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| Covid: UK incomparably better placed this New Year - PM | Covid: UK incomparably better placed this New Year - PM |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The UK is in an "incomparably better" position now than this time last year but New Year's Eve revellers should remain cautious, the PM has said. | The UK is in an "incomparably better" position now than this time last year but New Year's Eve revellers should remain cautious, the PM has said. |
| In a year-end message, Boris Johnson hailed the "heroic" vaccination effort, adding that all adults in England had now been offered a booster jab. | In a year-end message, Boris Johnson hailed the "heroic" vaccination effort, adding that all adults in England had now been offered a booster jab. |
| But he warned of the "challenges" of Omicron and rising hospital admissions. | But he warned of the "challenges" of Omicron and rising hospital admissions. |
| The PM urged people who go out later to take a Covid test first and "remember the importance of ventilation". | The PM urged people who go out later to take a Covid test first and "remember the importance of ventilation". |
| It comes as UK daily Covid cases reached another record high of 189,213 on Thursday - including two days of data from Wales because of reporting backlogs over Christmas. | It comes as UK daily Covid cases reached another record high of 189,213 on Thursday - including two days of data from Wales because of reporting backlogs over Christmas. |
| New Year's Eve celebrations are set to be scaled back across much of the country as the more infectious Omicron variant drives up cases. | New Year's Eve celebrations are set to be scaled back across much of the country as the more infectious Omicron variant drives up cases. |
| A number of events have been cancelled, including the traditional Trafalgar Square party in London and Edinburgh's Hogmanay events. | A number of events have been cancelled, including the traditional Trafalgar Square party in London and Edinburgh's Hogmanay events. |
| Mr Johnson resisted calls to impose new regulations in England in the run-up to Christmas, but in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, tighter rules are now in place for pubs, bars and restaurants, and there are restrictions on the number of people who can gather. | Mr Johnson resisted calls to impose new regulations in England in the run-up to Christmas, but in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, tighter rules are now in place for pubs, bars and restaurants, and there are restrictions on the number of people who can gather. |
| Amid the warnings that people should celebrate outdoors or in well-ventilated places where possible, the Met Office said the UK was experiencing the hottest New Year's Eve on record - with Merryfield in Somerset recording a temperature of 15.8 degrees. | Amid the warnings that people should celebrate outdoors or in well-ventilated places where possible, the Met Office said the UK was experiencing the hottest New Year's Eve on record - with Merryfield in Somerset recording a temperature of 15.8 degrees. |
| How many people can get together at New Year? | How many people can get together at New Year? |
| How can I tell I have Omicron? | How can I tell I have Omicron? |
| Calls for NHS staff priority for rapid Covid tests | Calls for NHS staff priority for rapid Covid tests |
| The Department of Health and Social Care said it had met the goal set by the prime minister on 12 December to ensure all eligible adults in England had been offered a Covid booster by 31 December. The target was brought forward by a month in response to the emergence of Omicron. | The Department of Health and Social Care said it had met the goal set by the prime minister on 12 December to ensure all eligible adults in England had been offered a Covid booster by 31 December. The target was brought forward by a month in response to the emergence of Omicron. |
| More than 90% of the UK population aged 12 and over have now received a first dose of a vaccine, it added. | More than 90% of the UK population aged 12 and over have now received a first dose of a vaccine, it added. |
| Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also said they had met the booster target. | Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also said they had met the booster target. |
| Speaking in a message posted on Twitter, Mr Johnson said "incredible" numbers of people had responded to the call to get vaccinated, adding: "It's precisely because of that huge national effort that we can celebrate tonight at all." | Speaking in a message posted on Twitter, Mr Johnson said "incredible" numbers of people had responded to the call to get vaccinated, adding: "It's precisely because of that huge national effort that we can celebrate tonight at all." |
| However, he said people must be cautious, take a test and "remember the importance of ventilation" if they are going out, urging those who are not fully vaccinated to "look at the people going into hospital now" and to "make it your new year's resolution" to get jabbed. | However, he said people must be cautious, take a test and "remember the importance of ventilation" if they are going out, urging those who are not fully vaccinated to "look at the people going into hospital now" and to "make it your new year's resolution" to get jabbed. |
| More than 33.5 million booster and third doses have now been delivered in the UK - to about 58% of those eligible - including 1.8 million in the past seven days. | More than 33.5 million booster and third doses have now been delivered in the UK - to about 58% of those eligible - including 1.8 million in the past seven days. |
| Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting suggested the prime minister had "shifted the goalposts on what he actually promised to deliver" in the rollout, but added "this should not detract one bit" from the NHS' success administering an "unprecedented number of vaccinations". | Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting suggested the prime minister had "shifted the goalposts on what he actually promised to deliver" in the rollout, but added "this should not detract one bit" from the NHS' success administering an "unprecedented number of vaccinations". |
| UK's latest daily Covid figures | UK's latest daily Covid figures |
| Cases: 189,213 (weekly total up 45.1%) | Cases: 189,213 (weekly total up 45.1%) |
| Deaths: 332 (weekly total down 10.6%) | Deaths: 332 (weekly total down 10.6%) |
| People in hospital: 11,898 | People in hospital: 11,898 |
| Boosters and third doses: 435,293 | Boosters and third doses: 435,293 |
| Source: UK government (cases and deaths reported on 30 December, hospital and vaccination figures for 29 December) | Source: UK government (cases and deaths reported on 30 December, hospital and vaccination figures for 29 December) |
| Analysis of the Omicron variant has shown people who catch it are up to 70% less likely to need hospital treatment compared with other variants. | Analysis of the Omicron variant has shown people who catch it are up to 70% less likely to need hospital treatment compared with other variants. |
| However, Prof Peter Openshaw, who sits on the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), told BBC Breakfast he was concerned about the impact of surging Covid cases on the health service, saying: "I think we haven't quite reached the threshold that was set by government in terms of the NHS being overwhelmed, but it looks like that will be reached quite quickly." | However, Prof Peter Openshaw, who sits on the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), told BBC Breakfast he was concerned about the impact of surging Covid cases on the health service, saying: "I think we haven't quite reached the threshold that was set by government in terms of the NHS being overwhelmed, but it looks like that will be reached quite quickly." |
| He said: "The people currently who are very sadly dying of Covid were probably infected on average about 35 days ago, so this was really before Omicron really started to transmit." | He said: "The people currently who are very sadly dying of Covid were probably infected on average about 35 days ago, so this was really before Omicron really started to transmit." |
| NHS leaders have stressed that staff absence is adding to pressures on the health service, with 25,273 staff in acute trusts in England off each day because of Covid in the week ending 26 December - up by 42% on the previous seven days. | NHS leaders have stressed that staff absence is adding to pressures on the health service, with 25,273 staff in acute trusts in England off each day because of Covid in the week ending 26 December - up by 42% on the previous seven days. |
| Chris Hopson, the head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the use of extra "Nightingale capacity hubs" being set up at hospitals could only be staffed by asking recently retired health workers and experienced volunteers to help out. | Chris Hopson, the head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the use of extra "Nightingale capacity hubs" being set up at hospitals could only be staffed by asking recently retired health workers and experienced volunteers to help out. |
| He added that more restrictions to curb the spread of the virus "may be needed at pace if the evidence warrants it". | He added that more restrictions to curb the spread of the virus "may be needed at pace if the evidence warrants it". |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| New ONS figures show nearly 2.3 million people in the UK - about one in 30 - would have tested positive for Covid in the week ending 23 December | |
| In London, the rate has doubled to around one in 15 people compared with the previous seven days | |
| An antiviral pill to treat Covid - Paxlovid - has been approved for use across the UK, the medicines regulator says | An antiviral pill to treat Covid - Paxlovid - has been approved for use across the UK, the medicines regulator says |
| There have been calls for NHS staff to be given priority for lateral flow tests from healthcare unions | There have been calls for NHS staff to be given priority for lateral flow tests from healthcare unions |
| Health Secretary Sajid Javid says the government expects to need to "constrain" supply of the rapid tests for two weeks to manage demand, but the number is being tripled to 300 million a month | Health Secretary Sajid Javid says the government expects to need to "constrain" supply of the rapid tests for two weeks to manage demand, but the number is being tripled to 300 million a month |
| A representative of pharmacists has said lateral flows kits are beginning to arrive but supply is "still patchy" | A representative of pharmacists has said lateral flows kits are beginning to arrive but supply is "still patchy" |
| A major retailer has told the BBC if the shortage of kits is not sorted by next week, it could lead to 1,600 lost days in January because of its staff having to quarantine for longer. | |
| In his new year message, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the UK needed leadership to ensure the "sacrifices and pain of the past two years" had not been in vain, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he hoped 2022 would be "the year we will finally beat Covid". | In his new year message, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the UK needed leadership to ensure the "sacrifices and pain of the past two years" had not been in vain, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he hoped 2022 would be "the year we will finally beat Covid". |
| Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said New Year's Eve was "not the Hogmanay" people wanted, but they could look forward to a "better and brighter new year ahead". | Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said New Year's Eve was "not the Hogmanay" people wanted, but they could look forward to a "better and brighter new year ahead". |
| Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has asked those travelling to England to see in the New Year to "think consciously and carefully" about their plans. | Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has asked those travelling to England to see in the New Year to "think consciously and carefully" about their plans. |
| And in Northern Ireland, new reduced self-isolation rules allowing people with Covid to be released after seven days if they test negative twice on days six and seven, have come into force. | And in Northern Ireland, new reduced self-isolation rules allowing people with Covid to be released after seven days if they test negative twice on days six and seven, have come into force. |
| A further 332 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded in the UK on Thursday - the highest figure since 2 March, but which includes a backlog of hospital deaths from 24 to 29 December | A further 332 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded in the UK on Thursday - the highest figure since 2 March, but which includes a backlog of hospital deaths from 24 to 29 December |
| What are your New Year's Eve plans? Will you be going ahead or have you cancelled your plans? Tell us your story by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | What are your New Year's Eve plans? Will you be going ahead or have you cancelled your plans? Tell us your story by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
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