THE number of people testing positive for Covid in the UK has plummeted by almost a quarter in just a week.
Another 39,842 people were newly-diagnosed with the deadly bug today – a huge drop from this time last week, when 52,009 people were told they had the virus.
Deaths, however, are up on last Thursday, when 115 fatalities were reported.
A further 165 people were recorded to have lost their lives today.
Last Thursday's case rate was the highest reported in the country since July 17.
And the fall today may be connected to schools being closed for the half-term holiday.
Despite that, the figures suggest the UK is moving in the right direction – and may avoid horrifying predictions of 100,000 new infections every day.
It's been suggested that the country would be at risk of Plan B restrictions if cases had continued to rise.
But top scientists say we could avoid a return to social distancing and masks if all those suitable for the jab sign up.
And Professor Neil Ferguson – dubbed 'Professor Lockdown' after his warnings on the UK's potential death toll led to the first restrictions last March – said the virus could be in retreat already.
"Herd immunity is having an enormous effect right now on damping transmission due to the huge amount of vaccination and the large number of people who have been infected already," he said.
“We may reach a stage in the next few weeks where immunity stops transmission. If the epidemic peaks and then starts declining, we have by definition reached herd immunity.
“We will start getting data from the booster programme in the coming few weeks and I suspect it will show the boosters are highly effective at protecting individuals."
Meanwhile, Brits have been urged to take matters into their own hands to drive down infections and keep safe this winter.
Prof Tim Spector, lead scientist of the ZOE Covid Symptom Study App, said he believed 100,000 new infections a day is still possible.
'WE'RE REACHING HERD IMMUNITY'
According to new data, cases increased by 14 per cent week-on-week.
“The ZOE data shows the UK could hit 100,000 new cases sooner than expected and with no sign of a Plan B or Plan C," he said.
"The ZOE figures are consistently higher than the official confirmed daily cases because we get results from various sources, including self-reported lateral flow tests that are under-reported officially.
"With the confirmation of our estimates from the ONS’s fortnightly survey, it’s clear the government figures are a big under-estimate, and with the highest rates in Western Europe, there’s no room for complacency.
"With the UK government delaying any decision while hospitals fill up, it's time to take matters into our own hands to address the worsening situation."
The Government says it's not currently considering a 'plan B', which would see working from home return and vaccine passports mandated.
Some parts of England were already set to see measures brought in by the end of the month.
GOOD NEWS AS CASES DROP
Prof Spector warned everyone must be vaccinated and keep wearing facemasks on public transport and crowded spots.
He said Brits should work more from home and avoid unventilated crowded events.
The expert also urged anyone feeling ill to stay at home and tested.
He said: "There’s a lot of cold and flu out there making it harder than ever to tell the difference between a harmless cold or Covid.
"However, there are some symptoms that are very telling of Covid, particularly loss of smell and taste.
"If you feel ill, always check by taking a quick and easy Lateral Flow Test, even if you think it’s just a cold.”
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