Covid infections in England fall by two-thirds but spreading fastest among young
February 18, 2021, 12:17 pm

Covid infections in England fall by two-thirds but spreading fastest among young

Nearly a quarter of primary school pupils have been taught in-person this February, and experts warn over infection spread occurring at the school gates.

Experts urge care over opening schools as children aged 5-12 now in one of most common groups for virus

Covid infections have fallen by two-thirds in a month in England but the virus is now spreading most among primary-age children and young people, research suggests.

The React 1 study from Imperial College London points to the third national lockdown having significantly curbed the spread of the coronavirus despite the emergence of new variants.

Prevalence remains high however, with about one in 200 people infected with Covid between 4 and 13 February, compared with about three times that number between 6 and 21 January, the interim findings showed.

On Wednesday scientists told MPs that the UK could begin to ease out of lockdown more quickly than it did the first time round.

Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said: “I think we do have reasons to be more confident that we can move out of lockdown swifter than we could have done out of the first one.”

Woolhouse told the Commons science and technology committee that reviews of evidence shown that schools could have safely reopened sooner and that outdoor spreading of the virus was very rare. School reopenings had not caused a surge in cases across western Europe while to his knowledge there had never been an outbreak linked to a beach anywhere in the world, he added.

But other experts warned of the need for “careful” in the reopening of schools – expected to start from 8 March in England, and from 22 February in Scotland and Wales – in light of the React study data.

The researchers said the decline in prevalence in England was seen across all age groups, with Covid now most commonly found among 5- to 12-year-olds and 18- to 24-year-olds. Researchers said there was no sign yet in their data of the impact of the UK’s vaccination programme on infections; the drop in prevalence was similar among the over-65s as with other age groups.

The team suggested the relatively high prevalence in younger children could be due to a greater proportion of this age group still attending school. A survey found in February that nearly a quarter of primary school pupils were being taught in-person.

But Prof Paul Elliott, of Imperial College London, director of the React programme, stressed infections could be picked up beyond the classroom, such as while collecting children from school.

Prof Steven Riley, another author of the report from Imperial College, said the reopening of schools was thought to increase the R (virus reproduction) number slightly but that the move remained the highest priority as the country left lockdown; there would need to be “a very delicate trade-off”.

Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London, and a member of the Independent Sage group of experts, who was not involved in the study, said that the React results were encouraging.

But she said the finding that Covid was more common among younger children was of potential concern if linked to primary school attendance. “If this is the reason, it’s a sign that opening schools in March has to be done very carefully,” she said.

Elliott said the decline in prevalence since the previous React study had happened across England, and was particularly dramatic in London, England’s south-east and the West Midlands. However, the fall was less clear in some other parts of the country, including Yorkshire and the Humber; prevalence was now highest in the north-east and north-west.

The population surveillance study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, suggests that infections are halving every 15 days. If the trend is similar to that for infections it could take more than six weeks for cases to fall below 1,000 a day – from 12,718 on Wednesday and 9,236 on Tuesday – as advocated by the former health secretary Jeremy Hunt before restrictions can be significantly lifted.

Elliott said infections had dropped but prevalence remained higher than when the study began in May 2020. “The last time we saw a prevalence of this rate was around late September last year,” he said.

source: Nicola Davis

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.