Covid news – live: ‘New wave is now starting’ Sage expert warns as UK infections rise
Omicron variants likely caused the recent jump in cases, new data suggests
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The UK’s leading scientists have warned the country will see a new wave of infections this month.
Speaking during a briefing by the Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), Professor Christina Pagel said: “The new wave is now starting.”
She added: “We will have a new wave of infections this month. Now hopefully it won’t be as high as the previous two waves and might be lower. But we can’t count on that and either way we are going to see more people becoming infected.”
It comes as Covid-19 infections in the UK have risen for the first time in two months, new data has revealed.
The jump is likely caused by increases in cases compatible with the original Omicron variant BA.1 and the newer variants BA.4 and BA.5, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
A total of 989,800 people in private households are estimated to have had the virus last week, up from 953,900 the previous week.
Officials: Millions of COVID-19 shots ordered for youngest
Millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses have been ordered for small children in anticipation of possible federal authorization next week, White House officials say.
The government allowed pharmacies and states to start placing orders last week, with 5 million doses initially available — half of them shots made by Pfizer and the other half the vaccine produced by Moderna, senior administration officials said.
As of this week, about 1.45 million of the 2.5 million available doses of Pfizer have been ordered, and about 850,000 of available Moderna shots have been ordered, officials said. More orders are expected in the coming days.
Young children are the last group of Americans who have not been recommended to get COVID-19 vaccinations. Up to about 20 million U.S. children under 5 would become eligible for vaccination if the government authorizes one or both shots.
It's not clear how popular the shots will be. A recent survey suggests only 1 in 5 parents of young children would get their kids vaccinated right away.
Covid hospitalisations on the rise in England
Covid hospital admissions are on the rise again as experts warn there could be another wave of infections.
The number of people in England admitted to wards with Covid has begun to grow, new data from the NHS shows.
Analysis by John Roberts of the Covid Actuaries group, set up in response to the pandemic, showed hospital admissions had stopped falling after a period of decline.
Covid incubation period: How long are you infectious for?
A rise in UK hospital admissions for patients with Covid-19 has prompted experts to warn that Britain could face a fresh wave of coronavirus infections.
My colleague Joe Sommerlad reports:
How long are you infectious with Covid? The incubation period explained
How long is incubation period for Omicron?
Nine Omicron symptoms affecting the fully vaccinated - and signs you may have it
Here, we take a look at some of the most common symptoms associated with the variant for the fully vaccinated – and two early warning signs you might have it.
My colleague Maryam Zakir-Hussian reports:
Nine Omicron symptoms affecting the fully vaccinated - and signs you may have it
Omicron Covid variant symptoms
Experts fear fresh wave despite UK cases declining
Experts fear another wave of Covid infections could be on the way despite declining cases across most of the UK.
Some 14,000 infections were logged on Wednesday but health chiefs say new variants - BA.5 and BA.4 - may send cases soaring again.
It comes as the number of people admitted to hospital with Covid in England rises.
John Roberts, of the Covid Actuaries group, set up in response to the pandemic, said another wave is possible.
“Yes we could,” he told The Independent when asked if another wave is possible. “But how big that wave and how serious it will be in terms of admissions and deaths is very, very difficult to judge at this stage,” he added.
Our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas reports:
Experts predict increase in Covid hospital admissions and another wave
European public health experts warned in May a new Covid wave could hit
White House ‘not too worried’ about slow pace of pre-orders of child Covid vaccine
Pre-orders of vaccines for children under age 5 have been slow, but Biden administration senior officials say they are not alarmed and expect the pace to pick up after federal approvals later this month.
The administration expects vaccinations of young children to begin in earnest as early as June 21, if the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approve the vaccines in separate meetings slated for next week, officials told reporters on Wednesday.
The vaccines will be distributed to paediatricians, children's hospitals, local pharmacies and local health clinics, officials said.
Testing new normal in China
Thousands of COVID-19 testing sites have popped up on sidewalks across Beijing and other Chinese cities in the latest twist to the country's "zero-COVID" strategy.
Lines form every day, rain or shine, even when the spread of the virus has largely stopped. Some people need to go to work. Others want to shop. All are effectively compelled to get tested by a requirement to show a negative test result to enter office buildings, malls and other public places.
Liu Lele, who works for a live-streaming company, has no problem getting tested regularly but said the daytime operating hours don't always fit his schedule.
"Sometimes I get held up at work," he said after finishing a test Thursday near Beijing's historic Bell and Drum towers. "I wish there were sites open 24 hours or not closing until 7 or 8 p.m."
Regular testing of residents is becoming the new normal in many parts of China as the ruling Communist Party sticks steadfastly to a "zero-COVID" approach that is increasingly at odds with the rest of the world.
Major cities have been told to set up testing stations within a 15-minute walk for all residents. Beijing and Shanghai alone have put up 10,000 or more each. Some are made up of folding tables and chairs under a temporary canopy. Others are enclosed square booths from which gloved workers reach out through openings to take a quick throat swab from the next person in line.
14,000 cases recorded in UK
Some 14,055 Covid cases were recorded in the UK on Wednesday, figures show.
This was up from 10,237 the day before.
Cases, however, have been steadily declining since around the middle of March.
New lockdown in Shanghai
Nearly 3 million people in Shanghai are set to be plunged into another draconian lockdown as Covid cases rise.
Communist Party officials will put an entire district in China‘s largest city under house arrest to conduct mass testing.
It comes just days after restrictions in the city of around 25 million were eased following months of shutdown.
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