Britons should start wearing face masks on public transport again, experts say, as a super-contagious strain of Covid sweeps the country.
Arcturus now accounts for one in 40 new cases, raising fears that it could soon become a dominant species and cause a new wave of disease.
Ministers have already been urged to offer booster vaccines to millions more Britons because of their spread.
Virologists have warned that despite the fact that the virus is much milder and Britain is no longer under severe pandemic restrictions, Covid still poses a threat.
Professor Stephen Griffin, chairman of Independent SAGE, the panel of experts criticizing Downing Street’s handling of the disease during the pandemic, said: “Obviously we are in a much better position now.”
Chart showing the number of Arcturus cases in UK regions, according to the UK Health Authority. This includes 96 cases in England, with the highest rates in London and the North West
A family of three are pictured wearing face masks as they walk around London Bridge today, April 28, 2023
However, he told MailOnline that he would encourage people to continue testing where possible or necessary.
Professor Griffin, from the University of Leeds, also urged employers and the government to support people when they are ill and need to self-isolate.
He urged adults to wear a well-fitting N95 mask or a high-quality mask in “poorly ventilated indoor areas or on public transport”.
“This may seem like a setback to the past year, but the reality is that the virus continues to wreak havoc and those least able to cope continue to suffer,” Professor Griffin added.
“In the absence of action at the population level … the focus remains on individual risk, which for many is now much lower.
“However, the situation remains dynamic with declining immunity and high rates of viral evolution.
“Unless the government acts to make it possible for everyone to ‘live’ with Covid, vulnerable people will continue to need precautions and ideally others will act with an appropriate level of altruism.”
Some hospitals and NHS bodies still ask patients to cover themselves before entering, although this is no longer required by law.
A shopper in East London is wearing a face mask today, April 28, 2023
Surveillance data shows that Arcturus, scientifically named XBB.1.16, is responsible for around 2.3 per cent of all new cases in the UK
Other subvariants of Omicron include Kraken (XBB.1.5) and Orthrus (CH.1.1). Octopus remains the dominant species in the UK as of April 14, causing 44 per cent of cases, while Omicron accounts for 8 per cent and Arcturus 2.3 per cent, the UKHSA said.
Unofficial figures compiled by health technology company ZOE suggest around 70,000 Britons are infected every day, with cases in free fall for weeks. This level is only a fraction of what was seen during previous waves
India is now seeing nearly 10,000 Covid cases daily. This is higher than the 160 at the end of February when the variant gained momentum. Data suggests that it accounts for two-thirds of all cases in the country. Data is based on confirmed cases only
Professor Martin McKee, a public health specialist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “Covid is still with us and remains a threat to public health.”
Surveillance data shows that Arcturus, or XBB.1.16, accounts for about 2.3 percent of all new cases.
The stock has tripled since the beginning of April.
Only one region, the North East, has yet to see it, according to a report by Britain’s Health Security Agency.
Top experts insist there is no evidence the strain is worse than others in circulation and has turned into a milder flu-like illness.
Read more: How do you know if you have Arcturus? Is it deadlier? And how many UK cases are there? Everything you need to know about the new Covid strain wreaking havoc in India
But XBB.1.16 – a sub-strain of Omicron – has three additional mutations on its spike protein, allowing it to bypass the body’s natural defences.
It is believed to have evolved into the most contagious variant to date.
Some experts suspected that it could trigger a Covid resurgence similar to that in India, where it was first detected.
Unofficial figures suggest around 70,000 Britons are infected every day, with cases in free fall for weeks. This level is only a fraction of what was seen during previous waves.
India is now seeing nearly 10,000 Covid cases daily. This is higher than the 160 at the end of February when the variant gained momentum.
Data suggests that it accounts for two-thirds of all cases in the country.
Some of the worst-hit states have already brought back mandatory masks to combat the rapid spread.
Despite warnings of chaos caused by Arcturus, other experts insist there is no need to panic.
Britain’s previous Covid vaccination campaign – and repeated waves – do just that drastically mitigated the threat of the virus and its spread.
This allowed the country to continue with draconian restrictions after the pandemic.
Professor Robert Dingwall, who advised ministers on the virus during the pandemic, also told MailOnline today: ‘We need to stop jumping on every new strain of Covid that emerges unless there is solid evidence that we have low resistance to it has.
He added: “We need to treat Covid like any other flu-like illness. The flu virus also changes quite often, but that’s not headline news.
The chart shows one million Covid boosters given in the first three weeks of the NHS Spring Booster campaign, compared with 1.37 million in the same period last year and 2.8 million at the autumn launch
NHS England officially launched its Spring Booster campaign (pictured) on 3 April, offering the latest round of vaccinations for over-75s, care home residents and over-5s with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
Professor Stephen Griffin, chairman of Independent SAGE, an expert panel which has criticized No10’s handling of the disease, said: “We are clearly in a much better position now.”
“Health officials are monitoring the changes so vaccines can be adjusted. Covid now requires no other response.”
Arcturus was first identified in January and has been under surveillance by the World Health Organization (WHO) since the end of March.
It is now registered in 34 countries, including the US, Singapore, Australia and Canada.
Officials are not tracking the spread of the virus as before, as part of the government ushering in pre-pandemic normalcy.
Variation detection options have also been scaled down.
It comes after MailOnline revealed yesterday that the UK’s current Covid reinforcement campaign is the country’s slowest yet.
Just one million doses were administered in the first three weeks of the campaign, which began on April 3.
This is much lower than the uptake during last spring’s upgrade programme, when almost 1.4 million vaccinations were administered over the same period.
Leading experts today claimed the “disappointing” rate could be due to vaccine fatigue. Others have suggested that the success of the Covid vaccines may be their own fault, as Britons now underestimate the threat of the virus thanks to society’s wall of immunity.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
