Latest updates: mass testing after two people with no history of travel reportedly catch variant; some care home staff yet to receive first jab
- Two London clinics mistakenly offer Covid jab to young people
- UK Covid patients dying needlessly over unfounded ventilator fears
- West Midlands was worst-hit part of UK in first wave
- NHS has offered Covid jab to all older residents in care homes in England
- Global coronavirus updates – live
1.25pm GMT
Surrey is not the only place where someone has had the South African variant of coronavirus without being linked to someone who has arrived in the UK from the country. (See 12.16pm.) In Ealing in west London some residents are also being encouraged to get a test after the South African variant was identified in a possible community transmission case.
The person who tested positive for the South African strain was actually tested in December, the council said. This suggests that it was spreading within the community some weeks ago. (It can take a while for the new variant to be identified because, although test results can be turned around within 24 hours, the genomic sequencing which determines which variant of the virus has been found is more complicated and takes longer.)
Ealing council is asking residents living and working in parts of Hanwell and West Ealing to get a Covid-19 test, whether they have symptoms or not, after a local resident tested positive for the South African strain of the virus.
The individual is understood to have been tested for the virus at the end of December despite not having travelled to South Africa or been in contact with anyone else who had. The person, who is not being identified, is being praised for following all public health guidance and self-isolating. They have now made a full recovery.
I know people will be concerned to hear that a member of our community had the South African strain of the virus last month. I am very pleased that they have made a full recovery and want to thank them for staying at home during the self-isolation period which should have helped to lessen the spread.
I urge people living or working in the area with or without symptoms to get tested so that any others with this variant can be identified to protect them, their loved ones and the wider community.
12.59pm GMT
Boris Johnson has recorded an interview with broadcasters at the Al-Hikmah vaccination centre in Batley. Here are the main points he made.
The fact is we are going to be living with Covid for a while to come in one way or another, I don’t think it will be as bad as the last 12 months – or anything like – of course, but it’s very, very important that our vaccines continue to develop and to adapt, and they will.
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.
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.
It is going to take a while for our country to bounce back completely from Covid. The economy, I think, can bounce back very, very strongly – the UK has immense natural resilience.
The thing that really concerns me at the moment is education and the deficit in our children’s education that we have run up as a result of these lockdowns.
Continue reading…Latest updates: mass testing after two people with no history of travel reportedly catch variant; some care home staff yet to receive first jabTwo London clinics mistakenly offer Covid jab to young peopleUK Covid patients dying needlessly over unfounded ventilator fearsWest Midlands was worst-hit part of UK in first waveNHS has offered Covid jab to all older residents in care homes in EnglandGlobal coronavirus updates – live 1.25pm GMTSurrey is not the only place where someone has had the South African variant of coronavirus without being linked to someone who has arrived in the UK from the country. (See 12.16pm.) In Ealing in west London some residents are also being encouraged to get a test after the South African variant was identified in a possible community transmission case.The person who tested positive for the South African strain was actually tested in December, the council said. This suggests that it was spreading within the community some weeks ago. (It can take a while for the new variant to be identified because, although test results can be turned around within 24 hours, the genomic sequencing which determines which variant of the virus has been found is more complicated and takes longer.)Ealing council is asking residents living and working in parts of Hanwell and West Ealing to get a Covid-19 test, whether they have symptoms or not, after a local resident tested positive for the South African strain of the virus.The individual is understood to have been tested for the virus at the end of December despite not having travelled to South Africa or been in contact with anyone else who had. The person, who is not being identified, is being praised for following all public health guidance and self-isolating. They have now made a full recovery.I know people will be concerned to hear that a member of our community had the South African strain of the virus last month. I am very pleased that they have made a full recovery and want to thank them for staying at home during the self-isolation period which should have helped to lessen the spread. I urge people living or working in the area with or without symptoms to get tested so that any others with this variant can be identified to protect them, their loved ones and the wider community. 12.59pm GMTBoris Johnson has recorded an interview with broadcasters at the Al-Hikmah vaccination centre in Batley. Here are the main points he made.The fact is we are going to be living with Covid for a while to come in one way or another, I don’t think it will be as bad as the last 12 months – or anything like – of course, but it’s very, very important that our vaccines continue to develop and to adapt, and they will.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.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.It is going to take a while for our country to bounce back completely from Covid. The economy, I think, can bounce back very, very strongly – the UK has immense natural resilience.The thing that really concerns me at the moment is education and the deficit in our children’s education that we have run up as a result of these lockdowns. Continue reading…