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| UK Covid live: Sajid Javid says Omicron infections estimated to be running at 200,000 a day | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Latest updates: health secretary tells MPs no variant has spread as fast as confirmed cases of the variant rise 50% in a day | |
| The Labour MP Ben Bradshaw says almost all Tory MPs in the chamber this afternoon are wearing a mask. | |
| At the afternoon lobby briefing Downing Street indicated schools in England would only be closed in “the direst ... emergency”. | |
| The PM’s spokesman said: | |
| Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said that Labour supported the target of getting vaccinations up to 1m per day. He said this may prove impossible, “but we applaud the ambition”. He went on: | |
| But he suggested Javid was “living on a different planet” if he thought lateral flow tests were easily available. | |
| And he ended with what he said were words aimed directly at members of the public. He said: | |
| Javid says we have also learned that a booster jab provides strong protection against Omicron. | |
| He repeats what Boris Johnson announced last night about the booster rollout being speeded up. To meet the target of every adult getting a booster, vaccinations will have to take rate at a much faster rate than before. | |
| He says people who have had Covid recently should wait 28 days until after their infection before getting the booster. | |
| He confirms that non-urgent medical appointment are being postponed. | |
| He says MPs are voting on the new restrictions tomorrow. | |
| And he says from tomorrow a fully-vaccinated contact of an Omicron case will be able to take a lateral flow test every day, instead of having to self-isolate. | |
| He says the Covid pass for international travel will be rolled out for 12- to 15-year-olds. | |
| And he says, “with a heavy heart”, the government is limiting visits to people in care homes to just three nominated visitors, not including nominated care-givers. | |
| Sajid Javid says no variant has spread as fast as Omicron. | |
| He says that Omicron infections are estimated to currently be running at 200,000 per day. | |
| Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, starts by expressing his disappointment that Boris Johnson is not making this statement himself. | Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, starts by expressing his disappointment that Boris Johnson is not making this statement himself. |
| He says given the PM made a TV statement last night he should have been here in person. | He says given the PM made a TV statement last night he should have been here in person. |
| He says he is really, really disappointed TV is taking precedence over the Commons. | He says he is really, really disappointed TV is taking precedence over the Commons. |
| UPDATE: Hoyle said: | |
| Sajid Javid, the health secretary, is about to make a statement to MPs about Covid. | Sajid Javid, the health secretary, is about to make a statement to MPs about Covid. |
| These are from two journalists reporting bad experiences with vaccine walk-in centres. | These are from two journalists reporting bad experiences with vaccine walk-in centres. |
| From the Sunday Times’ Shaun Lintern earlier | From the Sunday Times’ Shaun Lintern earlier |
| From my colleague Nicola Davis now | From my colleague Nicola Davis now |
| There’s been a fantastic start to the Guardian and Observer 2021 charity appeal, with readers donating more than £100,000 to our Climate Justice campaign during its opening weekend. | There’s been a fantastic start to the Guardian and Observer 2021 charity appeal, with readers donating more than £100,000 to our Climate Justice campaign during its opening weekend. |
| This year the appeal is supporting four great charities tackling the human impact of climate crisis and extreme weather: Practical Action, Environmental Justice Foundation, Global Greengrants Fund UK, and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. | This year the appeal is supporting four great charities tackling the human impact of climate crisis and extreme weather: Practical Action, Environmental Justice Foundation, Global Greengrants Fund UK, and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. |
| The focus of the appeal is on projects helping individuals and communities in some of the world’s poorest countries who find themselves bearing the brunt of the climate emergency. | The focus of the appeal is on projects helping individuals and communities in some of the world’s poorest countries who find themselves bearing the brunt of the climate emergency. |
| As the Guardian’s editor-in chief Katharine Viner explained in her introduction to the appeal: | As the Guardian’s editor-in chief Katharine Viner explained in her introduction to the appeal: |
| The appeal runs until early January. You can find out more about our charities here. | The appeal runs until early January. You can find out more about our charities here. |
| Donations can be made online by credit card, debit card or PayPal, or by phone on 0151 284 1126. | Donations can be made online by credit card, debit card or PayPal, or by phone on 0151 284 1126. |
| Layla Moran, the Lib Dem MP who chairs the all-party parliamentry group on coronavirus, has said the website problems people have been having today with ordering lateral flow tests or booking booster jabs suggest little planning went into Boris Johnson’s announcement last night. She said: | Layla Moran, the Lib Dem MP who chairs the all-party parliamentry group on coronavirus, has said the website problems people have been having today with ordering lateral flow tests or booking booster jabs suggest little planning went into Boris Johnson’s announcement last night. She said: |
| Fraser Nelson says the Spectator’s tally of Tory MPs who are set or likely to rebel in the vote on the new Covid measures tomorrow has reached 77. | Fraser Nelson says the Spectator’s tally of Tory MPs who are set or likely to rebel in the vote on the new Covid measures tomorrow has reached 77. |
| Nelson says this is two of 79, the government’s current working majority. But the government is in no danger of losing tomorrow, because Labour is voting for the measures. | Nelson says this is two of 79, the government’s current working majority. But the government is in no danger of losing tomorrow, because Labour is voting for the measures. |
| And, in a division where all the opposition parties are voting against, the majority total is a red herring; only half that number plus one (40 Tories) would have to vote with the opposition parties for the government to lose. | And, in a division where all the opposition parties are voting against, the majority total is a red herring; only half that number plus one (40 Tories) would have to vote with the opposition parties for the government to lose. |
| Ipsos Mori has published its latest monthly political monitor polling survey, and it suggests that, in the wake of the partygate controversy, Boris Johnson’s ratings have slumped, and Keir Starmer is now ahead of him by 13 points on the question of who would make the most capable prime minister. | Ipsos Mori has published its latest monthly political monitor polling survey, and it suggests that, in the wake of the partygate controversy, Boris Johnson’s ratings have slumped, and Keir Starmer is now ahead of him by 13 points on the question of who would make the most capable prime minister. |
| The firm says this is the first time a Labour leader has been ahead on this measure since January 2008. | The firm says this is the first time a Labour leader has been ahead on this measure since January 2008. |
| Dylan Spielman from Ipsos Mori says John Major is the only PM to have worse approval ratings at this stage in his premiership. | Dylan Spielman from Ipsos Mori says John Major is the only PM to have worse approval ratings at this stage in his premiership. |
| But Margaret Thatcher’s ratings were almost as low at this point in her premiership, Spielman points out, and she went on to win two more elections. | But Margaret Thatcher’s ratings were almost as low at this point in her premiership, Spielman points out, and she went on to win two more elections. |
| Jim Reed, the BBC’s health reporter, says the government is planning to drop the requirement for people to stay in a vaccine centre for 15 minutes after having a Pfizer or Moderna jab to make sure they don’t suffer an adverse reaction. | Jim Reed, the BBC’s health reporter, says the government is planning to drop the requirement for people to stay in a vaccine centre for 15 minutes after having a Pfizer or Moderna jab to make sure they don’t suffer an adverse reaction. |
| Prof Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care at Imperial College London, said earlier that this change would speed up the through-put at vaccination clinics. | Prof Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care at Imperial College London, said earlier that this change would speed up the through-put at vaccination clinics. |
| The UK Health Security Agency has also released a little more information about the 10 patients hospitalised with a confirmed case of Omicron in England, one of whom has died. (See 11.55am.) | The UK Health Security Agency has also released a little more information about the 10 patients hospitalised with a confirmed case of Omicron in England, one of whom has died. (See 11.55am.) |
| The Conservative MP Marcus Fysh told the BBC earlier today that he would not be voting for the introduction of Covid passport for large venues in England because he did not want to live in a “papers please” society. | The Conservative MP Marcus Fysh told the BBC earlier today that he would not be voting for the introduction of Covid passport for large venues in England because he did not want to live in a “papers please” society. |
| Displaying a cavalier disregard for Godwin’s law, Fysh told Radio 5 Live. | Displaying a cavalier disregard for Godwin’s law, Fysh told Radio 5 Live. |
| NHS Digital says 290,000 people have now booked a vaccine appointment on its website. In response to questions about why the website has been overwhelmed with demand, a spokesperson said: | NHS Digital says 290,000 people have now booked a vaccine appointment on its website. In response to questions about why the website has been overwhelmed with demand, a spokesperson said: |