Oh dear this is SO unbelievably poor Tim, have you even read the ‘Fact Check’ article that you found?!

In it it clearly states…

In the three months up to the end of July, 73% of ICU admissions were unvaccinated, but that figure had dropped to 47% in October and 48% in the first half of November.

The ICNARC data is about the number of ICU admissions, not the number of patients in ICU at any given time. It is possible unvaccinated Covid patients in ICU tend to be more severely ill. If so, it is also possible they spend longer in ICU on average, and might therefore make up the majority “in ICU” at a given time—but we don't have clear evidence on this so we can't say for sure.
The proportions may have changed again since the ICNARC data was published. It only goes up to 15 November, which predates the spread of the Omicron variant .

I clearly stated that the ‘90% of patients in ICU are unvaccinated’ claim, as reported this week by literally tens of mainstream media outlets, is for the current situation. Your alleged fact check data only goes up to 15 November which is almost 6 weeks ago AND is the number of ‘Admissions’ to ICU not the number of people actually in ICU. Your own Fact Check article even emphasises this point!

So in summary;
1) You haven’t even challenged the correct data.
2) The ICNARC data doesn’t include Scotland (which is most definitely part of the UK)
3) Your article refers to the wrong dates by some margin - so much so that ALL of the data ‘predates the spread of the Omicron’ variant.

Good Effort! You can pretty much find anything to prove anything on the internet…but when you do at least make it support your argument!

Edited by Phil’s Barber (24 Dec 2021 10.46am)

Ok a slight clarification. We have only been testing daily in the last week or so because of Christmas AND if we have been going out that day and because of this new Omicron variant being SO Transmissible and spreading so rapidly.

On the days we haven’t been going out (rare) we have not bothered because the previous one was negative etc. This is purely because of the time of year and importance over Xmas of people being able to see family etc and because my daughter was due to visit her boyfriends family on Boxing Day (with elderly grandparents) and I was due to visit my family from the 27th onwards and we all want to ensure we were clear of COVID.

My son took a test yesterday as he was due to go to a friends for a play date and sleep over. I’m glad he did as he could’ve inadvertently infected their whole family two days before Christmas.

We have a number of the Lateral Flow Test boxes (Each box contains 7 individual tests apparently) as we picked up the occasional box from Boots during the past 15 months when people were advised to test if they had symptoms or were unsure etc. We still have a number of these boxes (Expiry date 2023) and haven’t actually had to pick up any new supplies for the last 3-4 months and certainly not since supplies have started to diminish.

I wouldn’t be testing for the sake of it If I thought my actions were in any way to the detriment of others who needed a test but couldn’t get one. We have at least discovered my sons infection and prevented further transmission as a result.

In the tests we have - NHS Test & Trace COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test (from Boots) there has always been ample fluid in each tube and not a single test has been wasted.

Edited by Phil’s Barber (24 Dec 2021 11.18am)

I have just completed a lateral flow test. the result was negative.
The only misgiving I have is that the Government want me to register any test result on the NHS website "so they can track the disease".
My own philosophy, is that I have completed the test so I can visit my elderly neighbours this afternoon. This is to ensure the environment is as Covid free as can reasonably be ascertained.

I will only notify the NHS in the event of a positive test, and then become part of the monitoring regime.
I will not inform them of negative test result, as I am not going to become part of their huge personal and medical data-gathering exercise, until I need to be.

I disengage, I turn the page.

Yup don't like doing it but I do I must have done nearly hundred negative tests over the last year and a bit.

I guess it can help if you get in an argument with track and trace if you have posted say a negative test and they are telling you to self isolate but not happy doing it.

One more point

Yes, it's so hard to know the real number as there are factors that could lead to both under and over reporting. Tonnes of people who get a positive don't officially report it either, and of course many walk around asymptomatic not knowing that they even have it (a large number of cases are incidentally picked up at hospital for example. Some no doubt contracted there but many likely present from the get go).

I tend to follow the self reporting ZOE app as well as the mass swabbing by ONS. It wouldn't surprise be at the current pace if we're at about 2 million active infections. It's hard to see how it could feasibly go much higher than say 3 or 4 million before gradually petering out as it appears to be doing in South Africa. With it appearing to be more mild, if hospitals are fine in 2 or 3 weeks I'd say you're over the worst of Omicron. It's probably as much the risk of NHS staff all falling sick at the same time as admissions that's the concern! With each day that goes past without major issue, it's looking better I'd say. Fingers crossed.

I think this is happening more than we realise. I know of two people (friends) who have tested positive on Lateral Flow for Covid in the last few days but who are isolating at home alone and haven’t reported it, told their employers or told anyone other than a couple of close friends. They have both now finished work for Christmas and have no other plans until after the New Year. One of them was concerned that if they reported it or told their employer then 5 of their work colleagues who were all due to work over Christmas (4 x 12hour Bank Holidays on Double Pay) would all have had to self isolate (if it was the Omicron variant) so he didn’t report it mainly so as not to stiff them with missing out on their much needed Christmas Bank Holiday pay. Now putting to one side the fact that he should’ve reported it, as his colleagues may now be inadvertently infecting others, the point is they didn’t and there are positive cases going unreported.

I know of others who won’t take a test, even if they have symptoms and pass it off as ‘just a cold’ because again if they test positive for Covid they will have to self isolate and this will impact on them in a number of ways. Incredibly selfish and short sighted but again I bet this is happening a lot, especially because of Christmas and the plans people have made.