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Coronavirus in UK

A further 12,330 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 205 people have died in the UK in the last 24 hours, government figures show.

The number of cases is a slight rise from the 12,155 new cases seen on Sunday - with the number of fatalities falling slightly from 215.
It brings the total number of coronavirus cases in the UK to 1,629,657, and the total number of deaths involving COVID-19 to 58,448.

In Wales there were another 802 cases and three deaths. It brings the total number of confirmed cases to 80,342 and the total deaths since the start of the pandemic to 2,540, according to Public Health Wales.

A further 183 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed hospital deaths to 40,588, NHS England said on Monday.

Patients were aged between 52 and 95. All except three, aged between 84 and 93, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between 5 November and 29 November, with the majority on or after 23 November.
 
Covid: Alcohol ban for Welsh pubs and restaurants from Friday

Welsh pubs, restaurants and cafes will be banned from serving alcohol from Friday and will be unable to open to customers beyond 18:00 GMT.

First Minister Mark Drakeford announced the new rules to tackle a rise in coronavirus cases.

Business groups said the move would devastate Wales' hospitality industry, with closures "guaranteed".

Indoor entertainment and visitor attractions, including cinemas, museums and galleries, will also have to shut.

Businesses can offer a takeaway service after 18:00, and if they have an off-licence can sell takeaway alcohol up until 22:00.

The Conservative leader in the Senedd, Paul Davies, said the national approach from the Welsh Government was unfair on areas with low Covid rates.

Plaid Cymru said hospitality was "paying the price" for a lack of stricter measures after the firebreak lockdown ended on 9 November.

Mr Drakeford said without changes there could be between 1,000 and 1,700 preventable deaths over the winter.

The first minister said firms hit by the restrictions would be offered £340m in support which he claimed was "the most generous package of financial assistance anywhere in the UK".

Mr Drakeford told a press conference: "I know these new restrictions will be difficult, coming as they do at the one of the busiest times of the year for the sector.

"Unfortunately, we continue to face a virus which is moving incredibly quickly across Wales and a virus that will exploit every opportunity when we spend time with one another."

The case rate has risen from 187 per 100,000 people over seven days on Friday, to 210 cases per 100,000 people, Mr Drakeford added.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-55128305.
 
Coronavirus: New Covid tier system comes into force in England

England has returned to a tiered system of coronavirus restrictions after its second national lockdown ended.

The tougher new system came into force on Wednesday after being approved by MPs in a Commons vote on Tuesday.

The government said the move would help "safeguard the gains made during the past month", despite 55 Tories voting against PM Boris Johnson's plan.

More than 55 million people are in the strictest two tiers and cannot mix indoors with those in other households.

Non-essential shops and other businesses, including personal care services such as hairdressers and beauty salons, can now reopen for the first time in four weeks.

It comes after a period which has seen the collapse of Topshop owner Arcadia group and the failure of department store chain Debenhams to secure a buyer - putting 25,000 jobs at risk.

A stock clearance sale will start at Debenhams at 07:00 GMT following the end of the lockdown.

British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson said businesses were looking forward to welcoming back customers, with billions lost in sales during the lockdown, adding "every purchase we make is a retailer helped, a job protected and a local community supported".

Pubs and restaurants are now allowed to reopen in tier one and two areas, although in tier two alcohol can only be served with a "substantial meal".

The government has also announced that people living in care homes in England will be able to have visits from family and friends by Christmas, if the visitors test negative for coronavirus.

And later on Wednesday about 10,000 fans will be allowed into six games in the English Football League for the first time, other than a few pilot games, since March.

The new restrictions are tougher than the previous tier system, which was in place before the lockdown was introduced in November.

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Under the system every area of the country is in one of three tiers - medium (one), high (two) and very high (three) - with the vast majority of the population in the higher two tiers.

In tier two, people are not allowed to mix with anyone outside their household or support bubble indoors, although they can socialise in groups of up to six outdoors.

And in tier three, people must also not mix with anyone outside their household or support bubble indoors, or at most outdoor venues.

Opening the debate in the Commons on Tuesday, Mr Johnson urged MPs to support his proposals - offering an additional £40m for some pubs in tiers two and three.

He said he appreciated the "feeling of injustice" in some areas and pledged to "look in granular detail" at the "human geography" of the virus when the tiers are reviewed.

Closing the debate for the government, an emotional Matt Hancock described how he had been personally affected by the virus, after his step-grandfather died from Covid-19.

"We can afford to let up a little, we just can't afford to let up a lot," he told MPs.

Conservative rebel Mark Harper, who chairs the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs, said the government "must find a way to... end this devastating cycle of repeated restrictions, and start living in a sustainable way until an effective and safe vaccine is successfully rolled out across the population".
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55153899.
 
England's Test and Trace says 110,620 people tested positive for COVID-19 at least once between 19 November and 25 November and 72.5% of 246,604 contacts identified were reached and asked to self-isolate
 
There have been a further 14,879 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 414 deaths recorded in the UK in the last 24 hours, government figures show.

The update brings the total number of coronavirus cases in the UK to 1,674,134 - and takes the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test to 60,113.

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies for deaths where COVID-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show that there have now been 76,000 deaths overall involving COVID-19 in the UK.

It comes as the UK prepares to begin its COVID-19 vaccination programme, with Professor Jonathan Van-Tam having revealed that the first deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab are likely to arrive today.
 
Where are England's coronavirus hotspots among older people?

One of the key criteria the government has said it will look at now England has re-entered the tiered system of lockdown restrictions is coronavirus cases in people over the age of 60.

So, where is the infection most widespread among older people across England?

The BBC has analysed the latest figures for areas with both the highest infection rates in the over-60s population, and areas where the virus is more prevalent in older people than those younger.

Where are the hotspots?
In the week to 28 November Boston, in Lincolnshire, had the highest number of coronavirus cases among the over-60s, at about 564 per 100,000 people.

This was higher than the rate among people under 60, which was about 541 per 100,000 over the same period.

Among all cases, the area had the third highest infection rate in England. Lincolnshire moved into Tier 3 when the England-wide lockdown ended on Wednesday.

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The county seeing the most areas with the highest infection rates in over-60s was Kent.

Swale, Gravesham, Thanet and Medway all had more than 300 cases per 100,000 among the over 60s, with Maidstone recording a rate of 244.

Most of the areas seeing the highest infection rates in older people have even higher rates in those under 60.

However, there have been some places where the opposite was true.

East Northamptonshire had the largest gap between its infection rates among older and younger people.

The rate in older people in the week to 28 November was about 211 cases per 100,000 people, nearly double the rate in under 60s of 110.

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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-55074293.
 
COVID-19: UK cases rise by 16,298 and another 504 deaths reported
 
The Queen will reportedly receive the COVID19 vaccine within weeks and make it public afterwards
 
Nottingham's Christmas market closes for the rest of the year

A Christmas market which sparked concerns over the spread of coronavirus has closed - one day after it opened.

Nottingham's Winter Wonderland opened on Saturday despite objections from residents in the city, which is under tier three restrictions.

Organiser Mellors Group initially announced a temporary closure due to "unprecedented high footfall".

On Sunday, the city council said it had made a joint decision with the organisers not to reopen this year.

The market was set to run from 10:00 to 21:00 GMT every day until Christmas Eve.

Crowds forced it to close at 18:00 on Saturday.

Similar annual events in cities including Birmingham and Manchester were cancelled this year due to the pandemic.

Jo Cox-Brown, from Night Time Economy Solutions, said she had been in the city centre to support Small Business Saturday and witnessed crowds where people were close together and not wearing masks.

She said she worried the market could cause a spike in local coronavirus cases.

"It wasn't being well-managed it wasn't being very well-controlled," she said.

'Pent-up demand'
"People were defecating in doorways because there's no toilets open."

Ms Cox-Brown said many people who had been in touch were "really angry" the event went ahead and felt organisers were "putting their Christmas at risk".

Trader Simon Bonsai said he was "hugely disappointed" by the closure after a brisk day of trading on Saturday, but said the decision was "obvious".

"It was so busy last night, there were too many people about," he said.

In a joint statement, Mellors Group and the city council said it implemented a "wide range of measures" to ensure compliance with tier three restrictions.

"However, numbers were too large to implement these effectively," they said.

"We're sorry it has not worked out."

Mellors previously said there had been "pent-up demand" for city-centre shopping after the second nationwide lockdown, which ended on Wednesday.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-55206779.
 
Another 14,718 coronavirus cases and 189 related deaths have been recorded in the UK.

The numbers show a slight fall from the figures released on Sunday, when 17,272 cases were reported along with 231 related deaths.

It comes as the first coronavirus vaccines are set to be given to over-80s, healthcare workers and care home residents from tomorrow.
 
A further 325 people have died in hospital in England with coronavirus

It brings the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 42,904, NHS England said on Tuesday.

Patients were aged between 42 and 101. All except 12, aged between 56 and 93, had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between 5 November and 7 December with the majority on or after 4 December.
 
Covid: Schools in England can close for Christmas a day early

Schools in England will be allowed to close a day early for Christmas to give teachers "a proper break" from identifying potential Covid-19 cases.

Schools minister Nick Gibb told MPs that schools could schedule an inset day next Friday to allow "six clear days" before Christmas Eve.

He said this would ensure teachers and heads do not have to engage with "track and trace issues" throughout the break.

Teachers unions have been calling for flexibility over school term dates.

Last month, the government had told schools in England not to change their Christmas holidays or close early this term in its Covid-19 Winter Plan.

Speaking to a virtual education select committee, Mr Gibb said: "We are about to announce that inset days can be used on Friday December 18, even if an inset day had not been originally scheduled for that day.

"We want there to be a clear six days so that, by the time we reach Christmas Eve, staff can have a proper break without having to engage in the track and trace issues."

Inset days - or in-service training days - mean teachers will be in schools for professional development but pupils will be absent.

Unions have been asking for the government to give schools the flexibility to switch to remote learning for the final few days of term and reduce the risk of pupils and staff having to self-isolate over Christmas.

Mr Gibb said that the government wanted schools to stay open until the end of term as it was the "best place for young people for their education", development and for their mental health.

But he added: "We want to make sure that they (school staff) can have a proper break over Christmas. We know they've been under huge stress.

"I don't think some of these senior leadership teams of schools have had a break at all since the pandemic began."

Schools will be allowed to finish term on Thursday next week, but there may be one less scheduled inset day in 2021 if they decide to do this, Mr Gibb added.

'Better than nothing'
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), described the announcement of an inset day as a "small concession", saying they had hoped for "more flexibility than has been granted".

"A single day is better than nothing, but it still means that school and college leaders will have to continue contact tracing in the event of positive cases through to Wednesday December 23," he said.

"It also leaves them responsible, at very short notice, for informing families that they will need to self-isolate over the Christmas period."

He added that it was "frustrating" the government had taken so long to agree the decision as there was "so little time left for schools to make the necessary arrangements".

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders' union, said the move could still be "insufficient" to meet the needs of some families and schools.

He added: "A chaotic and disruptive end of term is still possible, especially in areas where there are large numbers of Covid cases and high levels of staff and pupil absence already."
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/education-55239588.
 
COVID-19 in the UK: Another 533 deaths reported and 16,578 new cases
 
The UK has reported another 533 deaths with COVID-19 and 16,578 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours.

That compares to 12,282 cases and 616 deaths on Tuesday, according to government data.

It means the total number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus is now 62,566.
 
Coronavirus: 'London must enter tier 3 now' warn experts

London should be placed in tier three "now" to avoid a spike in deaths over Christmas, experts have warned.

The city saw a spike in Covid-19 cases at the end of England-wide lockdown on 2 December, new figures have revealed.

Government officials are due to meet on 16 December to review what tier each area should be allocated.

Prof John Ashton, author of Blinded by Corona, said "if London doesn't want hospitals to be full over Christmas the government need to get a grip today".

"Deaths will start going up during the Christmas period and new year unless something is done," said Prof Ashton, a former regional director of public health for north-west England.

"London could become a super spreader, sending coronavirus to other parts of the country over Christmas and making a third wave of infections likely in January.

"London always gets treated differently from the rest of the country because that is where parliament is and where a lot of the business community is."

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PHE data shows 21 of London's 32 boroughs have infection rates higher than the overall rate for England of 150 cases per 100,000 people.

Taken together, London's outer boroughs have an infection rate of 205 cases per 100,000 - higher than the current rate in Leicestershire, Tees Valley or Bristol, all of which are in tier three restrictions.

Havering, in east London, has a rate at 362 per 100,000.

From 23 December lockdown restriction will be eased to allow up to three households to meet up for five days over Christmas.

People can mix in homes, places of worship and outdoor spaces, and travel restrictions will also be eased.

"The risks associated with Christmas are huge, even without this rise," Dr Mike Gill, former regional director of public health for the south-east region, said.

"People should take steps to vastly reduce their contact. A tier-three lockdown will contribute to this very significantly.

"Otherwise you will see hospital admissions rise, and we know that a proportion of those who are hospitalised die.

"We need lockdowns because there has been complete failure to get a robust suppression strategy through track and trace."

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there were questions about the timing of placing stricter restrictions before the Christmas break.

Mr Khan said: "There's growing speculation among political leaders in the capital that London needs to move to the highest tier.

"Some question whether it would be effective for London to move to a tougher regime for only a few days before the festive period - when conditions are being loosened across the country."

Mr Khan urged Londoners to follow the rules to avoid a further surge in cases.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Tiering decisions are based on a range of criteria including how quickly case rates are going up or down, cases in the over 60s, pressure on the NHS and local circumstances.

"The government will review the tiering allocations every 14 days and areas will move up or down the tiers based on these indicators from local areas."
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-55245417.
 
The UK has recorded 20,964 more COVID-19 cases - a rise of 4,386 compared to yesterday's figure of 16,578.

It is the highest daily increase since mid-November - and it brings the total number of infections during the pandemic to 1,787,783.
Another 516 coronavirus-related deaths have also been reported in the latest 24-hour period - a slight fall on the 533 fatalities confirmed on Wednesday.

Since the start of the crisis, a total of 63,082 people in the UK have died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19.

Separate figures from statistics agencies where COVID-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate show there have now been 79,000 deaths involving the virus.

Meanwhile, coronavirus rates in England are now highest in London, but infections have plateaued nationwide, separate figures show.


The capital had the highest average infection rate in the country - 191.8 per 100,000 people - for the week of 30 November to 6 December, according to the weekly surveillance survey by Public Health England.

This is up from 158.1 per 100,00 in the previous week.
 
Covid-19: Canary Islands added to UK quarantine list

Travellers returning to the UK from Spain's Canary Islands from Saturday morning must self-isolate for two weeks, the transport secretary has said.

Grant Shapps said this was because of rising infection rates on the islands.

The Canary Islands are popular with winter holidaymakers, being one of the few parts of Europe warm enough for beach holidays.

Travellers to mainland Spain already have to isolate.

The restrictions will be in place from 04:00 GMT on Saturday 12 December.

Industry body Airlines UK has previously said the islands were "hugely important" for winter travel and represent "over 50% of bookings for some tour operators".

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Botswana have been added to the UK's safe travel corridor list, meaning travellers will not need to self isolate if arriving from these places after 04:00 on Saturday.

The Department for Transport said there had been a "sharp increase" in the number of positive coronavirus tests in the Canary Islands, which had been added to the government's safe travel list in October.

Tui woes
More than 800 people are waiting to find out if their Tui holidays to Tenerife tomorrow morning will be cancelled, because the Foreign Office has not yet decided whether to also advise against travel to the islands.

Between 06:00 and 11:00 on Friday morning, six flights from various English airports are due to fly out to Tenerife with package holidaymakers.

If the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against travel to the Canary Islands, Tui will cancel all holidays immediately as this change invalidates travel insurance.

It also expects to cancel its entire Christmas holiday schedule.

That would be a blow for the operator which announced losses of €3bn (£2.74bn) on Thursday.

At the moment, Tui has received no guidance on how to proceed.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55263038.
 
The UK's R number has risen slightly to between 0.9 and 1 in the UK, according to new figures.

R represents the average number of people each person with COVID-19 goes on to infect.

Last week, the estimated R number was between 0.8 and 1.0 in the UK - its lowest level since August.

An outbreak can grow exponentially when the figure is above 1.

The R value in England is between 0.8 and 1, but the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), said it is not confident that R is below 1 in all English regions, particularly in London and parts of the South East.

It also said the data more accurately represents the average situation over the past few weeks rather than present-day.
 
Isolation period will reduce to 10 days from Monday

People in the UK will only have to isolate for 10 days after they come into contact with someone who has coronavirus from Monday.

The self-isolation period is being reduced from 14 days after a meeting of all four nations' chief medical officers.

Those required to quarantine after returning from countries that are not on the travel corridor list will also see their isolation period reduced.

The health chiefs said in a joint statement that following a review of the evidence, they were "confident" that the self-isolation period could be shortened.

This reduction already applies in Wales following an announcement by the Welsh government earlier this week, while it will take effect in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland from Monday.

The new rules will apply to all those who are currently self-isolating, including those who began doing so before Monday.
 
Official figures show the UK has recorded 21,672 new Covid-19 cases and 424 further deaths in the latest 24-hour period
 
Coronavirus: More restrictions in new year 'inevitable' in NI

More restrictions at the start of the new year are "inevitable," NI Health Minister Robin Swann has said.

Speaking on Friday, he said the severity of those restrictions would "depend on people's actions over the next few weeks".

A two-week limited lockdown, which was imposed on 27 November, ended at 23:59 GMT on Thursday.

Mr Swann urged the NI public use the time "wisely" and not be careless as restrictions ease.

He said he understood the "frustration" of those families who have not been able to see loved ones in care homes.

Some care homes 'reluctant'
"My department has put in guidance, advice and funding for care homes to allow safe visiting and the development of care partners," Mr Swann told BBC News NI.

The Department of Health has advised homes to allow one nominated member per family to act as a care partner and to be allowed to visit their relative.

But some care homes have expressed concern at the plan and have refused to allow visits.

"Some homes can deliver it. What I can't understand is why some homes are reluctant or unable to do so," he added.

He said he had asked a team of senior officials to look at what steps must be taken to "make sure those families can visit loved ones over the Christmas period."

"As a department we will be there to support and push those who need forceful encouragement," he said.

The Independent Health and Care Providers (IHCP), a group representing the industry, said it was unclear what homes were not able to comply or whether those homes fell under their umbrella.

Chief Executive Officer Pauline Shepherd said there had been only minimal interest from families in the care partner idea - that families would rather visit their loved ones than provide care.

IHCP has also highlighted that care homes are required to cancel visiting when there is an outbreak at a home and pointed out that there are currently 107 homes dealing with an outbreak.

It has said it fully supports the need for visiting but that it must be balanced with risk mitigations.

Self-isolation for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus will be shortened from 14 to 10 days across the UK from Monday, 14 December.

The Northern Ireland Covid-19 apps -StopCOVID NI app and COVIDCare NI - will be updated to reflect the changes.

Mr Swann said this followed advice from the four chief medical officers based on the evidence as to how the virus is progressing.

The head of health protection at the Public Health Agency, Dr Gerry Waldron, said the organisation is preparing for another rise in Covid-19 cases in the new year and may need to hire more staff.

"We could well have an additional 100 people working, we could have more than that, depending on the people who come forward.

"I would sincerely hope we won't need them, but we are making those preparations."

'Positive tests'
The number of Covid-related deaths registered in Northern Ireland has risen again in the latest weekly figures.

A total of 98 deaths were registered in the week up to Friday 4 December, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

That is 17 more deaths than the previous week.

It brings Nisra's total of registered Covid-related deaths to 1,480 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Nisra's figures are based on mentions of the virus on death certificates, so people may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.

By comparison, the Department of Health's daily figures are based on a positive test result having been recorded.

On Friday, the department reported 12 coronavirus-related deaths, bringing its total to 1,111.

There 538 more confirmed cases of the virus, meaning there have been 57,257 positive tests in Northern Ireland.

Care home deaths
Its comparative number of deaths for Friday 4 December was 1,039.

Of the 1,480 deaths recorded by Nisra, 884 were of people in hospital, including 127 people normally resident in care homes.

Taking that figure, and the 503 who died in care homes, it means care home residents account for just over two-fifths of all Covid-19 related deaths (42.0%).

Other deaths were recorded by Nisra in hospices (0.6%) and residential locations (7.0%).

Deaths in care homes and hospices involved 124 separate establishments.

People aged 75 and over account for just over three-quarters of all Covid-19 related registered deaths (77.4%) in the year so far, according to Nisra.

A quarter (25.0%) of all Covid-19 related registered deaths have been of people with an address in the Belfast council area.

The provisional number of all deaths for the week ending 4 December was 387.

That is 39 more than the previous week and 65 more than the five-year average of 322.

Excess deaths are those above what would normally be expected at the time of year, averaged over five years.

Nisra found 1,854 excess deaths have been registered in the past 36 weeks.

Outbreak at meat plant
Separately, a meat plant in Londonderry has partially closed due to a Covid outbreak.

Foyle Meats said it had become concerned when a number of its staff tested positive for the virus.

Mass testing of workers last week found a number of others who were positive but not showing symptoms.

As a result, it said it had taken the decision to close a number of areas in the plant.

Workers testing positive will be asked to self-isolate for 10 days and their close contacts for 14 days.

It is one of a number of meat plants forced to close since the start of the Covid pandemic.

They are normally fully operational once staff return after deep cleans.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55271754.
 
More COVID-19 deaths in English hospitals

Another 314 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in England today which occurred between 7 November and 11 December.

Patients were aged between 38 and 102.

All, except from 11 patients (between 63 and 93), had known underlying health issues.
 
COVID-19: UK reports another 519 coronavirus deaths and 21,502 cases
 
Covid: Relaxing restrictions 'could trigger third wave', NHS bosses warn

Relaxing Covid restrictions could trigger a third wave of the virus during the busiest time of year for hospitals, NHS bosses have warned.

In a letter to the PM, NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts in England, urged "extreme caution" in moving any area to a lower tier.

England's three-tier system is due to be reviewed on 16 December.

The government said it "will not hesitate to take necessary actions to protect local communities".

Decisions on tiers are made by ministers, based on the latest available data and advice from public health experts, a spokesperson added.

On Saturday the UK reported a further 519 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test and 21,502 new cases.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, told the BBC: "We're about to hit our busiest time of year so people are really worried that if we relax the restrictions now the NHS simply won't be able to cope with all of the work that it needs to do in late December, January and February."

In its letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, NHS Providers said while there were "good signs of progress" in some parts of the country, there was a "worrying increase in infection rates across a wide range of areas", including Essex, Kent, London and parts of Lincolnshire.

It called for areas to be moved into tier three - the highest level of restrictions - "as soon as this is needed, without any delay".

Earlier this week, some health experts called for the capital to be placed in tier three "now" after official figures showed Outer London had a higher infection rate than some areas already in the top tier.

NHS Providers added that "the evidence of the second wave suggests that unless infection rates fall to a very low level, as they did in London after the first wave, the virus will spread again quickly as soon as restrictions on social contact are relaxed".

"Trust leaders are worried that if infection rates remain as high as they are at the moment, relaxing the restrictions will trigger a third wave," it said.

The letter warned of "significant pressure" on hospital beds, with 13,000 patients in hospital with Covid-19 on Thursday, compared with 500 at the beginning of September.

"Over each of the last five winters, demand for NHS beds has significantly outstripped capacity," it said.

"Yet we are now facing the extremely concerning prospect of the NHS having 10,000 fewer beds (9%) in operation than last year, due to infection control measures, and many thousands of the remaining beds occupied by Covid-19 patients."

It added that trust leaders were "very worried about the task they face between late December and February", as they try to balance large numbers of Covid patients, alongside winter pressures and the new demands of the coronavirus vaccination programme.

A government spokesperson said: "We have introduced strengthened local restrictions to protect the progress gained during national restrictions, reduce pressure on the NHS and ultimately save lives.

"On top of our record NHS investment, this winter we are providing an extra £3bn to maintain independent sector and Nightingale hospital surge capacity and a further £450m to upgrade and expand A&Es."

Although the letter stopped short of arguing for a review of the temporary relaxation of restrictions over Christmas, it urged the prime minister to "personally lead a better public debate about the risks inherent in the guidance".

Between 23 and 27 December, three households will be able to form a "bubble", allowing them to mix indoors and stay overnight.

Citing evidence of a rise in infection rates following Thanksgiving celebrations in the US, NHS Providers warned "a relaxation of restrictions on social contact, combined with the natural desire to come together for a traditional festival, will inevitably increase the spread of the virus".

"We are concerned that the current public debate on these rules is ignoring the significant extra risk involved in this temporary relaxation," it said.

"The prevailing public perception is: 'Thank goodness we can celebrate Christmas.' We believe it is vital for the public to understand that any extra social contact, particularly with those who are vulnerable to the effects of the virus, is risky and that they need to think very carefully before initiating such contact over the Christmas period."

A government spokesperson said: "We know that Christmas cannot be normal this year, but we have worked closely with devolved administrations to reach agreement on a single set of UK-wide measures to help people come together with their loved ones in a way that is as safe as possible."
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55288374.
 
COVID-19: UK reports another 18,447 coronavirus cases and 144 deaths

Yesterday's figures were 519 deaths and 21,502 cases, while last Sunday it was 17,272 and 231.
 
Britons told not to stockpile food ahead of January

Households have been warned not to stockpile food and toilet roll ahead of 1 January when the UK stops trading under EU rules.

On Sunday, the UK and the EU agreed to extend a deadline aimed at reaching a deal on post-Brexit trade.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said ongoing uncertainty made it harder for firms to prepare for the New Year.

But it said shops had plenty of supplies and shoppers must not buy more food than usual.

"Retailers are doing everything they can to prepare for all eventualities on 1 January - increasing the stock of tins, toilet rolls and other longer life products so there will be sufficient supply of essential products," said BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.

"While no amount of preparation by retailers can entirely prevent disruption there is no need for the public to buy more food than usual as the main impact will be on imported fresh produce, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, which cannot be stored for long periods by either retailers or consumers."

Supermarkets are now used to dealing with anxious shoppers.

During the first lockdown earlier this year to stop the spread of the coronavirus, grocers introduced limits on goods such as toilet roll, dried pasta and UHT milk after panic buying by Britons.

There are fears shoppers might think disruption at ports after 31 December could lead to shortages in shops as the UK transitions to new trading rules with the EU.

The UK and the EU have agreed to carry on trade talks past Sunday's deadline.

In a joint statement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was "responsible at this point to go the extra mile".

But Mr Johnson told the BBC the two sides are "still very far part on some key things", and said the "most likely" course is an Australian-style trade deal with the EU.

He admitted that this type of deal "it is not where we wanted to get to but if we have to end up with that solution the UK is more than prepared".

However, Ms Dickinson warned: "Without a deal, the British public will face over £3bn in food tariffs and retailers would have no choice but to pass on some of these additional costs to their customers who would see higher prices filter though during 2021."

Other business groups welcomed the extension to trade talks but also cautioned that it was imperative that the UK avoid a no deal Brexit with the EU.

"The news that talks will continue gives hope," said Tony Danker, director-general of the CBI business lobby group. "A deal is both essential and possible."
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55293595.
 
London likely to move to tier 3 amid rising coronavirus rates that have left health officials “deeply concerned”
 
Covid: London likely to move to tier 3 amid rising rates

London faces a move to tier three - England's highest level of coronavirus restrictions - in the coming days, the BBC has been told.

Ministers and officials are said to be "deeply concerned" about a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases across the capital.

BBC health editor Hugh Pym reports London MPs have been briefed on the data, but no decision has been taken.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged ministers to act "with open eyes" and avoid damaging the capital's economy.

He said tier three could have a "catastrophic consequence" for hospitality, culture and some retail, as pubs and restaurants would be limited to takeaways or deliveries.

Council leaders in London are understood to be alarmed at the projected rise in cases and some are pushing for a "tier three plus" regime with tougher restrictions than tier three on its own.

Essex may also be moved from tier two to tier three, which would see hotels largely closed, sports fans excluded from events, and residents advised against travelling to other areas.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55301192
 
Covid: London to move into tier 3 as infections rise

London will move into England’s highest tier of Covid restrictions from 00:01 GMT on Wednesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

Parts of Essex and parts of Hertfordshire will also enter tier three at the same time.
A new variant of coronavirus has been identified that "may be associated" with the faster spread in southern England, Mr Hancock added.

Pubs and restaurants in tier three must close except for takeaway and delivery.

Also under the rules, sports fans cannot attend events in stadiums, and indoor entertainment venues - such as theatres, bowling alleys and cinemas - must remain shut.

The health secretary told a Downing Street briefing that action had to be taken immediately - before the next scheduled review of England's three-tier system on Wednesday - to slow "sharp, exponential rises" in infection, adding that in some areas the virus was doubling around every seven days.

Speaking alongside Prof Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, and Prof Kevin Fenton, London regional director for Public Health England, Mr Hancock warned that hospitals across the capital, Essex and Kent were already "under pressure".

He described the rise in transmission and the new variant as "a salutary warning for the whole country".

"This isn't over yet," he said.

With Kent, Medway and Slough already under tier three rules, it means large parts of south-east England will soon join much of the Midlands, north-west England and north-east England under the strictest curbs on social contacts.

More than 34 million people in England will be in tier three when the changes come into effect; 21.5 million in tier two; and about 700,000 in tier one.

The latest tier three areas include:

Greater London
The south and west of Essex (Basildon,
Brentwood, Harlow, Epping Forest, Castle Point, Rochford, Maldon, Braintree and Chelmsford, along with Thurrock and Southend-On-Sea borough councils)
And the south of Hertfordshire (Broxbourne, Hertsmere, Watford and the Three Rivers local authority)

What are tier three (very high) rules?

You cannot mix indoors, in private gardens or in most outdoor venues, except with your household or bubble

You can meet in a group of up to six in other outdoor spaces, such as parks, beaches or countryside

Shops, gyms and personal care services (such as hairdressing) can stay open

Bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants must stay closed, except for delivery and takeaway

Sports fans cannot attend events in stadiums

Indoor entertainment venues - such as bowling alleys and cinemas - must stay closed

People are advised not to travel to and from tier three areas

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55306928
 
A "new variant" of coronavirus has been identified in the UK, which is believed to be causing the faster spread in the South East, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

More than 1,000 cases of the new variant have been found, "predominantly in the south of England", Mr Hancock told the House of Commons this afternoon.

It is spreading faster than the existing strain of coronavirus and is believed to be fuelling the "very sharp, exponential rises" in cases across the South East, he said.

So far it has been found in 60 local authority areas and is thought to be similar to the mutation discovered in other countries in recent months

It was first identified in Kent last week during routine surveillance by Public Health England (PHE), with ministers told about it on Friday.

The health secretary said that there is currently no evidence that the new variant will not respond to the COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out across the country.

"I must stress at this point there is currently nothing to suggest that this variant is more likely to cause serious disease," he told MPs.

"And the latest clinical advice is that it's highly unlikely this mutation would fail to respond to a vaccine."

Speaking at a Downing Street news briefing later, chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said the new strain will still show up on tests and is not "more dangerous" than existing ones.

He said it is possible vaccine efficacy might be affected, but that would be "surprising".

Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter, told Sky News he is "very confident that we won't have to refashion our vaccines" because of the new strain.

But he said the fast rate of the new spread could mean this variant becomes the most dominant nationwide.

"The best way to describe it is, imagine a giant oak tree, and then a little branch that breaks off from that tree. Then that branch becomes the main trunk and the main artery of that tree," he explained.

Mr Hancock said government scientists are studying the new variant at its Porton Down facility and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been informed.

WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan told a news briefing in Geneva it was aware of the new strain and said: "Authorities are looking at its significance. We have seen many variants, this virus evolves and changes over time."

The surge in cases in parts of the south of England saw the health secretary also announce that London, some of Hertfordshire and Essex will go into the toughest Tier 3 restrictions at midnight on Wednesday.

A decision on whether the capital and parts of the South East should move up a tier was due on Wednesday, but Mr Hancock said the surge in cases made it necessary to bring the changes forward.

He told the Commons experts don't yet know how far the increases are down to the new variant, but added: "No matter its cause we have to take swift and decisive action which unfortunately is absolutely essential to control this deadly disease while the vaccine is rolled out.

"In some parts of these areas the doubling time is around every seven days."

https://news.sky.com/story/new-vari...entified-in-uk-health-secretary-says-12161416
 
Covid-19: Greenwich Council ordered to keep schools open

The government has told a London council it must keep schools open or face legal action.

Greenwich Council, in south-east London, had written to head teachers asking all schools to move classes online amid rising Covid-19 cases.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson ordered the council to keep schools in the area open on Monday evening.

He said: "Using legal powers is a last resort but continuity of education is a national priority."

He added: "It is simply not in children's best interests for schools in Greenwich, Islington or elsewhere to close their doors.

"That's why I won't hesitate to do what is right for young people and have issued a direction to Greenwich Council setting out that they must withdraw the letter issued to head teachers on Sunday."

In the letter sent out on Sunday, Greenwich Council Leader Danny Thorpe asked all schools to move the majority of pupils to remote learning.

The council told schools to keep buildings open for vulnerable children and those of key workers.

The regional schools commissioner, who acts on behalf of the education secretary, had already written to Greenwich Council highlighting that new powers, introduced through the Coronavirus Act, allow the Secretary of State to issue "directions" to require schools to enable all pupils to attend school full-time.

In Islington, north London, and Waltham Forest, east London, schools were also asked to move lessons online from the end of Tuesday.

Increased coronavirus cases
The Department of Education said no decisions had been taken yet about what action to take against these councils.

Greenwich Council said changing plans that had already been put in place before Tuesday would be "impossible".

Mr Thorpe said the council was seeking legal advice and would respond to Mr Williamson on Tuesday morning.

"Schools across the borough have now organised online learning from tomorrow, whilst others are opening their premises to all pupils," he said.

"We have alerted schools and will speak to them tomorrow. But given we received this notification just before 5pm, it was impossible to ask schools to change any of the arrangements they have in place for Tuesday."

It comes as London is due to move into tier three restrictions from Wednesday.

Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn had earlier called on secondary schools and colleges in the capital to shut early ahead of Christmas.

Mr Khan said: "If the government isn't careful these children will pass on the virus to really vulnerable people because the rules are relaxed over Christmas."
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-55311573.
 
The UK has reported a further 506 coronavirus deaths and 18,450 confirmed cases, government figures show.

This is up from the 12,282 cases and 385 deaths reported last Tuesday.

The number of cases and deaths per nation are as follows:

Wales - 615 cases, nine deaths

Scotland - 845 cases, 24 deaths

Northern Ireland - 486 cases, six deaths

England - 16,504 cases, 467 deaths
 
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Covid: Christmas safety advice 'set to be strengthened'

Advice around celebrating Christmas safely across the UK is expected to be significantly strengthened in the coming days, the BBC has been told.

People are likely to be urged to think carefully about travelling and to stay local where possible.

However, it is unlikely the agreed rules - allowing up to three households to mix for five days - will change.

Officials from all four nations held talks on Tuesday - and more are scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

It comes amid concern that relaxing the restrictions will fuel a further surge in Covid-19 case numbers.

Two leading medical journals described the current rules as "rash".

A source said no final decisions had been taken but people are likely to be told that the relaxations are limits not targets and that they should be cautious when forming household bubbles.

It is still hoped a common approach can be agreed across the four nations.

Under the agreed Christmas rules, travel restrictions will be eased from 23 to 27 December to allow up to three households to form a bubble and stay overnight at each other's homes.

A spokeswoman for Northern Ireland's government said scientific advisers would be consulted ahead of any decision, while a Welsh government spokesman said talks on Wednesday would "confirm the position".

Ahead of the talks, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon argued there was a "case" for tightening the planned freedoms to combat a rise in infections and indicated she could break with the four-nations approach.

Meanwhile, another 18,450 cases and 506 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported in the UK on Tuesday, government figures showed.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55325621.
 
Covid in Scotland: Tougher virus restrictions for three council areas

Three Scottish council areas are to have tougher coronavirus restrictions imposed from Friday in a bid to reverse rising numbers of cases.

Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian will all move from level two to level three of the five-tiered system.

It means people will no longer be allowed to travel outside of their own council area unless it is essential.

Pubs, cafes and restaurants will have to stop serving alcohol and must shut at 18:00.

And indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, bingo halls and amusement arcades will also have to close.

All of the country's other 29 council areas will remain in their current levels, including Edinburgh - which had been pushing to be downgraded from level three to level two.

It means that 80% of Scotland's population - about 4.35 million people - across 21 local authorities will be living under the level three rules when the changes come into force at 18:00 on Friday.

They include the 11 areas in western and central Scotland which were downgraded from the highest level four category last week.

Only four - Angus, Argyll and Bute, Falkirk and Inverclyde - remain in level two.

However, Argyll and Bute is likely to move down to level one next week - and people living on the outer Argyll islands such as Islay, Mull and Iona will be able to meet in houses in groups of up to six from two households from Friday of this week.

The Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Highland, Moray, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles are all already in level one, with no councils currently in the lowest level zero tier.

All of the levels will be reviewed again next Tuesday as a precaution ahead of the festive period.

Case numbers in Aberdeen have increased from 76 cases per 100,000 to 122 over the past week, and in East Lothian from 69 per 100,000 people to 116.

The increase in Aberdeenshire has not been quite as sharp, but cases there are also rising.

Alexander Burnett, the Scottish Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West, said it was "extremely disappointing" that the area had been moved to level three so close to Christmas, and called for extra financial support to be put in place by the Scottish government.

He added: "Our hospitality sector has been decimated by repeated closures and this is likely to hurt even more during what is supposed to be one of their busiest periods."

East Lothian Council said its move to level three was disappointing but understandable given the high infection rates in the area in recent weeks.

Tory councillor Douglas Lumsden, the co-leader of Aberdeen City Council, said he was "not too surprised" by the decision to move the area up to level three, but questioned role of the hospitality sector in spreading the virus.

And the Scottish Licensed Traders Association said continual uncertainty over the levels was "hugely unfair" on businesses which were being expected to "switch on and off like a tap".

It added: "It's not just a case of opening the doors - premises have to order supplies and organise staff rotas. Many have already taken the decision to remain closed until 2021 because of this uncertainty."

Speaking as she announced the changes, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged that the level three restrictions would cause "real and continued difficulties for many businesses", particularly in the hospitality sector.

But she insisted that the move was essential to bring the virus under control again.

Ms Sturgeon said Angus and Falkirk would both be monitored "very carefully" over the next week after a rise in cases in both areas, with a move to level three not being ruled out.

Cases have also "increased quite sharply" in East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and Fife, she said, adding: "While the changes in these areas do not warrant a move to level four at this stage, we will be monitoring the situation very closely over the next few days."

And she said it would be "deeply irresponsible" to ease restrictions in Edinburgh or neighbouring Midlothian as cases were rising sharply in both.

The rate in Edinburgh has increased from 70 to 100 per 100,000 over the past week, and in Midlothian from 88 to 147 per 100,000, with test positivity rates also increasing in both areas.

Ms Sturgeon took part in a four-nation call with leaders from around the UK later on Tuesday, which she told MSPs she had requested after a new strain of the virus was identified in England.

Nine cases of the new strain have now been confirmed in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area, the first minister confirmed.

The talks were aimed at examining whether changes should be made to the planned relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions across the UK over Christmas, which will allow eight people from three households to mix indoors between 23 and 27 December.

They broke up with no decision being reached, although further discussions have been scheduled for Wednesday.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Ms Sturgeon said: "I do think there is a case for us looking at whether we tighten the flexibilities that were given any further, in terms of duration and numbers of people meeting."

The first minister said she would prefer to come to an agreed position across the UK, but said the Scottish government would "consider what we think is appropriate" if this was not possible.

The planned relaxation of the rules at Christmas has been described as a "rash decision" that will "cost many lives" by the both the Health Service Journal and British Medical Journal.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said the rising number of cases across many parts of Scotland ahead of the festive break showed that the journals were right.

He added: "It is rather concerning that the first minister was unable to tell parliament what position she would be advocating on behalf of Scotland in intergovernmental discussions planned for this afternoon."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on ministers to hold an emergency review of the Christmas plans.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-55318075.
 
A further 612 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the UK, along with 25,161 confirmed cases.

This is a jump from the 533 deaths and 16,578 cases announced last Wednesday, government data shows.

The cases and deaths by nation are as follows:

Scotland - 689 cases, 38 deaths
Northern Ireland - 510 cases, eight deaths
England - 23,432 cases, 537 deaths
Wales - 530 cases, 29 deaths
 
Covid Christmas rules: Boris Johnson calls for shorter, smaller celebrations

Boris Johnson has urged people to keep Christmas celebrations "short" and "small" to reduce the risk of spreading Covid over the festive period.

Restrictions will still be relaxed between 23 and 27 December - but the PM said people should "think hard" before meeting friends and family.

Three households will be allowed to meet - apart from in Wales where a law change will allow just two households.

And in Scotland people are being asked to only meet on one of the five days.

It comes as the UK recorded a further 25,161 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, along with 612 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Mr Johnson said the law was remaining the same in England but "a smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas and a shorter Christmas is a safer Christmas".

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, he said the rules allowing three households to meet over five days were "maximums, not targets to aim for". "It's always going to be safest to minimise the number of people you meet," he said.

After the news conference, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments issued a joint statement saying this "cannot be a normal Christmas" and that they "strongly" recommended people stayed at home.

They advised people who were visiting others to stop unnecessary social contact as soon as possible and for at least five days before travelling. No one should visit another household if they were ill or self-isolating, they said.

Mr Johnson also advised people to avoid travelling from "high prevalence" areas to those with lower rates of coronavirus and not to stay away from home overnight if possible.

Mr Johnson urged caution over seeing elderly or vulnerable relatives, saying that since the vaccine was being rolled out to these groups "by the early months of the new year", they would be able to meet people more safely soon.

"Whatever your plans for Christmas, please think carefully about avoiding crowds in the Boxing Day sales, and no one should be gathering in large groups to see in the new year," he added.

England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty warned: "Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's sensible in any way."

"Any kind of period where people come together in groups that otherwise wouldn't meet leads to an increase in risks and that will lead to an increase in hospitalisations and deaths," he said.

He urged people to keep their Christmas celebrations small, short and local to reduce these risks.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55335236.
 
How many people will be living in each tier in England?

The vast majority - over two-thirds of people - will be in the highest band of coronavirus restrictions.

Here's how the numbers break down:

68% or 37.8m people will be in Tier 3.

31% or 17.3m people will be in Tier 2.

1.6% or 0.9m people will be in Tier 1.
 
UK reports 35,383 daily confirmed coronavirus cases and 532 deaths

The number of cases is artificially higher due to a backlog of around 11,000 infections that were not initially reported due to a technical delay in Wales.
 
Official figures show the UK has recorded a further 28,507 daily cases of COVID-19 down from 35,383 yesterday and 489 deaths following a positive test compared with 532 yesterday
 
Covid: Boris Johnson 'hoping to avoid' national lockdown

PM Boris Johnson says he is "hoping to avoid" another national lockdown in England but that Covid-19 cases have increased "very much" in recent weeks.

He chaired meetings on Friday, No 10 sources said, amid "growing concerns" about the spread of a new variant of Covid in south-east England.

Health bosses have warned the NHS is already under significant pressure.

Nearly 90% of hospital beds in England are full, with coronavirus adding to normal winter demands.

Government scientists are continuing to evaluate the new strain and ministers have been discussing what action will be necessary to deal with this, sources said.

Asked if people were going to be told to re-think their Christmas plans, a Downing Street source said: "We are not there yet."

A separate government source suggested that travel restrictions were discussed, but it is not clear that they have been signed off.

On Monday Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the variant may be associated with the faster transmission of the virus in the South East but there was "nothing to suggest" it caused worse disease or that vaccines would no longer work.

Meanwhile, the R number - which represents how many people each infected person passes the virus onto - has risen above 1 in the UK.

The latest figure, calculated by the government's scientific advisers, is estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.2, up from between 0.9 and 1 last week.

The UK recorded a further 28,507 cases on Friday, along with 489 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Official figures show Covid-19 cases have risen in the past week in England, driven by sharp increases in London, as well as rises in the South East and East Midlands.

The president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson, said England and Scotland needed to do "whatever it takes" to get a grip of the virus, even if that meant "full lockdown".

Asked whether England would end up following Northern Ireland and Wales into lockdown, Mr Johnson said: "Obviously we are hoping very much that we'll be able to avoid anything like that, but the reality is that the rates of infection have increased in the last few weeks."

He said the Christmas rules, which are being relaxed across the UK between 23 and 27 December, were "very much a maximum" and "not a target people should aim for".

The prime minister encouraged people to "think about our elderly relatives" to "avoid spreading the disease" over Christmas.

He added that he hoped next year, with the rollout of the vaccine, would "be very different indeed".

Earlier, he tweeted a message warning people planning to form "Christmas bubbles" in the UK to start minimising contact with people from outside their households from today.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said "nobody wants a third lockdown" but England's tiered system was "not strong enough".

He called for the prime minister to "toughen up over Christmas", saying the Welsh government's decision to limit Christmas bubbles to two households, instead of three, was a "step in the right direction".

Prof Neil Ferguson, whose team's modelling led to the original lockdown in March, said he was "more concerned" about what the country was going to be facing in early January than over the Christmas period itself.

The epidemiologist from Imperial College London told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme that very rapid increases in case numbers had left "very little headroom", adding that any future lockdown in England may have to be tougher than the one seen in November.

Meanwhile, teaching unions have criticised the government's announcement that the return to secondary school in January will be staggered to allow schools to set up a Covid testing scheme.

They say the move came too late for them to make the necessary preparations for testing. But Nick Gibb, the schools minister, has defended the plan, saying the government would provide support.

It comes after a tough new six-week lockdown was announced in Northern Ireland from 26 December.

Health Minister Robin Swann said the measures were essentially a return to March's sustained restrictions, with non-essential shops and close-contact services such as hair salons having to close.

Pubs, cafes and restaurants will be restricted to takeaway services.

The first week of the restrictions, running until 2 January, will see even tighter measures with essential shops, including supermarkets, having to close each day by 20:00 GMT.

No sporting events will be permitted at all - even at elite level - with people being urged only to leave their home for essential reasons.

In Wales, non-essential shops will close from the end of trading on Christmas Eve, with an alert level four lockdown starting four days later.

In England, some 38 million people will be subject to the nation's strictest measures - tier three - from Saturday.

Scotland's Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said the option for a post-Christmas lockdown in Scotland "remains on the table".

'Significant pressure'
Meanwhile, documents released by the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) say avoiding social contacts for more than five days before meeting older or vulnerable people at Christmas will reduce the risk of transmitting the virus.

A longer period - of a week or more - would reduce the risk even further. A document dated 26 November says taking a rapid coronavirus test before a multi-day gathering inside a home could also reduce the risk.

Sage says mixing between households over the festive period for one or two days would be less risky than multiple households spending the entire time together.

But the documents warn there may be a higher proportion of cases in more vulnerable age groups during the festive period, which could lead to an increase in hospital admissions.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55358968.
 
England coronavirus deaths

A further 339 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 46,122, according to NHS England.

Patients were aged between 44 and 100.

All except 13, aged between 64 and 95, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between 5 November and 18 December.
 
PM announces new Tier 4

Boris Johnson says there will be new restrictions in London, the South East and East of England in Tier 3.

They will enter a new Tier 4.

In Tier 4, all non-essential shops, gyms and hairdressers will close, with people advised to stay at home apart from limited exceptions.

The PM says the advice is to "stay local".
 
Covid-19: Christmas rules tightened for England, Scotland and Wales

The planned relaxation of Covid rules for Christmas has been scrapped for large parts of south-east England and cut to just Christmas Day for the rest of England, Scotland and Wales.

From midnight, a new tier four will be introduced in areas including London, Kent, Essex and Bedfordshire.

Those in tier four cannot mix indoors with anyone not from their household.

Elsewhere in England, Scotland and Wales, relaxed indoor mixing rules are cut from five days to Christmas Day.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the changes for England at a Downing Street briefing after scientists said a new coronavirus variant was spreading more rapidly.

Tier-four restrictions - similar to England's second national lockdown - will apply in all areas in the South East currently in tier three, covering Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey (excluding Waverley), Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth, Rother and Hastings.

It will also apply in London (all 32 boroughs and the City of London) and the East of England (Bedford, Central Bedford, Milton Keynes, Luton, Peterborough, Hertfordshire, Essex (excluding Colchester, Uttlesford and Tendring).

In Scotland, Covid restrictions will only be relaxed on Christmas Day, with mainland Scotland being placed under the tightest restrictions from Boxing Day.

Outlining the changes, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she wished she had acted quicker to curb the virus in February, adding: "Standing here saying this actually makes me want to cry."

A ban on travel to the rest of the UK will also apply over the festive period.

In Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford announced that the country will be placed under lockdown from midnight.

In Northern Ireland, no changes have been made to Christmas restrictions, with three households allowed to meet from 23 to 27 December. The country is set to enter a six-week lockdown from 26 December.

For tier-four areas in England, a stay-at-home order has been issued, with exemptions for those who have to travel to work or for education.

Social mixing will be cut to meeting one person in an open public space.

All non-essential retail will have to close, along with hairdressers, nail bars, indoor gyms and leisure facilities.

People elsewhere will be advised not to travel into a tier-four area.

The restrictions will last for two weeks, with the first review due on 30 December.

Mr Johnson told the Downing Street briefing he knew how "disappointing" the news would be, but said he believed there was no alternative open to him.

When the virus changes its methods of attack, he said, "we must change our method of defence".

Mr Johnson acknowledged it was "unquestionably a difficult moment" in the coronavirus crisis but insisted that things would be "radically different" by Easter due to the vaccine.

He did not confirm whether police would be told to stop people travelling home over the festive period or knock on doors on Christmas Day.

Mr Johnson said analysis suggested the new variant could increase the the R number by 0.4 or more.

Although there is "considerable uncertainty", it may be up to 70% more transmissible than the old variant, he said.

England's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, said that while the new variant of coronavirus will make things much worse, if the vaccine works against it there was room for optimism.

He has previously said there is no current evidence to suggest the new variant causes a higher mortality rate or that is affected any differently by vaccines and treatments.

Speaking at the Downing Street briefing, he added: "I think this is a situation which is going to make things a lot worse, but there are some really optimistic things if you look once we get the vaccine out, assuming the vaccine works against this, which at the moment is the working assumption."

Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's chief scientific adviser, urged the public to assume they might be infectious when considering meeting others over Christmas.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55379220.
 
Really wonder when the poeple will stand up against this farce. You cant go from lockdown to lockdown. This is pathetic.

Next to that how is the UK coping with the masses coming from Italy and Spain (pak origin) flooding the UK for social benefits in time of crisis?
 
France has joined Ireland and a growing list of European countries to impose travel restrictions on the UK after a spike in cases of a new, more contagious coronavirus strain.

"All flows of people from the United Kingdom to France are suspended from midnight tonight, for 48 hours, and for all means of transport," a government spokesman said.

Ireland's restrictions on flights and ferries will last for an initial 48 hours before being reviewed during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Several mainland European countries are also imposing bans - with Germany the latest to announce curbs.

A government spokesman said it was in contact with its European partners about the travel restrictions, but it was not immediately clear when or for how long they would last.

The Netherlands has banned flights for at least the rest of the year and will assess "with other European Union nations the possibilities to contain the import of the virus from the United Kingdom".

Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio announced curbs were being imposed.

Belgium's prime minister issued a ban for at least 24 hours while the situation was assessed.

Bulgaria will suspend flights to and from the UK at midnight until 31 January.

Austria and the Czech Republic are also imposing new measures against UK flights, with Prague announcing that people arriving in the country having spent at least 24 hours in UK territory will now need to self-isolate.
 
We're effectively being cut off from the rest of the world..
Will affect supplies and thus a special cobra meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning...
 
The UK government has to resort to lockdowns because Brits are not wearing masks. If Brits wore masks, there would be no lockdowns. Simple.
 
Covid: Cases rise as Christmas rules come into force

Coronavirus cases in the UK have risen by 35,928 - nearly double the number recorded last Sunday, figures show.

Public Health England medical director Yvonne Doyle said the "sharp" rise in cases was of "serious concern".

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that a new variant of the virus was "getting out of control".

Christmas plans have been scrapped or restricted for millions across the UK amid warnings the variant is up to 70% more transmissible than previous types.

The number of new UK infections on Sunday is an all-time high for recorded cases and nearly double the 18,447 cases reported a week ago.

However, it is thought the infection rate was higher during the first peak in the spring, with testing capacity too limited at the time to detect the true number of daily cases.

Prof Doyle said most of the new cases in England were concentrated in London and the South East, although it was too early to say if this was linked to the new variant.

'Awful year'
The government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) estimates the variant could increase the R number by between 0.4 and 0.9, minutes released on Sunday show.

The R number is how many other people one person will infect on average; an epidemic is growing if it rises above 1.

A growing number of countries have banned travel from the UK as a result of this variant, including Ireland, France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands.

Eurotunnel is suspending access to its Folkestone terminal from 22:00 GMT for traffic and freight heading to Calais due to the 48-hour travel ban introduced by France.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Mr Hancock said the news about the new variant "has been an incredibly difficult end to frankly an awful year".

He said: "Of course we don't want to cancel Christmas... we don't want to take any of these measures, but it's our duty to take them when the evidence is clear."

Susan Hopkins, from Public Health England, told Andrew Marr there was evidence that people with the new strain had "higher viral loads", which meant they were more infectious.

Some 21 million people in England and Wales who entered new restrictions at midnight are being told to stay at home, while non-essential shops and businesses have to close.

Those living under the newly-created tier four restrictions in England will now be unable to mix with other households indoors at Christmas, unless they are part of their existing support bubble.

The health secretary said it was not clear how long the tier four measures would be in place, but it could be for months, "until we can get the vaccine going".

He added that people in tier four should act as if they may have the virus.

In the rest of England, Scotland and Wales, relaxed indoor mixing rules will only apply on Christmas Day.

Covid rules had been relaxed across the UK to allow up to three households to mix indoors for five days over the Christmas period.

A ban on travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK will also apply over the festive period. Police Scotland said it would be doubling its patrols on the borders but it would not be introducing check points.

Mainland Scotland is being placed under the tightest restrictions from Boxing Day.

Wales has also entered a new shutdown, with the health minister saying the new variant was "seeded" in every part of the country.

In Northern Ireland, where the planned relaxation of rules for Christmas is going ahead unchanged, four of the five main parties have called for an urgent meeting to discuss the restrictions.

Northern Ireland is already due to enter a six-week lockdown on Boxing Day.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55388916.
 
That air bubble between India and the UK should be suspended ASAP.
 
saeedhk said:
The UK government has to resort to lockdowns because Brits are not wearing masks. If Brits wore masks, there would be no lockdowns. Simple.
Click to expand...

I can't tell if you're being serious or not but what is the reason then for France and Spain with wider mask-wearing mandates also being unable to get the virus under control. Germany was praised for their adherence to the rules, why are they now seeing more cases and deaths than anywhere else in Europe.

It is a respiratory virus. You can not contain it in December / January when it is already widespread. Lockdowns / masks won't do anything.
 
Varun said:
That air bubble between India and the UK should be suspended ASAP.
Click to expand...

Update: This is done. All UK origin flights suspended with immediate effect.

Should also find a way to plug the gap of preventing UK-origin pax finding their way to India - say via Dubai etc.
 
Covid-19: UK isolation grows as more countries ban travel

More countries have banned arrivals from the UK because of concerns at the spread of a new variant of coronavirus.

India is the latest state to suspend flights from the UK, joining Hong Kong, Canada, Switzerland and Germany.

On Sunday evening, France shut its border with the UK for 48 hours, meaning no lorries or ferries will be able to sail from the port of Dover.

As queues grow in Kent, the prime minister will chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee later.

Belgium and the Irish Republic have also suspended flights. India will halt flights from Tuesday evening until the evening of 31 December.

Austria is also set to bring in a ban, while Bulgaria has suspended flights to and from the UK from midnight. Unlike the short-term measures in many other nations, its ban lasts until 31 January.

European Union member states are due to meet in Brussels later to discuss a co-ordinated response.

The French government has said that "in the next few hours" it will establish a "protocol to ensure that movement from the UK can resume".

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55391289
 
People travelling from tier 4 areas to other parts of England are being asked to "assume" they have the new strain of coronavirus and self-isolate
 
Dios said:
I can't tell if you're being serious or not but what is the reason then for France and Spain with wider mask-wearing mandates also being unable to get the virus under control. Germany was praised for their adherence to the rules, why are they now seeing more cases and deaths than anywhere else in Europe.

It is a respiratory virus. You can not contain it in December / January when it is already widespread. Lockdowns / masks won't do anything.
Click to expand...

Masks have proved to be very effective. Europeans are simply not serious about wearing masks.
 
U.K. to hold emergency meeting over new coronavirus mutations, travel restrictions

Trucks waiting to get in and out of Britain backed up for miles and people were stranded at airports Monday as many countries imposed stringent travel restrictions over concerns about a new strain of the coronavirus that is spreading in southeast England.

Countries across the world have halted air travel to the U.K. while France has banned trucks from entering for a period of 48 hours while the new variant is assessed. There were rising hopes Monday, however, that France would allow traffic to flow again, with truck drivers having to take rapid coronavirus tests on arrival.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee later Monday amid mounting concerns over the new restrictions that could lead to shortages of food if they are not reversed soon. The government has already urged against travel to Kent, the southeastern county where many ports are located.

Most of the perishable goods coming into Britain from France arrive in trucks. Goods carried by containers on ships, such as manufactured products are not affected by the ban.

Though the French ban does not prevent goods from crossing the English Channel into Britain, the confusion over the new regulations was adding to long backups on both sides at a time when traffic was already being snarled by Christmas-related traffic and uncertainty over Britain’s future trade relationship with the European Union.

Around 10,000 trucks pass through Britain’s Port of Dover every day, accounting for about 20 per cent of the U.K.’s trade in goods. British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said France’s ban was “slightly surprising” — but tried to calm nerves by noting that the majority of Britain’s trade was not affected.

Shapps insisted that the public won’t notice any shortages “for the most part.”

France’s Minister of Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari indicated that a solution was coming. In a tweet, he said that “in the coming hours, at a European level, we will put a solid health protocol in place so that the flow from the United Kingdom can resume.”

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A croaky-voiced French President Emmanuel Macron told a Cabinet meeting by video Monday: “We are looking at systematic testing upon arrival.” Macron has been working from the Elysee Palace as he recovers from his COVID-19 infection.

Canada, India, Hungary and Switzerland are among the latest countries to halt flights from the U.K., following the lead of many in Europe. In the U.S., the governor of New York state said he wanted a ban on flights from Britain to New York City. France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Ireland were among those who on Sunday announced widespread restrictions on flights from the U.K. Eurotunnel, the rail service that links Britain with mainland Europe, has also suspended services.

The moves come in the wake of Johnson’s announcement on Saturday that he was placing London and the southeast of England in a new Tier 4 level of restrictions after a warning from its scientific advisers — using what is widely considered to be one of the world’s most sophisticated genome sequencing regimes — that it had detected a new variant of the coronavirus that may be more contagious.

Johnson said early indications are that the new variant of the virus is 70 per cent more transmissible and is driving the rapid spread of new infections in the capital and surrounding areas. Johnson will meet with the COBRA civil contingencies committee later Monday amid warnings of “significant disruption” around the ports in the English Channel.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said Monday that while preliminary analysis in the U.K. suggests the new variant is “significantly more transmissible,” there is no indication that infections are more severe. Experts, however, have stressed that even if the new strain is not more lethal, it’s inevitable that more cases will lead to more hospitalizations and subsequent virus-related deaths.

The Stockholm-based agency said a few cases with the new variant have been reported already by Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands. It also cited media reports of cases in Belgium and Italy.

Roman Woelfel, head of the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology in Munich, said the variants being described by the U.K. have not been seen in patient samples screened in Germany. However, he noted the U.K.’s consortium for sequencing the virus is particularly good at finding new variants.

In Brussels, experts from EU member countries were meeting to discuss the new variant on Monday.

The chaos at the border comes at a time of huge uncertainty for the U.K., less than two weeks before the final stage of Britain’s exit from the EU.

Though the U.K. left the bloc on Jan. 31, it is in a transition period that effectively sees it abide by EU rules until the end of this year. Talks on a post-Brexit trade relationship are still deadlocked and are set to resume on Monday.

Retailers played down fears of food shortages in the short term at least, but warned that there could be problems if the travel bans last for a while and if the U.K. and the EU fail to agree a post-Brexit trade deal.

The British Retail Consortium warned that the closure of France-to-U.K. traffic would create trading “difficulties” in the busy Christmas period.

“Retailers have stocked up on goods ahead of Christmas which should prevent immediate problems,” said Andrew Opie, Director of Food & Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium.

“However, any prolonged closure of the French border would be a problem as the U.K. enters the final weeks before the transition ends.”

Trade association Logistics U.K. has urged people to stay calm and not to rush to supermarkets to stockpile goods.

“Shoppers should not panic buy,” said Kevin Green, its director of marketing and communications. “If freight gets moving again today, then the overall impact on fresh produce arriving to supermarkets should be fairly minimal.”
Click to expand...

Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/7534945/uk-coronavirus-strains-mutations/.
 
COVID-19: UK records highest daily increase in cases and another 691 deaths

Official figures show the UK has recorded 36,804 new daily cases of COVID-19 and a further 691 deaths following a positive test
 
Tesco puts buying caps on several products

Tesco has introduced purchasing limits on some products including eggs, rice, soap and toilet roll.

The move is to make sure everyone has access to the products, it said in an email to customers.

Customers are allowed to buy up to three of each item.

The move comes as almost 3,000 lorries remain stranded in Kent after restrictions on travel and freight between the UK and France were introduced.

The supermarket giant also encouraged customers to shop alone to ensure social distancing in stores.

Tesco said it has "good stock levels" and customers should "shop as you normally would".

Tesco introduced limits on some products in September in a bid to prevent a repeat of the panic-buying that led to shortages in March.

France shut its UK border for 48 hours on Sunday amid fears of a new coronavirus variant.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has since announcedthat some travel can resume, although lorry drivers are still advised not to travel to Kent after days of disruption.

Dozens of other countries have banned UK arrivals, including India, Iran and Canada.

'Drop travel bans'
Any solution would probably include testing for lorry drivers, BBC Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield said.

French authorities say some journeys will be allowed for residents and nationals with a recent negative test. Hauliers are expected to be updated later on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the EU Commission has urged other countries to drop their travel bans.

In a recommendation to all member states, it said flight and train bans should be discontinued to avoid supply chain disruption.

People should be allowed to travel to their country of residence, provided they take a Covid-19 test or self-isolate, it said.

But the commission added that non-essential travel should still be discouraged.

On Monday, Tesco and Sainsbury's warned that some fresh items could run short if no way is found to get freight moving again.

Much of the UK's fresh vegetable stock comes from continental Europe in the winter, including tomatoes and cabbages.

Tesco anticipated that produce such as lettuces and citrus fruit could be hit.

Sainsbury's told the BBC that it did not currently have any product caps in place, and said it had "good availability".

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, pointed out that retailers have stocked up on goods ahead of Christmas, which should prevent immediate problems.

However, he said that if testing is required to reopen borders "we need to ensure it is quick to avoid adding friction to the supply chain.

"We have stressed to government there is no alternative to reopening the channel ports, given that it is a key supply route for fresh produce at this time of year."

The Channel is a vital trade route, with about 10,000 lorries a day travelling between Dover and Calais at Christmas, often bringing in the freshest produce.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55406136.
 
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces more areas of east and southeast of England will enter Tier 4 on Boxing Day. Mr Hancock has also revealed another new variant of Covid-19 has been detected in the UK.
 
Two cases of a new, "more transmissible" COVID-19 variant linked to South Africa have been identified in the UK, the health secretary has said.

Both cases are contacts of people who travelled from South Africa over the last few weeks, Matt Hancock said at a Downing Street news conference.

Those with the new variant, and contacts of them, are quarantining.

There are immediate restrictions on travelling from South Africa. Sky News understands incoming flights from the country will be stopped.
 
The UK has recorded its highest daily increase in coronavirus-related deaths since the end of April - and a record rise in cases for the second day running.

The number of fatalities - 744 - is the highest daily figure since 29 April, and the increase in cases - 39,237 - is the highest since the start of the pandemic.

It comes after 36,804 cases on Tuesday, which was itself a record after topping Sunday's high of 35,928.
 
Coronavirus: 36% of Covid deaths in NI linked to dementia

Research shows that a third of people whose deaths are linked to Covid-19 in NI had a form of dementia.

This report by Nisra shows that dementia and Alzheimer's disease is the most common pre-existing condition among those who died

Meanwhile in Northern Ireland a further 21 coronavirus-related deaths were reported on Wednesday.

The Department of Health's death toll is now 1,240. There were also a further 787 cases of Covid-19 diagnosed.

There are 451 people with Covid-19 in hospital. Thirty one are in intensive care, with 22 on ventilators.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) found that of 902 Covid-linked deaths that were registered between March and September, 327 (36.3%) patients had a form of dementia.

Pre-existing conditions
The next most common pre-existing conditions were hypertensive diseases (180) and diabetes (165 deaths).

There were no pre-existing conditions for 77 of the 902 Covid-19 related deaths (8.5%).

The Nisra report said: "Dementia and Alzheimer's disease is by far the most common pre-existing condition, appearing in 36.3% of Covid-19 related deaths.

"This may not be surprising given that nearly half (44%) of Covid-19 related deaths up to end September were residents of care homes, and nearly two-thirds (65.5%) were aged 80 or over."

Separately, the number of Covid-related deaths registered in Northern Ireland has fallen slightly again in the latest weekly figures released by Nisra.

A total of 82 deaths were registered in the week up to Friday 18 December.

That is five fewer deaths than the previous week.

It brings Nisra's total of registered Covid-related deaths to 1,649 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Nisra's figures are based on mentions of the virus on death certificates, so people may or may not have previously tested positive for the virus.

The Department of Health's daily figures are based on a positive test result having been recorded.

Its comparative number of deaths for Friday 18 December was 1,180.

Of the 1,649 deaths recorded by Nisra, 1,002 were of people in hospital, including 147 people normally resident in care homes.

Taking that figure, and the 553 who died in care homes, it means care home residents account for just over two-fifths of all Covid-19 related deaths (41.8%).

Nine deaths were recorded by Nisra in hospices (0.6%) and 110 at residential addresses (7.0%).

People aged 75 and over account for just over two-thirds of all Covid-19 related registered deaths (65.3%) so far, according to Nisra.

Almost a quarter (24%) of all Covid-19-related registered deaths have been of people with an address in the Belfast council area.

The provisional number of all deaths for the week ending 18 December was 350.

That is 16 fewer than the previous week (366) and six more than the five-year average of 344.

Excess deaths are those above what would normally be expected at the time of year, averaged over five years.

Nisra found 1,905 excess deaths have been registered in the past 38 weeks.

The agency usually publishes weekly figures every Friday, but it has published the latest set of statistics ahead of Christmas.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55427659.
 
Covid-19: UK coronavirus deaths pass 70,000

More than 70,000 people in the UK have now died within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test, official figures show.

A further 570 deaths in the UK were reported on Christmas Day, taking the total by that measure to 70,195.

According to Johns Hopkins University, only the US, Brazil, India, Mexico and Italy have recorded more deaths from coronavirus.

The number of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England and Scotland increased by 32,725 on Friday.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55448561.
 
Covid-19: Tougher Covid rules begin for millions in UK

Harsher Covid restrictions now apply to millions more people, as rule changes come into force across the UK.

Around six million people in east and south-east England have gone into tier four, England's highest Covid level - which includes a "stay at home" order.

Lockdowns have also started in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and measures have been reimposed in Wales after being eased for Christmas.

It comes after official UK coronavirus deaths passed 70,000 on Christmas Day.

The toughest measures - which mean the closure of all non-essential shops, as well as hairdressers, swimming pools and gyms - now apply to around 24 million people in England, more than 40% of the population.

The whole of Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, as well Essex, Waverley in Surrey, and all of Hampshire with the exception of the New Forest, are now in tier four.

Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Swindon, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest and Northamptonshire, as well as Cheshire and Warrington, have all moved up to tier three. Meanwhile, Cornwall and Herefordshire have moved from tier one to tier two.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55449596
 
COVID-19: UK reports another 210 coronavirus-related deaths and 34,693 cases
 
The UK has reported 30,501 new COVID-19 cases, with a further 316 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

It compares to yesterday's increases of 34,693 confirmed coronavirus cases and 210 related deaths.

But the true number is likely to be higher as Scotland is not releasing death data between 25 and 28 December, while Northern Ireland is not providing figures on cases or deaths over this period.

A further 231 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 48,542.

NHS England said the patients were aged between 30 and 103. All except five, aged between 36 and 85, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between 9 December and Boxing Day.
 
Covid-19: London Ambulance Service receives as many 999 calls as first wave

London Ambulance Service (LAS) received as many emergency calls on 26 December as it did at the height of the first wave of Covid-19, the BBC has learned.

Nearly 8,000 calls were received, a 40% increase on a typical "busy" day.

Patient demand was "now arguably greater" than during the first wave, an internal message to all staff said.

LAS said it was "working urgently" to reduce delays. It urged people only to dial 999 with genuine life-threatening emergencies and to use 111 if possible.

The rapid spread of the new variant of Covid-19 was said to be the cause of the increased demand, according to the message.

The UK reported another 30,501 positive tests on Sunday, and 316 deaths of people who had tested positive within the past 28 days.

Meanwhile South Central Ambulance Service - which serves Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire - said it was "extremely busy" and asked people only to dial 999 in a "life-threatening or serious emergency".

'Six-hour waits'
One London paramedic told the BBC that some patients were being treated in ambulance bays upon arrival at hospital, due to a lack of beds inside.

"It's been a horrendous time," the paramedic said. "Ambulance staff are finding the whole situation very stressful."

Figures seen by the BBC show that at one London hospital on Sunday morning, ambulance crews were typically waiting nearly six hours to hand over patients to hospital staff.

Levels of patient demand were equal "and now arguably greater" than those seen during the first wave of the pandemic, according to the all-staff message sent by LAS chief executive Garrett Emmerson.

On 26 December, LAS received 7,918 calls, while on 16 March - one of its busiest ever days - it received marginally more.

"The demand is occurring because of the rapid spread of the new variant of the Covid-19 virus, initially in north-east London, but now spreading into north central London and predicted to spread further across the rest of the capital in the coming days and weeks", the memo read.

The NHS 111 service was twice as busy as usual in London, the message added.

London Ambulance Service said it was working to find ways of alleviating pressures.

It said private ambulance services, student paramedics, volunteers and the London Fire Brigade had been recruited to supplement its crews in order to provide as many ambulances as possible with two staff members.

LAS was also receiving assistance from South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), East of England Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance.

Non-patient facing colleagues with clinical skills have also been moved to work frontline shifts.

'Rising demand'
A separate message sent to ambulance crews on 26 December requested them, when it was safe to do so, to transport all patients to hospital on blue flashing lights in order to "reduce travel times".

Usually only the most seriously unwell patients are taken to hospital in this way.

In a statement, LAS said: "Like NHS organisations across the country, demand for our services has risen sharply over the past weeks.

"Our colleagues in emergency departments are also under pressure receiving our patients as quickly as they can. We are working urgently with NHS partners to reduce any delays.

"The public can support us by only calling 999 for life-threatening emergencies. For urgent medical advice go to: 111.nhs.uk."

The capital has the highest coronavirus infection rate of any UK region, with 794.6 cases per 100,000 people over the last seven days.

On Sunday, it reported another 9,719 infections.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-55461390.
 
pakistani pride said:
How does a mask prevent a virus?
Is there proof for this?
What kind of masks does one need to wear?
Click to expand...

Surgical masks. Yes, there is a evidence that masks prevent COVID-19.

Also, HK is a living example how masks prevent the spread of COVID-19. Despite being so close to China and being one of the most crowded cities, we have had only 140 fatalities because it is mandatory to wear a mask in public places. Only babies under the age of 2 are exempt.

I am yet to see a person not wearing a mask since this outbreak began a year ago.
 
saeedhk said:
Surgical masks. Yes, there is a evidence that masks prevent COVID-19.

Also, HK is a living example how masks prevent the spread of COVID-19. Despite being so close to China and being one of the most crowded cities, we have had only 140 fatalities because it is mandatory to wear a mask in public places. Only babies under the age of 2 are exempt.

I am yet to see a person not wearing a mask since this outbreak began a year ago.
Click to expand...

Saedhk - the evidence on this true, but it is very low - just generally stop it being spread through coughing and sneezing when you wear it
 
COVID-19: UK records 41,385 new coronavirus cases and 357 more deaths
 
NHS boss praises staff 'in the eye of the storm' as Covid cases surge

NHS workers are “back in the eye of the storm”, the chief executive of NHS England has said, as figures for new coronavirus cases and patients in hospital hit record highs.

In a new year message recorded at a vaccination centre, Sir Simon Stevens paid tribute to those on the frontline including doctors, nurses, therapists, as well as cleaners and non-medical staff such as carers, volunteers and care home workers.

On Monday Dr Yvonne Doyle, the medical director of Public Health England, warned that hospitals face “unprecedented” levels of coronavirus infections, after the UK reported 41,385 new lab-confirmed cases on Monday, its highest figure yet for a single day and the first above 40,000.

Doyle said: “This very high level of infection is of growing concern at a time when our hospitals are at their most vulnerable, with new admissions rising in many regions.”

NHS England said it now has more Covid-19 patients in hospital than at the peak of the first wave – 20,426 as of 8am on Monday, surpassing April’s high of 18,974 on 12 April. Health officials in Wales and Scotland have also said they fear becoming overwhelmed.

The government said a further 357 people had died across the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Monday, bringing the UK total to 71,109.

Separate figures for cases where the virus has been mentioned on the death certificate, with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, showed there have now been 87,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.

The true figures for deaths and cases are likely to be higher as Scotland is not releasing death data between 24 and 28 December, and Northern Ireland is not providing case or death data over the same period.

Doyle added that “despite unprecedented levels of infection”, the vaccine offered hope on the horizon. She urged members of the public to “continue to play our part in stopping the spread of the virus” as the Pfizer/BioNTech jab is rolled out.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/society...ing-unprecedented-levels-of-coronavirus-cases
 
Official figures show the UK has recorded 414 new COVID-19 related deaths and 53,135 new cases
 
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