UKHSA’S weekly surveillance report: focusing on ‘Pillar 1’ data

All over the pandemic UKSHA has posted in excess of 100 weekly countrywide flu and COVID-19 surveillance stories.

These stories deliver an crucial picture of the pandemic by detailing numbers of verified situations, outbreaks, hospitalisations and deaths – where attainable broken down by factors together with age, gender, area and placing.

As we master to dwell with COVID-19, and as outlined in the government’s Dwelling with COVID-19 system, the virus will be now managed much like other respiratory infections, these as flu. This signifies that we will check, observe and report on the virus in a way that is closer to what we do so for other infectious illnesses.

Adjustments to how we have out and assistance COVID-19 testing imply that ‘Pillar 2’ testing data, which incorporates community LFD and PCR tests of both of those symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, will no lengthier give the similar volume of facts it will hence not be the essential part of our weekly studies, which will be dominated by ‘Pillar 1’ exam success from the NHS.

Of course, tests continues to be in location for sure substantial-danger groups these as patients in NHS hospitals, individuals suitable for COVID-19 antiviral and other solutions and workers functioning in the NHS and grownup social care.

This information has shaped the foundation of ‘Pillar 1’ screening during the pandemic. Focusing on these take a look at success will allow us to continue to keep an eye on and secure those most at hazard of hospitalisation, critical disease and perhaps dying. Pillar 1 information will also continue to assist genomic surveillance which helps observe the evolution of the virus.

Having said that, group screening information will keep on to be published together with this critical details and will give a handy wider context as we keep an eye on the all round effect of COVID-19.

The RCGP sentinel swabbing scheme will carry on to supply an important indicator for COVID-19 situations and positivity in the group. By sampling around 200 GP procedures, the plan supplies a positivity level which displays 7 days by week, by age and by region to see if the proportion of people today with COVID-19 will increase.

Authentic-time syndromic surveillance is applied everyday by health and fitness industry experts to appear for shifting developments which reveal greater levels of disease in the populace. This surveillance technique collects and analyses anonymised well being information from across England – monitoring indicators introduced by patients alternatively than laboratory assessments for unique infections.

All of our surveillance methodologies are picked so that information can be calculated often and continuously in excess of the prolonged phrase. No solitary source of details tells the full tale of disorder exercise, nor can any program present a definitive determine for precisely how lots of individuals could have a sickness this kind of as COVID-19.

But as we study to reside with COVID-19 our surveillance will continue to give a robust comprehension of COVID-19 exercise and give important insights to advise community health action and wellbeing companies.