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Business News/ News / World/  All in the UK will most likely be infected with Omicron BA.2 except these people
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All in the UK will most likely be infected with Omicron BA.2 except these people

1 among 13 people have been infected with Covid in the UK in the past one week. “This is literally living with the virus by being infected with it,” said James Naismith, a biology professor at the University of Oxford

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Omicron BA.2 subvariant, which is believed to be more transmissible than other Omicron variants, is believed to be causing high infections in the UK. AFP PHOTO / Jessica Taylor /UK Parliament (AFP)Premium
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Omicron BA.2 subvariant, which is believed to be more transmissible than other Omicron variants, is believed to be causing high infections in the UK. AFP PHOTO / Jessica Taylor /UK Parliament (AFP)

Many countries across the world are seeing a sudden rise in Covid-19 cases, indicating a possible wave in future. Among the countries seeing a high infections currently are the US, the UK and China.

The infection spread is severe in the UK where 1 in 13 people are estimated to have been infected with Covid-19 in the past one week, official statistics agency said. In the past one week ending March 26 alone, 4.9 million are estimated to have contracted coronavirus, showing a major rise from 4.3 million a week before, the data by the Office for National Statistics shows.

What's causing sudden rise in Covid infections?

Omicron BA.2 sub-variant, which is believed to be more transmissible than other Omicron variants, is believed to be causing high infections in the UK. Not only infections but deaths and hospitalisations, despite having a significant portion of population vaccinated, are also rising in the UK. The good sign so far is low fatality rate as compared to the last year's wave in the country.

The steep climb in new infections is being reported since late February, following the ending of all coronavirus restrictions in England. The infections continued to rise in March as well. 

Living with the virus:-

British PM Boris Johnson had announced 'living with Covid plan' in February, under which those with no health conditions must pay to get themselves tested or to know if they are Covid positive or not.

"The government's ‘living with COVID’ strategy of removing any mitigations, isolation, free testing and a considerable slice of our surveillance amounts to nothing more than ignoring this virus going forwards," said Stephen Griffin, associate professor at the University of Leeds' medical school.

“Such unchecked prevalence endangers the protection afforded by our vaccines," he said. “Our vaccines are excellent, but they are not silver bullets and ought not to be left to bear the brunt of COVID in isolation."

Experts believe Omicron BA.2 will infect everyone in the UK, except for those completely shielded or not at all susceptible to the virus. James Naismith, a biology professor at the University of Oxford, said: “This is literally living with the virus by being infected with it."

Vaccination programme in the UK:-

In the UK, 67 per cent of people aged above 12 are fully vaccinated, including with a booster dose. The country has also rolled out a low-dose vaccine for 5-12 years olds in England.

With AP inputs

Also read: Do you have flu or Covid-19? How to find out, risks involved. WHO answers

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Published: 03 Apr 2022, 05:36 PM IST
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