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| UK Covid: Van-Tam tells public 'do not wreck' progress - as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Latest updates: deputy chief medical officer issues stark warning at Downing Street press conference | Latest updates: deputy chief medical officer issues stark warning at Downing Street press conference |
| Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, said there were some worrying signs that people are taking their foot off the brake at exactly the wrong time, imploring people during the press briefing not to “wreck this” (See 5.18pm). | |
| The government said a further 345 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Friday, recording 8,523 more cases (See 4.19pm). | |
| Unions representing police, prison officers and teachers have expressed dismay at the decision to base the next stage of the coronavirus vaccination programme purely on age (See 3.19pm). | |
| The UK R number has not changed since last week and is still between 0.6 and 0.9, according to the latest government figures (See 1.38pm). | |
| New Covid-19 cases continued to fall across the UK in the week ending 19 February, ONS figures indicate (See 1.27pm). | |
| That’s all from me for today. But our coverage continues on our global coronavirus live blog. It’s here: | |
| Julian Knight, the chairman of the DCMS committee, has called on the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to announce additional support for festivals as part of the budget next week | Julian Knight, the chairman of the DCMS committee, has called on the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to announce additional support for festivals as part of the budget next week |
| The senior Conservative MP said the sector needed “more than a road map” if the summer circuit of events was to go ahead (see earlier post). | The senior Conservative MP said the sector needed “more than a road map” if the summer circuit of events was to go ahead (see earlier post). |
| The Treasury, as PA Media reports, has previously dismissed calls to extend an underwriting scheme offered to other creative industries including film and TV. | The Treasury, as PA Media reports, has previously dismissed calls to extend an underwriting scheme offered to other creative industries including film and TV. |
| Knight said: | Knight said: |
| These figures have been reported by PA Media: | These figures have been reported by PA Media: |
| The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital in England stood at 11,781 as of 8am on 26 February, according to the latest figures from NHS England. | The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital in England stood at 11,781 as of 8am on 26 February, according to the latest figures from NHS England. |
| This is a week-on-week drop of 22% from the 15,018 coronavirus patients in hospital in England on 19 February and the lowest number since 8 November when there were 11,680. | This is a week-on-week drop of 22% from the 15,018 coronavirus patients in hospital in England on 19 February and the lowest number since 8 November when there were 11,680. |
| All regions are continuing to see a week-on-week fall in the number of Covid-19 patients. | All regions are continuing to see a week-on-week fall in the number of Covid-19 patients. |
| The figures are: London 2,253 patients (down 26% week-on-week); Midlands 2,648 patients (down 17%); north-west England 1,724 patients (down 22%); north-east England/Yorkshire 1,800 patients (down 18%); south-east England 1,548 patients (down 24%); eastern England 1,239 patients (down 19%); and south-west England 569 patients (down 31%). | The figures are: London 2,253 patients (down 26% week-on-week); Midlands 2,648 patients (down 17%); north-west England 1,724 patients (down 22%); north-east England/Yorkshire 1,800 patients (down 18%); south-east England 1,548 patients (down 24%); eastern England 1,239 patients (down 19%); and south-west England 569 patients (down 31%). |
| During the press conference, Matt Hancock also said: | During the press conference, Matt Hancock also said: |
| In a separate section, Prof Van-Tam said the ONS data suggested restaurant and catering managers had the highest risk of death, followed by professions including metal working and machine operatives, chefs and taxi drivers. | In a separate section, Prof Van-Tam said the ONS data suggested restaurant and catering managers had the highest risk of death, followed by professions including metal working and machine operatives, chefs and taxi drivers. |
| Jonathan Van-Tam was also asked whether he would be “comfortable” with the “eat out to help out’ scheme returning this spring or summer. | Jonathan Van-Tam was also asked whether he would be “comfortable” with the “eat out to help out’ scheme returning this spring or summer. |
| He replied that when people eat together, “of course, it is likely there will be some transmission”. | He replied that when people eat together, “of course, it is likely there will be some transmission”. |
| But, he added, “who pays the bill, or how much of the bill you have to pay for yourself” was a question for politicians. | But, he added, “who pays the bill, or how much of the bill you have to pay for yourself” was a question for politicians. |
| In the media question section, Talk Radio’s Charlotte Ivers asked about vaccine passports and if they would ever be needed for pubs or football grounds. | In the media question section, Talk Radio’s Charlotte Ivers asked about vaccine passports and if they would ever be needed for pubs or football grounds. |
| Hancock said there would be some areas where certification would be needed, for example if another country said travellers needed to have had a vaccine before entering. | Hancock said there would be some areas where certification would be needed, for example if another country said travellers needed to have had a vaccine before entering. |
| The wider questions had been put into a review to be led by Michael Gove, he said, adding he could not be more specific at this time. “It’s right that we take our time to think about this,” he added. | The wider questions had been put into a review to be led by Michael Gove, he said, adding he could not be more specific at this time. “It’s right that we take our time to think about this,” he added. |
| Hancock ends the press conference by saying “this is on all of us” and that “every single person needs to stick to the rules”, as he warns “we are not there yet”. | Hancock ends the press conference by saying “this is on all of us” and that “every single person needs to stick to the rules”, as he warns “we are not there yet”. |
| Jim Scott from the Northern Echo asks why some people in the north are still having to travel long distances to get their dose, and if this is a sign the vaccination strategy was designed for the south. | Jim Scott from the Northern Echo asks why some people in the north are still having to travel long distances to get their dose, and if this is a sign the vaccination strategy was designed for the south. |
| Hancock says the vaccination programme has been “equal and fair UK wide”, adding: “there has been a lower amount of supply across the whole UK in the last week or so. You would have seen in the last 48 hours that has picked up again ... so that supply is coming back. We all know it is lumpy and comes up and down ... we are going to have a bumper March.” | Hancock says the vaccination programme has been “equal and fair UK wide”, adding: “there has been a lower amount of supply across the whole UK in the last week or so. You would have seen in the last 48 hours that has picked up again ... so that supply is coming back. We all know it is lumpy and comes up and down ... we are going to have a bumper March.” |
| “The good news is that these challenges are faced equally throughout the whole of the UK.” | “The good news is that these challenges are faced equally throughout the whole of the UK.” |
| Jonathan Reilly from the Sun asks if masks are necessary for school children as young as five to wear (citing reports), to which Dr Susan Hopkins says: “the consensus view is very strongly to not advise school children at primary school age to wear face coverings”, due to the associated practical difficulties, as well as the importance of them being able to see facial expressions to help develop their language and communications skills. | Jonathan Reilly from the Sun asks if masks are necessary for school children as young as five to wear (citing reports), to which Dr Susan Hopkins says: “the consensus view is very strongly to not advise school children at primary school age to wear face coverings”, due to the associated practical difficulties, as well as the importance of them being able to see facial expressions to help develop their language and communications skills. |
| C4’s Liz Bates asks about the prospect of local lockdowns as curbs ease: | C4’s Liz Bates asks about the prospect of local lockdowns as curbs ease: |
| Hancock said: “These regional disparities are smaller than we saw in the autumn. We don’t rule out taking local action in an individual area if we see a spike ... but the goal is for us all to come out together. What I want to stress is that this data shows how important it is that we all stick at it.” | Hancock said: “These regional disparities are smaller than we saw in the autumn. We don’t rule out taking local action in an individual area if we see a spike ... but the goal is for us all to come out together. What I want to stress is that this data shows how important it is that we all stick at it.” |
| Dr Susan Hopkins, a senior medical adviser at Public Health England, says they think some of the difference in infection rates relates to different types of jobs between areas. | Dr Susan Hopkins, a senior medical adviser at Public Health England, says they think some of the difference in infection rates relates to different types of jobs between areas. |
| The BBC’s Hugh Pym asks for a response to teachers who argue they should get vaccine priority to “help reduce absences and disruption in classrooms”. | The BBC’s Hugh Pym asks for a response to teachers who argue they should get vaccine priority to “help reduce absences and disruption in classrooms”. |
| The government looked at all these different considerations, including the prioritisation of jobs, Hancock says. “But the overall view we came to was the right thing to do, the moral thing to do, is to make sure we save the most lives and the JCVI looked at the clinical evidence and how quickly, operationally we can jab everybody.” | The government looked at all these different considerations, including the prioritisation of jobs, Hancock says. “But the overall view we came to was the right thing to do, the moral thing to do, is to make sure we save the most lives and the JCVI looked at the clinical evidence and how quickly, operationally we can jab everybody.” |
| Hancock is now taking questions from the media. | Hancock is now taking questions from the media. |
| Jonathan Van-Tam says that with about 40m vaccine doses still to be given in the UK, “there is still a long way to go,” adding that his email inbox “has been besieged with people writing in with people saying I have had the vaccine and essentially can i start breaking the rules”. | |
| The answer to that is no, he says, as the country is not yet “in the right place”. | The answer to that is no, he says, as the country is not yet “in the right place”. |
| There are some worrying signs that people are taking their foot off the brake at exactly the wrong time, he says, imploring people not to “wreck this”. | There are some worrying signs that people are taking their foot off the brake at exactly the wrong time, he says, imploring people not to “wreck this”. |
| “It’s exactly like being up 3-0 in a game and thinking: ‘we can’t possibly lose this now’. But how many times have you seen the other side take it 4-3. Do not wreck this now, it is too early to relax.” | “It’s exactly like being up 3-0 in a game and thinking: ‘we can’t possibly lose this now’. But how many times have you seen the other side take it 4-3. Do not wreck this now, it is too early to relax.” |