Boris Johnson broadcasts plan to finish all Covid restrictions this month
The Prime Minister is about to announce whether or not free PCR checks will come to an finish for most individuals with Covid signs in England on Monday.
A authorities supply advised The Unbiased that free lab checks may “probably” be scrapped besides for terribly weak sufferers and people in hospitals and care properties underneath new cost-saving plans.
Requested concerning the plans, the prime minister’s spokesman stated: “We haven’t made any last selections on the way forward for testing.
“We’ve stated that free testing will come to an finish on the proper second. These selections should be made this week, each by way of precisely when that point is and what’s retained.”
In the meantime, the drive to vaccinate kids aged 5 to 11 has been delayed as ministers resolve whether or not or to not settle for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice to supply this age group the vaccine on a non-urgent foundation.
Although the choice was revamped every week in the past, the federal government is reportedly in an deadlock with the JCVI and Boris Johnson is predicted to announce the choice on February 21, when he presents his Dwelling with Covid plan to parliament.
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Ella Glover14 February 2022 16:14
UK diplomat discovered useless in a forest in 2020 had been engaged on the federal government’s Covid taskforce
A diplomat discovered useless in a forest vanished from his house after struggling excessive stress whereas working for the federal government’s Covid taskforce on the peak the pandemic, an inquest has heard.
Former ambassador to Nepal Richard Morris labored lengthy hours underneath excessive stress, serving to co-ordinate briefings to ministers at a time when the UK was battling the fierce first wave of coronavirus.
On Monday, his widow fought again tears as she advised an inquest he had been “completely unprotected” from the calls for of the Covid taskforce.
Alison Morris stated her husband feared there was not sufficient time to course of info within the fast-moving interval and if any info error bought previous him the Authorities “can be torn aside within the press”.
In consequence he was “determined” to maintain on high of what was occurring, working day-after-day with “no actual day without work”, she stated.
She added that “it was probably the most demanding job he had ever carried out.”
Ella Glover14 February 2022 15:55
Boris Johnson’s responses to Partygate police questionnaire ‘is not going to be made public’
Boris Johnson’s responses to his Metropolitan Police questionnaire into social gatherings at No 10 is not going to be made public, Downing Avenue has stated.
Requested concerning the questionnaire throughout a go to to Scotland, the PM stated: “All that course of has bought to be accomplished earlier than I can say something extra, however I sit up for telling you much more in the end.”
Mr Johnson’s official spokesman stated: “As we stated on Friday, we’ll reply as required. As you realize, I believe the Met made clear that that was in seven days, so we’ll adjust to that requirement.”
Requested if the responses can be made public, the No 10 spokesman stated: “No.”
Ella Glover14 February 2022 15:35
9 in 10 lecturers say their job has made psychological well being worse for the reason that pandemic
A survey of practically 12,000 lecturers by the union NASUWT discovered that 91 % discovered their job had adversely affected their psychological well being.
An analogous quantity (90 %) stated they’d skilled larger ranges of work-related stress over the previous yr.
Greater than half (52 %) stated their workloads had been the primary consider larger stress ranges, and 72 % stated that organising on-line studying for pupils had been a significant contributor to worsening psychological well being through the pandemic.
Ella Glover14 February 2022 15:12
Vietnam to carry all restrictions on worldwide flights from Tuesday
Vietnam will carry all restrictions on worldwide passenger flights with all markets, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.
From Tuesday, there will probably be no limits on the variety of worldwide flights and the frequency of flights will probably be restored to pre-pandemic ranges, Tuoi Tre stated, citing Dinh Viet Son, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.
Vietnam has been steadily stress-free flight restrictions for the reason that starting of the yr.
Ella Glover14 February 2022 14:45
‘Clear’ Omicron is much less harmful than earlier variants, says Johnson
Boris Johnson stated it’s “clear” the Omicron variant is much less harmful than earlier variants, the Guardian reported.
Requested whether or not his plans to chill out all restrictions in England later this month had been backed by proof, the Prime Minister stated: “I believe the state of affairs with Covid is that numbers stay excessive, however it’s clear that Omicron is way much less harmful than the Delta.
“You possibly can see the numbers happening in hospitals, numbers in ICU have been nothing like what we noticed with Delta.
“I believe we’re on the appropriate traces and collectively we’ve been taking roughly the identical technique.
“I do know individuals make loads of small variations. I perceive that utterly. However, total, the UK has actually been working very, very successfully collectively on testing, which is vital.”
Ella Glover14 February 2022 14:20
ICYMI: 9 Omicron signs affecting absolutely vaccinated and two early indicators you might need it
In case you missed it, we have now the 9 key Omicron signs to look out for.
A Norwegian research discovered the eight commonest Omicron signs to be a cough, runny nostril, fatigue, sore throat, headache, muscle ache, fever and sneezing.
Nausea, significantly in vaccinated individuals, was added to the record by public well being specialists.
Researchers in Norway carried out a research interviewing 111 out of 117 friends from a celebration on 26 November 2021 the place there was an Omicron outbreak. Of the group interviewed, 66 had definitive circumstances of Covid-19 and 15 had doable circumstances of the virus.
Of the 111 individuals, 89 per cent had obtained two doses of an mRNA vaccine and none had obtained a booster shot.
Ella Glover14 February 2022 13:50
Free Covid lab checks poised to finish for most individuals underneath new cost-cutting plans
Free lab checks for most individuals with Covid signs are poised to finish in England from as early as subsequent month underneath new authorities cost-cutting plans, a authorities supply advised The Unbiased.
On Monday, the PM is predicted to announce whether or not fees will probably be launched for PCR checks, in addition to lateral circulate checks, besides for terribly weak sufferers and people in hospitals and care properties, our deputy political editor Rob Merrick stories.
Requested if solely probably the most weak would escape fees in future, a authorities supply advised The Unbiased: “Doubtlessly, PCR testing may be very costly.”
Requested concerning the plans, the prime minister’s spokesman stated: “We haven’t made any last selections on the way forward for testing.
“We’ve stated that free testing will come to an finish on the proper second. These selections should be made this week, each by way of precisely when that point is and what’s retained.”
Ella Glover14 February 2022 13:35
Some 4 % of instructing and social care workers had been self-isolating on the finish of January
Round one in 25 individuals within the UK working in social care, instructing and schooling had been more likely to have been self-isolating due to Covid-19 on the finish of final month, new figures present.
Some 4 % of social care staff had been self-isolating on January 29, up from 2.3 % two weeks earlier, together with 3.9 % of instructing and schooling workers, up from 2 %.
These had been the very best estimates of self-isolation amongst all components of the workforce, with the instructing sector having climbed above the extent seen on the peak of the Omicron wave in early January (3.5 %).
The figures, which have been revealed by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS), are the primary of their variety to estimate the proportion of individuals self-isolating in various kinds of employment.
Ella Glover14 February 2022 13:20
Low-cost OxVent ventilator accepted for manufacturing
A low-cost ventilator has been accepted for manufacturing, stories Sky Information.
The OxVent ventilator prices £1,850 to produced, in contrast with round £22,000 for a typical NHS mannequin.
Professor Sebastien Ourselin, head of faculty of biomedical engineering and imaging sciences at King’s School London and non-executive director at OxVent Ltd stated: “The OxVent ventilator is now a extremely advanced medical gadget which has the technical functionality to offer much-needed assist in areas of the world the place entry to life-saving medical applied sciences is proscribed.
“By design the ventilator permits for easy set-up, overcoming challenges posed by an absence of assets.”
The designs and manufacturing techniques to low and middle-income international locations who can not afford present gadgets.
Ella Glover14 February 2022 12:56
Kaynak: briturkish.com