This monoclonal antibody – the second to be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency – is for people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of developing severe disease.
Another COVID-19 treatment, Xevudy (sotrovimab), has today been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after it was found to be safe and effective at reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection who are at an increased risk of developing severe disease.
This follows a rigorous review of its safety, quality and effectiveness by the UK regulator and the government’s independent expert scientific advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines, making it the second monoclonal antibody therapeutic to be approved following Ronapreve.
Developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology, sotrovimab is a single monoclonal antibody. The drug works by binding to the spike protein on the outside of the COVID-19 virus. This in turn prevents the virus from attaching to and entering human cells, so that it cannot replicate in the body.
In a clinical trial, a single dose of the monoclonal antibody was found to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by 79% in high-risk adults with symptomatic COVID-19 infection.
Based on the clinical trial data, sotrovimab is most effective when taken during the early stages of infection and so the MHRA recommends its use as soon as possible and within five days of symptom onset.
Like molnupiravir, it has been authorised for use in people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 infection and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. Such risk factors include obesity, older age (>60 years), diabetes mellitus, or heart disease.
Unlike molnupiravir, sotrovimab is administered by intravenous infusion over 30 minutes. It is approved for individuals aged 12 and above who weigh more than 40kg.
It is too early to know whether the omicron variant has any impact on sotrovimab’s effectiveness but the MHRA will work with the company to establish this.
Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive said: “I am pleased to say that we now have another safe and effective COVID-19 treatment, Xevudy (sotrovimab), for those at risk of developing severe illness.
“This is yet another therapeutic that has been shown to be effective at protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19, and signals another significant step forward in our fight against this devastating disease.
“With no compromises on quality, safety and effectiveness, the public can trust that the MHRA have conducted a robust and thorough assessment of all the available data.”
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, Chair of the Commission on Human Medicines, said: “The Commission on Human Medicines and its COVID-19 Therapeutics Expert Working Group has independently reviewed the data and agrees with the MHRA’s regulatory approval of Xevudy (sotrovimab).
“When administered in the early stages of infection, sotrovimab was found to be effective at reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death in high-risk individuals with symptomatic COVID-19. Based on the data reviewed by the Commission and its expert group, it is clear sotrovimab is another safe and effective treatment to help us in our fight against COVID-19.”
Sotrovimab is not intended to be used as a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.
The government and the NHS will confirm how this COVID-19 treatment will be deployed to patients in due course.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) on the continuing impacts of Storm Arwen and has been briefed that the recovery is going to be greater and more challenging than first anticipated.
Last night’s update focused on the scale and severity of the adverse weather which will see a number of homes across the country remain without power overnight and continuing telecommunication and water issues.
Significant efforts are ongoing to restore power as soon as possible and welfare support is being concentrated on the people and households who are most vulnerable and have the greatest need.
Mr Swinney said: “The scale of the damage caused by Storm Arwen is worse than we first feared and as a result our recovery will take longer than anticipated.
“We know this will create significant challenges for communities and households still affected by the storm’s impacts and I want to reassure them we are doing everything we can, liaising with local resilience partnerships, to focus efforts and resources.
“We have been working closely and at pace with power companies who are maximising efforts to restore services to households currently without power.
“Plans are being put in place for further assistance to respond to the longer than expected recovery and we are concentrating getting power restored for vulnerable people and those who need it most.
“In extremely challenging circumstances we have seen an outstanding response from local resilience partnerships who have been providing vital support to local residents and I would like to thank them for their continuing efforts.”
Almost 100,000 people in Scotland have reported that they’re suffering with long Covid but it has taken until today (Tuesday 9 November) for the Scottish Parliament to debate this important issue.
I led this debate in Parliament yesterday because no matter how much campaigners and MSPs raise the issue, the SNP Health Secretary is just not listening.
It is shameful that it has taken an opposition party debate for the plight of long Covid sufferers to be heard in Parliament.
The SNP/Green Government’s action plan on long Covid is totally unfit for the scale of this challenge. Many Scots would be better off moving to England where there are well-established clinics and a care pathway.
We need to do much more to help long Covid sufferers. That is why I am calling on the SNP/Green Government to:
Have specialist long Covid clinics in every health board
Train more long Covid community nurses to offer in-home support
Give everyone who needs it access to physiotherapy and rehab treatment
Make sure long Covid sufferers are not penalised financially because they are absent from work for longer periods
You can join me in calling for action from the Scottish Government by signing up to my plan for long Covid here:
Council Leaders urge citizens to help keep Covid numbers down
Edinburgh’s Capital Coalition leaders today urged city residents to keep up and renew efforts to help limit the spread of the Covid virus. The call from Council Leader Adam McVey and Depute Council Leader Cammy Day comes after MSPs heard an update from the First Minister yesterday.
A recent national decline in Covid cases has slowed in the past few weeks and hospitalisations and admissions to intensive care units are rising across the country.
Cllr McVey said: “We know with this pandemic that we have to be constantly vigilant and respond quickly to changes in infection rates, so that we keep a lid on case rises as much as we can to protect ourselves, our families and our fellow citizens.
As we head towards winter we’re asking all our residents to please keep sticking together on this and renew our collective efforts to slow the virus’s spread in our communities.
“Get both your jags and, if eligible, your third, booster dose when six months have passed since your second; carry on following the public health guidance on hand-washing, face-coverings, ventilation and meeting outdoors wherever possible; and test yourself regularly with the free lateral flow tests that can be ordered online or collected from chemists, libraries and our community testing centres.
Cllr Day said: “Unfortunately we’re definitely not out of the woods with the pandemic yet, although vaccinations have made a massive difference and helped us return to something much closer to ‘normality’ again.
“We all want to safeguard this progress and also we’ve got to reduce the severe pressure our health and care services are under as we approach the difficult winter months. That means we’re going to have to pull together, look out for one another and avoid giving the virus opportunities to spread as much as we can.”
The Scottish Government is allocating a further £482 million to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to meet costs of the pandemic and remobilising health services.
This includes funding for Test and Protect and to support the progress of the vaccination programme.
It comes on top of £2.1 billion provided to date to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to support additional Covid-19 costs. Further funding will be provided as necessary over the course of the year.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Our frontline health and care workers have been remarkable throughout the pandemic, and we continue to support NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to deliver and remobilise vital services as we approach the toughest winter the system has potentially ever experienced.
“This £482 million includes just over £121 million for Test and Protect and a further £136 million for the vaccination programme. The rest of the funding will cover costs including additional staffing to support hospital scale-up, equipment, maintenance and IT.”
“To signal the return of a ‘business as usual’ model when the country is still in the grip of a pandemic is utterly reckless”
The British Dental Association Scotland has warned that plans to return NHS practices to pre-COVID models of work will devastate dental services across the country.
Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf yesterday wrote to every NHS dental team in Scotland, indicating that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022. Since the first lockdown NHS practices have operated under a COVID support package, reflecting pandemic pressures and tight restrictions that continue to limit capacity across the service.
A return to delivering a low margin/high volume model of care is, BDA Scotland contends, simply unsustainable under current conditions. While some restrictions may ease in the coming months, there are no indications the service is likely to return to anything resembling ‘business as usual’.
With a growing number of staff facing abuse from frustrated patients unable to secure appointments, the BDA has warned the move will only raise patient expectations, while pushing NHS colleagues into the private sector or out of dentistry altogether.
Yousaf has signalled minor changes to the payment system for dentists that will take effect from 1 February 2022, largely covering the treatment of children. While welcome, these reforms will have a negligible impact on capacity within the service and will not ease the pressure on practice finances once the COVID support payments are withdrawn.
The SNP committed to delivering free NHS care for all in Scotland in the recent election. The BDA has stressed this approach runs counter to that vision, and that real focus and energy must be applied to developing a new, sustainable model for delivering care.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“The Scottish Government seems set to pull the rug out from under every dedicated NHS dentist.
“If Ministers had an objective to decimate NHS dentistry, this approach would offer a great starting point. To signal the return of a ‘business as usual’ model when the country is still in the grip of a pandemic is utterly reckless. The net result will be to push colleagues out of the NHS and to leave this profession altogether.
“Ministers put NHS dentistry front and centre in their pitch for government. To deliver on their promises we need real commitment to find a new and better way for delivering for the patients that need us.”
Hope after a stroke: Nearly a quarter of stroke survivors lost their job after their stroke with some even losing their home or partner – but having ‘hope’ is critical to recovery
23% of stroke survivors in Scotland say having a stroke cost them their job, with almostone in five saying it impacted their relationship and 5% even lost their home
Across the UK, over half of younger stroke survivors under the age of 50 say they have never emotionally recovered from their stoke
Whilst 15% felt their first signs of hope after a month since having a stroke –a quarter did not feel any hope in over a year.
The Stroke Association calls for those who can to donate to give more survivors hope after a stroke
The practical, emotional and physical impact of having a stroke has been laid bare by a new survey of over 3,500 stroke survivors across the UK (220 respondents from Scotland), released today.
The research, conducted by the Stroke Association ahead of World Stroke Day (29 October), is part of a renewed call for vital funds to help the charity give more survivors hope after their stroke and help them to rebuild their lives.
The impact on survivors in Scotland
The research reveals that 23% of those in Scotland who survived a stroke say it directly led to them losing their job whilst 5% say it led to them losing their home.
Furthermore, almost one in five (19%) say it had a negative impact on their relationship. It is not only relationships with partners that are affected – over one in ten (12%) say they lost friends as a result of having a stroke.
Younger survivors more severely impacted
Looking at stroke survivors across the UK, the research reveals that the emotional impact of a stroke can impact younger survivors more severely. Amongst those under the age of 50, six in ten (60%) say that they’ve never emotionally recovered from the impact of their stroke. This compares to 44% for those over the age of 50.
This is despite a similar number of younger stroke survivors under the age of 50 (52%) and over the age of 50 (50%) saying they have not physically recovered from their stroke.
The importance of hope
The research shows the importance and transformative power of feeling hope after having a stroke. Over three quarters of those surveyed in Scotland (77%) say that hope played an important or critical part in their recovery.
But for many, it was not a quick process. Whilst 15% say they began to feel hope after a month since their stroke, a quarter (25%) say it took more than a year to experience what they felt was the first sign of hope. Meanwhile one in ten (11%) say they have never felt hopeful since they had their stroke – demonstrating how strokes can impact survivors differently.
The Stroke Association helps people to find the hope they need to rebuild their lives through specialist services, including a Helpline, peer support service, support groups and Support Coordinators.
Louise Copland, 36 from Glasgow, had her stroke six years ago. The effects of her stroke were dramatic. She couldn’t walk or talk.
She said: “At the time I was terrified, I had no idea what was going on, but I got the impression it was a big deal, which made me very anxious.
My family and the physiotherapists were marvellous. I’ll never forget standing up for the first time. It felt weird and I was dizzy, but it was exhilarating. I had to call my parents to give them this fantastic news and they immediately got in the car to go to the hospital and share my happiness and excitement. This was my first moment of hope that there might be light at the end of the tunnel.
I was due to get married two months later and was determined to walk down the aisle with Dad. I focused all my attention on being able to walk again. I did it. This was the biggest moment of hope I’ve had since my stroke and it gave me the impetus to carry on.
But Louise knows she probably won’t ever recover emotionally after her stroke.
“I wake up every morning with an arm and leg that don’t work like the way they did. I fear the challenges in forming new relationships – my confidence has been dashed and people do judge you for having a disability which is demeaning.
Louise continues to find moments of hope and lives her life to the full. She would have been lost without the support of friends and family. She now attends a stroke club where she gets to meet others in a similar situation to herself.
“The people I meet at the café are so welcoming. They understand the issues I’m dealing with, because they are dealing with them too. It’s important to find hope in others. It’s important to ask for help when you need it and it is out there. There is hope after stroke.”
Big and small moments of hope
The research found that it can be both big and small moments of hope that are important. When asked what gave them their first moment of hope after a stroke, nearly one in five, (19%) said it was being able to use their affected side for the first time and 11% said it was being able to speak again. However, one in ten (10%) said it was being able to complete a small every day task such as making a cup of tea.
Reevaluating what is important after a stroke
The impact of a stroke leads many to reevaluate what is important in life. Over half (54%) say having a stroke made them appreciate their life more, 43% say it made them appreciate their family more and 42% say it made them appreciate the importance of looking after their health.
John Watson, Associate Director Scotland at the Stroke Association said: “Every five minutes, someone in the UK will have a stroke and, in a flash, their life is changed.
“There are more than 128,000 stroke survivors living in Scotland and two thirds of people who survive a stroke find themselves living with a disability. The physical impact of a stroke is severe, but for many, the emotional aspects of coming to terms with having a stroke are just as significant.
“As the research makes clear, finding hope is a crucial part of the recovery process. Without it, recovery can seem impossible.
“At the Stroke Association, we support and help people to find this hope, and rebuild their lives. But with 1.3m people and rising in the UK now living with the effects of a stroke, our services have never been more stretched. We urgently require the support of the public to help us continue to support stroke survivors to rebuild their lives.”
The Stroke Association is asking those who can to donate today so that it can reach more stroke survivors and give them the specialist support they need to find hope and move forward with their recovery. Visit stroke.org.uk/hopeafterstroke
Recovery strategy to help those hardest hit by Covid
People who have suffered the most as a result of the pandemic will be at the heart of Scotland’s Covid recovery strategy, the Scottish Government says.
For a fairer future sets out the next steps in Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic, recognising that while the pandemic has affected every area of life in Scotland, those who were already struggling have been hardest hit by its effects.
The strategy aims to address systemic inequalities made worse by Covid, improve people’s wellbeing, and remobilise public services to be more focused on people’s needs, building on lessons learned during the pandemic.
Actions to achieve this will include upskilling and retraining opportunities for workers impacted by the pandemic and the transition to net zero, help for low income families most at risk of poverty, and locally-based mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people.
While the strategy is focused over the next 18 months, it includes a series of actions over the course of this Parliament to deliver substantial improvements in child poverty, make significant progress towards net zero, and secure an economic recovery that is fair and green.
Deputy First Minister and Covid Recovery Secretary John Swinney said: “The impacts of this pandemic have not been felt evenly with the most disadvantaged suffering disproportionately from the virus, and the social and economic effects of lockdown restrictions.
“For that reason, our recovery must go further than how life was before Covid. This strategy sets out how we will do that, working with local government, the third sector, and businesses large and small.
“It is the product of months of engagement with a variety of individuals and organisations representing sectors across the country, including the Citizen’s Assembly and the Social Renewal Advisory Board.
“The experience of the past 18 months has shown us what can be achieved when we look past traditional barriers to get the right service or support to people when they need it.
“By working together with the same energy, imagination, and urgency as we approached the pandemic, we can drive a recovery that delivers more for all of Scotland.”
COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said: “I welcome the publication of this strategy and its vision, which has many parallels with the COSLA Blueprint.
“Covid-19 has had an immeasurable impact on communities across Scotland and although we continue to respond to the many challenges it presents, we must also take the necessary action to address inequalities in our society that have only worsened as a result of the pandemic.
“Local Government will be at the heart of recovery, just as we were in response to the pandemic. Recovery is a shared endeavour that requires us all to work together to address the areas of greatest harm resulting from the pandemic, and deliver an inclusive and green recovery for all of Scotland.
“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to deliver on a collaborative approach to recovery that is at all times rooted in the needs of the people that we serve.”
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “The levels of poverty and inequality in Scotland made the impact of the pandemic so much worse than it might otherwise have been. Insecure and undervalued employment, social security benefits that were inadequate and ingrained inequality all meant that some communities bore the brunt of Covid.
“As we look towards the end of the pandemic, it is right that the Scottish Government prioritises a recovery that addresses these underlying inequalities. Focusing on the creation of a wellbeing economy, tackling poverty and investment in social security, housing and decent public services is to be welcomed. Delivering on these priorities and retaining this focus on addressing inequalities must drive our recovery to Covid.”
Louise Macdonald OBE, National Director of the Institute of Directors Scotland said: “A strong, sustainable wellbeing economy and a fair, equal society are interdependent. We welcome the clarity in this strategy that a thriving economy underpins a successful recovery, especially in making the difference for those greatest affected by poverty and inequality.
“Leaders from business and cross-sector organisations in communities in every part of Scotland have played a vital part in the response to the pandemic in a myriad of ways and it is that spirit of collaboration, innovation and purpose – through collective effort and shared vision – which will deliver this ambitions of this strategy.”
Andrew McRae, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland said: “Scotland’s recovery from the Covid crisis won’t be possible without economic recovery.
“Smaller businesses have an impressive track record of creating jobs and healing communities after economic shocks – so they must be at the heart of implementing this welcome recovery plan.
“We’re looking forward to working with the Scottish Government to ensure delivery of these plans is designed with small and new start businesses, as well as the self-employed, front and centre.”
The Coronavirus vaccine certification scheme comes into effect today in Scotland meaning people will have to show proof of their vaccination status to enter some events and higher risk venues.
People attending a range of late night venues and larger indoor and outdoor live events, such as music festivals or large sporting events, will be required to show staff their Covid status. This can be done via the NHS Scotland Covid Status App released yesterday on their mobile device or using the paper certificate.
Following consultation with businesses affected a grace period has been agreed until Monday October 18th before the scheme is legally enforced. The legal requirement for businesses to keep information about certification status confidential and not use it for other purposes comes into effect today.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We know from expert public health analysis that we must do all we can to stem the rise in cases and reduce the pressure on the NHS.
“Vaccine certificates have a role to play as part of a wider package of measures. They add a further layer of protection in certain higher risk settings.
“This is a very limited scheme and we hope this will allow businesses to remain open and prevent any further restrictions as we head into autumn and winter.
“I would encourage people to to download the NHS Scotland Covid Status App and help our drive to keep the virus under control.
“Scotland is not unique in introducing such an approach. Certification schemes are in place across Europe, including Ireland and France, and the Welsh Government is also planning similar measures.
“I also want to ensure that as many people get vaccinated as possible and particularly to increase uptake in the younger age cohort, so anything that helps to incentivise that is helpful.”
The Scottish Government will continue to work with the sectors affected and updated guidance has been published to help ensure the smooth introduction of the scheme.
People in Scotland can download the NHS Scotland Covid Status App via their mobile device. A paper certificate or the downloadable PDF is also available from NHS Inform.
The Regulations which came into force at 5am today and must be reviewed every three weeks as part of the wider review of Coronavirus Regulations.
There are currently no plans to introduce certification for the wider hospitality industry but this will be kept under review over the autumn and winter months.
Exemptions to the scheme include under 18s, participants in vaccine trials, as well as people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and people working or performing in the venues.
Officials are currently working with other UK jurisdictions to help ensure people vaccinated outside Scotland can still enter the venues affected with proof of their vaccine status.
The NHS Scotland Covid Status App is available for download from NHS Inform:
Boosters, testing and refreshed public health advice will help keep the virus under control in the coming months
Plan B prepared to protect NHS if necessary
PM continues to warn the pandemic is not over and public need to remain vigilant
The Prime Minister has today set out the government’s plan to manage Covid throughout autumn and winter.
Thanks to the ‘phenomenal success’ of the vaccination programme, the data continues to show the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths has weakened significantly.
In England, the number of hospital admissions with Covid has remained relatively stable over the last month.
And although deaths increased at the beginning of the summer, they have remained far below the levels in either of the previous waves.
Over autumn and winter, the government will aim to sustain this progress through:
Building our defences through pharmaceutical interventions
Identifying and isolating positive cases to limit transmission
Supporting the NHS and social care
Advising people on how to protect themselves and others
Pursuing an international approach
Vaccines will continue to be our first line of defence. All those who were vaccinated during Phase 1 of the vaccine programme (priority groups 1 to 9) will be offered booster jabs from this month – to boost immunity amongst the most vulnerable groups during winter.
The Test, Trace and Isolate programme will continue its important work, with symptomatic PCR testing continuing throughout the autumn and winter.
Lateral flow tests will also remain free of charge but at a later stage, as our response to the virus changes, this will end and individuals and businesses will be expected to bear the cost. The government will engage widely on this before any changes are made.
The legal obligation to self-isolate for those who have tested positive and their unvaccinated contacts will continue, and the financial support payment for those self-isolating on certain benefits will continue in its current format until the end of March.
Our NHS will continue to get the support it needs, with an extra £5.4 billion recently announced for the next 6 months alone for the Covid response.
The public will be offered continued guidance on how to protect themselves and each other – including letting fresh air in, wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed place where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet, getting testing and self-isolating if required.
Our tough border policy will remain in place and genomic sequencing capability will be increased to help scientists update our vaccines to defeat new variants.
As the PM also set out, autumn and winter could pose renewed challenges and it is difficult to predict the path of the virus with certainty.
So as the public would expect, there will be a range of ‘Plan B’ measures kept under review to help control transmission of the virus while minimising economic and social damage.
Plan B would include:
Introducing mandatory vaccine only Covid status certification in certain, riskier settings.
Legally mandating face coverings in certain settings, such as public transport and shops.
Communicating clearly and urgently to the public if the risk level increases.
The government could also consider asking people to work from home again if necessary, but a final decision on this would be made at the time, dependent on the latest data – recognising the extra disruption this causes to individuals and businesses.
Ministers would only decide to implement these measures if necessary, and if a range of metrics and indicators mean the NHS is at risk of becoming overwhelmed.
Plan B recognises the success of our vaccination programme – meaning smaller interventions which are far less disruptive can have a much bigger impact on reducing the spread.
The Prime Minister committed to taking whatever action is necessary to protect the NHS, but stressed his belief that the combined efforts of the public and the vaccination programme mean we can avoid plan B and protect our freedoms in the coming months.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson made this statement at yesterday’s coronavirus press conference:
Good afternoon everybody.
I want to set out our plan for managing Covid this autumn and winter.
And I want you to cast your mind back exactly a year and think where we were last September, as schools went back and the colder months approached.
Because in one way our position today is actually more challenging.
We have higher levels of daily cases – thousands more.
But in many other crucial respects, the British people – all of us collectively and individually – are incomparably better placed to fight the disease.
We have more than 80 per cent of all over-16s now double jabbed, double vaccinated.
And we have Covid antibodies in around 90 per cent of the adult population.
And those vaccines are working.
We have seen the extraordinary vaccine-induced falls in deaths and serious disease.
And depending on your age, you’re up to nine times more likely to die, sadly, if you’re unvaccinated, than if you’ve had both jabs.
And the result of this vaccination campaign is that we have one of the most free societies and one of the most open economies in Europe.
And that’s why we are now sticking with our strategy.
In essence, we’re going to keep going.
We will continue to offer testing.
We will continue to urge everyone to be sensible, to be responsible.
Wash your hands.
Use ventilation.
Consider wearing a face covering in crowded places with people that you don’t know.
Stay at home if you feel unwell.
Download and use the app.
And we’re investing massively in our NHS to meet the pressures of Covid with an additional £5.4 billion in England over the next six months.
And that’s on top of almost £36 billion over the next three years to help our NHS recover and fix the long-standing problems of social care as well, as I was saying last week.
And we are helping to vaccinate the world with 100 million doses for developing countries by next June.
And I think this country should be proud, continue to be very proud, that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine remains the workhorse of global immunisation.
And we will keep further measures in reserve – a Plan B.
We do not see the need now to proceed for instance with mandatory certification.
But we will continue to work with the many businesses that are getting ready for such a scheme.
indeed over 200 events have already used Covid certification voluntarily.
And it is just not sensible to rule out completely this kind of option now when we must face the fact that it might still make the difference between keeping businesses open at full capacity or not.
We will also keep open the option of mandating face coverings as they have elsewhere, or advising people again to work from home, reflecting the fact that when you’ve got a large proportion of the country as we have now with immunity, then smaller changes can make a bigger difference and give us the confidence that we don’t need to go back to the lockdowns of the past.
And of course, we will continue to update our advice to you based on the latest data.
But in the meantime, we are confident in the vaccines that have made such a difference to our lives.
And we are now intensifying that effort, offering jabs to 12 to 15 year olds on the advice of the Chief Medical Officers, who’ve given that advice based on the health, wellbeing and educational prospects of the children themselves.
And for over 50s – and the under 50s who are at risk, or more at risk, we’re now motoring ahead with the booster programme.
A third dose six months after your second dose.
So that’s going to mean we’re going to be building even higher walls of immunisation of vaccine protection in this country.
And the UK government has procured at scale jabs for every part of the UK.
And we will be sending doses to the Devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Covid is still out there.
The disease sadly still remains a risk.
But I’m confident we can keep going with our plan to turn jabs jabs jabs into jobs jobs jobs.
