UK braces for COVID spread as people head to bank holiday hotspots | Corona Virus

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Health officials are preparing for a surge in coronavirus cases on the bank holiday, as about 500,000 people head to music festivals and millions more venture to tourist hotspots.

Cases in Cornwall and Devon are at record levels as the infection rate among teens saw a fivefold increase after this month’s Boardmasters Festival.

Although the vaccination program is helping to quell large numbers of deaths and serious illness, officials warned Thursday that parts of the NHS are struggling with “unprecedented high demand” and more cases could disrupt schools’ return next week.

The UK is expected to enjoy warm and sunny weather as it marks the first bank holiday weekend since most coronavirus restrictions were lifted this summer.

At least eight festivals are expected to attract around 500,000 people across England – including Leeds, Reading and Creamfields in Cheshire and Victorious in Portsmouth – with some events postponed this weekend after being postponed earlier in the year due to Covid. Pride celebrations are also held across the country, with tens of thousands of people expected to be on the streets of Manchester alone.

The Southwest has the highest infection rate of any English region, with 46 out of the country’s 50 Covid hotspots when looking at areas with a population of around 8,000 people. The top three are all located in Newquay, the party capital of Cornwall.

Officials believe more than 5,000 infections may be linked to the Boardmasters Festival earlier this month, which equates to about a fifth of the district’s 26,000 infections in the week through Monday.

Rachel Wigglesworth, director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, urged tourists to take a lateral flow test before their arrival and only visit if they have a reservation, following similar pleas from officials in the lake district this week.

The latest weekly average of Covid cases has passed the July peak in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset

She said the lifting of restrictions and a successful vaccination program had caused people to drop their guard against Covid, adding to a “really stressful situation” for the Cornwall health system.

“Living with Covid is not the same as pretending it doesn’t exist, and I think that’s what happened,” she said. “It’s not just about young people, this is a public image of people who have been told that all gloves have been taken off and that they take it very seriously.”

She added: “In Cornwall we have always been trying to take a cautious approach because we are expecting large numbers of visitors. Our residents are cautious so far. I think there is a sense that everyone feels like they are on holiday now that the restrictions have been removed.”

The Southwest Ambulance Service said Thursday it was responding to about 3,000 emergencies per day – 15% higher than last summer – amid “an unprecedented high level of demand” due to rising Covid rates and increased social activity. The military was enlisted to work alongside paramedics in the area to help meet the demand.

The increasing cases among mostly unvaccinated adolescents are leading to the rapid increase in the region. The infection rate among 15 to 19-year-olds in Cornwall jumped nearly fivefold in a week. Devon, Torbay and Plymouth also saw similar rises among teenagers, bringing their infection rates to among the highest in the UK.

Covid-19 infections have risen in the past week among 15-19-year-olds in England’s tourist hotspots

The vaccination program means hospitals are handling far fewer Covid patients than the previous peak, but that’s along with emergencies and elective surgeries. The number of Covid patients in the Southwest nearly doubled in the past month, to 427 this week, although that is well below the peak of 2,347 on January 20.

Dr Arif Rajpura, director of public health at Blackpool Council, said he expects increased mixing during the bank holiday to lead to an increase in cases, but that the biggest increase will happen when schools return next week.

“I think it will go up because of all the activities and the festivals. The problem for us is the mixing of young people who then go back to school and that is likely to lead to an increase.” Scotland is seeing something similar,” he said.

“That’s why we really assure people: If you’re going out on bank holiday, do it safely. Wear a face covering in crowded places, do a lateral flow test before you go, and show a little social distancing.”

Torbay Council said it is urging people to stay away if they have any wide range of symptoms linked to Covid, or have been in contact with a positive case.

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