A further 172 deaths due to COVID-19 and 90,629 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours. While the UK Health Security Agency confirmed 15,363 additional cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported across the UK with 60,508 confirmed UK Omicron cases now in total.
First published in December 2021.
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๐ #TodayInCOVID
Summary 21-Dec-2021
โช 24h: 90,629
โช 7 days: 615,707 โ Highest ever
โช 28 days: 1,630,755 โ Highest ever
โช Average: 87,958 cases/day โ Highest ever
๐จ Estimated cases (Kingโs College/Zoe): 137,067 cases
๐จ 6,153,163 infections since 19 July (โFreedom Dayโ)
โช 24h: 847
โช 7 days: 6,094
โช 28 days: 22,830 โ Highest since 5 December
โช 24h: 7,801 โ Highest since 23 November
โช 7 days: 53,196 โ Highest since 29 November
โช 28 days: 212,176
โช 24h: 859
โช 7 days: 6,110
โช 28 days: 25,099
โช 24h: 172
โช 7 days: 808
โช 28 days: 3,298
โช Average: 115 deaths / day
๐จ 18,585 deaths since 19 July (โFreedom Dayโ)
โช New Cases: 15,363
โช Total Cases: 60,508
โช Patients: 129
โช Deaths: 14
๐จ 1,200,000 cases
๐จ 1 in 50 people live with long COVID


- 90,629 new UK coronavirus infections in 24 hours โ the seventh day in a row that over 75,000 infections have been reported (the actual number is likely to be significantly higher).
- The total number of coronavirus infections reported in the last 7 days was 615,707 [highest 7-day number ever recorded] while in the last 28 days 1,630,755 infections have been reported [highest 28-day number ever recorded].
- 808 deaths due to coronavirus have been reported in the last 7 days.
- The number of deaths in the past week equates on average to around 115 deaths each of the past 7 days. If this was to be the โnew normalโ for daily deaths caused by Covid-19, then annually this would equate to around 42,131 deaths.
- Meanwhile, 3,298 deaths due to Covid-19 have been reported in the UK in the last 28 days.
- 847 Covid-19 hospital admissions occurred on 17 December 2021 โ according to the latest health care data for the UK as a whole.
- 7,801 patients suffering from Covid-19 are currently occupying hospital beds as of 20 December 2021.
- 859 Covid-19 patients are occupying mechanical ventilation beds โ according to the data reported on 20 December 2021.
- All three of the healthcare measures [above] remain a continuing concern for our now seriously under-pressure NHS.
SO FAR:
- 691 days since the first infection due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus was reported in Britain (31 January 2020).
- 655 days since the first reported death (7 March 2020). Coronavirus has now been responsible for infecting over 11.5 million people in the UK (according to the official reported positive cases data).
- In this time, the virus has been responsible for at least 147,433 deaths (within 28 days of a first positive test result). Official data also currently indicate there have been 171,801 deaths in total, where the deceased personโs death certificate mentioned COVID-19 as one of the causes, registered up to Friday 10 December 2021, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Note: The data for deaths attributed to COVID-19 โ each following a reported positive test result for COVID-19 within 28 days of their death.
(Source: UK Health Security Agency)

ENGLAND
- 15 December
People aged 18 or over can pre-book a booster dose appointment 2 months after their second vaccine dose. You can get your booster dose 3 months after your second vaccine dose. Book your booster vaccination appointment or find a walk-in vaccination site.
All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4am.
You need to show your NHS COVID Pass at nightclubs, some venues and large events to show youโre fully vaccinated, have had a negative test result in the last 48 hours, or you have an exemption.
- 14 December
Fully vaccinated contacts of someone with COVID-19 should take rapid lateral flow tests every day for 7 days. If you test positive or develop symptoms, you need to self-isolate for 10 days. Find out when to self-isolate and what to do on the NHS website.
- 13 December
You should work from home if you can.
- 10 December
You must wear a face-covering in most indoor public places, at large venues and events, and on public transport.
WALES
- 27 December
Nightclubs will close. Social distancing will be required in shops and offices.
- 15 December
All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4am.
- 7 December
If youโre aged 12 and over, you must show a negative PCR or lateral flow test result when travelling to Wales from abroad. You must take the test in the 48 hours before you travel to Wales. Check the rules for international travel to and from Wales.
- 29 November
People aged 18 and over will be invited to have their booster dose a minimum of 3 months after their second vaccine dose. Your health board will contact you when itโs your turn.
SCOTLAND
- 15 December
All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4am.
People aged 18 and over can now book a booster dose 3 months after their second vaccine dose. Book your booster vaccination appointment on NHS Inform.
- 14 December
You should reduce social contact as much as possible by meeting in groups of no more than 3 households.
- 7 December
If youโre aged 12 and over, you must show a negative PCR or lateral flow test result when travelling to Scotland from abroad. You must take the test in the 2 days before you travel to Scotland. Check the rules for international travel to and from Scotland.
NORTHERN IRELAND
- 15 December
All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4am.
- 13 December
People aged 30 and over can get their booster dose 3 months after their second vaccine dose at an HSC walk-in vaccination hub.
- 7 December
If youโre aged 12 and over, you must show a negative PCR or lateral flow test result when travelling to Northern Ireland from abroad. You must take the test in the 2 days before you travel to Northern Ireland. Check the rules for international travel to and from Northern Ireland.
(Source: Gov.uk)

The PM gives the green light on Xmas this year! Millions hope it's not another catastrophic misjudgement - like 'Freedom Day' on 19 July 2021, which gave #DeltaVariant the green light. Sage science suggests it's an error, to give #Omicron such freedom.https://t.co/EzxUbkJmcQ
— Dr Joe Pajak FRSC CSci ๐ NHS FT Governor (@JoePajak) December 21, 2021
The WHOโs chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the โfastest wayโ to get back to normal is to make โhard decisions,โ this festive season amid the Omicron COVID-19 variantโs quick spread.
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) December 20, 2021
โAn event canceled is better than a life canceled,โ Ghebreyesus said. pic.twitter.com/sEEBrlcD2r
... and care about the dire consequences of #BorisJohnson not imposing stricter restrictions on this country, after Christmas. /2 pic.twitter.com/g7BPfVy019
— ๐.๐. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๏ธ (@jnpaquet) December 21, 2021








โ ๐งฌ Omicron variant detection
โ ๐งฌ COG-UK sequencing
(Source: COG-UK)
โ ๐งฌ UKHSA genomically confirmed case numbers
(Source: UK Health Security Agency)

๐ UK COVID-19 data

Covid-19 UK Data: First UK Lockdown to 21 December 2021.
(Source: UK Health Security Agency)
โ ๐งฎ Case & Death Totals
๐ฆ 11,542,143 positive cases so far to date (recorded) โ Since the first case was reported at the end of January 2020
๐ฏ๏ธ 147,433 deaths so far โ Number recorded within 28 days of first positive test result
๐ฏ๏ธ 171,801 total deaths โ Total number of people whose death certificate mentioned Covid-19 as one of the causesโ Registered up to Friday 10 December 2021
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ New COVID Cases in the World
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ Total COVID Cases in the World
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ New COVID Deaths in the World
โ ๐ฏ๏ธ Total COVID Deaths in the World

๐ Vaccination UK
โ ๐ Vaccine Doses
(Source: UK Health Security Agency + NHS England)
โ ๐ Booster & Third Doses
โ ๐ Vaccination of Children 12-15
(Source: UK Health Security Agency + Public Health Wales
+ Public Health Scotland + HSC NI + ONS)
Note: Data cross-referenced with the latest official data from the UK dashboard.

โ Estimated ยฎ๏ธ Number
(Sources: UK Health Security Agency + Welsh Government
+ Scottish Government + N-I Ministry of Health)
โ Population Testing Positive for COVID-19
(Source: ONS)
โ Number of contact tracing alerts sent (England & Wales)
(Source: NHS)
โ Stringency Index
(Source: University of Oxford)

๐ Data Sources:
- Daily summary: Coronavirus in the UK | UK Government
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) NHS Advice | PMP Magazine
- Variants: distribution of cases data | UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
- Vaccination Data | UK Government
- Whatโs new | UK Government
|
๐ Full Daily UK #COVID19 Charts & Comments via #TodayInCovid: www.pmp-magazine.com/tag/today-in-covid/
๐ฆ Everything #COVID19: www.pmp-magazine.com/covid19/
๐๏ธ Sources: @CovidGenomicsUK | @UKHSA | @ONS
๐งฎ Special thanks: @JoePajak & #NHS
โ AUTHORS โโซ Dr Joe Pajak, PhD in physical chemistry: exploring the data, governor of an NHS FT hospital. |
GET THEM INVOLVED: |
Sources
- Text: This piece was first published in PMP Magazine on 21 December 2021. | The authors write in a personal capacity.
- Data cross-referenced with the latest official data from the UK dashboard.
- Cover: Adobe Stock/SergeyBitos.
- Icons from www.flaticon.com