures are due to end on July 19 - with face masks and social distancing mandates scrapped and mass events permitted.
Quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers returning to the UK from abroad will also be ditched, as will the school bubble system.
Boris Johnson begs Brits not to go crazy and says July 19 unlocking ‘shouldn’t be treated as a jubilee’
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