Babak Belurs

Senin, 01 Februari 2021

Coronavirus: UK must 'come down hard' on South African variant - BBC News

The UK must "come down hard" on the South African coronavirus variant, the health secretary has said, after cases with no links to travel were detected.

About 80,000 people in England will be offered urgent tests for the variant.

Residents aged 16 and over in eight areas across Surrey, London, Kent, Hertfordshire, Southport and Walsall are being asked to take tests, regardless of symptoms.

Previous cases in the UK were connected to South Africa.

But random checks found 11 cases that could not be linked to international travel.

Matt Hancock told a Downing Street news conference on Monday that there was "currently no evidence" to suggest the South African variant was "any more severe, but we need to come down on it hard, and we will".

The neighbourhoods being targeted for testing are:

W7, N17 and CR4 in London
WS2 in Walsall
ME15 in Maidstone, Kent
PR9 in Southport
EN10 in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire
GU21 in Woking

Appealing to residents of these postcodes, Mr Hancock said: "It is imperative that you stay at home, and that you get a test, even if you don't have symptoms.

"This is so important so that we can break the chains of the transmission of this new variant, and we've got to bring this virus to heel."

Dr Susan Hopkins, of Public Health England, told the same briefing that three of the vaccines that had been used in trials had proven effective against the South African variant.

She said officials expected other vaccines to have "a similar level of effectiveness, particularly in reducing hospitalisation and death".

Dr Hopkins added that further testing was taking place involving the South African variant so that predictions could be made with "greater robustness".

Prof Jim McManus, the director of public health for Hertfordshire, told the BBC that if every single case was detected, it might be "possible" to eradicate the variant within two weeks.

Asked how confident the government was that the new variant could be contained, Mr Hancock warned it was "not straightforward... there may be further cases we don't know about yet".

He added it was "absolutely vital" that people in the affected areas "minimise all social contact and get a test when the opportunity arises".

Hit hard and early

Analysis box by Nick Triggle, health correspondent

Why have 11 cases caused such alarm? It is because of the precarious position we are in currently.

Vaccination is being rolled out quickly and many vulnerable people are building up immunity.

Anything that interferes with that at this point will have significant consequences. But once vaccination is complete and there are significant levels of immunity across the population, the impact of mutations becomes much more diluted.

This is why there needs to be maximum vigilance now, but in the long-term we can still be confident we can get on top of this pandemic.

Viruses mutate, so what is happening is not surprising.

But coronaviruses - certainly compared to the flu which sees different strains circulating every year - tend to be relatively stable.

So that means, even with the mutations we are seeing, the vaccines that have been developed still offer a very good degree of protection, even if that protection is not quite as high as it was against the original form of the virus.

What is more, it is relatively straightforward with this generation of vaccines to re-engineer them to work better against the mutations that have been seen.

Almost 9.3 million people in the UK have now received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest government figures.

Meanwhile, a further 18,607 new infections were recorded in the UK as of Monday, as well as another 406 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

In total, 105 cases of the South African variant have been identified - with all but 11 linked to travel in South Africa.

In the areas where mass testing is starting, home testing kits are also being sent to some households, and Mr Hancock said testers will be going door-to-door.

Kent County Council said police would be among those going door-to-door to offer residents in the ME15 area tests "there and then".

In Hertfordshire, residents in the EN10 area will receive a letter offering tests at mobile screening units, to collect at a local library, or through the post, the county council said.

Positive cases will be analysed to see if they are caused by the South African variant.

Public Health England has already been analysing around 5% to 10% of all positive cases in more detail, allowing it to identify new variants in the community.

Chart showing the latest on the UK's vaccination target

Earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said vaccines could be adapted to deal with new variants if necessary.

"The fact is we are going to be living with Covid for a while to come in one way or another," Mr Johnson said.

Studies are under way into how the vaccines work against the new variants, with some early results suggesting the Pfizer jab protects against them.

Data on two new vaccines that could be approved soon - one from Novavax and another from Janssen - show that they appear to offer some protection against the variant. Meanwhile, early results from Moderna suggest its vaccine is still effective against the South Africa variant.

In other developments:

Mr Johnson said he was optimistic about the chances of people in the UK enjoying a summer holiday this year - but it depends on certain things going well
The NHS announced a "significant milestone", saying that a Covid vaccine has now been offered to all older residents at eligible care homes in England
The UK has ordered an extra 40 million doses of a vaccine from the French pharmaceutical company Valneva, that should become available later in the year and into 2022
There are early but encouraging signs from Israel that falls in infections and hospitalisations can be linked to the vaccine

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SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?
LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
GLOBAL SPREAD: How many worldwide cases are there?

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2021-02-01 19:26:00Z
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COVID-19: 'Vital' people in areas with cases of South African variant minimise all social contact - Sky News

It is "absolutely vital" that people in areas of England where the South African variant of coronavirus has been identified minimise all social contact, the health secretary has said.

Speaking at the Downing Street news conference, Matt Hancock said the emergence of the COVID-19 variant was a "stark reminder the fight against this virus is not over yet" and that now was "no time to let things slip".

Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world

"There is currently no evidence to suggest this variant is any more severe," he said.

"But we need to come down hard on it and we will."

A total of 105 cases of the South African variant have been identified in the UK so far, with 11 of them not appearing to have links to international travel.

Household testing will be rolled out across a number of areas due to concerns that the variant could be spreading in some regions. The government said the "surge testing" scheme will begin in:

London - W7 (Ealing), N17 (Haringey) and CR4 (Mitcham)
West Midlands - WS2 (Walsall)
East of England - EN10 (Broxbourne)
South East - ME15 (Maidstone) and GU21 (Guildford)
North West - PR9 (Preston)

Mr Hancock said it was "imperative" that people in these areas stay at home and take a test when it is offered to them, even if they have no symptoms.

"The most important thing is that people in the postcode areas outlined need to take extra special precautions," the health secretary said.

"It is absolutely vital that people in those areas minimise all social contact and get a test when the opportunity arises.

Mr Hancock added that "finding every single case" of the variant was the government's aim.

He did not explicitly rule out the prospect of tougher measures in areas with cases of the variant, saying "we're always looking at what we need to do" and "further measures are always there".

But the health secretary added: "We already have this very strong set of rules, indeed very strong laws in place, against people travelling unnecessarily, unless that travel is essential.

"So what I'd say is that if you're in one of the postcode areas I've set out, if you're in an area where the new variant has been found, then stay at home and let's get this new variant totally under control."

Speaking before the news conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to reassure people.

"We're confident that all the vaccines we're using provide a high degree of immunity and protection against all variants," he said.

"The interesting and exciting thing about... the vaccines we're developing is increasingly, they're capable of being adapted to deal with new variants as they arise."

Echoing Mr Hancock, Dr Susan Hopkins from Public Health England told the briefing there was no evidence at this stage that the South African variant resulted in a more serious disease in those infected.

She also said there was no evidence that the cases of the variant were linked.

Dr Hopkins noted they had been discovered in "quite separate parts of the country" and said they were "more likely to be related to somebody who potentially had asymptomatic infection when they came in from abroad".

She added: "We are looking to find extra cases in the community to see where we can find links and to try and close down and eliminate the transmission between people."

Turning to the potential effect of the variant on existing vaccines, Dr Hopkins said trials had shown that three vaccines are effective against it.

"We expect all other vaccines to have a similar level of effectiveness, particularly in reducing hospitalisation and death," she said.

She added that further testing was being carried out so that such predictions could be made with "greater robustness".

Dr Hopkins said experts were looking at whether those have already received a COVID jab would need another shot to cover the risk posed by new mutations of the virus.

"It is unlikely that people would have to start [the vaccine treatment] again, it is much more likely that it would be a booster shot - a bit like the annual flu vaccine," she said.

As well as speaking at length about the South African variant, the health secretary also provided an update on the UK's vaccine rollout.

Mr Hancock said 9.2 million people have now received a first dose of a COVID vaccine, including almost nine in 10 of all those aged over 80 and more than half of those in their 70s.

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2021-02-01 18:11:15Z
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South Africa variant: Covid tests ramped up in Walsall - BBC News

Testing for Covid-19 is to be ramped up in the West Midlands after confirmation a case of the South African variant was identified in Walsall.

The case is not being linked to international travel and the council is working with Public Health England in a bid to stop it spreading.

Residents in the WS2 postcode area are being urged to get tested this week.

Home testing kits will be issued and a mobile unit is being set up in the borough.

Health teams hope to reach an extra 10,000 people, even those who have had their vaccine.

A regional meeting on Monday heard just one case of the South African variant had so far been found in Walsall. It is believed to relate to a positive test in December.

However, Dr Justin Varney, Director of Public Health in Birmingham, said there were likely to be other cases so far undetected in the West Midlands.

Two cases have also been found in Surrey, and testing will also take place in London, Kent, Hertfordshire and West Lancashire.

Testing blood for antibodies for coronavirus

Stephen Craddock, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Walsall Council, said the individual who tested positive in the borough, a male, had no history of travel so the virus had come about through community transmission.

Birchills Leamore, Blakenhall and Bloxwich East fall into the WS2 postcode and the council is looking at exactly which of the areas to target, he added.

Stephen Gunther, Director of Public Health in Walsall, said there was currently no evidence the variant caused more severe illness, or that vaccines would not protect against it, but research showed it was transmitted more easily.

He said the more cases were found, the better the chance of "suppressing it".

Faith and other community leaders in Walsall are being asked to help encourage everyone over the age of 16 living or working in the WS2 postcode to get tested, even if they do not have symptoms.

Currently in Walsall, 480.9 people out of 100,000, tested positive for coronavirus for the week ending 28 January, one of the highest rates in England. But the figures show the rate of infection dropped by 33% from the week before.

Nationwide, the cases caused by the variant were identified as part of Public Health England's random checks on tests. It is not known how many have been identified in all.

Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor for NHS Test and Trace said a small proportion had no link to international travel and in response, testing was being "ramped up" in targeted areas.

The variant now accounts for 90% of all infections in South Africa, Dr Varney said, adding it was one of thousands of variants of Covid-19 discovered.

TESTING: How do I get a virus test?
SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?
LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
GLOBAL SPREAD: How many worldwide cases are there?

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

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2021-02-01 16:59:00Z
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COVID-19: 'Vital' people in areas with cases of South African variant minimise all social contact - Sky News

It is "absolutely vital" that people in areas of England where the South African variant of coronavirus has been identified minimise all social contact, the health secretary has said.

Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world

"There is currently no evidence to suggest this variant is any more severe," he said.

"But we need to come down hard on it and we will."

A total of 105 cases of the South African variant have been identified in the UK so far, with 11 of them not appearing to have links to international travel.

Household testing will be rolled out across a number of areas due to concerns that the variant could be spreading in some regions. The government said the "surge testing" scheme will begin in:

London - W7 (Ealing), N17 (Haringey) and CR4 (Croydon)
West Midlands - WS2 (Walsall)
East of England - EN10 (Broxbourne)
South East - ME15 (Maidstone) and GU21 (Guildford)
North West - PR9 (Preston)

Mr Hancock said it was "imperative" that people in these areas stay at home and take a test when it is offered to them, even if they have no symptoms.

"The most important thing is that people in the postcode areas outlined need to take extra special precautions," the health secretary said.

"It is absolutely vital that people in those areas minimise all social contact and get a test when the opportunity arises.

Mr Hancock added that "finding every single case" of the variant was the government's aim.

He did not explicitly rule out the prospect of tougher measures in areas with cases of the variant, saying "we're always looking at what we need to do" and "further measures are always there".

But the health secretary added: "We already have this very strong set of rules, indeed very strong laws in place, against people travelling unnecessarily, unless that travel is essential.

Echoing Mr Hancock, Dr Susan Hopkins from Public Health England said there was no evidence at this stage that the South African variant resulted in a more serious disease in those infected.

She also said there was no evidence that the cases of the variant were linked.

She added: "We are looking to find extra cases in the community to see where we can find links and to try and close down and eliminate the transmission between people."

Turning to the potential effect of the variant on existing vaccines, Dr Hopkins told the briefing that trials had shown that three vaccines are effective against it.

"We expect all other vaccines to have a similar level of effectiveness, particularly in reducing hospitalisation and death," she said.

She added that further testing was being carried out so that such predictions could be made with "greater robustness".

Dr Hopkins said experts were looking at whether those have already received a COVID jab would need another shot to cover the risk posed by new mutations of the virus.

"It is unlikely that people would have to start [the vaccine treatment] again, it is much more likely that it would be a booster shot - a bit like the annual flu vaccine," she said.

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COVID-19: England might not return to regional restrictions as lockdown is eased, Boris Johnson suggests - Sky News

England may not return to regional coronavirus restrictions when the current lockdown is eased, the prime minister has suggested.

"It may be that a national approach, going down the tiers in a national way, might be better this time round, given that the disease is behaving much more nationally," Boris Johnson said.

Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world

The PM said he was "keeping an open mind" on the subject, adding: "If you look at the way the new variant has taken off across the country, it's a pretty national phenomenon.

"The charts I see, we're all sort of moving pretty much in the same sort of way, I mean there are a few discrepancies, a few differences, so it may be that we will go for a national approach but there may be an advantage still in some regional differentiation as well."

The government is due to set out a roadmap for relaxing lockdown measures in the week beginning 22 February.

Mr Johnson has expressed his hope that children will be able to return to school from 8 March, which would signal the beginning of restrictions being eased.

The tiered system of COVID-19 restrictions, with the severity of measures in a particular area dependent upon the prevalence of the virus there, was introduced by the government in October.

England returned to the system at the conclusion of the country's second lockdown in December, with the rules toughened up in a number of ways.

:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Just under three weeks later, the emergence of a new variant of coronavirus prompted the PM to introduce a new Tier 4 level of restrictions and scrap the planned easing of restrictions over Christmas.

The tiered system was once again replaced by a national lockdown, England's third, on 4 January.

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2021-02-01 16:41:15Z
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Britain records fewest Covid deaths since December with 406 more victims - Daily Mail

More proof lockdown is working: Britain records fewest Covid deaths since December with 406 more victims as cases continue to dive - hitting a seven-week low of 18,607

For comparison, 22,195 coronavirus infections and 592 deaths were recorded across the UK last Monday
Government statistics also revealed another 322,000 coronavirus vaccines were dished out on Sunday
It means the total number of Britons who have had at least one dose of their jab now stands at 9.3million

By Stephen Matthews Health Editor For Mailonline

Published: 16:14 GMT, 1 February 2021 | Updated: 16:52 GMT, 1 February 2021

Britain today recorded the fewest daily coronavirus deaths since December, with officials posting just 406 more victims as the second wave continues to decline.

Department of Health figures also show cases are continuing to fall, hitting a seven-week low of 18,607 positive tests.

For comparison, 22,195 infections and 592 deaths were recorded last Monday, meaning cases have fallen by 16.2 per cent week-on-week and deaths by 31.4 per cent.

Government data also revealed another 322,000 Covid vaccines were dished out on Sunday, meaning 9.3million Britons have now received their first dose. No10 promised to vaccinate 13.9million of the most vulnerable by mid-February, in order to begin easing lockdown restrictions.

It was also revealed today that door-to-door coronavirus testing is being launched across eight parts of England amid fears the South African variant causing panic around the world is now spreading in the community. In a desperate attempt to keep track of the mutated virus that experts fear could hamper vaccines, health officials will visit homes in Surrey, the West Midlands, London, Kent, Hertfordshire and Lancashire.

Boris Johnson today insisted lockdown is working and vaccines are effective against coronavirus variants — as he held out hopes summer holidays can happen this year. The Prime Minister struck a positive tone as he visited a vaccination site in Yorkshire, saying there was evidence of a 'flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations'.

After a leaked Cabinet Office report hailed the 'stabilising' situation, he also stressed that the Government believes all the jabs being used in the UK are effective against all variants. And after mixed messages from ministers he said he was 'optimistic' that Britons will be able to go on summer breaks.

Door-to-door mass tests of 80,000 people amid fears South African Covid variant is spreading in the UK

Door-to-door coronavirus testing is being launched across eight parts of England amid fears the South African variant causing panic around the world is now spreading in the community.

In a desperate attempt to keep track of the mutated virus that experts fear could hamper the current crop of vaccines, health officials will visit homes in Woking in Surrey, Walsall in the West Midlands, as well as parts of London, Kent, Hertfordshire and Lancashire.

More than 80,000 over-16s will be targeted as part of the huge surveillance scheme and residents will be asked to take a test regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. Local health bosses will go door-to-door, as well as police officers, firefighters and council workers.

As well as knocking on doors and asking residents to take tests there and then, extra mobile swabbing units will be deployed to all eight postcodes and home testing kits will be available to order online for residents to do themselves.

Public Health England has already spotted 105 cases of the 'B.1.351' South African variant since December 22, including 11 people — scattered across the eight areas receiving extra testing — who were struck down with the virus but had no history of international travel.

PHE said an 'extensive contact tracing investigation' had been carried out to isolate the 11 patients' close contacts. There is currently no evidence that the variant causes more severe illness and early studies suggest the current crop of jabs are good enough to protect against it.

In other dramatic coronavirus developments today:

Boris Johnson said lockdown was working and vaccines are effective against Covid variants, but warned it is too early to take 'foot off the neck of the beast';
Ministers are believed to be considering giving spare vaccines to Ireland in the coming months after the EU staged a humiliating climbdown on its threat to ban exports;
Britain could be back to something close to pre-coronavirus life as soon as the summer thanks to the UK's vaccine juggernaut, according to a top scientist;
It has been claimed Matt Hancock vetoed a deal to manufacture a British vaccine in the United States because it did not guarantee the UK would get the first supply of jabs;
Rishi Sunak has been warned against a money-raising Budget next month with the tax burden at a 70-year high and the manufacturing recovery stalling.

Experts fear there could be hundreds more cases already in the UK because PHE only analyses one in 10 random positive samples and the strain cannot be spotted in standard PCR tests. All of the swabs confirmed to have Covid will be sent to labs for further testing.

Health officials are anxious not to let another Covid variant run rampant, after Britain struggled to get a grip on the Kent strain which sparked a devastating second wave that plunged England into its third lockdown at the start of January.

In a desperate attempt to keep track of the South African variant that experts fear could effect the current crop of vaccines, health officials will carry out swabs in Woking in Surrey, Walsall in the West Midlands, as well as parts of London, Kent, Hertfordshire and Lancashire

Boris Johnson says that lockdown IS working and vaccines ARE effective against Covid

Boris Johnson today insisted lockdown is working and vaccines are effective against coronavirus variants - but warned it is too early to take our 'foot off the throat of the beast'.

The PM struck a positive tone as he visited a vaccination site in Yorkshire, saying there was evidence of a 'flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations'.

After a leaked Cabinet Office report hailed the 'stabilising' situation, he also stressed that the government believes all the jabs being used in the UK are effective against all variants. And he said he was 'optimistic' that Britons will be able to go on summer holidays this year.

But Mr Johnson dodged committing to any timetable, amid fears that the South African version of the disease is transmitting in the community.

Two people in Surrey have tested positive for the variant of coronavirus, despite having no links to travel or previous cases of the strain - with 'surge testing' being carried out in the area to check the scale of the problem. In total the Department of Health says 105 cases have now been found in the UK.

The PM told reporters on his visit to the vaccination hub in Batley: 'We are starting to see some signs of a flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations.

'But don't forget that they are still at a very high level by comparison with most points in the last 12 months, a really very high level.

'So the risk is if you take your foot off the throat of the beast, as it were, and you allow things to get out of control again then you could, alas, see the disease spreading again fast before we have got enough vaccines into people's arms.

'That's the risk.'

Like the Kent variant, the South African version carries the N501Y mutation which makes it far more transmissible than the original Covid strain. And it has additional mutations on its spike protein which scientists fear will make it difficult for the immune system to recognise, even in vaccinated people. But early tests have shown the current crop of vaccines still work against the variant but may be slightly less effective.

Ministers have already banned travel from South Africa and surrounding countries in response to the threat. In response to the ever-growing threat of dangerous new variants, the Government last week ordered mandatory hotel-quarantines for arrivals from 30 'red list' countries — including Portugal and South Africa.

The PCR test — considered the gold standard method worldwide — looks for three genes present on the original virus that came out of China, the S gene, N gene and ORF1ab. Health officials are able to spot the Kent strain with regular PCR because that variant is missing the S gene.

But the South African version is much harder to track because it shares all three genes with the original strain so PCR results cannot differentiate between the two, meaning researchers need to manually sequence each sample in a laboratory.

PHE sources claimed today they were 'not expecting a surge in cases' because the strain is no more transmissible than the dominant Kent one currently plaguing the country, so it has no 'evolutionary edge' over it. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said this morning he was 'confident' that all the vaccines the UK has ordered will 'provide a high degree of immunity and protection against all variants'.

But Labour said it was 'deeply worrying' that the South African strain appeared to be spreading in the community, claiming it 'shows the UK Government's quarantine system is not working'.

It comes as Boris Johnson today insisted lockdown is working and vaccines are effective against coronavirus variants - but warned it is too early to take our 'foot off the throat of the beast'.

The PM struck a positive tone as he visited a vaccination site in Yorkshire, saying there was evidence of a 'flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations'.

But Mr Johnson dodged committing to any timetable, amid fears that the South African version of the disease is transmitting in the community.

The PM told reporters on his visit to the vaccination hub in Batley: 'We are starting to see some signs of a flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations.

'But don't forget that they are still at a very high level by comparison with most points in the last 12 months, a really very high level.

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2021-02-01 16:14:00Z
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Covid: Boris Johnson 'optimistic' about summer holiday prospects - BBC News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is "optimistic" people will be able to have summer holidays this year - but it depends on certain things going well.

Asked about tourism in the UK, he said he did not want to give "concrete" dates for such trips but would set out more details on 22 February.

The success of the vaccine rollout and level of Covid cases would be factors taken into consideration, he added.

Nearly 9.3 million people in the UK have had their first dose of a vaccine.

A vaccine has been offered to all older residents at eligible care homes in England, the NHS announced earlier - an achievement Mr Johnson described as a "crucial milestone".

The government is aiming to offer all care home residents and carers, people over 70 and frontline care workers a vaccination by mid-February.

Figures released on Monday show a further 18,607 Covid cases have been recorded. There have also been a further 406 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Mr Johnson, speaking during a visit to Batley, West Yorkshire, said: "I don't want to give too much concrete by way of dates for our summer holidays. I am optimistic - I understand the reasons for being optimistic - but some things have got to go right.

"The vaccine programme has got to continue to be successful.

"We have got to make sure we don't get thrown off course by new variants, we have got to make sure that we continue to keep the disease under control and the level of infections come down."

He added that once he gives more details in the last week of February "people should certainly be able to plan on that basis".

His comments come after Health Secretary Matt Hancock predicted "a happy and free Great British summer".

Meanwhile, the government has announced it is to carry out urgent door-to-door testing in parts of England for a new variant of coronavirus originally identified in South Africa, after cases were found with no known links to travel or previous cases.

All of the UK is currently under a lockdown, with people only allowed to travel abroad for essential purposes; such as work that cannot be done from home, medical appointments or educational reasons. These are the same "reasonable excuses" that apply to domestic travel.

Mr Johnson said there were signs the lockdown measures were working but it was too early to "take your foot off the throat of the beast" by easing restrictions.

"We are starting to see some signs of a flattening and maybe even a falling off of infection rates and hospitalisations," he said.

"But don't forget that they are still at a very high level by comparison with most points in the last 12 months, a really very high level."

Chart shows daily cases are continuing to fall

Rules around international travel were tightened last month, meaning all travellers must self-isolate for 10 days when they return to the UK, while people returning to England from high-risk countries will have to quarantine in government-provided hotels.

People leaving England will soon have to make a declaration on why they need to travel, which will be checked by carriers prior to departure, Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced.

Some UK holiday providers have since reported a boom in domestic bookings for this summer.

The boss of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, said he is expecting "a strong return" for European beach holidays this summer thanks to the vaccination programme.

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Dr Mike Tildesley, an infectious disease expert who advises the government, suggested that if the UK continued the current pace of vaccinations - and jabs were shown to prevent transmission, not just severe infection - measures could begin to be eased from March.

"We need to be very careful," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme . "Hopefully by the summer we can get back to something pretty close to what we have seen before the pandemic as normal."

Vaccines would need to be "pretty good" at blocking transmission "to avoid a resurgence" of the virus when measures are eased, Dr Tildesley added, with research due on this over the next month.

The UK government announced on Monday that it had ordered an extra 40 million doses of a vaccine from the French pharmaceutical company Valneva, that should become available later in the year and into 2022.

That takes the total number of different vaccines the UK has secured to 407 million doses - more than enough for the entire population.

However, the prime minister's official spokesman said it was too soon to say when "surplus" vaccine doses could be donated to other counties, such as European Union member states.

He said the priority remained getting the vaccine to the most vulnerable in society by the spring.

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In other developments:

Austrian police have placed 96 foreigners, including Britons, into mandatory quarantine after they were caught breaching Covid-19 restrictions by taking a skiing holiday
Social distancing rules on the Isle of Man have been scrapped by the government after a 25-day lockdown and the island recording 20 days without an unexplained community case

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2021-02-01 16:41:00Z
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Senin, 01 Februari 2021

Hit hard and early

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