Covid information newest: Ministers set to U-turn on obligatory NHS vaccines

Sue Grey has handed Boris Johnson a model of her inquiry into allegations of lockdown-breaking events in Downing Road the Cupboard Workplace mentioned.

A rigorously worded assertion instructed that the “replace” to the prime minister from the senior civil servant was not the total report after she was informed to pare it again by Scotland Yard.

Mr Johnson had earlier insisted “I stick completely to what I’ve mentioned prior to now” when questioned about his reported denials of any wrongdoing to Tory MPs.

Households and social care chiefs have hailed a “big step ahead” in direction of the tip of the pandemic after the federal government introduced the tip of restrictions on guests to care properties from Monday.

Limits on the quantity of people that can go to care properties might be eased from subsequent week and self-isolation intervals may even be minimize for many who check constructive for Covid-19.

If a care residence discovers an outbreak of coronavirus (outlined as two constructive instances), they’ll solely must implement management measures for 14 days, and never 18.

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Laurence Fox has tried to close down a physician who supplied him skilled medical recommendation after he contracted Covid-19.

The controversial actor and failed London mayoral candidate examined constructive for coronavirus on Sunday (30 January), simply days after sharing a photograph sporting a t-shirt that learn: “No vaccine wanted. I’ve an immune system.”

Palliative care physician and creator Rachel Clarke shared a information story about Fox getting Covid and wished him a “speedy restoration”, whereas warning that his chosen medicine of Ivermectin was not advisable by medical specialists.

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China has recorded 119 Covid instances in solely 4 days amongst members on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Russian biathlete Valeria Vasnetsova confirmed on Monday that her Olympics bid was over after she examined constructive twice following her arrival in Beijing.

The Winter Olympics are going forward regardless of journey out and in of China being severely restricted.

These travelling to Beijing for the video games should come on constitution flights and keep of their bubble till they go away.

Authorities chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance is to turn into the subsequent chairman of the Pure Historical past Museum it has been introduced.

Sir Patrick mentioned he has liked the museum since childhood, and it impressed him to pursue a profession in science.

He has been a key determine in informing the Authorities’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, was the chief scientific adviser to the Cop26 local weather summit, and leads the Web Zero Innovation Board – which helps the drive to chop emissions to zero general by 2050.

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Information tales this week claimed a “new Covid variant” often known as “NeoCoV” had emerged and threatened greater an infection and mortality charges than earlier strains of the virus that prompted the worldwide pandemic.

Nonetheless, the reality is extra sophisticated – and fewer alarming.

The stories cite a examine, not but peer-reviewed, revealed by Chinese language researchers within the BioRxiv journal earlier this week.

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In his interview in Essex, Boris Johnson mentioned Sajid Javid, the well being secretary, will make a press release on vaccination coverage for NHS staff later.

He mentioned: “My view on NHS staff, everyone concerned in taking care of weak individuals, all healthcare professionals ought to get a vaccine. That’s completely clear.

I believe that Sajid Javid, the well being secretary, is saying a bit extra afterward about the way you would possibly take care of totally different variants of coronavirus as a result of they’ve totally different implications in relation to transmission.”

Joe Rogan has addressed the controversy surrounding two of his podcasts about Covid-19 vaccines on Spotify.

Final yr the 54-year-old podcaster interviewed extensively discredited physician Robert Malone, who claimed on his present The Joe Rogan Expertise that Individuals have been “hypnotised” into sporting masks and getting vaccines.

Quickly after that, lots of of scientists and medical professionals began asking Spotify to handle Covid misinformation on Rogan’s controversial episodes about vaccines.

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A sub-lineage of the Omicron variant of coronavirus is ready to unfold sooner than the unique, evaluation by the UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) has discovered.

The UKHSA mentioned BA.2 – a pressure first detected in December – had a relatively greater progress charge in all noticed areas of England, which means instances have been rising sooner than they have been for BA.1, identified generally because the Omicron variant.

Regardless of proof of elevated transmissibility, the brand new sub-variant was nowhere close to changing into dominant within the UK.

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The streaming big Spotify has responded to the mounting controversy surrounding it internet hosting a podcast that many imagine spreads misinformation about Covid.

On Sunday, the platform’s chief govt Daniel Ek issued a press release to say Spotify is working so as to add a content material advisory to any podcast episode that features a dialogue about Covid-19.

Listeners who entry content material that talks in regards to the virus could be directed to a devoted web site that “supplies easy accessibility to data-driven details, up-to-date data as shared by scientists, physicians, teachers and public well being authorities world wide, in addition to hyperlinks to trusted sources”.

Mr Ek added: “This new effort to fight misinformation will roll out to international locations world wide within the coming days. To our data, this content material advisory is the primary of its form by a serious podcast platform.”