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Professor Chris Whitty told MPs that the situation could “get worse” very quickly if loosening of confinement restrictions is rushed and not closely monitored.
Appearing at the Science and Technology Committee, he said: “I think a lot of people may think that this is all over.
“I encourage you to look at what is happening in continental Europe at a time when many countries are raising rates again and have to shut things down again after not having been in that situation before. I think it is very easy to forget about it. how quickly things can go wrong if you don’t watch it very closely. “
It comes as the number of deaths and daily Covid cases in the UK has dropped to the lowest levels in five months.
On Monday, the government reported that another 65 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for the coronavirus, bringing the UK total to 124,566. That’s the lowest total since 60 on October 4. Some 4,712 new infections were also reported, the lowest daily figure since Sept. 28.
Live updates
Scotland: Nearly 40 percent of adults have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, says Sturgeon
Almost 40% of Scotland’s adult population has received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Nicola Sturgeon said.
The Prime Minister told the MSPs that “good progress” was being made with the vaccination program, which has inoculated almost 1.8 million people.
Sturgeon said: “There is already strong evidence that the vaccination program has significantly reduced deaths in nursing homes.
“Studies also show that vaccination, in addition to reducing illness and death, can significantly reduce the transmission of the virus.
“So we are increasingly confident that as more and more people gain some protection through vaccination, we will be able to ease restrictions by keeping the R number below 1.”
Nicola Sturgeon promises ‘very significant acceleration’ of vaccine supply
An increase in supply will see a “very significant acceleration” of the vaccination program, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.
Speaking to MSPs in Holyrood, Sturgeon said a drop in supply should be resolved by the middle of this month.
She said: “However, from mid-March onwards, we expect supplies to pick up again. This will allow a very significant acceleration of the vaccination program.
“It is worth noting that some of these supplies will be short-term, that is, they will be vaccines that must be used very soon after receipt.
The Scottish government will now start inviting people on priority lists eight and nine, which include those between the ages of 50 and 59, to receive their first dose.
Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon to set timetable for economy reopening
Nicola Sturgeon to announce schedule for reopening of stores, hair salons and gyms next week
Nicola Sturgeon said: “Next week I will set a more indicative timeline for the reopening of the economy, including shops, hair salons, gyms and part of our tourism sector.”
The Prime Minister provides an update on the latest Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Scotland.
Infections now average 490 new cases per day, with a test positivity just over three percent.
Hospital admissions are declining and the number of deaths has nearly halved since the first week of January.
Greece will welcome vaccinated and covid negative tourists from May
People who are vaccinated against Covid-19, have antibodies or test negative can travel to Greece this summer, Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis said on Tuesday.
The country aims to kick off its vital summer season in mid-May, Theocharis said.
“Greece is ready with a full protocol by the summer of 2021,” he said. “Tourists are welcome if they are vaccinated, have antibodies or are negative in the test before traveling. All tourists will be subject to random tests ”.
Tourism is one of Greece’s main sources of income, which has prompted requests for a vaccination certificate across the EU to help unlock travel.
The industry accounts for around a fifth of the Greek economy and employs one in five workers, but arrivals collapsed last year due to the pandemic.
Scotland registers 19 deaths from Covid-19 and 466 new cases in the last 24 hours
Scotland has recorded the death of 19 coronavirus patients and 466 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to Scottish government figures.
This brings the death toll under this measure, of people who tested positive for the virus for the first time in the previous 28 days, to 7,441.
The daily positivity rate for the test is 3 percent, up from 5 percent on Monday.
There are 614 people hospitalized with the confirmed virus, 40 in 24 hours and 50 in intensive care, nine fewer.
A total of 1,789,377 people have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine as of Tuesday morning, an increase of 14,718 in one day, and 123,686 have received their second dose.
11-year-old boy among 164 deaths from Covid in hospitals in England
Another 164 people who tested positive for coronavirus died at a hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 84,631, NHS England said on Tuesday.
The patients were between 11 and 100 years old.
All but eight, ages 49 to 87, had known underlying health problems.
The deaths occurred between December 20 and March 8, with the majority occurring on or after March 4.
Another 34 deaths were reported without a positive Covid-19 test result.
Labor MP accuses governor of Covid corruption in the Commons
Former Labor Minister Chris Bryant accused the Government of “corruption” by awarding Covid-19 contracts.
He told the Commons: “The minister is adorable, but I’m not going to fall for that old trick. The truth of the matter is, the government didn’t even distribute PPE fast enough to the people who really needed it, especially in our nursing homes, which is why so many people died and we have the highest excess death rate of any. country in the world.
“So I’m not taking any of this nonsense that they had to focus on it, which meant they couldn’t deal with transparency. The truth is that what they created was a VIP track so that some people could land massive contracts and some people got phenomenally rich during this pandemic.
“And many of them, surprise, surprise, turn out to be conservative party donors. It seems, I have to say, corruption and the only way the government can clean up that slate is if it clears up with all the contracts because otherwise it just seems like a cover-up. “
Edward Argar replied: “I think I will take your first comment as a compliment from a colleague I know well. But I have to say, having said that, I do not recognize his characterization of what happened.
“You are right that challenges were faced, not just in frontline and NHS situations, but in social care, you are absolutely right to highlight that, as I mentioned earlier.”
Unusable PPE Contracts Must Be Spent On NHS Pay Raise, Lib Dem Tells Commons
Lib Dem Munira Wilson (Twickenham) lifted purchased unusable PPE.
She said: “Given the number of fast-track VIP Covid contracts that have resulted in unusable protective equipment, will the minister commit to recovering public money from companies that did not meet their contractual obligations and accept that those hundreds of millions of Pounds could have been better spent on a decent raise for the NHS workforce? “
Edward Argar replied: “She makes an important point in terms of contracts that were not fulfilled or where the PPE, for example, did not meet the required standards and I can assure you that we are taking stock and an audit of exactly that and we are already investigating. a series of cases where if the PPE did not meet the required standard or was not delivered, we will get the money back from that. “
Terrible Mistakes Made About Covid Contracts, Admits Tory MP
Conservative Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) admitted that he believes “terrible mistakes” were made in bidding for contracts as the government scrambled to procure personal protective equipment.
Sir Edward told Commons: “In the middle of an emergency, value for money is lost and I’m sure terrible mistakes were made in the bidding process.
“But on the central charge that the contracts were awarded to cronies, it puzzles me why this should have happened if the public officials and not the ministers made the decisions.”
Health Minister Edward Argar said the decisions were made “following an eight-stage process led by public officials and not ministers,” adding: “He is also correct that no evidence has been found even by the health committees. this House, the NAO or any judicial case, of any inappropriate participation in terms of conflict of interest on the part of the ministers “.
Will Covid contracts be published?
Rachel Reeves urged the government to publish 100 outstanding contracts by the weekend.
She told the Commons: “The Good Law Project took the Government to court and on February 19, the High Court ruled that the Government had acted illegally, saying and I quote, ‘the public had a right to see who was going to stop this money and what it was spent on and how the contracts were awarded ”.
“Three days later, on February 22 in this House, the Prime Minister said and I quote again, ‘the contracts are there for all to see.’ But they are not. A judge confirmed through a court order last Friday that 100 contracts have yet to be published.
“So (Health Minister Edward Argar) will take this opportunity to apologize for that statement and make things clear? And will the government finally agree to publish the 100 pending contracts by the end of this week? “
Mr Argar replied: “(Ms Reeves) asked a particular question and I hope you will allow me to answer that where you referred (to the Prime Minister) and his comments, I think on February 22nd, if I am correct. by assuming of her.
“(The Prime Minister) was responding to a question about the failure to publish the details of specific contracts that are subject to judicial review. At the time of your statement, I was informed that the details of all these contracts were released under scrutiny. “
