/Covid news – live: Starmer says government ‘incompetence’ risks lockdown exit as half of people in 30s get jab

Covid news – live: Starmer says government ‘incompetence’ risks lockdown exit as half of people in 30s get jab

Over-50s to have both jabs by 21 June lockdown exit date, says Zahawi

The government is considering making coronavirus vaccines compulsory for NHS staff, vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi has said.

Mr Zahawi told the BBC’s Andrew Marr that any “responsible government” would “debate” the possibility, pointing out that there is precedent for such a move as surgeons are required to receive hepatitis B shots.

But Labour have hit back at the suggestion, with shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire telling Sky News that it’s more important to work with NHS staff “than against them”.

Meanwhile, a Covid-19 modelling expert has warned that new vaccine-evading variants could emerge if case rates are allowed to rise to the levels they did in January or March.

Dr Mike Tildesley told LBC that high volumes of transmission “increases the risk” of a “variant emerging that all of a sudden evades the vaccines”, but stressed that a “small rise” in cases is not something to be too concerned about.

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Scotland: Slight increase in percentage of positive tests

No further coronavirus deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours in Scotland.

Health officials recorded 526 new cases.

The test positivity rate was 3.2 per cent, up from 2.5 per cent the previous day.

The next update is expected after the bank holiday weekend.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 14:27

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Belgians protest lockdown restrictions outside EU headquarters

London wasn’t the only European city to see lockdown protests on Saturday.

Demonstrators in Brussels marched to the European Union headquarters to protest lockdown restrictions in Belgium.

<p>Protesters at the ‘European Manifestation for Freedom’ march</p>

Protesters at the ‘European Manifestation for Freedom’ march

(EPA)

Most large gatherings are still banned in the country.

Meanwhile, healthcare workers in the country attended an authorised demonstration on Saturday morning to call for greater financial support and increased staffing.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 14:20

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Minister rejects suggestion Boris Johnson’s wedding is linked to lockdown easments

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has rejected the suggestion that the prime minister’s wedding took place on Saturday because he is not planning to ease restrictions – including allowing weddings with more than 30 guests – on 21 June.

Asked if this was the case on Sky News, Mr Zahawi said: “No – but I want to congratulate the prime minister and Carrie Symonds on tying the knot.”

The minister also stressed that no decision has been made yet and that a review of the latest data will be conducted two weeks in advance of 21 June.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 13:46

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Care home leader rejects Matt Hancock’s claims government threw ‘protective ring’ around them

Care home leaders have rejected Matt Hancock’s claims the government threw a ‘protective ring’ around them in the early stages of coronavirus crisis.

Mike Padgham, the chairman of the Independent Care Group, which represents providers in York and North Yorkshire, said care homes were “forgotten” at the start of the pandemic.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 13:36

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Vaccinating children could depend on spread of variants, expert says

The emergence of new coronavirus variants could be a factor in whether or not vaccines are approved for children, an expert has said.

Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), told Times Radio that the “risk-benefit ratio” could change if Covid-19 variants spread further among children.

“It may well be that actually giving children vaccines will become a clearer option once we know more about the disease in children and whether the new variants are spreading further into the paediatric population and causing more significant disease,” he said.

“That could certainly change the risk-benefit ratio.”

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 13:10

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British regulators are considering approving vaccines for children

Britain has the “infrastructure” to vaccinate children, the vaccines minister has said – but jabs for youngsters have not yet been approved.

Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News that regulators are still considering whether or not follow in the footsteps of the EU, US and Canada by offering vaccines to under-18s.

The issue is complicated he said because the effects are more likely to be felt by their families and communities, rather than by children themselves who are generally low risk.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 12:50

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NHS leaders calls for ‘better quality’ of debate over lockdown end

An NHS leader has said that a “better quality of debate” is needed over whether or not to end lockdown restrictions on 21 June.

NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson told BBC Breakfast that evidence-based discussions are needed before a final call is made as hospitals face backlogs and the Indian variant spreads.

“Let’s have the best quality of debate about what the trade-offs here are and let’s try, if I may be so bold, to have a rather better quality of evidence-based debate about how quickly we should ease the lockdown measures than perhaps we’ve had in previous phases,” he said.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 12:30

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Pub boss calls on government to stick to 21 June reopening date

A pub boss has called on the government to stick to 21 June as the date on which all lockdown measures end.

British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) chief executive Emma McClarkin said that her sector’s full recovery can only really start when restrictions are removed.

“Right now we are asking the Government to stick to their road map,” she said, but added that “advance notice” is needed if a change is made – and that financial compensation should be considered.

Some health experts have, however, said that 21 June is “too soon” for the UK to fully reopen as cases of the coronavirus linked to the Indian variant rise.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 12:26

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Broadcaster mistakenly reports that dramatist William Shakespeare has died

An Argentinian broadcaster mistakenly reported that the playwright William Shakespeare had died rather than the first British man to receive a coronavirus vaccine, who has the same name.

William Shakespeare from Coventry, who was the first man and second person to receive a jab, died aged 81 from an unrelated illness last week after suffering a stroke. The bard, to whom the broadcaster accidentally referred, died almost 400 years ago.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 12:05

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Current pressure on hospitals is ‘worrying’, NHS chief says

The government has a “difficult decision” as to whether to lift remaining lockdown restrictions on 21 June, an NHS chief has said – adding that the current pressure on hospitals is “worrying”.

NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said that while he doesn’t expect hospitals to become overwhelmed, they are already stretched by trying to deal with a backlog of cases built up during the pandemic at “full pelt”.

“Significant numbers of Covid-19 hospital inpatients will adversely impact care backlog recovery,” he said.

“(The) current degree of pressure on hospitals is worrying especially since we saw clear summer demand surges in the two years before Covid-19.”

Mr Hopson added that hospitals are likely to see extra demand this summer as more Brits stay at home rather than travel abroad. But he stressed that the vaccine rollout will help to reduce pressure on hospitals.

Joanna Taylor30 May 2021 11:44