By Current Covid wave is “past the peak”
England’s chief medical officer has confirmed the UK is “past the peak” in the current covid wave but infection rates are still high.
Prof Chris Whitty said evidence in the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths show numbers are on a “downward slope”.
He is not ruling out there could be another peak in the future but believes we are past the current peak in the third national lockdown.
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, applauded all the hard work the NHS has done by delivering over 10million first doses of the vaccine ahead of targets.
He added the NHS are still under “huge pressure” in their hospitals with thousands of patients needing care.
There are approximately 32,000 Covid-19 patients in hospital.
Mr Johnson told the briefing: “Though today there are some signs of hope – the numbers of Covid patients in hospital are beginning to fall for the first time since the onset of this new wave – the level of infection is still alarmingly high.”
Prof Chris Whitty said infection rates were “coming down but they are still incredibly high”.
He added: “If the rate was to increase again from the very high levels we are at the moment the NHS will get back into trouble extraordinarily fast.”
On Wednesday the UK recorded a further 1,322 deaths reported within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus.
The death total has now reached 109,335 across the country.
The government discussed targets for schools re-opening on 8 March saying they are still hopeful this could happen.
Prof Witty added it was up to ministers to decide the opening dates for schools but that he was confident the risk to children of getting Covid-19 was “incredibly low”.
Overall the press conference outcomes announced: vaccine rollout is going well, infection levels and the numbers in hospital are coming down.
Progress should continue in the coming weeks as the impact of vaccination starts to kick in deaths could then start falling rapidly.
