Covid news – live: Javid says no new restrictions before New Year, as UK adds 98,515 cases

There will be no further coronavirus restrictions introduced in England before New Year, health secretary Sajid Javid has announced – but ministers will look again at whether measures are needed in January.

The decision comes despite Covid-19 hospitalisations rising rapidly in London and across most of the rest of England. Current data shows the rolling seven-day average for daily hospital admissions in England has increased by 36 per cent, from 772 up to 17 December to 1048 in the week before Christmas Day.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, suggested that some of these could be “incidental” infections in asymptomatic patients who test positive while receiving care for other issues. NHS trusts are “not, at moment, reporting large numbers of patients with severe Covid type respiratory problems needing critical care”, he said, adding that these cases still place pressure on hospitals.

Meanwhile, England recorded a further 98,515 new cases on Monday as the Omicron variant continues to spread rapidly, after a record rise of 113,628 infections on Christmas Day and 103,893 on Boxing Day.

Key Points

• Rules for England will be reviewed in January, Javid says

• Hospitalisations up 50% in London and 36% nationally

• Senior Tory: It would be ‘sensible’ to issue new guidance

• Doctors: ‘Ludicrous’ not to bring in fresh curbs

• Tighter Covid rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - but not England

Omicron infection could enhance immunity against Delta variant, early study suggests

23:50 , Andy Gregory

Omicron infection could enhance a person’s level of immunity against the Delta variant, according to an early South African study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed.

In-vitro tests using blood plasma samples from 13 Omicron cases yielded results which the authors wrote “are consistent with Omicron displacing the Delta variant, since it can elicit immunity which neutralises Delta making re-infection with Delta less likely”.

“In contrast, Omicron escapes neutralising immunity elicited by Delta and therefore may re-infect Delta infected individuals,” the paper says. Author Alex Sigal, tweeted:

US cuts recommended isolation period for asymptomatic cases to five days

23:23 , Andy Gregory

The recommended quarantine period for people with asymptomatic coronavirus in the US has been slashed from 10 days to five.

These people should wear a mask around others for the following five days, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised on Monday.

Individuals who have received their booster jab do not need to quarantine following an exposure to the virus, but should wear a mask for 10 days, the CDC said.

White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci had told CNN last week that reducing the 10-day quarantine recommendation would help asymptomatic people return to work or school, with proper precautions.

England’s New Year announcement ‘a real lifeline to many’, hospitality trade body says

22:59 , Andy Gregory

The hospitality sector has received a “welcome boost” after it was announced no further coronavirus restrictions will be introduced in England before the new year, trade bodies have said.

“Hospitality businesses will be raising a new year's toast to celebrate the Government's pragmatic and proportionate approach,” said UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls.

“This will give a real lifeline for many who have struggled with the loss of trade in the run-up to Christmas and the loss of new year on top of that would have been devastating for many.

“It will be a welcome boost and keeping restrictions to a minimum and lifting the remaining restrictions as quickly as possible to help the beleaguered sector back on to the road to recovery.”

Pandemic hits turnover at Donald Trump’s Scottish golf resorts

22:40 , Andy Gregory

New filings showed that Donald Trump’s Scottish golf resorts lost more than $8m during 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit, Newsweek reported.

Filings for Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire and Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire were both signed by the former president’s son Eric Trump, who is the director of both companies.

“The impact of Covid-19 and the related measures imposed by the UK government had a significant impact on the operational performance of the resort,” according to a filing for the Turnberry resort, which showed that turnover dropped from £19.6m in 2019 to 6.7m the following year.

My colleague Eric Garcia reports:

Trump’s Scottish golf resorts lost more than $8m during 2020, new filings show

Third Ashes Test to continue as all England and Australia players return negative Covid test results

22:22 , Andy Gregory

There will be relief among cricket fans this evening, with the news that day three of the Boxing Day Ashes Test will go ahead as planned after both teams received a full round of negative Covid-19 results ahead of Tuesday’s action in Melbourne.

The match, and the remainder of the series, was plunged into doubt after news that the virus had made its way into England’s wider travelling group.

But a full round of PCR testing was completed on Monday night with no further positives among the playing group.

Rory Dollard has the details here:

Third Ashes Test to continue as all players return negative Covid tests

‘Caution’ needed when interpreting Covid hospital admissions data, NHS chief says

22:02 , Andy Gregory

Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, has suggested that “caution” is needed while interpreting the recent data on hospital admissions, with some NHS trust leaders reportedly discussing the potential impact of “incidental” entries to hospital.

While the most recent hospitalisation data is currently unclear as to what proportion of new patients were admitted for other reasons and were asymptomatic while testing positive for Covid within a hospital, Mr Hopson warned these incidents will still place pressure on the health service.

PCR tests unavailable at centres across Scotland amid record surge in infections

21:38 , Andy Gregory

PCR test appointments have been temporarily unavailable in large parts of Scotland today, including in Edinburgh and Glasgow – as new infections in the country hit all-time highs over past three days.

High demand led to slots on offer at only eight out of Scotland's 56 walk-in test centres when checked on Monday afternoon, in Wick, St Andrews, Inverness, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Aberdeen Strathdee, Oban and Galashiels.

Simultaneously, of Scotland’s eight drive-through test sites north of the border only two – Glenrothes and Inverness – had appointments available on the day.

Other centres showed the message: “There are currently no slots available on this day. Try again this evening, when more test slots will be made available.”

‘Relief’ among music venues after New Year announcement

21:19 , Andy Gregory

Entertainment venues have expressed “relief” after the announcement that there will be no further restrictions in place in England on New Year's Eve.

“There will obviously be some relief in the sector that New Year's Eve can go ahead,” Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, told the Press Association news agency.

“It's a vital night economically in the calendar and to lose it again would be financially crippling.

But he warned the sector needs “a lot more clarity” on what Boris Johnson’s government will be doing in the near future, and in the longer term, adding: “We repeat again; there is an urgent need to support public spaces to improve ventilation and air quality, with structured and intelligent public investment.”

Omicron ‘dolls’ to be burned as part of New Year celebrations in Nicaragua

20:54 , Emily Atkinson

Handmade dolls depicting Covid-19 Omicron variant are pictured at a stall in Managua, Nicaragua, on 27 December.

The dolls are burned at midnight on 31 December as a tradition of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new.

Woman arrested after reportedly attacking elderly airline passenger over masks, say police

20:40 , Emily Atkinson

Police say an unruly airline passenger has been arrested after a video appeared to show her physically assaulting an elderly man in a dispute over masks.

According to the Atlanta Police Department, Patricia Cornwall “caused a disturbance while in the air” while on a Delta Air Lines flight from Tampa, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia on 23 December. When the plane arrived, police say, Ms Cornwall was arrested by FBI agents.

Nathan Place reports:

Woman arrested after reportedly attacking elderly airline passenger

PM urges people in England to ‘act cautiously’

20:20 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson has called on people to “continue to act cautiously” after the Health Secretary confirmed there will be no further Covid restrictions in England this side of the New Year.

How are Covid restrictions different across the UK moving into the New Year?

20:05 , Emily Atkinson

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said no further coronavirus restrictions will be introduced in England before the New Year but “people should remain cautious”.

It means the rules in England are different to those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Here, the PA news agency looks at how the measures compare in the different UK nations:

How are Covid restrictions different across the UK moving into the new year?

Government acting ‘optimistically’ in refusing to introduce further Covid-19 measures

19:45 , Emily Atkinson

Ministers appear to be “acting on the optimistic end of the spectrum” rather than on the cautious end with their approach to Covid-19 restrictions, an epidemiological advisor to the government has said,

Professor Andrew Hayward, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme: “In terms of hospitalisations, we are seeing increases, but we’re not yet seeing the sort of exponential increases in cases that we’re worrying about.

“But the key concern is, if you wait until you see those increases in hospitalisations, you may have waited too long to do much about them.”

New York City subway service reduced as city experiences ‘Covid surge’

19:30 , Emily Atkinson

Subway services in New York will be operating on a curtailed schedule this week as coronavirus cases spike throughout the city.

“This Monday through Thursday, trains will run less frequently than usual,” the Transit Authority tweeted Sunday from its account @NYCTSubway. “Like everyone in New York, we’ve been affected by the COVID surge. We’re taking proactive steps to provide the best, most consistent service we can. That means you may wait a little longer for your train.”

Sheila Flynn has the details here:

NYC subway service reduced as city experiences ‘Covid surge’

French PM announces new Covid-19 restrictions

19:16 , Emily Atkinson

France has reduced the waiting time for a booster vaccine down from four months to three in a bid to combat the rapid surge in coronavirus infections, according to the Associated Press.

For three weeks starting on Monday, indoor public gatherings will be limited to 2,000 people and 5,000 for outdoor gatherings, French prime minister Jean Castex has said.

Other new restrictions include working from home for a minimum of three days a week where possible, and a ban on drinking and eating while onboard long-distance transport.

Mask-wearing is also to become compulsory in city centres.

As of Monday, France recorded a further 30,383 positive cases. Meanwhile on Saturday, the country broke the 100,000 mark for the first time since the pandemic began - reporting a record-breaking 104,611 cases.

Watch: No more Covid restrictions before New Year, says Sajid Javid

19:12 , Emily Atkinson

Paraguay records first Omicron cases

19:02 , Emily Atkinson

Paraguay has recorded its first three Omicron cases, the country’s health officials have announced.

According to Reuters, the people who have contracted the new Covid-19 variant travelled outside of Paraguay this month. The patients have since been quarantined.

The government has said it currently has no plans to implement travel restrictions.

London Covid-19 patients up by 50 per cent as hospital admissions rise nationally

18:45 , Emily Atkinson

The number of Covid patients in London hospitals has increased by almost 50 per cent within a week, with admissions on the rise across all but one region of England, new figures show.

The data, released by the NHS, featured in a briefing given to Boris Johnson on Monday as his government considers whether to impose new restrictions amid the mounting Omicron wave.

Our science correspondent Samuel Lovett reports:

London Covid patients up by 50 per cent as hospital admissions rise nationally

Government needs plan for NHS, says Labour

18:35 , Emily Atkinson

Labour said people “will be relieved to see no new restrictions” ahead of the new year – but urged the government to “come forward with a plan” to keep the NHS running and schools open through the latest Covid wave, writes Adam Forrest.

Wes Streeting, shadow health secretary, called on the government to publish all the latest data on hospitalisations and NHS staff absences “so that the public can be reassured that they are genuinely following the data and scientific advice and that Boris Johnson is not simply capitulating to his own opponents in the Tory Party”.

More than 45,307 omicron cases recorded in UK today

18:20 , Emily Atkinson

Covid patient data from three NHS Trusts not included in Monday update

18:00 , Emily Atkinson

NHS England have said that three NHS hospital trusts that did not report data for coronavirus patients and admissions on 27 December.

These were Buckinghamshire, County Durham & Darlington and East Cheshire.

The health service have also said “a number” of smaller mental health trusts did not submit data.

The missing data means the actual number of Covid-19 patients and admissions in England will be higher than the published figures.

Scotland publishes record-breaking Covid case numbers over festive period

17:30 , Emily Atkinson

Scotland has recorded its highest number of coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, provisional data released by the Scottish Government shows.

On December 25, 8,252 cases were recorded, with 11,030 positive tests recorded on December 26 and 10,562 on December 27.

These record numbers are the highest daily totals in the country since coronavirus cases were first recorded in Scotland in March 2020.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she expects case numbers will rise further over the next few days and urged people to limit socialising in person “as much as possible”

England records highest number of Covid hospitalisations since 5 March

17:10 , Emily Atkinson

A total of 8,474 people were in hospital in England with Covid-19 as of 8am on 27 December, new figures from NHS England show.

This is up 27 per cent on the week before and is the highest number since 5 March.

During the second wave of coronavirus, the number peaked at 34,336 on 18 January.

In London, 2,640 people were in hospital with the virus on 27 December, up 45 per cent week-on-week and the highest number since February 22.

The second-wave peak for London was 7,917 on January 18.

No more Covid restrictions before New Year, says Sajid Javid

16:57 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson’s government has announced that there will be no further Covid restrictions introduced in England before New Year.

Health secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that ministers have decided not to bring in any further curbs this week but said ministers would look again at whether measures where needed in January to tackle the spread of the Omicron variant.

Adam Forrest reports:

No more Covid restrictions before New Year, says Sajid Javid

‘No further measures’ in England before New Year, says Sajid Javid

16:53 , Emily Atkinson

There will be no new coronavirus restrictions implemented in England before the New Year, the health secretary has said.

Sajid Javid told broadcasters that the decision was based on the case data over the Christmas period, which he said had not changed.

He has urged the public to be “cautious” when celebrating the turn of the New Year - and to consider moving festivities outdoors.

Number of booster vaccinations administered declined over Christmas period

16:45 , Emily Atkinson

The number of booster doses administered in England has sharply declined over the Christmas period, figures shared by the political editor of the i show.

On 23 December, the country recorded 605,561 booster vaccinations, while 24 December saw 153,69, 10,477 on Christmas Day and 20,278 on Boxing Day.

Breaking: UK reports 98,515 new cases and 143 deaths

16:39 , Emily Atkinson

Covid: UK reports 98,515 new cases and 143 deaths

UK records over 143 Covid deaths on Monday

16:35 , Emily Atkinson

Another 143 people have died within 28 days of positive test today, government figures show, bringing the seven-day total to 742 deaths.

The weekly total for deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate is 887.

12,000 ‘jingle jabs’ on Christmas Day

16:25 , Emily Atkinson

There were more than 12,000 “jingle jab” vaccinations on Christmas Day, including more than 10,000 booster doses, NHS England has announced, writes Adam Forrest.

The health service said another 24,000 vaccinations given out on Boxing Day. Taken with new figures from Christmas Eve, a total of 214,000 doses were reported – including 184,000 boosters.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all the staff and volunteers who gave up time with their families over Christmas to protect others,” said Dr Emily Lawson, head of the NHS Covid vaccination programme.

UK records 98,515 new coronavirus cases today

16:21 , Emily Atkinson

A further 98,515 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Britain today, while Boxing Day saw another 108,893 positive tests confirmed, according to most recent government data.

Meanwhile, another 113,628 were listed for Christmas Day.

The new figures therefore show that the UK has seen around a further 207,000 cases since Christmas eve, which is roughly in line with the previous week.

Ireland braced for boom in Covid-19 case numbers in coming days

16:13 , Emily Atkinson

Ireland is anticipating a surge in the number of positive coronavirus cases in the next few days, health officials have said.

It comes as test centres have fully reopened in the country after the health workers operated a reduced service over the Christmas period. The HSE has also reopened all of their vaccination hubs.

The Department of Health tweeted that it was anticipating “large volumes of case numbers over the coming period”.

Earlier HSE chief executive Paul Reid tweeted: “Well done to all of our vaccination teams. Back at it.

“It’s never too late to receive your 1st dose vaccine. And please take the earliest opportunity to receive your booster.”

As of Monday, a further 6,735 cases of Covid-19 were reported in Ireland, the Department of Health has said.

Number of Boxing Day shoppers plummets 41% below pre-pandemic levels

15:54 , Matt Mathers

The numbers of in-person Boxing Day shoppers fell to almost half of pre-pandemic levels.

Footfall at shopping sites across the UK on Boxing Day was 41% below the 2019 level, data from industry analyst Springboard shows.

Shops on Boxing Day are usually bustling with customers hunting for post-Christmas bargains, but the footfall in high streets was 37.7% lower than in 2019, while it dropped 48.4% in shopping centres and 40.2% in retail parks.

Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard, said: "A major reason for the significantly lower footfall compared with 2019 will be due to consumers' ongoing nervousness about the Covid infection rate.

"This will have been compounded by the fact that a few multiple retailers opted not to open on Boxing Day which will have deterred some shoppers.

"In addition, Sunday generally has the lowest footfall on any day in the week so a comparison with 2019 when Boxing Day fell on a Thursday will always have meant that footfall would be lower than two years ago.

"Despite this, most multiple retailers still opened their doors to shoppers, and the mild weather should have meant that it was easy for shoppers to visit stores and destinations."

Italy faces paralysis under quarantine rules, health experts say

15:45 , Matt Mathers

Health experts urged the Italian government on Monday to relax Covid quarantine rules, saying that the country otherwise risked paralysis as the highly infectious Omicron variant spreads.

Under current rules, people who have come into close contact with a COVID-19 sufferer have to self-isolate for seven days if they are vaccinated and for 10 days if they have not had a shot.

Nino Cartabellotta, head of the Gimbe health foundation, said each positive person had, on average, five to 10 close contacts, and predicted that within two weeks someone million people in Italy might have come down with COVID-19.

"That would mean there could be five to 10 million contacts to be sent to quarantine, and this is not possible," Cartabellotta told Radio Cusano Campus.

Fabrizio Pregliasco, a virologist, echoed his comment: "It's clear that at this stage and with this diffusion of Omicron, we must consider changes in the way we intervene, otherwise we're heading for a generalised lockdown."

Israel cuts wait between 2nd and 3rd doses to three months

15:32 , Matt Mathers

Israel’s health ministry said on Monday it was shortening the time between offering the second and third doses of Covid vaccine to three months from five months.

The new timeframe would be applied to vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.

Israel earlier today launched a trial into 4th jabs.

Biden, governors to meet as states brace for holiday Omicron spike

15:13 , Matt Mathers

US President Joe Biden and his White House Covid response team planned to meet on Monday with the group representing the country’s governors as the Omicron variant spread across US states this holiday week.

Rising cases snarled air travel over Christmas weekend as flight crews contracted the virus, causing thousands of flight cancellations. Curtailed cruises and a lack of widely available testing crimped other plans as the more transmissible variant took hold.

U.S. airlines cancelled about 800 flights on Monday, with the fourth straight day of cancellations reigniting concerns that Omicron could hamper the economy heading into 2022.

US Covid infections are increasing, with 205,509 new infections reported on average each day, a Reuters tally showed.

No walk-in PCR test appointments available in England for hours due to ‘high demand’

14:45 , Matt Mathers

There were no walk-in PCR tests available to book in England for a few hours on Monday due to "high demand".

Appointments had been unavailable in every region of the country, although there were some in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

However, later on in the afternoon, bookings were available in every region, with the UK Health Security Agency saying the reduced availability was merely "temporary".

A UKHSA spokesperson said: "Appointments for PCR tests are available but high demand can lead to temporarily reduced availability in some areas. More appointments are made available for people to book every afternoon.

"Testing is playing an integral role in keeping people safe and managing the spread of Covid-19.

"We are very grateful to everyone who is following the Government's guidance and getting tested to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities.

"Everyone with symptoms or who is directed to get a PCR test should continue to come forward to get a test delivered to their home or at a test site."

Ireland reports further 6,735 cases

14:31 , Matt Mathers

As of 8am on Monday, 461 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, 91 of whom were in intensive care.

A further 6,735 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ireland, the Department of Health has said.

Omicron wave could push A&E absence ‘over the edge'

14:03 , Matt Mathers

Dr Ian Higginson, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the current number of staff absences in NHS emergency departments could “push us over the edge”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: “Our members, those who got back to us, were pretty emphatic that they are suffering significant staffing issues right now.

“We’re worried that something is going to have to give.

“When our members are reporting that 20-25% of available staff are off sick for various reasons, but we think Covid is the prime contributor at the moment, that really is a considerable amount.

“That will push us over the edge as regards to normal function and we will have to start thinking about focusing our efforts on what we can do for the most people and concentrating our efforts on those who are most in need of our services.”

Dr Ian Higginson, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the current number of staff absences in NHS emergency departments could “push us over the edge”.

Fears Omicron could hit 'high-stakes' exams

13:30 , Matt Mathers

Headteachers are worried that pupils isolating because of Covid-19 could miss "high-stakes" mock exams for their GCSEs and A-levels at the start of term, the head of a school leaders' union has said.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said some schools would "presumably be thinking about doing mock exams next week for exam groups".

He said: "I think one of the concerns will be what if we find that there's quite a lot of young people who aren't around to be able to do those mock exams - do they need to be changed to another time?"

Mr Barton said this would be less of an issue "in normal times" but that the mocks were more "high stakes" this year as they could be used as a back-up if exams were cancelled.

"Of course, they have been made more high-stakes this year because we know that as a kind of safety net they may end up counting in the instance that some young people can't do their exams in the summer," he told the PA news agency.

"So, it's not a case of saying 'let's not bother with mocks', because you will need to do those mocks at some point."

Antibiotic use on farms threatens pandemic ‘much bigger than Covid’, campaigners warn

13:05 , Emily Atkinson

Overuse of antibiotics on farm animals could lead to a pandemic “much bigger than Covid,” campaigners have warned.

Health experts are calling for a ban on the use of low doses of antibiotics on healthy farm animals, saying the practice was breeding untreatable “superbugs” which could spread to humans.

Farmers often give animals a preventative low dose of antibiotics as an insurance policy against disease. But from 28 January, new EU legislation will prohibit all forms of routine antibiotic use in farming, including preventative treatments.

Holly Bancroft reports:

Overuse of antibiotics on farm threatens pandemic ‘much bigger than Covid’

China’s Covid cases edge higher as Xian steps up curbs

12:55 , Matt Mathers

China's Xian tightened curbs on travel within the city on Monday as it started a new round of testing on the fifth day of a lockdown of its 13 million people.

Xian reported 150 new local symptomatic coronavirus cases for Sunday, a slight drop from the previous day's 155, and officials warned that people flouting rules on travel or testing could face detention and fines.

Case numbers in Xian remain tiny compared with many clusters in other countries but officials have imposed tough curbs on travel within the city and on leaving it, in line with a government drive to immediately contain outbreaks.

Authorities have not announced any infections with the Omicron variant among the 635 confirmed cases in Xian from Dec. 9 to Sunday. China has detected only a handful of Omicron infections among international travellers and in its south.

South Korea authorises emergency use of Pfizer's oral coronavirus treatment

12:40 , Emily Atkinson

South Korea authorised for emergency use Pfizer's antiviral pills targeting Covid-19 as the first of its kind to be introduced in South Korea, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on Monday.

South Korea restored tough distancing curbs last week after easing them in November, after a series of record daily new infections and serious cases stretched medical services, despite a vaccination rate of over 92% for those aged 18 or older.

Pfizer's oral antiviral treatment, called Paxlovid, is "expected to help prevent serious deterioration of patients admitted to residential treatment centers or being treated at home," by diversifying coronavirus treatments beyond injections currently used in the field, drug safety minister Kim Gang-lip told a press briefing.

Covid hospital admission up 36 per cent in England

12:37 , Emily Atkinson

Hospital admissions for patients in hospital with Covid-19 are up by 36 per cent in England, new NHS figures show, as omicron continues to tear its way around the country.

According to the Health Service Journal (HSJ), the number of coronavirus-related hospitalisations is increasing across all regions in the UK, except the south west.

The figures from London look particularly bleak, with hospitalisation up 62 per cent - an increase of 2 per cent on the peak seen during the surge in cases between December 2020 and January 2021, the editor of the HSJ has said.

Carlos Marin: Il Divo singer’s family ‘convinced’ he would have survived Covid-19 in Spain

12:21 , Emily Atkinson

Carlos Marin’s family has claimed that the late Il Divo singer could have been saved if he had been treated for Covid-19 in Spain.

The 53-year-old died last week after contracting the Delta variant of coronavirus.

He had been placed in an induced coma in a Manchester hospital earlier in the month as the group were forced to cancel their UK Christmas tour.

Isobel Lewis reports:

Carlos Marin’s family ‘convinced’ Il Divo singer could have been saved

Branson: Equitable vaccine distribution key to ending pandemic and damaging restrictions

12:05 , Matt Mathers

Sir Richard Branson has said he believes that vaccines and other precautions against Covid such as the mandatory wearing of indoor face coverings are the key to preventing the spread of the virus, rather than “damaging lockdowns”.

Writing on his blog on the Virgin website, Sir Richard said that “widespread and equitable vaccinations against Covid, coupled with sensible day-to-day practices, like indoor mask mandates and frequent testing” remained the best ways of reaching “global recovery”.

He condemned “more damaging lockdowns and tit for tat travel bans”, adding that “there must be a proportionate response that balances the obvious risks of Covid with the mental health and economic risks of stopping people living their lives”.

Report: PM won’t announce any more restrictions after meeting

11:49 , Matt Mathers

The prime minister is not expected to announce further restrictions to control the Omicron variant in England after being briefed on the impact Christmas had on Covid infections and hospital pressures.

In what was described as an internal government meeting, Boris Johnson was scheduled on Monday to be talked through the latest data by chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser.

According to the Press Association, no announcement is expected to come out of the meeting, potentially leaving England at odds with other parts of the UK, where post-Christmas restrictions have been deployed.

Guidance rather than new rules would be ‘sensible’, says senior Tory

11:27 , Matt Mathers

Senior Conservative Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said Boris Johnson should “wait and see” what happens with Omicron before taking a decision on further measures.

The treasurer of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbencher told Times Radio: “I think unless the data is very different to that which it was before Christmas, the PM would do well just to wait and see what happens … because by next week we will have a very clear idea of whether these large number of infections are going to translate into hospital cases.”

Sir Geoffrey added: “But, at the moment, I would urge caution because of the damage to the economy and the damage to individuals by locking them down unnecessarily.”

The MP said it would “not be a cop-out at all” for the PM to introduce new guidance rather than written into law, adding: “I think that would be a very sensible way to go forward.” His colleague Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 committee, was adamant there should be no new restrictions this week. “It must not happen. Enough is enough,” he wrote in the Mail on Sunday.

Covid absence forces ScotRail to scale back services

11:19 , Matt Mathers

ScotRail is cutting back its services during January as Covid related absences are causing staff shortages.

Absences have already led to some trains being cancelled in the run-up to Christmas and the rail operator has now altered its timetable between January 4 and 28.

The changes mainly affect services which would normally run between Mondays and Friday in the central belt.

Services are being withdrawn or amended from 12 routes at various times in the day.

Passengers have been asked to check the status of their journey before they head to the station.

New restrictions take effect in Northern Ireland

11:03 , Matt Mathers

New measures to tackle Covid have come into effect in Northern Ireland.The new rules, agreed by the Executive parties last week, are designed to suppress rising case numbers amid the spread of the Omicron variant.

A maximum of six people can be seated together in a bar or restaurant, with table service only permitted. Customers will only be allowed to move between toilets or to the till.

Under the new measures, people are also being asked to limit their social contacts, with the public being advised that only three households should mix together in a private home.

Employers and employees are also being asked to work from home where possible, with two-metre social distancing a requirement in any office setting. Northern Ireland had already been ordered to close from Boxing Day, with indoor standing events no longer permitted.

Last week Stormont ministers agreed a £40 million grant scheme to support hospitality businesses affected by the latest Covid restrictions. Grants of between £10,000 and £20,000 will be available to more than 3,200 eligible businesses.

Eligible businesses include nightclubs, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bistros, snack bars, pubs/bars, social clubs or private members’ clubs.Sporting clubhouses are not eligible. There has been no changes to the numbers of people allowed to attend sporting events.

Israel trials 4th dose of Covid vaccine

10:45 , Matt Mathers

Israel has begun trials of a fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine in what is believed to be the first study of its kind.

The trial began at Sheba Medical Center, outside Tel Aviv, with 150 medical personnel who received a booster dose in August receiving a fourth shot of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The staff receiving the additional dose were tested and found to have low antibody levels.

The trial came as Israeli officials have considered rolling out a second tranche of booster shots to its population as the country grapples with rising infections with the new omicron variant.

Professor Jacob Lavee, former director of the heart transplant unit at Sheba, said "hopefully, we'll be able to show here that this fourth booster really provides protection against the omicron, which is highly needed."

In under-vaccinated Congo, fourth Covid wave fills hospitals

10:24 , Matt Mathers

At the St Joseph COVID Treatment Centre in Kinshasa, patients lie in ramshackle rooms breathing oxygen from old tanks. The clinic has 38 beds, and all but one are occupied.

In a backyard littered with medical equipment, tents are needed to cope with the overflow.

Democratic Republic of Congo is the least vaccinated country against COVID-19 in the world. Now a fourth wave of the coronavirus threatens to put greater pressure on its rickety health system than at any time during the pandemic.

"We have experienced the three previous waves gradually, but in the fourth wave cases have jumped overnight," said Francois Kajingulu, the head of St Joseph. "On Monday we had 5-6 cases and on Saturday we went straight from 30 to 36."

The increase is part of an Africa-wide surge that saw weekly COVID cases spike 83% in mid-December, driven by the Delta and Omicron variants, although deaths remain low, the WHO said.

Congo registered 6,480 new cases in the week of Dec. 13 - more than double the number hit during its previous record week in June, World Health Organization data show.

Covid sickness absence derails festive travel plans

10:15 , Matt Mathers

Travel plans over the festive period are being badly affected by a triple threat of industrial action, planned closures and staff shortages due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Several rail services are currently experiencing disruption due to staff being ill with Covid.

TransPennine Express, ScotRail, Avanti West Coast, Northern Rail, LNER and Greater Anglia have all reported an impact on services caused by a lack of available staff.

Meanwhile, East Midlands Railway services continue to be affected by industrial action by the RMT union, with an amended service expected to run on January 2.

A number of routes are also being impacted by planned engineering works.

Southern’s Gatwick Airport trains are operating to and from London Bridge instead of London Victoria until January 3.

In the north, Leeds will have a reduced service between December 27 and January 3, including a “very limited” service on January 2.

In the west, CrossCountry trains will not call at Bristol Parkway between December 27 and December 31. Some Great Western Railway services to and from Bristol Temple Meads will also be affected.

Despite the closures, National Rail said that 95% of Britain’s rail network will remain open during the festive period.

Johnson leaning towards ‘guidance rather than new laws'

09:46 , Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson is leaning towards issuing guidance on Covid rather than introducing new laws to halt the spread of Omicron, it has been reported.

The prime minister will opt for the lighter touch option if data today shows that further action is necessary, according to the Financial Times.

He is meeting with government science advisers later, where they will analyse the latest Covid information.

Enough appointments booked for Scotland to reach 80% target

09:26 , Matt Mathers

Enough coronavirus booster jab appointments have been booked to reach the Scottish Government's target of 80% of the adult population by the new year, health officials have said.

National clinical director Professor Jason Leitch said about 72% of adults in Scotland had received their booster shot before Christmas Eve.

Discussing the Government's "get boosted by the bells" target on the BBC's Breakfast programme, he said: "We're at 72-point something before Christmas Eve.

"We've got appointments to get to 80%. What we need now is that final push to get people to come to fill those appointments."

He added: "That honestly is the best present you could give to any of your relatives, to get yourself protected so that you then protect others."

Futher 200 cases recorded in China

09:00 , Matt Mathers

China reported 200 new confirmed Covid cases for 26 December, down slightly from 206 a day earlier, its health authority said on Monday.

Of the new infections, 162 were locally transmitted, according to a statement by the National Health Commission, compared with 158 a day earlier. Most of the new local cases were in the northwestern province of Shaanxi.

China reported 27 new asymptomatic cases, which it classifies separately from confirmed cases, from 29 a day earlier.

There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 4,636. Mainland China had 101,277 confirmed cases as of the end of 26 Dec.

Full report: ‘Ludicrous’ not to bring in more Covid restrictions, hospital doctors tell Boris Johnson

08:45 , Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson has been warned by hospital doctors that it would be “ludicrous” not to tighten restrictions in England in response to the rise of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

The prime minister will be presented with the latest Covid data on Monday as he weighs up whether to impose fresh curbs before New Year to stem the spread of the new strain.

Our politics reporter Adam Forrest has more details:

‘Ludicrous’ not to bring in more Covid restrictions, doctors tell Boris Johnson

Schools planning to send ‘whole year groups home’ amid teacher absence concerns

08:28 , Matt Mathers

Schools are devising plans to send whole year groups home amid fears the Omicron Covid strain could lead to unmanagable levels of teacher shortages, it has been reported.

According to the Daily Telegraph, headteachers have warned prime minister Boris Johnson they may have to prioritise key age groups while other pupils learn at home.

It comes just days after reports said Mr Johsnon was prioritising keeping schools open as the new and more contagious variant rips through the country.

Calls for public to get boosted

08:10 , Matt Mathers

Those who are still eligible to receive their coronavirus jabs are being urged to start 2022 by getting the vaccine as more the 1.5 million appointments are available to book over the festive season.

The NHS said there were 1,551,187 slots still available to be booked between Monday and January, as rugby stars lined up to urge people to get their boosters.

NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis called on people to get boosted in time for the New Year.

He said: "The evidence is clear that two Covid jabs is not enough, and with the Omicron variant, there is no time to delay getting your booster.

"Staff and volunteers up and down the country are working incredibly hard to make sure that anyone who wants to get boosted between now and the new year can do, so start 2022 by protecting yourself, your friends and family and book your jab today."

ICYMI: NHS warns Covid jab ‘stragglers’ they must not delay coming forward

07:52 , Matt Mathers

The NHS’ most senior doctor has warned people holding out on getting their Covid booster jab “must not delay”.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, has told the public the best way to protect themselves is to have their jab and warned “stragglers” must not delay coming forward.

Our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas reports:

NHS warns Covid jab ‘stragglers’ they must come forward

Weddings and funerals ‘exempt’ from any restrictions

07:28 , Matt Mathers

Funerals and weddings will be exempt from restrictions if the government decides they are necessary to halt the spread of omicron, it has been reported.

The Times says ministers want to reduce disruption to major life events and to avoid a repeat of previous lockdowns when families were prevented from seeing loved ones.

It comes ahead of a meeting between prime minister Boris Johnson and government scientists to look at data on omicron and to decide whether or not to introduce new restrictions in the new year.

New restrictions come into force in Scotland

07:14 , Matt Mathers

Restrictions on hospitality have come into force in Scotland in a bid to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

From Monday, nightclubs will be shuttered and hospitality businesses will need to return to offering only table service if serving alcohol.

Bars, restaurants and indoor leisure facilities such as gyms, theatres and museums will also have to reinstate one-metre social distancing regulations.

The restrictions come after caps were placed on large events from Sunday.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced last week that just 100 people would be able to attend a standing indoor event and 200 seated.

Outdoor events will also be restricted to 500 - a rule which has hit football games hardest.

NHS staff stares at burnout sickness, absences could triple next year

06:47 , Arpan Rai

A new report on Covid-related burnout, stress and anxiety among NHS staff shows that one in six doctrs in the UK hospitals could be off sick throughout the next year as the waves of spread overwhelm the already tired health workers.

The London South Bank University shows in its analysis that even after this Covid spike, the health services could be affected by an absence rate of 17 per cent, which is nearly three times higher than the highest seen in the preceding waves. The absence rate has been attributed to burnout and long Covid which continues to marr economies and nations across the globe.

This is despite the exceeding number of Covid vaccination rate among the frontline workers.

The report adds that the sickness rate has also surged among te health workers, with NHS absences peaking at 12 per cent last week.

Read Rebecca Thomas’s exclusive report for The Independent here.

Unvaccinated 60 times more likely to end up in intensive care with Covid: Report

06:02 , Arpan Rai

A new research shows that the unvaccinated people face 60 times more chances of getting admitted to an intensive care unit with Covid-19 infection.

It said that the people in their 6s who have been inoculated against the virus with two doses, the chances of hospitalisation stood at 0.64 per 100,000 each week.

However, the number was over 37 per 100,000 — 60 times higher — for those in this age group who have not received any of the two doses, the study showed.

This research comes at a time when record-breaking people are lining up to get their jabs in the UK.

This difference of admission rate was starkly wide for vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in the 60-69 age group, the research showed. Zoe Tidman has the full story here.

Asian markets react to Omicron, quiet year-end

05:35 , Arpan Rai

Asian shares on Monday continued with their mixed streak in the last working week of 2021 amid Omicron-related concerns which has torpedoed the economies in the west.

Shanghai and Bangkok benchmarks gained marginally on Monday, while Tokyo and Seoul saw a dip.

Shanghai Composite index turned green by 0.2% to 3,623.58, and Thailand’s SET remained nearly unchanged.

Alongside, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index sank by 0.2% to 28,722.87 and the Kospi in Seoul went down by 0.3% to 3,004.92. India’s Sensex slipped 0.3% to 56,935.80.

Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia remained close over the holiday weekend.

China’s market appears to have gained confidence from the central bank’s comments concerning support for the economy which underlined differences in stance among major economies in balancing the need to support bouncing back economically considering the inflation.

Markets around the world were closed or ending early as the Christmas-led weekend started.

More than 1,300 US airlines flight cancelled as Omicron plays spoilsport

04:35 , Arpan Rai

Thousands of travellers were left in a lurch over the weekend in the US after more than 1,300 flights were cancelled due to Covid-19 outbreaks on board and virus dwindled the available crew capacity.

A total of 1,318 commercial flights entering or exiting the US were cancelled by Sunday mid-afternoon, a tally by FlightAware.com — a flight tracking website — showed.

This comes as a double whammy for the people in the US during the peak holiday season who are already facing the heat of outbreak of Omicron variant of coronavirus. From 24 to 26 December, thousands of flights were cancelled.

Close to a thousand flights were cancelled on the day of Christmas, sending many excited travellers back inside their homes. Nearly 700 flights were cancelled on Christmas Eve.

China’s Covid cases soar again, no Omicron infections reported so far

04:08 , Arpan Rai

Covid-19 cases in China surged again over the weekend as a local outbreak in the northwestern city Xian accounted for 97 per cent of the infections.

The city reported 150 local symptomatic cases on Sunday, down from 155 reported a day earlier even as it remains under strict restrictions like travel curbs preventing people from entering and leaving Xian.

At least 635 local cases have been confirmed in Xian since 9 December. It has not reported any case of Omicron variant yet.

On Sunday, a total of 162 domestically transmitted infections and no deaths were recorded by Beijing, official data stated.

This is the highest ever surge in China’s tally seen after the Asian nation categorised asymptomatic carriers separately since March last year.

Australia reports first death from Omicron variant

03:33 , Arpan Rai

Australia on Monday confirmed its first death from Omicron variant of coronavirus after a fully-vaccinated patient from New South Wales succumbed to the infection.

The patient was identified in his 80s who had underlying health conditions and reportedly caught the infection at an aged care facility in western Sydney.

This comes on the day Australia’s most populous state reported more than 6,000 new Covid-19 cases.

Infections are surging in Australia amid spread of Omicron variant as New South Wales reported 6,324 new cases, out of which 524 people are in hospitals — including 55 in intensive care units. This is marginally down from Sunday’s count of 6394.

As the health infrastructure in New South Wales indicates signs of exhaustion with staff shortages, the health minister Brad Hazzard suggested that the state government could lift the need for health workers to isolate and join the facility.

Additionally, Victoria state reported 1,999 new cases on Monday with three deaths.

Eligible urged to get jabbed to kickstart 2022

02:30 , Katy Clifton

Those who are still eligible to receive their coronavirus jabs are being urged to start 2022 by getting the vaccine as more the 1.5 million appointments are available to book over the festive season.

The NHS said there were 1,551,187 slots still available to be booked between Monday and January, as rugby stars lined up to urge people to get their boosters.

NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis called on people to get boosted in time for the New Year.

He said: “The evidence is clear that two Covid jabs is not enough, and with the Omicron variant, there is no time to delay getting your booster.

“Staff and volunteers up and down the country are working incredibly hard to make sure that anyone who wants to get boosted between now and the new year can do, so start 2022 by protecting yourself, your friends and family and book your jab today.”

Schools plan for staff shortages

01:30 , Katy Clifton

It has been reported schools are drawing up plans to send whole year groups home for remote learning if staff shortages due to Omicron hit after the Christmas holidays.

It is understood school closures are not being considered by ministers for January.

A source close to Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “The PM and Nadhim are fully committed to keeping schools open and there’s a shared commitment across Government to do so.

“Education is a top priority and school closures are not something being considered.”

But Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told the Telegraph, headteachers were “hoping for the best but planning for the worst”.

He said: “If you have a fixed pool available of those who can teach young people, then the only final resort schools and colleges have is to start thinking about the certain year groups that should be prioritised in the short term.”

Boris Johnson due to be presented with Covid data

00:50 , Katy Clifton

Boris Johnson is due to be presented with the latest Covid data later today as he weighs up whether to impose fresh restrictions on England to stem the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

New measures have already come into force in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but ministers have so far swerved dictating new rules to those in England, instead hoping warnings would encourage people to self-police their own behaviour and cut down on social contacts.

The prime minister is expected to be briefed by Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance.

If the figures are positive, Mr Johnson could be persuaded to stick to lighter touch measures introduced under Plan B, potentially with some extra words of guidance.

However, if cases were beginning to put unsustainable pressure on the NHS, the PM may feel the need to intervene with more stringent restrictions.

The Times reported that in whichever scenario, however, weddings and funerals would be exempt from any new rules.