Coronavirus UK news – Huge summer holiday blow with trips to Spain 'unlikely' thanks to covid and slow vaccine rollout
BRITS' summer holidays are "at risk" as top destinations remain crippled by coronavirus and a slow vaccine rollout.
Morgan Stanley has branded summer sun favourite Spain "particularly vulnerable" and said it was "unlikely" Brits would be able to a summer holiday in southern Europe in 2021 the way many managed to last year.
A statement from the bank said "Europe's high cases and slow vaccine drive could lead to a late reopening putting a second summer at risk."
They added that another missed summer of tourism would only add to tensions onside the EU, saying it "would exacerbate the north-south divide" in Europe that many claim sees Germany and France prioritised.
The statement added that southern European holidays this year are unlikely to be repeated "given the emergence of new strains, which appear to be more transmissible and dangerous".
It comes as Britain's superspeed vaccine rollout could be "paralysed" in the coming weeks as Covid-hit India stalls on supplies.
Our incredible jab effort – the key to getting Britain back to normal life as quickly as possible – is expected to be held up as India grapples with its own covid crisis and may be considering stockpiling the vaccines for itself.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India (SII) which is manufacturing the UK-bound AstraZeneca vaccine, said the forecast slowing of supplies is nothing to do with his firm not producing enough.
"It is solely dependent on India and it has nothing to do with the SII. It is to do with the Indian Government allowing more doses to the UK," Poonawalla told The Telegraph today.
He confirmed that the UK had already received five million doses from his firm earlier this month, but admitted a second batch of five million doses wouldn't leave India until the Indian government gave it the green light.
The news comes as the UK's incredible vaccine rollout appeared to be taking effect with daily Covid deaths plummeting.
The number of deaths from coronavirus being reported per day is falling at a faster rate than it did towards the end of the first wave, figures show.
Follow our coronavirus live blog below for the very latest news and updates on the pandemic…
- Alice Peacock
SUMMER BUMMER
Brits' summer holidays are reportedly "at risk" as top destinations remain crippled by coronavirus and a slow vaccine rollout.
Morgan Stanley has branded summer sun favourite Spain "particularly vulnerable" and said it was "unlikely" Brits would be able to a summer holiday in southern Europe in 2021 the way many managed to last year.
A statement from the bank said "Europe's high cases and slow vaccine drive could lead to a late reopening putting a second summer at risk."
Another missed summer of tourism would only add to tensions onside the EU, they added, saying it "would exacerbate the north-south divide" in Europe that many claim sees Germany and France prioritised.
The statement added that southern European holidays this year are unlikely to be repeated "given the emergence of new strains, which appear to be more transmissible and dangerous".
- John Hall
SINGLE SHOT OF PFIZER OR OXFORD OFFERS 80% PROTECTION
A single shot of the Pfizer or the Oxford vaccine offers 80% protection from coronavirus, according to latest data.
Among receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech inoculation also receive 85% protection against dying from the disease, according to the new study by Public Health England.
The findings come from surveillance of vaccinated people, compared to unvaccinated people, in the population at large.
It also showed that in those over 70, either the Pfizer or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine prevents 60 per cent of symptomatic infections.
- Alice Peacock
DENTAL DISASTER
One year after the first lockdowns of the pandemic were implemented, dentists over the globe are concerned about a higher incidence of tooth decay and more advanced gum disease.
Changing routines may have contributed to a decline in dental health, the World Dental Federation has said.
Dr Gerhard Konrad Seeberger, president of the World Dental Federation, today said: “Let’s call it for what it is—a dental disaster."
Covid restrictions have led to an aversion to patients seeking care, with dentists seeing urgent oral health issues that would not have become urgent with early intervention.
The World Health Organisation reported oral health services were among the most affected essential health services because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 77 per cent of countries reporting partial or complete disruption.
- John Hall
CONCERN OVER 'DO NOT RESUSCITATE' DECISIONS DURING PANDEMIC
Individuals' human rights may have been breached in hundreds of cases where "do not resuscitate" decisions were made during the pandemic, according to the care watchdog for England.
Some 508 "do not resuscitate" decisions had been made since March 2020, that had not been agreed in discussion with the person or their family, the BBC reported.
As a result, the Care Quality Commission is calling for improvements to care planning.
An NHS spokesman said decisions should be made in consultation with families.
- Alice Peacock
BORIS JOHNSON WILL GIVE PRESS CONFERENCE TONIGHT
Boris Johnson will give a press conference tonight to soothe the nation's fears over the AstraZeneca jab amid worries about blood clots and shortages of the vaccine.
The PM is set to speak at 5pm today.
This afternoon the European Medicines Agency are expected to green light the jab across Europe, despite several states pausing the rollout over fears it could lead to blood clots.
UK ministers have stressed the jab is safe and there's no extra risk of blood clots as a result. Scientists said there's a higher risk of developing one from catching Covid itself.
- John Hall
RISK OF CATCHING COVID CUT BY A THIRD BY LIVING WITH SOMEONE JABBED
The risk of catching Covid is cut by a THIRD if you live with someone who has been vaccinated, it was revealed last night.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said data from vaccinated healthcare workers in Scotland suggests that immunised Brits are far less likely to pass on the virus.
Dr Mary Ramsay tonight unveiled a raft of new data that shows the real-world impact of Britain’s jab rollout.
She told the Downing Street briefing: “Data from Scotland suggests vaccinated healthcare workers have a 30 per cent lower chance of passing infection on to their household contacts.
“This is the first evidence we have of a reduction in transmission from vaccination. This means the more people we vaccinate, the more we reduce the spread of infection”.
- Alice Peacock
EUROPEAN COMMISSION EXAMINING 'DIFFERENT TOOLS' TO POTENTIALLY BLOCK VACCINE EXPORTS
The European Commission is examining the "different tools" to potentially block vaccine exports and said they were expecting reciprocity on "vaccine exports not individual producers".
Chief spokesman Eric Mamer told a Brussels briefing: "In terms of how we're going to implement this we're in the process of thinking it through. You mention the export authorisation tool, that is one option, we will also certainly be discussing with companies. We're looking at the different tools that could be at our disposal and we will see what means are necessary for the end."
Asked how the EU could block Pfizer exports while it is respecting its contract with the bloc, he said: "In our relations with third countries when it comes to exports we need to keep in mind not only what individual companies are doing but what the whole process is delivering in terms of results.
"If in a specific country there is vaccine production, and that actually these vaccine production facilities are also in our contract but that we're not seeing deliveries of vaccines coming to Europe based on the contract that we've signed, this is something that we need to take into account when authorising exports to that country.
European Commission is examining the "different tools" to potentially block vaccine exports
- Alice Peacock
SPRING BREAKERS PARTY MASKLESS ON FLORIDA'S BEACHES
Spring Breakers have reportedly been flocking to South Beach in Florida sans mask, after Governor Ron DeSantis cancelled all fines for people flouting pandemic restrictions.
Daily death figures from coronavirus fell below 1,000 in the U.S. on Wednesday, with just over 50,000 new infections.
But according to Daily Mail reports, there are concerns that the virus will surge on the heels of Spring Break and maskless partying.
DeSantis' approach has been criticised by health experts and the governors of Democratic states, such as California and New York.
90,000 revelers are said to have landed in Florida with an 'anything goes' mentality and a 'desire to go wild'.
- John Hall
SHORTFALL FROM INDIAN PRODUCER BEHIND ASTRAZENECA SUPPLY ISSUES
A delay in the delivery of five million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine from India is thought to be behind a forthcoming reduction in the UK's supply.
The delivery had been expected from the Serum Institute of India, the BBC reported, but has been held up by four weeks.
A letter to health leaders in England, published on Wednesday, warned of a "significant reduction in weekly supply" of the vaccine from March 29, "meaning volumes for first doses will be significantly constrained".
The letter from Emily Lawson, NHS chief commercial officer, and Dr Nikita Kanani, medical director for primary care, said people "aged 49 years or younger should not be offered vaccination" unless they are in a higher priority group, such as being clinically vulnerable.
It added that the UK's vaccines taskforce predicts the shortfall will last four weeks "as a result of reductions in national inbound vaccines supply". The Department of Health has said the Government is still on track to offer a first dose to all adults by the end of July.
- John Hall
JAB TARGETS 'CHALLENGING'
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick has admitted jab targets are "challenging".
"We're still on course to meet our target, which is to get groups one to nine vacc by mid-april," he said.
"If you remember our last big milestone which was in mid-February – we only met that with a couple of days' grace. These targets are quite challenging, they're not easy."
"We still think we're on course to meet the middle of April one and we still think we're on course to meet the most important one of all, which is to get all adults vaccinated with first jab by end of July."
- John Hall
SUPPLY ISSUES
Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick has suggested the issue with vaccine supply is due to doses being imported from abroad and did not deny a reported problem with supply from India.
The Housing Secretary told Sky News: "We're sourcing vaccines from all over the world and we're experiencing, occasionally, some issues and that has led to issue with some supply in the coming weeks."
But asked about supply from India after a reported delay in the delivery of five million Oxford-AstraZeneca doses from the Serum Institute of India, he said: "I'm not going to get into the specific contracts we have with different manufacturers. We're sourcing vaccines from many countries all over the world.
"It's a very complex international supply chain and that does mean occasionally we will experience issues and that's what we've experienced right now."
- John Hall
'NO DISRUPTION'
Astrazeneca has said its supply of the Covid jab in the UK is “not experiencing any disruption” – after the NHS warned of a dip in supplies from the end of March.
NHS England today said there had been “reductions in national inbound vaccines supply” and asked organisations to ensure no further appointments were uploaded to booking systems in April.
NHS bosses said that as a result, people under the age of 50 should only get the jab if they are in a priority group for the vaccine.
But the reasons for the slowdown remain unclear, as Astrazeneca said this evening: “Our UK domestic supply chain is not experiencing any disruption and there is no impact on our delivery schedule.”
- John Hall
ONLINE SHOPPING HERE TO STAY
With many high-earning employees not expected back in the office full-time, the 'home nesting' that became a feature of the pandemic is set to continue – leading to sustained higher spending on home offices, gym equipment and renovations, a new report by McKinsey has found.
Online grocery shopping and virtual healthcare appointments are also expected to rise even as the Covid-19 pandemic recedes, while spending on remote education and digital entertainment will dip, the study found.
The report, based on surveys of consumers in China, France, Germany, the UK, and the United States, analyzed a series of pandemic-induced spending behaviors to predict which would outlast the crisis.
Two groups whose behaviour McKinsey predicts will have an outsized impact on how the post-pandemic economy functions are high-income, middle-aged women, and younger, high-income earners.
- John Hall
VACCINE VERDICT
Europe's medical regulator is set to give its verdict on the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Thursday, following a chaotic few weeks that has seen nations suspend its use over blood clot fears.
There are "a number of options" open to scientists at the European Medicines Agency, its chief said earlier this week, including suspending approval for the jab in the EU, with the bloc's innoculation programme already scrambling for vaccines.
Despite more than a dozen countries pausing rollouts, the EMA says it has found "no indication" of a serious problem and that the number of post-jab blood clots is no higher than it is among the general, unvaccinated population.
The World Health Organization said Wednesday it was better to take the AstraZeneca vaccine than not — adding that it was looking into available data on the shot.
- John Hall
RISK OF CATCHING COVID CUT BY A THIRD BY LIVING WITH SOMEONE JABBED
The risk of catching Covid is cut by a THIRD if you live with someone who has been vaccinated, it was revealed tonight.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said data from vaccinated healthcare workers in Scotland suggests that immunised Brits are far less likely to pass on the virus.
Dr Mary Ramsay tonight unveiled a raft of new data that shows the real-world impact of Britain's jab rollout.
She told the Downing Street briefing: “Data from Scotland suggests vaccinated healthcare workers have a 30 per cent lower chance of passing infection on to their household contacts.
“This is the first evidence we have of a reduction in transmission from vaccination. This means the more people we vaccinate, the more we reduce the spread of infection”.
- John Hall
EU TO AGREE COVID PASSPORT SCHEME
The EU is set to agree to a Covid passport scheme that will allow jabbed Brits and those with antibodies to travel.
The bloc will publish details of its “digital green pass” in order for people to go on holiday in time for summer, it’s been reported.
The EU’s passport will allow those from non-EU countries to travel there if they are “in a position to present certificates under a system deemed sufficiently reliable,” according to a leaked document obtained by Bloomberg.
It comes as pressure piles on Transport Secretary Grant Shapps as Brits eagerly await news of when they can travel abroad again.
The digital pass will also allow travel for those who have tested negative or who can prove they have gained a level of immunity having recovered from Covid, the document states.
- Alice Peacock
VACCINE PASSPORTS NOT ENCOURAGED FOR 'ETHICAL AND SCIENTIFIC' REASONS
WHO Regional Director Dr Hans Kluge said the WHO was not encouraging the use of "vaccine passports" for both "ethical and scientific" reasons.
"It should not be a requirement for a number of reasons," he told a press briefing on Thursday.
"First, ethical. There is a global shortage of vaccines so this would increase the iniquities and if there is one thing that we have learned from the Covid-19 pandemic it is that the vulnerable people were hit disproportionately.
"Second, a scientific reason. We are not sure yet how long the immunity lasts once a person gets the Covid-19 vaccine and paradoxically if you get the vaccine you may be protected but still you can transmit the infection."
- John Hall
‘VACCINE SAVING THOUSANDS OF LIVES’
The Health Secretary has urged Brits to get their jab as soon as they are called as figures show death rates plunging in recent weeks thanks to the vaccine rollout.
“Deaths from Covid are down by over a third in the last week again and the vaccine is saving thousands of lives right now here in the UK and it can give us all hope,” he said.
“All of this underlines how important it is that when you get the call, get the jab.
“To anybody who still has concerns or any doubt about getting the jab, we know that the vaccine is safe and helps makes you safe.
“It gives you this protection.”
- John Hall
CONTINUED
He added: “The strategy of going big, bold and early has clearly paid off.
“Furthermore, delays to restrictions have meant them needing to be tougher and longer-lasting than in other countries, thereby worsening the economic damage.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has touched everyone, but lower-income families have borne the brunt of the crisis in terms of their lives and livelihoods.
"This shouldn’t be forgotten as we look to rebuild post-pandemic Britain.”
The report praised the successes of the vaccines programme and furlough scheme.
- John Hall
PM BLAMED
Some 25,000 Brits were killed by Covid because Boris Johnson delayed the latest lockdown, experts have said.
The Resolution Foundation blasted the PM for dithering just when the super-infectious Kent coronavirus strain was ripping through Britain.
Mr Johnson’s delays also meant lockdown ended up having to be longer, meaning Britain’s economy took the biggest battering of the whole G7, the think-tank added.
Mike Brewer, of the Foundation, said: “Going timidly and late on lockdowns has been a disaster, causing many thousands of avoidable deaths.”
- John Hall
WHERE IN UK ARE COVID CASES STILL RISING?
Coronavirus cases are still rising in 121 places in England and this interactive map reveals if your local area is on the list.
Official data from Public Health England (PHE) states that in the last seven days, 190 areas have seen a fall in infection rates.
Of the 121 places that have seen a rise in cases over the last week, there are five local authority areas that have witnessed a sizeable increase.
While Corby is the most infected local authority in England it has also seen the biggest week on week increase in cases.
Public health chiefs in the area have this week insisted that the reopening of schools has nothing to do with the spike in cases in the area.
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