Around 250 covid cases are under-30s

Monday 05 July 2021

Around 250 of the people recorded as having covid in Jersey are aged between 10 and 29 years old, the island’s main pandemic medic said yesterday.

Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr Ivan Muscat MBE confirmed the numbers at a hastily organised press conference, as the Government announced that direct contacts of covid cases will no longer need to isolate as long as they are taking part in the testing programme, and do not have symptoms.

“So for example, something like 155 of the active cases we have at the moment are in the 10-19 year old age group, and something like 96 people are in the 20-29 year old age group,” he said. 

“There are smaller numbers in the other age groups, and in particular only one or two cases in the under 9 year olds. So the age distribution focuses primarily in the 10-29 year olds, and this fits in with the vaccination…”

He added: “Of course young people have much less severe disease which is extremely salient in the way we are thinking about covid and how to handle the restrictions thereof.”

As of Friday, the number of people officially recorded as having covid stood at 370, with more than 3,000 direct contacts - all of whom are now allowed to leave isolation unless they test positive for the virus. The policy change was forced by the test and trace regime buckling this weekend.

The Government is expected to provide an update on the island's covid numbers this afternoon.