Covid news: 8% of hospital cases may have come from wards, as NHS says it is set to hit vaccine target
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About 8.8 per cent of Covid-19 hospital cases in England over the first wave of the pandemic may have been acquired on wards, according to scientists advising the government.
Experts analysing the data said the numbers may have been as high as 31,000 in England over the first wave – although the NHS medical director disagreed.
Meanwhile, the government has claimed it is set to hit its UK-wide target of offering a vaccine to those people most at risk by Monday, after England and Wales said those groups had been reached.
Ministers have recruited a host of British sporting legends including Sir Geoff Hurst and Roy Hodgson to help launch their second vaccine drive in less than a week as they battle to vaccinate huge numbers of those most at risk from coronavirus.
However, some housebound people in those groups, including vulnerable people over 80 and over 90, have been left waiting, The Independent has learnt.
Meanwhile, the total number of lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK has now exceeded four million since the outbreak began, according to the government’s dashboard.
The Department for Health and Social Care confirmed the nation’s positive case load had increased by 15,144 in its latest daily update– bringing the overall total since the virus was first observed in the UK a year and 12 days ago to 4,013,799.
The findings means roughly one in 20 people in the UK have tested positive for the virus over the course of the pandemic. Of those, 2.8 per cent have passed away within the following 28 days, according to government data.
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Stay tuned for rolling updates on the latest news and statistics throughout the day.
Some restrictions could stay until all adults vaccinated
Some restrictions could remain in place until all UK adults have been vaccinated, Public Health England’s leading Covid-19 strategist has suggested.
Dr Susan Hopkins told Sky News: "I think that once we get to a very low level of community [transmission], we will need to have ongoing measures in place until the adult population are vaccinated.
“What those measures are, we will have to watch and see, but I think it is really important that we keep the rates as low as possible for as long as possible this year.”
My colleague Vincent Wood has more details:
Covid restrictions in place until all UK adults vaccinated, PHE strategist suggests
More work needed to understand virus transmission before return to 'life as it was', Susan Hopkins says
Police patrols stepped up at airports and ports
Police patrols will be stepped up at airports and ports as hotel quarantine rules for travellers come into force, home secretary Priti Patel has announced.
From Monday, UK nationals or residents returning from 33 "red list" countries will be required to spend 10 days in a government-designated hotel.
Passengers arriving into England face fines of up to £10,000 for failing to quarantine, and those who lie on their passenger locator forms face up to 10 years in jail.
Ms Patel revealed more police would be deployed to check the reason for passenger journeys and to help "ensure compliance of arrivals from red-list countries who will be part of the mandatory quarantine scheme".
‘Reasonable’ to allow quarantining travellers ‘gulp of fresh air’
Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said it is "reasonable" to allow travellers quarantining in hotels a "gulp of fresh air", despite an epidemiologist warning it is "risky".
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have to look at our own measures in our own country.
"The hotel will of course be adhering to all of the very strict measures that we have in place in relation to social distancing and face masks and so on.
"So I think allowing someone a gulp of fresh air... apart from anything else, we know that being outside is less likely to transmit than being inside.
"But I think allowing someone a gulp of fresh air during a 10-day visit in a hotel, with all the very strict measures that we have, I think is reasonable - but of course we will keep these measures under review."
Melbourne enters third total lockdown
Over in Australia, Melbourne is due to enter its third lockdown after a cluster of coronavirus cases of the UK variant were detected at a quarantine hotel.
The snap lockdown, which covers the whole state, will last for five days, shutting the doors on spectators for much of the Australia Open tennis tournament beginning today.
Clea Skopeliti explains more:
Melbourne enters third total lockdown after infections linked to UK variant
The measures come into force at midnight on Friday
‘Up to Scotland’ to decide if people travelling via England should quarantine
Safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins said it is "up to Scotland" to decide whether passengers landing in England but travelling on to the country should quarantine.
Scotland has closed its airports to all international travel, but people can still land in England and drive in.
"People should not be travelling, it is illegal to travel overseas unless you meet the criteria of an essential reason," Ms Atkins told BBC Breakfast.
"If you are coming from a red list country, you must quarantine in a hotel; if you are coming from a non-red list country, then you quarantine at home."
When pressed on quarantine measures for the devolved administrations, she said: "That will be for the Scottish government to work out."
She refused to comment on reports that lockdown measures could be in place until autumn, saying: "It's far too early to say. This review next week is so important and the roadmap out of (lockdown) - we have to listen to the evidence and listen to the data on this."
Home secretary urges people to ‘persevere’ with testing website
Priti Patel has told people to "persevere" with the government's testing website after a woman raised fears she will not be able to travel back from the US because of issues.
An LBC radio listener said she is a UK citizen married to a US citizen and is due to return from the States on 22 February but has been unable to book a test.
The home secretary responded: "I do understand there have been problems with the testing package website, which I think was launched yesterday.
"I've been told it was back up and running this morning so please persevere with this. This is a fresh website clearly."
Wales could ease hospitality restrictions by Easter
Wales’ first minister has said the country could be in a position to ease some Covid-19 restrictions in the hospitality and tourism industries as soon as Easter.
Mark Drakeford said reopening remained a "very big if" due to uncertainties surrounding new variants but the number of new infections reported in Wales is on a downward curve.
My colleague Matt Mathers has more on this:
Wales could ease hospitality restrictions by Easter as top four categories offered vaccine by weekend
First minister says he can ‘see a path into spring’
Olympic nation Japan receives first batch of Covid vaccines
Japan's first batch of Covid- 19 vaccines has reportedly arrived today, with official approval for the Pfizer Inc shots expected soon as the country races to control a third wave of infections ahead of the Olympic Games.
A government health panel is due to deliberate on the vaccine later today.
Kiyoshi Takenaka has more details:
Olympic nation Japan receives first batch of Covid vaccines
Vaccinations should begin in the country from mid next week
Over-65s to receive letters next week inviting them for jab
People over the age of 65 are reportedly set to start receiving letters inviting them to receive their first jab from next week.
Follow our breaking news story for more details:
Covid vaccine to be offered to over-65s from next week
Residents over 65 will reportedly start receiving invitations to receive the jab as early as next week
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