Babak Belurs

Jumat, 01 Januari 2021

COVID-19: Two million vaccine doses to be supplied each week from mid-January - report - Sky News

Two million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be supplied each week by the middle of January, according to a report, despite a warning from England's chief medical officer about vaccine shortages.

Some 530,000 doses are ready to be distributed from Monday, following the earlier launch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which was approved earlier in December.

A key member of the AstraZeneca team told The Times that one million doses will be ready next week, adding: "The plan is then to build it up fairly rapidly - by the third week of January we should get to two million a week."

On Friday, another 53,285 positive tests were reported, although these figures did not include Northern Ireland or Wales. It brings the total for the past seven days to 319,912, up more than 30% compared to the previous week.

The number of people who have died within 28 days of a positive test rose by 613 to 74,125.

Hospitals across the country are also under severe strain, with just under half of England's major hospitals reporting more COVID-19 patients than during the peak of the first wave last year.

The UK has ordered 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine but The Times reported that members of the team were frustrated at the pace of production, blaming the country's almost non-existent vaccine manufacturing capacity before the pandemic.

On Friday, Professor Chris Whitty said the UK needs to urgently maximise the number of people who are vaccinated, but a lack of global supplies will likely hamper efforts to protect the nation in the first part of 2021.

A letter signed by Professor Whitty and the chief medical officers for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, said: "We have to ensure that we maximise the number of eligible people who receive the vaccine.

"Currently the main barrier to this is vaccine availability, a global issue, and this will remain the case for several months and, importantly, through the critical winter period.

"Vaccine shortage is a reality that cannot be wished away."

But Pfizer and AstraZeneca were both reported as saying there is no problem with supply, saying millions of doses have already been delivered.

Pfizer told The Daily Telegraph the number of doses it had sent to the UK was "in the millions" and AstraZeneca reportedly has 3.5 million doses in vials and another 15 million that can be bottled up and ready for use in a short period of time, although each batch must pass a 20-day sterility test and quality checks.

On Thursday, the UK's chief medical officers backed a change in guidance which says booster jabs should be given up to 12 weeks after an initial dose to maximise the number of people being vaccinated.

But the announcement on Wednesday prompted concern from Pfizer, with a spokesperson saying: "There are no data to demonstrate that protection after the first dose is sustained after 21 days."

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2021-01-02 04:54:51Z
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Teaching unions tell PM: Do your duty and close all schools in England to limit COVID threat - Sky News

Boris Johnson is facing calls to close every school in England after an embarrassing government U-turn which means all primary schools in London will remain shut next week.

A union leader claimed what was right for London was right for the rest of the country and called on ministers to "do their duty" and close all primary and secondary schools to contain the coronavirus.

The demand, from the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Mary Bousted, came after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson bowed to pressure to close all primary schools in the capital.

Full list of areas where primary schools face delayed return

In an abrupt policy reversal following protests and threats of legal action by local authorities, Mr Williamson also signalled more schools outside London could close by warning that the list of closures was being kept under review.

On Wednesday, in a hastily-arranged statement to MPs on bringing children back to school this term, Mr Williamson said that the majority of primary schools in England would open as planned on Monday, 4 January.

But he named 50 education authorities in the south of England - including 22 of London's 32 boroughs - where he said COVID-19 infection rates were highest and whose primary schools would be closed to most pupils for the first two weeks of term.

But to the fury of council leaders, headteachers and MPs of all parties, the government's list included some boroughs where transmission rates were relatively low and omitted others where the rates were high.

Now, after the latest in a series of embarrassing U-turns by the embattled education secretary, primary schools in all 32 London boroughs will be closed to all but vulnerable children and those of critical workers.

Announcing his climbdown, Mr Williamson said: "Children's education and wellbeing remains a national priority. Moving further parts of London to remote education really is a last resort and a temporary solution.

"As infection rates rise across the country, and particularly in London, we must make this move to protect our country and the NHS. We will continue to keep the list of local authorities under review, and reopen classrooms as soon as we possibly can."

But Dr Bousted told The Daily Telegraph: "The question has to be asked: why are education ministers so inadequate and inept? Who is advising them? And what is right for London is right for the rest of the country.

"With the highest level of COVID infection and hospitals buckling under the tsunami of very ill patients, it is time for ministers to do their duty - to protect the NHS by following SAGE advice and close all primary and secondary schools to reduce the R rate below one."

The National Education Union has called an emergency meeting of its executive on Monday to discuss the schools crisis.

And another teachers' union leader, NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach, said: "Yet again, parents, pupils and staff are having to deal with the consequences of yet more last-minute chaotic announcements from the government.

"In just a matter of days, the government's plans for the safe reopening of schools are unravelling.

"Primary schools and parents in Tier 4 areas across the country will no doubt wonder why the government regards the risks to their health and safety as less significant than in other Tier 4 areas in London and the southeast of England.

"All teachers, education staff and pupils, irrespective of where they live, work or are educated, deserve the same levels of protection in the face of this highly deadly and highly contagious virus."

Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green also raised the prospect of more school closures in Tier 4 areas outside London and south east England.

"This is yet another government U-turn creating chaos for parents just two days before the start of term," she said.

"Gavin Williamson's incompetent handling of the return of schools and colleges is creating huge stress for parents, pupils, and school and college staff and damaging children's education.

"This U-turn was needed to provide consistency in London.

"However, Gavin Williamson must still clarify why some schools in Tier 4 are closing and what the criteria for reopening will be."

Whitehall sources told Sky News the London U-turn was a collective government decision, taken with the backing of the Department of Health, Public Health England and local public health officials - and not "the stroke of a pen" by Mr Williamson.

Giving his backing to the education secretary, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Over the past week we have seen infections and hospitalisations rise sharply across London and hospitals are coming under increased pressure.

"While our priority is to keep as many children as possible in school, we have to strike a balance between education and infection rates and pressures on the NHS.

"The situation in London continues to worsen and so today we are taking action to protect the public and reduce the spread of this disease in the community."

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2021-01-02 01:19:52Z
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Brexit Britain set to rebuild ravaged economy quickly by becoming 'trading superpower' - Express

Robert Jenrick says economy bounce back is ‘good news’

The Confederation of British Industry today insists thousands of innovative home-grown firms will be the “beacon which guides us from the gloom” of the coronavirus pandemic. CBI President Lord Bilimoria says: “We can rebuild, and rebuild quickly.” And in another upbeat New Year message, Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena tells the Daily Express the post-Brexit UK can become “a dynamic trading superpower” by slashing red tape and backing the country’s exporters.

“Global Britain is here, and she is here to stay,” he said.

The senior figures in business and the Government set their sights on a rapid bounceback from economic doldrums left by the coronavirus lockdowns in exclusive articles for today’s Daily Express.

Lord Bilimoria, the chairman of Cobra Beer, predicted that the country’s economy will be rebuilt “not simply by restoring a more normal way of life, but by forging something new - a society which is better, fairer and more sustainable.”

The Crossbench peer wrote: “I believe British businesses can – and will – be at the forefront of that rebuilding.

Brexit news: The UK is set to rebuild its economy in 2021

Brexit news: The UK is set to rebuild its economy in 2021 (Image: EXPRESS)

“They say it is always darkest before the dawn – and the dawn is coming.

“I believe UK industry can be the beacon which guides us from the gloom as we look to rebuild our economy in a way which delivers long-term prosperity for us all.”

The CBI, which represents 190,000 businesses employing seven million people, today publishes a fiercely upbeat forecast for the year ahead after the UK economy suffered its worst 12-months in more than 300 years.

Business is continuing to take a battering with the majority of England under the tightest regional coronavirus restrictions.

Thousands of innovative home-grown firms will be the “beacon which guides us from the gloom” (Image: GETTY)

But following the signing of Boris Johnson’s EU trade deal, the CBI says businesses now have the clarity to drive growth forward.

It said British business was “like a coiled spring ready to release ambition and investment - they just need a chance”.

The CBI said the rapid rollout of Covid vaccines would allow consumer spending to rocket as earnings recovered. This is likely from the middle of the year.

It said a 6% rate of growth in GDP this year would slip back to 5.2% in 2022 after the Government’s pandemic support programmes were withdrawn.

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But the respected organisation said Business investment slumped by 17.5% last year. It is set for a further small fall of -0.6% this year before rebounding by 9.3% in 2022, the CBI said.

Lord Bilimoria added: “The UK is entering not just a new year, but a new world; a world in the grip of a pandemic, where long-standing relationships are changing and a recession has taken hold.

“Yet while challenges ahead of us are significant, they are not insurmountable. I see plenty of reasons for optimism. We can rebuild, and rebuild quickly, and do it not simply by restoring a more normal way of life, but by forging something new. A society which is better, fairer and more sustainable. I believe British businesses can – and will – be at the forefront of that rebuilding.

“Businesses have proven they have what it takes. UK firms of all shapes and sizes, operating across myriad industries, have shown astounding ingenuity and creativity to meet the crises of 2020 head-on. They have revamped working methods, launched new product lines, invented innovative routes to market. Measures implemented initially to ensure survival, which can now deliver meaningful long-term gains in equality, employee welfare and the environment.

The UK has already signed various trade deals away from the EU

The UK has already signed various trade deals away from the EU (Image: GETTY)

“Throughout this crisis, business leaders have retained an eye on the bigger picture; they have taken their duty of care to employees to new levels, and reaffirmed their commitments to diversity, opportunity and climate change. They are primed and ready to help build a better Britain.”

In a separate article for today’s Daily Express, Trade Minister Mr Jayawardena was similarly optimistic about the potential for business growth this year.

“With the ingenuity, resilience and determination of our businesses, and the support we are putting in place, I am confident that Britain’s future is great,” he wrote.

Mr Jayawardena said the Government had defied the “doubters, doomsters and gloomsters” by agreeing trade deals with 63 countries as well as the Prime Minister’s historic accord with Brussels.

The UK's transition period with the EU officially ended yesterday

The UK's transition period with the EU officially ended yesterday (Image: EXPRESS)

Ministers aimed to support small and medium-sized employees (SMEs) by negotiating specific clauses to promote their products in trade deals.

“This people’s government is particularly keen to support SMEs in their endeavours, so that they can use their agility to benefit Britain, as Britain uses her agility to benefit them.

“That’s why we’re negotiating specific SME chapters in our future trade deals,” he said.

Mr Jayawardena promised the Government would help Britain regain “her buccaneering belief as a dynamic trading superpower with a red-tape -slashing spirit and cutting-edge trade support.”

The UK already has plans to rebuild its economy away from the EU

The UK already has plans to rebuild its economy away from the EU (Image: GETTY)

He added: “Global Britain is here, and she is here to stay - a Global Britain who stands tall as a fierce champion of the free and fair, rules-based, international trade system, that not only gives us the weapons to fight this pandemic but will be the key to our future prosperity.”

A Treasury spokesman said: “As the Chancellor has set out, there will be tough days and months ahead, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Our unprecedented support for jobs and businesses across the UK in the form of our £280billion economic support package and Plan for Jobs puts us in a strong position to rebuild after the pandemic.

“This investment combined with the early roll-out of a vaccine, and the free trade-deal the Prime Minister has negotiated with the EU means we will benefit from our newfound freedom and autonomy - and can look ahead to a brighter future for the economy and the country.

“Whether it be new roads or rail connecting our towns and cities, leading the world in creating green jobs, working with businesses to unlock new investment or creating freeports right across the UK, we are fully committed to uniting and levelling up to ensure opportunity for all in the New Year.”

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2021-01-02 00:00:00Z
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Sadiq Khan pleads with Londoners to support his £1.5m taxpayer funded NYE light show - Express

The London skyline dazzled with a spectacular firework display on Thursday night to mark the end of a dreadful 2020. The secret event was kept under close guard by the London Mayor to avoid large crowds gathering on the banks of the River Thames. Instead, more than 10 million Britons watched on at home to see the stunning light display showcase a number of significant moments of the year.

At one point during the display, the blue and yellow colours of the European Union were painted onto Tower Bridge.

Above the famous O2 Arena in Greenwich, drones also formed the shape of a raised fist – a symbolic gesture linked to the noble Black Lives Matter movement.

The NHS logo inside a heart, and national hero Captain Sir Tom Moore, were also depicted in the colourful London sky at midnight.

The unique display divided opinion amongst viewers, with some accusing Mr Khan of being “woke” and others hit out at the Labour Mayor for “politicising” the event.

Amid a backlash, Mr Khan took to Twitter this morning to seek reassurance from Londoners.

Along with a snapshot of a Mail Online article highlighting the “fury” directed at him, Mr Khan wrote: “Anyone else think it was pretty good?”

His comments triggered a mixed response from users on the platform.

One user wrote: “Outrageous, globalist propaganda paid by taxpayers who celebrate New Year’s Eve.”

The show ended with a message from national treasure Sir David Attenborough who stressed how “fragile” planet Earth is and insisted now is the time for change.

In a statement following the event, Mr Khan said: "I'm proud that the eyes of the world turned to our capital to see a unique drone, lighting and firework show that reflected on the defining moments of this year, paid tribute to our NHS heroes and the way that Londoners continue to stand together, and showed why our city is the greatest in the world.

"We showed how our capital and the UK have made huge sacrifices to support one another through these difficult times, and how they will continue to do so as the vaccine is rolled out."

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2021-01-01 23:07:00Z
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Covid: All London primary schools to stay closed - BBC News

All primary schools in London will remain closed for the start of the new term, the government has confirmed.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said the government had "finally seen sense and U-turned" on its plan to allow pupils in some areas to return on Monday.

Leaders of nine London local authorities had written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson urging him to rethink the decision.

Mr Williamson said the city-wide closures were "a last resort".

The government said it had decided all primary schools in the capital would be required to provide remote learning after a further review of coronavirus transmission rates.

Vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers will continue to attend school, the government said.

Early years care, alternative provision and special schools will remain open, it added.

Schools in nine London boroughs and the City of London district had been set to reopen - while those in the remaining 23 boroughs would have stayed closed from 4 January.

'Nonsensical position'

The decision was criticised and branded "illogical" by councillors and residents in the affected areas, who called for primary schools across the capital to move to online learning until 18 January.

They pointed out that Covid-19 infection rates were higher in some boroughs told to reopen schools than in others where they were not.

In a tweet, Mr Khan said a city-wide closure was "the right decision" and thanked education minister Nick Gibb for "our constructive conversations over the past two days".

"The government's original decision was ridiculous and has been causing immense confusion for parents, teachers and staff across the capital," Mr Khan said.

"It is right that all schools in London are treated the same, and that no primary schools in London will be forced to open on Monday".

Dan Thorpe, leader of Greenwich council, said he was "absolutely delighted" to hear Mr Williamson had "finally climbed down and reversed his decision".

Kingston Council leader Caroline Kerr said she was "dismayed" at the government's handling of situation while a council statement added: "It never made sense that neighbouring boroughs were being instructed to have different arrangements despite having similar rates of infection."

Islington council leader Richard Watts said waiting until New Year's day to announce the further closures was "unacceptable".

He said the decision "should have been made weeks ago, as the public health situation became clear".

Mary Bousted, of the National Education Union, said the government was right to reverse its "obviously nonsensical position".

"What is right for London is right for the rest of the country," she said, and she called on ministers to "do their duty" by closing all primary and secondary schools nationwide for at least two weeks.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, accused the government of damaging public confidence with a "confusing and last-minute approach".

"Just at the moment when we need some decisive leadership, the government is at sixes and sevens," he said.

'Temporary solution'

Shadow education secretary Kate Green said the move was "yet another government U-turn creating chaos for parents just two days before the start of term".

"Gavin Williamson must still clarify why some schools in tier 4 are closing and what the criteria for reopening will be," she said.

In a statement, Mr Williamson said children's education and wellbeing remained "a national priority" and moving the whole of London to remote education "really is a last resort and a temporary solution".

"We will continue keep the list of local authorities under review, and reopen classrooms as soon as we possibly can," he said.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the situation in London had continued to worsen in the past week and infections and hospital admissions had risen sharply.

"While our priority is to keep as many children as possible in school, we have to strike a balance between education and infection rates and pressures on the NHS," he said.

The Department for Education had previously said decisions on school closures and openings were based on new infections, positivity rates, and pressures on the NHS.

A spokeswoman for the department said: "In response to concerning data about the spread of coronavirus, we have implemented the contingency framework for education in a small number of areas of the country, requiring schools to provide remote learning to all but vulnerable and critical worker children and exam years.

"Decisions on which areas will be subject to the contingency framework are based on close work with PHE, the NHS, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and across government."

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Are you a parent or teacher who will be affected by the London primary school closures? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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2021-01-01 20:39:00Z
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COVID-19: Three intensive care units in London 'full' on New Year's Eve, leaked email shows - Sky News

Intensive care units in three London hospitals were "full" on New Year's Eve, leaving patients waiting to be transferred to other hospitals for critical care, according to a leaked NHS email obtained by Sky News.

The email, which was sent on Thursday afternoon to staff at University College London Hospital, recorded the status of intensive care units (ICUs) in the northwest and central areas of London, which have been hit hard by the steep rise in coronavirus infections.

ICUs at three hospitals were "full", the email said. North Middlesex University Hospital, Barnet Hospital and Whittington Hospital had no more room for seriously ill patients and had patients waiting for "a transfer" to another ICU.

Live COVID-19 updates from the UK and around the world

At North Middlesex University Hospital in Enfield, the situation was so serious that the respiratory medicine ward was also "full", the email said, adding that there were six patients receiving oxygen in the hospital's A&E.

Another London hospital, the Royal Free in Belsize Park, was said to have 58 intensive care patients, despite normally having 34 ICU beds.

The update said the Royal Free "cannot take another transfer".

An NHS spokesperson confirmed that the email had been sent, but said that the situation was changing so rapidly the information would almost certainly not be up to date.

Despite the intensity of the crisis, the spokesperson stressed that the hospitals were still open for anyone needing care or anyone with a scheduled appointment.

The email, which recorded figures compiled on Thursday by University College London Hospital (UCLH) medical director Professor Geoff Bellingan, also detailed the measures being taken to deal with the sudden influx of patients.

Patients who could not be treated at hospitals in the region were being sent to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and children's hospital Great Ormond Street had been "told to release 12 nurses" to the Royal Free and UCLH to allow patients to be transferred there.

UCLH has been taking large numbers of patients from other hospitals as part of the NHS's "mutual aid" arrangement.

Yet, according to another internal email seen by Sky News, UCLH has already filled its main ICU.

A second, 20-bed ICU opened specially to deal with COVID-19 patients was now 75% full, the email said. Although UCLH was building "a third major ICU" with room for 25 patients, the email said it was "squeezing" the nearby National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery to take COVID-19 ICU cases.

The email, which was first reported in the Independent, made what it described as an "URGENT ask" for teams to "look at what they did in the first surge and release ALL the staff they did then," adding that "we will need to go ABOVE this in a number of areas".

The news comes after an internal email from Royal London Hospital, first reported by The Times, said that the hospital was in "disaster medicine mode" and was no longer able to provide high-standard critical care.

Just under half of all major hospital trusts in England currently have more COVID-19 patients than during the peak of the first wave of the virus, according to the latest figures.

Out of 140 acute NHS trusts, 64 were recording a higher number of patients suffering symptoms as a result of coronavirus at 8am on December 30 than at any point between mid-March and the end of May.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said Nightingale Hospitals are being "readied" to deal with the surge in hospital admissions, although it is not clear when they will be able to take patients.

A spokesman for the NHS in London told Sky News: "Hospitals in London are coming under significant pressure from high COVID-19 infection rates and while staff are going the extra mile and the NHS in London is opening more beds in hospitals across the capital to care for the most unwell patients, it is crucial that the public do everything they can to reduce transmission of the virus."

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2021-01-01 19:01:19Z
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All London primary schools to remain closed for start of term in government U-turn - Sky News

All London primary schools will now be closed at the start of term for most pupils, mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed.

It comes two days after the government said only those in 22 of London's 32 boroughs would be affected by closures.

Earlier, the leaders of eight London boroughs called on the government to make a U-turn as they were "struggling to understand the rationale" behind the move.

It will mean around a million pupils aged between four and 11 will facing remote learning from Monday, after youngsters in 27 other local authorities outside the capital were told on Wednesday they would be taught online for an indefinite period.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the decision about when they could return to school would be reviewed by 18 January.

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2021-01-01 18:41:32Z
52781273926759

Jumat, 01 Januari 2021

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Robert Jenrick says economy bounce back is ‘good news’

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