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UK Covid live: second vaccine doses for over-50s and vulnerable accelerated as Indian variant threatens June easing UK Covid live: second vaccine doses for over-50s and vulnerable accelerated as Indian variant threatens June easing
(32 minutes later)
Prime minister announces acceleration of programme to give second vaccine doses to over-50s and clinically vulnerablePrime minister announces acceleration of programme to give second vaccine doses to over-50s and clinically vulnerable
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has accused Boris Johnson of a “reckless failure to protect our borders” as the Indian variant threatened to derail progress to ending coronavirus restrictions in June.
The Labour MP said: “People across the country will be deeply concerned and tonight’s news brings into sharp focus Boris Johnson’s reckless failure to protect our borders in this crisis.
“Only a few weeks ago we urged Matt Hancock to designate this a variant of concern and respond with speed and resolve.
“As expert public health officials on the ground are saying we now need ‘surge vaccinations’ in areas of prevalence, enhanced contact tracing and crucially; to fix sick pay and isolation support.
“Having come so far we don’t want to be set back now.”
There is a “realistic possibility” that the Indian coronavirus variant could be as much as “50% more transmissible” than the Kent strain, the Scientific Advisory Group for emergencies (Sage) has said.
The minutes of the meeting between the government’s scientific advisers on Thursday said that it is “highly likely that this variant is more transmissible than B.1.1.7 (high confidence), and it is a realistic possibility that it is as much as 50% more transmissible”, PA reports.
Reaction from Labour MP Yvette Cooper to Johnson’s press conference.
Councillor Andy Morgan, Bolton council’s cabinet member for adult social services, insisted the council had been given some “flexibility” to vaccinate younger people, and would be offering vaccines to all over 18s in the three worst affected wards from Saturday.
He said: “Our interpretation of the guidance is that we can start to vaccinate 18s and over in BL3 [the affected postcode] tomorrow, subject to vaccination supply.”
He added: “We’ve got some flexibility locally to surge-vaccinate, but the biggest thing for Bolton is not being locked down, which would have been devastating for the town.
David Greenhalgh [Bolton’s council leader] has been lobbying every man and a dog all day on that, so we are relieved,” said Morgan.
Layla Moran, a Lib Dem MP, told Sky News she believes it is “essentially a failure of government strategy to contain variants coming into this country”.
She added: “What extra measures are they going to put in place to safeguard us?”
The Conservative leader of Bolton Council, David Greenhalgh, was disappointed that the government refused his plea for all adults in the worst affected wards in Bolton to be offered the vaccine.
Though Johnson did not announce a local lockdown for Bolton, Greenhalgh fears that the district could still be subject to tighter restrictions.
He said: “Yes, our rates of the Indian variant are going up, but while hospitalisations remain low and all evidence points to the effectiveness of the vaccine , the administration’s message to Government is ‘do not lock us down. Do not take us out of the road map.
“The majority of our cases are in their teens, 20s and 30s. Send us more vaccinations and allow us to vaccinate 18years+ now, that is the answer, not further restrictions.
“We have been here before. All that will happen is people will travel outside the borough, sometimes 50 yards up the road across a boundary to access hospitality. It does not work. And our hospitality is left struggling again, and on its knees.
“More targeted vaccines please and allow us to re-open.”
The press conference has now concluded.The press conference has now concluded.
On the PM’s four tests for moving to the next stage of the roadmap out of lockdown including variants of concern, Johnson replied: “I do think we are concerned about this variant that’s the purpose, we’re serving notice, it may cause disruption to our attempts to continue down the roadmap.On the PM’s four tests for moving to the next stage of the roadmap out of lockdown including variants of concern, Johnson replied: “I do think we are concerned about this variant that’s the purpose, we’re serving notice, it may cause disruption to our attempts to continue down the roadmap.
“But they don’t change the assessment of step three... the overall numbers across the country remain low and quite flat.“But they don’t change the assessment of step three... the overall numbers across the country remain low and quite flat.
“What we’re saying is that the public need to be aware of this variant.”“What we’re saying is that the public need to be aware of this variant.”
On the possibility of delaying the easing of restrictions on June 21, Johnson said he cannot “speculate at this stage about that” because “there are still things we don’t know abnout the variant”.On the possibility of delaying the easing of restrictions on June 21, Johnson said he cannot “speculate at this stage about that” because “there are still things we don’t know abnout the variant”.
He adds that in a few weeks we will know a lot more.He adds that in a few weeks we will know a lot more.
He adds that he realises today’s conference is “slightly disappointing” due the recent news of the new variant, as well as it posing “a real risk of disruption to our plans”.He adds that he realises today’s conference is “slightly disappointing” due the recent news of the new variant, as well as it posing “a real risk of disruption to our plans”.
“But it is also possible that we could still be on the right track.”“But it is also possible that we could still be on the right track.”
Reaction from Labour MP Angela Rayner to the government’s handling.Reaction from Labour MP Angela Rayner to the government’s handling.
In response to a question about whether vaccines are being targeted to key areas, Prof. Whitty said if vaccines lose some “efficacy”, this tends to happen first with those who show mild symptoms rather than those likely to suffer most from the virus.In response to a question about whether vaccines are being targeted to key areas, Prof. Whitty said if vaccines lose some “efficacy”, this tends to happen first with those who show mild symptoms rather than those likely to suffer most from the virus.
He added this is why those in more vulnerable groups are being prioritised and there are “very strong aims” to increase jabs in areas affected by the new variant.He added this is why those in more vulnerable groups are being prioritised and there are “very strong aims” to increase jabs in areas affected by the new variant.
Johnson said Colonel Russell Miller is being deployed to support local leaders in managing the response to the Indian variant on the ground.Johnson said Colonel Russell Miller is being deployed to support local leaders in managing the response to the Indian variant on the ground.
The response will include surge testing, mobile testing units and the army will be on the streets handing out tests.The response will include surge testing, mobile testing units and the army will be on the streets handing out tests.
There will be “targeted new activity” in Bolton and Blackburn to accelerate the vaccine take-up, including longer opening hours at vaccination sites.There will be “targeted new activity” in Bolton and Blackburn to accelerate the vaccine take-up, including longer opening hours at vaccination sites.
On whether people should travel from Monday, Johnson has urged people to think twice and wants people to recognise there is “extra risk and disruption to progress caused by this new variant”.On whether people should travel from Monday, Johnson has urged people to think twice and wants people to recognise there is “extra risk and disruption to progress caused by this new variant”.
He added it is important that people in the areas seeing spikes recognise there is an “extra risk, extra disruption, a threat of disruption to progress caused by this new variant”.He added it is important that people in the areas seeing spikes recognise there is an “extra risk, extra disruption, a threat of disruption to progress caused by this new variant”.
In response to a question about how likely it is that the final unlocking of restrictions in England will happen on 21 June, Johnson admits he cannot say “for certain”.
Numbers of infections remain “low” across the country, he added, and the situation is different from last year because of vaccines.
People will have to “wait and see” whether the new variant is more transmissible and wait for more evidence that vaccines have cut risks of hospitalisations and deaths.
The PM is asked how soon he would implement restrictions if cases of “variants of concern” put pressure on hospitals. Johnson responds he would implement measures if it appeared the NHS was becoming overwhelmed.
Prof. Whitty is asked when the under 30s can except to receive the vaccine. He replies he hopes everybody has their first vaccine by end of July, saying “that is the aim”.
The PM said he is “very sorry” for the those living in Bolton and Blackburn where there is a surge of the Indian variant and he will not impose further restrictions on them.
Johnson added advanced surveillance and data gathering means if there is a danger of the NHS coming under unsustainable pressure we would see the signs early on and could react in good time.
To clarify, Johnson said the roadmap out of lockdown remains in place but the Indian variant “could make it more difficult to move to step four in June”.
Johnson also said the NHS will also prioritise first doses for anyone eligible who has not yet come forward.
He urged people “to exercise the greatest caution because the choices we each make in the coming days will have a material effect” on England’s progress.
“We won’t be preventing businesses from reopening on Monday but we will be asking you do to your bit.
This includes getting the vaccine when eligible, getting free lateral flow tests and isolating when asked.
On the number of Covid-19 admissions in Greater Manchester NHS trusts, Prof. Whitty said hospital admissions are low but this is “early days”.
Now onto the seven-day case rates by age in Bolton, Prof Whitty said the Indian variant has been found in the region with cases going up significantly over the past few weeks, especially in the over 60s.
Onto the slide for the weekly number of sequenced cases of the Indian variant in England, Professor Whitty said this is on a steady upward curve. He added there is confidence the Indian variant is more transmissible than the UK strain.
The second slide shows the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 which is also decreasing.