As Covid cases continue to rise in England, experts are calling for increased testing and a broader rollout of vaccine boosters amid the emergence of a new variant, XEC. We spoke with Professor Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, who expressed confusion over the current approach to the pandemic. He highlighted a concerning trend, referencing recent statistics from the UK Health Security Agency that show hospital admissions have climbed to 3.71 per 100,000 people for the week of September 16 to 22, up from 2.56 per 100,000 the previous week.
Furthermore, the percentage of symptomatic individuals testing positive for Covid has risen to 11.8%, compared to 9.1% the week before. Altmann described society’s current attitude toward Covid as a “capitulation,” stating, “For those of us in the field, the acceptance of losing this battle against Covid is puzzling and somewhat despairing.” He pointed out that the current Omicron subvariants are adept at evading waning population immunity, resulting in a concerning prevalence of around 12%.
“The reality is that most people received their last vaccine dose many months or even years ago, and it wasn’t particularly effective against the new variants,” he reflected. He noted a stark divide in public perception: “Some people are actively seeking mitigation strategies due to concern, while others believe we must just accept the situation, feeling that we have already sacrificed too much.”
Dr. Simon Williams from Swansea University added a psychological perspective, noting that many individuals have mentally moved on from Covid due to its long-term negative impacts. “For two to three years, Covid was a constant worry for many, and it’s linked to a lot of emotional struggles,” he explained.
Despite the urgent need for informed discussions and data-driven strategies, Altmann warned against underestimating the virus’s impact. “Individuals with weaker immune responses can experience multiple breakthrough infections each year, which could range from mild to severe, resulting in significant economic consequences and additional strain on the NHS,” he said.
He also brought attention to the ongoing issue of long Covid, which affects roughly 400 million people worldwide, leading to a shortage of workers and incurring an estimated global annual cost of $1 trillion. Importantly, long Covid can also affect vaccinated individuals following reinfection.
Regarding the newly identified variant XEC, Altmann pointed out that it first emerged in Germany and has already been detected in the UK. While it has not shown symptoms distinct from earlier variants, experts believe that Covid vaccinations and previous infections will continue to offer some protection against severe disease.
As the NHS begins bookings for autumn Covid booster shots, Altmann is advocating for a more comprehensive distribution of these vaccines, along with increased lateral flow testing to help mitigate the virus’s spread. Williams echoed these concerns, expressing surprise at the lack of efforts to improve indoor air quality and ventilation in public spaces such as schools. He concluded with a cautionary note: “I fear that, once again this autumn, we might see a low uptake of boosters among priority groups, especially among younger adults with compromised immune systems.”
