Update on Covid providing information on prevalence and hospital admissions for the UK and other countries. This post is best viewed using the browser or Substack app.
There's no more PCR or LFD testing of the whole population to determine prevalence of SARS COV 2 infection but the recently updated serologic results of capid antibody testing of blood donors suggests despite low clinical presentation of SARS COV 2 this winter, infection remains widespread and capsid antibody prevalence has increased again. So it appears SARS COV 2 is becoming more transmissible and less severe which makes sense. Healthy people will go out and spread the virus with minimal or even no symptoms.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS COV 2) seems to reach its lowest level in January or February when flu reaches its highest level. Very strong negative viral interference between them. Interesting to see it play out in the real world.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 rules!
COVID rising steadily for 5 months and new strain that increases hospitalisation expected here soon. Eye test postponed until after autumn vaccination.
SARS COV 2 reaches its lowest levels in winter and autumn due to negative viral interference from flu which peaks in winter and rhinovirus which peaks in autumn. These two seasons should be safest for you to see doctor. You grew up with flu and rhinovirus since childhood so these should be not very dangerous to you. You did not grow up with SARS COV 2 since childhood so it would be wise for you to avoid it.
There's plenty other viruses. Rhinovirus despite its name is not restricted to the nose and can and do go into the lungs. There's a true story some humans accidentally spread rhinovirus to chimpanzees in the wild and mortality was 10% which is crazy. Humans grew up with rhinovirus since childhood. Chimpanzees did not.
In the uk covid has been increasing for 5 months and has passed the first warning level. Then coming soon is a new strain. Because of my circumstances covid will kill me. I have been tracking it extremely closely since it arrived 5 years ago and believe me what I say is true.
True. Vulnerable folks such as yourself should take precaution. Not only SARS COV 2, but there are many viruses out there. SARS COV 2 is only one type of hundreds of types of respiratory viruses out there. Gotta watch out for rhinoviruses. Those are nasty. Unenveloped and nasty. Unfortunately, there cannot be a vaccine for rhinovirus because of hundreds of types. Vulnerable folks need to be especially careful with rhinovirus which is lethal to old people and immunocompromised people.
Good to see SARS COV 2 levels continuing the low and getting lower trend. As a scientist, I don't see viruses as evil. I see viruses as having a good side as well as having a bad side, just like every living creature on the planet.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 rules!
Year after year SARS COV 2 hospitalizations and deaths have dropped. This year SARS COV 2 deaths have dropped to about 0.5% of all deaths. Test positivity also dropped significantly below rhinovirus which causes the far more majority of hospitalizations and deaths than any other virus including flu. Rhinovirus accounts for about 5%. Flu for about 2%. RSV for about 1%. SARS COV 2 for about 0.5%. HMPV for about 1%. Paraflu for about 0.5%. And seasonal coronaviruses for about 0.5%.
Thanks as always for your work with keeping us informed.
There's no more PCR or LFD testing of the whole population to determine prevalence of SARS COV 2 infection but the recently updated serologic results of capid antibody testing of blood donors suggests despite low clinical presentation of SARS COV 2 this winter, infection remains widespread and capsid antibody prevalence has increased again. So it appears SARS COV 2 is becoming more transmissible and less severe which makes sense. Healthy people will go out and spread the virus with minimal or even no symptoms.
Source: Table 13 in https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/epidemiology-of-covid-19-in-england/epidemiology-of-covid-19-in-england-january-2020-to-december-2024
Beware of this account - it spreads misinformation.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS COV 2) seems to reach its lowest level in January or February when flu reaches its highest level. Very strong negative viral interference between them. Interesting to see it play out in the real world.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 rules!
Thanks as ever for your invaluable reporting
Thank you for this week's detailed and very informative update.
COVID rising steadily for 5 months and new strain that increases hospitalisation expected here soon. Eye test postponed until after autumn vaccination.
SARS COV 2 reaches its lowest levels in winter and autumn due to negative viral interference from flu which peaks in winter and rhinovirus which peaks in autumn. These two seasons should be safest for you to see doctor. You grew up with flu and rhinovirus since childhood so these should be not very dangerous to you. You did not grow up with SARS COV 2 since childhood so it would be wise for you to avoid it.
There's plenty other viruses. Rhinovirus despite its name is not restricted to the nose and can and do go into the lungs. There's a true story some humans accidentally spread rhinovirus to chimpanzees in the wild and mortality was 10% which is crazy. Humans grew up with rhinovirus since childhood. Chimpanzees did not.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38714841
In the uk covid has been increasing for 5 months and has passed the first warning level. Then coming soon is a new strain. Because of my circumstances covid will kill me. I have been tracking it extremely closely since it arrived 5 years ago and believe me what I say is true.
True. Vulnerable folks such as yourself should take precaution. Not only SARS COV 2, but there are many viruses out there. SARS COV 2 is only one type of hundreds of types of respiratory viruses out there. Gotta watch out for rhinoviruses. Those are nasty. Unenveloped and nasty. Unfortunately, there cannot be a vaccine for rhinovirus because of hundreds of types. Vulnerable folks need to be especially careful with rhinovirus which is lethal to old people and immunocompromised people.
🙏
Good to see SARS COV 2 levels continuing the low and getting lower trend. As a scientist, I don't see viruses as evil. I see viruses as having a good side as well as having a bad side, just like every living creature on the planet.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 rules!
COVID has been rising for 5 months and has crossed first warning level. New more dangerous strain arriving soon. You are talking rubbish.
Year after year SARS COV 2 hospitalizations and deaths have dropped. This year SARS COV 2 deaths have dropped to about 0.5% of all deaths. Test positivity also dropped significantly below rhinovirus which causes the far more majority of hospitalizations and deaths than any other virus including flu. Rhinovirus accounts for about 5%. Flu for about 2%. RSV for about 1%. SARS COV 2 for about 0.5%. HMPV for about 1%. Paraflu for about 0.5%. And seasonal coronaviruses for about 0.5%.