The UK is in the grip of a double whammy of soaring colds and Covid infections, driven by new variants, cooler weather and children going back to school, new figures show.
The latest government data indicate that rhinovirus infections – the main cause of the common cold – jumped by a third in the week to Sunday September 22, as the proportion of hospital patients with respiratory symptoms testing positive for the virus increased from 10.6 per cent to 14.0 per cent.
This is their highest level since December.
During that same week, the so-called “positivity rate” of Covid tests in hospital patients jumped by 30 per cent, while hospitalisations from Covid rose by 50 per cent to 3.71 per 100,000 of the population, with the highest admissions rate in the north-east of England, according to the UK Heath Security Agency (UKHSA) figures.
This compares to 2.0 per 100,000 on 25 August and 4.7 on 21 July.
Positivity rates among hospital patients with symptoms are typically much higher than infection rates in the general population – figures which are not available for the UK outside of winter. But scientists say they give a good indication of trends.
Flu cases, meanwhile, remain relatively low, with a positivity rate of about 2 per cent.
Peak flu season typically occurs in December and January.
“There are a lot of people suffering from runny noses and coughs at the moment. This is due to a double whammy of infections with the common cold virus (rhinovirus) and with the Covid virus,” Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told i.
“And it’s not likely to get any better as we are faced with the spread of a new Covid variant along with other drivers to infection such as the return to school, the cold and wet weather, and large gatherings including fresher’s week at universities and the political party conferences,” he said.
“The same precautions apply – try to avoid crowded and poorly ventilated spaces, wear a face mask if you are at all concerned, test and isolate if you are Covid positive, and get a booster vaccination. And if you’re not eligible for the jab via the NHS consider getting one privately,” he said.
Professor Christina Pagel, of University College London, added: “I think this is being driven by return to education and work combined with a cold and wet September.”
Whilst rhinovirus positivity has increased to 14.0 per cent overall, it is more than 36 per cent among the under 15s, points out Bob Hawkins, a data scientist who works with Independent Sage.
“This is most likely due to the return to school for the autumn term. I suspect that we’ll see the test positivity rates start increasing in the parents age group soon as children pass on their colds,” he told i.
The new Covid variant, known as XEC, is thought to be more contagious than the others, although there is no evidence that its symptoms are any more severe than other strains.
It has grown to account for more than one in 10 UK cases in just a few weeks and is predicted to become the country’s new dominant strain in late October or early November.
Dr Mary Ramsay, director of public health programmes at UKHSA, said: “If you have symptoms of a respiratory virus, like a new continuous cough or fever, try not to spend time with others to prevent spreading illnesses to others around you, and to protect people who are more at risk such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
“If you do need to leave home, consider wearing a mask in crowded places. Don’t forget about simple actions like catching coughs and sneezes with a tissue, washing your hands regularly, and consider opening a window to improve ventilation.”
Who is eligible for a Covid jab?
Booking is now open for the autumn Covid booster campaign, which starts on Thursday, 3 October.
Anyone eligible can book their vaccinations from 9am via the NHS website, by downloading the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free if they can’t get online.
You may also be offered a flu vaccination in the same appointment, if you are eligible.
- adults aged 65 years and over
- residents in a care home for older adults
- individuals aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group (as defined in tables 3 or 4 in the Covid-19 chapter of the Green Book)
- frontline NHS and social care workers, and those working in care homes for older people
Who can get a free flu jab?
You can get the free NHS flu vaccine, also from October 3, through the NHS app or website, if you:
- are aged 65 or over
- have certain long-term health conditions
- are pregnant
- live in a care home
- are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer’s allowance
- live with someone who has a weakened immune system
- frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer
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