Kamis, 14 Januari 2021

Covid-19: Brazil travel ban to be discussed over new variant - BBC News

International arrivals at Heathrow
PA Media

Travel from Brazil to the UK could be banned in response to the discovery of a new coronavirus variant.

Ministers are meeting to discuss possible measures and a block on flights could also be extended to other South American countries in a bid to stop its spread.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is "concerned" about the new variant and "extra measures" were being taken.

Arrivals from Brazil are currently required to self-isolate for 10 days.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove will chair the meeting around lunchtime to discuss whether measures should be put in place.

New variants of Covid-19 have also been identified in the UK and South Africa.

During a two-hour appearance in front of the Commons Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday Mr Johnson stopped short of promising a ban on travel from Brazil.

"We already have tough measures ... to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad," he said.

"We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant."

Prof Susan Hopkins, who is Strategic Response Director for Covid-19 with Public Health England, told BBC Breakfast experts were looking at the Brazilian variant and needed to grow the virus in the UK in order to perform laboratory experiments.

"So we need to understand the biology of these [new strains], as well as understanding mutations," she said.

"We will be watching them all to make sure that they can't escape your immune response, which is the key thing that we're looking at the moment."

A travel ban was put in place on arrivals from South Africa on 24 December, which was later extended to several other nearby countries, following the discovery of a new variant.

Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus'
Banner

The discussion comes after it was announced a requirement for arrivals into England to test negative for coronavirus 72 hours before their journey will now come into force at 04:00 GMT on Monday.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the new rules had been delayed from Friday "to give international arrivals time to prepare".

Labour's Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, described the delay in introducing the new rules as "truly shocking".

Scotland is taking the same approach to international travellers but will implement the policy on Friday, while Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to announce their own plans in the coming days.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticised the government for delaying pre-departure testing for arrivals to England, describing the situation as a "complete mess".

"Priti Patel has talked tough about the borders but other countries have been doing testing for months and months," he said.

Sir Keir said people were "really worried" about strains in other parts of the world, including Brazil, and people would be "bewildered and they will feel that we're exposed".

Banner Image Reading Around the BBC - Blue
Footer - Blue
Banner saying 'Get in touch'

Are you due to travel back to the UK from Brazil? Share your experience. 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:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTU1NjYwNTUy0gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3VrLTU1NjYwNTUy?oc=5

2021-01-14 12:03:00Z
52781304035584
Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Covid-19: Brazil travel ban to be discussed over new variant - BBC News

International arrivals at Heathrow
PA Media

Travel from Brazil to the UK could be banned in response to the discovery of a new coronavirus variant.

Ministers are meeting to discuss possible measures and a block on flights could also be extended to other South American countries in a bid to stop its spread.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is "concerned" about the new variant and "extra measures" were being taken.

Arrivals from Brazil are currently required to self-isolate for 10 days.

New variants of Covid-19 have also been identified in the UK and South Africa.

During a two-hour appearance in front of the Commons Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday Mr Johnson stopped short of promising a ban on travel from Brazil.

"We already have tough measures ... to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad," he said.

"We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant."

Prof Susan Hopkins, who is Strategic Response Director for Covid-19 with Public Health England, told BBC Breakfast experts were looking at the Brazilian variant and needed to grow the virus in the UK in order to perform laboratory experiments.

"So we need to understand the biology of these [new strains], as well as understanding mutations," she said.

"We will be watching them all to make sure that they can't escape your immune response, which is the key thing that we're looking at the moment."

A travel ban was put in place on arrivals from South Africa on 24 December, which was later extended to several other nearby countries, following the discovery of a new variant.

Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus'
Banner

The discussion comes after it was announced a requirement for arrivals into England to test negative for coronavirus 72 hours before their journey will now come into force at 04:00 GMT on Monday.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the new rules had been delayed from Friday "to give international arrivals time to prepare".

Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, described the delay in introducing the new rules as "truly shocking".

Scotland is taking the same approach to international travellers but will implement the policy on Friday, while Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to announce their own plans in the coming days.

Banner Image Reading Around the BBC - Blue
Footer - Blue
Banner saying 'Get in touch'

Are you due to travel back to the UK from Brazil? Share your experience. 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:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTU1NjYwNTUy0gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3VrLTU1NjYwNTUy?oc=5

2021-01-14 10:35:00Z
52781303936014
Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Covid: Infections levelling off in some areas - scientist - BBC News

A "Stay Home Save Lives" government sign on Commercial road in Portsmouth
PA Media

The coronavirus growth rate is slowing in the UK and the number of infections are starting to level off in some areas, a top scientist has said.

Prof Neil Ferguson told the BBC that in some NHS regions there is a "sign of plateauing" in cases and hospital admissions.

But he warned the overall death toll would exceed 100,000.

On Wednesday, the UK saw its biggest daily death figure since the start of the pandemic, with 1,564 deaths.

It has taken the total number of deaths by that measure to 84,767. There were also 47,525 new cases.

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the national lockdown measures were "starting to show signs of some effect", but it was early days and urged people to abide by the rules.

People in England are required to stay at home and only go out for limited reasons, such as for food shopping, exercise, or work if they cannot do so from home.

Similar measures are in place across much of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Professor Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London whose modelling led to the first lockdown in March, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "much too early" to say when the number of cases would come down.

But he said: "It looks like in London in particular and a couple of other regions in the South East and East of England, hospital admissions may even have plateaued...

"It has to be said this is not seen everywhere - both case numbers and hospital admissions are going up in many other areas, but overall at a national level we are seeing the rate of growth slow."

Graph showing UK Covid cases
Graphic showing daily death figures

Prof Ferguson added: "I would hope the hospital admissions might plateau… sometime in the next week, but hospital bed occupancy may continue to rise slowly for up to two weeks."

He warned the overall death toll would be "well over 100,000", adding "there's nothing we can do about that now".

It comes as a major study led by Public Health England has shown most people who have had Covid-19 are protected from catching it again for at least five months.

Past infection was linked to an 83% lower risk of getting the virus, compared with those who had never had Covid-19, scientists found.

Brazil variant

Prof Susan Hopkins, who led the study, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the finding "doesn't eliminate" the risk of people catching Covid-19 again, and infecting others.

She said: "We found people with very high amounts of virus in their nose and throat swabs, that would easily be in the range which would cause levels of transmission to other individuals. Therefore, we're reassuring people that it's good news but asking them to still follow the rules."

Prof Hopkins said she hoped that after Easter, "we will start to see reduced infection rates, as we did at that time last year" and the number of people who have been vaccinated at a "very high level".

The UK is continuing efforts to ramp up the rollout of the Covid vaccine, with the prime minister saying that Covid vaccinations will be offered 24 hours a day, seven days a week as soon as supply allows.

The number of people in the UK who have received the first dose of a vaccine has risen to 2,639,309 - up by 207,661 from the day before.

Mr Johnson also told the Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday that he was "concerned" about a new Covid variant that is believed to have emerged in Brazil and said that the UK was taking steps to ensure it is not brought into the UK.

A government Covid committee is meeting later to discuss the possibility of stopping flights from Brazil. Arrivals from Brazil already have to self-isolate for 10 days.

Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus'
Banner

Meanwhile, the Deputy Scottish First Minister John Swinney told BBC Breakfast "the virus is not accelerating as fast as it was" in Scotland.

He said "there are some early signs of optimism" but emphasised people should follow all guidance as the "virus is still at a very strong level".

On Wednesday, it was announced that lockdown rules around takeaway and click and collect services in Scotland would be tightened from Saturday.

In other developments:

Banner Image Reading Around the BBC - Blue
Footer - Blue

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTU1NjU5MDY10gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYW1wL3VrLTU1NjU5MDY1?oc=5

2021-01-14 09:30:00Z
52781303774620
Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

It begins! Barnier threatens UK penalty for pesticide - despite being used in 11 EU states - Daily Express

Brexit: UK ‘hasn’t seen the back of Barnier’ claims expert

The Frenchman insisted Britain risks losing its zero-tariff and zero-quota trade with the bloc if it slips too far below European standards. He singled out the Government’s authorisation of a pesticide, which is banned by the EU, for use by sugar beet farmers in England. Despite Brussels’ 2018 ban on most neonicotinoids for use on outdoor crops, 11 European capitals continue to allow their use on an emergency basis. 

The bee-killing pesticide is widely used in Belgium, Romania, Denmark and Poland, according to a recent analysis.

In an interview with a group of European newspapers, Mr Barnier hinted Britain could fall foul of the so-called “level playing field” rules by allowing the pesticide to be used. 

The Brussels diplomat said: “One ought to be careful… otherwise there will be consequences in terms of going on exporting without tariff, without quota to our market.”

The Government’s decision to sanction emergency use of the pesticide, because of the threat posed to the sugar beet crop by virus yellows disease, has yet to prompt an official reaction in Brussels.

Boris Johnson and Michel Barnier

Michel Barnier threatens UK with punishment tariffs for pesticide use (Image: GETTY)

Michel Barnier

Michel Barnier will step down as the EU's Brexit chief at the end of the month (Image: GETTY)

Mr Barnier added: “Pesticides concern public health, the health of farmers, farm workers and consumers.

“Depending on where you set the threshold in that area it can also have an impact on competition and competitiveness.”

Under the UK-EU agreement, Britain is free to set its own laws and regulations while retaining tariff-free and quota-free trade of goods across the Channel.

But either side has the right to impose tariffs on the other if its companies are facing an unfair competitive advantage by significant changes to the rules.

Related articles

Boris Johnson Brexit news

Boris Johnson signs the Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (Image: GETTY)

Mr Barnier, who is stepping down from his role as the EU’s chief negotiator, warned Brussels will be “vigilant on all fronts” in policing Britain’s future standards.

Responding to claims of disruptions for cross-Channel trade, the Frenchman insisted it was here to stay as Brexit must have “consequences”.

The Brussels diplomat explained the deal would not be renegotiated to paper over any cracks in the 1,246-page agreement, which last year was secured in record time.

“There are mechanical, obvious, inevitable, consequences when you leave the single market and that’s what the British wished to do,” he said.

MUST READ: Boris Johnson vows to rip up Brexit deal rules if port chaos continues

Brexit timeline

Timeline of Britain's divorce talks from the European Union (Image: EXPRESS)

He claimed both sides would have to live with the changes, including customs checks on farm goods and a ban on travellers bringing meat and dairy products across the border.

“This agreement will not be renegotiated be renegotiated, it now needs to be implemented,” he added.

Mr Barnier will retire as the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator at the end of the month and will return to French domestic politics.

Ahead of next year’s presidential race, the Frenchman said he would “take back my place” in the centre-right Les Republicains party. 

DON'T MISS
Brexit clash: UK and Switzerland tipped to 'stand up to EU' [ANALYSIS]
Boris Johnson hints Scottish fishermen will get Brexit 'compensation' [VIDEO]
Boris unleashes City of London as UK finance freed from EU shackles [REVEALED]

Brexit: Ben Habib warns of ‘risk’ of increased EU alignment

In an attack on British newspapers, he fumed: “Unlike the caricatures that certain media or certain British tabloids have made of me, I have never been a Brussels super-technocrat.

“I remain a politician. I will take back my place in the political debate, first in the political family which has always been mine, even if I have been in a minority in that political family, notably on the European line.

“I am happy that in a few weeks I’ll go back to my country, which I miss, to meet citizens, who I miss.”

During the tense Brexit trade talks, UK negotiator Lord Frost often infuriated his EU counterpart by labelling him an “official” rather than politician.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMif2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV4cHJlc3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy9wb2xpdGljcy8xMzgzODY1L0JyZXhpdC1uZXdzLU1pY2hlbC1CYXJuaWVyLVVLLUVVLXRyYWRlLWRlYWwtdGFyaWZmcy1sYXRlc3QtcGVzdGljaWRlLWJhbi11cGRhdGXSAYMBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzcy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3BvbGl0aWNzLzEzODM4NjUvQnJleGl0LW5ld3MtTWljaGVsLUJhcm5pZXItVUstRVUtdHJhZGUtZGVhbC10YXJpZmZzLWxhdGVzdC1wZXN0aWNpZGUtYmFuLXVwZGF0ZS9hbXA?oc=5

2021-01-14 08:17:00Z
52781303299957
Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Scottish voters rewarding Nicola Sturgeon's handling of pandemic as Covid-19 sends votes to SNP - The Scotsman

Nicola Sturgeon’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is driving voters towards the SNP while support for independence remains close to record highs, a new poll has shown.

Thursday, 14th January 2021, 7:00 am

Nicola Sturgeon's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is pushing voters to back the SNP, a new poll has shown.Nicola Sturgeon's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is pushing voters to back the SNP, a new poll has shown.
Nicola Sturgeon's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is pushing voters to back the SNP, a new poll has shown.

The poll, by SavantaComRes for The Scotsman, puts the SNP on course for a comfortable majority at the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May, with opposition parties failing to make a dent in the overall support across the country for Ms Sturgeon’s party.

Pollsters interviewed 1,016 Scottish adults aged 16 or over online between January 8 and 13 for the survey.

Sign up to our public interest bulletins - get the latest news on the Coronavirus

Sign up to our public interest bulletins - get the latest news on the Coronavirus

Support for independence remains high, with 57 per cent of Scots saying they would vote yes if a second independence referendum was held tomorrow compared to 43 per cent who would vote No when ‘undecideds’ are excluded.

Independence is the majority view across the country even with ‘undecideds’ included, with 51 per cent saying they would vote yes, 38 per cent supporting No, and 10 per cent saying they did not know.

Indyref2 within the next two years remains supported by around 40 per cent of voters, with a majority of 52 per cent stating it should take place before the 2026 Holyrood elections.

Ms Sturgeon’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic is also driving Scots to vote for the SNP and the leader of the nationalists is popular with many people who voted for other parties in the 2019 election.

The figures have led to warnings that Scottish Labour could be most at risk from voters jumping ship to vote for the SNP.

A net total of 22 per cent of voters – of which 37 per cent voted for Scottish Labour in 2019 and 13 per cent Scottish Conservative voters – are “more likely” to vote for the SNP due to their handling of the pandemic.

The ‘Sturgeon effect’ is further demonstrated by the poll’s data showing almost half – 46 per cent – of Scottish Labour voters and a third – 36 per cent – of Scottish Conservative voters have a better view of the First Minister now than they did before the pandemic.

In total, 59 per cent of voters have a more positive view of Ms Sturgeon now than pre-pandemic.

Opposition parties are also struggling to persuade voters to switch sides. Just 19, 21 and 15 per cent of voters said they felt “more likely” to vote for the Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour and Scottish Liberal Democrats respectively due to how the parties have handled the pandemic.

Ahead of the 2021 Holyrood elections, overall support for the main parties has remained largely stable since the last poll in December, with the SNP set for a majority of 13 seats in Holyrood.

In the constituency vote, the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives saw small drops of support of two and one point respectively to 53 per cent and 19 per cent of the vote share.

Scottish Labour saw their vote increase by two points to 18 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats staying on 6 per cent.

However, the Scottish Conservatives have taken a hit in the list voting intention, dropping to third with just 16 per cent of the vote share, down four points from December and behind both the SNP (44 per cent, up two points) and Scottish Labour (18 per cent, up one point).

It is the lowest level of support for the Scottish Conservatives in the regional list since April 2016 and the joint lowest constituency vote share since the 2016 election.

The Scottish Greens have again had a strong showing in the list vote with 11 per cent, down one point from December, with the Liberal Democrats recording a rise of one point to eight per cent of the vote-share.

Such a result would see the SNP secure 71 seats (up eight from 2016), Scottish Labour 21 seats (down three), the Scottish Conservatives 17 (down 14), the Scottish Greens 11 seats (up five) and the Scottish Liberal Democrats nine seats (up four).

Chris Hopkins, associate director at SavantaComRes, said not much has changed in Scottish politics between December and January as the pandemic takes centre stage.

He said: “The state of the parties in Scotland looks much the same in January as it did in December, and perhaps that’s a reflection of the fact that while the pandemic continues to dominate the news agenda, there is little time for overt electioneering like there would usually be a few months before an election.

"There are some slightly improved numbers here for Labour, but that looks primarily down to Keir Starmer, as metrics relating to Scottish Labour and Richard Leonard have barely shifted.

“What appears most interesting here is that the ceiling for Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP could be even higher than these already-strong figures.

"Our data shows that Sturgeon’s management of the pandemic has improved her reputation among significant chunks of 2019 Labour and Conservative voters, and the SNP’s response to the crisis has led recent Labour voters to consider the SNP in May.

"Holding onto these voters will be imperative for Leonard and Scottish Labour over the coming months, as Labour, more so than the Conservatives, seem to see the SNP’s appeal.”

Concerns around Brexit have dropped since no deal was avoided on Christmas Eve by the UK Government, with Scots now listing it as only the third most important issue facing Scotland, down from second in December.

Health is now the second most important issue for Scots with 52 per cent choosing it as one of the three most important issues facing the country, with the economy top, employment fourth, education fifth, with independence sixth.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiiQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zY290c21hbi5jb20vaGVhbHRoL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzL3Njb3R0aXNoLXZvdGVycy1yZXdhcmRpbmctbmljb2xhLXN0dXJnZW9ucy1oYW5kbGluZy1wYW5kZW1pYy1jb3ZpZC0xOS1zZW5kcy12b3Rlcy1zbnAtMzA5NTY2NNIBjQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zY290c21hbi5jb20vaGVhbHRoL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzL3Njb3R0aXNoLXZvdGVycy1yZXdhcmRpbmctbmljb2xhLXN0dXJnZW9ucy1oYW5kbGluZy1wYW5kZW1pYy1jb3ZpZC0xOS1zZW5kcy12b3Rlcy1zbnAtMzA5NTY2ND9hbXA?oc=5

2021-01-14 07:07:05Z
52781302282398
Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:

Brexit double trouble: UK and Switzerland poised to 'stand up to EU' in Brussels crisis - Express

Prime Minister has secured a trade deal with the EU, boasting that the agreement will grant the UK more sovereignty. As a result of the trading accord, the UK will have more control over its fishing waters, borders and laws. However, sectors like financial services are yet to learn their long term fate, and fresh rows between London and Brussels have been predicted as a result. The UK accepted measures in the agreement for the possible imposition of tariffs if London diverges notably from existing standards.

This has caused anger in the City, as one expert warned the Government made a “grave mistake”.

Mr Johnson admitted following negotiations that the UK's trade deal with the EU “perhaps does not go as far as we would like” over access to EU markets for financial services.

Switzerland is also embroiled in a similar row with the EU over financial services' access to the single market and also the issue of equivalence.

The has demanded that the UK conform to the equivalence model post- to ensure British financial services operate on similar rules to those in Europe.

But one analyst warns that Brussels could have overplayed its hand in both sets of negotiations, giving the UK and Switzerland hope that they can secure concessions from Brussels.

Michael McKee, partner at British multinational law firm DLA Piper, told CNBC that the EU may not be able to maintain its tough stance on equivalence.

He said in 2019: ″[Equivalence] has been used in an informal fashion as a tool to get outcomes but usually directed towards getting other countries to make changes to the law or adapt a little more to the EU approach, and usually with smaller countries, not mid-level, well developed countries like Switzerland — it is the first time that a country has really stood up to the EU other than large economies like the US or China."

He added that the “concrete impact in Switzerland has not been significant in financial markets terms,” and claimed that the UK was in a stronger negotiating position than Bern.

Mr McKee continued: “The UK stock market and stocks on that market collectively are much more substantial, so if the EU was to take on the UK like this, the volumes of the London Stock Exchange and the FTSE 100 are a bit more balanced against the stocks being traded on the various EU countries’ markets."

READ MORE: Brexit fury: Switzerland anger after EU 'took Swiss hostage' 

Autonomiesuisse, a committee of entrepreneurs in Switzerland, wrote in a statement that the Brexit deal shows that the country can take on the EU in the next round of negotiations.

They said: “Overall, the sovereignty policy issues in the Brexit negotiations were largely settled in the way Autonomiesuisse is seeking for the Switzerland-EU framework agreement.

“The Brexit agreement shows that there is potential for negotiation with Brussels.”

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMie2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV4cHJlc3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy91ay8xMzgzNTg4L2JyZXhpdC1uZXdzLXVrLXN3aXR6ZXJsYW5kLWV1LWJydXNzZWxzLXRyYWRlLWZpbmFuY2lhbC1zZXJ2aWNlcy1ib3Jpcy1qb2huc29uLXNwdNIBf2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV4cHJlc3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy91ay8xMzgzNTg4L2JyZXhpdC1uZXdzLXVrLXN3aXR6ZXJsYW5kLWV1LWJydXNzZWxzLXRyYWRlLWZpbmFuY2lhbC1zZXJ2aWNlcy1ib3Jpcy1qb2huc29uLXNwdC9hbXA?oc=5

2021-01-14 07:00:00Z
52781303299957
Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Langganan: Komentar (Atom)