Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Oct 15, 2024 0:12:45 GMT
NHS says you should 'call 999' or go to hospital if you have any of these six symptoms with Covid - Published Oct 14, 2024
By Fiona Callingham
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says the XEC variant accounts for around one in 10 Covid cases in the UK. It is also thought to be highly transmissible
The NHS has issued a stark warning to the public, urging them to dial 999 or head straight to A&E if they experience one of six severe symptoms after contracting COVID-19. This comes as experts predict that a new strain could become dominant in the UK.
The XEC variant, first identified in Germany, has now been detected in 27 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), it currently accounts for approximately one in every ten Covid cases in the UK.
The XEC variant is believed to be highly transmissible due to its numerous mutations. This news arrives as Covid cases continue to rise across the UK.
The UKHSA reported an increase in Covid cases throughout September in England. In the week leading up to September 25, there were 2,797 recorded cases - a rise of 530 from the previous week.
Furthermore, the week leading up to September 20 saw a staggering 50% increase in Covid-related deaths in England, with 134 recorded. The most recent data from the UKHSA shows a 2.8% increase in Covid cases in the week leading up to October 2, with a total of 2,912 confirmed cases.
Hospital admissions also rose by six percent during this week. The NHS website provides clear guidance on when to call 999 under its Covid advice section.
For the majority, Covid symptoms will be mild and should dissipate within a fortnight. Although self-isolation is no longer compulsory in the UK, the NHS advises staying at home and avoiding contact with others if you exhibit symptoms.
"You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature," the NHS says on its website. "If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare.
When to call 999
Under its Covid advice, the NHS website states you should call 999 or go to A&E if you or a child:
Seems very unwell, is getting worse or you think there's something seriously wrong – children and babies in particular can get unwell very quickly
Get sudden chest pain
Are so breathless you're unable to say short sentences when resting or your breathing has suddenly got worse – in babies their stomach may suck in under their ribs
Start coughing up blood
Collapse, faint, or have a seizure or fit for the first time
Have a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis.
For most people, symptoms of Covid will not be severe and should clear up within a couple of weeks. While self-isolation rules in the UK are no longer mandatory, the NHS has recommended that you try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms and either:
Have a high temperature
Or do not feel well enough to go to work, school or do your normal activities.
“You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature,” the NHS says on its website. “If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare.
If you take a test and are positive, the health body says you should:
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for three days after the day the test was taken if you or your child are under 18 years old – children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over
Avoid meeting people who are more likely to get seriously ill from viruses, such as people with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test.
Symptoms
Symptoms of XEC are thought to be similar to other strains of Covid and can include:
A high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Shortness of breath
Feeling tired or exhausted
An aching body
A headache
A sore throat
A blocked or runny nose
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Feeling sick or being sick.
Booster jabs will be available until December 20 this year. They will be offered to those deemed most vulnerable to Covid, which include:
Over-65s
People aged between six months and 64 years with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
People living in care homes for older people
Frontline health and social-care staff, including in care homes for older people.
By Fiona Callingham
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says the XEC variant accounts for around one in 10 Covid cases in the UK. It is also thought to be highly transmissible
The NHS has issued a stark warning to the public, urging them to dial 999 or head straight to A&E if they experience one of six severe symptoms after contracting COVID-19. This comes as experts predict that a new strain could become dominant in the UK.
The XEC variant, first identified in Germany, has now been detected in 27 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), it currently accounts for approximately one in every ten Covid cases in the UK.
The XEC variant is believed to be highly transmissible due to its numerous mutations. This news arrives as Covid cases continue to rise across the UK.
The UKHSA reported an increase in Covid cases throughout September in England. In the week leading up to September 25, there were 2,797 recorded cases - a rise of 530 from the previous week.
Furthermore, the week leading up to September 20 saw a staggering 50% increase in Covid-related deaths in England, with 134 recorded. The most recent data from the UKHSA shows a 2.8% increase in Covid cases in the week leading up to October 2, with a total of 2,912 confirmed cases.
Hospital admissions also rose by six percent during this week. The NHS website provides clear guidance on when to call 999 under its Covid advice section.
For the majority, Covid symptoms will be mild and should dissipate within a fortnight. Although self-isolation is no longer compulsory in the UK, the NHS advises staying at home and avoiding contact with others if you exhibit symptoms.
"You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature," the NHS says on its website. "If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare.
When to call 999
Under its Covid advice, the NHS website states you should call 999 or go to A&E if you or a child:
Seems very unwell, is getting worse or you think there's something seriously wrong – children and babies in particular can get unwell very quickly
Get sudden chest pain
Are so breathless you're unable to say short sentences when resting or your breathing has suddenly got worse – in babies their stomach may suck in under their ribs
Start coughing up blood
Collapse, faint, or have a seizure or fit for the first time
Have a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis.
For most people, symptoms of Covid will not be severe and should clear up within a couple of weeks. While self-isolation rules in the UK are no longer mandatory, the NHS has recommended that you try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms and either:
Have a high temperature
Or do not feel well enough to go to work, school or do your normal activities.
“You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature,” the NHS says on its website. “If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare.
If you take a test and are positive, the health body says you should:
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for three days after the day the test was taken if you or your child are under 18 years old – children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over
Avoid meeting people who are more likely to get seriously ill from viruses, such as people with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test.
Symptoms
Symptoms of XEC are thought to be similar to other strains of Covid and can include:
A high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Shortness of breath
Feeling tired or exhausted
An aching body
A headache
A sore throat
A blocked or runny nose
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Feeling sick or being sick.
Booster jabs will be available until December 20 this year. They will be offered to those deemed most vulnerable to Covid, which include:
Over-65s
People aged between six months and 64 years with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
People living in care homes for older people
Frontline health and social-care staff, including in care homes for older people.