Coronavirus news: London now UK’s Covid hotspot and Test and Trace cuts Christmas hours

Follow the latest updates from the pandemic

Covid: New variant found in UK from South Africa

London has been confirmed as the UK’s coronavirus hotspot following a dramatic surge in infections in recent weeks, according to the latest infection survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).  

The capital was shown on Thursday to have the highest percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 in the country as millions more people prepared to be forced into tier 4 restrictions from Boxing Day as part of efforts to control a faster-spreading version of the virus.  

Health secretary Matt Hancock warned the UK’s variant was spreading at a “dangerous rate” and urged people to stay at home from Saturday in the affected areas.  

Meanwhile, other parts of the country, such as Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset, were escalated to tier 3 amid concerns about rising infection rates over the Christmas period.  

It came as The Independent revealed the government had asked England’s Test and Trace service to reduce its working hours during the Christmas holidays despite a surge in confirmed cases.  

Nearly 40,000 positive tests for Covid-19 were reported on Wednesday, yet clinical staff working for the system have been told to cancel shifts ahead of a shortened working day.  

Official figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care revealed 616,933 people had received their first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine by the end of last week.  

It came after Boris Johnson said almost 800,000 people had been vaccinated, however the prime minister is likely to have had more up-to-date figures when he made his address on reaching a post-Brexit deal with the European Union on Thursday. 

• Christmas Eve travel news — live: Flooding disrupts festive plans
• The full list of tier restrictions by area
• Tier 4 and Christmas travel rules explained

Key Points

• More than 600,000 people in UK get first Pfizer vaccine dose
• UK Covid deaths rise by 574 in 24 hours
• London named UK’s top Covid hotspot after dramatic surge in cases
• NHS told to prepare for use of Nightingale hospitals in coming weeks
• Tier 4 restrictions extended for millions across England
• Test and Trace reduces working hours as infections spike

[24 December 2020 20:25 · Chiara Giordano]

Chile starts first vaccinations in South America as Pfizer doses arrive

Chile, the first country in South America to begin vaccinating against Covid-19, started innoculations today after receiving its initial 10,000 doses from Pfizer/BioNTech.

Specialist nurse Zulema Riquelme, 46, who has worked at a public hospital in a poor area of the capital for 26 years, was the first Chilean to receive the vaccine.

She urged others to follow her lead, although a poll by local firm Cadem found only 36 per cent were willing to receive the shot immediately and 22 per cent said they would never want it.

Mexico received 3,000 doses of the vaccine on Wednesday; Costa Rica was to receive Pfizer doses on today, while Argentina was expecting the first doses of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine on the same day.