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UK Covid live news: school leaders 'disappointed' that teachers will not be prioritised in new vaccination wave UK Covid live news: school leaders 'disappointed' that teachers will not be prioritised in new vaccination wave
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Latest updates: scientific advisers say sticking with age-based approach would provide ‘greatest benefit in shortest time’Latest updates: scientific advisers say sticking with age-based approach would provide ‘greatest benefit in shortest time’
Festival organisers are enjoying record ticket sales after the government’s announcement of its roadmap out of lockdown, despite uncertainty over what state support exists if last-minute cancellations have to take place.
“Lots of our members have seen sale spikes since Monday, which has generated lots of consumer confidence,” said Paul Reed, chief executive of the Association of Independent Festivals. “There is a huge appetite for live experiences and I don’t think that is surprising. It’s about communal experiences, being outdoors in groups.”
Despite the excitement, however, organisers are concerned about the potential of last-minute cancellations, as the coming months are filled with uncertainty. They are calling for a government-backed insurance scheme so that if they have to change plans, they will not lose all their investment.
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Downing Street said suggestions that Uefa is considering holding the European Championships entirely in England following its successful vaccination drive were “speculation”.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister told reporters:
Public Health Wales said a total of 902,334 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had now been given, an increase of 13,064 from the previous day.
The agency said 80,062 second doses had also been given, an increase of 10,211, PA news reports.
In total, 91% of over-80s in Wales have received their first dose, along with 93.2% of those aged 75-79 and 92.7% of those aged 70-74.
For care homes, 85.8% of residents and 83% of staff have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Public Health Wales said 87% of people in the clinically extremely vulnerable category had received their first dose.
There have been a further 308 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 203,108.
Around one in 145 people in private households in England had Covid-19 between February 13 and 19, according to new estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).Around one in 145 people in private households in England had Covid-19 between February 13 and 19, according to new estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is down from about one in 115 people for the period February 6-12, PA news reports.This is down from about one in 115 people for the period February 6-12, PA news reports.
It is the lowest figure since October 2-8, when the estimate also stood at one in 160 people.It is the lowest figure since October 2-8, when the estimate also stood at one in 160 people.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for JCVI, said he was concerned about groups of people not taking up the offer to be vaccinated.Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for JCVI, said he was concerned about groups of people not taking up the offer to be vaccinated.
He told the Downing Street press conference about the next phase of the rollout:He told the Downing Street press conference about the next phase of the rollout:
When asked about whether the priorities of the vaccination programme will continue to be reviewed, he added:When asked about whether the priorities of the vaccination programme will continue to be reviewed, he added:
The national chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales has called the decision not to prioritise officers in the next phase of the coronavirus vaccination programme a “deep and damaging betrayal” which “will not be forgotten”.The national chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales has called the decision not to prioritise officers in the next phase of the coronavirus vaccination programme a “deep and damaging betrayal” which “will not be forgotten”.
John Apter told the PA news agency:John Apter told the PA news agency:
School leaders are not happy with the JCVI decision not to target teachers and other school staff in the next wave of vaccinations in England.School leaders are not happy with the JCVI decision not to target teachers and other school staff in the next wave of vaccinations in England.
Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said his members were “disappointed” by the news:Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said his members were “disappointed” by the news:
The announcement follows the Department for Education’s admission that neither Covid tests nor mask-wearing among secondary school pupils will be compulsory when pupils return from 8 March.The announcement follows the Department for Education’s admission that neither Covid tests nor mask-wearing among secondary school pupils will be compulsory when pupils return from 8 March.
And it follows the most recent ONS data showing that teachers were at greater risk of testing positive for Covid than most other occupations, contrary to assurances from the government.And it follows the most recent ONS data showing that teachers were at greater risk of testing positive for Covid than most other occupations, contrary to assurances from the government.
The decision not to prioritise all people with asthma, who are not already in group four and six, “ignores the evidence”, the UK’s leading asthma and lung charities has said.The decision not to prioritise all people with asthma, who are not already in group four and six, “ignores the evidence”, the UK’s leading asthma and lung charities has said.
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, said the decision to continue with the age-based approach to phase 2 of the vaccine rollout would leave many people with asthma left feeling “anxious and angry”.Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, said the decision to continue with the age-based approach to phase 2 of the vaccine rollout would leave many people with asthma left feeling “anxious and angry”.
She said:She said:
Manchester Pride will be going ahead with an in-person event this year, its organisers have confirmed.Manchester Pride will be going ahead with an in-person event this year, its organisers have confirmed.
The annual LGBT+ festival, which is held over the August bank holiday and involves a concert and a parade through the streets of Manchester, is one of the biggest Pride events in the UK.The annual LGBT+ festival, which is held over the August bank holiday and involves a concert and a parade through the streets of Manchester, is one of the biggest Pride events in the UK.
The charity behind Manchester Pride said there are plans to switch to a socially-distanced and digital back-up event if an in-person festival is not possible.The charity behind Manchester Pride said there are plans to switch to a socially-distanced and digital back-up event if an in-person festival is not possible.
Mark Fletcher, chief executive of Manchester Pride, said:Mark Fletcher, chief executive of Manchester Pride, said:
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said opting to keep with an age-based priority system for phase two of the vaccine programme meant it would be simpler to administer.Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said opting to keep with an age-based priority system for phase two of the vaccine programme meant it would be simpler to administer.
He told a Downing Street press briefing:He told a Downing Street press briefing:
People aged 40-49 will be prioritised next for the Covid-19 vaccine, it has been announced.
Scientific advisers said sticking with an age-based approach would “provide the greatest benefit in the shortest time”.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) made the announcement after considering whether groups such as teachers and police officers should be vaccinated next.
It said that targeting occupational groups would be “more complex to deliver and may slow down the vaccine programme” which would leave some more vulnerable people at higher risk of going unvaccinated for longer.
The committee therefore concluded that the most effective way to prevent death and hospital admission was to carry on prioritising people by age.
It said modelling studies for phase 2 of the vaccination programme also indicated that the speed of vaccine deployment was the most important factor in helping prevent severe illness and death.
This means that in phase 2, priority will be given in the following order:- All those aged 40-49- All those aged 30-39- All those aged 18-29
These groups will be vaccinated once all those in phase 1 (the over-50s and most vulnerable) have received a jab.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for JCVI, said:
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at Public Health England (PHE), said it was crucial that those at higher risk – including men and BAME communities – were encouraged to take the vaccine, and that local health systems were fully engaged and reaching out to underserved communities to ensure they could access the vaccine.
A statement from the JCVI said it strongly advised people to “promptly take up the offer of vaccination when they are offered”.
There are plenty of times when the government acts unlawfully, the justice secretary has admitted, but “getting something wrong is not the same as deliberately flouting the law”.
What matters, said Robert Buckland, is that the government doesn’t break the same law twice.
Last week, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, was found by a high court judge to have acted unlawfully by failing to publish multibillion-pound Covid-19 government contracts within the 30-day period required by law.
The judge, Mr Justice Chamberlain, ruled the failure to do so breached the “vital public function” of transparency over how “vast quantities” of taxpayers’ money was spent.
But Buckland has now said that the key thing is that Hancock got something wrong rather than deliberately breaching the law.
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A woman who was among the first people to check into a quarantine hotel has said she is looking forward to seeing her husband after months apart.
Eritza East, 37, from Southampton, who was with her three children, said she had a double room at the Radisson Blu Edwardian hotel near Heathrow airport.
She said:
She added: “I’m looking forward to seeing my husband, I haven’t seen him in seven months.”
The rights of children and vulnerable people in police custody are being put at risk during the pandemic by problems with the remote provision of legal advice, according to a report by charities in England and Wales.
While suspects here normally have a right to a lawyer being present during police interviews, research shows that legal support was provided remotely to children and vulnerable adults in more than half of 4,700 police station interviews during a snapshot period last year.
Charities say the potential for miscarriages of justices is being stored up as a result of issues such as confusion among interviewees who sometimes felt pressured to agree to getting advice remotely. They say consent was sometimes ignored or not sought.
Some solicitors refused to attend in person even though the child or mentally vulnerable client was accused of a serious crime such as attempted murder or rape.
The findings come in a report by three charities – Fair Trials, Transform Justice and the National Appropriate Adult Network – which are calling for an end to remote legal assistance in police custody. (Read on )
Positive attitudes towards the coronavirus vaccine have increased, with nearly 95% of adults saying they have either received the jab or would be likely to have it if offered, new data shows.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, published on Friday, show 94% of adults surveyed between February 17 and 21 reported they had now either received the vaccine or would be very or fairly likely to have it if offered, PA news reports.
This is up from 91% the previous week and has risen from early December 2020 when around eight in 10 (78%) adults indicated they would be likely to accept the vaccine if offered it.
Of the adults who said they would be unlikely to have the vaccine or had decided not to have it, the most common reasons were being worried about long-term impacts on their health (43%), being concerned about the side effects (37%) and waiting to see how well it worked (34%).
A British man has been sentenced to two weeks in jail and fined just over £540 for breaking a coronavirus quarantine order in Singapore to visit his fiancee.
Nigel Skea, 52, from Southampton, is the first Briton to be jailed for flouting coronavirus rules in the city-state, Associated Press reports.
Skea left his room at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore on three occasions last September, according to charge sheets. He was not wearing a mask. On one occasion, he climbed an emergency stairwell and entered a room that his Singaporean fiancee had booked. They spent nine hours together.
Skea, who pleaded guilty to two charges of flouting the rules, arrived at the state courts on Friday with Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai, whom he has since married. Eyamalai pleaded guilty to one charge of aiding Skea. She was sentenced to a week in jail.
The district judge, Jasvender Kaur, said the sentences were designed to send a “clear message” that restrictions should be followed.
For those who haven’t seen, the Queen has encouraged people to “think about other people rather than themselves” and get the Covid-19 jab in a video call with health officials leading the deployment of the vaccine across the UK.
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The justice secretary has rejected suggestions that the Queen was interfering in politics by encouraging people to have a coronavirus vaccination.
Robert Buckland told ITV’s Good Morning Britain:
He earlier told LBC that anything the Queen says has “immense power”.
He added:
Keeping windows open and improving ventilation in schools would be a much more effective at reducing coronavirus transmission than asking young children to wear face masks, a government scientific adviser has said.
Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he is “not a fan” of asking young children to wear masks, and there are better strategies for managing the virus.
It came after some schools said pupils must wear face coverings at all times, except during sports lessons or when eating or drinking.
But Semple, speaking in a personal capacity, said:
He said he agrees that young children will find it difficult to wear the masks properly.
He added:
He also said the data shows that teachers working in schools “are no more at risk than people in general society going about their daily living and normal working environment”.
Robert Buckland, the justice secretary, has refused to rule out the prospect of prison inmates and staff being vaccinated en masse in the next phase of the rollout of the coronavirus jab.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is due to publish its recommendations on who should get the vaccine once the rollout to the first nine priority groups – including the over-50s – is complete, PA news reports.
While Buckland said prisoners will not be prioritised over other groups, he also emphasised the need for speed and for protecting prison staff.
“Prisoners will not be getting priority. At the moment they are vaccinated in accordance with the current guidelines, in accordance with what is happening in the community,” he told LBC.
He added: