Analysis: Number of people self-isolating rising despite cases falling from peak
The number of
people being told to self-isolate is still rising sharply, despite cases
falling from their peak, according to the latest NHS data, writes Sky News science correspondent Thomas Moore.
Figures show
almost 690,000 people in England and Wales were pinged by the COVID-19 App in
the week to July 21st.
That’s up 11.4%
on the week before and is the highest since the App was launched last
September.
New figures
from NHS Test and Trace also show a big rise in the number of contacts being
identified as possibly infected – 597,000 in the week to July 21st,
up 26% on the previous week.
According to
the daily dashboard, reported COVID cases peaked on July 17th so these
statistics cover a few days of rising numbers, then the start of a week-long
decline.
They obviously
tell us that lots of people are being told to self-isolate, but they don’t tell
us how many went on to develop the disease.
As more people
are fully vaccinated, fewer contacts should be developing the disease.
The figures
also show that the system is struggling to cope with the huge number of
positive cases that need following up.
The Prime
Minister had told the House of Commons that all tests would be turned around in
24 hours by the end of June.
But the NHS stats show it’s only 63.7%, down from 64.7% last
week. That’s significant because speed is important when dealing with a
fast-moving virus.
