London:
UK well being officials stated the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues its rise in the UK with a additional 36,800 circumstances logged on Friday, which marks a 17 per cent boost more than the prior week.
Public Health England (PHE) stated that even though the infections continue to be higher and increasing, there has not been a corresponding rise in the quantity of hospitalisations with COVID-19, indicating that the vaccinations are helpful against the extremely transmissible variant initial identified in India.
Of the 36,800 circumstances of Delta B1.617.2 variant more than the previous week, 45 are from the Delta AY.1 sub lineage with the mutation K417N, which is feared to be more vaccine resistant a proportion that has remained constant more than the previous handful of weeks.
“Case rates are still high and rising, but it is encouraging that the increase in cases still does not appear to be associated with a similar increase in hospitalisations and deaths. This is testament to the continued success of the vaccination programme in reducing the incidence of severe disease,” stated Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency.
“The best way to keep yourself and those around you safe is to get both doses of the vaccine as soon as you are eligible. However, while vaccines offer excellent protection, they do not completely eliminate risk,” she stated.
“As we approach the end of restrictions, it is as important as ever that we continue to exercise caution. Take your free twice-weekly rapid tests and if you have symptoms, you should book a PCR test immediately and stay at home until you receive your result,” she added.
The most up-to-date statistics come as a separate study revealed on Thursday that virtually one hundred per cent of folks tested positive for antibodies 14 or more days right after their second COVID-19 vaccine dose of either Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, getting administered in India as Covishield.
Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI stated their most up-to-date antibody surveillance report highlights the value of acquiring each doses for the finest achievable protection against coronavirus as lockdown restrictions are eased from next Monday.
Over 90 per cent of folks aged more than 65 tested positive for antibodies, increasing to 95 per cent in these aged more than 75 with 36 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds testing positive.
At the time of the report, a quarter of respondents aged 18 to 24 stated they had received one or two jabs compared to 99 per cent of these aged more than 75.
Following one dose of either vaccine, the proportion of folks testing positive for antibodies peaked at 4 to 5 weeks right after the initial dose and then began to decline just before increasing substantially in these who had a second dose.
“Every vaccine is another brick in our wall of protection and I’m incredibly pleased that the latest data from REACT [Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission] shows almost 100 per cent of people tested positive for antibodies after their second dose of the vaccine,” stated UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi added: “Our vaccination programme is working and is severely weakening the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths.
“As we lift restrictions next week, I urge any individual who has however to be vaccinated to get each jabs to guard yourselves and your loved ones. Vaccines are secure and have so far prevented about 8 million infections, more than 46,000 hospitalisations and about 30,000 deaths.”
The UK government says it is on track to give each adult a initial dose of the vaccine by Monday, when England’s legal lockdown restrictions are set to finish, and has also offered two doses to two-thirds of all adults.
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