This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/may/14/uk-covid-live-surge-vaccinations-indian-variant-lockdown-england-coronavirus-latest-updates
The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| UK Covid live: officials consider ‘surge vaccinations’ to combat spread of Indian variant | UK Covid live: officials consider ‘surge vaccinations’ to combat spread of Indian variant |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Concern that spread of variant found in India, B1.617.2, may derail planned easing of lockdown restrictions in England | Concern that spread of variant found in India, B1.617.2, may derail planned easing of lockdown restrictions in England |
| In Scotland, there is concern that a lifting of restrictions could be premature, with public health experts have warned that a spike in coronavirus infections in Glasgow could include the so-called B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India. | |
| Dr Deepti Gurdasani, a clinical epidemiologist and senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, told BBC Good Morning Scotland: | |
| She said the arrival of new variants in the UK was not inevitable and was a result of a “failed border policy”, pointing out that areas which have had comprehensive border restrictions such as Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and south east Asia, have not imported many of these concerning variants. | |
| The coronavirus variant B.1.617.2, first identified in India, has been designated as a “variant of concern” by Public Health England because it is thought to be at least as transmissible as the variant detected in Kent last year, known as B117, which is now dominant in the UK. | |
| First minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the situation in Glasgow is being monitored “very closely”, with cases in the city at 70.9 per 100,000 people in the seven days to 10 May, according to the latest data yesterday. | |
| Moray currently has the highest rate in Scotland at 98.1 cases per 100,000 and is unlikely to join the rest of the country by dropping down a level under the Scottish government’s five-tier system as restrictions ease on Monday. | |
| Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said the 21 June lifting of lockdown across the UK could be in doubt if the Indian variant causes increases in cases in elderly people and a rise in people needing hospital care. | |
| He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | |
| Asked why 21 June could be in doubt, he said: | |
| The UK government “will take nothing off the table”, including local lockdowns, in the face of surging variants. But surge testing is the focus. | |
| Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told BBC Breakfast: | |
| Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he would not welcome local lockdowns to combat the spread of the Indian coronavirus variant. He told Sky News: | |
| He added: | |
| Speaking about rising cases in Bolton, he said the government needed to go further and use vaccine supplies to inoculate the younger working age population and student population. | |
| The 2-metre physical distancing rule in Wales will not change on Monday, mainly due to the Indian variant, Mark Drakeford has said this morning. The first minister told BBC Radio 5 Live: | |
| Asked whether people will be able to hug a family member outside of their household bubble or extended household, he replied: | Asked whether people will be able to hug a family member outside of their household bubble or extended household, he replied: |
| Therefore, plans to allow smaller events to reopen, as well as relaxing rules on people meeting have been “paused”, he added, speaking to Sky News. | Therefore, plans to allow smaller events to reopen, as well as relaxing rules on people meeting have been “paused”, he added, speaking to Sky News. |
| In Wales, officials have “decided to hold back” on further relaxing some lockdown restrictions following Monday, when indoor hospitality and entertainment venues reopen, due to concerns about the Indian variant. | |
| The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: |
| Zahawi, doing the rounds on the airwaves for the government this morning, has warned there could be a delay to the planned easing of restrictions on 21 June if infection rates rise significantly. | Zahawi, doing the rounds on the airwaves for the government this morning, has warned there could be a delay to the planned easing of restrictions on 21 June if infection rates rise significantly. |
| But Monday’s easing of restrictions would still go ahead despite concerns over the variant first found in India, he told LBC: | But Monday’s easing of restrictions would still go ahead despite concerns over the variant first found in India, he told LBC: |
| Speaking to Sky News, he stressed there was currently no evidence that the India variant “escapes the vaccines or is more severe in its impact on people”. | Speaking to Sky News, he stressed there was currently no evidence that the India variant “escapes the vaccines or is more severe in its impact on people”. |
| But Hunter said it seemed to be “a little bit more resistant from the early indications”, indeed “a little bit more resistant than the Kent variant”, though not as resistant as the South African variant. | But Hunter said it seemed to be “a little bit more resistant from the early indications”, indeed “a little bit more resistant than the Kent variant”, though not as resistant as the South African variant. |
| Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to everyone joining our live coverage of Covid developments in the UK. | Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to everyone joining our live coverage of Covid developments in the UK. |
| The top story this morning surrounds concern that the spread of a variant first found in India could derail the planned easing of restrictions in England, with officials considering “flexing” the country’s inoculation campaign and adopting a policy of “surge vaccinations”. | The top story this morning surrounds concern that the spread of a variant first found in India could derail the planned easing of restrictions in England, with officials considering “flexing” the country’s inoculation campaign and adopting a policy of “surge vaccinations”. |
| This morning, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said that younger people in areas where there is a surge of the variant initially identified in India could be vaccinated sooner. He told Sky News: | This morning, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said that younger people in areas where there is a surge of the variant initially identified in India could be vaccinated sooner. He told Sky News: |
| Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said surge vaccination would “possibly” work, but that it was “not an easy question either way”. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said surge vaccination would “possibly” work, but that it was “not an easy question either way”. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: |
| Meanwhile, surge testing is under way in areas of the north-west of England where cases involving the Indian variant of coronavirus are on the increase. The “variant of concern” has been detected in Bolton, Greater Manchester, as well as in Blackburn, Lancashire, and Sefton in Merseyside, which have all seen rates rise rapidly. | Meanwhile, surge testing is under way in areas of the north-west of England where cases involving the Indian variant of coronavirus are on the increase. The “variant of concern” has been detected in Bolton, Greater Manchester, as well as in Blackburn, Lancashire, and Sefton in Merseyside, which have all seen rates rise rapidly. |
| Blackburn with Darwen council initially said on Thursday that it would be offering vaccines to all over-18s from next week following the increase in cases, but later said that, although additional vaccine clinics are being set up, the jab would only be offered to those eligible under current government guidance. | Blackburn with Darwen council initially said on Thursday that it would be offering vaccines to all over-18s from next week following the increase in cases, but later said that, although additional vaccine clinics are being set up, the jab would only be offered to those eligible under current government guidance. |
| The area’s director of public health, Dominic Harrison, tweeted that the authority had asked the NHS to “surge vaccinate” but the request was refused. | The area’s director of public health, Dominic Harrison, tweeted that the authority had asked the NHS to “surge vaccinate” but the request was refused. |
| In Bolton, the area with the highest rate of cases, with 553 new infections in the seven days to May 9, mobile testing units have been deployed and door-to-door PCR Covid testing has been offered to 22,000 residents. | In Bolton, the area with the highest rate of cases, with 553 new infections in the seven days to May 9, mobile testing units have been deployed and door-to-door PCR Covid testing has been offered to 22,000 residents. |
| A vaccine bus has been set up to increase uptake among those who are eligible and a rapid response team of 100 nurses, public health advisers and environmental health officers has been sent in. | A vaccine bus has been set up to increase uptake among those who are eligible and a rapid response team of 100 nurses, public health advisers and environmental health officers has been sent in. |
| I’m Mattha Busby and I’ll be bringing you updates for the next couple of hours. For any tips or thoughts, drop me a line on Twitter. | I’m Mattha Busby and I’ll be bringing you updates for the next couple of hours. For any tips or thoughts, drop me a line on Twitter. |