90-607: The National Garden Scheme opens privately owned gardens in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Channel Islands on selected dates for charity. It was founded in 1927 with the aim of "opening gardens of quality, character and interest to the public for charity". The scheme has raised over £67 million since it began, and normally opens over 3,500 gardens a year. Volunteer County Organisers are responsible for vetting gardens to make sure they are of sufficient interest. When
180-589: A Community Gardens Grant programme to support health and well-being in communities around the country. You can read about the charity's impact in their annual Impact Reports here. COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2 ). In
270-593: A novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei , China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019. The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003 , but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll. Scientists used statistical analysis of data from genetic sequencing, combined with epidemiological and estimated travel data, to estimate
360-415: A Delta case varies significantly, especially depending on a country's sequencing rate (less than 0.05% of all COVID-19 cases have been sequenced in the lowest-sequencing countries to around 50 percent in the highest). By 22 June 2021, more than 4,500 sequences of the variant had been detected in about 78 countries. Reported numbers of sequences in countries with detections are: The first cases of
450-798: A bad cold and not realize they need to isolate. Common symptoms reported have been headaches, sore throat, a runny nose or a fever. [REDACTED] : VE reduces <10%, or VE >90% without comparator [REDACTED] : VE reduces between 10 and <20% [REDACTED] : Neutralization reduces <2-fold [REDACTED] : Neutralization reduces 2 to <5-fold [REDACTED] [REDACTED] : Neutralization reduces 5 to <10-fold [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] : Neutralization reduces ≥ 10-fold Moderna & Pfizer-BioNTech were evaluated together. WHO has not issued preventative measures against Delta specifically; non-pharmaceutical measures recommended to prevent wild type COVID-19 should still be effective. These would include washing hands, wearing
540-422: A brief maintaining all three sublineages of B.1.617 as VOI, estimating that a "greater understanding of the risks related to these B.1.617 lineages is needed before any modification of current measures can be considered". The Delta/ B.1.617.2 genome has 13 mutations (15 or 17 according to some sources, depending on whether more common mutations are included) which produce alterations in the amino-acid sequences of
630-787: A further increase in cases that surpassed previous records, although the true number of infections was thought to be higher. It became mandatory for people to show proof of full vaccination or proof that they are not infected to enter certain indoor hospitality and entertainment venues. On 9 January 2022, the UK became the seventh country worldwide to pass 150,000 reported COVID-19 deaths. All remaining legally enforced COVID-19 related restrictions concluded in Northern Ireland and England during February 2022, with that step being taken in Scotland (partially extended into April) and Wales by
720-506: A hospital appointment, and 37% of older people felt less confident going to a GP surgery. Research by The Sunday Times reported that in 2021, the proportion of private school pupils receiving A*, a mark for exceptional achievement, was 39.5 per cent, rising from 16.1 per cent in 2019. The highest record in terms of increase came from the North London Collegiate School , where senior fees could surpass £21,000
810-450: A lesser extent. A study published online (not peer-reviewed) by Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention may partly explain the increased transmissibility: people with infection caused by Delta had 1,000 times more copies of the virus in the respiratory tracts than those with infection caused by variants first identified in the beginning of the pandemic; and it took on average 4 days for people infected with Delta for
900-457: A mask, maintaining distance from others, avoiding touching the mouth, nose or eyes, avoiding crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation especially where people are talking, going to get tested if one develops symptoms and isolating if one becomes sick. Public Health authorities should continue to find infected individuals using testing, trace their contacts, and isolate those who have tested positive or been exposed. Event organizers should assess
990-563: A significant impact on people's mental health—with particular damage to the mental health of foreign-born men whose work hours have been reduced/eliminated. The pandemic has had far-reaching consequences in the country that go beyond the spread of the disease itself and efforts to quarantine it, including political, cultural, and social implications. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau , the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , tested positive for COVID-19 upon her return from WE Day events in
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#17327931911411080-632: A spokesperson for Public Health England, clarified "It is too early to assess the case fatality ratio compared to other variants." A Canadian study released on 5 October 2021 revealed that the Delta variant caused a 108 percent rise in hospitalization, 235 percent increase in ICU admission, and a 133 percent surge in death compared to other variants. is more serious and resulted in an increased risk of death compared to previous variants, odds that are significantly decreased with immunization. The chance of detecting
1170-431: A variant under investigation (VUI) to a variant of concern (VOC) based on an assessment of transmissibility being at least equivalent to B.1.1.7 ( Alpha variant ); the UK's SAGE using May data estimated a "realistic" possibility of being 50% more transmissible. On 11 May 2021, the WHO also classified this lineage VOC, and said that it showed evidence of higher transmissibility and reduced neutralisation. On 15 June 2021,
1260-626: A year and the proportion of A* grades rose from 33.8 per cent in 2019 to 90.2 per cent in the summer of 2021. At 25 schools, the number of A* grades trebled or even quadrupled. These and other findings led MPs to call for an inquiry into the "manipulation" of the exam system during the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic was widely disruptive to the economy of the United Kingdom, with most sectors and workforces adversely affected. Some temporary shutdowns became permanent; some people who were furloughed were later made redundant. The economic disruption has had
1350-631: Is published in a publication called The Garden Visitor's Handbook (formerly the Yellow Book). There is another Yellow Book for the separate Scotland's Gardens scheme. Originally the admission fees raised money for district nurses , although the creation of the National Health Service in 1948 changed the nature of the support required. In 1980, the National Garden Scheme Charitable Trust
1440-782: Is something where we're still gaining data daily. But the most recent data was looking at convalescent sera of COVID-19 cases and people who received the vaccine used in India, the Covaxin. It was found to neutralise the 617 variants. Another study by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad found Covishield (Oxford–AstraZeneca) vaccinated sera offers protection against lineage B.1.617. A study conducted by Public Health England (PHE), found that compared to those who were unvaccinated those who were vaccinated with either
1530-471: Is the best way to compare outcomes between countries. The study found that, compared to other countries, the UK tended to attribute more deaths to COVID-19. A Cambridge University epidemiologist, Raghib Ali, said that the study would correct "widespread misconceptions" about the way the UK had handled the pandemic, and that there was "no clear relationship between levels of excess mortality and different levels of restrictions... across western Europe or indeed
1620-459: The Alpha variant ; the case fatality rate for those 386,835 people with Delta is 0.3%, where 46% of the cases and 6% of the deaths are unvaccinated and below 50 years old. Immunity from previous recovery or COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing severe disease or hospitalisation from infection with the variant. On 7 May 2021, PHE changed their classification of lineage B.1.617.2 from
1710-832: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared Delta a variant of concern. The variant is thought to be partly responsible for India's deadly second wave of the pandemic beginning in February 2021. It later contributed to a third wave in Fiji , the United Kingdom and South Africa , and the WHO warned in July 2021 that it could have a similar effect elsewhere in Europe and Africa . By late July, it had also driven an increase in daily infections in parts of Asia ,
1800-649: The Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), said the study on the effectiveness of the available vaccines on lineage B.1.617 suggests that post-vaccination, the infections are milder. Anthony Fauci , the Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States , has also expressed his confidence regarding the preliminary results. In an interview on 28 April, he said: This
1890-573: The National Centre for Infectious Diseases in Singapore posted a paper suggesting that patients testing positive for Delta are more likely to develop pneumonia and/or require oxygen than patients with wild type or Alpha. On June 11, Public Health England released a report finding that there was "significantly increased risk of hospitalization" from Delta as compared with Alpha; the risk was approximately twice as high for those infected with
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#17327931911411980-538: The Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca-Oxford had 33% less instances of symptomatic disease caused by the variant after the first dose. Among those who were two weeks after the receiving their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine 88% less subjects had symptomatic disease from the Delta variant versus those that were unvaccinated. Among those who were two weeks after the receiving their second dose of
2070-473: The United Kingdom , it has resulted in 25,012,428 confirmed cases, and is associated with 232,112 deaths. The virus began circulating in the country in early 2020, arriving primarily from travel elsewhere in Europe. Various sectors responded , with more widespread public health measures incrementally introduced from March 2020. The first wave was at the time one of the world's largest outbreaks. By mid-April
2160-611: The United States , Australia , and New Zealand . The Delta variant has mutations in the gene encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein causing the substitutions D614G , T478K, P681R and L452R . It is identified as the 21A, 21I, and 21J clades under the Nextstrain phylogenetic classification system. The virus has also been referred to by the term "Indian Variant" as it was originally detected in India. However,
2250-586: The severe economic impact . It also forwent the procurement process in contracts in response to shortages of PPE and medical equipment , major issues in the early months of the outbreak, and for developing a contact tracing app . There has been some disparity between the outbreak's severity in England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland – health-care in the UK is devolved , each constituent country having its own publicly-funded healthcare system run by devolved governments. The COVID-19 pandemic led to
2340-415: The viral load in the first positive test of infections with the variant was on average ~1000 times higher than with compared infections during 2020. Preliminary data from a study with 100,000 volunteers in the UK from May to July 2021, when Delta was spreading rapidly, indicates that vaccinated people who test positive for COVID-19, including asymptomatic cases, have a lower viral load in average. Data from
2430-415: The 20th-highest death rate worldwide. Since early 2021 the UK has had one of the world's highest testing rates. In March 2022, The Lancet published a study showing that, compared to other western European countries, with 127 per 100,000 population, the UK had a lower excess deaths rate during the pandemic than the average, and lower than Italy (227), Portugal (202), Spain (187), Belgium (147), and
2520-622: The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine 60% less subjects had symptomatic disease from the Delta variant versus those that were unvaccinated. A study by a group of researchers from the Francis Crick Institute , published in The Lancet , shows that humans fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are likely to have more than five times lower levels of neutralizing antibodies against the Delta variant compared to
2610-510: The Delta variant in England had a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.2%, while the Alpha variant's case fatality rate was 1.9%, although the report warns that "case fatality rates are not comparable across variants as they have peaked at different points in the pandemic, and so vary in background hospital pressure, vaccination availability and rates and case profiles, treatment options, and impact of reporting delay, among other factors." James McCreadie,
2700-638: The Delta variant is between 40% and 60% more transmissible than the previously dominant Alpha variant , which was first identified in the UK (as the Kent variant). Given that Alpha is already 150% as transmissible as the original SARS-CoV-2 strain that emerged in late 2019 in Wuhan , and if Delta is 150% as transmissible as Alpha, then Delta may be 225% as transmissible as the original strain. BBC reported that R 0 {\displaystyle R_{0}} – basic reproduction number , or
2790-403: The Delta variant is only one of three variants of the lineage B.1.617 , all of which were first detected in India. At the end of May 2021, the WHO assigned the label Delta to lineage B.1.617.2 after introducing a new policy of using Greek letters for variants of concern and variants of interest. There are three sublineages of lineage B.1.617 categorised so far. B.1.617.1 ( Kappa variant )
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2880-827: The Delta variant is transmitted among those immunized with current vaccines. On August 10, a study showed that the full vaccination coverage rate is correlated inversely to the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant mutation frequency in 16 countries (R-squared=0.878). Data strongly indicates that full vaccination against COVID-19 may slow down virus evolution. In vitro experiments suggest that bamlanivimab may not be effective against Delta on its own. At high enough concentrations, casirivimab , etesevimab and imdevimab appear to still be effective. A preprint study suggests that sotrovimab may also be effective against Delta. Doctors in Singapore have been using supplemental oxygen, remdesivir and corticosteroids on more Delta patients than they did on previous variants. UK scientists have said that
2970-536: The Delta variant was becoming the dominant strain globally. It has mutations in the gene encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein causing the substitutions T478K, P681R and L452R , which are known to affect transmissibility of the virus as well as whether it can be neutralised by antibodies for previously circulating variants of the COVID-19 virus. In August 2021, Public Health England (PHE) reported secondary attack rate in household contacts of non-travel or unknown cases for Delta to be 10.8% vis-à-vis 10.2% for
3060-575: The Delta variant. On June 14, researchers from Public Health Scotland found that the risk of hospitalization from Delta was roughly double that of from Alpha. On July 7, a preprint study from epidemiologists at the University of Toronto found that Delta had a 120% greater – or more than twice as large – risk of hospitalization, 287% greater risk of ICU admission and 137% greater risk of death compared to non-variant of concern strains of SARS-COV-2. However, on July 9, Public Health England reported that
3150-707: The K417N mutation, which is also present in the Beta variant . The exchange at position 417 is a lysine-to- asparagine substitution. As of mid-October 2021, the AY.3 variant accounted for a cumulative prevalence of approximately 5% in the United States, and 2% worldwide. In mid-October the AY.4.2 Delta sublineage was expanding in England, and being monitored and assessed. It contains mutations A222V and Y145H in its spike protein, not considered of particular concern. It has been suggested that AY.4.2 might be 10-15% more transmissible than
3240-567: The Moderna vaccine may be effective against death or hospitalization from the Delta variant. In a study of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in July 2021 found the Sinopharm BIBP vaccine caused seroconversion in 95% of individuals studied that had received both doses of the vaccine. The rate was higher in 20-39 age group (98.9%) but slightly lower in the over 60 age group (93.3%). Neutralising antibodies were present among 81.25% of
3330-562: The Netherlands (140), that the difference between the UK, France (124), and Germany (121) was not statistically significant, and that Ireland (13) and the Scandinavian countries had a lower rate. The UK rate is marginally more than the world average of 120. The study was of excess mortality in 191 countries over the years 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic, the method that the chief medical officer of England , Chris Whitty , said
3420-462: The Netherlands, the virus was still able to propagate significantly in the population with over 93.4% of blood donors being tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after week 28, 2021. Many people there are not fully vaccinated, so those antibodies would have been developed from exposure to the wild virus or from a vaccine. Similar high seroimmunity levels occur in the United Kingdom in blood donors and general surveillance. A preprint found that
3510-600: The Omicron wave continued. Economic support was given to struggling businesses, including a furlough scheme for employees. As well as the major strain on the UK's healthcare service , the pandemic has had a severe impact on the UK's economy , caused major disruptions to education and had far-reaching impacts on society and politics . On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that
3600-1297: The Pango lineage designation system into variants from AY.1 to AY.28. However, there is no information on whether such classification correlates with biological characteristic changes of the virus. It is said that, as of August 2021, AY.4 to AY.11 are predominant in the UK, AY.12 in Israel, AY.2, AY.3, AY.13, AY.14, AY.25 in the US, AY.20 in the US and Mexico, AY.15 in Canada, AY.16 in Kenya, AY.17 in Ireland and Northern Ireland, AY.19 in South Africa, AY.21 in Italy and Switzerland, AY.22 in Portugal, AY.24 in Indonesia, and AY.23 in Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. Delta with K417N originally corresponded to lineages AY.1 and AY.2, subsequently also lineage AY.3, and has been nicknamed "Delta plus" or "Nepal variant". It has
3690-584: The UK and were given special permission to visit a dying parent. The women had entered the country on 7 June, after first flying into Doha and Brisbane . A 2021 study suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant , which was first detected in Kent , spread internationally via flights originating in London in late 2020. This article presents official statistics gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic in
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3780-541: The UK in the early part of June 2021 were the Delta variant; they also cited evidence that the Delta variant was associated with an approximately 60% increased risk of household transmission compared to the Alpha variant. Canada 's first confirmed case of the variant was identified in Quebec on 21 April 2021, and later the same day 39 cases of the variant were identified in British Columbia . Alberta reported
3870-448: The UK introduced advice for travellers coming from affected countries in late January and February 2020, and began contact tracing , although this was later abandoned. The government incrementally introduced further societal restrictions on the public as the virus spread across the country in the following weeks, initially resisting more stringent measures introduced elsewhere in Europe and Asia . Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced
3960-408: The UK it was reclassified as a "variant under investigation" (but not "of concern") in late October 2021. In Denmark, after a drop in AY.4.2 cases, a new fast surge was detected and monitored, but was not yet considered a cause of concern. The most common symptoms may have changed from the most common symptoms previously associated with standard COVID-19. Infected people may mistake the symptoms for
4050-437: The UK went into a third lockdown . The second wave peaked in mid-January with over 1,000 daily deaths, before declining into the summer. The first COVID-19 vaccine was approved and began being deployed across the UK in early December, with a staggered rollout prioritising the most vulnerable and then moving to progressively younger age groups. The UK was the first country to do so, and in early 2021 its vaccination program
4140-780: The UK; on 12 March 2020 the Trudeau family entered two weeks of self-isolation. The first patient in Mauritius was a 59-year-old man who returned from the United Kingdom on 7 March 2020. When he arrived in Mauritius, the Mauritian had no symptoms. Other cases of the novel coronavirus resulting from travel to the UK were subsequently reported in India and Nigeria. On 16 June 2020, it was widely reported in British media that New Zealand's first COVID-19 cases in 24 days were diagnosed in two British women, both of whom had travelled from
4230-478: The US, UK, and Singapore indicate that vaccinated people infected by Delta may have viral loads as high as unvaccinated infected people, but might remain infectious for a shorter period. Surveillance data from the Indian government's Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) shows that around 32% of patients, both hospitalised and outside hospitals, were aged below 30 in the second wave compared to 31% during
4320-546: The United Kingdom. Reports from the Medical Research Council's Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College , London have been providing mathematically calculated estimates of cases and case fatality rates. In February 2020, the team at Imperial College, led by epidemiologist Neil Ferguson , estimated about two-thirds of cases in travellers from China were not detected and that some of these may have begun "chains of transmission within
4410-427: The United States, the Netherlands, Denmark, France and probably many other countries, the Delta variant had become the dominant strain by July 2021. Depending on country, there is typically a lag from a few days to several weeks between cases and variant reporting. As of July 20, 2021, this variant had spread to 124 countries, and WHO had indicated that it was becoming the dominant strain, if not one already. In
4500-418: The aim is to reduce the health impact of the epidemic but not to stop transmission completely; and suppression, where the aim is to reduce transmission rates to a point where case numbers fall. Until this point, government actions had been based on a strategy of mitigation, but the modelling predicted that while this would reduce deaths by approximately 2/3, it would still lead to approximately 250,000 deaths from
4590-416: The charity and championed by the charity's President, Dame Mary Berry. The National Garden Scheme not only opens beautiful gardens for charity – it is passionate about the physical and mental health benefits of gardens too. The Scheme funds projects which promote gardens and gardening as therapy, and in 2017, launched an annual Gardens and Health Week to raise awareness of the topic. Visitor information
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#17327931911414680-522: The countries they entered". They forecast that the new type of coronavirus could infect up to 60% of the UK's population, in the worst-case scenario. In a paper on 16 March 2020, the Imperial College team provided detailed forecasts of the potential impacts of the epidemic in the UK and US. It detailed the potential outcomes of an array of 'non-pharmaceutical interventions'. Two potential overall strategies outlined were: mitigation, in which
4770-460: The country's healthcare system , leading to long waiting lists for medical procedures and ambulances, also led to an indirect increase in deaths from other conditions. It also had a major mental health impact . In August 2021, a report from Age UK found that 27% of people over 60 could not walk as far and 25% were living in more physical pain earlier this year compared to the start of the pandemic. 54% of older people felt less confident attending
4860-530: The country, localised lockdowns, social distancing measures , self-isolation laws for those exposed to the virus and rules on face masks were introduced (though certain exemptions were permitted), as well as efforts to expand COVID-19 testing and tracing. In autumn and winter 2020, further nationwide lockdowns were introduced in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases and the Alpha variant . A COVID-19 vaccination programme began in December 2020. In mid-2021,
4950-473: The delay in the reporting of deaths from the virus meant there was a risk of underestimating the steepness of the rising epidemic trend. In December 2021 scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine predicted that Omicron could cause from 25,000 to 75,000 deaths in England over the five months to April 2022 unless there were more stringent restrictions, and would probably become
5040-481: The disease and the health systems becoming overwhelmed. On 16 March, the Prime Minister announced changes to government advice, extending self-isolation to whole households, advising social distancing particularly for vulnerable groups, and indicating that further measures were likely to be required in the future. A paper on 30 March 2020 by the Imperial College group estimated that the lockdown would reduce
5130-410: The dominant variant by the end of 2021. As of 20 December 2021, there had been 11.4 million confirmed cases – the most in Europe and fourth-highest worldwide. By that date there had been 232,112 deaths among people who had recently tested positive – the world's seventh-highest death toll and 28th-highest death rate by population . This is Europe's second-highest death toll after Russia , and
5220-686: The early weeks of the pandemic, case numbers were underestimated, obscuring the extent of the outbreak. A legally-enforced Stay at Home Order, or lockdown , was introduced on 23 March, banning all non-essential travel and contact with other people, and shut schools, businesses, venues and gathering places. People were told to keep apart in public. Those with symptoms, and their households, were told to self-isolate , while those considered at highest risk were told to shield . The health services worked to raise hospital capacity and established temporary critical care hospitals , but initially faced some shortages of personal protective equipment . By mid-April it
5310-581: The end of March. Cases rose following the relaxation of restrictions but began, along with hospitalisations and deaths, to fall shortly after. The UK Health Security Agency publishes a weekly "national influenza and coronavirus (COVID-19) report", which summarises COVID-19 levels and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the UK Government introduced various public health and economic measures to mitigate its impact. Devolution meant that
5400-566: The expected number of cases directly generated by one case in a population where all individuals are susceptible to infection – for the first detected SARS-CoV-2 virus is 2.4–2.6, whereas Alpha's reproduction number is 4–5 and Delta's is 5–9. These basic reproduction numbers can be compared to MERS (0.29-0.80 ), seasonal influenza (1.2–1.4 ), Ebola (1.4–1.8 ), common cold (2–3 ), SARS (2–4 ), smallpox (3.5–6 ), and chickenpox (10–12 ). Due to Delta's high transmissibility even those that are vaccinated are vulnerable, albeit to
5490-487: The first national lockdown on 23 March 2020 and Parliament introduced the Coronavirus Act 2020 , which granted the devolved governments emergency powers and empowered the police to enforce public health measures. As the governments began lifting the nationwide stay-at-home order, policies and approaches diverged between the four nations. The Scottish government uniquely pursued an elimination strategy . Across
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#17327931911415580-462: The first wave, among people aged 30–40 the infection rate stayed at 21%. Hospitalisation in the 20–39 bracket increased to 25.5% from 23.7% while the 0–19 range increased to 5.8% from 4.2%. The data also showed a higher proportion of asymptomatic patients were admitted during the second wave, with more complaints of breathlessness. A few early studies suggest the Delta variant causes more severe illness than other strains. On 7 June 2021, researchers at
5670-699: The four nations' administrative responses to the pandemic differed; the Scottish Government , the Welsh Government , and the Northern Ireland Executive produced different policies to those that apply in England. Numerous laws were enacted or introduced throughout the crisis. The UK government had developed a pandemic response plan in previous years. In response to the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in January 2020,
5760-545: The government lifted most restrictions during the third wave driven by the Delta variant , until the "winter plan" reintroduced some rules in response to the Omicron variant in December that year. Remaining restrictions were lifted in England from 24 February 2022 under a " living with COVID " plan announced by the government on that date. Economic support was provided to struggling businesses and to furlough employees to mitigate
5850-535: The highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant . However, mass vaccination continued to keep deaths and hospitalisations at much lower levels than in previous waves. Infection rates remained high and hospitalisations and deaths rose into the autumn. In December, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was confirmed to have arrived and begun spreading widely in the community, particularly in London , driving
5940-409: The largest fall in life expectancy in England since records began in 1981. On average, British COVID-19 victims lost around a decade of life; the last time deaths rose so sharply in the UK was during World War II . In 2020, the disease was the leading cause of death among men, and second leading cause among women. Research in 2021 suggests over 1 million people in the UK have had Long COVID , with
6030-478: The majority reporting substantial impacts on day-to-day life. Professor Danny Altmann of Imperial College London said in March 2022, "It's kind of an anathema to me that we've kind of thrown in the towel on control of Omicron wave infections and have said 'it's endemic, and we don't care any more, because it's very benign'," he said. "It just isn't. And there are new people joining the long Covid support groups all
6120-504: The new Delta variant , began in July 2021, but the rate of deaths and hospitalisations was lower than with the first two waves – this being attributed to the mass vaccination programme. By early December 2021, the Omicron variant had arrived, and caused record infection levels. The UK government and each of the three devolved governments (in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) introduced public health and economic measures , including new laws , to mitigate its impact. A national lockdown
6210-467: The number of dead from 510,000 to less than 20,000. This paper and others relied on data from European countries including the UK to estimate that the combined non-pharmaceutical interventions reduced the reproduction number of the virus by 67–87%, enough to stop infections from growing. However, followup work concluded that the effectiveness of interventions was lower in later waves of infections. In April 2020, biostatistician Professor Sheila Bird said
6300-522: The original COVID-19 strain. In June 2021, PHE announced it had conducted a study which found that after two shots, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine are respectively 96% and 92% effective at preventing hospitalisation from the Delta variant. On July 3, researchers from the universities of Toronto and Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, released a preprint study suggesting that
6390-420: The original Delta variant. Mid-October 2021, AY.4.2 accounted for an estimated 10% of cases, and has led to an additional growth rate rising to about 1% (10% of 10%) per generational time of five days or so. This additional growth rate would grow with increasing prevalence. Without AY.4.2 and no other changes, the number of cases in the UK would have been about 10% lower. AY.4.2 grows about 15% faster per week. In
6480-413: The peak had been passed and restrictions were gradually eased. A second wave, with a new variant that originated in the UK becoming dominant, began in the autumn and peaked in mid-January 2021, and was deadlier than the first. The UK started a COVID-19 vaccination programme in early December 2020. Generalised restrictions were gradually lifted and were mostly ended by August 2021. A third wave, fuelled by
6570-410: The potential risks of any mass gathering and develop a plan to mitigate these risks. See also Non-pharmaceutical intervention (epidemiology) . The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that convalescent sera of the COVID-19 cases and recipients of Bharat Biotech 's BBV152 (Covaxin) were able to neutralise VUI B.1.617 although with a lower efficacy. Anurag Agrawal , the director of
6660-460: The proteins it encodes. The list of spike protein mutations is: 19R, (G142D), Δ156-157, R158G, L452R, T478K, D614G, P681R, D950N according to GVN, or T19R, G142D, del 156–157, R158G, L452R, T478K, D614G, P681R according to Genscript Four of them, all of which are in the virus's spike protein code, are of particular concern: The E484Q mutation is not present in the B.1.617.2 genome. As of August 2021, Delta variants have been subdivided in
6750-691: The scheme began 609 private gardens were opened and £8,191 was raised. A small number of the original "1927" gardens still participate in the Scheme, while many more have joined. Over 3,700 gardens were due to open in 2020 but the impact of COVID-19 meant that most openings were cancelled. However, new online virtual garden tours were introduced. To help boost funds after COVID-19, the National Garden Scheme set up an annual fundraising event called The Great British Garden Party , encouraging everyone to enjoy outdoor spaces while raising money for
6840-458: The source locations of the virus in the UK up to the beginning of March 2020, and following the initial importations which were likely from China or elsewhere in Asia. From this analysis they estimated that about 33% were from Spain, 29% from France, 12% from Italy and 26% from elsewhere. Notes: Though later reporting indicated that there may have been some cases dating from late 2019, COVID-19
6930-567: The time with their disabilities. It's really not OK, and it's heartbreaking." The Office for National Statistics estimated that the number of people in the UK with continuing COVID symptoms like fatigue, muscle pain and breathing problems had doubled in a year from one million in May 2021 to two million in May 2022. The Guardian reported in June 2022 that treatment facilities for patients with long COVID were inadequate. The pandemic's major impact on
7020-691: The vaccinated individuals studied. On 29 June 2021, the director of the Gamaleya Institute, Denis Logunov, said that Sputnik V is about 90% effective against the Delta variant. On July 21, researchers from PHE published a study finding that the Pfizer vaccine was 93.7% effective against symptomatic disease from Delta after 2 doses, while the Astrazeneca vaccine was 67% effective. On August 2, several experts expressed concern that achieving herd immunity may not currently be possible because
7110-415: The variant outside India were detected in late February 2021, including the United Kingdom on 22 February, the United States on 23 February and Singapore on 26 February. British scientists at Public Health England redesignated the B.1.617.2 variant on 7 May 2021 as "variant of concern" (VOC-21APR-02), after they flagged evidence in May 2021 that it spreads more quickly than the original version of
7200-412: The virus is thought to have originated in Kent around September 2020. Once restrictions were lifted, the novel variant rapidly spread across the UK. Its increased transmissibility contributed to a continued increase in daily infections that surpassed previous records. The healthcare system had come under severe strain by late December. Following a partial easing of restrictions for Christmas, all of
7290-405: The virus to be detectable compared to 6 days with initially identified variants. Surveillance data from the U.S., Germany and the Netherlands in June and July 2021 indicated the Delta variant was growing by about a factor of 4 every two weeks with respect to the Alpha variant. In India, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Russia, Mexico, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Germany, Luxembourg,
7380-425: The virus. Another reason was that they identified 48 clusters of B.1.617.2, some of which revealed a degree of community transmission. With cases from the Delta variant having risen quickly, British scientists considered the Delta variant having overtaken the Alpha variant as the dominant variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the UK in early June 2021. Researchers at Public Health England later found that over 90% of new cases in
7470-523: The whole of Europe". Ali also said "all the commentary to date as to how and why the UK, or Sweden, has done worse than its neighbours is clearly no longer valid". SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 . It was first detected in India on 5 October 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated in June 2021 that
7560-703: Was at the time one of the largest worldwide. By the autumn, COVID-19 cases were again rising. This led to the introduction of social distancing measures and some localised restrictions. Larger lockdowns took place in all of Wales, England and Northern Ireland later that season. In both England and Scotland, tiered restrictions were introduced in October, and England went into a month-long lockdown during November followed by new tiered restrictions in December. Multi-week 'circuit-breaker' lockdowns were imposed in Wales and Northern Ireland . A new variant of
7650-420: Was confirmed to be present in the UK by the end of January 2020 with the first confirmed deaths in March. Subsequent epidemiological analysis showed that over 1000 lineages of SARS-CoV-2 entered the UK in early 2020 from international travellers, mostly from outbreaks elsewhere in Europe , leading to numerous clusters that overwhelmed contact tracing efforts. Limited testing and surveillance meant during
7740-676: Was designated a Variant Under Investigation in April 2021 by Public Health England . Later in April 2021, two other variants B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3 were designated as Variants Under Investigation. While B.1.617.3 shares the L452R and E484Q mutations found in B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 lacks the E484Q mutation. B.1.617.2 has the T478K mutation, not found in B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.3. Simultaneously, the ECDC released
7830-507: Was introduced on 23 March 2020 and lifted in May, replaced with specific regional restrictions. Further nationwide restrictions were introduced later in 2020 in response to a surge in cases. Most restrictions were lifted during the Delta-variant-driven third wave in mid-2021. The "winter plan" reintroduced some rules in response to the Omicron variant in December 2021, and all restrictions were lifted in February and March 2022 as
7920-557: Was launched as an independent charity with Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother as patron. The current patron is Charles, the former Prince of Wales . The Queen's Nursing Institute is still one of the charities supported, along with Marie Curie , Macmillan Cancer Support , Hospice UK , Parkinson's UK , Carers Trust , Maggie's , Horatio's Garden , Perennial , and others that support gardening as therapy, community gardens and horticultural trainees. The National Garden Scheme runs
8010-493: Was one of the fastest in the world. By August 2021, more than 75% of adults in the UK were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Quarantine rules for all incoming travellers were introduced for the first time in late January. Restrictions began to ease from late February onwards and almost all had ended in Great Britain by August. A third wave of daily infections began in July 2021 due to the arrival and rapid spread of
8100-405: Was reported that restrictions had " flattened the curve " of the epidemic and the UK had passed its peak after 26,000 deaths. The UK's overall death toll and by population surpassed that of Italy on 3 May, making the UK the worst affected country in Europe at the time. Restrictions were steadily eased across the UK in late spring and early summer that year. The UK's epidemic in early 2020
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