The Winter CIS was launched collectively by the UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) and the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS) in November 2023 to ship real-time prevalence and positivity information to help the surveillance of COVID-19 locally and assist perceive the winter pressures on the NHS.

The examine collects information by self-reported lateral circulation gadget (LFD) outcomes and questionnaire responses from roughly 150,000 individuals throughout England and Scotland, offering as much as 30,000 LFD check outcomes per week.

The newest report estimates a prevalence of 4.2% throughout the full inhabitants in England and Scotland. Which means that roughly 1 in each 24 individuals may check constructive for COVID-19 an infection on the present time.

Prevalence charges had been highest in individuals aged 18 to 44 years, and the very best prevalence regionally was present in London.

UKHSA is urging all these eligible to return ahead for a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the window closes on 31 January 2024.

You might be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine if you’re:

• aged 65 years or over (by 31 March 2024)
• aged 6 months to 64 years and are at elevated threat
• residing in a care house for older adults
• a frontline well being or social care employee
• aged 16 to 64 years and are a carer
• aged 12 to 64 years and dwell with somebody with a weakened immune system

Professor Steven Riley, Director Basic for Knowledge and Surveillance, UKHSA stated:

Right now of 12 months, the chilly climate, shorter days and elevated socialising imply that the potential for transmission of respiratory viruses like COVID-19 is especially excessive. This, in addition to the doable impression of latest variants, means it isn’t sudden to see instances rising.

In case you are displaying signs of COVID-19 or different respiratory sicknesses, you must attempt to restrict your contact with different individuals as a lot as doable, particularly those that are older or extra susceptible.

It is necessary that these people who find themselves most liable to extreme sickness and hospitalisation because of COVID-19 come ahead for his or her seasonal vaccination to ensure they’ve the absolute best safety this winter. You may get a vaccine by your GP, by reserving with an area NHS vaccination service, or you will discover a COVID-19 vaccination walk-in web site.”

Extra data

Though the primary vaccine supply programme has now ceased and you’ll now not guide a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine on-line or by calling NHS 119, you should still be capable of guide a COVID-19 vaccine with an area NHS vaccination service, or you will discover a COVID-19 vaccination walk-in web site.

The final date it is possible for you to to get your seasonal COVID-19 vaccine is 31 January 2024.

After Christmas, UKHSA and ONS will launch the following set of Winter CIS outcomes on 11 January. This will probably be adopted by one other report on 18 January and can revert to fortnightly thereafter.

The UKHSA estimates are based mostly on the identical underlying information because the positivity numbers reported by ONS. UKHSA‘s estimates of prevalence account for the recognized sensitivity of the LFD assay and the composition of the examine cohort.