Covid infection levels in England are Critically High, with around 1 in every 23 people in England infected with Covid, as of 13 December. Today, around 1 in every 19 people are likely to be infected with Covid, and we are expecting infection levels to continue to increase over the Christmas period. These are among the highest Covid levels ever seen in England, and it is essential that everyone takes precautions to avoid catching Covid.
As an example of the risk of catching Covid, a typical busy supermarket will have between 13 and 15 infected people breathing out virus for you to breathe in. In a full single decker bus, there will be 2 or 3 infected people breathing out virus. In a busy train carriage, there will be between 9 and 10 infected people breathing out virus. In these circumstances, unless you wear a respiratory filter mask, you are extremely likely to catch Covid. Cloth and surgical masks do not protect you.
To add to the risk this Christmas, there are 2 new variants of the Covid virus circulating. This means that even if you have had Covid recently, of have recently been vaccinated or boosted, you can still catch Covid again and be seriously ill. There is no such thing as immunity against Covid – the virus changes every time people develop immunity.
Remember, Covid is airborne: the virus spreads mainly through the air. An infected person in an unventilated place creates a large invisible cloud of virus which hangs in the air like smoke, ready for you to breathe in. Because the NHS has not improved the ventilation in its buildings, hospitals and GP practices are extremely dangerous places to catch Covid. NHS staff are now required to work even if they have Covid and there are no Covid precautions in place at most NHS buildings. Do avoid hospitals and GP practices unless your visit is essential and wear a tight-fitted filter mask (FFP2 or FFP3) or respirator all the time if you have to go there.
BuDS continues to recommend that disabled and clinically vulnerable people avoid indoor spaces unless they are wearing a filter mask (FFP2/3). For more advice on how to avoid catching Covid, use this link.
This data is taken from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Winter Infection Survey. We will continue these risk assessments for as long as the survey runs.
To understand more about our Covid risk levels and what they mean, use this link.
For more Covid information and help, please contact BuDS and we will be happy to help.