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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 vaccination programme as Indian variant threatens June lockdown easing | |
| That’s it from the UK blog team, thanks for following our coverage. | |
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| The PM said it is not clear how much transmissible the India variant is to previous ones and there was “no evidence to suggest that our vaccines will be less effective in protecting people against severe illness and hospitalisation”. | |
| The government will accelerate plans to administer second doses to over-50s and the clinically vulnerable eight weeks after their first dose. | |
| Johnson said there is no need to delay moving to the next step of the roadmap out of lockdown on Monday. However, he said the Indian variant could cause “serious disruption” and affect any decisions that need to be made for the final stage on June 21. | |
| Professor Chris Whitty said he hopes everybody has their first vaccine dose by the end of July. | |
| The Army will be deployed on the streets of Blackburn and Bolton to give out tests to help the surge testing efforts, Jphnson said. | |
| There will be an acceleration of the vaccine rollout in Blackburn and Bolton including longer opening hours at vaccination centres. | |
| UK Hospitality’s chief executive Kate Nicholls said it was “vital” financial support was offered if step four of the road map on June 21 was disrupted by any surge of the Indian variant of coronavirus. | |
| She said: “The Prime Minister’s statement has introduced an element of doubt surrounding the dropping of restrictions on 21 June. | |
| The situation will clearly be closely monitored but should the road map timings slip, it is vital financial supports are forthcoming, and that business rates are postponed until October. | |
| “Businesses need a swift, publicly stated commitment that such supports would be in place in the event of a delay to step four, to give venues some reassurance as they look toward the challenges of viable trading.” | |
| Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds reacts to the PM’s press conference. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | “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. | “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.” | “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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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”. | 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?” | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | “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. | “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.” | “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”. |