Coronavirus UK news update – EU heads for vaccine ‘disaster’ after suspending AstraZeneca despite no blood clot evidence

MATT HANCOCK DEFENDS 1% PAY RISE FOR NHS WORKERS

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a 1% pay rise for NHS workers was an increase, not a cut.

Giving evidence to the Health Select Committee, he said that NHS workers had been “carved out” of the pay freeze in the rest of the public sector.

When asked why it was 1% when the NHS 10-year plan made a 2.1% provision for annual pay increases for NHS workers, he said: “The NHS was carved out of the pay freeze that has been applied due to the enormous pressure on the public finances, that has been applied to everyone else in the public sector.

“We put in place evidence reflecting what is affordable and we of course will study what the pay review body says.”

Asked whether it was a pay increase or a real-terms pay cut, Mr Hancock added: “Inflation is below 1% and therefore a proposed 1% pay rise is indeed a pay rise and that’s simply a matter of fact.”

CARE HOME RESIDENT COVID DEATHS FALL BY MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS IN MONTH

Care home resident deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales have fallen by more than three quarters in a month, figures show.

There were 2,175 care home resident deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate registered in the week ending February 5, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The latest weekly figures show 467 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 were registered in the week to March 5 – down 78.5% in four weeks.

The figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.

The ONS data also shows that the overall number of deaths of care home residents have been below the average for this time of year for three weeks in a row.

WEEK-ON-WEEK FALL IN NUMBER OF COVID-19 DEATHS ACROSS ENGLAND

ll regions of England recorded a week-on-week fall in the number of Covid-19 deaths registered in the week to March 5, the ONS said.

South-east England saw the highest number of Covid-19 deaths registered: 328, down 32% from 481 in the previous week.

Eastern England saw the second highest number: 277, down 18% from 337.

HALF OF ALL ADULTS JABBED BY WEEK’S END

HALF of all adults in the UK could be vaccinated by the end of this week as the jab rollout surges ahead. 

Some 24.4 million Brits have already been inoculated – under two million short of half of all over-18s in the country.

It comes after over 770,000 jabs were given out over the weekend – with 512,108 doled out on Saturday alone. 

Supplies are also set to receive a boost this week, with around four million doses to become available. 

NHS England has written to vaccine providers to urge them to ensure they have the staff in place to ramp up capacity. 

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He reveals in the documentary that while Oscar did not die of Covid he believee it wouldn’t have happened had it not been for the pandemic.

“I didn’t get to say goodbye to Oscar. And I suppose there are people whose family’s members died in intensive care who neve had that chance either, and it hurts,” he says in the documentary which airs tonight at 9pm.

As the segment wrapped, a clearly emotional Holly, 40, fought back tears as she encouraged viewers to donate to their local NHS charities.

EMOTIONAL TIME FOR THIS MORNING HOST TALKING DEATH OF COVID DOCTOR’S SON

This Morning’s Holly Willoughby fought back tears as an ICU doctor on the frontlines of the Covid pandemic revealed his son had died.

Professor Hugh Montgomery appeared on Tuesday’s show to talk about the importance of people watching ITV’s documentary 2020: The Story of Us.

The landmark feature-length documentary by Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald tells the story of coronavirus in Britain through the experience of people affected.

Prof Hugh admitted he won’t be watching it as it would be too traumatic to revisit the harrowing hospitals scenes as NHS staff battled the Covid pandemic.

The professor also choked up in tears as he revealed his 17-year-old son, Oscar, died in May.

NIGHTINGALE COURT WILL OPEN IN NOTTINGHAM TO REDUCE COURT CASE BACKLOG

A Nightingale court will open in Nottingham this month to reduce the area’s court case backlog, Robert Buckland has announced.

Asked if the Government has plans to create a Nightingale court in Nottingham by Conservative MP Darren Henry, Mr Buckland said: « I am delighted to let (Mr Henry) know that as a result of the campaigning that he and other Nottinghamshire colleagues have undertaken, we will indeed be opening a Nightingale court in Nottingham before the end of this very month.

« And I agree that adding additional capacity to opening up Nightingales is the key to tackling the higher level of outstanding cases caused by the pandemic.

« We’ve now opened Nightingales in every HMCTS region and we are on track to have a total of 60 additional court rooms by the end of March. »

NEARLY NINE IN 10 PUPILS HAVE ATTENDED SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND SINCE REOPENING

Nearly nine in 10 pupils have attended schools in England since they began to fully reopen last week, Government figures show.

Around 89% of secondary school pupils were in class on March 15 – a week after schools began to stagger the return of these pupils for mass testing, the Department for Education (DfE) analysis shows.

Attendance in primary schools began at 96% at the start of last week, but it fell slightly to 94% on March 15, the figures suggest.

Overall, attendance in state schools steadily increased from 68% on March 8 to 89% on March 11.

The DfE estimates that 1% of all state school pupils on roll did not attend school for Covid-19 related reasons on Thursday last week.

THIRD OF UK TOWNS AND CITIES HAVE SEEN A RISE IN CASES OVER LAST WEEK

A third of towns and cities in England have seen a rise in cases of coronavirus in a week, according to new figures from Public Health England.

Latest figures show 104 areas have seen a rise in case rates, 209 have seen a fall and two remain unchanged, Metro reported.

Hull now has the highest reported number of Covid-19 cases, followed by Corby and Redditch.

The data, published yesterday, is for the seven days up to March 11.

The news comes a week after British pupils headed back to school, as part of Boris Johnson’s lockdown-easing roadmap.

‘DEADLIEST DAY’ OF UK’S COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS IN SECOND WAVE, NOT FIRST

The UK suffered its worst day for Covid-19 deaths during the second wave of the virus, new analysis confirms.

A total of 1,463 deaths occurred on January 19 where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

This is four more than the 1,459 deaths that occurred on April 8 2020, which was previously the UK’s « deadliest day ».

The total for January 19 has only now overtaken April 8, due to a small number of deaths that have recently been registered.

The figures have been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and provide the fullest picture so far of how the Covid-19 pandemic has unfolded in the UK.

They show that 147,681 deaths have now occurred in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

OPERATIONAL COST OF PANDEMIC FOR THE NHS COVERED BY GOVERNMENT

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the operational cost of the pandemic for the NHS will be covered by the Government.

When asked by the Health Select Committee about the extra £7 billion the NHS needs for Covid-related costs, Mr Hancock said working out the cost of the pandemic for the NHS was complicated.

But he said the issue will be resolved soon, and added: « We have been clear we will find the Covid costs and just working out exactly what they are is complicated, not least because you have to see where we are in the pandemic.

« Thankfully we are in a far better place in the pandemic than we were in November when the Spending Review was settled, nor indeed in January or February.

« So working out the exact operational costs will be published shortly but what all parts of the NHS know is the direct operational costs of Covid will be covered. »

MODERNA TESTING VACCINE ON CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS SIX MONTHS

Moderna Inc. has begun studying its Covid-19 vaccine in children aged six months to 11 years in the U.S. and Canada.

The move comes as the latest effort to widen the mass-vaccination campaign beyond adults, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The company today said the first children have received doses in the study, which Moderna was conducting in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a division of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“This pediatric study will help us assess the potential safety and immunogenicity of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate in this important younger age population,” Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel said.

The majority of Covid-19 vaccination campaigns across the world have focused on protecting adults – who were at higher risk of severe disease caused by the virus.

MATT HANCOCK DEFENDS 1% PAY RISE FOR NHS WORKERS

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a 1% pay rise for NHS workers was an increase, not a cut.

Giving evidence to the Health Select Committee, he said that NHS workers had been « carved out » of the pay freeze in the rest of the public sector.

When asked why it was 1% when the NHS 10-year plan made a 2.1% provision for annual pay increases for NHS workers, he said: « The NHS was carved out of the pay freeze that has been applied due to the enormous pressure on the public finances, that has been applied to everyone else in the public sector.

« We put in place evidence reflecting what is affordable and we of course will study what the pay review body says. »

Asked whether it was a pay increase or a real-terms pay cut, Mr Hancock added: « Inflation is below 1% and therefore a proposed 1% pay rise is indeed a pay rise and that’s simply a matter of fact. »

RAIL CATERING FIRM PROBING ALLEGATIONS WORKERS WENT TO WORK KNOWING THEY HAD COVID

A rail catering firm is probing allegations two workers went to work ‘knowing they had covid’.

Rail Gourmet, which provides catering for LNER, has launched an investigation into claims two members of staff knowingly went to work with covid.

But the Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said the two staff, who had contracted covid, were facing disciplinary hearings ‘for raising related health and safety concerns while they are in isolation and suffering significantly from the effects of the illness’.

RMT accused the firm of ‘silencing and disciplining hardworking staff who dare to raise genuine safety concerns’.

It is understood the two members of staff are being investigated for « breach of trust » and « breach of health and safety concerning Covid 19 ».

UK COVID CASES RISE EIGHT PER CENT ON LAST WEEK AFTER SCHOOLS RETURN

UK Covid cases yesterday rose by 5,089 – up by eight per cent on the number of new infections recorded this time last week.

It follows the reopening of schools last Monday, which scientists feared could lead to a rise in cases.

It is not clear whether the reopening of schools has caused today’s slight rise in new cases.

But Professor John Edmunds, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), suggested last month it would be better to bring age groups back gradually, rather than open all classrooms at once.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “Of course there’s great needs to get our kids back in schools as fast as we can. But sticking to the epidemiology, yeah, of course, it’s always safer to take smaller steps and evaluate.”

NEW COVID VARIANT FOUND IN NORTHERN FRANCE

An entirely new Covid-19 variant has reportedly been discovered in the French region of Brittany.

A statement from the French Ministry of Health said the new variant was detected in a cluster of cases in a hospital in the regional town of Lannion, City A.M. reported.

The Ministry stressed that initial analysis had not shown that the new variant was more contagious or lethal than other mutations.

No other details had yet been provided.

WEALTHIEST HOUSEHOLDS ‘HAD GREATER CAPACITY TO COPE WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS’

The wealthiest households had greater capacity to cut back during Covid restrictions, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show.

Overall, average weekly household spending in the UK was £587.90 immediately prior to the pandemic, down slightly from £603.10 the year before.

Overall, households in the highest income decile spent almost four times as much as those in the lowest decile. However their average disposable income was around 11 times higher, which suggests they had a greater ability to save, the figures indicate.

Before coronavirus, 54% of lower income households’ spending went on essentials such as housing, food and transport compared with 42% of those on the highest incomes.

The ONS said the figures suggested those on the highest incomes « may have had greater capacity to cut back on spending when restrictions were imposed during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic ».

CARE HOME RESIDENT COVID DEATHS FALL BY MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS IN MONTH

Care home resident deaths involving coronavirus in England and Wales have fallen by more than three quarters in a month, figures show.

There were 2,175 care home resident deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate registered in the week ending February 5, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The latest weekly figures show 467 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 were registered in the week to March 5 – down 78.5% in four weeks.

The figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.

The ONS data also shows that the overall number of deaths of care home residents have been below the average for this time of year for three weeks in a row.

COVID-19 DEATHS AMONG THOSE AGED 80 AND OVER FALL BY 86%

Deaths involving Covid-19 among people aged 80 and over have fallen by 86% since the second-wave peak, the latest ONS figures show.

A total of 743 Covid-19 deaths in the 80 and over age group occurred in England and Wales in the week ending March 5, down from 5,339 deaths in the week ending January 22.

Deaths for those aged 75-79 also dropped 86% in the same period, compared with falls of 85% for those aged 70-74, 75% for those aged 65-69 and 72% for those aged 60-64.

People aged 80 and over were the second group on the priority list for Covid-19 vaccines, with doses being offered from early December.

WEEK-ON-WEEK FALL IN NUMBER OF COVID-19 DEATHS ACROSS ENGLAND

ll regions of England recorded a week-on-week fall in the number of Covid-19 deaths registered in the week to March 5, the ONS said.

South-east England saw the highest number of Covid-19 deaths registered: 328, down 32% from 481 in the previous week.

Eastern England saw the second highest number: 277, down 18% from 337.

ONE IN THREE HAD COVID ANTIBODIES IN MONTH UP TO MARCH 3

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, an estimated 1 in 3 people, or 34.6% of the population would have tested positive for antibodies against the coronavirus in the month up to 3 March 2021.

This suggesting they had the infection in the past or have been vaccinated.

In Wales, an estimated 1 in 3 people (95% confidence interval: 1 in 4 to 1 in 3) would have tested positive for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 on a blood test in the 28 days up to 3 March 2021, suggesting they had the infection in the past or have been vaccinated.

One in three (!!) people in England, Wales and NI (and one in four in Scotland) would have Covid antibodies in the month up to March 3 as jabs roll-out continues apace. People aged 70 and over are most likely to have antibodies now.

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He emphasised that the JCVI, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) had all come out to say the vaccine is « safe ».

Prof Harnden said « clearly we need to keep a very close monitoring of this situation », but added: « It’s really important to remember that Covid is a vascular illness and causes clots all over the body ».

« So the risk of developing blood clots from Covid far, far exceeds any potential risk from the vaccination, » he added.

RISK OF BLOOD CLOTS FROM COVID ‘FAR EXCEEDS’ POTENTIAL RISKS FROM VACCINATION

An immunisation expert has said the risk of getting a blood clot from Covid « far exceeds » any potential risk from the vaccination.

Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Good Morning Britain that around 11 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine had been safely administered in the UK.

Experts were « not seeing any increase » in signals of blood clots between those vaccinated and what would be expected in the general population, he said.

UK ECONOMY WILL RECOVER TO PRE-COVID LEVEL BY ‘END OF THIS YEAR’

The UK economy will recover to its pre-Covid level by the end of this year, the Bank of England’s governor Andrew Bailey said yesterday.

He said he was now much more upbeat about the economic future thanks to the jab roll-out.

He said: “I’m more positive — but with a large dose of caution.”

The recovery will come once lockdown eases and people start spending money saved while at home, he says.

PORTUGAL REMOVED FROM ‘RED LIST’

PORTUGAL has been REMOVED from the UK’s « red list » which banned all travel to the country – in a huge boost for summer holidays later this year.

Travel to the country has been prohibited over Covid variants, and returning Brits were forced to pay £1,750 to quarantine for 10 days at a quarantine hotel.

Portugal, the only country in Europe to have been on it, has now been taken off – giving Brits hope of a summer holiday later this year.

This means travel will not be banned and anyone returning from the country can instead quarantine for 10 days at their own home.

It was originally placed onto the red list due to the risk of new variants, in particular the Brazil variant due to its connecting flights to the country.