The average age of Covid patients in intensive care has plummeted by ten years because of the vaccine rollout.
Over the past three months, the critically-ill have been 49 on average, compared with 59 in the second wave of the pandemic.
Around half of those admitted to intensive care units are under 50, and nearly one third under 40.
The NHS figures illustrate the dramatic success of vaccines in protecting older adults, almost all of whom have been double-jabbed.
Wards are instead filling up with those most likely to be unvaccinated, including young adults, pregnant women and people from black or deprived communities.
Coronavirus is still in retreat across Britain, boosting hopes that the third wave is ebbing.
Weekly infections are down by 30 per cent and yesterday 24,470 cases were reported, down from a summer peak of 54,674 on July 17.
The average age of a Covid patient in intensive care in Britain has fallen from 59 to 49, new figures show (Pictured: Critical care staff treat Covid patient at King's College Hospital in London in January)
Another 65 deaths were logged while the number of patients in hospital with the virus has dropped slightly.
Daily hospital admissions for Covid have still not topped 1,000 a day despite warnings from scientists that this was inevitable.
Another 911 were recorded yesterday, taking the total to 5,916. This compares with nearly 40,000 in January.
Although cases have been similar to the January peak, vaccines have slashed the numbers in hospital.
Two doses provide over 90 per cent protection against hospitalisation.
A report by the Intensive Care National Audit & Research Centre looked at the 2,385 people admitted to
