Covid: One in 10 cases have had it before

One in 10 Scots with Covid have it for a second time, figures revealed yesterday.

The 10% reinfection rate – the highest since the pandemic began – is caused by the highly transmissible variant Omicron, according to a pandemic modelling report.

Before Omicron emerged in November 2021, fewer than 1% of Covid cases were in people who previously had the virus. The new, more infectious, sub-variant of Omicron known as BA.2 is also thought to be driving reinfection rates.

Nine out of 10 Covid cases in Scotland were BA.2 last week, up from 85% the previous week. A reinfection is defined by Public Health Scotland as a positive test 90 days or more after a previous positive test.

Scotland is in the grip of a huge wave of Covid cases, with 1 in11 Scots estimated to have the virus last week.

Case rates among under-50s are falling but in older age groups they have been increasing since mid-February. The most recent week’s increase ranged from 3% among those aged 50 to 59, to 7% among those aged 80 or older. Hospitals are bracing themselves for a surge in admissions.

There are a record 2,326 people in hospital with Covid and that figure could rise to 3,500 in the coming weeks, according to the latest modelling.

The number of people requiring intensive care is also expected to triple from 28 to more than 80 but that figure was far higher before vaccinations.

The Scottish Government has begun offering a fourth dose of vaccine to over-75s amid concerns about older age groups with waning immunity spending more time in hospital.

The number of people with Covid who are dying is 82% lower than the peak in 2020 but there are around 20 deaths a day.

Government modelling suggests almost 3% of people with Covid in Scotland will still have symptoms 12 weeks or more after their first suspected infection.

Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson Jackie Baillie has called for clearly defined Long Covid support services in Scotland. England has specialist Long Covid clinics.