Plans are under way to restart COVID surveillance in UK ahead of winter.
Announcement comes after the rollout of vaccines was brought forward due to a new variant emerging, one which officials have indicated is the most concerning since the arrival of Omicron.
Jabs for COVID and winter flu also started today in Scotland.
BA.2.86, which was detected in the UK, last month, has a “high number of mutations” and may already be causing “significant community transmission” among Britons.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said surveillance would resume to deal with a time of year when the NHS always faces increased demand due to seasonal illnesses.
Schools returning from holidays also drive respiratory diseases, though this could be neutered somewhat by the concrete crisis which has seen some forced to stay shut.
Professor Steven Riley, UKHSA’s director general of data, analytics, and surveillance, said: “Plans for the restart of COVID-19 surveillance for the winter season, when health pressures usually rise, is in progress and UKHSA will make a further announcement regarding surveillance plans for this winter shortly.
© CopyRights RawNews1st
