Coronavirus news: London now UK’s Covid hotspot and Test and Trace cuts Christmas hours
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London has been confirmed as the UK’s coronavirus hotspot following a dramatic surge in infections in recent weeks, according to the latest infection survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The capital was shown on Thursday to have the highest percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 in the country as millions more people prepared to be forced into tier 4 restrictions from Boxing Day as part of efforts to control a faster-spreading version of the virus.
Health secretary Matt Hancock warned the UK’s variant was spreading at a “dangerous rate” and urged people to stay at home from Saturday in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, other parts of the country, such as Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset, were escalated to tier 3 amid concerns about rising infection rates over the Christmas period.
It came as The Independent revealed the government had asked England’s Test and Trace service to reduce its working hours during the Christmas holidays despite a surge in confirmed cases.
Nearly 40,000 positive tests for Covid-19 were reported on Wednesday, yet clinical staff working for the system have been told to cancel shifts ahead of a shortened working day.
Official figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care revealed 616,933 people had received their first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine by the end of last week.
It came after Boris Johnson said almost 800,000 people had been vaccinated, however the prime minister is likely to have had more up-to-date figures when he made his address on reaching a post-Brexit deal with the European Union on Thursday.
Percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 rises again
The percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 in England has continued to increase, according to the latest infection survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
An estimated 645,800 people in private households in England had Covid-19 between 12 and 18 December - the equivalent of around 1.18 per cent of the population, or one in 85 people.
This represents a rise from 567,300 people, or one in 95, who were estimated to have Covid-19 in the period 6 to 12 December.
The figures do not include people staying in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.
ONS data shows infection rates have increased sharply in London, the East of England and the South East, while rates have decreased in the parts of northern England.
Our reporter, Samuel Lovett, has more details below on the data showing London is now the leading coronavirus hotspot in the UK:
London named UK’s top Covid hotspot after dramatic surge in cases
London has been confirmed as the leading coronavirus hotspot in the UK, with the capital recording a sharp rise in cases in the week before Christmas.
Northern Ireland scientific officer suggests schools may have to close due to variant
Northern Ireland’s chief scientific officer has said it will be very difficult to keep schools open if the new faster-spreading variant of coronavirus becomes dominant in the region.
The first positive case of the variant in Northern Ireland was confirmed on Wednesday.
“If the variant were the dominant form in Northern Ireland, then it is very unlikely that we could keep R at less than 1 and schools open,” Professor Ian Young told BBC Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan Show.
He said he did not believe that at present the variant was a “major form” in Northern Ireland, but said he was confident there was a small number of cases.
“This particular variant does appear to be significantly different than many of the others which have been in circulation, it has a number of different mutations or changes to its genetic material and those affect the structure of some of the key parts of the virus,” he added.
“As a result it is highly likely that the virus is transmitted more easily than the form of the virus that we have been used to, somewhere between 40-70 per cent more easily transmitted.
“We don't think it causes a more severe disease... and we are reasonably confident that it will still respond to the vaccine and that the vaccine will protect against this variant form.”
More than 70 per cent of people vaccinated in England aged over 80, NHS figures show
More than 70 per cent of people in England who have been given their first coronavirus vaccine dose so far are aged over 80, new figures have shown.
NHS England published its first detailed figures on Thursday morning showing the number of people who have received the Pfizer Covid-19 jab.
The exact figure for vaccinations so far is 521,594 between 8 December and 20 December.
Some 366,715 of these people were over 80.
Our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, has more details below on New York City’s new quarantine measures for travellers from the UK:
Travellers from UK to New York face two week police-enforced self-isolation
City mayor warns arrivals from Britain who break quarantine face fines of $1,000 per day
The total reported figure for UK Covid-19 vaccinations so far is 611,283 - or about 1 per cent of the country’s population:
Funding published for mass testing in schools but union warns plan is ‘unrealistic’
The government has announced £78m in funding for mass testing in schools but a union has warned the plan and timescale is still “unrealistic”.
Plans have been announced for a round of mass testing at the start of next term, alongside regular rapid Covid-19 tests for staff and students.
Our reporter, Zoe Tidman, has the full story below:
Guidance published for Covid mass testing in schools, but union warns plan is ‘unrealistic’
Millions of pounds will go towards costs of new scheme
Only 34 per cent receiving Covid test results back within 24 hours, data shows
A total of just 34.1 per cent of people who were tested for Covid-19 in England in the week ending 16 December at a regional site, local site or mobile testing unit received their result back within 24 hours.
This is down from 59.8 per cent in the previous week and is also the lowest percentage since the week to 28 October.
It’s worth remembering that Boris Johnson previously pledged that the results of all in-person tests would be returned within 24 hours by the end of June.
PA
Independent Sage calls for ban on Christmas mixing and immediate tier 4 restrictions
The Independent Sage group of scientists has called for a ban on household mixing on Christmas Day and for all regions of England to be placed into tier 4 restrictions today due to the “rapidly worsening” situation with coronavirus infections across the UK.
“The inability to control Covid-19 is leading to the emergence of variants with increasing transmission potential,” the group said in a statement.
“The new variant and the potential emergence of others requires a complete rethink of all mitigation strategies.”
You can find their full statement below:
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