A third wave of COVID-19 could hit the Isle of Wight this summer, we are being warned.
In a meeting of the Isle of Wight Council’s health and wellbeing board, the Island’s director of public health, Simon Bryant, said they were preparing for any eventualities that may occur as society opens up following lockdown.
He said looking at the modelling – not what they know is going to happen – it is possible there could be some kind of third coronavirus wave in the summer.
While it may not be on the same scale as the second wave, which saw cases rocket on the Isle of Wight almost overnight, Mr Bryant said as everything opens we are going to see more cases.
With the government’s final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown set for June 21, essentially getting things back to a pre-Covid state, there are hopes of a somewhat normal summer with visitors boosting the Island’s economy.
Public officials have asked those thinking about coming to the Island to take all the appropriate measures to protect the Island and its community, including potentially getting a COVID test before travelling. Mr Bryant, however, said they are looking at the data to understand how the spread of infection is happening but urged people to still follow social distancing measures.
The potential increase in cases is also being attributed to the increased level of testing currently happening. At the start of the pandemic, only people who ended up in hospital were being tested for the virus, later expanding to anyone with symptoms, but now a new testing regime has been implemented which allows asymptomatic tests for various parts of the community.
In the last few weeks school pupils and their parental bubbles have been offered the tests as well as those going out to work regularly.
Mr Bryant said picking up those asymptomatic cases may not be a bad thing, despite a recorded case increase, as it is breaking the chain of infection and finding a case that would have not have been picked up previously.
The impact of the COVID vaccine rollout is also being felt, according to Mr Bryant, as case numbers fall, particularly in the older age groups who have been vaccinated.
The director of public health, Simon Bryant must have a reason for voicing his concern and he also has the expertise to call on too. So is he suggesting that events like the Festival should be cancelled ?
This is no surprise. Parts off Europe are already 3 weeks into their 3rd wave. And have limited, if any, beds on wards.
The Politics versus Pharma in this pandemic is disgraceful. Shameful. And Pharma love politicians who are spending trillions on vaccines that won’t work against new strains.
The ride is far from over folks. Hold tight till the next episode.
There is no cure for this virus, only to try and suppress it. Do your homework people.
Nothing like scaremongering!!
Wow the covidiots have all swarmed this article.
3rd wave, 4th wave, 5th wave when will everybody learn it’s here to stay in all of it’s variations and that we just need to get on with our lives or else we will be stuck in limbo and more lives will be lost because of other matters like not getting their operations, extreme poverty, and going insane with worry. If you thought the last government way of tackling debt was bad get ready for the next one we owe even more than we did in 2010
Not necessarily. The last great pandemic, Spanish Flu, died out after a couple of years, and more recently SARS, a close relative of Covid 19, disappeared up it’s own backside too. So who knows what will happen?
It didn’t die out, it burned itself out but not before it had killed 50 million people. And left us with H1N1 which still kills today but fortunately we have widespread annual vaccination now.
If people do not have the vaccination, they will help spread the virus more, also as tou say get on with our lives, but sadly the hospitals will be too busy from covid… as has been this last near two years, so many cancelled hospital appts… I have been waiting 18 months now…. luckily it is not too serious..
All part of the plan
Which plan is that then?
So the vaccinations don’t work then. Righto
No question, to keep the island as safe as it can be visitors should have a negative test before being allowed over. There are people here now that shouldn’t be (we are still in a National Lockdown). It is called being responsible and unselfish!
no it isn’t – we should be back to normal by now, instead we are still putting up with this crap.
Obvious you want another lockdown…
All these comments about it all being scaremongering . On Sunday it was 120 cases on the island, today its 208 cases,in less than a week ,FUNNY THAT. Just saying, as there is a lot of idiotic comments on here .
why was my post removed – there was no problem last summer – restrictions were lifted on 15th June as cases had dropped and the measures were working, it will be the same this year.
People won’t accept any more lockdowns. Most people are awake to the lies being told by the government now.
What are you talking about. So all governments all over the world agree on the same thing then….. that’s never happened EVER before in history. If the idiots don’t stick to what they are being told then YES there will be more lockdowns. Fact!!!!