The rate of Covid-19 infection in Swindon today is the highest it has been since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Swindon Borough Council’s director of public health Steve Maddern told members of the Health and Wellbeing Board the news at its meeting yesterday.

Mr Maddern said: “The current rate is 727.7 per 100,000 people. 

"That’s higher than the south west average of 579.9 per 100,000 and the England rate of 445.8 per 100,000, although the rate is increasing in all three.”

In January this year the infection rate was 642 per 100,000 people. Mr Maddern explained Swindon did not have the highest rate of infection in the south west, with two areas faring even worse.

There are currently 1,622 new cases of the virus in the borough, with 61 people in hospital confirmed with the disease and five suspected of having it. Seven of those people are in intensive care.

Mr Maddern said this was a big increase over last week’s figures and it has been driven by two main factors – more infections among the young and the documented problems at the testing centre in Wolverhampton which produced  hundreds of false negative PCR tests before being closed down.

The centre handled thousands of tests taken in the south west, including in Swindon.
Mr Maddern said: “People were taking lateral flow tests and getting a positive result.

They’d have a PCR test and get a negative result and go about their business and that would increase the community transmission.

“The steep increases in confirmed cases this week has come about partly because everyone who got a negative test has been contacted and retested, so that’s come in one go. It does mean that they will have been removed from community transmission as they’re isolating.”

Mr Maddern said lateral flow tests, which can be taken at home and give a result in 30 minutes, should be accepted.

He said: “If it comes up positive, you should take it as correct.”

The other driver for the increase of infections in Swindon is children and young people.

There has been a big jump in infections of those between 10-14 and 14-19. The next biggest group for infections is the 35-40 age bracket. Mr Maddern said: “It seems to be young people come home with it and  pass it on to their families.

“We have half-term coming up which could act as a natural fire-break, but it could mean more contact for young people with others from outside the borough.”

Great Western Hospital chief executive Kevin MacNamara confirmed the majority of people in intensive care had not been vaccinated. There are double-jabbed people in hospital, but they are older and would have been vaccinated earlier and due for a booster.

Both he and Mr Maddern urged people to book their booster jabs.

Clinical director of the Swindon CCG Amanda Webb said: “It’s being done by practices to co-ordinate with flu jabs, so eligible people can book both for the same visit.” 
Those eligible can also book a visit to the community vaccination centre at STEAM.