Young adults most likely to get Covid-19 as case numbers rise, claims Hampshire report

A report from Hampshire County Council shows that the 20 to 24-year-old age bracket is the one with the highest number of Covid-19 cases.

It comes as health experts voice concerns about the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant.

The report is being put to the county council's health and social care select committee next week.

Simon Bryant, director of public health, said: 'Overall, case rates are high in Hampshire’s districts, suggesting sustained and rising community transmission.

'We now have a largely vaccinated, but partially boosted population so need to encourage uptake among unprotected people and urge COVID-19 booster uptake if eligible, to top-up immunity.

'The critical message while rates are high and with a new variant in circulation, is that the community gets fully vaccinated and, if eligible, boosted, and that face coverings, good ventilation, hand and cough hygiene and social distancing measures, are complied with, to control the spread of infection.'

Statistics published by the county council in December had the five to nine-year-old and 10 to 14-year-old age brackets with the highest rate of cases.

On September 1 these figures stood at 598.9 and 329.1 respectively.

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These rates - as with infant cases - have dropped significantly, to Mr Bryant's relief.

He said: 'Reassuringly, rates in younger children aged 0-4 years are relatively lower for now, at 387.8 per 100,000 population.

'However, we have to protect our unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children, including vulnerable communities by promoting vaccination and urgent rollout of the Covid-19 booster campaign and highlight the importance of taking reasonable care to keep safe, regularly test and contact trace in line with national guidance.'

This term, secondary school pupils are receiving their second Covid-19 vaccinations.

An estimated 79.3 per cent of adolescents aged 16-17 years old and 65.2 per cent of children aged 12-15 years old in Hampshire have received their vaccine.

Death relating to Covid-19 have also been steadily falling, Mr Bryant added, with the Omicron variant thought to be less harmful than its predecessors.

But hospitalisations are still increasing after generally remaining stable - with the latest wave of Omicron having a 'significant impact' on HNS services.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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