UK Daily COVID Cases Rise Above 32K - 1st Time Since January

 

UK COVID Dashboard

#16,054

With the UK planning to abolish all COVID restrictions just 12 days from now (see UK: PM Statement On Plans To Abandon COVID Restrictions On July 19th), cases continue to rise rapidly due to dominance of the Delta variant, reaching 32,448 new cases yesterday (see graphic above). 

This represents a 15-fold increase since early May, and a doubling of cases over just the past 11 days.  This is also an increase of roughly 4,200 cases over yesterday.  The last time daily cases in the UK were at this high of a level, it was the last week of January, 2021.

Earlier today, Dr. Mike Ryan - Executive Director of @WHO Health Emergencies Programme - responded to a reporter's question regarding the planned relaxation (or abolishment) of COVID restrictions in the UK during a press conference.  

While not directly addressing the UK decision, you can view his response in the 1m39s video clip below posted by BBC Global Affairs correspondent @naomigrimley on twitter. 

 

It is fair to say he is not a fan of rolling back COVID restrictions in the face of rising cases. 

As noted earlier today (see CDC Nowcast Estimates Delta Variant Comprises > 50% Of US Cases), the United States today is pretty much where the UK was a month ago with regards to the Delta variant. 

The biggest difference is that 88% of the adult population in the UK has already received at least 1 jab of the vaccine, and 65% are fully vaccinated compared to only 67% (1 shot) and 58% fully vaccinated.

A reminder that our current lull in cases isn't guaranteed to last, and like the UK - if we aren't careful - we could easily find ourselves back at the same level of disease transmission we suffered through last January (10 fold higher than today). 

All reasons why, in addition to being fully vaccinated, I'll continue to wear a facemask in public this summer.