Covid news: Johnson hints at tighter border rules and says new variant could be more deadly

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People with Covid could be paid £500 (PA)

Boris Johnson has hinted that the government may have to introduce more border restrictions to stop new variants of Covid-19 from spreading in the UK.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Friday afternoon, the prime minister warned “we may have to go further”.

It comes amid warnings that a new variant of the virus from South Africa could be more resistant to existing vaccines and also more virulent.

Mr Johnson said briefing the most common variant spreading in the UK appears to be more deadly than the original virus.   

There is evidence that it “may be associated with a higher degree of mortality” among those infected, he told the briefing.

It is believed that scientists have found 1.3-fold increased risk of death compared with the old variant of coronavirus.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said: “Instead of ten in every 1,000 people in their 60s with Covid passing away, 13 or 14 people “might be expected to die.”

• Lockdown could last until summer, No 10 warns as experts warn relaxation of rules could trigger new Covid wave
• Coronavirus: Government ‘could pay £500 to everyone who tests positive’ to encourage self-isolation
• Coronavirus: Vaccine rationed to north amid national supply issues, reports say

Key Points

• Boris Johnson hints at tougher border rules
• New variant more deadly, Boris Johnson warns, but vaccines ‘remain effective’
• European Commission probed by Ombudsman over vaccine contract transparency
• Ministers must tighten ‘flexible’ rules and stop blaming public for high Covid rates, scientists say
• Expert warns against reading R number as ‘firm evidence lockdown has been successful’
• Daily death toll likely to peak in next 10 days, scientist says
• PM will face ‘mother of all arguments’ over lockdown next month, Sage member says
• Regional breakdown of NHS England vaccination figures

[22 January 2021 12:56 · Eleanor Sly]

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane tests positive for Covid-19

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for coronavirus, the club have revealed in a brief statement which revealed no other information regarding Zidane’s symptoms or the playing squad’s test results.

Real are second in the league standings, seven points behind Atletico Madrid, and play Alaves away on Saturday which Zidane will now miss.

Lawrence Ostlere reports here: 

[22 January 2021 13:07 · Eleanor Sly]

‘I’ll keep it to 14 then don’t worry’: Government mocked over £800 fines for house parties

A new £800 fine for house party guests has been mocked on social media, with users joking about the 15-person threshold.

People suggested the new move – which imposes harsher penalties for those at parties over a certain number – appeared to condone smaller gatherings.

Read Zoe Tidman’s report here:

[22 January 2021 13:11 · Clea Skopeliti]

Boris Johnson rejects £500 payment for Covid-positive people

Boris Johnson has rejected plans to pay people £500 to help them self-isolate if they catch coronavirus.

The prime minister’s spokesperson said on Friday the government had “no plans” to introduce the payments.

It comes after a leaked document from Matt Hancock’s department of health revealed that the policy was being looked at.

Jon Stone has the latest here:

[22 January 2021 13:22 · Clea Skopeliti]

No 10 refuses to deny reports that vaccines will be moved from Yorkshire and the North East

Downing Street has refused to deny reports that vaccines will be moved away from some regions and redistributed to others that have inoculated a lower proportion of their population.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi previously denied that vaccines would be moved from Yorkshire and the North East to help other regions in England.

When asked to repeat the denial, PA reports that the Prime Minister's official spokesperson said: "I'm simply pointing out the fact that we'll continue to prioritise the over-80s and will ensure the areas that need more in order to increase those percentages can receive it, while ensuring that we provide vaccine doses to all areas of the country."

Downing Street also highlighted comments made by health secretary Matt Hancock this week about the rollout needing to be "fair".

The spokesperson said: “I would point to what Matt Hancock said yesterday where he said we have got to make sure vaccination is fair across the UK and some parts of the country, including parts of the North East and Yorkshire, have gone fast early on.”

[22 January 2021 13:36 · Clea Skopeliti]

R number falls to between 0.8 and 1 across UK

The reproduction number, or R value, of coronavirus transmission has fallen and is now estimated to be between 0.8 and 1 across the UK, the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) have said.

It was estimated to be between 1.2 and 1.3 last week.

The R value is the average number of people each Covid-positive person goes on to infect.

An R number between 0.8 and 1 means that, on average, every 10 people infected will pass the virus on to another 8 to 10 people.

Scientists advising the government said R is below or at 1 in all of England’s regions, but they warned that case levels "remain dangerously high and we must remain vigilant to keep this virus under control, to protect the NHS and save lives".

[22 January 2021 14:14 · Clea Skopeliti]

NHS England reports 993 further deaths in hospitals

A further 993 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 65,104, NHS England said on Friday.

Patients were aged between 23 and 102. All except 47, aged between 32 and 96, had known underlying health conditions. The deaths were between 12 December and 21 January.

There were 68 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.

[22 January 2021 14:25 · Clea Skopeliti]

Grant migrants equal access to vaccines, UN human rights experts urge

Migrants must be granted access to vaccines on an equal basis with provisions for nationals, UN human rights experts have said in an appeal for “international solidarity, equality and inclusiveness".

“The pandemic has highlighted how now, more than ever, none of us will be safe until everyone is safe. Global access to Covid-19 vaccines for everyone who needs them is the only solution,” the UN Special Rapporteurs said.

“The prioritisation of vaccines within countries should include all those who qualify under a priority group, regardless of who they are. Migrants should be granted access to vaccines on an equal basis with provisions for nationals.”

They added: “In times of crisis, focus should be given to international solidarity, equality and inclusiveness. We call on world leaders to refrain from discriminatory discourses that may lead to the exclusion of certain groups, such as migrants in irregular situations, from the present global public health response.”

[22 January 2021 14:35 · Clea Skopeliti]

NHS England reports further 359,897 vaccinations

A further 359,897 Covid-19 vaccinations have taken place in England, taking the total to 5,100,475, according to provisional NHS England data.

Here’s a breakdown of the latest figures:

• First doses (daily figure): 357,563
• Second doses (daily figure): 2,334
• First doses (total figure): 4,661,293
• Second doses (total figure): 439,182

[22 January 2021 14:43 · Clea Skopeliti]

NHS Scotland reports 23,583 further first doses, 223 second doses

An additional 23,583 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in Scotland,  Public Health Scotland said, bringing the total to 358,454 people in the country. 

It added that 4,689 people have received the second dose, an increase of 223.

[22 January 2021 14:52 · Clea Skopeliti]

Regional breakdown of NHS England vaccination figures

The NHS England data shows a total of 558,553 jabs have been given to people in London between 8 December and 21 January. This figure includes 504,082 first doses and 54,471 second doses.

The breakdown for the other regions is as follows:

• Midlands: 886,072 first doses and 66,841 second doses, making 952,913 in total
• North East and Yorkshire: 770,405 first doses and 71,599 second doses, making 842,004 in total
• North West: 651,591 first doses and 63,149 second doses, making 714,740 in total
• South East: 749,116 first doses and 76,088 second doses, making 825,204 in total
• South West - 522,308 first doses and 53,256 second doses, making 575,564 in total
• East of England - 549,497 first doses and 53,487 second doses, making 602,984 in total.