Health agency warns of winter wave of COVID: All you need to know

On Friday, the UK Health Security Agency or the UKSHA, warned of further increase in COVID cases as the winter season is coming. "This week’s surveillance indicates a slight increase in COVID-19 infection rates. As we enter the colder months and people begin to mix more indoors, we can expect to see further increases in COVID-19 alongside the usual increases we see in other winter respiratory viruses like flu," Dr. Mary Ramsay, Director of Public Health Programmes at UKHSA, has said.

As per the data released by the UKSHA, obtained from Respiratory DataMart System, a total of 12% of the 3848 respiratory specimens were COVID. It also said that hospital admission due to COVID increased t 6.13 per 100,000 population, an increase from 4.36 per 100,000.

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"It is clear now that we are seeing an increase which could signal the start of the anticipated winter wave of COVID-19 – so the time to boost your protection with a vaccine if you’re eligible is now. Cases have started to climb and hospitalisations are increasing in the oldest age groups," Dr. Ramsay has said and added that in the coming weeks, double threat of low immunity and COVID can put additional pressure on health services.

UKSHA urges people to stay at home if they are unwell and avoid contact with vulnerable people. "While COVID-19 and flu can be mild infections for many, we must not forget that they can cause severe illness or even death for those most vulnerable in our communities," Dr. Ramsay said.

New subvariants of the Omicron variant of the COVID-causing coronavirus are in circulation right now. Pirola and Eris, which are said to be more contagious than others, are currently seen in the UK, US, South Africa, Canada and more; they were first identified in Israel and Denmark.

So far, there has been no change in COVID symptoms. The most common symptoms of COVID are fever, chills, sore throat, cough, headache, shortness of breath, hoarse voice, dizziness, etc. COVID-infected people also experience fatigue, numbness, difficulty in sleeping, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, etc.

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COVID safety rules like washing hands, wearing masks, avoiding public places, staying indoors, and getting vaccinated are helpful in preventing COVID-19 infections and infections from getting worse. Health agencies are urging people to test for COVID-19 immediately after the symptoms are seen.

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