UK Coronavirus Update Live – Breaking News As Over 70 Vaccines Begin

Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccine minister, suggested that easing of lockdown restrictions will not start before March.

He said there are a number of things that stand in the way of “reopening the economy” and reiterated a comment from Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam that we do not yet know the “impact of the vaccine on transmission rates.”

Any reopening will be gradual, Zahawi told BBC Breakfast, and will “probably” use the tiered system, but should not be expected to start until “two or three weeks after mid-February,” when the government claims to have vaccinated the principals. four priority groups.

The vaccination program will not affect death rates or hospital admissions until “well into February,” said England’s NHS National Medical Director.

Infection rates in London had slowed, but the rest of the country has not seen a significant slowdown since the new lockdown took effect, said Professor Stephen Powis. Good morning Great Britain.

But he suggested there were “early signs” that the lockdown had started to take effect, although he added that it will be a week or two before this begins to ease the pressure on hospitals.

“For the next several weeks and through February, it’s really important that everyone stick to those social distancing guidelines,” he said.

“The vaccine program gives us hope, but it will not affect deaths or hospital admissions until well into February.”

The toughest ever travel rules for arrivals to the UK have now come into effect.

Anyone wishing to travel to the UK from a foreign country (except Ireland), by air, rail or sea, must submit a negative Covid test conducted within the last three days.

Our resident travel expert Simon Calder explains the new rules:

Nadhim Zahawi, the government’s vaccine minister, said the 24-hour vaccines will be tested in London hospitals at the end of January.

Appearing on Sky News just now, he said: “We are going to test 24-hour vaccination, the NHS will do it in London hospitals and we will see how to expand it.

Pressed on when the pilots will start, he said: “At the end of January, absolutely.”

But said the vaccination from 8:00 a.m. M. At 8:00 p. M. It works “much more conveniently” for those over 80, while later hours become more convenient for younger groups.

The UK closed all travel corridors today, meaning that anyone heading to the UK from abroad will need to provide a negative coronavirus test taken within the last three days before departure.

Those allowed to come to the UK must be quarantined upon arrival for 10 days.

The strict border rules went into effect at 4 a.m. today and will remain in effect until at least February 15. Last Friday, a ban on travelers from South Africa and Portugal was implemented in an attempt to protect the UK from new variants of the virus, including one identified in Brazil.

Those over 70 and extremely vulnerable people will start receiving invitations for coronavirus attacks this week in what Boris Johnson called a “significant milestone” in the UK vaccination program.

The Covid-19 vaccines will be rolled out to the third and fourth priority groups starting today at vaccination sites with the necessary capacity.

The government said it would continue to prioritize the top two priority groups: nursing home residents and their caregivers, and over 80, front-line healthcare and social care workers, who have received 3.8 million hits so far. .

My colleague Conrad Duncan has the full story: