A 16-month-old baby girl was murdered by her mother’s girlfriend despite five referrals to social services in the months before her death.
Star Hobson had “catastrophic” injuries inflicted by Savannah Brockhill, 28, who was convicted at Bradford crown court. The girl’s mother, Frankie Smith, 20, was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child but was cleared of murder and manslaughter.
Anita Smith, Star’s great-grandmother, recalled asking social workers as she reported concerns: “Is she going to end up like a Baby P?” But Star remained in the care of Brockhill and her mother in Keighley, West Yorkshire, despite the reports being made by worried family members and friends over a period of eight months.
Long queues formed at walk-in vaccination sites on Monday, with some people waiting five hours to get jabs.
The PM and the NHS are now appealing for volunteers to help get jabs into arms and run vaccination centres.
No 10 said hundreds more sites, mobile units and pop-ups would be set up across the country including at football stadiums, shopping centres and racecourses in the next week, as the UK bids to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told BBC Breakfast he accepted there had been "teething problems" in the bid to offer a jab to all adults before the new year, but he hoped they would diminish over the course of the week.
"It does take a few days just to make sure we get to a steady state," he said, adding: "We'll keep straining every sinew to make sure we can reach that target."
One doctor told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there had been an "incredibly rapid reaction" from GPs to assist with the booster rollout at "incredibly short notice".
But Dr Jess Harvey, from Shropshire, urged people frustrated with long queues both at clinics and on booking websites to be patient as "there is increased capacity that's going to be created" in the coming days.
More than half a million people booked their booster jab today – an incredible feat.
We're doing everything we can to deliver millions more boosters in the coming weeks.
Thank you to everyone who has answered the call – please tell your friends and family to Get Boosted Now.
Meanwhile, fully-vaccinated people in England who come into contact with any Covid case should now take daily lateral flow tests for seven days.
Until now, contacts of Omicron cases had to isolate for 10 days. Most unvaccinated adults will still have to isolate if they are contacts of any Covid cases, Omicron or not.
On Monday, ordering lateral flow kits from the government website was temporarily suspended amid high demand.
By the early hours of Tuesday morning, it appeared the tests could once more be ordered from the government website.
Monday saw online booster jab bookings open for people aged 30 and over - a day after the prime minister announced an expansion to the rollout amid the "Omicron emergency".
People aged 18 to 29 will be able to book their booster jabs online from Wednesday.
Senior health sources have said the end-of-year target is highly ambitious and delivery may take longer, BBC health editor Hugh Pym said.
The prime minister and NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard are appealing for "tens of thousands" of volunteers - from trained vaccinators to stewards - to join the "national mission" and help achieve the accelerated booster rollout.
Mr Johnson said: "Many thousands have already given their time but we need you to come forward again, to work alongside our brilliant GPs, doctors, nurses and pharmacists, to deliver jabs and save lives.
"So please come forward if you can."
At the moment there are nearly 3,000 vaccine sites across the country run by more than 90,000 volunteers.
After last week's NHS recruitment drive for 10,000 paid vaccinators, 4,500 people have registered their interest while 13,000 have come forward as volunteer stewards.
Modelling by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates the current number of daily Omicron infections is around 200,000, according to Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid.
Omicron has risen to more than 44% of cases in London and is expected to become the dominant variant in the city in the next 48 hours, he said.
There are 4,713 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, with 10 people, aged between 18 and 85, hospitalised with the variant in England, according to UKHSA.
Mr Raab, however, caused confusion on Tuesday when he told Sky News there were 250 Omicron cases in hospital, then immediately afterwards told the BBC there were nine cases. When contacted by the BBC, the UKHSA said neither answer was right, and the actual number was still 10.
The UKHSA added all were diagnosed on or before admission to hospital and the majority had received two doses of a vaccine.
At least one person in the UK has died with Omicron, Mr Johnson confirmed on Monday.
The UK confirmed 54,661 new coronavirus cases on Monday, as well as 38 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
In other developments:
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said schools across the country are seeing "very severe low attendance" from both pupils and staff as the Omicron variant spreads
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LONDON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - (This story has been officially corrected to show that British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab misspoke when he said 250 people were in hospital with Omicron. He later said that 10 people were in hospital and that he had misheard the question.)
British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said on Tuesday that there were 10 people in hospital with Omicron.
Earlier, Raab had told Sky News that there were at least 250 people with Omicron in hospital. He then told the BBC that nine people with Omicron were in hospital.
"I misheard one of the questions," Raab told ITV when asked about the range of figures. "The figures are one dead from Omicron, 10 in hospital."
When asked to clarify the figures, a spokesman for the justice ministry told Reuters to call the health ministry. The health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Kate Holton anad Alison Williams
LONDON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Britain said on Monday that the Omicron coronavirus variant was spreading at a "phenomenal rate" and now accounted for about 40% of infections in London, so people should get a booster shot because the double-vaccinated are still vulnerable.
Since the first Omicron cases were detected on Nov. 27 in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed tougher restrictions and told the nation on Sunday that a "tidal wave" of Omicron was coming. read more
Britain says that unless action is taken there could be a million people infected with Omicron by the end of the month.
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"It's spreading at a phenomenal rate, something that we've never seen before, it's doubling every two to three days in infections," Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News.
"That means we're facing a tidal wave of infection, we're once again in a race between the vaccine and the virus."
The pound fell 0.4% to $1.3225, while it was broadly steady against the euro at 85.29 pence. read more
Johnson, who is grappling with a rebellion in his party over measures to curb Omicron and an outcry over alleged parties at his Downing Street office during last year's lockdowns, said people should rush to get booster vaccines to protect "our freedoms and our way of life".
After COVID-19 was first detected in China in late 2019, he faced criticism for initially resisting lockdown.
He has also faced criticism for overseeing mistakes in transferring patients into care homes, and for building a costly test-and-trace system that failed to stop a deadly second wave.
Across the world, COVID has killed 5.3 million people, wiped out trillions of dollars in economic output and turned normal life upside down for many.
TWO VACCINES NOT ENOUGH
Data released on Friday showed that vaccine efficacy against symptomatic infection was substantially reduced against Omicron with just two doses, but a third shot boosted protection up to over 70%. read more
Javid said there had been no deaths yet confirmed in England and just 10 people hospitalised in England with the variant, but Omicron was probably behind around 40% of infections in London.
He said that while symptoms might be milder, the variant's swift spread meant that unless the government acted then the health service could be overwhelmed.
"Even when a virus is mild, a small percentage of people from a very large number still can equal a high number of hospitalizations," Javid said.
"Two doses are not enough, but three doses still provide excellent protection against symptomatic infection."
The government wants to offer all adults a booster by New Year, an ambitious target given the Christmas holiday and that vaccinating 1 million people per day is around double the current 530,000 per day.
New vaccination sites will be set up to work seven days, the military will help, and some routine health appointments will have to be postponed.
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Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden;
Editing by Andrew Cawthorne
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Booster jabs will be offered to everyone over 18 in England from this week, the PM has announced, as he declared an "Omicron emergency".
"No one should be in any doubt, there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming," Boris Johnson said on Sunday.
A new target has been set to give boosters to all adults who want one by the end of the month, he said.
Ten people in England are in hospital with Omicron, Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed on Monday.
Some medical appointments are to be postponed to focus on boosters.
Mr Johnson gave his update in a TV statement on Sunday evening, just hours after the UK's Covid alert level was raised to four due to the spread of the new Omicron virus variant.
Level four means a high or rising level of transmission - the last time the UK was at this level was in May.
People have been told to work from home from Monday "if they can", as part of the UK government's introduction of Plan B measures.
"I'm afraid we're now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant Omicron," said Mr Johnson.
"It is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need. But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose, a booster dose, we can all bring our level of protection back up."
He added: "At this point our scientists cannot say that Omicron is less severe.
"And even if that proved to be true, we already know it is so much more transmissible that a wave of Omicron through a population that was not boosted would risk a level of hospitalisation that could overwhelm our NHS and lead sadly to very many deaths."
The new booster target means people aged 18 and over in England will be able to get their third jabs from this week - as long as it has been three months since their second dose.
People aged 30 and over can already book an appointment in advance using the online service from two months after their second dose and over-18s in this position will be able to book from Wednesday.
Some walk-in appointments will be available from Monday for eligible over-18s, depending on location.
Scotland is also setting the same target and aiming to offer all adults a booster by the end of the year, and Northern Ireland said it is stepping up its rollout and hopes to get as many people as possible boosted by then.
But Mr Johnson said in order to reach the new jab target, certain other medical appointments would need to be postponed to the New Year. Some GPs are already allowed to postpone routine health checks to make space for vaccinations.
The prime minister also said:
42 teams from the military would be deployed across every region to help the effort
extra vaccine sites and mobile units would be set up across England
opening hours of clinics would be extended with more appointments
thousands more volunteer vaccinators would be trained
the UK government would also give extra support to speed up vaccinations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Monday that 10 people in England were currently in hospital with Omicron, with no deaths confirmed.
However, he told BBC Breakfast that 40% of all Covid cases in London were of the variant, which was spreading at a "phenomenal rate".
Asked whether the new measures were excessive, Mr Javid said it was important to act now, given the lag in hospitalisations in deaths that follow a rise in cases - even if Omicron turns out to be milder than other variants.
"We have seen what Covid is capable of... you start seeing a rise in cases, people get ill, some enter hospital, some sadly die," he said. "It's better to act early."
Early data suggests that getting a third booster dose gives an individual around 70% to 75% protection against symptomatic infection from Omicron.
More than half a million booster jabs and third doses were given in the UK on Saturday - the second day that has happened since the booster rollout began.
For people who are clinically vulnerable to Covid, a third dose of a vaccine is considered their full course - with a fourth jab being given as their booster.
Stern words - but three challenges for PM
Boris Johnson's stern words on Sunday night may run into three different challenges.
It won't be easy to expand the booster programme at such a pace.
There's been plenty of anecdotal evidence about the availability and eligibility, and questions about why it didn't get going much more quickly, weeks ago.
Second, Boris Johnson's credibility has taken a significant knock in recent weeks. Will the public, this time, be as willing to listen to him?
And in his own party there is frustration at his decision making and scepticism about what's going on.
The prime minister can make bold and urgent promises about the booster, but keeping them is something else.
A further 1,239 new cases of Omicron were announced in the UK on Sunday, bringing the total number of UK Omicron cases to more than 3,000 - although the real number is estimated to be much higher.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reiterated Mr Johnson's call to "get boosted" - adding: "So much has been asked of the British people, and time and again you have risen to the challenge. So let's keep our foot on the pedal and get Britain boosted to protect our families, friends and NHS."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said it was in the national interest for everyone to get a booster jab, but criticised the government's rollout for being "far too slow", adding: "And now they're having to rush it in an emergency and cause all these pressures on NHS staff."
NHS Providers, which represents NHS hospitals, mental health, community and ambulance services, said the booster campaign offered an opportunity to contain the impact of Omicron but added the NHS was already "beyond full stretch" and that there would be an impact on other care as more staff became involved in the vaccination campaign.
And the Royal College of Nursing also welcomed the expansion of the booster programme but said nurses were "already facing huge demands under existing unsustainable pressures in every part of the UK health and care system". It called for ministers to take "every step needed" to slow the spread.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have already opened up boosters to over-30s - and those aged 18 to 29 in Scotland can get their booster jabs from later in the week.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland had the highest rate of booster jabs of all the UK nations - but warned it was possible that further measures might be needed in the weeks ahead.
Pace must change
The end-of-December promise is about enabling everyone aged over 18 who is eligible to have been able to have booked their jab.
It does not mean those jabs will be in arms.
But for it to have any impact on blunting the coming Omicron wave there needs to be a significant acceleration of the booster programme.
GPs are going to be crucial to increase the speed of vaccinations. It is them in particular who will be asked to prioritise jabs ahead of routine work for the next few weeks.
The promise applies to England, but the devolved nations are expected to follow suit. There have been 23 million boosters given across the UK - with another 23 million eligible for one.
At current rates of vaccination only a third of those will have got their booster by the end of the year. The pace needs to change - and quickly.
Earlier, the rules on self-isolation were updated again in England. From Tuesday, fully-vaccinated people who come into contact with a Covid case will not need to automatically self-isolate - but instead take daily lateral flow tests for seven days.
It is the latest rule change as part of the new Plan B measures - which also include Covid passports for some crowded events from Wednesday and the updated work from home advice. Both Wales and Scotland have said new rules could come in the next few weeks.
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A gun has been recovered from the scene of a fatal shooting in west London.
Officers were called to reports of a man with a firearm in a bank and bookmakers near Marloes Road in Kensington before the shooting on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.
Eyewitnesses saw a man being shot three times in a taxi before being "dragged out" and arrested in Kensington Road.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an investigation.
A non-police firearm has been recovered from the scene, the watchdog said on Sunday.
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In a statement, it said: "At around 3.19pm yesterday afternoon (Saturday 12 December), police responded to reports of a man with a firearm on Marloes Road, W8.
"The man was seen to enter a car and armed police stopped the vehicle at the junction of Kensington Road and Palace Gate.
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"Shots were fired and a man sustained gunshot wounds. The London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance were called but, despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
"After being notified of the incident by the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service), we sent investigators to the scene and the post-incident procedure to start gathering evidence.
"What appears to be a non-police issue firearm has been recovered from the scene. Our thoughts are with everyone affected."
An "armed" man has been shot dead this afternoon in a dramatic stand-off with police in Kensington.
The Met Police say he had entered a bank and betting shop armed with a firearm at just after 3pm.
Some 15 minutes later, armed officers stopped a vehicle at the junction of Kensington Road and Palace Gate, close to Hyde Park.
Shots were fired, with one witness telling MyLondon: "I was sitting having some coffee when I heard people yelling 'show me your hands, show me your hands' then the two or three loud bangs.
"I’m not sure how long after but they started doing compressions on the man on the ground next to what looked to be a cab.
"They continued doing compressions as the police started taping off the area saying that this was a crime scene and everyone needed to leave."
The bank and betting shop entered by the "gunman" are in Marloes Road around a mile away from where the shooting took place.
Police have refused to say whether the shots were fired by officers or if anything was stolen from the bank or betting shop.
Paramedics and an air ambulance crew were called to the scene, but the man could not be saved and was pronounced dead at 4.08pm.
Police say the incident has ben referred to the IOPC and it is not being treated as terrorism.
We're covering this incident live, follow all the latest updates below.
Are you on the scene? Did you see what happened? Get in touch sam.ormiston@reachplc.com
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