How big is the risk of Omicron in the UK and how do we know?
Analysis: Sajid Javid estimates there are 200,000 new cases a day - here's why the experts suggest that number will soon multiply
When Savid Javid revealed on Monday that an estimated 200,000 people a day are getting infected with Omicron, it brought understandable concern - especially as just 4,713 cases of the variant had been confirmed in the UK so far - . So where does this figure come from - and what does it tell us about the trajectory of the surge?
Confirming a Covid case is caused by the Omicron variant requires a full genetic analysis of that person's swab. According to Prof Paul Hunter at the University of East Anglia, it can take up to two weeks to return a viral sequence, meaning the figure of 4,713 Omicron cases reported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) was already out of date.
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