Minggu, 04 April 2021

Covid: Passports showing vaccine status would be 'time-limited', says minister - BBC News

Fans at the 2019 FA Cup final
Getty Images

Any "Covid passport" scheme to prove people in England are safe to attend mass-audience events would be "time-limited", the government said.

A "Covid status certification" scheme is being developed to enable concerts and sporting matches to take place.

It would record whether people had been vaccinated, recently tested negative or had natural immunity, having already had a bout of coronavirus.

The government is also trialling other ways of holding mass events safely.

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said the trials would be a "learning experience" and no decisions had been made about processes or vaccine certification.

Improved ventilation and testing before and after events are among the other approaches being tested for mass gatherings and indoor events, including sports matches and nightclubs.

Mr Huddleston said the PM would receive a report on all the trial events at the end of May.

The pilot events - which include the FA Cup final, the World Snooker Championship, cinema screenings and nightclub events - will take place up until mid-May.

The NHS is said to be working on a system to allow people to demonstrate their Covid vaccination status through an app or paper certificate.

For people who have not yet been vaccinated, it could record any recent negative tests, or whether they have tested positive in the last six months and are likely to have natural immunity.

The FA Cup final will require certification but some of the venues stressed they would not be involved in trialling the so-called Covid passports proposed by the government.

Paul Blair, co-owner of the Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool which is due to host the very first event, said he had faced a "massive backlash" after it was wrongly reported certification would be used at his event.

He told the Guardian he had received messages accusing the club of being part of a "medical apartheid" and saying they hoped the owners would "catch Covid and die".

Instead, his event will involve testing audience members before and after the show.

Another series of events to be piloted in Liverpool will be three open-air cinema nights put on by Luna Cinema, with around 1,000 people expected each time.

George Wood, the cinema's founder, told the BBC they would aim to run the screenings "in a way that will be allowing people not to think about social distancing".

"For just those few hours when they come to the event, it'll be back to pre-Covid restriction levels, where people will be able to sit next to each other and enjoy a film on a big screen," he said.

He added that detail on how testing will work at the events will come out in the next few days.

Graph showing cumulative vaccine doses
Graph showing first and second doses over time

More than 31.5 million people have received a first dose of a Covid vaccine and nearly 5.4m have received both jabs, but most people vaccinated so far are over 50.

The government said it was also working with clinical and ethical experts on exemptions for people for whom vaccination is not advised and repeat testing would be difficult.

Businesses in England which can reopen in the coming weeks, including pubs, restaurants and non-essential retail will not have to use the system for now.

However, sources say requiring a certificate to access hospitality further down the line - perhaps to reduce the need for social distancing - has not been ruled out.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government was doing everything it could to ensure people could return to events and travel "as safely as possible".

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, who is leading a review into the use of Covid passports, has called certification for international travel an "inevitability".

It could also be a "valuable aid" in reopening parts of the domestic economy faster, he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.

However, critics, including more than 40 Tory MPs and privacy campaigners, have suggested a Covid passport scheme could be "discriminatory and counterproductive".

Labour's Jeremy Corbyn and senior Tory Iain Duncan Smith are among a broad coalition of MPs who have pledged their opposition.

Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus'
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While the proposed plans cover England only, the government is discussing the scheme with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The plans come as the UK reported another 2,297 cases and 10 deaths - although Wales and Northern Ireland did not report data for that 24-hour period.

On Monday, the prime minister is expected to outline plans for easing restrictions on international travel, involving a "traffic light" system for rating the virus risk of international destinations.

But the government said the traffic-light system would "help ensure the UK's vaccine progress isn't jeopardised and provide clear guidance" when travel resumes.

People coming back from countries in the green category will not have to self-isolate on their return, although pre-departure and post-arrival tests will still be required.

Graph showing UK coronavirus cases
Graph showing UK coronavirus deaths

For countries assigned red and amber, restrictions would remain as they are now, with arrivals required to enter quarantine or self-isolation.

The list of countries included in each category will only be announced nearer the launch date, and the government continues to advise people not to book summer holidays abroad.

Industry body Airlines UK, which has been calling for a similar system, said travel could take place "proportionately and in a risk-based way" without "opening up the border to every country out there".

Chief executive Tim Alderslade said: "There are tens of thousands of jobs dependent upon aviation and restarting travel, and the sector cannot survive another lost summer with little or no revenue."

Also expected on Monday are details of a review into social distancing, which is examining when distancing requirements and the guidance to "work from home if possible" could be lifted.

Graphic showing 4 April coronavirus figures
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2021-04-04 19:48:05Z
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'Kill the Bill' protests: More than 100 people arrested at demonstration in central London - Sky News

Police say they arrested 107 people after a "Kill the Bill" protest in central London on Saturday.

Those detained were held for a variety of reasons including breach of the peace, violent disorder, assault on police, and breaches of COVID-19 legislation.

One woman was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon.

Scotland Yard previously said that 10 officers had been injured, though none are believed to be seriously hurt.

Police hold a line during a 'Kill The Bill' protest in London on Saturday
Image: Police hold a line during the 'Kill The Bill' protest in London on Saturday

Protesters also gathered in places including Newcastle, Birmingham, Liverpool and Dorset.

They are unhappy about new legislation which would give police in England and Wales more powers to impose conditions on non-violent protests.

That could include demonstrations that are considered too noisy or a nuisance - with those convicted possibly facing fines or jail terms.

More from Kill The Bill Protests

Commander Ade Adelekan, who led the Metropolitan Police's operation, said that while the "vast majority" of those attending Saturday's protest had social distanced and listened to officers, "a small number were intent on remaining to cause disruption".

He added: "Despite repeated instructions from officers to leave, they did not and, amid increasing levels of disorder, arrests were made.

"We should not allow the behaviour of a few individuals who attend these events with the purpose of committing criminal acts to taint the good behaviour of the majority who attended yesterday."

Demonstrators in Bristol on Saturday
Image: Demonstrators in Bristol on Saturday

Avon and Somerset Police said more than 1,500 people attended a protest in Bristol, with seven arrests.

At about midnight, a section 35 dispersal order was issued for the city centre following "several instances of minor disorder between protesters", the force said.

Northumbria Police kept their response low-key as hundreds of people gathered beneath Grey's Monument in Newcastle.

And in Dorset, officers thanked those who took part in "peaceful protests" in Bournemouth and Weymouth while abiding by coronavirus restrictions.

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2021-04-04 19:24:20Z
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Covid: Passports showing vaccine status would be 'time-limited', says minister - BBC News

Fans at the 2019 FA Cup final
Getty Images

Any "Covid passport" scheme to prove people in England are safe to attend mass-audience events would be "time-limited", the government said.

A "Covid status certification" scheme is being developed to enable concerts and sporting matches to take place.

It would record whether people had been vaccinated, recently tested negative or had natural immunity, having already had a bout of coronavirus.

The government is also trialling other ways of holding mass events safely.

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said the trials would be a "learning experience" and no decisions had been made about processes or vaccine certification.

Improved ventilation and testing before and after events are among the other approaches being tested for mass gatherings and indoor events, including sports matches and nightclubs.

Mr Huddleston said the PM would receive a report on all the trial events at the end of May.

The pilot events - which include the FA Cup final, the World Snooker Championship, cinema screenings and nightclub events - will take place up until mid-May.

The NHS is said to be working on a system to allow people to demonstrate their Covid vaccination status through an app or paper certificate.

For people who have not yet been vaccinated, it could record any recent negative tests, or whether they have tested positive in the last six months and are likely to have natural immunity.

The FA Cup final will require certification but some of the venues stressed they would not be involved in trialling the so-called Covid passports proposed by the government.

Paul Blair, co-owner of the Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool which is due to host the very first event, said he had faced a "massive backlash" after it was wrongly reported certification would be used at his event.

He told the Guardian he had received messages accusing the club of being part of a "medical apartheid" and saying they hoped the owners would "catch Covid and die".

Instead, his event will involve testing audience members before and after the show.

Another series of events to be piloted in Liverpool will be three open-air cinema nights put on by Luna Cinema, with around 1,000 people expected each time.

George Wood, the cinema's founder, told the BBC they would aim to run the screenings "in a way that will be allowing people not to think about social distancing".

"For just those few hours when they come to the event, it'll be back to pre-Covid restriction levels, where people will be able to sit next to each other and enjoy a film on a big screen," he said.

He added that detail on how testing will work at the events will come out in the next few days.

Graph showing cumulative vaccine doses
Graph showing first and second doses over time

More than 31.5 million people have received a first dose of a Covid vaccine and nearly 5.4m have received both jabs, but most people vaccinated so far are over 50.

The government said it was also working with clinical and ethical experts on exemptions for people for whom vaccination is not advised and repeat testing would be difficult.

Businesses in England which can reopen in the coming weeks, including pubs, restaurants and non-essential retail will not have to use the system for now.

However, sources say requiring a certificate to access hospitality further down the line - perhaps to reduce the need for social distancing - has not been ruled out.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government was doing everything it could to ensure people could return to events and travel "as safely as possible".

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, who is leading a review into the use of Covid passports, has called certification for international travel an "inevitability".

It could also be a "valuable aid" in reopening parts of the domestic economy faster, he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.

However, critics, including more than 40 Tory MPs and privacy campaigners, have suggested a Covid passport scheme could be "discriminatory and counterproductive".

Labour's Jeremy Corbyn and senior Tory Iain Duncan Smith are among a broad coalition of MPs who have pledged their opposition.

Banner image reading 'more about coronavirus'
Banner

While the proposed plans cover England only, the government is discussing the scheme with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The plans come as the UK reported another 2,297 cases and 10 deaths - although Wales and Northern Ireland did not report data for that 24-hour period.

On Monday, the prime minister is expected to outline plans for easing restrictions on international travel, involving a "traffic light" system for rating the virus risk of international destinations.

But the government said the traffic-light system would "help ensure the UK's vaccine progress isn't jeopardised and provide clear guidance" when travel resumes.

People coming back from countries in the green category will not have to self-isolate on their return, although pre-departure and post-arrival tests will still be required.

Graph showing UK coronavirus cases
Graph showing UK coronavirus deaths

For countries assigned red and amber, restrictions would remain as they are now, with arrivals required to enter quarantine or self-isolation.

The list of countries included in each category will only be announced nearer the launch date, and the government continues to advise people not to book summer holidays abroad.

Industry body Airlines UK, which has been calling for a similar system, said travel could take place "proportionately and in a risk-based way" without "opening up the border to every country out there".

Chief executive Tim Alderslade said: "There are tens of thousands of jobs dependent upon aviation and restarting travel, and the sector cannot survive another lost summer with little or no revenue."

Also expected on Monday are details of a review into social distancing, which is examining when distancing requirements and the guidance to "work from home if possible" could be lifted.

Graphic showing 4 April coronavirus figures
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2021-04-04 19:08:19Z
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Scottish Government opposed to UK covid vaccine plan for football matches and other mass gatherings - Daily Record

The Scottish Government has raised concerns over a covid passport plan the UK Government is considering for football matches.

A spokesperson for the Government said such a system had “potential” for international travel, but questioned its use for accessing everyday events.

South of the border, the Government wants to enable the safe return of mass gatherings and indoor events as lockdown restrictions ease in England.

The Carabao Cup final, the second FA Cup semi-final and the FA Cup final will serve as Wembley pilot events for the government’s ‘Covid status certification’ scheme.

UK Government officials will take into account three factors – whether an individual has received the vaccine, has recently tested negative for the virus, or has “natural immunity” having tested positive in the previous six months.

The NHS is said to be currently working on ways of providing people with the means to demonstrate their Covid status through “digital and non-digital routes”.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said: “We have made huge strides over the past few months with our vaccine programme and everyone in the country has made huge sacrifices to get us to this stage in our recovery from Covid-19.

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“We are doing everything we can to enable the reopening of our country so people can return to the events, travel and other things they love as safely as possible, and these reviews will play an important role in allowing this to happen.”

The World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield – running from April 17 to May 3 – is the first sporting event to be included in the trial and will have 1,000 spectators per day.

However, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “As we have said previously, we recognise the potential of vaccine certification for international travel as part of global arrangements, however there are ethical and equity questions to be answered as part of considering using vaccine certification for access to places people visit as part of their everyday lives.

“While we continue to roll out the vaccine programme, we should be controlling our borders not opening them up, and it is too early for us to encourage anyone to consider booking overseas travel. With a third wave in Europe and other parts of the world like Chile seeing spikes in the virus, we must all be careful not to put the progress we have made at risk.”

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2021-04-04 15:58:08Z
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Lucille Downer: Dogs 'humanely destroyed' after fatal attack in Rowley Regis - BBC News

Lucille Downer
West Midlands Police

Two dogs which carried out a "horrific" attack on an 85-year-old woman have been humanely destroyed, police said.

Lucille Downer, a great-grandma, died after being attacked by the dogs which got into her garden in Rowley Regis through a hole in the fence on Friday.

Police said following specialist advice it was established the dogs "could never be re-homed due to the violent act and should be humanely destroyed".

"Further analysis" is taking place to determine what breed they were.

Supt Phil Asquith, from West Midlands Police, told a news conference on Saturday the dogs were "large" but would not speculate on whether or not they were banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, adding DNA samples had been taken from them.

'Sustained' attack

The force said the ownership of the dogs had been "voluntarily transferred to police".

A 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control after the attack in Boundary Avenue on Friday afternoon. He has been bailed while inquiries continue.

Mrs Downer's family said she was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

"Lucille was born in Jamaica and emigrated to the UK in her early 20s. Since arriving in the UK, Rowley Regis has always been her home and her family will miss her dearly."

She had spent her working years as a cook at a care home in West Bromwich, they said in a statement issued through police.

Supt Asquith said neighbours and family who live nearby responded "very quickly" after the dogs escaped from a neighbouring property.

However, Mrs Downer had suffered multiple injuries in the "sustained" attack and despite the efforts of medics, died at the scene, he said.

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2021-04-04 15:21:47Z
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COVID-19: UK reports another 10 coronavirus deaths - and lowest cases since September - Sky News

Another 10 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in the UK for the second day running, while new cases are at their lowest since early September.

The latest data does not include Wales and Northern Ireland, however, with both having paused the release of new statistics for Easter Sunday.

England and Scotland, therefore, have reported a further 2,297 positive COVID-19 tests in the latest 24-hour period, while the number of people vaccinated is approaching 32 million.

Sunday's deaths figure compares to 10 on Saturday and 19 a week ago, while cases compares to 3,423 and 3,862.

An extra 273,568 vaccination doses have been registered in total since yesterday.

The total number of first jabs has now reached 31,523,010, while second ones have risen to 5,381,745.

With daily deaths dropping dramatically, and cases plateauing as the vaccine rollout continues, Boris Johnson will announce new lockdown-easing moves tomorrow.

More from Covid-19

The PM is launching pilots of either "vaccine passports" or before-and-after testing at nine sports and entertainment venues from mid-April.

The chosen venues will include Wembley Stadium for vaccine passports, and four night-time entertainment settings in Liverpool for the before-and-after testing.

He is also preparing for foreign holidays to go ahead this summer, with a "traffic light" system of rules in which travel to "green light" destinations will not require quarantine.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that India - a key supplier for vaccines across the world - is restricting exports to other countries because it needs to keep the jabs as it fights to contain a surge in cases.

The number of people testing positive there has more than quadrupled in a month.

But the UK government remains confident of hitting its next key targets - offering a jab to all over-50s by 15 April, and every adult by the end of July.

The next date on the prime minister's roadmap for easing lockdown is on Monday week, 12 April, when non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality can reopen, along with hairdressers.

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2021-04-04 15:10:41Z
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Coronavirus LIVE: Boris Johnson ditches plan to show vaccine passports in pubs - Evening Standard

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  1. Coronavirus LIVE: Boris Johnson ditches plan to show vaccine passports in pubs  Evening Standard
  2. COVID-19: Holiday update from PM tomorrow as dates revealed for UK's first 'vaccine passport' events  Sky News
  3. Boris Johnson's lockdown announcement - all we know from vaccine passports to holidays  Mirror Online
  4. 'Brighter days ahead', Boris Johnson says in Easter message  The Telegraph
  5. Boris Johnson to give go-ahead for trials of Covid passports  The Guardian
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2021-04-04 15:08:06Z
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