Tag: UK Government

A Cautious Christmas: Joint agreement on festive period

Have a Happy Christmas – but hang back at Hogmanay

The Scottish Government has agreed a cautious and limited relaxation of the rules on household meetings to support people over the Christmas period.

A maximum of three households are to be able to meet in a “bubble” during a short window of time across the festive period.

Households will be able to travel between local authorities and between the four nations during December 23 and 27 to form a bubble, and must only join one bubble.

The five-day period provides time for travel, and for those who may have to work over Christmas. Households are not required to use all five days and should keep visits to no more than one or two days if possible.

Confirming the plans, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it is clear that there is a risk inherent in any relaxation of the restrictions and asked everyone to consider very carefully whether the opportunity to mix for a few days is necessary given the risk of spreading the virus.

She said: “We know that for some, contact with friends and family is crucial during this time as isolation and loneliness can hit people especially hard over the Christmas period. The “bubble” approach aims to reduce this impact.

“But we must be clear, there cannot be any further relaxation of measures for Hogmanay.  Even this short relaxation will give the virus a chance to spread. Our priority is to suppress transmission of COVID-19 and reduce the risk to the vulnerable and those who have spent so long shielding – and that involves abiding by the rules.

“Just because you can mix with others indoors over this time, that doesn’t mean you have to. If you choose to stick with the rules as they are, then you will be continuing the hard work to beat this virus and prevent its spread.”

The approach states:

  • a “bubble” should be formed household to household only (i.e. different people in a household should not pick their own bubble)
  • between 23 and 27 December, people can meet in an exclusive “bubble” composed of three households
  • you should stay with your “bubble” where they are hosting you and you should follow the travel advice for the level you are in (e.g. people being hosted in a level 3 area cannot go on an outing to a level 2 area)
  • within your “bubble”, you can gather in a home, an outdoor place or a place of worship
  • in all other settings – eg. hospitality, entertainment venues – those who have formed a bubble must only socialise with members of their own household
  • households deciding to form a bubble will be advised to limit social contact before and after the period of relaxation

Further detailed guidance will be published shortly.

The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations agreed on joint arrangements for an easing of social restrictions that will allow friends and loved ones to reunite over the Christmas period.

All four parts of the UK have signed off an aligned approach allowing up to three households to form a ‘Christmas bubble’ from December 23 to 27.

Individuals will also be able to travel between tiers and across the whole of the UK without restriction within the five-day period, for the purposes of meeting with their bubble. Those travelling to and from Northern Ireland will be permitted to travel an additional day either side.

The approach was agreed by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, and the First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland during a COBR meeting he chaired yesterday afternoon.

Speaking following the meeting, Mr Gove said: “The UK-wide agreement reached today will offer hope for families and friends who have made many sacrifices over this difficult year.

“We know that the Christmas period this year will not be normal, but following constructive discussions between the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations, families and friends will now have the option to meet up in a limited and cautious way across the UK should they wish.

“In coming to this agreement, we have listened to scientific and clinical advice on how best to minimise the risk and reach a balanced and workable set of rules that we hope will allow people to spend time together at this important time of year.”

Each administration will clarify their own rules on support bubbles and extended households in due course.

In England, support bubbles will continue to be counted as one household.

Christmas bubbles will be able to gather in private homes, attend places of worship together and meet in outdoor public places. Beyond this, people should continue to follow all other local restrictions in the area. Guidance is being published on Gov.uk.

As part of the agreement, each administration will be reminding households that they should remain alert to the risks still posed by the virus and consider how, where possible, they can celebrate and support more isolated friends and loved ones through alternative approaches such as video calls and meeting outdoors.

When following these new rules, people are reminded to continue to take personal responsibility to limit the spread of the virus and protect loved ones, particularly if they are vulnerable. Forming a bubble for those who are vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable carries additional risks.

The four parts of the UK will work together to communicate these new measures across the country and ensure that communities are aware of any variations in approaches.

Details of the new measures can be found in the joint statement, agreed yesterday.

‘Tis the season to be jolly … but ’tis also the season to be jolly careful – PM Boris Johnson

Lockdown to end in England next week

It seems that almost every week we learn of some new scientific breakthrough to help us beat Covid. Last week it was good news about the vaccine from Pfizer BioNTech and then Moderna.

This morning we heard the fantastic news that the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine has been highly effective in clinical trials – there are more tests to be done, but the signs are that this vaccine – financed partly by British taxpayers, working in partnership with a great British company – this vaccine could be both affordable and easy to use and highly effective.

We have ordered 100m doses, and thanks to the work of the Vaccines Task Force we have secured more than 350m doses of potential vaccines of all kinds – but we are not out of the woods yet

We can hear the drumming hooves of the cavalry coming over the brow of the hill but they are not here yet.

Even if all three vaccines are approved, even if the production timetables are met and vaccines notoriously fall behind in their production timetables it will be months before we can be sure that we have inoculated everyone that needs a vaccine and those months will be hard.

They will be cold – they include January and February when the NHS is under its greatest pressure and that is why when we come out of lockdown next week we must not just throw away the gains we have all made. So today we have published out Covid Winter Plan which sets out a clear strategy to take the country through to the end of March.

We will continue to bear down hard on this virus. We will use tough tiering – in some ways tougher than the pre-lockdown measures and details of those tiers are on the gov.uk website later this week when we have the most up to data and we will be sharing details of which tier your area is going to be in.

I should warn you now that many more places will be in higher tiers than alas was previously the case, and we will simultaneously be using the new and exciting possibilities of community testing – as they have done in Liverpool – and there will be a clear incentive for everyone in areas where the virus prevalence is high to get a test, to get one of these rapid turnaround lateral flow tests and do your best for the community.

Get a test to help to squeeze the disease and reduce the restrictions that your town or city or area has endured and that way – through tough tiering and mass community testing we hope to let people see a little more of their family and friends over Christmas.

Now I know that many of us want and need Christmas with our families; we feel after this year we deserve it but this is not the moment to let the virus rip for the sake of Christmas parties.

‘Tis the season to be jolly but’ tis also the season to be jolly careful, especially with elderly relatives.

And working with the Devolved Administrations we will set out shortly how we want to get the balance right for Christmas and we will be setting this out later this week.

Christmas this year will be different and we want to remain prudent through Christmas and beyond into the new year, but we will use the three tools that I have described to squeeze the virus in the weeks and months ahead: tiering, testing and the roll-out of vaccines, employing all three techniques together so as to drive down R and drive down the infection rate.

And I really am now assured things really will look and feel very different indeed after Easter and that idea of and end goal or date is important because at last – if the promise of the vaccines is fulfilled – we do have something to work for a timescale, a goal around which businesses can begin tentatively to plan and with luck and with hard work we will be seeing improvements before then.

But for now the problem is not a shortage of hope or a lack of optimism, not with the amazing news that we are getting from the laboratories in this country: the challenge now as we face this difficult winter ahead is to fight down any over-optimism to master any tendency to premature celebration of success.

That success will come all the faster if we work together to follow the guidance maintain the basic disciplines as people have done so heroically over the last few months: hands, face, space and get a test if you have symptoms because that is the way we will beat it together.

Government welcomes the MHRA review into Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine

UK’s independent regulator to evaluate latest data from Pfizer and BioNTech to ensure the quality, safety and effectiveness of the vaccine meets the standards required.

  • The UK has ordered 40 million vaccine doses from Pfizer/BioNTech – enough for up to a third of the population
  • Initial data shows the vaccine is 94% effective in protecting people over 65 years old from coronavirus and clinical trials have not reported any serious safety concerns

The UK Government has today (Monday 23 November) welcomed the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) review of data from Pfizer/BioNTech to determine whether its vaccine meets robust standards of quality, safety, and effectiveness.

The companies have reported data that indicates their vaccine is 94% effective in protecting people over 65 years old from COVID-19, with trials suggesting it works equally well in people of all ages, races and ethnicities.

As the first country to pre-order the vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech, the UK is expected to receive a total of 40 million doses by the end of 2021, enough to vaccinate up to a third of the population, with the majority of doses anticipated in the first half of next year.

The COVID-19 vaccine will only be authorised for supply by the UK’s independent regulator the MHRA if it meets strict standards of quality, safety, and effectiveness, and if they are satisfied the vaccine can be consistently manufactured.

Today marks the next step forward for the vaccine following the MHRA’s confirmation that it has received the necessary data to progress their review into whether the vaccine meets the required standards.

Despite encouraging data about this vaccine, people must continue to follow public health advice to keep themselves and their loved ones safe; regularly washing their hands, wearing a face mask and making space.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The whole country will be cheered by the news that Pfizer/BioNTech have formally reported the data from their clinical trials for their vaccine to the regulator.

“This is another important step on the road to recovery. We must now allow the MHRA’s renowned teams of scientists and clinicians to make an independent assessment of whether it meets their robust standards of quality, safety, and effectiveness.

“If approval is granted, the NHS will be ready to deliver. The NHS has vast experience in delivering widespread vaccination programmes and an enormous amount of work has taken place to ensure we have the logistical expertise, transport and workforce to roll out a vaccine according to clinical priority, at the speed at which it can be manufactured.”

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: “Today, we have renewed hope that we are on the brink of one of the most significant scientific discoveries of our time, as we reach the crucial last stage to finding a COVID-19 vaccine.

“While this news is a cause for celebration, we must make sure that this vaccine, like all new medicines, meets standards of quality, safety, and effectiveness. I urge the public to be patient while we wait for regulators to do a thorough assessment.

“Finding a vaccine is not going to end the pandemic overnight, but we are hopeful of being one step closer to defeating this terrible virus.”

Final deployment plans will depend on decisions by regulators but preparations have been underway for months and are in place to ensure that:

  • the NHS will be ready to begin vaccinating as soon as the first vaccine is approved and delivered to the UK
  • GPs have already been signed up to take part in the programme when an appropriate vaccine is ready
  • dozens of hospitals across the country will lead co-ordination on behalf of neighbouring hospitals, community trusts and local health groups in vaccinating staff and other priority groups
  • there will also be vaccinations sites across the country

The government has purchased 7 different types of vaccine in advance and procured 355 million doses. This includes 100 million doses of the vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford.

The UK government is working closely with the devolved administrations to ensure an aligned approach to COVID-19 vaccine deployment across the UK.

Chair of Vaccines Taskforce, Kate Bingham, said: “We are moving ever closer to having the means with which to help end this pandemic but we must wait for the outcome of the MHRA assessment before we will truly know if we have our first approved vaccine.

“Irrespective of the outcome, which we all hope will be positive, this is a tremendous day for science. It is testament to the Herculean efforts of the scientific and biopharmaceutical community and it makes me immensely proud.”

New Covid testing site opened

The UK Government yesterday opened a new walk-through coronavirus testing centre at Thimblerow Car Park (PH1 5QT), in Perth. The centre is easily accessible for people without a car.

The new facility is being provided by the UK Government as part of a UK-wide drive to continue to improve the accessibility of coronavirus testing for local communities. It is operated by Mitie on behalf of the UK Government.

The test centre is part of the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history. In Scotland, this comprises of 6 drive through sites, 13 walk through sites, 21 mobile units, plus the Glasgow Lighthouse Lab which is working round the clock to process samples.

A new Scottish megalab has also been announced – this will provide capacity to process an extra 300,000 tests a day, create thousands of jobs and play a key part of the UK’s national infrastructure response.

In Scotland, the UK Government is providing all Covid testing and test processing outside of the NHS. Around two thirds of all daily tests are provided by the UK Government, in support of Scotland’s health services.

Tests must be booked in advance at NHS Inform or by calling 0800 028 2816. People should only book at test if they have coronavirus symptoms (a high temperature, a new and continuous cough, or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste).

Health Minister Lord Bethell said: “To respond to the coronavirus, we have built a major testing and tracing system from scratch. We are constantly working to expand and improve it with new technologies and innovations so everyone with symptoms can get a test.

“New walk-in sites like this one makes it even easier to get a test no matter where you live. If you have symptoms of coronavirus, I urge you to book a test today and follow the advice of NHS Test and Protect if you are contacted to protect others and stop the spread of the virus.”

Baroness Dido Harding, Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said: “Walk through sites offer communities better access to coronavirus testing, so everyone with symptoms can get a test.

“This new site is part of our ongoing work to expand our testing network across the UK which is now has the capacity to process more than 500,000 tests a day. We will continue to expand capacity to improve test turnaround times and push forward testing innovations to make sure anyone who needs a test can get one.

Please book a test if you have coronavirus symptoms: a new continuous cough, a high temperature and a loss or change in sense of smell or taste, and follow the advice of NHS Test and Protect if you are contacted.”

UK Government Minister for Scotland, Iain Stewart, said: The UK Government is helping all parts of the UK fight the coronavirus pandemic.

“Testing is vital, helping to manage local outbreaks and protecting people’s livelihoods. The UK Government is providing the bulk of Covid testing in Scotland, and this new walk-through centre is just the latest in our extensive testing network.

“We are pleased to be working with local and commercial partners. These sites are not possible without the hard work of many people. I would like to thank everyone involved for their incredible efforts for the good of the country at this difficult time.”

Dr Emma Fletcher, Director of Public Health for NHS Tayside said: “This new walk through testing centre is very welcome and provides an additional opportunity for people to access testing in the Tayside area.

“People are reminded that if they show any symptoms of COVID-19 they should isolate, along with their household, and seek testing immediately.

Simon Venn, Mitie Chief Government & Strategy Officer, said: Our priority during the pandemic is to support the nation’s efforts to fight COVID-19 and help keep the country running.

“Testing is a critical part of the UK’s strategy to combat coronavirus and we’re proud to support the UK Government with this vital task. A big thank you to all the NHS staff, Mitie employees and other frontline heroes in Perth, who are working tirelessly to keep us all safe.”

Drive-through testing sites

Testing under the UK programme in Scotland is currently conducted in drive-through sites operating at:

  • Glasgow Airport
  • Edinburgh Airport
  • Aberdeen Airport
  • Prestwick Airport
  • Inverness – University of the Highlands and Islands campus
  • Dundee – Dudhope Castle

There are also a number of mobile testing units which will be located in towns across Scotland for short periods each time. 

Walk-through testing sites

You may be able to access testing via a walk-through testing site. You should walk or cycle to this site and avoid travelling by public transport or taxi.

You can book an appointment via the usual booking process. We have walk-through test sites in:

  • Aberdeen (Roy Strathdee Building)
  • Dundee (Park Place car park)
  • west Edinburgh (Gate 55, Sighthill)
  • north Edinburgh (Leith Library)
  • Edinburgh city centre (Usher Hall)
  • west Glasgow (Riverside Museum car park)
  • Glasgow city centre (Glasgow Caledonian ARC)
  • Inverclyde (Crawfurds Burn Community Centre)
  • Inverness (Highland Council HQ rear car park)
  • Perth (Thimblerow car park)
  • St Andrews (Victoria Memorial Hall)
  • Stirling (Forthside Way, next to The Engine Shed)
  • West Dunbartonshire (Napier Hall)

UK Government secures 5 million doses of Moderna vaccine

  • UK Government concludes negotiations with Moderna to secure access to 5 million doses of its promising coronavirus vaccine
  • vaccine could be delivered to the UK from Spring 2021, if approved by the medicines regulator
  • deal increases total number of doses secured by the UK to 355 million, as part of the government’s strategy to build a diverse portfolio of promising vaccines

The UK government has completed negotiations with biotech company Moderna to secure access to 5 million doses of its promising vaccine, enough for around 2.5 million people, the Business Secretary announced last night.

If it meets robust standards of safety and effectiveness and approved by the medicines regulator, the vaccine could be delivered to the UK and Europe as early as Spring 2021 with the potential for the government to procure more doses next year.

This would follow the first deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford University/AstraZenece vaccines which, once final data from their phase 3 clinical trials has been published and if they receive regulatory approval, could be available before the end of the year.

The agreement is part of the government’s strategy to develop a diverse portfolio of vaccines, increasing the UK’s chances of securing access to a promising vaccine. Today’s deal means the government has put in place agreements with 7 different developers and has secured 355 million vaccine doses, giving the UK the best possible chance of protecting the public from coronavirus as soon as possible.

The news comes as Moderna today publishes initial data showing that its candidate is nearly 95% effective in protecting against COVID-19, with no safety issues identified to date. The safety data is still to be released by Moderna to show whether the vaccine is both safe and effective.

Until a vaccine is found to meet robust standards of safety and effectiveness, the public must continue to take necessary actions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including following the Hands, Face, Space guidance and other public health advice.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma (top) said: “Today’s announcement is on top of the 350 million doses the UK has already secured from a range of other vaccine developers, putting us towards the front of the international pack on a per capita basis.

“The speed at which scientists around the world have worked on a vaccine has been incredible, and it is thanks to their ingenuity that we are on the cusp of one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in recent years.

“While this is exciting news, I urge the public to not be complacent – we are at a critical point in the pandemic and in order to save lives we must continue to follow guidance by maintaining social distancing, wearing face masks and washing our hands regularly.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today’s announcement is excellent news and an encouraging step forward in our fight against COVID-19.

“We have moved swiftly to secure 5 million doses of this hugely promising vaccine meaning we are even better placed to vaccinate everyone who will benefit should the rigorous safety standards be met.

“But we are not there yet. Until science can make us safe, we must remain vigilant and keep following the rules that we know can keep this virus under control.”

Moderna is currently conducting phase 3 clinical trials of its vaccine and is using mRNA vaccine technology.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has started a rolling review of Moderna’s vaccine. MHRA will carefully and scientifically review the safety, quality and effectiveness data once it has all been submitted to determine how it protects people from COVID-19 and the level of protection it provides.

The data must include results from the lab and clinical trials; manufacturing and quality controls, product sampling, and testing of the final product.

Once they have thoroughly reviewed the data, the MHRA will seek advice from the government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines. They will critically assess the data too before advising the government on the safety, quality and effectiveness of any potential vaccine.

The MHRA is globally recognised for requiring the highest standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for any vaccine.

Chair of the government’s Vaccine Taskforce Kate Bingham said: “Today’s news from Moderna is very encouraging. The Moderna mRNA vaccine has posted excellent efficacy data to date from its initial phase 3 readout. The vaccine uses mRNA technology demonstrating that these novel vaccines are showing early promise in being effective against COVID-19.

“The government has now signed agreements with seven vaccine developers to secure the most promising vaccines for the UK. The government’s Vaccine Taskforce are pursuing a portfolio approach to obtaining vaccines for the UK across different vaccine formats, to maximise the chances of finding safe and effective vaccines.

“We will continue to monitor the field of promising vaccines, and are very encouraged by the effectiveness shown by these early frontrunners, but we must remain vigilant to the fact that no vaccine is yet approved for use by regulators.”

Devolved nations call for joint effort to reach those in need

Letter urges UK-wide benefit strategy

The devolved administrations have united to call on the UK Government to ensure those who are entitled to financial support are receiving it.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has joined Ministers from Wales and Northern Ireland in writing to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey, asking to work together to create a benefit take-up strategy.

The devolved nations have also asked the UK Government to make permanent the current £20 a week increase for Universal Credit (UC) and extend it to the benefits which will eventually be replaced by UC, such as Working Tax Credits. The uplift was introduced to help low-income families cope with the extra cost of the COVID-19 outbreak, and is to come to an end in April 2021.

Ms Somerville said: “It’s vital that we make every effort to ensure everyone is aware of and able to access the support available to them.

“Maximising benefit take-up is a moral obligation, especially in these uncertain times when there is clear evidence of increased need for support.

“The £20 uplift was needed before the pandemic, and so it is vital now. People must be given the certainty that it will be made permanent and that they are not facing a cliff edge in a matter of months when this support is pulled.”

The Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government Hannah Blythyn said: “The pandemic will cast a long shadow on those who are most in need and has reiterated the importance of a robust financial safety net for individuals and families, ensuring existing funding programmes have the maximum impact on the lives of those in poverty.

“Having a strategic UK approach will ensure that everyone can get the support they need during this difficult time.”

The Scottish Government published its first Benefit Take-up Strategy in October 2019, and will publish the next one by October 2021.

The Welsh Government has outlined steps it will take to maximise the incomes of families living in poverty in its Child Poverty Income Maximisation Action Plan.

Northern Ireland’s benefit take-up initiative Make the Call has generated over £260 million in additional annual benefits for its residents since 2005.

It aims to ensure that every individual and household is receiving all the social security benefits and other supports and services to which they are entitled. The most recent results for 2019/20 show that this has benefited just under 10,000 people who are now better off by an average of £88 per person per week.

The Department for Work and Pensions has no published approach to promoting UK benefits or supporting people to access the money which they are due.

Many people need to be in receipt of a DWP benefit in order to claim other benefits – for example the Scottish Child Payment, where eligibility is reliant on receipt of UC, or Pension Credit which means people can claim a Council Tax reduction, or those over 75 qualify for a free TV licence. So it is vital people are aware of what they are entitled to.

The letter can be read in full here:

Joint-Ministerial-letter-Secretary-of-State-DWP-Benefit-Take-upDownload

As part of their Benefit Take-up Report – published 11 March 2020 – the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee recommended that the UK Government develops a strategy that aims to maximise take-up of reserved benefits across the UK.

A report by the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisors, published in September, showed a 40% reduction in claims for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) being made during the pandemic. Almost 90% of those surveyed have never seen a take-up advert for PIP.

Independent Age has called for ‘an ambitious action plan detailing how the UK government will work to increase the uptake of Pension Credit over the next five years’. More details here.

This follows research which concluded that if Pension Credit take-up was lifted from 61 per cent to 100 per cent, then almost 450,000 pensioners could be lifted out of poverty, reducing pensioner poverty to its lowest ever level, and resulting in substantial savings to the NHS and social care systems over the long term. 

People with learning disabilities had ‘six times higher’ death rate from COVID-19

England death rate up to 6 times higher from coronavirus during the first wave of the pandemic than the general population, Public Health England study finds.

The report, Deaths of people identified as having learning disabilities with COVID-19 in England in the Spring of 2020 examined data from The English Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) and NHS England’s COVID-19 Patient Notification System (CPNS) which records deaths in hospital settings.

It found 451 per 100,000 people registered as having a learning disability died with COVID-19 between 21 March and 5 June, a death rate 4.1 times higher than the general population after adjusting for other factors such as age and sex.

But as not all deaths in people with learning difficulties are registered on these databases, researchers estimated the real rate may have been as high as 692 per 100,000, 6.3 times higher.

Deaths were also spread much more widely across the age spectrum among people with learning disabilities, with far greater mortality rates in younger adults, compared to the general population. The death rate for people aged 18 to 34 with learning disabilities was 30 times higher than the rate in the same age group without disabilities, researchers found.

Among people with learning disabilities, the rate of COVID-19 deaths for adults in residential care was higher than the rates of COVID-19 deaths of adults with learning disabilities generally. This difference is likely in part to reflect the greater age and disability in people in residential care.

People with learning disabilities are more likely to have other physical health problems such as obesity and diabetes, and certain kinds of learning disability, such as Down’s syndrome, can make people more vulnerable to respiratory infections, which can increase their risk of dying from COVID-19.

Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England, said: It is deeply troubling that one of the most vulnerable groups in our society suffered so much during the first wave of the pandemic. We must do everything possible to prevent this happening again.

“There are now regular tests in care homes to make sure cases of coronavirus can be quickly identified and isolated, even if people do not recognise the symptoms themselves.

“But with cases developing across the country, it is essential to practice rigorous infection control if you are in contact with someone with a learning disability, whether or not they live in a care home.

“Wash your hands, wear a mask and keep a safe distance. The fewer people you meet, the more you’ll stop the spread.”

A learning disability is a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and learn new skills and a reduced ability to cope independently which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.

That means that people with learning disabilities often may find it harder to manage basic everyday skills, and rely upon support for many tasks, including communicating, managing money or looking after themselves.

People with learning disabilities are likely to have had difficulty recognising symptoms of COVID-19, or following government advice about getting tested, self-isolation, social distancing and infection prevention and control, the report says. It may also be more difficult for people caring for them to recognise the onset of symptoms if these cannot be communicated.

Helen Whately, Minister of State for Social Care, said: “Every death from COVID-19 has been a tragedy, and my deepest sympathies go out to everyone who has lost loved ones during the pandemic. I know how difficult this pandemic has been for people with a learning disability and those who care for them.

“A third of those with learning disabilities who sadly died were living in residential care. There is now regular testing of staff and residents in care homes, and testing has also been rolled out to supported living settings in high risk areas.

“We’re also offering free PPE, and the Joint committee on vaccines and immunisation has proposed those living and working in care homes should be top of the list for vaccination.

“This report adds to our knowledge of COVID-19 and how those with learning disabilities are affected by this cruel disease. I am asking SAGE to review the findings and give advice on what more we can do to keep people safe.”

Boris Johnson: ‘Tonight, that toot of the bugle is louder’

Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 9 November 2020

Across the country and around the world this evening, people are asking one question about our fight against Covid. Does the news of progress towards a vaccine that’s been announced today mean we are at the beginning of the end of our troubles?

So, let me set out our assessment.

The Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine has been tested on over 40,000 volunteers and interim results suggest it is proving 90 per cent effective at protecting people against the virus.

But we haven’t yet seen the full safety data, and these findings also need to be peer-reviewed.

So we have cleared one significant hurdle but there are several more to go before we know the vaccine can be used.

What I can say is that if and when this vaccine is approved, we, in this country, will be ready to start using it.

Earlier this year the UK Government ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine – enough for about a third of the population, since you need two doses each.

That puts us towards the front of the international pack on a per capita basis – and I should add we’ve ordered over 300 million doses from 5 other vaccine candidates as well.

If the Pfizer vaccine passes all the rigorous safety checks and is proved to be effective then we will begin a UK-wide NHS led programme of vaccine distribution.

We will decide the order in which people are offered the vaccination taking account of recommendations from a group of scientific experts, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

They’re looking at a range of factors, including the different characteristics of different types of vaccines, to work out the most effective way to protect as many people as possible and save as many lives as we can.

And we will be setting out more detail about that in due course.

But – and you know I am going to say this – I must stress, these are very, very early days.

We have talked for a long time, or I have, about the distant bugle of the scientific cavalry coming over the brow of the hill. And tonight that toot of the bugle is louder. But it is still some way off.

And we absolutely cannot rely on this as a solution.

The biggest mistake we could make now would be to slacken our resolve at such a critical moment.

On Friday, SAGE reported that the R is above 1 in England – though this does not take into account the current national restrictions.

Alas, the death figures are tragically rising, running at an average of over 300 a day – sadly double where they were 24 days ago

The number of Covid patients in hospital has risen from just over 10,000 two weeks ago to nearly 13,000 on 5 November, and we are heading towards the levels of the previous peak.

Irrespective of whether there is a vaccine on the way or not we must continue to do everything possible right now to bring the R down. And that is why we hope and believe that mass testing will help.

Our first pilot began in Liverpool on Friday, in partnership with Liverpool City Council.

We’ve tested thousands of people there but there are still a lot more to do, so please if you are in Liverpool, get yourself along to a testing centre – there are 19 at the moment with more still to come.

The more people get tested the better we can protect that great city, and drive the disease down in Liverpool so do it for your friends, for your relatives, for your community.

And I want to thank the fantastic support of the army, the people of Liverpool and Liverpool City Council.

And we are now going further by sending out hundreds of thousands of rapid lateral flow tests to local authorities right across England – and also of course to the Devolved Administrations.

We’re also working with universities to establish, as soon as possible, similar mass testing capacity for students up and down the country.

But while we are making progress this project is still in its infancy.

And neither mass testing nor progress on vaccines –both vital arrows in our epidemiological quiver, both key parts of our fight against Covid – are at the present time a substitute for the national restrictions, for social distancing, for hand hygiene and all the rest.

So it is all the more important to follow the rules.

I know it’s been a tough first weekend of these Autumn restrictions and I’m especially grateful to the Royal British Legion and all those who worked so hard to ensure that no virus would stop us yesterday from honouring the memory of those who gave their lives for our freedom.

But we must get through this to 2nd December, when these measures expire and we plan to move forward with a tiered approach.

Remember the basics, hands, face, space, and the follow the rules: that is how we can together protect our NHS, save lives and get this virus back in its box.

And that is what we will do.

So thank you.

Social media giants agree package of measures with UK Government to tackle vaccine disinformation

  • Platforms endorse the principle that no company should be profiting from COVID-19 vaccine mis/disinformation and commit to swifter responses to flagged content
  • Platforms will step up work with public health bodies to promote factual and reliable messages

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have agreed with social media platforms new measures to limit the spread of vaccine misinformation and disinformation and help people find the information they need about any COVID-19 vaccine.

At a virtual roundtable to address the growth of vaccine disinformation, Facebook, Twitter and Google committed to the principle that no company should profit from or promote COVID-19 anti-vaccine disinformation, to respond to flagged content more swiftly, and to work with authorities to promote scientifically accurate messages.

As the UK moves closer to developing a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, Mr Dowden and Mr Hancock used the roundtable to welcome the progress these companies have made in strengthening their policies towards false coronavirus information and helping publicise the steps people should take to prevent the spread of the virus.

But the ministers raised concerns about the length of time misleading and false information about coronavirus vaccines remains on platforms, and called for swifter action to tackle such content.

Together the platforms have now agreed:

  • To commit to the principle that no user or company should directly profit profit from COVID-19 vaccine mis/disinformation. This removes an incentive for this type of content to be promoted, produced and be circulated.
  • To ensure a timely response to mis/disinformation content flagged to them by the government.
  • To continue to work with public health bodies to ensure that authoritative messages about vaccine safety reach as many people as possible.
  • To join new policy forums over the coming months to improve responses to mis/disinformation and to prepare for future threats.

The forums will see the government, social media platforms, public health bodies and academia increase their cooperation and ongoing information sharing to deliver a better understanding of the evolving threat caused by false COVID-19 vaccine narratives.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Covid disinformation is dangerous and could cost lives. While social media companies are taking steps to stop it spreading on their platforms there is much more that can be done.

“So I welcome this new commitment from social media giants not to profit from or promote flagged anti-vax content, given that making money from this dangerous content would be wrong.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “After clean water, vaccination is the most effective public health intervention in the world and has saved countless lives across the globe, eradicating one disease entirely.

“I am encouraged that social media companies have agreed to do more to prevent the spread of dangerous misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.

“We want users to have greater access to reliable and scientifically-accurate information on vaccines from trusted sources like the NHS so they can make informed decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

Vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective healthcare solutions. Ministers used the meeting, which also included representatives from fact-checking charities, academics and data experts, to highlight that robust action must be taken against misleading messaging and content online which could harm and discourage people from protecting themselves or their loved ones.

Throughout the pandemic the government’s Counter Disinformation Unit has been developing a picture of the extent, scope and reach of disinformation and working with online platforms to ensure appropriate action is taken.

The unit has observed a range of false narratives about coronavirus vaccines across multiple platforms, including widespread misuse of scientific findings and baseless claims challenging the safety of vaccines or plans for their deployment.

Ronan Harris, Google UK Managing Director, said: “Since the beginning of the covid-19 epidemic, we have worked relentlessly to promote authoritative content from the NHS and to fight misinformation.

“In the last few months, we have continued to update our policies to make sure that content contradicting scientific consensus about the virus is swiftly removed and demonetised.

“Today, we are redoubling our commitment to take effective action against covid vaccine misinformation and to continue to work with partners across Government and industry to make sure people in the UK have easy access to helpful and accurate Information.”

Katy Minshall, Head of UK Public Policy, Twitter UK, said: “We are focused on protecting the public conversation and helping people find authoritative information on Twitter – in May 2019, we launched a search prompt that serves people with credible vaccine information from the NHS.

“In January this year, we launched a dedicated COVID-19 search prompt, ensuring that when people come to the service for information, they’re met with authoritative, public health information first. To date, over 160 million people have visited the Twitter COVID-19 curated page, over two billion times.

Since introducing COVID misinformation policies in March, and as we’ve doubled down on tech, our automated systems have challenged millions of accounts which were targeting discussions around COVID-19 with spammy or manipulative behaviours.

“We remain committed to combating misinformation about COVID-19, and continue to take action on accounts that violate our Rules. We look forward to continued collaboration with government and industry partners in our work towards improving the health of the public conversation.

Rebecca Stimson, Facebook’s Head of UK Public Policy, said: “We’re working closely with governments and health authorities to stop harmful misinformation from spreading on our platforms.

“Ads that include vaccine hoaxes or discourage people from getting a vaccine are banned, we remove harmful misinformation about Covid-19 and put warning labels over posts marked as false by third party fact checkers.

“We’re also connecting people to accurate information about vaccines and Covid-19 whenever they search for these topics. In the first months of the pandemic we directed more than 3.5 million visits to official advice from the NHS and UK government and we’re pleased to continue to support public health efforts.”

Biden claims victory in US Presidential Election

Last laugh for ‘Sleepy Joe’

‘Stop The Steal’: Trump vows legal challenge

Democratic nominee Joe Biden has defeated President Trump in the 2020 presidential election as he secured the 270 electoral college votes required to win the race, according to projections by Associated Press, NBC News and other trusted news outlets including our own BBC and ITV.

With four states yet to declare, the Democrats have 279 votes while the Republicans have 214.

In a victory speech on Saturday (early hours of this morning in the UK), President Elect Biden said: “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify. Who doesn’t see red states and blue states, only sees the United States.”

While Mr Biden called for national unity, it’s unlikely to be a smooth transition for the President Elect.

President Trump is not known for losing gracefully and, while he has made no public appearances since the polls closed, he has released a barrage of tweets claiming widespread election fraud – so far without producing any evidence of corruption or voting irregularities.

Among them:

THE OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTING ROOMS. I WON THE ELECTION, GOT 71,000,000 LEGAL VOTES. BAD THINGS HAPPENED WHICH OUR OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE. NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WERE SENT TO PEOPLE WHO NEVER ASKED FOR THEM!

Trump also released a statement: “The simple fact is this election is far from over.”

The Trump campaign team now plan to challenge the election result in the US courts.

FM @NicolaSturgeon has warmly congratulated President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on their success:

“Scotland and America share deep and longstanding bonds of friendship, and I look forward to these being renewed and strengthened in the years ahead”

The UK Government has also conveyed good wishes to the President-elect.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has congratulated Joe Biden on his US election victory.

Mr Johnson said he looked forward to “working closely” with the new president-elect.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also commented on result of the US Presidential Election.

Dominic Raab, said: “My congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on winning this election, with more votes than any candidate in US history. President Trump fought hard in what proved a close contest.

“We’re looking forward to working with the new administration on all of our shared interests, from tackling Covid-19 to counter-terrorism, and collaborating closely through our Presidencies of COP26 and the G7 next year.

“The friendship between the UK and US has always been a force for good in the world.”