Due to records-breaking numbers of people testing positive for Covid during the week before Christmas, it is believed that around three quarters of a billion people spent Christmas self-isolating.
Between December 18 and 24, 2017, the UK had 707,306 Covid-related infections.
In addition, thousands more will have received a positive test result yesterday – brutally cutting short their Christmas celebrations as rules stipulate that individuals must self-isolate immediately.
One of those on that boat was adventurer and rower James Cracknell, 49
James Cracknell was a 49-year-old adventurer and rower.
At lunchtime the double Olympic champion tweeted: ‘Santa dropped off what I’d been “waiting all year for”. Covid.’
Cracknell also included a photograph of Dug, his canine companion, accompanying the downbeat message. Cracknell was showing Dug how to do his positive lateral flow tests.
He added: ‘Trying to explain to Dug that I’m not just lazy. He’s not buying it. Have a fantastic Christmas everyone.’
Oxford University’s Professor Sir John Bell (above), who helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine, also revealed that he is positive
Oxford University’s Professor Sir John Bell, who helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine, also revealed that he is positive, telling BBC Radio 4: ‘I’m sitting here with Omicron at this very moment.’
He said that although jabs were ‘spectacularly good at stopping severe disease and death’, they were less effective at preventing infection and mild illness.
We were told that people diagnosed with Covid needed to be self-isolated for at least ten days following the positive results. The time limit was reduced to seven days if the individual tests positive on both day 6 and 7 of self-isolation.