UK Covid live: ministers ‘closely looking at the data’ before deciding on circuit breaker for England, says minister | Politics

A complete of 764 deaths registered in England and Wales within the week ending December 10 talked about Covid-19 on the dying certificates, in accordance with the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS).

That is down 4% on the earlier week and is the bottom variety of deaths for the reason that week to October 15, when the whole was 713.

Round one in 16 (6.4%) of all deaths registered in England and Wales within the week to December 10 talked about Covid-19 on the dying certificates.

Some 65 care residence resident deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales have been registered within the week to December 10, down barely from 67 within the earlier week.

In complete, 44,406 care residence residents in England and Wales have had Covid-19 recorded on their dying certificates for the reason that pandemic started.

The ONS figures cowl deaths of care residence residents in all settings, not simply in care houses.

The DUP chief Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has examined constructive for Covid, he has introduced on Twitter.

He mentioned he fell ailing after coming back from London final week.

“Infighting” and “jockeying” for the Conservative management has taken over from Covid decision-making, Labour has mentioned.

Requested by Instances Radio whether or not the federal government has offered readability by saying that selections on new restrictions will probably be taken at a later date, Labour Occasion chairwoman Anneliese Dodds mentioned this isn’t the case.

She mentioned:

Many of the read-outs from these conferences and the rumours which have unfold since counsel that actually that is about disagreement inside a gaggle of senior conservatives, jockeying for place to be the subsequent chief of the Conservative Occasion reasonably than really soberly trying on the proof each well being and financial proof and taking a choice.

We do want a Authorities proper now that’s now targeted on the nationwide curiosity, not infighting throughout the Conservative Occasion.

Dodds additionally mentioned Labour would “comply with the proof” if it was in energy, pointing to decision-making by the Welsh Labour authorities based mostly on the most recent scientific recommendation.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, a former member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, has advised the Immediately programme “every of us can do issues right this moment that can make the possibility of additional restrictions lighter”.

He added:

Omicron is spreading unbelievably quick. It’s a phenomenal variant transmission.

There’s nice uncertainty about what’s it going to result in when it comes to stress on the well being system, individuals going to hospital, notably individuals dying, but additionally what impression is it going to have on the broader society, employees absences, the power to have functioning different providers, so there’s nice uncertainty.

My private view is that I feel we are able to wait for the time being till there are extra restrictions formally positioned.

A high scientist has mentioned we “can’t afford to cross our fingers and hope this disaster blows over” because the Omicron variant of Covid-19 spreads the world over.

Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of Wellcome, mentioned in a press release: “As we now have realized from the very starting of this pandemic, it’s higher to behave earlier than later.”

He mentioned it was important that governments act “swiftly and accordingly, paying shut consideration to the info”.

To deliver Omicron underneath any type of management, he mentioned, it’s important that transmission is slowed.

If not, we might see profound impacts on well being methods but additionally throughout sectors comparable to training, hospitality, public transport, police and important nationwide infrastructure as infections stop individuals from working. No nation can afford to assume they’re an exception.

It’s staggering and deeply irritating that two years into this pandemic – when we now have gathered a lot proof and made enormous scientific progress – that governments are nonetheless not anticipating occasions and performing early or working collectively anyplace close to the size that’s required.

He additionally warned that the federal government shouldn’t simply give attention to home points however take into consideration the larger image to be able to get Covid underneath management.

He mentioned:

With out a actually international response, the place we urgently enhance entry to assessments, remedies and vaccines in all international locations – not simply these with shopping for energy – we can’t anticipate to attain lasting restoration. World leaders had indicated by pledges they perceive the issue, however all too typically these stay simply that – pledges. We’re far past the time for heat phrases. International locations around the globe can’t afford to attend for high-income nations to behave on their guarantees. We will do higher. We should do higher.

On the identical time, we should make investments way more now in subsequent technology therapeutics and vaccines, ones that not solely cease illness and dying, but additionally stop transmission and work in opposition to potential new variants. Subsequent 12 months, we should do what we now have to date didn’t do – we should get forward of this pandemic and break this vicious reactive cycle.

There could be “financial penalties” to additional Covid restrictions, a minister has acknowledged as he mentioned Parliament is just not but resulting from be recalled to debate new measures.

Steve Barclay advised BBC Breakfast:

The prime minister has given a dedication that the place there are further laws purchased ahead that parliament could be recalled so that members of parliament can scrutinise and debate these points, however we’re not at that stage.

We’re trying intently on the knowledge and we have to recognise there are financial penalties to additional restrictions.

There’s a lot that we nonetheless don’t know however we’re nonetheless taking a look at that knowledge on what are very finely-balanced selections.

Barclay mentioned individuals ought to have a “cautious” Christmas, in accordance with a authorities minister who has modified his personal plans.

He advised LBC he had downsized the variety of members of the family at his Christmas celebrations this 12 months, with solely his in-laws attending.

The cupboard workplace minister mentioned:

We’re saying to those who they need to proceed with Christmas however achieve this in a cautious method. That’s what I will probably be doing with my circle of relatives.

We will all shield our households and associates by having the booster.

When requested what a cautious Christmas is, he added: “I feel it is considering how many individuals we have to see. A few of my household gained’t be coming over at Christmas. My spouse’s mother and father will probably be becoming a member of us however others is not going to.”

New Covid restrictions are unlikely to be imposed earlier than Christmas amid deep cupboard divisions however Boris Johnson warned additional measures stay on the desk, with knowledge on the specter of Omicron monitored “hour by hour”.

The prime minister was accused of failing to comply with scientists’ recommendation on the necessity for instant restrictions whereas leaving tens of millions of individuals and companies in limbo after a two-hour cupboard assembly ended with no resolution on Monday.

Throughout the assembly, scientific advisers briefed ministers on the most recent knowledge together with a steep rise in hospitalisations in London, with the UK’s highest variety of Omicron circumstances, whereas 91,743 individuals examined constructive for Covid on Monday throughout the UK.

Afterwards, the prime minister mentioned the arguments for and in opposition to stricter measures have been “finely balanced” and the scenario was “extraordinarily troublesome”.

Learn the total story by my colleagues Aubrey Allegretti, Peter Walker and Sarah Butler from final evening right here:

The impact that lockdowns have on individuals’s lives is as dangerous as going to hospital, Sir Iain Duncan Smith has warned amid the rise of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and uncertainty over whether or not or not new restrictions will probably be introduced in.

The previous chief of the conservative social gathering advised BBC Radio 4’s Immediately programme:

We have to perceive the impact of lockdown is dramatic throughout so many areas of individuals’s lives, which equates to the identical as individuals going into hospital.

He mentioned the federal government to decide about additional restrictions solely when there’s a “wider vary of knowledge on the impact of lockdown”.

Duncan Smith mentioned:

We don’t wish to find yourself the place we have been final Christmas and we do have a considerably vaccinated inhabitants and that has an enormous impact on hospitalisation, so we’re underneath completely different circumstances than we have been final January.

The federal government will “say extra” about its discussions with enterprise leaders calling for extra Covid monetary help later right this moment, a minister has mentioned.

When requested about measures to assist companies struggling this Christmas resulting from Covid restrictions, cupboard workplace minister Steve Barclay advised BBC Breakfast:

The chancellor was speaking to trade leaders about this very subject final evening. We are going to say extra about this later right this moment.

We recognise clearly we’re eager to maintain companies open and companies ought to proceed to plan for the bookings they’ve.

We completely recognise that by Plan B and the behaviour change there was an impression on these bookings.

The federal government will “look intently on the knowledge” about whether or not or to not have a circuit-breaker lockdown after Christmas, a minister has mentioned.

When requested if the measure was being thought of, cupboard workplace minister Steve Barclay advised LBC Radio:

We’re trying intently on the knowledge, there’s a lot we nonetheless don’t know in regards to the severity of Omicron, the way it results in hospital admissions.

We’re trying notably on the London knowledge, there’s a larger prevalence of Omicron notably in London.

Requested if he had been amongst members of the cupboard calling for extra knowledge earlier than new restrictions have been launched, Barclay mentioned:

I feel it’s proper that the cupboard has a full and strong dialogue.

That’s what individuals would anticipate. It’s proper that we take a look at the stability between defending lives and livelihoods.

Steve Barclay advised BBC Breakfast that the prime minister has given a dedication that the place there are further laws purchased ahead that parliament could be recalled so that MPs can scrutinise and debate these points, however he added: “We’re not at that stage”.

He mentioned:

We’re trying intently on the knowledge and we have to recognise there are financial penalties to additional restrictions.

There’s a lot that we nonetheless don’t know however we’re nonetheless taking a look at that knowledge on what are very finely-balanced selections.

In the meantime, scientists have reacted with dismay to Boris Johnson’s resolution to not impose recent restrictions to curb the unfold of Omicron, emphasising that waiting until the new year would “almost certainly be too late to have a material impact on the epidemic”.