COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 29th / 30th March 2021.

The UK added 4.040 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,341,736 positive cases of COVID-19.

30,680,948 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 3,838,010 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

4,153 people were in hospital on Sunday 28th March, with 583 using a ventilator yesterday, 29th March.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 56 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 126,670 losses of life in all settings.

Up until Friday 19th March, 149,168 people had COVID listed as a cause on their death certificate. 

Nation / Cases / Losses of Life:

Wales: 209,285 / 7,741
Scotland: 217,890 / 9,880
Northern Ireland: 117,166 / 2,885
England 3,797,395 / 127,616

Rep. Of Ireland 235,078 cases and 4,667 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 128,522,353 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,808,803. Already 103,673,162 people have recovered.

Today a joint letter has been published around the globe. It is co-signed by 26 of the world's political leaders, and the head of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros. It calls for a "Pandemic Treaty" - a unanimously agreed process of working together in the future against global threats.
"Our solidarity in ensuring that the world is better prepared will be our legacy that protects our children and grandchildren and minimizes the impact of future pandemics on our economies and our societies.
Pandemic preparedness needs global leadership for a global health system fit for this millennium. To make this commitment a reality, we must be guided by solidarity, fairness, transparency, inclusiveness and equity."
We aren't safe until we are all safe. 

29th March 2021 England COVID Briefing with Boris, Chris and Pat.

Cases: 4,337,696 (+4,654)
Losses of Life: 126,615 (+23)
Vaccination 1st Dose: 30,444,829
Vaccination 2nd Dose: 3,674,266
In Hospital: 4,560
Using a Ventilator: 615

It is 'next stage of the English roadmap' day, so a briefing was anticipated. We also have the news that we are expected to have deliveries of the Moderna vaccine next month.

Boris was in his shiny new million quid briefing room. It has 2 large Union flags, a bright blue wall, and slightly different coloured wooden podiums. 

Boris started by saying in England we are now allowed to meet - up to 6 people or 2 households OUTDOORS. Gorgeous day for it. Remember to still socially distance, protect each other.

Yesterday we recorded the lowest number of hospital admissions for 6 months.

The wave across the channel is still rising, and it's inevitable as we advance along the roadmap, that there will be more infections and more deaths. (That really isn't the message we're hoping for Boris.)

April will be the month of mainly second doses, but all adults will be offered at least 1 dose by the end of July.

The Novovax vaccine is going to be made at Fujifilm in the North East, and then bottled by Glaxosmithkline nearby. This should give us 50-60m doses of UK-made vaccine (subject to approval by the MHRA). He mentions no timeframe.

Boris reminds us to follow the rules - "Hands, face, space, and fresh air".

Chris Whitty does the slides. Everything is currently going down (except vaccinations obviously). He doesn't sound like Captain Confident. He's stuttery.
He compares slides showing numbers of cases and deaths across age groups. He stresses that the vaccinated people are those who would be most likely to die - the majority of any transmission now is among younger age groups who haven't yet been vaccinated.
He says, as we unlock, it is inevitable that there will be more cases. There has been a flattening and 'slight uptick' in cases among school age children. (I've got one here who's just had a test today.)
Patrick continues with more slides showing the difference vaccination is making. Far, far less vaccinated people have been hospitalised than would have been prior to vaccination.

Figures show how many people are hospitalised within 4 weeks, out of every 100,000 people, by age:

Age 25-34 - 7 unvaccinated / 1.4 vaccinated

Age 35-44 - 13.9 unvaccinated  /2.8 vaccinated

Age 45-54 - 21.2 unvaccinated / 4.2 vaccinated

Age 55-64 - 28.9 unvaccinated / 5.8 vaccinated

We are reminded that vaccines are never 100% effective. 

Public asked about travel abroad to see relatives. Boris says it's still illegal to leave the country except for essential reasons, but he will say more on April 5th.

Chris talked about COVID variants that 'might' have a problem with the vaccine - we don't want any of them. "That is the principle thing driving border concerns at this stage."

Public also expressed concern about 2nd doses - Boris says EVERYONE will get their 2nd dose.

Patrick explains we really need 3 weeks 'doing it' and a week to assess data before we can say exactly what effect something has had, so we will know better about the effect of schools reopening to all pupils by next week. It will be 4 weeks from today before we really know what effect this reopening has had.
Chris talks about how sensible people have been so far, and thinks the "uptick will be modest", but it's "not realistic" to think it won't happen. Pat adds that everyone has to remember it takes about 3 weeks before your vaccine takes full effect.
Chris adds that everyone has to get their 2nd dose for their best level of protection. 

Chris again with vaccines - they are never 100%. In some people a vaccine just won't work, or won't work as effectively. If we have a small surge then sadly a few people who have been vaccinated will still catch COVID and die. The bigger that surge is, the more people will be caught up and the more people will die. Pat adds we also have to protect against creating variants. We need to keep numbers low. 

Press ask about health and social care staff who haven't been vaccinated. The vast majority have. Chris says they should think about the risk to their own families, and ignore myths. Talk to reliable sources and medical people. Your risk from not being vaccinated is substantially greater than your risk from vaccination. He also feels that people who are caring for others have a professional responsibility to be vaccinated with all of their jabs, not just COVID, in order to protect vulnerable people at work. 

Boris mentions a wave spreading in from "the continent" a lot, despite the fact COVID cannot cross the channel unaided. He also uses the word 'caution' approximately 400 billionty times. It must be engraved inside his eyelids. Chris' word of the day is 'uptick'. That's a more friendly word for 'rise'. Chris mentions 2nd doses, and 'no vaccine is 100% effective' many times. Pat mentions the 3 week gap between vaccination and full protection many times. These are the important messages you would be tested on if this was a GCSE. What they didn't stress, even though there's been a government release, was the OUTDOORS bit. You can only meet outdoors - fresh air is a win.

Back with the usual report tomorrow. I hope your evening is as good as that of the Captain of Egypt's Suez Canal Tugboats... The Ever Given Container Ship was finally moved at high tide, and is currently pootling across the massive 'Bitter Lake' under it's own power. Bitter Lake is a good few miles North of where it was stuck, and it looks like ships are already lining up at the North end of the Suez ready to go as soon as they get the all-clear. There'll be a lot of happy people tonight...  No-one needed any shortages or rationing of anything just now... we've had a lucky break there. 

Sources:

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-reminded-they-must-stay-outside-when-meeting-others-to-reduce-the-spread-of-coronavirus-covid-19

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-at-coronavirus-press-conference-29-march-2021

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 27th / 28th March 2021.

The UK added 3,862 cases today (down from 5,312 last Sunday) and now has reported a total of 4,333,042 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,275,285 tests yesterday.

30,151,287 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 3,527,481 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

4,560 people were in hospital on Thursday 25th (down from 6,162 a week earlier), with 615 using a ventilator on Friday 26th March (down from 830 a week earlier).

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 19 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days (down from 33 last Sunday), making a total of 126,592 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 233,937 cases and 4,653 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 127,519,912 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,792,568. Already 102,778,932 people have recovered.

"I keep hearing that B.1.1.7 in Austria is to blame for the increase in cases. Yes, B.1.1.7 is a bit more infectious and can lead to a slightly higher rate of severe infections. But in the end you can stop B.1.1.7 with exactly the same means as  like 'normal' SARS-CoV-2 too. The last strong wave in Great Britain was caused by B.1.1.7. And broken by stricter corona measures. So it is quite possible. You just have to take measures and the people have to stick to it."
Florian Krammer, Professor at the Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (and one of the world's leading COVID scientist folk).

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 26th March 2021.

The UK added 6,187 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,325,315 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,275,285 tests yesterday.

The counter says 29,316,130 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 3,009,863 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

4,852 people were in hospital on Wednesday 24th (down from 6,544 a week earlier), with 630 using a ventilator yesterday, 25th March (down from 879 a week earlier).

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 70 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 126,515 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 233,327 (+569) cases and 4,651 (+20) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 126,488,927 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,773,505. Already 102,002,868 people have recovered.

To enable collective remembrance for those lost over the past year, the Scottish Government will help fund a national memorial garden in Glasgow, and they will support other COVID community memorial projects in locations across the country.

From tomorrow, Saturday 27 March, people in Wales can play out.
- Stay local requirement lifted, moving Wales into alert level 3
- First phased opening of the tourism sector as self-contained accommodation opens (for Welsh people only - no leisure travel over the border).
- Organised outdoor children’s activities resume
- Limited opening of outdoor areas of some historic places and gardens
- Libraries re-open 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 24th / 25th March 2021.

The UK added 6,397 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,319,128 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,813,842 tests yesterday.

The counter says 28,991,188 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 2,775,481 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

5,122 people were in hospital on Tuesday 23rd, with 683 people using a ventilator yesterday, 24th March.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 63 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 126,445 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 232,164 cases and 4,628 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 125,796,833 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,761,392. Already 101,515,732 people have recovered.

"We are basically entering a new pandemic. The mutation from Great Britain has taken over, which means we have a new virus. Of course of the same kind, but with very different properties. It is clearly more lethal, more contagious, and contagious for longer."
Angela Merkel, German Chancellor.

"The reason we have the vaccine success is because of capitalism, because of greed my friends."
"Actually I regret saying it. Forget I said that."
Boris Johnson in a zoom call to the 1922 Committee (according to The Sun). It's the raw, honest truth, and he's a politician. A rare combination. Not winning any respect though...

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK Briefing with Boz and World News Update 22nd /23rd March 2021.

The UK added 5,379 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,307,304 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,191,048 tests yesterday.

The counter says 28,327,873 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 2,363,684 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

5,461 people were in hospital on Sunday 21st, with 748 using a ventilator yesterday, 22nd March.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 112 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 126,284 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 231,484 (+365) cases and 4,610 (+22) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 124,596,272 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,740,161. Already over one hundred million (100,500,856) people have recovered.

"I think one thing worth stressing is that, on the continent right now, you can see sadly there is a third wave under way, and people in this country should be under no illusions that previous experience has taught us, that when a wave hits our friends, I'm afraid it washes up on our shores as well... I suspect we will feel those effects in due course, that's why we're getting on with our vaccination programme as fast as we can.
A vaccination campaign, developing vaccines, rolling them out, these are international projects and they require international cooperation."
Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister and friendly friendly Euro ally - who also led the UK's Leave campaign. (Bring me another ambassador,  this one's broken. Good speech though Boris, well done.)

It may have been a good speech, but as the wave across Europe is being driven by the UK/Kent B117 variant, we've actually already had that wave - hence our strict lockdown for the past few weeks. It's up to 70% more catchy, so it doesn't respond as you'd like to restrictions that worked with original wild COVID, which is why Europe is having a disaster, and our reopening is very cautious.
Any further wave, or spread of a new variant in the UK, will be due to government decisions - including quarantine rules.

Ends of the Earth is the second book in Ian P Buckingham's Changeling Saga. Old world Cornish myth and fantasy meets modern Cornish reality, with the Savage family, descendants of the ancient Trelgathwin family.

In the first book, Legends Of The Lost, we met the family, split in two halves many years earlier.  The incident had been wiped from all of their minds - but shadows and glimpses of something 'not quite right' had always remained.

Memories and relationships restored, Ends Of The Earth finds everyone living a comfortable and cosy 'normal' life. Lovely as it is, young Savannah (who is a bit of a mermaid) longs to be back in the sea, and parents Elouisa and James are both wilting with the lack of adventure.

James has an opportunity to go to Africa with his Lecturing work, and can take some of the family with him. The rest, Nanna Jo decides, can go with her down to Cornwall for some seaside time. Everyone is happy.

Naturally it isn't long before strange things start to happen... In Africa Henry (who is a bit of a werewolf) spots not only poachers, but a strange, rude, maggoty person type creature. Down in Cornwall, sea creatures inform Savannah and her sister Lucy that problems are afoot under the sea. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 20th /21st March 2021.

The UK added 5,312 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,296,583 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,437,257 tests yesterday.

The counter says 27,630,970 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 2,228,772 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

6,162 people were in hospital on Thursday 18th (DOWN from 8,029 a week earlier), with 830 using a ventilator on Friday 19th March (DOWN from 1,110 a week earlier)..

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 33 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 126,155 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 229,831 (+525) cases and 4,585 (+9) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 123,635,163 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,724,508. Already 99,616,614 people have recovered.

"What COVID has done, it's peeled back some of the covers we've had over the existing prejudices in our society, the existing stigmas. I've seen terrible instances of discrimination against people of Asian descent... So on the one hand I'm really, really upset, particularly about the profiling of groups which has been politically motivated. But I'm also heartened by what I believe is still in the heart of most humans: is a desire to connect, a desire to understand, a desire to support each other."
Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Dad, and Irishman. 

Over half of the UK's adults have now received at least 1 dose of vaccine. Well done to everyone who has played a part in making this happen so swiftly.
On Saturday the UK vaccinated the most people ever - 756,873. Over 3/4 of a million in one day. They included 56 year old Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson.
"Nurses, doctors, pharmacists and countless others delivered 96,834 jabs between 11am and 12pm yesterday, an average of 1,614 a minute or around 27 jabs a second."

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

The UK added 4,802 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,285,684 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,437,257 tests yesterday.

The counter says 26,263,732 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 2,011,070 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

6,544 people were in hospital on 17th March, with 879 using a ventilator yesterday, Thursday 18th.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 101 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 126,026 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 229,306 (+510) cases and 4,576 (+10) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 122,662,807 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,707,166. Already 98,862,774 people have recovered.

"The available data do not suggest any overall increase in clotting conditions such as deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism following administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Reported rates of thromboembolic events after COVID-19 vaccines are in line with the expected number of diagnoses of these conditions. Both conditions occur naturally and are not uncommon. They also occur as a result of COVID-19.  The observed rates have been fewer than expected for such events."
The WHO statement regarding the Oxford / AstraZeneca Vaccine.
They add that "very rare and unique thromboembolic events in combination with thrombocytopenia, such as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), have also been reported".
"The EMA’s Pharmacovigilance and Risk Assessment Committee has reviewed 18 cases of CVST out of a total of more than 20 million vaccinations with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Europe. A causal relationship between these rare events has not been established at this time."

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK Briefing with Boris, and World News Update 17th / 18th March 2021.

The UK added 6,303 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,280882 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,635,141 tests yesterday.

The counter says 25,735,472 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 1,879,054 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

Healthcare hasn't been updated today. 7,218 people were in hospital on Monday, with 968 using a ventilator on Tuesday 16th March.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 95 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 125,926 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 228,215 cases and 4,566 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 122,127,611 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 2,696,832. Already 98,376,487 people have recovered.

In case you missed yesterday's UK briefing and associated news - the EU threatened to only export vaccines to countries which haven't got very many already. The UK NHS sent out a letter to vaccination centres warning there may be very few 1st doses over April, so don't book in anyone under 50. And Matt Hancock announced the UK are now vaccinating anyone over 50.

Today Mr Hancock has said the UK will be able to continue with first doses of vaccines all through April, despite any 'delivery bumpiness', including that regarding vaccines from India...