Coronavirus news live: UK watchdog criticises £37bn test and trace service; Australia approves Covid booster shot rollout | World news

Following up on these feedback, Dame Meg Hillier has been on the BBC this morning, saying that the Conservative authorities’s check and hint programme handled taxpayers as in the event that they had been an ATM. PA Media quote her saying:

There was loads of gung-ho confidence from No 10 that we’d have a ‘moonshot’ in direction of mass testing. These messages stored getting extra optimistic. Baroness Harding was additionally very optimistic about what they achieved.

However in the long run it massively over-promised for what it delivered and it was eye-watering sums of cash.

That is likely one of the greatest issues – it’s virtually as if the taxpayer was an ATM machine. That lack of regard for taxpayer funding is an actual concern for us as a committee.”

Right here’s a reminder of the conclusion of the Commons public accounts committee chair Meg Hillier after that report into the money they say has been wasted by the UK government on its test and trace system led by Dido Harding, who was appointed by Matt Hancock. Hillier mentioned:

The nationwide Take a look at & Hint programme was allotted eye watering sums of taxpayers’ cash within the midst of a worldwide well being and financial disaster. It set out daring ambitions however has failed to realize them regardless of the huge sums thrown at it. Solely 14% of 691m lateral circulation checks despatched out had outcomes reported, and who is aware of what number of took the required motion primarily based on the outcomes they acquired, or what number of had been by no means used. The continued reliance on the over-priced consultants who “delivered” this state of affairs will by itself price the taxpayer lots of of thousands and thousands of kilos. For this big amount of cash we have to see a legacy system able to ship when wanted nevertheless it’s simply not clear what there might be to indicate in the long run. This legacy has to be a magnet for authorities if we’re to see any worth for the cash spent.

The Czech Republic reported 6,274 new Covid-19 circumstances, virtually doubling in per week because the nation struggles to comprise a brand new wave of the pandemic.

The most recent quantity is the best since 7 April within the nation of 10.7 million.
Hospitalisations have risen to 1,146 as of 26 October, up from 249 in the beginning of the month, with 166 folks in intensive care, Reuters report.

Regardless of the fast development, circumstances and hospitalisations are nonetheless nicely beneath peak ranges of early 2021 and the tip of final yr.

This chart reveals the most recent case charges throughout Europe.

A fast report from Tsvetelia Tsolova in Sofia for Reuters right here: the variety of coronavirus infections in Bulgaria rose by 6,813 up to now 24 hours, a brand new document excessive each day tally for the reason that begin of the pandemic, official information confirmed.

The virus has killed 124 folks up to now 24 hours, in accordance with the figures, bringing the overall demise toll to 23,440. Yesterday the info confirmed that 243 folks had died, which was a document for Bulgaria.

Over 7,300 folks had been in Covid-19 wards within the European Union’s least vaccinated nation, overwhelming hospitals amid medical workers shortages.

As anticipated, within the UK on Sky Information the interview with former minister Robert Jenrick was largely about Price range hypothesis. Nonetheless he was requested briefly in regards to the damning report from the general public accounts committee of the Commons which concluded that NHS check and hint “has not achieved its fundamental goal to assist break chains of Covid-19 transmission and allow folks to return in direction of a extra regular lifestyle” regardless of receiving about 20% of the NHS’s total annual finances – £37 bn – over two years. Jenrick defended it, saying:

It has performed an essential half in tackling the pandemic. Are there classes that may or have to be realized from it? I believe completely. And we’re all going to must pay heed – notably the federal government – to what’s mentioned by the general public accounts committee.

I ought to think about the main points of this report are going to in a short time get swamped by information of the Price range immediately – you’ll be able to learn our well being editor Andrew Gregory’s report on it right here: NHS test and trace ‘failed its main objective’, says spending watchdog

Arwa Mahdawi has written her newest column for us, and immediately she says that telling anti-vaxxers to get the jab should not be controversial – even Fox News is doing it:

Telling folks to get vaccinated throughout a pandemic shouldn’t be controversial. Neil Cavuto’s employer Fox Information has labored additional time to make sure that it’s. A latest evaluation by a media watchdog discovered 60% of Fox News’ summer programming included claims undermining vaccinations. Whereas Fox has been amplifying anti-vaxxer propaganda, nevertheless, it has additionally been quietly implementing its personal strict vaccination and testing insurance policies. Almost 90% of full-time staff on the Fox Company have been vaccinated, it was reported last month. The corporate has additionally mentioned it would soon implement each day Covid testing for workers who haven’t had the jab.

It has grow to be depressingly clear that we’re not going to finish this pandemic by counting on everybody to do what’s greatest for the larger good. If we need to have any hope of getting again to regular then we want strict vaccine and testing necessities – as Fox, for all its posturing about freedom, clearly realises. There are heated debates internationally about learn how to implement this. Indonesia has made vaccines necessary, with massive fines for refuseniks. Whereas it appears unlikely that almost all international locations will go that far, vaccine mandates for folks comparable to authorities staff and care workers have been applied in international locations together with the US, Australia, France and – from 11 November – in England. As nicely they need to be. There may be nothing controversial about requiring folks to get inoculated; vaccination necessities for varsity and journey have been in place for decades. Should you’re marching in the street to protest in opposition to the “tyranny” of being compelled to contemplate different folks, please get a grip. Even Fox Information hosts suppose you’re being an ass.

Learn extra right here: Arwa Mahdawi – Telling anti-vaxxers to get the jab should not be controversial – even Fox News is doing it

Good morning, it’s Martin Belam right here in London taking on from Samantha Lock. It’s Price range day within the UK, and Robert Jenrick is the previous minister out doing the media spherical for the federal government. I don’t anticipate Covid will get a second thought within the questioning, however I’ll convey you any strains that develop out of that shortly.

A Brazilian Senate committee really helpful that president Jair Bolsonaro face a collection of criminal indictments for actions and omissions related to the world’s second highest Covid-19 death toll.

The seven-to-four vote on Tuesday was the fruits of a six-month committee investigation of the federal government’s dealing with of the pandemic. It formally approved a report calling for prosecutors to try Bolsonaro on fees starting from charlatanism and inciting crime to misuse of public funds and crimes in opposition to humanity, and in doing so maintain him accountable for lots of Brazil’s greater than 600,000 Covid-19 deaths.

The president has denied wrongdoing, and the choice on whether or not to file many of the fees might be as much as prosecutor common Augusto Aras, a Bolsonaro appointee who’s extensively seen as defending him. The allegation of crimes in opposition to humanity would must be pursued by the worldwide legal courtroom.

Senator Omar Aziz, the chairman of the inquiry, mentioned he would ship the advice to the prosecutor common on Wednesday morning. Aras’ workplace mentioned the report could be fastidiously reviewed as quickly because it was acquired.

The world’s greatest economies ought to create a discussion board to facilitate world coordination for the following pandemic, in addition to a brand new financing facility to maintain up with rising threats, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati have mentioned in a letter to their G20 colleagues

The 2 finance ministers mentioned the discussion board would enable well being and finance ministers to raised cooperate and coordinate prevention, detection, information-sharing, and any wanted response.

Yellen and Indrawati mentioned the Covid-19 pandemic revealed a scarcity of readiness on the nation stage and a scarcity of coordination amongst G20 international locations.

“Whereas we’re making progress in combating Covid-19, we additionally face a stark actuality: this won’t be the final pandemic,” they wrote forward of Friday’s joint assembly of G20 well being and finance ministers. “We should not lose this chance to reveal management with a decisive dedication to behave.”

Welcome again to our Covid weblog the place we’ll convey you all the most recent information surrounding the evolving coronavirus disaster.

I’m Samantha Lock reporting to you from Sydney, Australia. Right here’s only a fast information on what you might need missed earlier.

A damning report to come back out of the UK has lambasted the NHS check and hint system, saying it failed to achieve “its main objective” to cut infection levels and assist in returning to life as regular.

The initiative was handed an “eye-watering” £37bn in taxpayers’ money however finally “has not achieved its fundamental goal to assist break chains of Covid-19 transmission and allow folks to return in direction of a extra regular lifestyle,” the Commons spending watchdog has mentioned.

On the time of its launch, Boris Johnson claimed the programme could be “world-beating” however the watchdog says its goals had been “overstated or not achieved”. The funding – equal to about 20% of the well being service’s total annual finances – was used to rent greater than 2,000 consultants who had been employed on charges of greater than £1,000 a day, the report by the general public accounts committee (PAC) discovered.

• The Covid-19 disaster is much “far from finished”, the World Well being Group’s emergency committee has mentioned. The 19-member committee, which meets each three months to debate the pandemic and make suggestions, additionally known as for analysis into next-generation vaccines and long-term motion to regulate the virus.
• Vaccine booster charges are actually exceeding first-shot charges throughout the US, in accordance with data from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).
• In Thailand, businesses are pleading with the government to drop the nation’s current alcohol ban when the nation reopens, saying it would deter vacationers.
• China has locked down a city of 4m over 6 Covid cases. Residents in Lanzhou, Gansu, have been informed to remain at house as buses, taxis and key rail routes are suspended.
• FDA advisers recommend approval of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine for children aged 5-11. it is going to be the primary vaccine out there for youthful kids within the US. The practically unanimous vote clears the way in which for potential approval for emergency use subsequent month, making practically 30m kids eligible.
• Pregnant ladies are being turned away from Covid vaccine clinics despite clinical advice, consultants have warned as they urged ministers to ramp up efforts to achieve unvaccinated teams.
• The UK recorded 40,954 new Covid circumstances immediately and 263 extra folks have died, official figures present.
• A Brazilian Senate committee really helpful on Tuesday that president Jair Bolsonaro face a collection of criminal indictments for actions and omissions related to the world’s second highest Covid-19 death toll. The 7-to-4 vote was the fruits of a six-month committee investigation of the federal government’s dealing with of the pandemic.
• No exemptions are to be given for unvaccinated tennis players travelling from abroad for the Australian Open, the state’s premier has mentioned. Gamers like Novak Djokovic has repeatedly refused to disclose his vaccination standing.
• Absolutely vaccinated Australians will not have to use for journey exemptions to depart the nation, as Australia prepares to ease its worldwide borders from 1 November.
• Australia may hit the 80 per cent full Covid-19 vaccination mark inside per week.
• Russia, Bulgaria and the Ukraine all reported a document variety of each day deaths on Tuesday. Russia reported 1,106 deaths in 24 hours, probably the most for the reason that begin of the pandemic bringing the overall demise toll to 232,775, Europe’s highest by far. Sluggish vaccination charges have allowed the virus to unfold rapidly throughout Japanese Europe.
• Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene has been fined for the third time for refusing to wear mask on House floor.