COVID-19: Omicron ‘serious threat’ warning as cases ‘double every 2-3 days’ near Liverpool

The UK has recorded the highest COVID-19 infection rate since the beginning of the pandemic - national and regional leaders are urging the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
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The British public have been warned to not believe that Omicron is a milder form of COVID-19, with a warning issued that the strain poses a “serious threat” to the country.

During a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson, alongside Professor Chris Whitty and Dr Sophie Makki, issued a plea to the public to get booster vaccines to help protect themselves and others against the surging COVID-19 wave currently taking over the UK.

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It was announced on Wednesday that the UK recorded 78,610 daily coronavirus cases - the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Prime Minister has said that 45% of all eligible adults have now received a booster and added: “Each and everyone of you who are rolling up your sleeve to get jabbed is helping this national effort.”

Meanwhile, England’s chief medical officer, professor Whitty, said the Omicron variant was “a really serious threat”.

“There are several things we don’t know,” he added. “But all the things that we do know are bad and the principal one being the speed at which this is moving, it is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace.”

COVID-19 and Omicron variant in Liverpool

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The news of the peak daily COVID-19 rate in the UK comes as Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson and Director of Public Health Matt Ashton urge people in the region to get vaccinated ahead of an expected wave of coronavirus cases.

Liverpool council said virus numbers have already risen by 10% in the city over the last seven days, and Omicron cases are doubling every two to three days in the North West.

The last local level data released from the Government showed up to 50 cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant have been detected in the Liverpool City Region.

The figures for the period up to Wednesday, 8 December, showed three cases had been confirmed - two in Liverpool and one Sefton - with a further 47 suspected infections of the mutated version of the virus being checked.

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The latest regional level data released on Wednesday, 15 December, shows 365 confirmed Omicron cases in the North West, up by 97 from the day before, with a further 2,829 suspected cases.

Suspected cases relate to PCR test samples that reveal a missing S-gene, which is not present in variants such as Omicron but present in Delta cases, and are yet to be confirmed through further definitive testing.

What’s been said

Leaders across the Liverpool City Region and the North West have urged the public to get booster jabs and vaccinations ahead of the expected surge in cases.

Director of Public Health Matt Ashton and Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson. Image: Liverpool City Council Director of Public Health Matt Ashton and Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson. Image: Liverpool City Council
Director of Public Health Matt Ashton and Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson. Image: Liverpool City Council

Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said: “I’ve had both my jabs as well a my booster jab, and I’ve done this not just to protect myself, but to protect everyone around me.

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“It’s really important and such a small thing to do to make sure you are up to date with your jabs in order to prevent us not being able to see family and friends.

“I would urge anyone to book themselves in for an appointment.”

Liverpool’s Director of Public Health, Matt Ashton, said: “Demand for vaccination is very high at the moment so please be patient, but do book an appointment on the national booking system for your vaccine or your booster.

“In addition, carry on testing at least twice a week or in advance of going to any big events or social gathering, and if you’re a close contact of a positive case then please do daily testing to make sure you haven’t got COVID-19.”

A sobering warning to the UK public

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Professor Whitty, issued a sobering warning to the public, stating that the situation with Omicron could become dangerous quickly and urged the public to “prioritise what matters” to them over the Christmas period and limit their social interactions.

He said: “This is a really serious threat at the moment. How big a threat? There are several things we don’t know. But all the things that we do know are bad and the principal one being the speed at which this is moving, it is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace.

“Therefore between the time that it first starts to really take off in a way people will be able to see and the point when we get to very, very, very large numbers will be quite a short one, and that, I think, is part of the issue in trying to deal with this.

“I am afraid there will be an increasing number of Omicron patients going into the NHS, going into hospital, going into intensive cares, and exact ratios we don’t yet know but there will be substantial numbers.”

Booster jabs best line of defence against “potential threat”

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The Prime Minister said that the government was “throwing everything” at aiming to get the UK boosted by the end of December.

Prof Whitty also placed emphasis on the importance of a booster, stating that immunity may be “eroded” against Omicron with only two doses, adding: “The point of the booster is to try and get people back to as good as a position in terms of replicating this really good protection after they’ve had their booster dose.”

Dr Sophie Makki, national incident director at the UK Health Security Agency, echoed Prof Whitty’s comments and urged the public to get boosted to protect themselves from the Omicron strain.

She said: “Omicron is spreading rapidly across England, with the doubling time for Omicron infections now under two days. Cases are expected to rise exponentially in the coming days and weeks.

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“This highlights the potential threat this variant poses to public health in England and across the UK. Getting your booster is your best defence against infection from Omicron and we urge everyone who is eligible to get their jab without delay.”

How many Covid-19 cases are there in UK?

It comes amid fears over rapidly rising Covid-19 cases.

The UK has recorded 78,610 daily cases as of Wednesday 15 December.

This marks the highest daily cases recorded by the UK since the beginning of the pandemic.

4,671 additional Omicron cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 10,017 - a 87% day-on-day increase.

How many vaccines have been given in the UK?

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51,332,920 first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been issued in the UK so far, which marks a daily rise of 34,082.

There have been 46,842,497 second doses of a vaccine given - a daily increase of 37,888 - with a further 24,732,162 third or booster jabs also administered.

Daily totals show that 656,711 people received a booster or third dose on Tuesday 14 December alone.