Covid news — live: UK deaths pass 80,000 as anti-lockdown protesters arrested amid calls for stricter rules
Follow the latest updates from the pandemic
Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health
Get our free Health Check email
The UK’s coronavirus death toll has risen past 80,000 as the total number of fatalities attributed to the virus increases by more than a thousand for the fourth day in a row. The government said a further 1,035 people had died within 28 days of a positive test as of Saturday, while 59,973 cases were confirmed.
However despite surging case numbers and widespread support for lockdown measures designed to stem their growth, officers in the capital were forced to break up an anti-lockdown protest as around 30 people marched down Clapham High Street on Saturday afternoon. The Metropolitan Police confirmed 12 people were arrested as the crowd was dispersed.
Meanwhile The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have received their coronavirus vaccinations at Windsor Castle today, joining more than one million people in the UK who have been given their jab so far. It is understood that Buckingham Palace decided to make the Queen’s vaccination public to prevent inaccuracies and speculation around when she would receive the jab.
And Susan Michie, who sits on the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), has warned that the combination of the winter season and the faster-spreading variant meant tougher rules were necessary - telling the BBC that current measures are “too lax” and that the latest restrictions should be stricter than March’s lockdown.
Care sector hit by staff absence rates up to 50% as third wave of coronavirus intensifies
Care providers in the UK are reporting staff absence rates of up to 50 per cent, amid concern of “mounting pressure” across the social care sector as the third coronavirus wave continues to intensify.
More below:
Care sector hit by staff absence rates up to 50% as third Covid wave intensifies
‘If people cannot be supported to leave hospital, whether that is by moving into a care home or having care at home, then the whole system will fail,’ warns National Care Forum
Fined women welcome walkback from police
Two women who were fined £200 each for meeting up for a walk 10 minutes from their home town have welcomed reports the police will review their case.
Derbyshire Police attracted criticism for issuing two women with £200 fines after they went for a walk at a remote spot around five miles from their homes.
The force has since said it would review all fixed penalty notices issued during the national lockdown after it received clarification about the coronavirus regulations.
Jessica Allen, who received the fine with friend Eliza Moore, told BBC News: "We are happy to hear that Derbyshire Police have been told to not be so heavy-handed with fines and return to the four Es (Engage, Explain, Encourage, Enforce) they were originally doing.
"We are yet to hear anything regarding our fine but if we have managed to save somebody the worry of going for a walk and fearing they would be fined then we have done what we set out to do."
WHO envoy says rule strengthening must be targeted
David Nabarro, a World Health Organisation (WHO) special envoy working on Covid-19, has said any tightening of Coronavirus rules should be considered in a targeted way.
He told Times Radio: "The most important thing at this stage is to do very careful sifting of the data to answer the question who is getting infected, where are they getting infected, how are they getting infected so that the additional measures, if they are going to be put in place, can be targeted."
Mr Nabarro said there will be "a bit more difficulty to weather" in the months ahead in terms of the virus.
He said: "It'll be many months I fear, so I am encouraging everybody, whilst they're feeling this frustration and some sense of despair, at the same time to find the extra resolve to keep going because if we loosen our defences and if we don't lock our arms together holding this virus at bay, the situation will get a lot worse."
Vaccine rollout rolls on
For a bit of positivity - here is Sarah Evans, one of the staff at the University College Hospital London, celebrating the number of people they have been able to vaccinate.
Government sneaks ‘cruel’ new loophole into eviction ban
The government has quietly introduced a loophole to its eviction ban that waters down protections for people who lost their jobs during the pandemic.
More below:
Government sneaks ‘cruel’ new loophole into eviction ban
For the first time, landlords will be able to evict people who fall substantially behind on rent during lockdown
Police to review fines for women surrounded while on walk and told coffee was ‘picnic’
A police force accused of being over-zealous after officers surrounded two women and fined them £200 each for driving 10 minutes to take a reservoir walk has said it will review its actions.
More below:
Police to review lockdown fines dished out after women were surrounded for taking a socially distanced walk’
Jessica Allen and Eliza Moore were stopped by officers and told their takeaway coffees counted as an illegal picnic
Pope Francis says he could receive Covid vaccine next week
Pope Francis has said he plans to receive a coronavirus vaccination as early as next week and is urging everyone to get a jab to help to protect other people.
“I believe that ethically everyone should take the vaccine,” the Pope said in an interview with the Italian TV station Canale 5.
“It is an ethical choice because you are gambling with your health, with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others.”
Vatican City, the smallest independent country in the world, said it would shortly launch its own vaccination campaign against Covid-19.
“Next week,” the Pope added. “We will start doing it here, in the Vatican, and I have booked myself in. It must be done.”
Health secretary Matt Hancock has said he is “delighted” by news of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s coronavirus vaccinations today:
Police arrest 12 people at anti-lockdown protest in London
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that 12 people have been arrested at an anti-lockdown protest at Clapham Common in south London on Saturday.
In a statement on Twitter, the Met said: “Gathering for the purpose of a protest is not an exemption to the rules and people looking to attend may face enforcement action.”
UK Covid death toll passes 80,000
The UK’s official coronavirus death toll has risen to more than 80,000 fatalities after about 1,000 new deaths were reported on Saturday afternoon.
The government said that a further 1,035 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, as of Saturday, while a further 59,937 cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed in the last 24-hour period.
This means the UK has now recorded more than three million confirmed cases of the virus - although low testing capacity in spring last year means the actual number of overall cases is thought to be much higher.
The three million figure was passed just three weeks after cases passed the two million mark on 19 December.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies