Covid Update: Will the New Slow Rise in Covid Infections Matter?

Published on: 1 Jun, 2021
Updated on: 3 Jun, 2021

Infection rates are on a slow rise again across Guildford borough and Surrey according to the latest published figures.

And those managing the pandemic will be watching to see if this translates into increased hospital admissions and deaths. The hope will be that with around three quarters of the population having received at least one dose, and 45%, including most of the older at-risk groups, having received both doses, any impact will be minimal.

It has not been announced how many of the recent new infections in Surrey are of the “Indian variant” which the World Health Organisation (WHO) want to call the “Delta variant”, to remove any geographical stigma. Under the same directive, the Kent or British variant should be called “Alpha”.

The vaccination programme continues apace. In the last week reported ending May 27 over 74,000 vaccinations were given that’s the second-highest weekly total since the programme commenced.

So far, there is no sign of any impact of the increased infections but there is always a lag time. Only six patients were admitted in the last reported week (May 23) and in the week ending May 31, there were no Covid deaths in Guildford while the BBC reported there had been none in the last 24 hours across the whole country for the first time since March 2020.

But some experts are calling for a postponement of the June 21 date when a further relaxation of restrictions is planned and others are calling for a speeding up of vaccinations for teenagers who, while not likely to be hospitalised, might still suffer “long Covid” effects and can still transmit the disease.