00:00A new COVID wave may already be sweeping through the UK and the numbers are more alarming than
00:05you think. Since April, a new COVID variant called Stratus or XFG has quietly taken over
00:11as the dominant strain in the UK. At first, it didn't cause a huge surge in overall cases.
00:17It was simply replacing older variants, keeping things steady. But now that's starting to change.
00:22In just over a week, COVID positivity rates in hospital patients jumped by 22%, and by August
00:2815th, the increase hit 44%. That's four times higher than it was in January. And we haven't
00:35even hit peak flu season yet. With kids heading back to school, people traveling abroad. And cooler
00:41weather pushing us all indoors. Experts fear a full-blown summer wave could already be underway.
00:46To make matters worse, immunity from vaccines and past infections is wearing off. And this new
00:51variant may dodge older vaccines more easily. Despite all this, the government has cut 13
00:57million people from the autumn booster plan, including pregnant women and those with heart
01:01conditions. Scientists say that MOVE could only fuel the fire. So are we in a new COVID wave already?
01:07The numbers are pointing in that direction and fast.
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