A further 147 deaths due to COVID-19 and yet another dreadful record broken with 119,789 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours. While the UK Health Security Agency confirmed 16,817 additional cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported across the UK, with 90,906 confirmed UK Omicron cases now in total.


First published in December 2021.







📆 #TodayInCOVID
Summary 23-Dec-2021


🧪
POSITIVE CASES
▪ 24h: 119,789 – Highest ever
▪ 7 days: 678,165 – Highest ever
▪ 28 days: 1,769,283 – Highest ever
▪ Average: 96,881 cases/day – Highest ever

🚨 Estimated cases (King’s College/Zoe): 151,245 cases
🚨 6,382,607 infections since 19 July (“Freedom Day”)

🚑
HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS
▪ 24h: 1,004 – Highest since 8 November
▪ 7 days: 6,299 – Highest since 14 November
▪ 28 days: 23,193 – Highest since 2 December
🏥
PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL
▪ 24h: 8,216 – Highest since 17 November
▪ 7 days: 54,202 – Highest since 27 November
▪ 28 days: 211,102
🛌🏻
PATIENTS IN ICU BEDS
▪ 24h: 842
▪ 7 days: 6,017
▪ 28 days: 24,943

🕯️
DEATHS
▪ 24h: 147
▪ 7 days: 784
▪ 28 days: 3,289
▪ Average: 112 deaths / day

🚨 18,872 deaths since 19 July (“Freedom Day”)

🧬
OMICRON VARIANT SO FAR
▪ New Cases: 16,817
▪ Total Cases: 90,906
▪ Patients: 300
▪ Deaths: 24

⏳
LONG COVID UK ESTIMATE (ONS)
🚨 1,200,000 cases
🚨 1 in 50 people live with long COVID

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  • 119,789 new UK coronavirus infections in 24 hours – the highest ever daily numbers reported, and the eighth day in a row that over 80,000 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 678,165 [highest 7-day number ever recorded] while in the last 28 days 1,769,283 infections have been reported [highest 28-day number ever recorded].
  • 784 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 112 deaths each of the past 7 days. If this was to be the “new normal” for daily deaths caused by Covid-19, then annually this would equate to around 40,880 deaths.
  • Meanwhile, 3,289 deaths due to Covid-19 have been reported in the UK in the last 28 days.
  • 1,004 Covid-19 hospital admissions occurred on 19 December 2021 – according to the latest health care data for the UK as a whole.
  • 8,216 patients suffering from Covid-19 are currently occupying hospital beds as of 22 December 2021.
  • 842 Covid-19 patients are occupying mechanical ventilation beds – according to the data reported on 22 December 2021.
  • All three of these healthcare measures remain a continuing concern for our now seriously under-pressure NHS.




SO FAR:

  • 693 days since the first infection due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus was reported in Britain (31 January 2020).
  • 657 days since the first reported death (7 March 2020). Coronavirus has now been responsible for infecting over 11.7 million people in the UK (according to the official reported positive cases data).
  • In this time, the virus has been responsible for at least 147,720 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 person’s 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 – each following a reported positive test result for COVID-19 within 28 days of their death.


(Source: UK Health Security Agency)






ENGLAND


  • 22 December

If you’ve tested positive or have symptoms, you can stop self-isolating after 7 days instead of 10 days if you get 2 negative lateral flow test results on day 6 and 7.

  • 20 December

Children aged 12 to 15 can now get their second vaccine dose if it’s been more than 12 weeks since their first vaccine dose. Book a vaccination appointment or find a walk-in vaccination site.

  • 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 a 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 you’re 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. Find out when to self-isolate and what to do on the NHS website.

WALES


  • 26 December

Wales moves to alert level 2. A maximum of 6 people can meet in venues such as pubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres (‘rule of 6’), 30 people at indoor events and 50 people at outdoor events. 2 metre social distancing will be required in public premises and offices. Nightclubs will close. Find out more on GOV.WALES.

  • 15 December

All 11 countries were removed from the travel red list at 4am.

  • 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 it’s your turn.

SCOTLAND


  • 27 December

Up to 3 households can meet with 1 metre physical distancing between groups at indoor and outdoor venues like bars, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and gyms. Table service will be needed if alcohol is being served.

  • 26 December

Large events will have 1 metre physical distancing and will be limited to 100 people standing indoors, 200 people sitting indoors and 500 people outdoors.

  • 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.

NORTHERN IRELAND


  • 27 December

You should reduce social contact as much as possible by meeting in groups of no more than 3 households.

Up to 6 people can meet in pubs, bars and restaurants, or up to 10 people if they’re all from the same household. Only table service will be available.

2 metre social distancing will be required in public premises and offices. Find out more about changes in Northern Ireland.

  • 26 December

Indoor standing events will not be permitted. Nightclubs will close.

  • 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.


(Source: Gov.uk)







  • Infections rise in England and Scotland

According to the ONS, the estimated number of people living in private households (not in hospitals, care homes and/or other communal establishments) that had COVID-19 in the most recent week was:

  • England – 1,202,300 people (1 in 45)
  • Wales – 54,400 people (1 in 55)
  • Northern Ireland – 37,800 people (1 in 50)
  • Scotland – 76,200 people (1 in 70)

Going further...


(Source: Office for National Statistics)














Keep Christmas plans small to help NHS fight Omicron, doctors plead
Fresh evidence that variant is milder is countered by record new infections and sharp rise in health staff off sick
The GuardianDenis Campbell
NHS urges people to get ‘gift of a jab’ at booster centres open on Christmas Day
200,000 appointments available on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day in England
The GuardianDan Sabbagh
NHS staff absences due to Covid soar by 38% in England
Health service leaders warn of danger as rising number of patients coincides with surge in rates of frontline staff sickness
The GuardianDenis Campbell
COVID: How the disease moves through the air.
Masks definitely catch some of the virus-laden aerosols and droplets – and that will reduce transmission between people and the number of cases of COVID-19.
PMP MagazineDr Lena Ciric
We have learned from our mistakes... in order to repeat them.
The views of experts and health professionals on the current UK situation with the Omicron variant.
PMP MagazinePMP News
Who do we not save?
Stop using words like ‘balance’ to justify a policy of mass infection, avoidable deaths, and chronic illness. This was never about balance.
PMP MagazineDr Deepti Gurdasani
When will life return to normal after the pandemic?
Surveying by the Office for National Statistics shows Brits are increasingly pessimistic about things returning to how they were before.
PMP MagazineProfessor Danny Dorling






■ 🧬 Omicron variant detection










■ 🧬 COG-UK sequencing

(Source: COG-UK)

■ 🧬 UKHSA genomically confirmed case numbers

(Source: UK Health Security Agency)







📈 UK COVID-19 data


Covid-19 UK Data: First UK Lockdown to 23 December 2021.

(Source: UK Health Security Agency)


■ 🧮 Case & Death Totals
🦠 11,769,921 positive cases so far to date (recorded) – Since the first case was reported at the end of January 2020
🕯️ 147,720 deaths so far – Number recorded within 28 days of first positive test result
🕯️ 171,801 total deaths – Total number of people whose death certificate mentioned Covid-19 as one of the causes– Registered up to Friday 10 December 2021



■ 🕯️ New COVID Cases in the World



■ 🕯️ Total COVID Cases in the World



■ 🕯️ New COVID Deaths in the World



■ 🕯️ Total COVID Deaths in the World






💉 Vaccination UK


■ 💉 Vaccine Doses

(Source: UK Health Security Agency + NHS England)


■ 💉 Booster & Third Doses


■ 💉 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.







■ Estimated ®️ Number

(Sources: UK Health Security Agency + Welsh Government
+ Scottish Government + N-I Ministry of Health)


■ Population Testing Positive for COVID-19

(Source: ONS)


■ Number of contact tracing alerts sent (England & Wales)

(Source: NHS)


■ Stringency Index

(Source: University of Oxford)


PMP Magazine


📚 Data Sources:


PMP Xtra

Total UK population: 67,081,234 (last year: 66,796,800), via ONS (subject to changes in population over the year). These figures were updated on 25 June 2021.

● Adult population (aged 18 and above) = 52,890,044 (last year: 52,673,433)
● Population aged 16 and above = 54,353,665 (last year: 54,098,971)
● Population aged 11 and above = 58,325,411 (last year: 57,975,918)
● Population aged 5 and above = 63,298,904 (last year: 62,939,544)

(Source ▪ ONS)






📈 Full Daily UK #COVID19 Charts & Comments via #TodayInCovid: www.pmp-magazine.com/tag/today-in-covid/

🦠 Everything #COVID19: www.pmp-magazine.com/covid19/

🗃️ Sources: @CovidGenomicsUK | @UKHSA | @ONS

🧮 Special thanks: @JoePajak & #NHS



— AUTHORS —

▫ Dr Joe Pajak, PhD in physical chemistry: exploring the data, governor of an NHS FT hospital.
▫ J.N. PAQUET, Author & Journalist, Editor of PMP Magazine.
GET THEM INVOLVED:


Sources
  • Text: This piece was first published in PMP Magazine on 23 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

Today in COVID