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UK Covid cases rising among those aged 55 and over
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/10/uk-covid-cases-rising-among-those-aged-55-and-overUK Covid cases rising among those aged 55 and over
Ian Sample Science editor
Thu 10 Mar 2022 06.00 GMT
Covid cases appear to be rising in older people as increased socialising, waning immunity and a more transmissible version of the Omicron variant threaten to fuel a resurgence of the virus.
Tests on nearly 100,000 swabs from homes across England reveal that, while infections have fallen overall since the January peak, one in 35 people tested positive between 8 February and 1 March, with cases either level or rising in those aged 55 and over.
Scientists on Imperial College’s React-1 study said the R value – the average number of people an infected person passes the virus to – remained below 1 for those aged 54 and under, meaning cases were in decline. But for those aged 55 and over, R stood at 1.04.
The suspected uptick has raised concerns as older people are more prone to severe Covid and have had more time for their immunity to wane, as many had their booster vaccines several months ago.
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