Coronavirus news – live: Hancock rules out ditching support bubbles and tells shops to ban non-mask wearers
Follow the latest updates and statistics
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
Matt Hancock has dismissed press reports he was considering getting rid of support bubbles and backed supermarkets to ban shoppers who do not wear a face covering.
It comes as ministers are said to be discussing tighter lockdown rules to stop people meeting outdoors and to make mask-wearing in shops a legal requirement.
The current lockdown restrictions in England could be brought closer to those applied during the first national shutdown in March, according to reports.
The proposals for tougher measures include removing the exception that allows two people from different households to exercise together outdoors, while mask-wearing could be enforced more widely, including in offices and queues.
During Monday’s visit to a vaccine centre at Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol, Boris Johnson told reporters that about two million people had so far been vaccinated with around 2.4 million jabs across the UK.
His comments came as seven mass vaccination sites, capable of delivering thousands of Covid-19 jabs each week, opened across England.
England’s chief medical officer has warned the coming weeks are going “to be the worst weeks” of the coronavirus pandemic for the NHS.
Professor Chris Whitty said that while 18,000 people were in hospital with Covid-19 during the April peak last year, on Sunday there were more than 30,000 beds occupied by patients with the disease.
He said the pandemic was now “everybody’s problem” as he urged people to "double down" and stop any "unnecessary contacts".
‘We don’t rule out further action if needed’
Mr Hancock has not ruled out further restrictions in the third lockdown and said “we are at the worst point of the pandemic”
Matt Hancock press conference: 2.6million vaccine doses delivered to 2.3million people
The Health Secretary, appearing alongside NHS medical director Stephen Powis, implored the public to ‘stay at home’ and to ‘act like you have the virus’.
He added that the vaccine rollout is proceeding ‘at pace’ and this is ‘the way out of the pandemic’.
Mr Hancock confirmed that 2.6 million vaccine doses have now been delivered to 2.3 million people
Plan to vaccinate two million people a week may not be achieved until the end of January, ministers say
A target to vaccinate 2 million people a week may not be hit until the end of January, ministers have admitted – throwing doubt on the pledge to offer jabs to all the most vulnerable just two weeks later.
Read the full report from The Independent’s Deputy Political Editor Rob Merrick:
Plan to vaccinate 2m a week may not be achieved until end of January, ministers admit
Timetable throws fresh doubt on pledge to offer jabs to all the most vulnerable - just two weeks later
Calls for teachers to be on vaccine priority list as school attendance rises
Most school leaders have said demand for classroom places has “greatly increased” compared to lockdown last March, amid calls for teachers to get put on vaccine priority list.
Read the full report by The Independent’s Zoe Tidman here:
Demand for school places ‘greatly increased’ since spring lockdown, poll finds
Union leader says it is ‘understandable’ parents are asking why their children are at home while ‘so many are not’
Wetherspoons pubs to remove lockdown-sceptic posters
Wetherspoons has said it will remove lockdown-sceptical posters from its pubs as the coronavirus continues to spread in parts of England.
Last month bosses made pages from their company magazine, Wetherspoon News, available to download and put in pub windows as part of a campaign against government restrictions.
But the pub chain has now admitted " a few of the comments are out of date".
Wetherspoon pub chain to remove lockdown-sceptic posters
‘It is fair to say that a few of the comments are out of date,' spokesperson says
UK in ‘race against time’ , says PM
Boris Johnson warned that vaccinations are "a race against time" with the scale of the threat on the NHS, which he said includes a shortage of oxygen in some places.
He hailed progress in the vaccination of elderly citizens and added: "It's a race against time because we can all see the threat that our NHS faces the pressure, it's under the demand in intensive care units, the pressure on ventilated beds, even a shortage of oxygen in some places.
"We've got to focus on what we all need to do together to bear down on the disease."
Almost 375k in England have received second vaccine dose
NHS England boss Sir Simon Stevens said almost 375,000 people in England had received a second vaccine dose despite the decision to prioritise giving as many people as possible an initial jab.
He told MPs: "There were some second jabs, where that was a clinical decision to do so given that last week was just a few days after the changed advice from the JCVI and chief medical officers."
For England the figure for second jabs was 374,613, Sir Simon said.
MPs asked to wear face masks ‘wherever possible’ in Commons
MPs have been advised to wear face masks "wherever possible" in the House of Commons chamber.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle suggested the exception should be when MPs are called to speak.
People on the parliamentary estate have been encouraged to wear masks in recent months.
The number of MPs on the floor of the House has been limited to 50 during the Covid-19 pandemic, with others contributing virtually via Zoom.
Coronavirus is spreading out of control, says NHS England chief
The head of NHS England has told MPs coronavirus is spreading out of control in many parts of the country.
Speaking to the Public Accounts Committee this afternoon, Sir Simon Stevens said the current situation was “a very serious moment for the country and for the National Health Service”.
Health correspondent Shaun Lintern has more on this below:
Coronavirus spreading out of control, warns NHS England chief
Around 2.5 million people have had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine so far
2.33m Covid vaccines in England
A total of 2.33 million Covid-19 vaccinations had taken place in England up to 10 January, according to provisional figures published by NHS England.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments