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| Coronavirus live: UK A&Es in ‘terrible place’ as chancellor rejects calls for immediate ‘plan B’ | Coronavirus live: UK A&Es in ‘terrible place’ as chancellor rejects calls for immediate ‘plan B’ |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Latest updates: medical leader says emergency departments are struggling to cope as Rishi Sunak says Covid numbers don’t suggest action needed today | Latest updates: medical leader says emergency departments are struggling to cope as Rishi Sunak says Covid numbers don’t suggest action needed today |
| With so much talk of the UK government’s Plan A and Plan B, here’s a handy reminder of what they are. | |
| Tourists hoping to visit Jerusalem or Tel Aviv after Israel’s announcement last week that it would open to some vaccinated foreign travellers should read the fine print before booking, local hoteliers say. | Tourists hoping to visit Jerusalem or Tel Aviv after Israel’s announcement last week that it would open to some vaccinated foreign travellers should read the fine print before booking, local hoteliers say. |
| Reuters reports: | Reuters reports: |
| The new rules due to go into effect on 1 Novebmer ahead of the Christmas season, permit individual tourists who have received Covid-19 vaccine boosters to enter but not if more than six months have lapsed since their last dose, with some exceptions. That has tempered excitement among hoteliers hoping for some improvement around 20 months after Israel banned most foreigners to halt the spread of the coronavirus. | |
| “How many tourists out in the world have actually gotten boosters or are sitting in that six-month period following their second dose?” Israel Hotel Association CEO Yael Danieli said. “Even if both parents in a family are vaccinated, their children under 12 are not, so they mostly can’t come to Israel.” | “How many tourists out in the world have actually gotten boosters or are sitting in that six-month period following their second dose?” Israel Hotel Association CEO Yael Danieli said. “Even if both parents in a family are vaccinated, their children under 12 are not, so they mostly can’t come to Israel.” |
| Israel has offered third doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab to all residents over 12. That means many would-be travellers whose last dose was before 1 May cannot enter Israel. | |
| Hotel owners in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nazareth and in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank say they have yet to see a large increase in bookings. The entry rules also apply to visitors wanting to visit the West Bank as Israel controls all the border crossings. Tourists who enter Israel are also generally able to travel to Bethlehem and other Palestinian towns. | Hotel owners in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nazareth and in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank say they have yet to see a large increase in bookings. The entry rules also apply to visitors wanting to visit the West Bank as Israel controls all the border crossings. Tourists who enter Israel are also generally able to travel to Bethlehem and other Palestinian towns. |
| “It is a great step to start but I am not expecting big numbers until next year,” said Joey Canavati, manager of Bethlehem’s Alexander Hotel. “At the moment we just want to stop the bleeding, stop digging into our savings.” | “It is a great step to start but I am not expecting big numbers until next year,” said Joey Canavati, manager of Bethlehem’s Alexander Hotel. “At the moment we just want to stop the bleeding, stop digging into our savings.” |
| Tourism dropped over 80% in 2020 after hitting a record high of 4.55 million visitors in 2019 that contributed $7.2bn to Israel’s economy and boosted tourism-dependent Bethlehem. | |
| The new rules, which await ratification, include some exemptions. Entry will be granted to travellers, including children, who recovered from Covid-19 in the six months prior. Anyone who recovered earlier will also be admitted if they received least one vaccine dose approved by the World Health Organization. | |
| Here’s a round up of the key events so far today. | Here’s a round up of the key events so far today. |
| The UK chancellor Rishi Sunak said data did not suggest it was time to move to plan B. “We’re monitoring everything. But at the moment the data does not suggest that we should immediately be moving to plan B,” he said. | The UK chancellor Rishi Sunak said data did not suggest it was time to move to plan B. “We’re monitoring everything. But at the moment the data does not suggest that we should immediately be moving to plan B,” he said. |
| Boris Johnson said vaccines will get the country through the winter and out of the pandemic. Johnson, who has said there are no plans for another lockdown, said: “Vaccines are our way through this winter.” | Boris Johnson said vaccines will get the country through the winter and out of the pandemic. Johnson, who has said there are no plans for another lockdown, said: “Vaccines are our way through this winter.” |
| Prof Adam Finn, who is on the UK’s Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths are rising, and warned against complacency in what he said is a “worsening” situation. Vaccines were not going to be enough to keep the spread under control, and people need to make effort to avoid contact in order to slow transmission rates, he added. | Prof Adam Finn, who is on the UK’s Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths are rising, and warned against complacency in what he said is a “worsening” situation. Vaccines were not going to be enough to keep the spread under control, and people need to make effort to avoid contact in order to slow transmission rates, he added. |
| Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK government should introduce its plan B to tackle the rising rates of coronavirus now. On whether plan B should be introduced now, she said: “Yes, but let’s not let the government off the hook with plan A either.” | Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK government should introduce its plan B to tackle the rising rates of coronavirus now. On whether plan B should be introduced now, she said: “Yes, but let’s not let the government off the hook with plan A either.” |
| Dr Katherine Henderson, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said emergency departments in the UK are in a “terrible place”. She said: “We’re already struggling to cope”. | Dr Katherine Henderson, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said emergency departments in the UK are in a “terrible place”. She said: “We’re already struggling to cope”. |
| Parents in England are now able to book Covid vaccinations online for children aged between 12 and 15. Just over 2.5 million letters will arrive with parents and guardians from Monday inviting them to book a jab online through the National Booking Service. | Parents in England are now able to book Covid vaccinations online for children aged between 12 and 15. Just over 2.5 million letters will arrive with parents and guardians from Monday inviting them to book a jab online through the National Booking Service. |
| From 4am today, the coronavirus rules have been relaxed for travellers returning to England who are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine. Just in time for half-term, fully vaccinated people arriving in England from a non-red list country can use a lateral flow test rather than the more expensive PCR version on or before day two. | From 4am today, the coronavirus rules have been relaxed for travellers returning to England who are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine. Just in time for half-term, fully vaccinated people arriving in England from a non-red list country can use a lateral flow test rather than the more expensive PCR version on or before day two. |
| Hi. Caroline Davies here, back with the blog. You can get in touch on caroline.davies@guardian.co.uk | Hi. Caroline Davies here, back with the blog. You can get in touch on caroline.davies@guardian.co.uk |
| Romania reported record numbers of daily coronavirus fatalities and infections on last Tuesday, Reuters reports. The virus was killing one person every five minutes on average this month in a country where the inoculation rate is low. | Romania reported record numbers of daily coronavirus fatalities and infections on last Tuesday, Reuters reports. The virus was killing one person every five minutes on average this month in a country where the inoculation rate is low. |
| The Covid death rate in Romania has risen sharply in the past few weeks. Max Roser, a researcher at the University of Oxford and founder of Our World in Data, posted the following chart. He noted the death rate is now higher than in the US or the UK during their worst waves during the pandemic. | The Covid death rate in Romania has risen sharply in the past few weeks. Max Roser, a researcher at the University of Oxford and founder of Our World in Data, posted the following chart. He noted the death rate is now higher than in the US or the UK during their worst waves during the pandemic. |
| It comes as Reuters reports that hospitals in Romania are stretched to breaking point, with emergency beds fully occupied across the country. Morgues were also running at full capacity. | It comes as Reuters reports that hospitals in Romania are stretched to breaking point, with emergency beds fully occupied across the country. Morgues were also running at full capacity. |
| While rich countries debate booster jabs, many in the world’s poorest have yet to receive any. AP reports on the extraordinary length researchers are going to to reverse engineer a coronavirus vaccine to help alleviate these dire shortages: | While rich countries debate booster jabs, many in the world’s poorest have yet to receive any. AP reports on the extraordinary length researchers are going to to reverse engineer a coronavirus vaccine to help alleviate these dire shortages: |
| Israel and the United Arab Emirates have signed a “green corridor” agreement allowing passengers vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel freely between the two countries, Reuters reports citing the Israeli consulate in Dubai. | Israel and the United Arab Emirates have signed a “green corridor” agreement allowing passengers vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel freely between the two countries, Reuters reports citing the Israeli consulate in Dubai. |
| Hello, I’m Aamna Mohdin and I’ll be taking over the blog while Caroline has a break. If you want to get in touch, you can email me: aamna.mohdin@theguardian.com or message me on Twitter | Hello, I’m Aamna Mohdin and I’ll be taking over the blog while Caroline has a break. If you want to get in touch, you can email me: aamna.mohdin@theguardian.com or message me on Twitter |
| Melbourne, which emerged from its latest spate of Covid-19 restrictions on Friday, will see more curbs eased next week when Victoria state reaches an 80% full vaccination rate, officials said on Sunday. | Melbourne, which emerged from its latest spate of Covid-19 restrictions on Friday, will see more curbs eased next week when Victoria state reaches an 80% full vaccination rate, officials said on Sunday. |
| Melbourne’s population of around 5 million have endured 262 days, or nearly nine months, of stay-at-home restrictions during six lockdowns since March 2020, longer than the 234-day continuous lockdown in Buenos Aires, Reuters reports. | Melbourne’s population of around 5 million have endured 262 days, or nearly nine months, of stay-at-home restrictions during six lockdowns since March 2020, longer than the 234-day continuous lockdown in Buenos Aires, Reuters reports. |
| Starting on Friday, when 80% of people across Victoria – of which Melbourne is the capital – are expected to be fully vaccinated, Melburnians will be free to travel throughout the state and masks will no longer be required outdoors. | Starting on Friday, when 80% of people across Victoria – of which Melbourne is the capital – are expected to be fully vaccinated, Melburnians will be free to travel throughout the state and masks will no longer be required outdoors. |
| Prof Adam Finn, who is on the UK’s Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths are rising, and warned against complacency in what he said is a “worsening” situation. | Prof Adam Finn, who is on the UK’s Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths are rising, and warned against complacency in what he said is a “worsening” situation. |
| “And they will go up as the number of cases go up because the virus will reach people who are vulnerable and who may get seriously ill,” he told Trevor Phillips on Sunday on Sky News. | “And they will go up as the number of cases go up because the virus will reach people who are vulnerable and who may get seriously ill,” he told Trevor Phillips on Sunday on Sky News. |
| He said the biggest risk is among those who have not had any vaccine yet, including younger adults. | He said the biggest risk is among those who have not had any vaccine yet, including younger adults. |
| Vaccines were not going to be enough to keep the spread under control, and people need to make effort to avoid contact in order to slow transmission rates, he added. | Vaccines were not going to be enough to keep the spread under control, and people need to make effort to avoid contact in order to slow transmission rates, he added. |
| “They do have an effect on that, but they’re not by themselves going to be enough at the present time to keep the spread of the virus under control. | “They do have an effect on that, but they’re not by themselves going to be enough at the present time to keep the spread of the virus under control. |
| “And we do need to see people continuing to make efforts to avoid contact, to avoid transmission, and to do other things as well as get vaccinated if we’re going to stop this rise from going up further.” | “And we do need to see people continuing to make efforts to avoid contact, to avoid transmission, and to do other things as well as get vaccinated if we’re going to stop this rise from going up further.” |
| It was important to “stick to the science” when discussing the prospect of extending the Covid-19 booster programme to people under 50 and offering booster jabs at five months rather than six months. | It was important to “stick to the science” when discussing the prospect of extending the Covid-19 booster programme to people under 50 and offering booster jabs at five months rather than six months. |
| He said: “Just giving more people vaccines, including people who maybe don’t actually need the vaccines yet, could actually run the risk of making things worse rather than better. | He said: “Just giving more people vaccines, including people who maybe don’t actually need the vaccines yet, could actually run the risk of making things worse rather than better. |
| “If you boost people before they actually need the vaccine, it is in some senses a waste of vaccine, but also it means that you are immunising them earlier and they may make a smaller response to the vaccine and that response may wear off earlier. | “If you boost people before they actually need the vaccine, it is in some senses a waste of vaccine, but also it means that you are immunising them earlier and they may make a smaller response to the vaccine and that response may wear off earlier. |
| Asked if the government should move to plan B now, he said: “Well, some kind of plan B.” He worries that the “wrong message” is being sent out to the public, he said. | Asked if the government should move to plan B now, he said: “Well, some kind of plan B.” He worries that the “wrong message” is being sent out to the public, he said. |
| “And I worry in fact that the vaccine programme itself is suffering as a consequence of this suggestion that somehow the problem’s gone and we can all go back to normal again, because that will increasingly make people jump to the conclusion that if they’ve not been vaccinated there’s no real need to do it. | “And I worry in fact that the vaccine programme itself is suffering as a consequence of this suggestion that somehow the problem’s gone and we can all go back to normal again, because that will increasingly make people jump to the conclusion that if they’ve not been vaccinated there’s no real need to do it. |
| “So I do think we need to see a very different kind of message coming from the government now that there is a serious problem, and we all need to continue to contribute to reducing transmission, so that we can get through the winter and the NHS can stay afloat and absolutely we can avoid lockdowns, and the disasters that those bring. | “So I do think we need to see a very different kind of message coming from the government now that there is a serious problem, and we all need to continue to contribute to reducing transmission, so that we can get through the winter and the NHS can stay afloat and absolutely we can avoid lockdowns, and the disasters that those bring. |
| Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK government should introduce its ”plan B” to tackle the rising rates of coronavirus now. | Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK government should introduce its ”plan B” to tackle the rising rates of coronavirus now. |
| Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Reeves was asked what Labour’s position was on reintroducing restrictions such as the wearing of face coverings and working from home. | Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Reeves was asked what Labour’s position was on reintroducing restrictions such as the wearing of face coverings and working from home. |
| She said: “Labour as a responsible opposition have always said that we would follow the science, and we’ve seen today that Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) are saying that some aspects of plan B, like wearing masks on public transports and in shops, and also working from home more flexibly should be introduced. | She said: “Labour as a responsible opposition have always said that we would follow the science, and we’ve seen today that Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) are saying that some aspects of plan B, like wearing masks on public transports and in shops, and also working from home more flexibly should be introduced. |
| “I think the first thing is the government have got to do more to make plan A work. If the scientists are saying work from home and masks, we should do that. So get A working better because the vaccination programme has been stalling, introduce those parts of plan B. | “I think the first thing is the government have got to do more to make plan A work. If the scientists are saying work from home and masks, we should do that. So get A working better because the vaccination programme has been stalling, introduce those parts of plan B. |
| “But there are also things not in A or B that need to be done, like paying statutory sick pay from day one and also better ventilation in public spaces.” | “But there are also things not in A or B that need to be done, like paying statutory sick pay from day one and also better ventilation in public spaces.” |
| Asked directly whether plan B should be introduced now, she said: “Yes, but let’s not let the government off the hook with plan A either.” | Asked directly whether plan B should be introduced now, she said: “Yes, but let’s not let the government off the hook with plan A either.” |
| Dr Katherine Henderson, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said emergency departments in the UK are in a “terrible place”. | Dr Katherine Henderson, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said emergency departments in the UK are in a “terrible place”. |
| Asked if she thinks emergency departments are going to be able to cope this winter, she told Sky News’s Trevor Phillips on Sunday: | Asked if she thinks emergency departments are going to be able to cope this winter, she told Sky News’s Trevor Phillips on Sunday: |
| Crowding was harmful to patients, she said, adding that there was already crowding in emergency departments before the pandemic. | Crowding was harmful to patients, she said, adding that there was already crowding in emergency departments before the pandemic. |