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| UK Covid live: Javid unveils winter contingency ‘plan B’ - including vaccine passports and compulsory masks | UK Covid live: Javid unveils winter contingency ‘plan B’ - including vaccine passports and compulsory masks |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Latest updates: follow all the UK politics news and developments | Latest updates: follow all the UK politics news and developments |
| The government’s autumn and winter Covid plan (pdf) says there is “significant uncertainty” about what will happen later this year and says there is a “plausible” risk of cases rising to an extent that would place the NHS under “unsustainable pressure”. Here is an extract. | |
| The government has released a series of documents from its Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) relating to today’s announcement, including minutes (pdf) from a Sage meeting last Thursday. Sage said the pandemic was entering “a period of uncertainty” and it stressed the importance “acting early” if cases rise, to stop the epidemic growing. It said: | |
| Sage also says in the minutes that there is “evidence from real-world data in England of waning of vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease from approximately 10 weeks after second dose”, although it stresses that protection against hospitalisation and death remains high for at least 20 weeks. | |
| David Davis, the Conservative former cabinet minister, asks Javid for an assurance that if the government is “unwise enough” to try to introduce vaccine passports, MPs will get a vote on this. | |
| Javid says the government wants to work with MPs and that, if it did want to do this, it would come to the house. | |
| This is what Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said in his opening statement about the government’s plan B. | This is what Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said in his opening statement about the government’s plan B. |
| The PA Media gallery report says what it describes as “a howl of anguish” was heard from the Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne as Javid read out this passage. Swayne is one of the Conservatives most opposed to lockdown measures. | The PA Media gallery report says what it describes as “a howl of anguish” was heard from the Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne as Javid read out this passage. Swayne is one of the Conservatives most opposed to lockdown measures. |
| This is from the Labour MP Sarah Owen, pointing out the refusal of most Tory MPs in the chamber to wear masks. | This is from the Labour MP Sarah Owen, pointing out the refusal of most Tory MPs in the chamber to wear masks. |
| The Welsh government has confirmed that children aged 12 to 15 in Wales will be offered a Covid vaccination and booster jabs will begin to be rolled out to the most at-risk people. | The Welsh government has confirmed that children aged 12 to 15 in Wales will be offered a Covid vaccination and booster jabs will begin to be rolled out to the most at-risk people. |
| Speaking at a press conference in Cardiff, the Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan said: | Speaking at a press conference in Cardiff, the Welsh health minister Eluned Morgan said: |
| Morgan said the government was “particularly worried” about pregnant women who haven’t been vaccinated and urged them to speak to their midwife about having the vaccine. | Morgan said the government was “particularly worried” about pregnant women who haven’t been vaccinated and urged them to speak to their midwife about having the vaccine. |
| Morgan said jabs would be offered to 12-15-year-olds at mass vaccination centres and at schools. It would be up to local authorities and health boards to decide the best way in their areas. | Morgan said jabs would be offered to 12-15-year-olds at mass vaccination centres and at schools. It would be up to local authorities and health boards to decide the best way in their areas. |
| She said if there was disagreement between children and parents over whether to have the jab, the Gillick test of competence (which is designed to help professionals decide a child’s capacity) would be applied. “There is a clear process.” She said “child-friendly” information about the pros and cons of the vaccination would be handed out and added: “This is not a compulsory vaccination.” | She said if there was disagreement between children and parents over whether to have the jab, the Gillick test of competence (which is designed to help professionals decide a child’s capacity) would be applied. “There is a clear process.” She said “child-friendly” information about the pros and cons of the vaccination would be handed out and added: “This is not a compulsory vaccination.” |
| Morgan also said she was frustrated that the advice over the booster campaign had not come sooner. “We have been ready to roll for a number of weeks.” Morgan said the booster campaign would be rolled out where possible alongside a flu vaccination campaign. | Morgan also said she was frustrated that the advice over the booster campaign had not come sooner. “We have been ready to roll for a number of weeks.” Morgan said the booster campaign would be rolled out where possible alongside a flu vaccination campaign. |
| The government has now published its 30-page autumn and winter Covid plan. It’s here (pdf). | The government has now published its 30-page autumn and winter Covid plan. It’s here (pdf). |
| Javid is responding to Ashworth. | Javid is responding to Ashworth. |
| He says it is right to have a contingency plan. If pressure on the NHS became unsustainable, the government would move to plan B. | He says it is right to have a contingency plan. If pressure on the NHS became unsustainable, the government would move to plan B. |
| He stresses the importance of vaccination. He says 99% of people who died from Covid in the first half of this year were not vaccinated. | He stresses the importance of vaccination. He says 99% of people who died from Covid in the first half of this year were not vaccinated. |
| He says the flu vaccine will have less efficacy than usual this year (because there was less flu around last year, making it harder to develop an effective vaccine). But he says it is still an effective vaccine. | He says the flu vaccine will have less efficacy than usual this year (because there was less flu around last year, making it harder to develop an effective vaccine). But he says it is still an effective vaccine. |
| He says he has made it clear that the government is not going ahead with vaccine passports. That would be a big decision, and it would have to be justified by data. That government is not going ahead with that. But it will be kept in reserve as an option, he says. | He says he has made it clear that the government is not going ahead with vaccine passports. That would be a big decision, and it would have to be justified by data. That government is not going ahead with that. But it will be kept in reserve as an option, he says. |
| Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, is responding. He asks a series of questions, including: | Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, is responding. He asks a series of questions, including: |
| What level of infection or hospitalisation would trigger plan B? | What level of infection or hospitalisation would trigger plan B? |
| What will the government do to get more young people vaccinated? | What will the government do to get more young people vaccinated? |
| Will the flu vaccine cope with this year’s strain? | Will the flu vaccine cope with this year’s strain? |
| What is the government’s policy on vaccine passports? | What is the government’s policy on vaccine passports? |
| Javid says this is plan A. | Javid says this is plan A. |
| But there is also a plan B, he says, in cases the situation deteriorates. | But there is also a plan B, he says, in cases the situation deteriorates. |
| He says plan B would involve: | He says plan B would involve: |
| Communicating to the public urgently “the need for caution” | Communicating to the public urgently “the need for caution” |
| Making face masks compulsory in some settings | Making face masks compulsory in some settings |
| Requiring vaccine passports in some settings | Requiring vaccine passports in some settings |
| Asking people to work from home. | Asking people to work from home. |
| Javid says some aspects of the Coronavirus Act will also be repealed. | Javid says some aspects of the Coronavirus Act will also be repealed. |
| Javid says the fourth pillar will involve steps to keep seasonal illnesses at bay. That involves encouraging people to meet outdoors where possible and to wear masks in crowded spaces. | Javid says the fourth pillar will involve steps to keep seasonal illnesses at bay. That involves encouraging people to meet outdoors where possible and to wear masks in crowded spaces. |
| He says the fifth pillar involves maintaining border controls. And new rules for foreign travel will be announced by Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, before 1 October, he says. | He says the fifth pillar involves maintaining border controls. And new rules for foreign travel will be announced by Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, before 1 October, he says. |