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| Covid live news: Keir Starmer says Boris Johnson appears to have broken law over No 10 Christmas quiz | Covid live news: Keir Starmer says Boris Johnson appears to have broken law over No 10 Christmas quiz |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Latest updates: UK prime minister seen at event that appears to be in breach of lockdown rules last year; minister defends PM insisting quiz was ‘virtual’ | Latest updates: UK prime minister seen at event that appears to be in breach of lockdown rules last year; minister defends PM insisting quiz was ‘virtual’ |
| Nigeria is to ban flights from the UK, Argentina, Canada and Saudi Arabia in response to being added to red lists in those countries due to Omicron. | |
| The country’s aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, said today said he had recommended that the four countries be placed on Nigeria’s red list to ban flights. | |
| “We have given our input as aviation that it is not acceptable by us and we recommend that those countries, Canada, UK, Saudi Arabia and Argentina be also put on red list, just like they did similarly to us,” he said. | |
| “So, I am very sure between now and Monday or perhaps Tuesday maximum, all those countries will be put on the red list. Once they are on the red list, which means they are banned, their airlines will also be banned.” | |
| More from top US infectious disease expert, Dr Fauci (see also 15:06), who says that three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine is “optimal care”. | |
| “For official requirements, it’s still two shots of the mRNA [Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna] and one shot of the J&J for the official determination of what’s required or not. But I think if you look at the data, the more and more it becomes clear that if you want to be optimally protected you really should get a booster,” he told ABC News. | |
| America’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, said that Omicron “clearly has a transmission advantage” over previous Covid strains as the new variant spread to at least half of US states. | |
| President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser told ABC News that Omicron “appears to be able to evade some of the immune protection”. But in “encouraging news”, he said boosters raise protection high enough that it does “do well” against Omicron. | |
| He said they are getting anecdotal information that the level of severity appears to be a bit less than it was for Delta, but that it might be due to underlying protection in community due to prior infections. | |
| It comes as Omicron has spread to at least 25 states as the US approaches 800,000 Covid-related deaths. | |
| The British public has been advised to keep their social interactions to a minimum to avoid getting Covid and missing Christmas with their families. | The British public has been advised to keep their social interactions to a minimum to avoid getting Covid and missing Christmas with their families. |
| Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency, said people need to take individual responsibility to avoid transmission. | Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser for the UK Health Security Agency, said people need to take individual responsibility to avoid transmission. |
| She told Times Radio: | She told Times Radio: |
| Asked whether it is advisable for people to avoid going out if they want to spend Christmas with family members, she said: | Asked whether it is advisable for people to avoid going out if they want to spend Christmas with family members, she said: |
| Austria has ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country, three weeks after it was imposed. | Austria has ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country, three weeks after it was imposed. |
| Rules vary by region but generally the change means theatres, museums and other cultural and entertainment venues will be allowed to reopen today and shops will follow tomorrow. | Rules vary by region but generally the change means theatres, museums and other cultural and entertainment venues will be allowed to reopen today and shops will follow tomorrow. |
| Here’s footage from UK Labour leader Keir Starmer’s comments this morning (see also 09:51): | Here’s footage from UK Labour leader Keir Starmer’s comments this morning (see also 09:51): |
| Vaccinated people who are identified as a contact of somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for a week, the UK government announced today. | Vaccinated people who are identified as a contact of somebody who has tested positive for Covid-19 should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for a week, the UK government announced today. |
| The new guidance, which starts on Tuesday, aims to identify asymptomatic cases among the vaccinated without forcing them to isolate. One in three people do not show symptoms, the department of health said. | The new guidance, which starts on Tuesday, aims to identify asymptomatic cases among the vaccinated without forcing them to isolate. One in three people do not show symptoms, the department of health said. |
| They said anyone whose rapid test comes back positive or develops symptoms should self-isolate and take a PCR test to verify the result. If the PCR test comes back positive, they must self-isolate for 10 days. If it comes back negative, contacts can stop self-isolating but should continue to take rapid tests for the remainder of the seven days. | They said anyone whose rapid test comes back positive or develops symptoms should self-isolate and take a PCR test to verify the result. If the PCR test comes back positive, they must self-isolate for 10 days. If it comes back negative, contacts can stop self-isolating but should continue to take rapid tests for the remainder of the seven days. |
| However, unvaccinated adults will not be eligible for the new daily testing policy. Instead they must self-isolate for 10 days if they are a contact of somebody who tests positive, unless they are eligible for existing workplace daily contact testing. | However, unvaccinated adults will not be eligible for the new daily testing policy. Instead they must self-isolate for 10 days if they are a contact of somebody who tests positive, unless they are eligible for existing workplace daily contact testing. |
| Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said: | Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said: |
| Dr Jenny Harries, CEO of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: | Dr Jenny Harries, CEO of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: |
| New “plan b” Covid restrictions are expected to become law in England after Labour leader Keir Starmer confirmed that his party will be supporting Boris Johnson’s government in Tuesday’s vote. | New “plan b” Covid restrictions are expected to become law in England after Labour leader Keir Starmer confirmed that his party will be supporting Boris Johnson’s government in Tuesday’s vote. |
| But the prime minister could face the largest rebellion of his premiership, with more than 60 Conservative MPs expected to be against the new restrictions. | But the prime minister could face the largest rebellion of his premiership, with more than 60 Conservative MPs expected to be against the new restrictions. |
| Among them is Matt Vickers, the Conservative MP for Stockton South, who today said he will be voting against the government. | Among them is Matt Vickers, the Conservative MP for Stockton South, who today said he will be voting against the government. |
| Vickers, who is one of the 2019 intake representing a so-called former Labour “red wall” constituency, told Times Radio: | Vickers, who is one of the 2019 intake representing a so-called former Labour “red wall” constituency, told Times Radio: |
| Asked whether he would be voting for plan b measures, he said: “I am not, no. You’ve heard it here first.” | Asked whether he would be voting for plan b measures, he said: “I am not, no. You’ve heard it here first.” |
| Asked how many might be joining him, he said: “I wouldn’t like to guess the number. In real terms, it is not a vote we’re probably likely to overturn the Government on anyway, so I think the numbers might be irrelevant - it is about people doing what they think is right.” | Asked how many might be joining him, he said: “I wouldn’t like to guess the number. In real terms, it is not a vote we’re probably likely to overturn the Government on anyway, so I think the numbers might be irrelevant - it is about people doing what they think is right.” |
| Starmer told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show earlier today that he will vote with the government, but that he will do so in support of the NHS rather than the prime minister. | Starmer told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show earlier today that he will vote with the government, but that he will do so in support of the NHS rather than the prime minister. |
| He said: “If you look at the science in relation to Omicron, the new variant, there is a real concern that we could be in a situation where the number of cases is doubling in a shorter period of two days. Now, I understand people say that that hasn’t led to higher hospitalisations and deaths yet, but the sheer volume of cases is very, very worrying.” | He said: “If you look at the science in relation to Omicron, the new variant, there is a real concern that we could be in a situation where the number of cases is doubling in a shorter period of two days. Now, I understand people say that that hasn’t led to higher hospitalisations and deaths yet, but the sheer volume of cases is very, very worrying.” |
| He added: “So, I’m not supporting the prime minister on Tuesday, I’m supporting our NHS, and I’m supporting the public in relation to this pandemic.” | He added: “So, I’m not supporting the prime minister on Tuesday, I’m supporting our NHS, and I’m supporting the public in relation to this pandemic.” |
| NHS doctors working on the pandemic frontline are furious at being treated as “Covid cannon fodder” rather than heroes, according to new research. | NHS doctors working on the pandemic frontline are furious at being treated as “Covid cannon fodder” rather than heroes, according to new research. |
| In a first of its kind study, researchers from the universities of Bath and Bristol, UWE and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine collected the views of more than 1,300 doctors in the UK and Ireland since early 2020. | In a first of its kind study, researchers from the universities of Bath and Bristol, UWE and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine collected the views of more than 1,300 doctors in the UK and Ireland since early 2020. |
| It found that doctors lacked the support they needed - including not having enough places to rest, food to eat or sufficient psychological support amid relentless shift patterns. | It found that doctors lacked the support they needed - including not having enough places to rest, food to eat or sufficient psychological support amid relentless shift patterns. |
| They said they were also frustrated at those not following public health advice and a lack of support from the government. | They said they were also frustrated at those not following public health advice and a lack of support from the government. |
| One senior doctor said: | One senior doctor said: |
| A junior doctor said: | A junior doctor said: |
| Dr Jo Daniels, the study’s lead researcher and a clinical psychologist at the University of Bath, said some of the stories were “truly devastating”. | Dr Jo Daniels, the study’s lead researcher and a clinical psychologist at the University of Bath, said some of the stories were “truly devastating”. |
| Here’s more on UK Omicron hospitalisations from science correspondent Hannah Devlin: | Here’s more on UK Omicron hospitalisations from science correspondent Hannah Devlin: |
| Russia’s registered Covid cases passed the 10 million mark today, after nearly 30,000 cases were reported in the last 24 hours. | Russia’s registered Covid cases passed the 10 million mark today, after nearly 30,000 cases were reported in the last 24 hours. |
| It comes as Russia recorded 29,929 new cases today - its lowest single-day case total since 13 October - bringing the official total since the start of the pandemic to 10,016,896. | It comes as Russia recorded 29,929 new cases today - its lowest single-day case total since 13 October - bringing the official total since the start of the pandemic to 10,016,896. |
| The country also reported 1,132 deaths today, its lowest count since late October, reports Reuters. | The country also reported 1,132 deaths today, its lowest count since late October, reports Reuters. |
| UK prime minister Boris Johnson is facing the most testing week of his troubled premiership as a mounting Tory rebellion over new Covid-19 restrictions threatens his authority in parliament and a supposedly safe Conservative seat appears on a knife-edge ahead of a byelection on Thursday, writes the Observer’s political editor Toby Helm. | UK prime minister Boris Johnson is facing the most testing week of his troubled premiership as a mounting Tory rebellion over new Covid-19 restrictions threatens his authority in parliament and a supposedly safe Conservative seat appears on a knife-edge ahead of a byelection on Thursday, writes the Observer’s political editor Toby Helm. |