The pandemic is not over. The virus doesn’t take a break at the weekend. Neither do the NHS staff who treat tens of thousands of people in UK hospitals every day.
First published in March 2022.
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(Source: UK Health Security Agency)
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ENGLAND
Now:
- You are not legally required to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19. Stay at home if you can and avoid contact with other people.
- You do not have to take daily tests nor are legally required to self-isolate following contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- The Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme ends. If you were told to self-isolate before 24 February you can still make a claim up to 6 April.
- The government has published its plan for living with COVID-19.
- Staff and students in most education and childcare settings no longer need to test twice a week.
- If you are fully vaccinated you no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in the UK. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
- If you are not fully vaccinated you need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in the UK. You do not need to quarantine unless the result of the PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
WALES
Now:
- Face coverings no longer are a legal requirement except in shops, health and care settings, and on public transport.
- You no longer are legally required to show your NHS COVID Pass at venues and events.
- If you’re fully vaccinated you no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in the UK. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
- If you are not fully vaccinated you need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in the UK. You do not need to quarantine unless the result of the PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
SCOTLAND
From 21 March:
- Most legal COVID-19 restrictions, including on wearing face coverings, end. For more information on plans to ease restrictions and manage and recover from the pandemic, read ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): staying safe and protecting others’ on gov.scot
Now:
- If you’re fully vaccinated you no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in Scotland. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
- If you are not fully vaccinated you need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in Scotland. You do not need to quarantine unless the result of the PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Now:
- Vaccination slots are open for children aged five to 11. You can book an appointment at a Trust vaccination clinic.
- You’re no longer legally required to wear face coverings in public places and there is no limit on the number of people who can meet indoors in private homes. You’re no longer legally required to show your COVID-19 certificate at nightclubs and large indoor events.
- If you’re fully vaccinated you no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in the UK. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
- If you are not fully vaccinated you need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in the UK. You do not need to quarantine unless the result of the PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.
(Source: Gov.uk)
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■ 🧬 COG-UK sequencing
According to the latest sequencing dated 4-Mar, the Omicron variant’s second-generation sub-lineage BA.1.1 and sub-lineage BA.2 have now both overcome the original Omicron variant in the UK.
We must remain vigilant as other Omicron variants are also circulating in various countries and the emergence of a new variant is just a matter of time, according to scientists.
(Source: COG-UK)
■ 🧬 UKHSA genomically confirmed case numbers
(Source: UK Health Security Agency)

📈 UK COVID-19 data
■ 🧮 Case & Death Totals
🦠 19,119,181 positive cases so far to date (recorded) – Since the first case was reported at the end of January 2020
🕯️ 162,008 deaths so far – Number recorded within 28 days of first positive test result - since the first reported death on 6 March 2020.
🕯️ 183,579 total deaths – Total number of people whose death certificate mentioned Covid-19 as one of the causes – Registered up to Friday 18 February 2022
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💉 Vaccination UK


(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.
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. (Source: ONS)
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🧩 Long COVID UK
🚨 1.5 million people currently live with long COVID in the UK
🚨 2.4% of the UK population currently live with long COVID
🚨 Long COVID symptoms adversely affect the day-to-day activities of 989,000 people (65% of long COVID sufferers)
🚨 Of those, 281,000 people are “limited a lot”
🚨 Most common symptoms: Fatigue (51%), shortness of breath (35%), loss of smell (34%), loss of taste (25%), and difficulty concentrating (25%)
(Source: ONS)
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■ Total Cases & Total Deaths
■ Estimated ®️ Number
(Sources: UK Health Security Agency + Welsh Government
+ Scottish Government + N-I Ministry of Health)
■ Population Testing Positive for COVID-19
The percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 decreased in England and Northern Ireland in the week ending 26 February 2022. Trends were uncertain in Wales. In Scotland, infections increased slightly in the most recent week.
(Source: ONS)
■ Number of contact tracing alerts sent (England & Wales)
(Source: NHS)
■ Stringency Index
(Source: University of Oxford)

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📚 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
- What’s new | UK Government
Notes:
- UK data will not necessarily fully reflect the numbers in specific measures, e.g., where there are data issues, delays due to IT issues, or issues with reporting arrangements for the four nations. It is important therefore to note the specific reporting cycles of UK Covid-19 data when looking at how data are presented. Seven-day rolling averages are often used to help ‘smooth’ the various reporting cycles across different nations; nevertheless, care is needed when seeking to gain an accurate picture of the situation at any time. The deaths’ data used in the charts below relate to deaths ‘attributed to COVID-19 – each following a reported positive test result for COVID-19 within 28 days of their death’.
- From the week of 21 February 2022, the UK Health Security Agency will stop publishing dashboard updates at weekends. The dashboard will be updated as usual from Monday to Friday. Daily cases and deaths by report date published on Mondays will include figures from the weekend. These will not be separated out to show daily figures for Saturday and Sunday.
- Further detail can be found at the UK Health Security Agency.
📈 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 | NHS staff
— AUTHORS —▫ J.N. PAQUET, Author & Journalist, Editor of PMP Magazine. |
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Sources
- Text: This piece was first published in PMP Magazine on 6 March 2022. | The authors write in a personal capacity.
- Data cross-referenced with the latest official data from the UK dashboard.
- Cover: Adobe Stock/SergeyBitos.
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