Covid live: UK cabinet ministers briefed on latest Covid data; Omicron identified in 89 countries, says WHO | World news

A rush of passengers travelling to France to beat the nation’s ban on UK vacationers that got here into drive at 11pm on Friday has led to a knock-on impact on freight visitors, leading to lengthy queues of lorries.

There have been prolonged tailbacks on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover and on the entrance to the Channel Tunnel on Saturday, PA reviews.

A day earlier there have been queues on the Port of Dover after many individuals introduced their Christmas journey plans ahead to keep away from new restrictions imposed by France.

It was hoped freight visitors queues would clear by Saturday afternoon.

A spokeswoman for Eurotunnel mentioned:

Congestion in Dover in a single day and on the A20 into Dover this morning has led to a switch of freight visitors to Eurotunnel.

There’s at the moment slow-moving visitors on the method to J11A (Eurotunnel exit) on M20, however freight is flowing by means of the tunnel at regular charges and so this can disappear within the coming hours.

She mentioned all passengers who needed to get to France by means of the Channel Tunnel earlier than the deadline had been in a position to take action.

Below the brand new guidelines introduced in as a result of unfold of the Omicron coronavirus variant, UK residents now want a “compelling cause” to enter France, with journeys for tourism or enterprise banned.

Hauliers, transport staff and French nationals and their UK spouses and youngsters are exempt from the brand new guidelines.

A Dutch authorities spokesperson has confirmed reviews that new stricter measures can be introduced at a press convention this night.

Health ministry spokesperson Axel Dees advised Reuters there could be a authorities press convention to announce new measures at 7pm (1800 GMT). He didn’t touch upon the kinds of measures that might be introduced.

The Dutch authorities is anticipated to announce a “strict” Christmas lockdown beneath which all the things however important shops will shut amid fears over the unfold of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Dutch media reported.

The federal government is assembly on Saturday with its well being specialists who’ve beneficial the closure of all non-essential retailers, faculties, bars, eating places and different public venues.
Within the metropolis centre of Leiden, round 20 km exterior The Hague, folks flocked to the principle procuring avenue to get last-minute present procuring achieved.

Some shops, like toy shops and luxurious skincare and cosmetics retailers, had strains exterior, with the supervisor of a cosmetics store telling Reuters it was “a lot busier than standard”.
The prime minister, Mark Rutte, mentioned earlier this week that Omicron could possibly be the dominant coronavirus variant within the Netherlands by January.

On Friday the Nationwide Institute for Public Well being (RIVM) reported 15,433 new Covid-19 instances, down round 25% from per week earlier, however increased than the height of any earlier wave.

The New 12 months’s celebration fireworks show on the ChampsÉlysées in Paris has been cancelled, after scientific advisers warned of dangers related the festive season.

“The fireworks is not going to happen, nor sadly will there be any DJ units,” the mayor’s workplace advised AFP. In an announcement, the Paris municipal authorities mentioned that “with remorse that we should cancel all of the festivities deliberate on the Champs-Élysées on 31 December.”

The announcement was consistent with new suggestions laid out by authorities scientific advisors to gradual the unfold of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

“With regard to the acceleration of the pandemic, and the dangers associated to the end-of-year festivities, authorities ought to impose vital restrictions,” France’s scientific panel mentioned.

A number one authorities adviser has mentioned {that a} “circuit breaker” lockdown after Christmas could be “most likely too late” and “we have to act now” to go of an enormous surge of infections.

Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology on the College of St Andrews and member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), mentioned it was clear that plan B measures alone wouldn’t be sufficient to cease the spiralling numbers of instances.

Prof Reicher, who was talking to Occasions Radio in a private capability, mentioned the time to behave was now, including “all of the science means that (plan B is) not going to be sufficient”.

He mentioned: “The one method actually, or at the least the best method, we will have a right away impact is to lower the variety of contacts we’ve.

“In some ways, the best method of diminishing contact is to have a circuit-breaker.

“Now, you would have it after Christmas, the issue is after Christmas it’s most likely too late, it’s most likely by then we may have had an enormous surge of infections with all of the influence upon society.

“When folks say ‘look, we don’t need to shut down’, in fact, we don’t need to shut down. However the issue is in the intervening time, issues are closing down anyway, due to the unfold of an infection.

“So I believe we have to act now.”

It comes amid reviews officials have been drawing up draft plans for a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown after Christmas.

Trials of the Pfizer vaccine in kids aged two to 5 have discovered it didn’t present anticipated ranges of immunity in kids of that age, CNN reviews.

The analysis discovered that two child-sized doses of the Pfizer/BioNtech have been working for infants aged as much as the age of two, however not in older kids. Pfizer mentioned it could “amend” the trial so as to add a 3rd dose for the older group.

CNN quoted the pharmaceutical firm as saying: “The research will now embody evaluating a 3rd dose of three micrograms at the least two months after the second dose of the two-dose collection to offer excessive ranges of safety on this younger age group.”

The kid dose of Pfizer vaccine is a fraction of the dimensions given to older age teams. Injections given to 12-year-olds and over include 30 micrograms of vaccine whereas kids aged from 5 to 11 are injected with 10 micrograms.

Anthony Fauci, director of the US Nationwide Institute of Allergy and Infectious Illnesses, mentioned the modifications most likely imply a delay in authorization for vaccines for youthful kids.

Omicron is spreading quickly in nations with excessive ranges of inhabitants immunity, however it’s unclear if that is as a result of virus’ capability to evade immunity, its inherent elevated transmissibility or a mixture of each, the World Health Group has mentioned.

In its newest technical replace on the coronavirus pandemic, the UN well being company mentioned information on the medical severity of Omicron stays restricted.

“Extra information are wanted to know the severity profile and the way severity is impacted by vaccination and pre-existing immunity,” the WHO mentioned.

It added: “There are nonetheless restricted out there information, and no peer-reviewed proof, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to this point for Omicron.”

With instances rising so quickly, hospitals could possibly be overwhelmed in some locations. “Hospitalisations within the UK and South Africa proceed to rise, and given quickly rising case counts, it’s potential that many healthcare methods might turn out to be rapidly overwhelmed.”

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading considerably sooner than the Delta pressure in nations with documented neighborhood transmission, with a doubling time of 1.5- to three days, the World Health Group has mentioned.

The Omicron variant, which was designated as a variant of concern on 26 November, has been recognized in 89 nations throughout all six WHO areas as of 16 December, Reuters quoted the WHO as saying.

An announcement on a strict Christmas lockdown is anticipated within the Netherlands, with the federal government anticipated to shut all the things however important retailers.

The federal government is assembly on Saturday with its well being specialists who’ve beneficial the closure of all non-essential retailers, faculties, bars, eating places and different public venues.

The Dutch nationwide broadcaster, NOS, and the information company ANP cited authorities sources saying a press convention asserting the brand new measures could be held at 7pm. Nonetheless, a spokesman for the well being ministry, Axel Dees, declined to touch upon any proposed measures or the timing of any press convention.

It is just days because the authorities ordered that the 5pm to 5am closure of bars, eating places and most shops, launched in late November, would proceed till 14 January.

Greater than 1.18bn folks in China have been totally vaccinated towards Covid-19, a spokesperson for the nation’s nationwide well being fee has mentioned.

Mi Feng advised a press convention on Saturday that greater than 2.66bn Covid-19 vaccine doses had been administered.

“China is assembly the rising pressures of guarding towards inbound instances, with a complete of 77 nations and areas having reported instances of the Omicron variant of Covid-19,” Mi was quoted as saying by China’s state-run Xinhua information company.

Portugal turned the newest nation to widen distribution of Covid vaccines to kids over 5 on Saturday.

Greater than 60,000 kids aged between 5 and 11 have been set to obtain their first jab of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine this weekend within the nation, which already has 88.9% vaccine protection in older teams.

France is ready to comply with swimsuit subsequent week.

The EU’s medicines watchdog final month authorized a lower-dosage Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds, an age group experiencing excessive coronavirus an infection charges throughout the continent.

Denmark, the place there was a surge in instances attributed to the brand new Omicron variant, and a few Austrian areas started providing vaccines to youthful kids in November.

The US was the primary giant nation to widen entry to younger kids and has to this point vaccinated greater than 5m within the five-to-11 age bracket.

Plans are being formulated for a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown in England after Christmas, though a last resolution on new restrictions is but to be taken, the Occasions reviews.

The draft rules would return England to comparable restrictions as these seen in spring, with indoor mixing banned apart from work functions and pubs and eating places restricted to desk service outdoor.

Faculties and retailers would stay open, however the “rule of six” could be reimposed for conferences with family and friends, weddings and funerals could be restricted to fifteen to 30 folks, and the most-vulnerable would as soon as once more be suggested to “defend”.

In line with the Occasions, some sources mentioned planning was beneath technique to recall parliament subsequent week to debate the restrictions. They may show politically tough for the prime minister, after a rise up by 100 of his MPs towards the plan B restrictions, together with Covid passes for public occasions, earlier this week.

The soccer grounds Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Wembley and the racecourses, Sandown Park, Bathtub and Chelmsford are among the many nearly 3,000 websites taken over by vaccination centres in England this weekend.

Different venues open this weekend embody the Christmas Market at Chester Cathedral, the Liverpool Christmas Ice Pageant, Bluewater procuring centre in Kent and London’s Oxford Road, the place there can be a vaccine bus.

Greater than 21 million booster jabs have been delivered by the NHS in England to this point, NHS England mentioned. On Monday Boris Johnson introduced that the federal government would intention to supply a booster to each single grownup within the UK by the top of December.

Many vaccination websites throughout the nation are working 12 hours a day, seven days per week, the NHS advised the PA Media information company, including that in each neighborhood there must be slots out there at the least 16 hours a day.

NHS nationwide medical director, Prof Stephen Powis, mentioned: “From stadiums to racecourses and cellular buses to Christmas markets, NHS Covid vaccination programme, the largest and most profitable in our historical past, is pulling out all of the stops to make it simpler than ever.

“Due to the laborious work of our well being service workers and good volunteers we’ve already delivered file boosters to this point this week however we need to sustain the momentum so when you haven’t taken up the provide but get boosted now.”

Olivier Veran, France’s well being minister, has mentioned the unfold of the Omicron variant is the principle cause behind plans for stricter vaccine go measures.

Below the present rules, a latest unfavourable Covid check is enough for getting into many indoor public locations, however a brand new well being go set to be launched early subsequent 12 months would require folks to indicate proof of vaccination to enter eating places and long-distance public transport.

Veran, talking on France Inter radio, additionally mentioned that he anticipated that early subsequent week the French well being authority will give the inexperienced mild to start out providing coronavirus vaccinations to kids aged 5 to 11.

Seven to 10% of latest confirmed coronavirus instances in France are suspected to be of the Omicron variant, the nation’s well being minister, Olivier Veran, mentioned on Saturday, as a ban on travellers from the UK comes into drive.

From Saturday morning, travellers will solely be allowed to enter France from the UK if they’re travelling for “compelling causes”, except they’re French nationals, residents or hauliers.

Even then, these desirous to journey should present a unfavourable Covid check and self-isolate for 2 days after arriving within the nation.

On Saturday, Veran mentioned the speedy unfold of the brand new variant was the principle cause for the deliberate introduction of a brand new vaccination go early subsequent 12 months, which would require that folks present proof of vaccination to enter eating places and long-distance public transport.

Below the present well being go regulation, a latest unfavourable Covid check is enough for getting into public locations.

Stricter Covid restrictions should be launched “very quickly” in England to forestall hospital admissions rising to three,000 a day, based on leaked minutes from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, seen by BBC News.

The leaked minutes, from a gathering of presidency scientific specialists held on Thursday, warn that any delay in imposing new restrictions “would enormously cut back the effectiveness”.

To this point the federal government has taken a comparatively mild contact regardless of fears of the speedy unfold of the Omicron variant, with the UK setting new data for lab-confirmed instances of Covid-19 for two days in a row this week.

The Sage minutes say: “If the intention is to scale back the degrees of an infection within the inhabitants and stop hospitalisations reaching these ranges, extra stringent measures would must be applied very quickly.”

“The timing of such measures is essential,” say the Sage minutes. “Delaying till 2022 would enormously cut back the effectiveness of such interventions and make it much less doubtless that these would forestall appreciable strain on well being and care settings.”

That is Damien Gayle kicking off the Guardian’s coronavirus reside weblog protection this morning. All day I can be bringing you the newest Covid-related updates and headlines.

Seen a narrative you assume we must be protecting? Drop me a line on my Twitter profile @damiengayle, or through e-mail to damien.gayle@theguardian.com