UK COVID Briefing with Matt Hancock Vaccine Delivery Plan 11 Jan 2021

There was a UK COVID Briefing today with Matt Hancock, Health Minister and face of the UK COVID response, to explain the new plan for the vaccine rollout. He was joined by Professor Steve Powys, medical director of NHS England. 

Matt starts. The new variant is highly contagious, and putting the NHS under extreme pressure.
32,294 people are currently in hospital, up 22% on this time last week
The average number of people who have died over the last week is 926 per day.
Chris Whitty said this morning that "we are at the worst point in this pandemic". Matt seconds this, and says it's your actions NOW that make the difference. Reduce all social contact that isn't absolutely necessary. Act like you have the virus. 

The vaccination programme is continuing apace.
So far 2.6m doses have been given to 2.3m people. More than the rest of Europe added together. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 9th / 10th January 2021.

The UK added 54,940 cases today and now has reported a total of 3,072,345 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 619,941 tests on Thursday 7th. 

32,294 people were in hospital on Thursday 7th, with 3,098 using a ventilator on Friday 8th. 

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 563 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days. We now very sadly have a total of 81,431 officially reported losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 147,613 (+6,886) cases and 2,344 (+8) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 90,423,626 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 1,939,602. Already 64,646,155 people have recovered.

"The NHS in England now over 30,000 covid positive patients in its hospitals - about a third of all available beds (the proportion in intensive care is significantly higher)."
Alistair McLellan, Editor of the HSJ (Health Services Journal). 

Latest charts do suggest it's possible new cases in most UK areas, especially high prevalence areas, have begun to plateau, but let's not get too excited just yet.
It is the weekend, so it can be hard to tell, but in the main the UK lockdowns do seem to be having an effect. Wales shows a sustained drop, Scotland looks like it's turning, and England tentatively is turning overall. Northern Ireland still doesn't look good.
In England, although cases are dropping or staying similar in most authorities, in just a few areas, especially where the new UK variant is beginning to take over, cases are clearly still rising - mainly the North West, South West and Midlands.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 8th January 2021.

The UK added 68,053 cases today and now has reported a total of 2,957,472 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 619,941 tests yesterday. 

31,624 people were in hospital on Wednesday 6th, with 2,929 using a ventilator yesterday, 7th January. 

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 1,325 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days. We now very sadly have a total of 79,833 officially reported losses of life in all settings. Today's figure still includes people who succumbed over Christmas, so is artificially high for a single day. 

Rep. Of Ireland 127,657 cases and 2,307 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.) 

There have now been a total of 88,893,141 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 1,913,630. Already 63,807,780 people have recovered.

Yesterday Sussex and Surrey declared a 'Major Incident' due to the numbers of COVID patients in hospital. London Mayor Sadiq Khan this afternoon has also declared a Major Incident. The ONS study estimates that 1 in every 30 Londoners currently has COVID, with ratios as high as 1 in 20 in some areas. The NHS is really struggling to cope with demand, not only upon the hospitals themselves and their staff, but also the Ambulance crews and everyone else involved in the chain of care. 

From next week passengers arriving in England by boat, plane or train will have to take a COVID test no more than 72 hours before departing the country they are in, "to help protect against the new strains of coronavirus such as those seen in Denmark and South Africa".
(Denmark? you ask. Well, yes. Denmark is finding a worrying increase in cases of the, erm... UK variant...)
Scotland have said they'll also have the same measures, and it's anticipated Wales and Northern Ireland will also make negative tests mandatory. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 6th / 7th January 2021.

The UK added 52,618 cases today and now has reported a total of 2,889,419 positive cases of COVID-19. 

We completed 557,441 tests yesterday.
As of 3 January 1,296,432 people had been vaccinated with their 1st dose. 

30,370 people were in hospital on Tuesday 5th (up from 23,813 8 days earlier), with 2,821 people using a ventilator yesterday, 6th January (up from 1,847 9 days earlier).  

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 1,162 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days. We now very sadly have a total of 78,508 officially reported losses of life in all settings. 

Country / Cases / Losses of life as per death certificates.
Wales 163,234 / 4,357
Scotland 143,715 / 6,298
Northern Ireland 84,646 / 1,649
England 2,497,824 / 70,320

Rep. Of Ireland 121,154 cases and 2,299 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.) 

There have now been a total of 87,994,422 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 1,898,400. Already 63,341,769 people have recovered.

MPs were recalled to parliament yesterday to vote on England’s latest national lockdown restrictions. They were approved 524-16. The lockdown is now law. 

I'll start with the worst news. London has just 2 weeks before it is overwhelmed by COVID patients, according to a leaked NHS England briefing shared by the HSJ (Health Services Journal). This is a pretty grim position to be in, because we know cases haven't yet stopped going up, and losses of life lag behind by 2-3 weeks, so we can't make this go away, whatever we do right now.
We managed without needing to use the Nightingales or ration care before, we would need a miracle this time. Projections estimate a shortfall of between around 400 and 4,000 beds - after opening the London Nightingale. Patients are, right now, being moved from London around the country in an effort to spread the load, but as cases rise elsewhere too, that can only happen for a limited time. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 5th January 2021.

Note that today and tomorrow figures contain some extras because of the bank holiday weekend. Scotland for example has not reported losses of life since the end of December. These people all need to be counted, every one, but it won't give a truly accurate image until about Thursday. 

The UK added 60,916 cases today and now has reported a total of 2,774,479 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 464,611 tests yesterday. 

NHS figures show we had 26,467 people in hospital in England yesterday, with 2,378 using a ventilator.   

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 830 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days. We now very sadly have a total of 76,305 officially reported losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 107,997 cases and 2,265 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.) 

There have now been a total of 86,490,966 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 1,869,188. Already 61,269,766 people have recovered.

A big soft, warm hug for every parent and carer who had a hard job this morning to explain to a child that school was closed again after 1 day. I know my own children would have struggled with that had they been in school yesterday. And a hug for every child who doesn't enjoy school at home.

Boris did another UK briefing today, this time at 5pm, and with genuine scientists beside him. The big guns - Chris "my eyes, my eyes" Whitty and Patrick "I can blink any time I want" Vallance.

COVID UK News and Briefing with Boris 4th January 2021

Stay at home.... 

Boris pre-recorded an address to the UK, which was shown this evening. 

He says that the restrictions would have worked against the old variant of the virus, but the new UK variant is frustrating, and all the science suggests it is between 50-70% more transmissible. "You are much, much more likely to catch the virus and pass it on."

As he speaks tonight, hospitals are under more pressure than at any other time. In England alone, the number pf patients has increased by nearly 1/3 in the last week, to almost 27,000. This is 40% higher than at the height of the first peak in April. 

On 29th December, over 80,000 people tested positive across the UK. The losses of life is up by 20% over the last week, and will sadly continue to rise, (as we have more and more people in hospital). 

Most of the country is already under extreme measures, but it's clear we need to do more to bring it under control while the vaccine is rolled out. 

In England we will have a national lockdown "tough enough to contain this variant".

- From midnight in England STAY AT HOME. You may only leave home for limited reasons permitted in law: shopping for essentials / medical assistance / exercise / "to work if you absolutely cannot work from home" and to escape domestic abuse. (All details will be on the gov dot uk website.)

- If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you need to start shielding (you'll get a letter)

- Education moves to remote provision from tomorrow. Primary, secondary and colleges - except for vulnerable children and the children of key workers.

- EVERYONE will still be able to access EARLY YEARS provision, such as nurseries.

- Next Summer's exams may not be possible or fair. The Education Secretary will work with OfQual to put in place alternative arrangements.

- We will provide extra support to ensure free school meals will still be available while schools are closed.

- More devices will be distributed to support remote education. 

Personally, as someone who loves long dresses, I can't find fault in this guest post. A long dress can instantly make you feel 'dressed up', whilst hiding a multitude of bumps and lumps. It's been a little while since I went on a date though... 

Nothing beats the feeling of butterflies in your stomach in the days and hours leading up to a date, but many women put themselves under enormous pressure to find the right outfit, often disproportionately so!

As a result, this often ends up in panic-buying, where you end up with a dress that doesn’t suit you at all – and which you may even not like! – and the date starts off with you in a bundle of nerves, rather than cool, calm, collected and ready to enjoy yourself.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 3rd January 2021.

The UK added 54,990 cases today and now has reported a total of 2,654,779 positive cases of COVID-19. 

People in hospital in the whole UK hasn't been updated since 23,823 six days ago.
NHS England figures state that on 2nd December 24,957 people were in hospital with COVID (up from 19,277 a week earlier), with 2,181 people using a ventilator (up from 1,996 a week earlier). 

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 454 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days. We now very sadly have a total of 75,024 officially reported losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 101,887 (+4,961) cases and 2,259 (+7) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 85,237,889 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 1,847,668. Already 60,282,568 people have recovered.

After all of the news over the past week, today started off a lot quieter - although I'm quite frustrated Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, hasn't done a UK Briefing to explain his reasoning behind school reopening, and maybe even gave it a shot at reassuring the UK public. You might find it easier if you read this post safely locked in your own home, and pretend you don't live in the UK...

"It may be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country. I’m fully reconciled to that."
UK PM and persistent ditherer, Boris Johnson, this morning.
The next few weeks Boris? Helloooooooo. Surprise, there's a pandemic. Remember that?
Boris, the next few days is too long. I'm sorry you didn't get a Christmas break, but you took the job. Act. NOW. Before the NHS collapses. The world is staring at us with their jaws on the floor. 

 COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 1st / 2nd January 2021.

The UK added 57,725 cases today (up from 30,501 on 27th December) and now has reported a total of 2,599,789 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 420,492 tests yesterday. 

23,823 people were in hospital on Monday 28th December (up from 20,917 a week earlier), with 1,847 using a ventilator (up from 1,529 six days earlier). 

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 445 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days. We now very sadly have a total of 74,570 officially reported losses of life in all settings. (We haven't been getting all of the data over the Christmas and New Year period. Bear in mind numbers will bounce a little until around next Wednesday.)

Rep. Of Ireland 96,926 (+3,394) cases and 2,252 (+4) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 84,649,345 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 1,839,554. Already 59,838,067 people have recovered.

Happy new year! 

Well, it will be eventually. Let's hold that thought. 

So the new UK variant is causing a headache. It is transmitting quickly. Very quickly. Any areas without large numbers of new variant cases are likely to see it explode there too without pretty harsh measures. During lockdown while the regular cases stayed low and controlled, and in many areas showed a fall, the new variant grew. It spread fast amongst students and children, and is most common in teenagers. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update New Year's Eve, 31st December 2020.

The UK added 55,892 cases today and now has reported a total of 2,488,780 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 420,492 tests yesterday. 

23,813 people were in hospital on Monday 28th (up from 20,917 a week earlier), with 1,847 using a ventilator (up from 1,529 a week earlier).. 

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 964 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days. We now very sadly have a total of 73,512 officially reported losses of life in all settings. Up until Friday 18th December, 82,624 people in the UK had COVID written on their death certificate. 

Rep. Of Ireland 90,157 cases and 2,226 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.) 

There have now been a total of 83,476,768 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 1,819,871. Already 59,111,145 people have recovered.

On 31st December 2019, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China, reported a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province. Rumours and videos were already circulating, although official Western media was really disinterested, and over here we were mostly relying on Chinese or Taiwanese Journalists who were kind enough to translate. (At one point I could recognise several place names in Chinese. I have now deleted that skill.)

It is the end of a very long and hard year that we could never have seen coming or prepared for. We've all shown an ability to adapt and to cope which we wouldn't have thought possible a year ago. Allow yourself a smile, because we got this far, so we know we can get through the next few months until vaccines and antibody cocktails begin to really make their impact. 

There is some news today and some of it isn't great, as really you would have to expect. Some of it is better news. It's never all bad.