DAILY Covid cases in the UK have dropped on last week by 38 per cent.
New infections reported today fell from 80,830 last Tuesday, to 50,202 in the last 24 hours.
It is a sign the second Omicron wave is dipping, after thousands of people picked up BA.2 in the last month.
This variant is milder, especially among the vaccinated, and so most people recover after a few days at home.
But it does spread faster and get around prior immunity better, so it can infect more people more quickly.
The government now wants Brits to treat Covid like any other respiratory illness, encouraging them to stay away from others if unwell.
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It comes as deaths have reached highs last seen in early February, at the end of the first Omicron wave.
Today 368 fatalities have been recorded, in a tragic pattern that often follows a rise in cases.
The full list of official Covid symptoms has been expanded this week.
As free testing ends there are now 12 signs you might have the virus on the NHS website.
Up until last week there had only been three – a persistent cough, fever and loss of taste or smell.
But after free Covid tests for most people were scrapped on Friday, the list has been updated to include symptoms of a more classic respiratory illness.
The NHS website says: “The symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu.”
Potential symptoms now include:
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- An aching body
- A headache
- A sore throat
- A blocked or runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhoea
- Feeling sick or being sick
- Fever
- Cough
- Loss or change to sense of smell or taste
Previously Brits were told to avoid people for around ten days if ill, but from this has been changed to five.
This is because it is likely you are most infectious within the first five days of being ill.
Children and young people who are ill and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with others if they can.
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They can go back to school, college or childcare when they don’t have a fever and are well enough.
If you would like to know for sure if you are infected, you can simply buy a kit from around £1 for a single, or £10 for a pack of five from pharmacies.
