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Matt Hancock warns that the public must take ‘personal responsibility’ to control the new strain of coronavirus
Officials from Northern Ireland and France have said it is “likely” that the new strain of coronavirus, currently making its way through London and south-east England, has already spread to their countries.
While DUP leader Arlene Foster told the BBC that the new mutant strain had likely entered both the North and the Republic of Ireland, French Health Minister Olivier Véran said it was “entirely possible” that it also would have reached France.
Boris Johnson is scheduled to hold an emergency Cobra meeting on Monday after France banned trucks carrying cargo from the UK, sparking chaos in Folkestone, Kent, where queues of trucks began to recede on Sunday to gain access. to the Eurotunnel.
However, Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps has said the disruption at Channel ports “will not have an impact” on vaccine supplies. Speaking to Sky News on Monday morning, he said that “virtually all the vaccine … actually comes through a container and in the meantime, there are good supplies.”
When pressed, he said resolutely: “This will not have an impact on the vaccination program.”
Over 600 cases of new strain of Covid in Wales, figures show
There are more than 600 cases of the new strain of coronavirus in Wales, Mark Drakeford said, although he revealed that it is “almost certainly a significant underestimate.”
The Welsh Prime Minister told a news conference that this is because only a proportion of the Welsh tests go to the two lighthouse laboratories capable of detecting the new strain. He said the Welsh government will hold talks with the Welsh unions to see if “anything can be done” for the people who will be working on Christmas Day this year.
“Of course, we recognize the fact that there will be many people who will have to give up their Christmas day, and in this unique year that means the arrangements that other people can make will be lost,” he said.
“So we will discuss it with the unions and other public sector partners, to see if there is anything that can be done.”
He added: “It is more complex than it seems. If we are able to do something, it will have to be a viable and feasible solution. “
Sam hancock21 December 2020 13:14
The new variant of the coronavirus grew ‘exponentially’ during the national shutdown
The new strain of coronavirus identified in England grew exponentially during the second national lockdown, government scientific advisers said.
Read the full story by Zoe tidman:
Joe middleton21 December 2020 13:00
Jordan suspends flights to the UK
After hot on the heels of Russia that cut air links with the UK, Jordan also decided to suspend all flights until January 3.
Joe middleton21 December 2020 12:47
Moscow suspends flights with the United Kingdom
Our Moscow correspondent Oliver Carroll reports: “On Monday afternoon, Moscow announced that it would eliminate air links with the UK, initially for a week from midnight.
“In announcing the decision, the federal coronavirus task force said it would study the impact of the new mutated strain of the virus before deciding on its next move.
“The Moscow-London link, which reappeared in August, is one of the few open-air corridors between Russia and the west.”
Joe middleton21 December 2020 12:37
‘This is a real emergency’: Labor leader demands action on English Channel border chaos
France’s transport minister has said he expects the EU to act within hours to allow the resumption of traffic between the UK and continental Europe.
Jean-Baptiste Djebbari spoke after countries around the world imposed restrictions on travel from the UK in response to news of the new variant of Covid-19 circulating out of control in the country.
Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer called on Johnson to hold a daily press conference to keep the public informed until the crisis is over.
Read the full story by Andrew Woodcock and Kate devlin:
Joe middleton21 December 2020 12:28
Medicines stocks ‘are not affected’ by the transport ban and can be obtained from ‘Brexit reserves’
Our health correspondent Shaun lintern reports:
The disruption in the supply of transport to the UK should not affect the supply of medicines to the NHS because pharmaceutical companies can make use of their Brexit reserves.
Richard Torbett, Executive Director of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Association, told The Independent: “Preparations for Brexit, and our work done during this pandemic, means that pharmaceutical companies have contingencies for border emergencies in line with the worst case scenario. of the government. Scenario planning. This includes additional reserve stocks of drugs already in the UK and the ability to divert supplies away from short channel crossings of the strait.
“We understand that companies are confident right now that drugs and vaccines, including the covid-19 vaccine, will continue to reach patients.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and working with the UK government as it deals with issues related to UK borders.”
Sam hancock21 December 2020 12:05
Sainsbury’s: Salad greens and citrus could run out unless border chaos is resolved
Supermarkets will soon run out of salad leaves and citrus fruits thanks to a 48-hour ban on trucks crossing the English Channel into France, Sainsbury’s said.
The UK’s second-largest supermarket said cauliflower and broccoli might also be out of stock in some stores, but tried to reassure shoppers that supplies for most Christmas items were already in the country, so they would not be affected.
My colleague Ben chapman has more:
Sam hancock21 December 2020 11:59
‘Truck drivers must be exempt from travel bans,’ urges Dover boss
Port of Dover CEO Doug Bannister has called on the UK and French governments to allow truck drivers to resume their trips through the Canal.
He told the Palestinian Authority news agency: “With the news that broke out about this new variant that is in the UK now, clearly what that means is that a lot of people in Europe had to start thinking carefully. about this.
“But all we saw is that undoubtedly during the first shutdown in March and April, we saw that truck drivers were exempt.
“So while there may be travel bans, which in fact there were, cargo could still continue through the Canal every day, allowing the nation to keep its stock levels high.”
He added: “The hope is that governments are in dialogue at this time to try to determine which protocols should be implemented.”
Sam hancock21 December 2020 11:35
The police will ‘no way’ search the houses according to the rules of Level 4
Metropolitan Police Federation President Ken Marsh said there is “no way” for officers to knock on the doors of “normal” homes in London to check that coronavirus restrictions are being followed now that the city is in Level 4.
“We are not going to knock on people’s doors at all, unless there is a large group and noise, that is, a party or something like that,” he said, adding: “But normal day-to-day homes? There is no way my colleagues will take care of that. “
He told BBC News that if people refuse to open the door to the police, the officers have no power to force entry onto the property, and he calls the coronavirus laws a “toothless tiger.”
When asked about the officers who would receive the Covid-19 vaccine, Marsh said: “As police officers, we have the ability to become super-spreaders because we are not only in London boroughs, 32 of them, we come out of the districts as well.
“I find it impressive that the government is not for a minute thinking that we need to vaccinate our front-line officers to protect themselves and the public.”
Sam hancock21 December 2020 11:18
The EU will draw up a new ‘sanitary protocol’ so that the flow of goods can resume
French transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari has said that “in the next few hours” the EU will be “putting in place a robust health protocol so that flows from the UK can resume.”
“Our priority: to protect our citizens and fellow citizens,” he said on Twitter.
Sam hancock21 December 2020 11:04
