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| Covid: Coronavirus curbs kept under close review - minister | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The government will keep its decision not to impose further Covid curbs in England under very close review, a cabinet minister has said. | |
| But Environment Secretary George Eustice said if there was a big increase in hospitalisations the government would have to act. | |
| The hospitality sector described the decision not to add further measures as a "lifeline" for pubs, bars and clubs. | |
| But there is concern about the impact of isolation on hospitals and schools. | |
| Prof Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, told BBC Breakfast that in time people with Covid should be allowed to "go about their normal lives" as they would with a common cold. | |
| "If the self-isolation rules are what's making the pain associated with Covid, then we need to do that perhaps sooner rather than later," he said. | |
| He suggested this might be able to happen "once we're past Easter", depending on the effects of the disease at that time. | |
| Some scientists advising ministers are concerned the government may be taking an overly optimistic approach when it comes to restrictions, as Covid cases rise. | |
| On Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said people should remain cautious and celebrate outside on New Year's Eve if possible. He said the government would reassess whether more measures were needed in the new year. | |
| The new places where you'll be asked to wear a mask | The new places where you'll be asked to wear a mask |
| What are the new Covid rules for the UK? | What are the new Covid rules for the UK? |
| How can I get my booster jab? | How can I get my booster jab? |
| Pubs, bars and restaurants have been hard hit in the run-up to Christmas, due to mass cancellations over Omicron variant fears. | Pubs, bars and restaurants have been hard hit in the run-up to Christmas, due to mass cancellations over Omicron variant fears. |
| UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said the decision to not go beyond Plan B measures in England had been a "pragmatic and proportionate" decision by the government. | UK Hospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said the decision to not go beyond Plan B measures in England had been a "pragmatic and proportionate" decision by the government. |
| She said: "This will give a real lifeline for many who have struggled with the loss of trade in the run-up to Christmas and the loss of new year on top of that would have been devastating for many. | She said: "This will give a real lifeline for many who have struggled with the loss of trade in the run-up to Christmas and the loss of new year on top of that would have been devastating for many. |
| "It will be a welcome boost and keeping restrictions to a minimum and lifting the remaining restrictions as quickly as possible to help the beleaguered sector back on to the road to recovery." | "It will be a welcome boost and keeping restrictions to a minimum and lifting the remaining restrictions as quickly as possible to help the beleaguered sector back on to the road to recovery." |
| The Night Time Industries Association described the decision as "amazing news" and Mark Davyd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, said there would "obviously be some relief" among hospitality bosses. | The Night Time Industries Association described the decision as "amazing news" and Mark Davyd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, said there would "obviously be some relief" among hospitality bosses. |
| However, he called for help to improve ventilation in venues along with "more clarity" on the government's long-term vision. | However, he called for help to improve ventilation in venues along with "more clarity" on the government's long-term vision. |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
| To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
| Watch: Sajid Javid explains why England is choosing a different path from the other nations | Watch: Sajid Javid explains why England is choosing a different path from the other nations |
| Prof Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University said he thought the decision not to introduce new curbs before the new year was "probably fine", with data showing "very low" numbers of vaccinated people in intensive care. | Prof Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University said he thought the decision not to introduce new curbs before the new year was "probably fine", with data showing "very low" numbers of vaccinated people in intensive care. |
| "This is not the same disease as we were seeing a year ago," he said, adding that people in the UK had been pretty sensible in their behaviour. | "This is not the same disease as we were seeing a year ago," he said, adding that people in the UK had been pretty sensible in their behaviour. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while there had been an increase in the number of people on ventilators in London - up to 232 as of 27 December - it remained below 400, which was a marker being watched for when considering further restrictions. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while there had been an increase in the number of people on ventilators in London - up to 232 as of 27 December - it remained below 400, which was a marker being watched for when considering further restrictions. |
| Sir John said that the stress on the heath service was coming from people quarantining after coming into contact with coronavirus and said that he thought lateral flow tests were "quite a good way" of showing who was infectious and who was not - rather than cutting isolation periods as has been done in the US. | Sir John said that the stress on the heath service was coming from people quarantining after coming into contact with coronavirus and said that he thought lateral flow tests were "quite a good way" of showing who was infectious and who was not - rather than cutting isolation periods as has been done in the US. |
| But University of Brighton virologist Dr Sarah Pitt called for "a few measures" to curb the spread of Omicron, saying that while there is a balance between the economy and health they were "not mutually exclusive". | But University of Brighton virologist Dr Sarah Pitt called for "a few measures" to curb the spread of Omicron, saying that while there is a balance between the economy and health they were "not mutually exclusive". |
| She told LBC that it did not make sense for UK nations to have different Covid restrictions as even if people were banned from having parties in Wales or Scotland they could just "tip over the borders into England". | She told LBC that it did not make sense for UK nations to have different Covid restrictions as even if people were banned from having parties in Wales or Scotland they could just "tip over the borders into England". |
| Conservative MPs - who recently inflicted the largest rebellion of Mr Johnson's premiership over the introduction of Covid passes - were among those who welcomed Monday's announcement. | Conservative MPs - who recently inflicted the largest rebellion of Mr Johnson's premiership over the introduction of Covid passes - were among those who welcomed Monday's announcement. |
| Senior backbencher Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brown said that the data on hospital admissions did not support the imposition of further restrictions. | Senior backbencher Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brown said that the data on hospital admissions did not support the imposition of further restrictions. |
| However, some of the experts who advise the government were less enthusiastic. | However, some of the experts who advise the government were less enthusiastic. |
| Prof Andrew Hayward - epidemiologist and a member of the advisory group Sage - told the BBC that ministers seemed to be acting "on the optimistic end of the spectrum". | Prof Andrew Hayward - epidemiologist and a member of the advisory group Sage - told the BBC that ministers seemed to be acting "on the optimistic end of the spectrum". |
| And Prof Danny Altmann suggested that there was now a great divergence between scientific advice and legislation. | And Prof Danny Altmann suggested that there was now a great divergence between scientific advice and legislation. |
| Omicron: What we know | Omicron: What we know |
| This variant is very contagious and spreads faster than others | This variant is very contagious and spreads faster than others |
| Vaccines and boosters are still essential and do a great job at protecting against severe disease | Vaccines and boosters are still essential and do a great job at protecting against severe disease |
| It is milder - if you catch it, the risk of needing hospital treatment is up to 70% lower than with previous variants - but that is largely because many of us have built up immunity from vaccines and past infections rather than changes to the virus | It is milder - if you catch it, the risk of needing hospital treatment is up to 70% lower than with previous variants - but that is largely because many of us have built up immunity from vaccines and past infections rather than changes to the virus |
| Read more here. | Read more here. |
| The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all introduced further restrictions this week. People in Wales and Scotland are living with curbs on hospitality, including the closure of nightclubs. | |
| Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting urged the government to publish all relevant advice and data, so the public could be reassured that Boris Johnson was not simply "capitulating" to members of his own party. | Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting urged the government to publish all relevant advice and data, so the public could be reassured that Boris Johnson was not simply "capitulating" to members of his own party. |
| After a two-day halt in publishing data, it was revealed that more than 300,000 new Covid cases had been recorded on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. | After a two-day halt in publishing data, it was revealed that more than 300,000 new Covid cases had been recorded on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. |
| UK-wide hospital data has not been updated since before Christmas but NHS England revealed that there were 1,281 Covid-19 hospital admissions in the country on Christmas Day - the highest number for any day since 16 February. | UK-wide hospital data has not been updated since before Christmas but NHS England revealed that there were 1,281 Covid-19 hospital admissions in the country on Christmas Day - the highest number for any day since 16 February. |
| A VERY BRITISH SCANDAL: One of the most notorious and brutal legal cases of the 20th Century | A VERY BRITISH SCANDAL: One of the most notorious and brutal legal cases of the 20th Century |
| A STUNNING WINTER WALK: Shepherdess Amanda Owen takes us through the Yorkshire Dales | A STUNNING WINTER WALK: Shepherdess Amanda Owen takes us through the Yorkshire Dales |