Thread by @EricTopol

Why does the UK currently have 6-fold hospital admissions and a 3-fold higher death rate compared with Europe?
ft.com/content/345825… @FT @mroliverbarnes @jburnmurdoch @danieldombey
Among possible explanations, two that stand out are less use of mitigation measures /1

And less vaccination of kids, age 12-17

More reliance on Astra Zeneca vaccines offered as another possible contributing factor

Another potential explanation is that the UK vaccinated earlier than rest of Europe, and therefore has manifest more waning of protection, especially among older people
Graphs by @jburnmurdoch

Now @TheEconomist weighs in on this with similar ideas
economist.com/graphic-detail…
More waning from earlier vaxxing is a possible factor. The AY.4.2 variant is not the explanation.
The UK has done far better than the US for uncoupling cases from hospitalizations and deaths