Covid news - live: Biden and Boris Johnson discuss ‘green and sustainable’ coronavirus recovery in first call
All the day’s events as they happened
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Boris Johnson and Joe Biden discussed the future of their response to the Covid-19 pandemic as the world leaders grapple with high levels of infection of death in their first call since the Democrat was named US president.
Sharing news of the call on Twitter Boris Johnson said they had discussed the forging of a green and sustainable recovery from Covid-19 - the death toll for which now stands at 97,329 according to the department of health.
It comes as a leading scientist defends the government’s decision to describe the new coronavirus variant as more deadly after others claimed the evidence is still unclear
Professor Peter Horby, who chairs the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), defended Boris Johnson’s decision to reveal the information on Friday, but cautioned that the news needed to be “put in perspective” and that the risk of the strain being more deadly was still “very, very small” to most people.
But others cast doubt on the PM’s claim, saying it is still an “open question”. Some said they were “quite surprised” that the government chose to make the announcement, as the evidence was “based on a relatively small amount of data”.
Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said it is still not “absolutely clear” that the new variant is more deadly, adding that there are “several investigations going on at the moment” and more work needed to be done to determine if that was actually the case.
And as the number of people to have received at least one dose of a vaccine reached more than 5.8 million, the nation’s deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam urged those with the partial immunity to continue to socially distance.
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, he said: “Regardless of whether someone has had their vaccination or not, it is vital that everyone follows the national restrictions and public health advice, as protection takes up to three weeks to kick in and we don’t yet know the impact of vaccines on transmission.”
Wuhan marks one year from lockdown
Today marks one year since the city of Wuhan went into lockdown, making it the first city in the world to be devastated by the new coronavirus.
Now, it had become a post-pandemic world where people do not have to wear face masks, can have get-togethers and make daily commutes.
My colleagues Christopher Buckley, Keith Bradsher, Vivian Wang and Amy Qin take a closer look at how Wuhan dealt with the crisis and where it stands now:
A year on from lockdown, Wuhan is the first post-pandemic city
The Chinese city was placed under a 76-day lockdown beginning 23 January, 2020
Matt Hancock thanks public for efforts during lockdown
The health secretary has thanked the British public for their efforts in looking out for one another “in what are really difficult times”.
In a video posted to his Twitter account, Matt Hancock said: “I’ve been really inspired by some of the stories that I’ve seen, the people I’ve talked to, who are helping out locally, whether it’s helping elderly people to get to a vaccination centre, or making sure people have got food and access to things that they need.
“I know that communities right across the country are coming together, and people are helping their neighbour. It’s so important in this time.”
Watch his message below:
Thousands of Hong Kong residents locked down amid surge in infections
Thousands of Hong Kongers have been placed under lockdown on Saturday as authorities struggle to contain an outbreak in the city.
Hong Kong has recorded more than 4,300 coronavirus cases in the last two months, making up nearly 40 per cent of the city’s total. Around half of infections have been detected in the Yau Tsim Mong district.
Authorities said in a statement on Saturday that an area covering 16 buildings in the district will be locked down until all residents have been tested.
“Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained,” it said.
Around 3,000 people in the district have been tested so far, according to the Hong Kind government.
Community leaders in Scotland asked to help combat ‘vaccine hesitancy’ among minorities
A minister has said that community leaders are being asked to help stem the spread of vaccine misinformation among ethnic minority groups in Scotland.
According to the Edinburgh and Lothian Regional Equality Council (Elrec), South Asian people may encounter “foreign messages” that spread false claims about the Covid vaccine in family networks.
Equalities minister Christina McKelvie said there is an overlap between groups who are most hesitant about the vaccine and those most affected by Covid-19.
She has written to community leaders “asking for their help in developing and delivering targeted messages to communities, to address specific barriers they may have to taking up the vaccination”.
"We are keen to explore how local community leaders, or people who are visible and well known in those communities, can help encourage people to take up the vaccine, and that's why we've written to over 100 representative organisations including Elrec, providing ideas and support to make that happen," she said.
"We also know that there is a significant overlap between the groups disproportionately affected by Covid-19 - which include minority ethnic people - and those most likely to be vaccine hesitant.”
She said an expert group had been set up earlier in the pandemic to advise the Government on how to meet the needs of minority communities.
London mayor pleads with public to stay at home
Sadiq Khan has issued a plea for the British public to “protect your family” and follow the coronavirus regulations.
The mayor of London said in a tweet: “We cannot ignore the thousands dying from Covid each week.
“We cannot ignore the heartbreaking pleas from our NHS to follow the rules.”
The stark reminder comes as the government released its new advert aimed at driving home the message to stay at home.
Officers injured while dispersing illegal party attended by more than 200 people
The Metropolitan Police has revealed that two officers were injured while working to disperse an illegal party on 17 January, which was attended by more than 200 people.
Several units attended to reports of a mass gathering taking place at a property on Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge, London, at around 3.30am.
Attendees “became hostile” while police were dispersion the crowds and pushed through officers in an attempt to avoid being fined, resulting in two officers getting injured.
Around 30 fixed penalty notices (FPN) were issued to attendees and a three-month closure is being prepared for the owner of the establishment, said the Met.
Prior to that, the force also broke up large groups gathering illegally on 16 January in Ladbroke Grove and on 20 December on Montpelier Street, SW7.
Superintendent Michael Walsh said: “The above three instances were flagrant breaches of Covid legislation and could potentially have put multiple people at risk of contracting or spreading the virus. Attending or organising such parties during this critical period is an incredibly selfish decision to make and we will continue to take action against those who flout the rules.
“My officers continue to work incredibly hard to uphold Covid legislation in order to keep people safe. While the majority of breaches have been resolved without incident, it deeply saddens me that some individuals have chosen to assault police officers who are simply doing their part in the collective battle against this deadly virus.
“We will absolutely not tolerate assaults on police officers. It goes without saying that anyone who harms an emergency worker will face the full force of the law.
“I would like to thank colleagues from Kensington and Chelsea Council for their support in delivering this weekend of action. Through our partnership with them, we have been able to take swift and appropriate enforcement action in those cases where people have very clearly and very deliberately broken the rules.”
Calls for Home Office to shut Kent barracks amid large coronavirus outbreak
Around 120 people are believed to have tested positive for coronavirus at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, a military barracks housing asylum seekers.
The outbreak has prompted fears of a health crisis on top of conditions described as “unbearable” by residents, many of whom have crossed the English Channel in small boats.
Michael Drummond reports:
Home Office urged to shut Kent barracks amid covid outbreak
At least 120 cases of coronavirus have been identified at the barracks
Strict Covid-19 rules could stay for first half of 2021 in Ireland
The Taoiseach has said that Ireland’s strict Covid-19 rules could remain in place for the first half of the year, adding that his concern is the new variant of the virus that emerged in the UK.
Michael Martin said new cases may need to be as low as 100 to 200 before restrictions can be relaxed.
He told RTE Radio 1: "It will become the dominant variant here. It is at 62% of all cases. It transmits more easily.
"If we have mass mobilisation and mass socialisation it will spread again.
"I think with the vaccines coming, there's an argument to be cautious and conservative now for the first half of this year, until we roll out the vaccines.
"We will be witnessing far more prolonged restrictions than we have to date."
Social distancing to be observed again in Guernsey after four new cases detected
Residents of Guernsey must once again observe social distancing after four new Covid-19 cases of unknown origin were discovered on the island.
The Civil Contingencies Authority and director of Public Health issued the advice after the tests were confirmed on Friday, and contact tracing is underway.
Gatherings and events “of any kind” should also be cancelled, said the advice, adding that they “do not want to see any unnecessary risks taken and would urge al islanders to take this advice very seriously”.
None of the four people who tested positive for the virus have travelled into the island or are contacts of known cases or travellers.
Public Health said: “Contact tracing is continuing to determine whether there is a link between the cases and whether these cases are linked or this is as a result of wider community seeding.”
Sri Lanka minister who drank potion made by “sorcerer” tests positive for Covid-19
Sri Lanka’s health minister, who has faced criticism for consuming and endorsing a herbal syrup made by a sorcerer has tested positive for coronavirus.
An official from the Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday that Pavithra Wanniarachchi has become the highest-ranking official to be infected with the virus.
It comes after thousands of people gathered in long queues in December in the village of Bandara to obtain the syrup, which is said to contain honey and nutmeg, days after Wanniarachchi and several other government officials publicly consumed it.
Read the full story below:
Asia Today: Sri Lanka minister who drank potion is positive
Sri Lanka’s health minister who has faced criticism for consuming and endorsing a herbal syrup made by a sorcerer has tested positive for COVID-19
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