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Covid live: over-40s in England now eligible for booster after three months; South Korea surge sparks alarm | Covid live: over-40s in England now eligible for booster after three months; South Korea surge sparks alarm |
(32 minutes later) | |
Millions of over-40s in England can book a top-up jab from today; South Korea PM Kim Boo-kyum says hospital capacity under strain as cases rise | Millions of over-40s in England can book a top-up jab from today; South Korea PM Kim Boo-kyum says hospital capacity under strain as cases rise |
A quick snap from Reuters here, that the Philippines will ban travellers coming from France to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, the presidential office said. | |
The ban, which applies to everyone who has been in France in the past 14 days, runs from 10 December to 15 December. This adds to an earlier ban on travellers from South Africa and 13 other countries to prevent Omicron, which has yet to be detected in the Philippines. | |
I am going to caveat this as ever by saying that most experts agree that it is too early to tell what impact the Omicron variant will have on vaccination efforts. However, Reuters are carrying news of a somewhat bleak analysis that has emerged from virologist Sandra Ciesek of the University Hospital Frankfurt. | |
Stressing that she has posted only selected findings and a paper hasn’t been presented yet, she has said exposing the blood of vaccinated individuals to different virus variants, she found that the ability to mount an antibody response to Omicron in people who had three shots of BioNTech/Pfizer was up to 37 times lower than the response to Delta. | |
An antibody response to Omicron half a year after a two-shot regimen of Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna or a mixed course of AstraZeneca/BioNTech was not even measurable, Ciesek added. | |
“The set of data underscores that it makes sense to develop a vaccine that is adapted to Omicron,” Chiesek tweeted, adding that no conclusion could be drawn about protection against severe disease. | |
Japan has reported its fourth case of the Omicron coronavirus variant, TV Asahi said on Wednesday. The fresh case was a man in his 50s who had stayed in Nigeria, the network reported. | Japan has reported its fourth case of the Omicron coronavirus variant, TV Asahi said on Wednesday. The fresh case was a man in his 50s who had stayed in Nigeria, the network reported. |
Reuters reminds us that the Japanese government has enforced tighter border controls against the Omicron variant. | Reuters reminds us that the Japanese government has enforced tighter border controls against the Omicron variant. |
Northern Ireland’s chief medical officer has said he expects to see a “rapid increase” in cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant before Christmas. | Northern Ireland’s chief medical officer has said he expects to see a “rapid increase” in cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant before Christmas. |
Sir Michael McBride was speaking after the first three cases of the Omicron variant detected in Northern Ireland were confirmed on Tuesday evening. He said all three confirmed cases are linked to travel and there is not thought to be community transmission of the variant yet. | Sir Michael McBride was speaking after the first three cases of the Omicron variant detected in Northern Ireland were confirmed on Tuesday evening. He said all three confirmed cases are linked to travel and there is not thought to be community transmission of the variant yet. |
However, PA Media reports Sir Michael said there are likely to be more cases than currently identified. He said measures are being taken to try to delay community transmission of the variant, but that is is “absolutely inevitable”. | |
“I think it is absolutely the case that we have more cases in Northern Ireland at present than we have currently detected given the fact that we have community transmission in other parts of these islands, given the freedom of movement of people in these islands which is really important for so many reasons,” he told the BBC’s Stephen Nolan Show. | “I think it is absolutely the case that we have more cases in Northern Ireland at present than we have currently detected given the fact that we have community transmission in other parts of these islands, given the freedom of movement of people in these islands which is really important for so many reasons,” he told the BBC’s Stephen Nolan Show. |
“I think what we will see is a rapid increase in the number of cases identified in the coming days in the run-up to the Christmas period. | |
“What appears to be happening is this virus is getting established very, very quickly in communities where the Delta variant has already been established and it may be the case that in the next period of time that we see this new Omicron variant replacing the Delta variant as the dominant variant in the United Kingdom, in these islands and indeed eventually globally.” | “What appears to be happening is this virus is getting established very, very quickly in communities where the Delta variant has already been established and it may be the case that in the next period of time that we see this new Omicron variant replacing the Delta variant as the dominant variant in the United Kingdom, in these islands and indeed eventually globally.” |
Russia’s official Covid numbers have continued their glide down since the country had an enforced week’s holiday at the beginning of November. They recorded 30,752 cases in the last 24 hours, and 1,179 deaths. Cases peaked at just over 40,000 on 6 November. | Russia’s official Covid numbers have continued their glide down since the country had an enforced week’s holiday at the beginning of November. They recorded 30,752 cases in the last 24 hours, and 1,179 deaths. Cases peaked at just over 40,000 on 6 November. |
Here’s an updated map showing how caseloads vary across Europe. | |
Andrew Sparrow has launched our UK politics live blog. I expect he is going to be very busy this morning – and then there is PMQs at noon to ratchet it up. You can find that here. | Andrew Sparrow has launched our UK politics live blog. I expect he is going to be very busy this morning – and then there is PMQs at noon to ratchet it up. You can find that here. |
I will be continuing with the latest coronavirus news worldwide here, and I’ll also bring you any top Covid-related lines from the UK. I’ll leave the politics to Andrew. | I will be continuing with the latest coronavirus news worldwide here, and I’ll also bring you any top Covid-related lines from the UK. I’ll leave the politics to Andrew. |
The former chairman of the UK competition regulator has condemned the market for PCR tests for travellers, describing it as a “rip-off jungle”. | The former chairman of the UK competition regulator has condemned the market for PCR tests for travellers, describing it as a “rip-off jungle”. |
After the return of the requirement to take the tests on return from abroad, Lord Tyrie accused the government of once again allowing the companies offering PCR tests to manipulate the system by making them available at unrealistic prices. | After the return of the requirement to take the tests on return from abroad, Lord Tyrie accused the government of once again allowing the companies offering PCR tests to manipulate the system by making them available at unrealistic prices. |
“For this policy to get into a mess once might be seen as a misfortune but for it to resurface again after all the warnings over the summer would have to be described as carelessness,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It was a scandal waiting to happen and it’s now happened and it needs very urgent action.” | “For this policy to get into a mess once might be seen as a misfortune but for it to resurface again after all the warnings over the summer would have to be described as carelessness,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It was a scandal waiting to happen and it’s now happened and it needs very urgent action.” |
Last week, the Guardian revealed that a slew of the cheapest deals on PCR tests had been removed from the government website amid concerns travellers were being misled by companies advertising the coronavirus testing service for less than £1. | |
Read more of Mark Sweney’s report here: Covid PCR test market a ‘rip-off jungle’, says ex-chair of competition regulator | Read more of Mark Sweney’s report here: Covid PCR test market a ‘rip-off jungle’, says ex-chair of competition regulator |
If you are rushing to book your booster jab in England today, a note from my colleague Helen Pidd: | If you are rushing to book your booster jab in England today, a note from my colleague Helen Pidd: |
The NHS put out a press release last night saying that “people aged 40 and over, along with those in high-risk groups, will be able to book in for their life-saving Covid booster jab three months after their second dose as the NHS vaccine programme is extended today”. | |
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, was tweeting about the move this morning, encouraging people to go online today to book. | Sajid Javid, the health secretary, was tweeting about the move this morning, encouraging people to go online today to book. |
Yet 40-somethings trying to book their booster have been frustrated this morning as it emerged the NHS vaccine booking service hasn’t yet got the memo. You can still only book in for an imminent third jab if your second dose was 152 days ago (five months), as per the old rules. A message on the site says: “The booking system is currently being updated.” | |
In the UK, Robert Halfon, who is chairman of the Commons education committee, appears to be the most senior MP to have come out with a statement about the Downing Street Christmas party story. | |
PA Media quotes him telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I certainly think that those who were doing the video should apologise for the insensitivity of it when people were suffering and struggling all through that time.” | |
He stopped short of calling for the prime minister to apologise. | He stopped short of calling for the prime minister to apologise. |
Halfon also said the fact that the Department for Education held a social gathering of staff last December was “pretty grim”. | Halfon also said the fact that the Department for Education held a social gathering of staff last December was “pretty grim”. |
“I feel seriously upset about what went on in the Department for Education in my own area,” he said. “They have admitted that there was a party. I think that’s pretty grim given that children were being sent home, schools were being shut down.” | “I feel seriously upset about what went on in the Department for Education in my own area,” he said. “They have admitted that there was a party. I think that’s pretty grim given that children were being sent home, schools were being shut down.” |
“And I think that the new secretary of state, who cares deeply about these issues, should call those in and hold whoever was responsible … hold them accountable.” | |
UK health secretary Sajid Javid has just been tweeting about the increased rollout of booster jabs in England. | |
Alan White, the editor-in-chief of Politics Home, had a suggestion for him: | Alan White, the editor-in-chief of Politics Home, had a suggestion for him: |