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Sabtu, 19 Desember 2020

Covid-19: Christmas rules tightened for England and Wales - BBC News

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 and Wales.

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

For the rest of England and Wales, relaxed rules on household mixing are cut from five days to Christmas Day.

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

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

Tier-four restrictions 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 Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford announced that the country will be placed under lockdown from midnight.

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 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: "I know how disappointing this will be, but we have said throughout this pandemic that we must and we will be guided by the science.

"When the science changes, we must change our response. When the virus changes its methods of attack we must change our method of defence and as your prime minister I sincerely believe there is no alternative open to me."

Analysis box by Nick Triggle, health correspondent

The steep increase in the proportion of coronavirus cases linked to this new variant is strong evidence that it is driving transmission.

In London, 28% of cases were as a result of this new mutation in mid-November, but that has now increased to more than 60%.

It may explain why, during the second lockdown, cases started to increase in London, while in Kent the tier three measures appear to have had little impact in recent weeks.

As England's chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty says, this is a bad moment, but there is also some hope.

Mutations happen all the time - there have been thousands of variations to this coronavirus since it emerged - and there is nothing to suggest this causes more serious illness or will hamper the effectiveness of the vaccine.

The prime minister announced 350,000 people had been given the first dose of the vaccine in the first two weeks of the programme.

In the coming weeks, the number of GP-led vaccination clinics should increase six-fold, while approval of a second vaccine made by Oxford University could pave the way for mass vaccination centres to be set up in sports stadiums and conference centres.

That could see two million people a week being vaccinated. Within a matter of months all the over-65s could have been offered a jab. This could then start to feel very different.

But for now, the slog of the pandemic continues - and for many it just got harder.

Mr Johnson said the new restrictions were necessary because of the spread of a variant of coronavirus which was transmitting faster than the original.

He said analysis from New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) suggests the new variant could increase the R by 0.4 or more and although there is considerable uncertainty it may be up to 70% more transmissible then the old variant.

So far, 350,000 people in the UK have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Mr Johnson said.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said "millions of families will be heartbroken by having Christmas plans ripped up".

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TESTING: How do I get a virus test?
SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?

CHRISTMAS SPECIALS ON BBC IPLAYER: 110 festive favourites to get you in the Christmas mood
THE NIGHT MANAGER: Start watching John le Carré's twisted spy thriller

How will these latest restrictions affect your plans for Christmas? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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2020-12-19 17:04:00Z
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Covid-19: Christmas rules tightened for England - BBC News

Boris Johnson pictured next to Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance

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.

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

For the rest of the country, the three household mixing limit has been cut from five days to just Christmas Day.

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

The whole of Wales will also be placed under lockdown from midnight with Christmas plans cancelled for all but one day.

First Minister Mark Drakeford made the announcement after urgent talks over the new variant of coronavirus.

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

Tier four restrictions will apply in all tier three areas in the South East, covering Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey (excluding Waverley), Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth, Rother and Hastings.

A stay-at-home order will be issued to residents in tier four, 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.

In tier four areas, all non-essential retail will have to close, along with hairdressers, nail bars, indoor gyms and leisure facilities.

People 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.

Political correspondent Nick Eardley said a tightening of restrictions was expected to be announced in some other parts of the UK too.

The decision follows information presented to Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the new variant of coronavirus, which has been identified and is known as VUI.

Mr Johnson told the Downing Street briefing: "I know how disappointing this will be, but we have said throughout this pandemic that we must and we will be guided by the science.

The steep increase in the proportion of coronavirus cases linked to this new variant is strong evidence that it is driving transmission.

In London, 28% of cases were as a result of this new mutation in mid-November, but that has now increased to more than 60%.

It explains why, during the second lockdown, cases started to increase in London, while in Kent the tier three measures appear to have had little impact in recent weeks.

As England's chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty says, this is a bad moment, but there is also some hope.

The prime minister announced 350,000 people had been vaccinated so far in the first two weeks of the programme.

That could see two million people a week being vaccinated. With 12 million over-65s vaccinated in a matter of months, this could start to feel very different.

But for now, the slog of the pandemic continues - and for many it just got harder.

Mr Johnson said the new restrictions were necessary because of the spread of a variant of coronavirus which was transmitting faster than the original.

350,000 people in the UK have so far received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Mr Johnson said.

SOCIAL DISTANCING: Can I give my friends a hug?
FACE MASKS: When do I need to wear one?
TESTING: How do I get a virus test?
SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?

CHRISTMAS SPECIALS ON BBC IPLAYER: 110 festive favourites to get you in the Christmas mood
THE NIGHT MANAGER: Start watching John le Carré's twisted spy thriller

How will these latest restrictions affect your plans for Christmas? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

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COVID-19: London and South East set for Tier 4 rules - as new COVID variant 'real cause for concern' - Sky News

Boris Johnson has been holding talks with his Cabinet amid warnings from scientists over the new strain of COVID-19 and surging infections.

The prime minister hosted a cabinet call and will hold a news conference at 4pm with England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty and the chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, Downing Street has said.

Sky News understands the PM is expected to announce a new set of measures for London and the South East with those regions being put into a new Tier 4, with further restrictions around Christmas.

Live updates on coronavirus from UK and around world

Government advisers have warned ministers they believe the new variant of COVID-19 spreads more quickly than previous strains, and that relaxations in public attitudes risk offsetting the benefits of the vaccination rollout over the course of the coming months, Sky News understands.

The new variant is believed to be fuelling the increase in coronavirus cases across the South East.

Professor Whitty said on Saturday the UK has informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the new variant coronavirus can spread more rapidly.

"There is no current evidence to suggest the new strain causes a higher mortality rate or that it affects vaccines and treatments, although urgent work is under way to confirm this," he said in a statement.

"Given this latest development, it is now more vital than ever that the public continue to take action in their area to reduce transmission."

It came as Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said he would chair a meeting of his Cabinet later. He tweeted: "I attended a four-nation call earlier today to discuss serious concerns over the spread of a new Covid variant. I will chair a meeting of the @WelshGovernment Cabinet at 2pm today."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that she would be holding similar discussions with her Cabinet following the four-nation talks and that "preventative action may be necessary" to halt the spread of the new strain.

There is concern that the announcement of effective vaccines in recent weeks may have had a negative impact on compliance with rules, including self-isolation requirements.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), today warned the new strain is "a real cause for concern" and "acting urgently now is critical".

He said the "impact of increased interactions over the festive period is a huge concern" amid the new variant and a surge in infections.

Up to three households are able to mix in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland between December 23 and 27, but the limit is two households in Wales.

Sir Jeremy said while the pace of progress that has been achieved on vaccines, treatments and diagnostics has been "phenomenal" and should be celebrated, he warned against "complacency", saying: "We must be realistic. This pandemic is not over. We have still not changed the fundamentals."

He added: "We may be entering a less predictable phase."

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Labour called on the prime minister to set out how he intends to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which it said is "again out of control in parts of the country".

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "This is an incredibly serious moment and people are worried. The prime minister has refused to take action to limit the virus' spread over Christmas. All he has offered so far is confusion and indecision."

The NHS in Kent announced yesterday that it was suspending non-urgent hospital procedures, saying it was treating double the number of patients it had at the peak of the first wave in April.

The move came as the latest official figures showed the R number for the UK was estimated to have risen to between 1.1 and 1.2 - which means the disease is growing again.

Huge swathes of the country - around 38 million people, 68% of the population in England - are now living under the toughest Tier 3 restrictions.

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2020-12-19 15:00:00Z
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COVID-19: PM holds Cabinet talks as scientist warns new variant 'real cause for concern' - Sky News

Boris Johnson is holding talks with his Cabinet this lunchtime amid warnings from scientists over the new strain of COVID-19 and surging infections.

The prime minister is hosting a cabinet call and will hold a news conference at 4pm with England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty and the chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, Downing Street has said.

Sky News understands the PM is expected to announce a new set of measures for London and the South East with further restrictions around Christmas.

Live updates on coronavirus from UK and around world

The new variant is believed to be fuelling the increase in coronavirus cases across the South East.

Professor Whitty said on Saturday the UK has informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the new variant coronavirus can spread more rapidly.

"Given this latest development, it is now more vital than ever that the public continue to take action in their area to reduce transmission."

There is concern that the announcement of effective vaccines in recent weeks may have had a negative impact on compliance with rules, including self-isolation requirements.

He said the "impact of increased interactions over the festive period is a huge concern" amid the new variant and a surge in infections.

Up to three households are able to mix in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland between December 23 and 27, but the limit is two households in Wales.

He added: "We may be entering a less predictable phase."

Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Labour called on the prime minister to set out how he intends to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which it said is "again out of control in parts of the country".

The NHS in Kent announced yesterday that it was suspending non-urgent hospital procedures, saying it was treating double the number of patients it had at the peak of the first wave in April.

The move came as the latest official figures showed the R number for the UK was estimated to have risen to between 1.1 and 1.2 - which means the disease is growing again.

Huge swathes of the country - around 38 million people, 68% of the population in England - are now living under the toughest Tier 3 restrictions.

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2020-12-19 13:43:53Z
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COVID-19: PM holding Cabinet talks as scientist warns new variant 'real cause for concern' - Sky News

Boris Johnson is holding talks with his Cabinet this lunchtime amid warnings from scientists over the new strain of COVID-19 and surging infections.

The prime minister is hosting a cabinet call now and will hold a news conference at 4pm with England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty and the chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, Downing Street has said.

Mr Johnson said on Friday he hoped that England would not need to go into a third lockdown after Christmas, which a number of experts have warned is possible.

Live updates on coronavirus from UK and around world

However, he held an unscheduled meeting late into the night the same day to discuss whether action may need to be taken more swiftly.

Reports in the Telegraph and The Sun suggest this could include travel restrictions being imposed on the South East and London. The government is yet to issue any response to the reports.

The new variant is believed to be fuelling the increase in coronavirus cases across the South East.

He tweeted: "The new strain of COVID-19 is worrying & real cause for concern & extra caution. Research is ongoing to understand more, but acting urgently now is critical. There is no part of the UK & globally that should not be concerned. As in many countries, the situation is fragile."

He said the "impact of increased interactions over the festive period is a huge concern" amid the new variant and a surge in infections.

Up to three households are able to mix in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland between December 23 and 27, but the limit is two households in Wales.

He added: "We may be entering a less predictable phase."

It is understood the government's scientific advisers do not see any evidence the new strain causes more serious disease, or would be resistant to current vaccines.

However, there is concern that the announcement of effective vaccines in recent weeks may have had a negative impact on compliance with rules, including self-isolation requirements.

It is expected the SAGE advisory group will be convened on Monday to work up a series of recommendations for how Tier 3 restrictions could be strengthened in light of the increased transmissibility of the new strain.

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A member of the scientific advisory panel earlier told Sky News the existing tier system in England did not appear to be effective in preventing the increase in cases, and predicted tighter measures would be needed.

Professor John Edmunds said: "I think we are going to have to look at these measures and perhaps tighten them up, we really will. It's a horrible thing to have to say but we are in quite a difficult position."

Labour today called on the prime minister to set out how he intends to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which it said is "again out of control in parts of the country", in an address to the nation.

The NHS in Kent announced yesterday that it was suspending non-urgent hospital procedures, saying it was treating double the number of patients it had at the peak of the first wave in April.

The move came as the latest official figures showed the R number for the UK was estimated to have risen to between 1.1 and 1.2 - which means the disease is growing again.

Huge swathes of the country - around 38 million people, 68% of the population in England - are now living under the toughest Tier 3 restrictions.

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Boris Johnson summons Cabinet for crunch talks as new coronavirus lockdown and Christmas travel ban feared - The Sun

BORIS Johnson has today summoned his Cabinet for crunch talks amid fears the UK could be slammed into lockdown and Christmas travel banned.

Emergency talks are being held over whether London and the South East will be cut off from the rest of the UK in a desperate attempt to stop the spread of a new Covid strain.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Boris Johnson will meet ministers over the spiralling cases in the South EastCredit: AP:Associated Press

It means millions of families could be told their Christmas bubble has burst.

A source today told The Sun Boris has summoned his Cabinet for an urgent 1pm meeting ahead of an expected announcement this afternoon.

Ministers are also meeting with the PM amid fears of a third lockdown to slow down the spread of the virus.

Boris last night sat down in an emergency meeting and given "alarming" new evidence over the new strain - as medics issued a chilling warning it is 50 per cent more contagious than previous Covid-19 cases.

And the spread of the bug's new strain make the chances of a third national lockdown increasingly likely.

Last night a government source told The Sun: “What we do not know yet is whether the new strain is more or less likely to cause you harm, but what we have learnt is that it will pass to person to person much more easily and that is what we are really worried about.”

The new strain is blamed for a sudden surge in hospitalisations and The Sun understands evidence shows a dramatic hike in positive cases in London in the past week.

And there are fears people are catching the virus despite wearing PPE and socially distancing.

Mr Johnson could announce new travel advice today - restricting travel to and from the South East to combat the spread.

Other potential measures could see commuters banned from travelling into the capital.

A health source said: “The last 48 hours have changed everything.”

It could be weeks until it is known just how dangerous the new strain could be.

Boris Johnson seen this morningCredit: London News Pictures

A Whitehall source said: “This is a fluid situation but it’s not looking good and we have to act fast.

Earlier yesterday Mr Johnson had urged people to start isolating immediately if they plan on celebrating with grandparents.

The PM said meetings with others should be limited — as he warned a new festive spike could spark future lockdowns.

He tweeted: “If you are forming a Christmas Bubble, it’s vital that from today, you minimise contact with people from outside your household.

Everyone must take personal responsibility to avoid passing the virus on to loved ones.”

As a further 4.5million people — 38million in all — wake in Tier 3 restrictions today the PM said he couldn’t rule out tougher measures.

Wales and Northern Ireland have already announced a post-festive shutdown. But Boris said he was “hoping very much that we’ll be able to avoid anything like that”.

Speaking on a tour of a telecoms training hub in Bolton, he added: “The reality is that infection rates have increased very much in the last few weeks.”

He urged the public to avoid spreading the deadly bug over Christmas and reiterated the three household bubble was a limit, not a target people should aim for.

Praising Brits, the PM said: “I think people really get this. All the evidence I’m seeing, people understand this is the time to look after our elderly relatives and avoid spreading the disease.

“Keep it short, keep it small, have yourselves a very little Christmas as I said the other night — that is, I’m afraid, the way through this year.

"Next year I’ve no doubt that as we roll out the vaccine it will be very different indeed.”

Stats released yesterday showed those living with Covid in England have risen by almost a fifth in a week.

DRACONIAN TIER 4

The ONS said 567,300 people had the bug between December 6 and 12 — equal to one person in 95. The latest reproduction R number is now between 1.1 and 1.2.

But the public do appear to be listening to the PM — as official figures show only half of Brits are planning to form a festive bubble.

That includes 26 per cent saying they plan to visit family and friends but not stay overnight compared with 52 per cent last year.

Only four per cent plan to meet in restaurants, cafes or bars compared with 44 per cent last year.

The PM is still coming under fire from Tories and hospitality chiefs, who want measures lifted as soon as possible, plus gloomy scientists who predict more lockdowns.

Meanwhile, fears are growing that a more draconian Tier 4 may be needed.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is understood to be considering additional curbs if mass testing fails to make an impact.

A Whitehall official said: “There is a case for going further than Tier 3 and it is getting stronger — closure of non-essential retail, stay-at-home orders.

"That would have to be actively considered in conversation with a local authority.”

Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, said people should consider postponing Christmas socialising until Easter.

And Prof Neil Ferguson, whose modelling led to March’s first lockdown, suggested a more severe third national lockdown may be needed.

Prof John Edmunds, of the Sage science advisory body, warned: “Unfortunately it doesn’t look like the tier system is holding back the epidemic wave. We are going to have to look at these measures and perhaps tighten them.”

Documents newly released by 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 November 26 says taking a rapid Covid test before a multi-day gathering inside a home could also reduce risk.

EVERYONE in Kent 'should behave as if they have coronavirus', Matt Hancock warns

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2020-12-19 11:35:00Z
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