Covid Cases in UK Breach 2 Lakh Mark Again

The government announced that British hospitals is on a "war footing" due to staff shortages caused by a surge of Omicron infections, as the country's daily Covid caseload surpassed 200,000 for the first time. The 24-hour tally reached 218,724 after breaking various records in the run-up to the New Year, and another 48 deaths were confirmed in the most recent government figures. Hospital admissions have not reached the levels seen in earlier pandemic waves, and the number of people requiring ventilation has stayed steady.

However, the state-run National Health Service (NHS) is struggling with workers ordered to stay at home after testing positive, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced action to fill staffing shortfalls in the hardest-hit areas. The reactivation of emergency "Nightingale" clinics, as well as the recruiting of medical volunteers backed up by army support, put the NHS back on a "war footing," he said during a press conference.


"Anyone who believes our war with Covid is done, I'm afraid, is mistaken. This is a time to use extreme caution "said Johnson. He did, however, rule out another statewide lockdown, citing mass vaccinations, including a recent booster vaccine campaign, as the NHS celebrated a year after administering the first. Transport networks were also affected by absences, with commuters suffering long delays as they returned to work on Monday after a national holiday, while municipal services such as domestic rubbish collections were hampered.

However, Johnson stated that a new programme of daily testing for 100,000 "essential workers," including those in transportation and food processing, will help Britain in "riding out this Omicron wave." Maggie Throup, the vaccines minister, said it was unknown how many Britons were presently under self-isolation following a Christmas increase in the highly transmissible virus mutation.

"The good news is that it does not appear to cause serious illnesses like some of the other types," he added. Around 50,000 NHS employees were  absent from work last week due to illness or self-isolation. At least six hospital groups have declared "critical incidents," indicating that key services may be under threat. Nearly 500 employees were absent from one hospital in Plymouth, southwest England.

According to Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare providers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, instances in London appear to have leveled down. "Because of the unpredictability of staff absence," Taylor continued, "NHS executives must work around the clock just thinking about how they might effectively deploy their resources to cope with the most immediate and pressing needs." 


Since the epidemic began in early 2020, almost 149,000 people have died in the United Kingdom. However, Johnson justified his choice not to impose restrictions in England during Christmas, as he has done in other areas of the UK.

"We obviously cannot rule out anything. But what we're attempting to do is find the balance "he stated at a press conference on Tuesday

Also Read: Covaxin Shelf Life A Concern for Parents of Teens