Coronavirus news: Third wave could delay vaccine rollout as experts issue warning over Christmas plans
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Your support makes all the difference.Relaxing tier restrictions could trigger a third wave of coronavirus this winter - and potentially hit the UK’s hopes for a return to normal by the summer, experts have warned.
NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, urged Boris Johnson to use "extreme caution" in moving any area of England to a lower tier when the measures are reviewed on Wednesday.
Chief executive Chris Hopson said: "We're about to hit our busiest time of year so people are really worried that if we relax the restrictions now the NHS simply won't be able to cope with all of the work that it needs to do in late December, January and February."
Meanwhile the Oxford vaccine’s lead scientist, Professor Sarah Gilbert, has warned that a Christmas-related surge in infections could delay the vaccination programme and have a “big impact” on the UK’s return to normal by the summer.
Elsewhere, Germany has confirmed a new lockdown will start from Wednesday, Italy now has Europe’s highest death toll after overtaking the UK last night, and the US is taking deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine ahead of the rollout on Monday.
Vaccines could be delayed by Christmas surge
Vaccinations to protect against Covid-19 will have to be delayed if the Christmas “amnesty” triggers a surge in infections, the head of the Oxford programme has warned.
Restrictions will be relaxed for five days over the festive period – and Tory MPs are piling pressure on the government to allow some areas to escape to a lower tier this week.
Covid surge over Christmas will delay vaccinations, public warned
'It's not possible to run vaccination clinics when staff are off sick and there's a very high transmission rate’
UK reports 144 deaths
A further 144 deaths and 18,447 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the UK, according to the government’s latest daily update.
The total of deaths within 28 days of a positive test now stands at 64,170, and the total number of cases has reached 1,849,403.
Rolling seven-day figures show that while the number of deaths are falling, the number of cases and patients admitted to hospital are rising.
Pfizer vaccine headed for Canada
The official in charge of Canada’s vaccine rollout has said the first Pfizer doses will arrive later today.
Major-General Dany Fortin told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp that the delivery was part of an initial batch of 30,000 doses.
He also announced that the Moderna Inc vaccine would be authorised "reasonably soon" and could arrive by the end of the week.
‘Test and dine’ pilot proposed for Birmingham
A new pilot project proposed in Birmingham could see restaurants in Tier 3 areas able to open back up, despite coronavirus rules.
Put forward by the Birmingham City Council, the proposed pilot would see diners able to visit a restaurant so long as they have had a rapid coronavirus test.
‘Test and dine’ pilot proposed in Birmingham to support struggling restaurants
Project could see diners in Tier 3 areas able to visit outlets after testing negative for coronavirus
‘I am recovering,’ says Algerian president
Algeria’s president Abdelmadjid Tebboune has made his first appearance since he was flown to a hospital in Germany for treatment in late October after testing positive for Covid-19.
Tebboune, 75, said in a video broadcast on Twitter and state TV that he is expected to make a complete recovery within three weeks.
"I'm recovering," he said. "We will soon be in the country to continue building a new Algeria".
That’s it for our live coronavirus coverage for today. Thanks for reading.
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