UK has turned a coronavirus corner

We have turned a corner relatively recently

Chris Whitty, Patrick Vallance

Full press conference

Government slides

Transcript

Droplets, aerosols, surface contacts

Hands face space

Limit the number of our contacts

Reduce contacts in closed spaces, crowds, poor ventilation

Reduce contact with infected people, isolation

Spain and France

Younger people now older as well

Cases - hospitalization – deaths

Viral genetics have changed, but still causes disease and deaths

UK

Increases in all age groups

Not just more testing

ONS data

Proportion of tests positives increasing

+ 6,000 = 70, 000 currently have infection

App data

+ 10, 391 = 96, 531

Doubling every 7 days

Mid October

Cases, + 50, 000

1 month later 200 + deaths per day

Now

Speed, action, enough

Current immunity

8% show antibodies

17% in London

3 million people

Most not protected

Geographical spread

Varies but essentially all over

Clusters have been getting bigger

Increasing everywhere

In patients

Doubling time, 7 or 8 days

Potential for hospitalisations and deaths to double many times

Seasons are against us for all respiratory viruses

6 month problem to deal with

Collective problem

No evidence the virus is milder than April

Mortality will be similar to what we have seen, slightly lower

High numbers would mean;

Direct COVID deaths

NHS overwhelmed

Other pathologies not being treated, early diagnosis

Heath effects of restrictions

If I increase my risk, I increase the risks to others

What to do

Reducing individual risk, hands face space

Isolation

Break unnecessary links between households, work and social

Science

Vaccines

Many vaccines generate an immune response

First half of next year