Covid news: Boris Johnson urges UK to keep Christmas celebrations small as death toll passes 65,000
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson has urged Britons to “have yourself a merry little Christmas" but keep celebrations small and brief, adding: “I’m afraid this year I do mean little.”
The prime minister told MPs that the four UK nations have agreed to continue "in principle" with the easing of coronavirus restrictions over Christmas, allowing up to three households to mix for five days.
However, the Welsh and Scottish leaders appeared to have undermined the prime minister’s claim of an agreement, with Mark Drakeford saying only two households should come together in Wales and Nicola Sturgeon saying Scots should only meet for one day.
And opposition leader Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson of ignoring medical advice over the Christmas plan.
The PM said he did not want to “criminalise people’s long-made plans” for the festive season, but urged people to “exercise a high degree of personal responsibility”.
The World Health Organisation has warned Europeans to have a quiet Christmas or risk a renewed surge of the disease.
Earlier, the communities secretary admitted the Covid-19 infection rate would rise as people mix together over Christmas.
"This is a virus that thrives on social interaction, so bringing more people together, even over this short period of time, is not cost-free. It will have consequences in terms of increasing the rate. It will rise," Robert Jenrick said.
Meanwhile, it was announced that nearly 138,000 people in the UK received a first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine over the last week.
Follow the latest updates
Covid rates rising in eight out of 10 areas in England
Covid-19 case rates are rising in around eight in 10 local areas in England, the latest data shows.
A total of 255 out of 315 local authority areas (81 per cent) recorded a week-on-week increase in rates in the seven days to 12 December.
This includes every borough of London, 43 of the 45 local authorities in eastern England, and 66 of the 67 local authorities in southeast England.
In northwest England, where rates had previously been falling across almost the whole region, the latest figures show they are up in nearly two thirds of areas (24 out of a total of 39).
All figures are based on Public Health England data published on Wednesday afternoon.
Doctors warn Christmas mixing will cost lives
Doctors have warned relaxing coronavirus measures over Christmas will "without doubt cost lives" and have a "grave" impact on the NHS in the new year.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said prime minister Boris Johnson should have tightened the planned relaxations between 23 and 27 December to protect the public.
The union urged people to make the "right choices" by keeping indoor socialising "to an absolute minimum" over the festive period and not necessarily form three-household bubbles despite being permitted to.
It also pleaded for people in England to follow the tier rules for their area before and after the five-day Christmas window.
Restrict Christmas celebrations to enable care home visits
Families should restrict their Christmas celebrations to enable care home residents to have visits in a "safer environment", experts have warned.
At a panel organised by the National Care Forum (NCF), care homes and services said they are "deeply concerned" about the potential impact of families across the UK meeting up over the festive season.
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick said it would be up to individuals to make a "personal judgment" on whether they want to meet up with vulnerable family members over the holiday period.
Sue Porto, chief executive of the Brandon Trust, which provides support to more than 1,500 people with a learning disability and/or autism, called the prospect a "very, very complicated and worrying picture".
Another charity said its day care service would be closed during January to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 transmission to vulnerable clients.
NHS trusts concerned about areas leaving tier 3 too soon
Northern NHS trusts have expressed concern over the risks posed by "prematurely" moving areas out of tier 3 measures ahead of the government's review of England's coronavirus restrictions.
Health secretary Matt Hancock is due to announce the outcome of the latest review of the country's tier system on Thursday.
It follows emergency action to place London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire into tier 3, the highest level of restrictions, earlier this week amid rising Covid-19 infections.
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts in England, said the government was right to make that move as "there is a ring of areas around London - for example, in the home counties - where trusts are alarmed at the rise in infection rates and hospital admissions".
Mr Hopson said there was "real concern in many trusts in the northern half of the country about leaving tier 3 prematurely".
He added: "It is good news that infection rates are dropping, in some cases significantly.
"But we can't afford to let up. As soon as infection rates rise, excess death rates rise too. Controlling infection rates is about limiting patient harm.
"At the same time, most hospitals in the north of the country still have very high levels of Covid-19 patients, just as we go into winter, the NHS' busiest period.”
Man lied about Covid diagnosis to employer
Across the water in Georgia, a man has pleaded guilty to defrauding his employer of tens of thousands of dollars by faking a Covid-19 diagnosis.
Santwon Antonio Davis, 35, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after sending his employer a doctored medical excuse that claimed he had contracted Covid-19.
His employer is said to have shut down its plant, brought in a cleaning crew, and placed several employees on paid leave at a cost of more than $100k.
Man pleads guilty to lying to employer about Covid infection
The company spent $100,000 disinfecting its workspace and paying for employee salaries while they were home isolating
Sir Ian McKellen ‘euphoric’ after receiving Covid vaccine
Sir Ian McKellen has said he feels "euphoric" after being vaccinated against coronavirus.
The Lord Of The Rings star, 81, said all elderly people should ensure they get the jab, adding it was "painless".
Sir Ian said: "It's a very special day, I feel euphoric.
"Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations, the take up amongst the older generation will be 100% - it ought to be - because you're having it not just for yourself but for people who you are close to - you're doing your bit for society.
"Of course, it's painless... it's convenient, and getting in touch and meeting NHS staff and saying thank you to them for how hard they've been working is a bonus, I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone.
"I feel very lucky to have had the vaccine."
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