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.
Scottish government faces legal fight over church closures
The Scottish Government is facing a judicial review over the closure of churches after religious leaders launched legal proceedings.
Representatives from a range of Christian denominations including the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), the Free Church of Scotland, and a number of independent churches launched the action, stating that the closures are unlawful as they breached human rights law and the Scottish constitution.
Lockdown measures designed to stop the spread of coronavirus have forced places of worship to shut.
Bu lawyers for the religious leaders said that Lord Braid had now granted full permission for a substantive hearing next month, which they said could result in the courts ordering Scottish ministers to allow churches to reopen.
Hotel quarantine law published
Regulations requiring people from “red list” countries to quarantine in hotels have been published, just three days before the scheme becomes law.
UK nationals or residents returning to England from 33 countries will be required to spend 10 days in Government-designated accommodation from Monday.
The law sets out new requirements for people to book their “managed self-isolation package” which includes a hotel, transport and testing.
People must quarantine in the room but exceptions allowing them to leave include the need for urgent medical assistance, to exercise or attend the funeral of a close family member.
The regulations state that leaving for these exceptional reasons should only happen if the person “has been given prior permission by a person authorised by the secretary of state for this purpose”.
The legislation comes into force at 4am on Monday.
People may only arrive into Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London City Airport, Birmingham Airport, Farnborough Airport or any military airfield or port, the legislation states.
Travellers are required to have booked a “testing package”, which includes provision for a test on days two and eight of their quarantine.
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, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier this week.
The cost for a quarantine hotel stay is £1,750 for a single adult.
Housebound over-80s ‘forgotten’ in vaccines rollout as younger people get jabs in UK’s ‘world-leading’ scheme
Vulnerable housebound people in some areas of the UK have still not been vaccinated against Covid – while in other areas much younger, fitter people are already receiving jabs.
More below:
Housebound over-80s ‘forgotten’ in UK’s ‘world-leading’ vaccines rollout
Exclusive: People who need home visits still anxiously waiting to hear – just days before the deadline Boris Johnson set
Additional testing to be rolled out in Middlesborough
Extra coronavirus testing will be carried out in Middlesbrough following the detection of a case of the South African variant of the illness.
An additional test centre has been set up at the Parkway Centre in Coulby Newham and anybody over the age of 16 from Marton and Coulby Newham is being urged to get tested.
Esther Mireku, consultant in public health, said: “I urge everyone over the age of 16 in the Marton and Coulby Newham areas to come forward for a test. This will help us understand more about the potential spread of this new variant.
“While the overall Covid infection rate in Middlesbrough has now halved from its peak in early January, it has still not decreased as much as we would have liked.
“The high prevalence of Covid in the town, combined with the reporting of this variant, are a reminder to everyone of the importance of staying at home as much as possible and following hands-face-space when out for an essential reason.”
Geoff Hurst, Roy Hodgson and other sporting legends target hard-to-reach over-70s with vaccine message
Ministers have recruited a host of British sporting legends 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.
More below:
Geoff Hurst, Roy Hodgson and other sporting legends target hard-to-reach over-70s with vaccine message
Willie Carson and Bill Beaumont also join campaign
Covid-19 could become a seasonal flu instead of being eradicated, experts say
Experts predict Covid-19 is ‘here to stay’ and virus will transform to cause similar symptoms as common cold.
More below:
Covid-19 could become a seasonal flu instead of being eradicated, experts say
Experts predict Covid-19 is ‘here to stay’ and virus will transform to cause similar symptoms as common cold
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