Experts are warning the UK is blind to devastating wave of COVID-19 variants

Health experts are warning that the UK is blind to the possibility of new COVID-19 variants with infections in the country rising fast once again.

According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Monday, October 3 infections in the UK rose by 14 per cent for the week ended September 20.

Health experts say that it is a sign that the autumn wave of infections is underway with 1.1 million people in the UK have tested positive that week.

Professor Tim Spector the co-founder of the COVID-19 ZOE app believes the next wave has already the UK. Speaking to the Independent he said that Government guidelines about symptoms are “wrong”.

He added: “Many people are still using the government guidelines about symptoms which are wrong. At the moment, COVID-19 starts in two-thirds of people with a sore throat. Fever and loss of smell are really rare now – so many old people may not think they’ve got COVID-19.”

Spector believes that many infected people think they simply have a cold and won’t get tested, warning that new variants are becoming immune-evasive and could cause England “real problems” come winter.

Virologist Professor Lawrence Young confirmed statements made by Spector saying that two Omicron variants were already proving to show signs of escaping the immune system.

“We’ve really taken our eye off the ball with COVID-19 tests.

“People are going to get various infections over the winter but won’t know what they are because free tests aren’t available – it’s going to be a problem.”

Public health experts are calling on people to get the booster jab and on the government for a return to some restrictions including wearing masks indoors.

Although experts are warning the UK is blind to the possibility of a new wave of COVID-19 variants, the government has assured the public that they are doing what is necessary to protect the population. They do, however, add that people should get the booster jab when it becomes available to them.

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