DAILY coronavirus infections have fallen 24 per cent on last week’s rate – as Brits no longer need to isolate when infected.
A further 38,933 people tested positive for the virus today, which is down 55 per cent on figures seen this time last month.
Cases have continued to fizzle out in recent weeks as the grip of Omicron weakens on the UK.
Omicron has been proven to be a milder strain of coronavirus, but it’s still important that everyone gets vaccinated – as that’s the best way to protect the most vulnerable in society.
Sadly a further 125 people have died from the virus 28 days after receiving a positive test result, that’s down on 183 deaths this time last week and up from 56 deaths on January 24.
The most recent data release from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) comes as Brits no longer need to isolate if they test positive with the bug.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed scrapping the last remaining restrictions as a “moment of pride” for the nation.
It’s part of the Government’s “living with Covid” plan, which aims to get the nation back to normality while the virus still exists.
While it’s no longer a legal requirement to isolate for five days, it’s still advised that you isolate if you contract the virus – so that you don’t spread it to the most vulnerable in society.
The Government will also no longer ask vaccinated contacts, and those under 18, to test for seven days, and will remove the legal requirement for contacts who are not vaccinated to self-isolate.
Meanwhile, there will be an end to routine contact tracing.
Speaking at a Downing Street Press conference, Professor Sir Chris Whitty said the advice was now in line with other viruses, like flu and norovirus.
He said: “As we look at the next weeks, we still have high rates of Omicron.
“I would urge people in terms of public health advice, and this is very much the Government’s position, that people should still if they have Covid try to prevent other people getting it and that means self-isolating.
“If you had norovirus we would give exactly the same public health advice.”
The PM has urged people to take responsibility for their own health rather than follow state diktats, “in the same way we would with flu”.
No10 added: “We’re not saying isolation is pointless.
“We’d expect anyone with an infectious disease to take steps not to spread that disease further – a colleague at work with flu, for example.”
‘STEALTH STRAIN’
As cases continue to fall the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Omicron’s “stealth” subvariant is up to 60 per cent more transmissible than the original.
The strain, labelled BA.2, appears to be more contagious than it’s “sister” BA.1, which is still dominant in the UK and globally.
The WHO have said in technical reports that BA.2 is able to spread around 30 to 60 per cent more easily than its relative, BA.1.
In a report dated February 15, it said BA.2 is estimated to be 30 per cent more transmissible, which is how easily it jumps from one person to another.
But a week later, it said various studies had shown a “growth advantage” of 63 per cent, which accounts for transmissibility and how well it evades vaccines.
At a live briefing on Wednesday, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization COVID-19 Technical Lead, said: “We are tracking Omicron in several sub lineages.
“We are not seeing a difference in severity of BA.1 compared to BA.2. So this is a similar level of severity as it relates to hospitalisation.
“This is really important, because in many countries, they’ve had a substantial amount of circulation, both of BA.1 and BA.2.
“And in those countries, they have not seen a change in severity of BA.1 compared to BA.2.”
