COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 6th / 7th November 2021

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 9,301,909 (+30,305)
Losses of Life: 141,805 (+62)
Tests: 914,955
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 50,234,416 (87.4% of UK aged 12+)
Vaccinations 2 Doses: 45,836,791 (79.7%)
Booster / 3rd Dose: 10,062,704 (17.5%)

Rep. Of Ireland: 469,386 (+3,428) cases and 5,492 losses of life.

World: 250,527,992 reported cases and 5,063,647 losses of life.

"An amazing 10 million people across the UK have already come forward for their booster.
We know vaccine immunity wanes over time, so boosters are vital in keeping you and your loved ones protected through the winter.
Please get this lifesaving jab as soon as you are called."
Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister.

“I strongly urge everybody who is eligible for a Covid-19 booster or flu vaccine to take up the offer as soon as you can.
For those not yet eligible, please help your parents, grandparents or vulnerable loved ones get their jabs, it could save their life.
And if you haven’t yet had your first and second vaccines, it is not too late, the NHS will always be there to welcome you with open arms.
This truly is a national mission.
If we all come together and play our part, we can get through this challenging winter, avoid a return to restrictions and enjoy Christmas.”
Sajid Javid, UK Health Secretary, with an impassioned speech there, and a belief vaccinations alone will fix the pressure on the NHS.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 3rd, 4th, 5th November 2021

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 9,241,916 (+34,029)
In Hospital Thursday 4th: 9,160
Using A Ventilator Thursday 4th: 1,034
Losses of Life: 141,588 (+193)
Tests: 914,955
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 50,156,656 (87.2% of UK 12+)
Vaccinations 2nd Dose: 45,790,934 (79.6%)
Booster/ 3rd doses: 9,347,074 (16.3%)

Rep. Of Ireland: 458,370 cases and 5,492 losses of life (not yet reported today)

World: 249,633,651 reported cases and 5,049,391 losses of life.

"The age-adjusted risk of deaths involving COVID19 was 32 times greater in unvaccinated people than in fully vaccinated individuals between 2 Jan and 24 Sept 2021"
UK Office for National Statistics (ONS)

WHO has granted emergency use listing to COVAXIN (developed by Bharat Biotech), This is a massive relief to India especially, and it's been a long time coming. All of the countries who rely on WHO to ensure their medicines and treatments are safe, can now use the COVAXIN vaccine. It also opens up travel for anyone already vaccinated. 

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

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 9,130,857 (+33,865)
In Hospital on Monday 1st Nov: 9,538 (UP from 8,693 a week earlier, 7,749 two weeks earlier)
Using A Ventilator on Monday 1st Nov: 1,030 (UP from 913 a week earlier, 823 two weeks earlier)
Losses of Life: 140,964 (+293)
Tests: 905,663
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 50,025,020 (87% of UK aged 12+)
Vaccinations 2 Doses: 45,731,565 (79.5%)
Booster Vaccinations: 8,356,172 (14.5%)
(Great vaccination numbers, low level of testing, better case numbers, but losses of life is really not good at all, and we are still admitting over 1,000 people a day to hospital, and patient numbers are rising.)

Rep. Of Ireland: 452,172 (+3,723) cases and 5,436 losses of life.

World: 248,117,814 reported cases and 5,025,075 losses of life.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and Suffolk local authorities are receiving additional support because of very high levels of COVID  - what used to be known as 'surge' testing and vaccinations.

Boris Johnson has ensured us Christmas isn't anything to worry about:
“I see no evidence whatsoever to think that any kind of lockdown is on the cards.”
Bet that's put your mind at ease.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 30th / 31st October 2021

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 9,057,629 (+38,009)
Losses of Life: 140,632 (+74)
Tests: 875,931
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 49,955,853 (86.9% UK age 12+)
Vaccinations 2nd Dose: 45,697,856 (79.5%)

Area: Cases total last 7 days / Rate per 100,000 population
Wales: 19,018 / 600 (1 in 166)
Scotland: 17,992 / 329.2 (1 in 304)
Northern Ireland; 8,545 / 450.8 (1 in 222)
England: 246,472 / 435.8 (1 in 229)

Rep. Of Ireland: 445,594 (+1,963) cases and 5,436 losses of life.

World: 247,352,866 reported cases and 5,013,900 losses of life.

Mark Drakeford, Welsh First Minister, has made some big announcements and suggestions over the past few days. I didn't cover him on Friday because there was so much to read through, he really took the brakes off and has been all over the telly and radio.
- He says he has been urging the English Government to initiate Plan B for some time
- Measures such as working from home could be reintroduced
- 2,000 cases of a suspected-to-be more transmissible Delta Variant have been detected in Wales
- The self-isolation rules if someone tests positive in your household have been tightened up. IN WALES:
*Fully vaccinated or age 5-17 - self-isolate and take a PCR test. If your test is negative you can stop isolating.
*Not fully vaccinated - self-isolate for 10 days. Take a PCR test on day 2 and day 8. You should self-isolate for 10 days even if your tests are negative.
(Children aged under 5 do not have to self-isolate or take a test.)
- From Monday 11 October IN WALES people will be required to show the NHS COVID Pass to prove they are either fully vaccinated or have a recent negative Lateral Flow Test to attend nightclubs, indoor non-seated events where over 500 people are mixing closely for prolonged periods, outdoor non-seated events where over 4,000 people are mixing closely for prolonged periods, and any event of more than 10,000 people

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 27th / 28th / 29th October 2021

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 8,979,236 (+43,467)
In Hospital on Thursday 28th: 8,983 (UP from 8,238 a week earlier/ 7,086 two weeks earlier - still an increase, but it's slowed a bit)
Using A Ventilator on Thursday 28th: 946 (UP from 892 a week earlier/ 783 two weeks earlier. Again, an increase, but a less steep curve upwards)
Losses of Life: 140,392 (+186)
Tests: 875,931 (low - possibly due to school holidays?)
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 49,882,904 (86.7% of UK aged 12+)
Vaccinations 2 Doses: 45,651,222 (79.4%)

Rep. Of Ireland: 440,665 (+2,541) cases and 5,436 losses of life.

World: 246,561,955 reported cases in total and a very grim milestone, as over 5 million people have now officially been reported as dying from COVID.  5,000,844 people have lost their lives.

"I am upset that so many people have lost their lives, and still our governments fail to protect the healthcare workers that they need most.
There is something seriously wrong, and we all have responsibility."
Annette Kennedy, President of ICN (the International Council of Nurses), for the World Health Organisation. Around 40 countries have not yet been able to vaccinate all of their frontline healthcare workers.

Our World In Data:
"49.1% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
6.97 billion doses have been administered globally, and 23.6 million are now administered each day.
Only 3.3% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose."

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 25th / 26th October 2021

"Because of technical issues at Public Health Wales yesterday, the cases and deaths reported today cover a 72-hour period. However, due to further technical issues, not all cases in the 72-hour period have been flagged as new. The true number of new cases since the previous update is likely to be just over 8,000. The cumulative total is unaffected by this reporting issue."
Also - UK vaccination totals are wrong, so I've left those for today. Counting can be so tricky...

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 8,853,227 (+40,954)
In Hospital on Monday 25th: 8,693 (UP from 7,749 a week earlier, 7,003 two weeks earlier - it's growing by more each week).
Using A Ventilator on Monday 25th: 913 (UP from 823 a week earlier, 747 two weeks earlier - again growing at an increasing rate).
Losses of Life: 139,834 (+263)
Tests: 820,481

Rep. Of Ireland: 431,722 cases and 5,369 losses of life.

World: 245,086,616 reported cases and 4,974,870 losses of life.

"For every 100 people in high-income countries, 133 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, while in low-income countries, only 4 doses per 100 people have been administered."
World Health Organisation. 

Sajid Javid, UK Health Secretary who may or may not reside in an alternate dimension, believes Christmas is going to be fine. He was on the telly and radio  yesterday reassuring the UK public.
He's also implied he is pretty keen on the idea of mandatory vaccinations for Health and social care staff. This is incredibly common elsewhere, it's something many countries are making law.
Approximately 100,000 NHS staff and 100,000 care workers aren't yet vaccinated in the UK. 

We've always been a family that enjoys science, and once the kids get a bit older, Science Mad! caters for the more mature junior scientist, taking things up a notch and using equipment like real glass, fire and chemicals, and language that they'll hear in secondary school.

We've been sent the Chemistry Lab and Planetarium Star Globe for review, and I have a UK giveaway for one of my personal favourites - the Crystal Growing Lab. 

The Science Mad! Chemistry Lab is not a new addition to our house, we actually bought this exact set ourselves a couple of years ago. It's great to see the manufacturer has swapped out the plastic insert for cardboard - nice one.

The set is suitable for age 10+ and it contains a real spirit burner, which runs on methylated spirit. It's illegal to include it in the set, so you will have to get it separately - but you can buy methylated spirits cheaply all over the place (supermarkets, homeware or decorating shops, including Wilkos). It has a million uses, although we tend to use more pleasant-smelling products to clean things nowadays. All you'll need beyond this are commonplace items like vinegar, salt and turmeric. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 23rd / 24th October 2021

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 8,773,674 (+39,962)
Losses of Life: 139,533 (+72)
Tests: 1,011,431
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 49,684,322 (86.4% of UK aged 16+)
Vaccinations 2 Doses: 45,542,207 (79.2%)

Rep. Of Ireland: 428,152 cases and 5,369 losses of life (not yet reported today).

World: 244,355,896 reported cases and 4,962,875 losses of life.

"The pandemic is a powerful demonstration of just how much we rely on health workers, and how vulnerable we all are when the people who protect us are themselves unprotected.
A new WHO working paper estimates that 115,000 health workers may have died from COVID-19 between January 2020 and May this year. That's why it's essential that health workers are prioritised for vaccination.
Data from 110 countries suggests that on average 2 in 5 health and care workers globally are fully vaccinated.
But of course the average makes huge differences across regions and economic groupings. In Africa less than 1 in 10 health workers have been fully vaccinated. Meanwhile in most high income countries, more than 80% of health workers are fully vaccinated.
More than 10 months since the first vaccines were approved, the fact that millions of health workers still haven't been vaccinated is an indictment on the countries and companies that control the global supply of vaccines."
Very strong words from Dr Tedros,  Head of WHO.

Time and again promised vaccines have been diverted to wealthier countries, the West won't allow African countries to produce their own patent-free at-cost versions of vaccines, and vaccine equity has gone out of the window in the scramble to keep countries open.
I do feel incredibly fortunate to be fully vaccinated (especially as my 11 year old just tested positive), but it has a bitter taste when I know that vaccine is more likely to save a life if it goes to someone else. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 20th - 22nd October 2021

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 8,689,949 (+49,298)
In Hospital on Thursday 21st: 8,238 (UP from 7,086 a week earlier)
Using A Ventilator on Thursday 21st: 892 (UP from 783 a week earlier)
Losses of Life: 139,326 (+180)
Tests: 1,011,431
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 49,603,139 (86.3% of UK aged 12+)
Vaccinations 2nd Dose: 45,486,950 (79.1%)

Rep. Of Ireland: 425,725 (+2,465) cases and 5,369 losses of life.

World: 243,550,193 reported cases and 4,949,721 losses of life.

"India scripts history.
We are witnessing the triumph of Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of 130 crore Indians.
Congrats India on crossing 100 crore vaccinations. Gratitude to our doctors, nurses and all those who worked to achieve this feat."
Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister.
1 crore = 10 million, so India have just vaccinated their 1 billionth person.
They have supplied around 10% of all Vaccinations delivered so far in the world. Thanks India.

COVID UK Briefing with Sajid 20th October 2021

UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 8,589,737 (+49,139)
In Hospital Tuesday 19th: 7,891 (up from 7,749 the day before)
Using A Ventilator Tuesday 19th: 850 (up from 823 the day before)

Losses of Life says 139,031 (+179), but it also says "Because of a delay to the update of figures for deaths within 28 days in England, today's update will be delayed. Data will be released no earlier than 6:00pm"
I'm not sure where the +179 comes from, but I think it's the total. Scotland report 26 losses of life today, Wales 13 and Northern Ireland 6.

No surprises the figures in the UK are almost entirely NOT going the correct way. Leaping in maskless and cuddling while all shouting "wheeeeee" has left most of the world staring with their mouths open. It is beginning to crack at the edges. In simple terms, more people are dying than they predicted.

I've tried to keep it in frame that the NHS is under a lot of pressure, and I'm not the only one. Last night it was ambulance drivers warning us that 6 hour delays may become commonplace - mainly because they are spending hours waiting outside A&E to offload patients. The West Midlands is currently (and for a while now) the worst affected - with waits of up to 8 hours 'not uncommon' according to the Metro.
By this morning Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, was in the papers warning that we really are at genuine risk of overwhelming services this Winter if the Government don't bring out Plan B (masks in busy places/ less indoor mixing/ work from home if you can/ vaccine passports for nightclubs etc).
Downing Street responded by saying Boris has “absolutely no plan to introduce Plan B".
Kwasi Kwarteng, the UK Business Secretary, backed that up on the telly this morning, by ensuring viewers the UK is not considering another lockdown.