/Covid news – live: Major new vaccine trial begins in UK, amid plans to double testing capacity by early 2021

Covid news – live: Major new vaccine trial begins in UK, amid plans to double testing capacity by early 2021

Nurses prepare to administer tests at Dimensions Leisure Centre in Stoke-on-Trent

US-led biotech firm Moderna has said its coronavirus vaccine candidate has been shown to be more than 90 per cent effective in preventing disease among infected individuals.

Interim results from Moderna’s ongoing phase three study returned an efficacy rate of 94.5 per cent, which British scientists have hailed as “tremendously exciting” news.

Meanwhile, clinical trials of a new potential coronavirus vaccine developed by Janssen, part of Johnson &Johnson, are set to begin in the UK, with 6,000 volunteers from across the country taking part.

Theirs is the third potential jab to enter clinical trials in the UK, joining US biotech company Novavax and Oxford University’s vaccine with AstraZeneca, whose trials are already underway.

1605535236

PM allowed to work from No 10 office during self-isolation

Boris Johnson will still be able to work from his No 10 office while self-isolating in his Downing Street flat, a spokesman for the PM told the PA news agency. 

“The PM has been living in the flat above Downing Street full-time since we moved to the tougher national measures, so there is no change to that.

“In terms of where he is today, to enable the PM to carry out his full duties and with the agreement of medical advisers, he is working from his Downing Street office which he is able to access without any interaction with No 10 staff.”

The spokesman declined to comment on whether the prime minister’s fiancee Carrie Symonds was also staying in the flat.

The spokesman also said Mr Johnson was “well looked after and served by staff in No 10 at all times” and that anything staff do for him would be done in a “Covid-secure way”.

(Getty)

Sam Hancock16 November 2020 13:51

1605534355

Covid cases falling in Wales, but do not expect ‘definitive statement’ on Christmas just yet

The Welsh Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, has said there are “early very positive signs” that cases of Covid-19 are continuing to fall in Wales following the country’s firebreak lockdown.

Signage encouraging social distancing as a measure to combat infections of the novel coronavirus are seen on the floor at the entrance of the market in Wrexham, North Wales

(AFP via Getty Images)

He told a press conference in Cardiff that the seven-day incidence rate for Wales now stands at around 160 cases per 100,000 people, a reduction of 70 from the same period the week before.

However, he warned that the Welsh public should not expect a “definitive statement” on Christmas in the next few days or weeks.

Mr Gething noted images he had seen of people who had “forgotten about social distancing and are returning to a more normal way of behaving”.

“If that continues, then we really will face difficult choices and we’re likely to see the trend that we’ve already seen with reducing cases, that could easily reverse,” he warned.

“This is a highly infectious virus that thrives on human contact. It’s also why we can’t have a definitive view at this point about what Christmas might look like.

“Whatever happens with Christmas and the festive season this year, it won’t be like normal.”

Kate Ng16 November 2020 13:16

1605533455

European MPs suggest four-day week could help solve economic crisis

Politicians from the UK, Germany and Spain have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to call for a four-day week to be implemented “now”, to help countries begin he process of combatting the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic.

The letter was sent by former shadow chancellor John McDonnell to German chancellor Angela Merkel, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez and other leaders too.

It said that reducing working hours would improve mental health and presented an “opportunity” for leaders to rethink working patterns and reduce energy usage, reports my colleague Sam Hancock.

Kate Ng16 November 2020 13:07

1605532555

US records more than 11 million cases

The US surpassed a grim milestone in the Covid-19 pandemic, recording more than 11 million positive coronavirus infections.

Michigan and Washington became the latest US states to impose movement restrictions, and health officials have urged Americans to cancel or rethink Thanksgiving holiday plans.

Adam Forrest has the full story:

Kate Ng16 November 2020 11:56

1605531655

Scottish government announces funding for tablets in care homes to support residents

Scottish First Minister Nicole Sturgeon has announced funding for tablets to be put in care homes to help connect residents to their families.

(Getty Images)

The devices would also allow care services, such as speech therapy, to take place remotely.

Ms Sturgeon said there will be “one or two” of the devices in each home. However, she said they would not be used as a substitute for face-to-face visitations.

“We know and understand how vital in-person visits are, both for residents and for their family members,” she said.

“For that reason we are currently finalising our plans to ensure that routine visits from designated visitors can take place as safely as possible.”

Kate Ng16 November 2020 12:51

1605530755

Hancock admits Government made ‘mistakes’ handling crisis in awkward GMB interview

In an excruciatingly awkward interview on Good Morning Britain, Matt Hancock conceded that “mistakes” were made over the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he rebuffed questions about whether he would resign and rejected the idea that capacity figures were “meaningless”.

His appearance on the programme marked the end of the 201-day Downing Street boycott of ministers appearing on the ITV programme, reports my colleague Adam Forrest.

Kate Ng16 November 2020 11:46

1605530338

UK Government ‘in advanced discussions’ to get Moderna vaccine

A Whitehall source has said the Government was “in advanced discussions” to procure doses of the Moderna vaccine, reports the PA news agency.

No10 has agreed deals for six different vaccine candidates – with 380 millions doses ordered – but not Moderna’s.

Kate Ng16 November 2020 12:38

1605529555

Moderna vaccine trial results ‘very encouraging’, says expert

Professor Eleanor Riley, Professor of Immunology and Infectious Disease at the University of Edinburgh, said of the Moderna vaccine candidate: “This vaccine is very similar in design to the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine that reported interim results last week. The results of this trial from Moderna are broadly similar to the Pfizer/BioNtech data, which is very encouraging.

“Each of these trials is still in the early phases of reporting and as more cases accrue the efficacy estimates may change slightly, but the fact that two independent trials are giving very similar results is very reassuring.

“Although the numbers are small, this trial also gives an indication that vaccination is effective in older and BAME individuals and prevents severe disease, all of which are key to allowing the world to start opening up again.

“The absolute prerequisite for a COVID-19 vaccine is that is stops people becoming ill enough to require hospital treatment and stops people dying. The preliminary data reported here suggest that this vaccine – and by extension, the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine – will achieve this goal.  

“The safety data also look promising. The side effects of vaccination appear to be in line with those typically seen for other adult vaccinations, including the seasonal influenza vaccination which is administered in many millions of doses every year.

“One important unknown is whether this vaccine, or any of the vaccines currently in trials, prevents disease transmission. It is likely that vaccines that prevent symptomatic disease will reduce the duration and level of infectiousness, and thus reduce transmission, but we don’t yet know if this effect will be large enough to make any meaningful difference to the spread of the virus within communities.

“But, overall, this is excellent news. Having more than one source of an effective vaccine will increase the global supply and, with luck, help us all to get back to something like normal sometime in 2021.”

Kate Ng16 November 2020 12:22

1605528655

EMA starts real-time review of Modern’s Covid vaccine candidate

The European Medicines Agency said on Monday it had started a real-time review of Modern Inc’s candidate for a coronavirus vaccine, following similar such review launches for vaccines from AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

The health regulator said its human medicines committee started a “rolling review” for Modern’s mRNA-1273 vaccine candidate and has already started evaluating the first batch of data.

Kate Ng16 November 2020 11:59

1605528183

Moderna vaccine candidate is ’94.5% effective’, according to interim data

Early data from US firm Moderna has suggested its vaccine is highly effective in preventing people getting ill and also works across all age groups.

The latest vaccine news has been hailed by British scientists as “tremendously exciting”. However, the UK has not placed an order for the vaccine and it is yet unclear if the British Government can get any stock.

My colleague Samuel Lovett has the story:

Kate Ng16 November 2020 12:03