Covid news: Gove says EU recognises mistakes over NI row as vaccines ‘already slowing spread’ of virus
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Cabinet office minister Michael Gove has said the European Union recognises it made a mistake over Northern Ireland in a row with the UK over coronavirus vaccine supplies.
On Friday, the EU backtracked on a threat to trigger a Brexit deal clause to stop the unimpeded flow of coronavirus vaccines into Northern Ireland.
In an act that blindsided the UK and Ireland, the EU invoked Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, allowing it to override parts of the deal under which trade from the EU into Northern Ireland is unrestricted.
A U-turn came late on Friday night after the threat was met with fierce backlash from Boris Johnson, the Irish government and even the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The vaccine row was prompted by delays to the EU supply of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, the UK’s mass vaccination rollout already appears to be having an easing effect on the Covid crisis, according to data.
Research due to be published in days is set to provide evidence that Britons are receiving some protection from the virus, The Times reported.
Johnson ‘made clear’ to EU vaccine contracts must be honoured, Gove says
Michael Gove has said it was made clear between Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen that vaccine supplies would not be interrupted.
The Cabinet Office minister told reporters: "We're confident that we can proceed with our vaccine programmes exactly as planned."
He added: “Last night the prime minister talked to President von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and made clear that we need to have the contracts that have been entered into honoured properly.
"And it was made clear that that supply would not be interrupted so we can proceed with our plans and make sure that our so far highly-successful vaccination programme can continue."
It comes after the EU said it would introduce vaccine export controls amid a row over the delivery of the Oxford-Astrazeneca jab into the continent.
Under the act member states would be able to block the export of vaccines made in their provinces. - including supplies of the Pfizer/Biontech jab which is produced in Belgium.
The UK is one of the few trading partners the bloc has not listed as exempt from the act.
Read more on the EU’s move here:
European Commission introduces vaccine export controls amid AstraZeneca supplies dispute
Power to restrict jabs leaving continent introduced as bloc rows with Astrazeneca over vaccine supply chain
BREAKING: UK coronavirus deaths rise by 1,200, new figures show
UK coronavirus deaths rise by 1,200, new figures show
An additional 1,200 people have died within 28 days of contracting the coronavirus, the government’s new daily figures show.
EU ‘made a mistake’, Gove says
Michael Gove has said he believes the EU “recognise they made a mistake in triggering Article 16" over coronavirus vaccines in Northern Ireland.
They moved on Friday to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol - under which trade from EU into Northern Ireland is unrestricted - as part of its export controls on vaccines, before backing down shortly afterwards.
Gove on Tory MP coronavirus comments
In more comments to the media, Michael Gove suggested action could still be taken against Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne after he refused to apologise over controversial remarks to vaccine sceptics.
Asked why the former minister was let off without disciplinary action, Mr Gove told reporters: “Watch this space.”
He added: "I can't pre-empt any decision-making, but I think it's important that the processes that the Conservative party has are in place in order to make sure, as I'm sure he will, that Sir Desmond apologises and recognises he made a mistake."
Sir Desmond has been accused of spreading “dangerous misinformation” after reportedly suggesting official statistics on the pandemic had been “manipulated”.
The Tory MP also gave an interview to the prominent US anti-vaxxer Del Bigtree, who has repeatedly spread conspiracy theories about Covid-19 on his webshow and produced a documentary film with the discredited anti-vaccination activist Andrew Wakefield.
Tory MP accused of spreading ‘dangerous misinformation’ on coronavirus
Former minister reportedly suggested official Covid figures have been ‘manipulated’
Additional reporting by PA
8.3 million vaccinated in UK
Matt Hancock says he is “delighted’” 8.3 million people in the UK have received a vaccine against coronavirus.
Vaccines already having effect on UK epidemic, scientist says
The UK’s mass vaccination rollout already appears to be having an easing effect on the Covid crisis, according to data.
Tom Embury-Dennis reports:
Covid vaccines already having an effect on UK epidemic, scientist says
Virologist warns jabs will only ‘really begin to bite’ in a few weeks
Gove on EU vaccine dispute
Cabinet office minister Michael Gove has said the European Union recognises it made a mistake in its attempt to involve Northern Ireland its row with the UK over coronavirus vaccine supplies.
Kate Devlin, our Whitehall editor, reports:
Gove says EU recognises its mistake over NI Covid vaccines threat
‘We want to work with our friends and neighbours in the EU’
EU ‘does not want to disrupt vaccine supply’, says Raab
Foreign minister Dominic Raab says the EU has reassured him it does not want to disrupt supplies of Covid-19 vaccines to the United Kingdom.
Mr Raab tweeted that he had a "constructive conversation" with European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis.
"I was reassured the EU has no desire to block suppliers fulfilling contracts for vaccine distribution to the UK," he said. "The world is watching and it is only through international collaboration that we will beat this pandemic."
8.38 million people vaccinated in UK
Government data up to 29 January shows of the 8,859,372 jabs given in the UK so far, 8,378,940 were first doses - a rise of 487,756 on the previous day's figures.
Some 480,432 were second doses, an increase of 2,178 on figures released the previous day.
The seven-day rolling average of first doses given in the UK is now 359,656.
Based on the latest figures, an average of 413,816 first doses of vaccine would be needed each day in order to meet the Government's target of 15 million first doses by 15 February.
Vaccine given to 5 in 6 over 80s in UK
Five out of six people in the UK aged over 80 have now received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine since the rollout began, Matt Hancock has said.
Mr Hancock added two thirds of 75-to-79-year-olds have also had their first jab.
In a statement on Twitter, he said: "THANK YOU to all involved in rolling-out the vaccine across the whole UK. We will get through this together."
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