Coronavirus latest news: 'Don't blow it now,' Matt Hancock says as cases rise

Jordan Kelly-Linden
·52 min read
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Matt Hancock has urged Britons not to "blow it" after the average number of weekly cases increased following the lifting of lockdown.

Speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, the health secretary said "the fall in the number of cases has flattened off and is rising in some places in the country."

The UK reported 20,964 new cases against a further 516 deaths on Thursday

"This shows us this fight is not over," he said, adding "help is on the horizon so don't blow it now."

It comes as the UK begins its historic roll out of the coronavirus vaccine.

Matt Hancock told the briefing that thousands of people in the UK have already received the new Pfizer vaccine with GPs and care homes expected to receive stock by Christmas.

​Follow the latest updates below.

06:53 PM

France to impose virus curfew after lockdown

The French government said Thursday it would lift a six-week-long coronavirus lockdown as expected on Tuesday but impose a curfew from 8 p.m., including on New Year's Eve, as the number of infections creeps up again.

Prime Minister Jean Castex ended days of speculation over the year-end holidays by confirming that families would be allowed to travel to celebrate Christmas together.

But in a severe blow for the cultural sector, he said that museums, theatres and cinemas, which had been hoping to try to recoup some of their losses over the holidays, would remain closed for an extra three weeks, as will football stadiums.

Castex said the situation had "considerably improved" since France entered a second lockdown on October 30, noting that the number of new infections had fallen from nearly 50,000 a day in late October to around 10,000.

But the decline "has slowed over the past several days," he said.

"We're on a sort of plateau," Castex said, warning that if the French dropped their guard they could face a third lockdown in the months to come.

The curfew to take effect on Tuesday will last from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., with the exception of December 24, when families are invited to celebrate Christmas, but with no more than six adults per household.

06:52 PM

Nigeria may be on verge of second wave of Covid-19 infections warns health minister

Nigeria may be on the verge of a second wave of Covid-19 infections amid rising number of confirmed cases in Africa's most populous country over the last few weeks, the health minister said on Thursday.

Osagie Ehanire, speaking at a televised news conference in the capital Abuja, said 1,843 cases were recorded last week compared with 1,235 two weeks before that, and 1,126 the week before that.

"We may just be on the verge of a second wave of this pandemic," he said. His comments came a day after South Africa said it had officially entered a second wave.

The health minister said the rise in cases was mostly driven by an increase in infections within communities and, to a lesser extent, by travellers entering Nigeria.

Nigeria has not been hit as hard as other countries by the pandemic. The country, which has a population of around 200 million people, has had 70,669 confirmed cases which resulted in 1,184 deaths as of Thursday.

06:42 PM

Commuters shunned the train after first lockdown, rail figures show

More than two thirds of commuters did not get back on the train when the first lockdown lifted, official figures suggest.

Data published by the Office of Rail and Road showed that the number of journeys taken by train between July and September this year increased by 100 million compared to the previous quarter but was still just 30 per cent of last year’s levels.

This covers the period of the first coronavirus lockdown easing and the return of students to schools and universities.

Separate data from the Department for Transport (DfT) showed that rail usage was at about 16 per cent of normal levels at the start of the period but had risen to 43 per cent by the first week of September, suggesting a gradual recovery.

Sam Meadows has the story.

06:41 PM

German regions tighten restrictions as full lockdown looms

Germany currently has a similar infection rate to the UK. But unlike in the UK, infections are not falling. They have been steady for several weeks and are now showing a slight rise.

As a results, a number of German regions announced tighter coronavirus restrictions on Thursday. 

Read more from Justin Huggler here.

The shops remain open in most of Germany for now - FABRIZIO BENSCH / REUTERS 

06:39 PM

How the UK will get Pfizer's Covid vaccine from factory to patient

NHS England has told GP surgeries they must be ready to administer 975 doses to priority patients within three-and-a-half days of the vaccines being delivered on December 14.

But how will the vaccine be transported from factory to patient? And where is it being manufactured?

Lizzie Roberts has the details here.

06:38 PM

Italian boy found with coronavirus more than a year ago could be Europe's first case

A four-year-old Italian boy contracted Covid-19 as far back as November last year, Italian scientists believe, in a discovery that could dramatically rewrite the timeline of the spread of the illness.

The finding would suggest that the coronavirus was circulating in Italy much earlier than expected – the pandemic was not officially detected until late February.

It could fundamentally alter the understanding of when the virus entered Europe from China, where it is thought to have originated. Until now, it was thought that Europe's earliest detected case was a 43-year-old Frenchman from Paris who fell ill in late December.

“This finding is of importance because it expands our knowledge on timing and mapping of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission pathways,” the researchers said.

Nick Squires has more here.

06:33 PM

Israel abandons Covid-19 curfew plan ahead of Hanukkah

Israel has reversed plans to impose a night-time curfew meant to prevent a new wave of coronavirus infections, minutes before the start of a Jewish holiday.

At the start of the week, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced a night-time curfew from Thursday, the first day of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.

This measure was criticised by a part of the population and public health experts, who considered it ineffective in combating the pandemic.

On Thursday, the government backtracked, saying “there will no new restrictions for Hanukkah” and that no new measures will be announced as long as fewer than 2,500 new Covid-19 infections are announced per day.

“If the number of new cases passes 2,500 per day, we will impose new restrictions for three weeks,” said a statement.

Since the start of the pandemic, Israel, a country of nine million people, has recorded 351,579 Covid-19 cases, including 2,937 deaths.

In the past 24 hours, just over 800 new infections were confirmed, according to the health minister.

06:30 PM

No decision on Covid vaccine rights

The World Trade Organization has failed to agree on a proposal to exempt Covid-19 vaccines from intellectual property rights - an idea staunchly opposed by pharmaceutical giants.

The plan aims to facilitate greater knowledge sharing and the rapid scale-up of production sites for urgent Covid-19 medical goods, including vaccines.

The notion was brought forward by India and South Africa, countries which want to boost the global production of vaccine doses to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

It is supported by around 100 countries, according to the medical charity Doctors Without Borders, and by the World Health Organization.

However, “WTO members failed to reach a consensus on the proposal,” a Geneva trade official said.

“Members agreed to keep this item in the agenda of future... meetings to allow for further consideration of the waiver request.

“An oral status report will be presented at the next General Council meeting on 16-17 December 16-17 indicating the need for further discussions on this issue.”

06:24 PM

‘I have allergies – should I get the Covid vaccine?’

As two people had severe reactions to the coronavirus jab, should you be concerned if you have allergies?

Here’s what the experts advise.

Read more.

06:18 PM

Delhi doctors break down as city grapples with third wave of Covid-19

From mid-November, New Delhi entered its “third wave” of Covid cases, with the number of new daily cases reaching more than 7,000 - higher than any other world city. 

Over nine million Indians have contracted the disease, according to official statistics, and hospitals in India’s capital have again run out of beds, causing fatality rates to spike with many patients unable to access healthcare.

Joe Wallen visited  Lok Nayak Hospital where the Covid-19 fatality rate in the hospital has increased from 3.3 per cent during June and September to 5.05 per cent since October 1.

Read more.

06:12 PM

Shapps launches 'Test and Release' programme

The Secretary of Transport has also launched a 'Test and Release' programme. 

From Tuesday 15 December travellers to the UK will be able to “opt-in” to a shorter self-isolation period, lasting just five days, if they can provide a negative Covid-19 test result from specific providers, Grant Shapps has tweeted.

06:10 PM

Canary Islands removed from UK travel corridor list

The Canary Islands have been removed from the UK travel corridors list, transport secretary Grant Shapps has announced.

People arriving in the UK from the popular Spanish islands from 4am on Saturday must self-isolate.

The decision is a major below to the UK travel industry, which has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Many firms recorded a surge in bookings for the Canary Islands when they were added to the travel corridors list in October.

Shapps said their removal was due to a rise in weekly cases and positive tests of the virus.

Botswana and Saudi Arabia have made their way back on to the travel corridor list.

06:05 PM

Italy launches 'Christmas Cashback' to help struggling shops

A cashback scheme is among Italian government incentives intended to give struggling shops a boost while cracking down on tax evasion.

The initiative launched this week offers an automatic refund from the state to citizens making in-store purchases with a bank card or smartphone app.

Under "Christmas Cashback", users will get back 10 percent of each purchase up to a maximum of 150 euros before the end of the year, as long as they make at least ten digital transactions.

The cashback programme "covers purchases made in shops as well as payments to craftsmen, plumbers, electricians, a lawyer or a doctor," a finance ministry spokesman told AFP.

Italy's government hopes that by encouraging people to pay digitally, the country can crack down on chronic tax evasion that costs the public purse up to 100 billion euros ($120 billion) per year according to official estimates.

06:03 PM

What did we learn?

The Downing Street briefing is just wrapping up. Here is a recap of all the key points: 

  • Matt Hancock said thousands of people in the UK have been given the new coronavirus Pfizer vaccine at 73 hospitals around the UK.
  • The vaccination programme is going to be extended next week to another 10 vaccination sites in England, with GPs and care home expected to receive the jab before Christmas.
  • However, the UK has witnessed a worrying jump in cases in the week since England lifted its month-long coronavirus lockdown. "We cant stop doing that now the vaccine is here," Matt Hancock said, as he urged the public to continue following social distancing measures.
  • The government is particularly worried about the rising number of coronavirus cases in London, Kent and Essex. A review of the respective tier restrictions is expected to come on Wednesday, Mr Hancock said.
  • The fastest rise by far is among secondary school age children to which Matt Hancock responded by announcing that London will roll-out rapid Covid antigen tests at secondary schools across the capital in an attempt to bring cases under control.
  • And finally those hoping for a big end of year blow out will be sad to learn that the Government does not plan on lifting restrictions around New Year.

05:51 PM

Matt Hancock: London restrictions may have be tightened to 'keep virus under control'

Matt Hancock is then asked about the potential for London to enter Tier 3 and the possible economic impact it would have. 

He says this is something they are conscious of "but we have to make them to keep the virus under control", because the consequences would be worse. 

"I get it from the point of view of the hospitality sector," he adds. 

Prof Steve Powis says the Nightingales "have been our insurance policy" throughout the pandemic, and the ones in the North have been "stood up" again.

In London there is "a worrying rise in infections", but not at the levels seen in April, therefore it can be managed within existing hospital capacity, he says. 

However it is "important" and being kept under review, along with possible other uses, he says. 

And that is the end of the briefing. 

05:47 PM

Matt Hancock defends PPE effort amid claims items were rotting

Matt Hancock is then asked about claims today that found that some PPE was out of date before it arrived and much was rotted, and in one instance, had insects "crawling out". 

He says there was "a massive effort, involving a huge number of people" getting supplies, adding he is "really, really pleased" that so many people contributed. 

But there were challenges, but "we had to move heaven and earth" to deliver the amount of PPE required. 

Now there are more than 30bn items and the domestic infrastructure has been developed, so "we are in a much better place for any future crisis". 

05:42 PM

Matt Hancock denies involvement in neighbour's Government contract

Matt Hancock is then asked about allegations that his former neighbour received a contract after sending the Health Secretary a message on WhatsApp. 

He says he "read about this in the Guardian", adding: "I had absolutely nothing to do that with that contract."

More broadly, he says he is pleased that so many people came forward when the "nation needed the support of a huge number of people" on PPE and other areas. 

"I can't answer any more than to say I had nothing to do with this particular contract at all," he adds. 

05:39 PM

Ockenden Review must be acted on, says NHS boss

Matt Hancock is then asked about the Ockenden Review, which found  "shocking" examples of maternity care failings by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

He says it makes for shocking reading, and says they will study proposals made in the report "very, very closely". 

Prof Steve Powis, NHS England medical director, says it has been "painful and harrowing" for the affected families and there are two changes that should be made - to fully understand what went wrong and to act on that. 

"I do think it is very important the recommendations for the Trust are acted on immediately," he adds, noting there are more general improvements that must be made across the NHS.

"Clearly there is more work to be done". 

05:38 PM

Individual behaviour will determine whether there is a third wave

The next question is about whether a third wave is "inevitable" and whether action should be taken before next week to avert it. 

Matt Hancock says they are "doing everything we can to keep case rates down", which is why they are rolling out the mass testing for the "particular" group of secondary school age children where cases are rising. 

"That can help us and play a part, but only as apart of an overall package," he says, noting that "individual behaviour" is the most important thing. 

Measures depend on how people respond and behave, he adds, listing parts of the country where cases have fallen. 

Prof Chris Whitty says a third wave is not inevitable, but says it relies on people following the rules.

He adds that just because people can do more over Christmas doesn't mean they should. 

05:31 PM

Chris Whitty: We may need more restrictions where cases are rising

Matt Hancock then turns to questions from journalists, the first of which is about rising cases in the South East, which relate to infections during lockdown, and what that will do to the chances of changing Tier. 

The Health Secretary says the review next Wednesday will be when a "formal decision" will be taken, so he won't pre-empt that today. 

"It is six days to go until that formal decision is taken," he adds. 

But the data is "worrying" in London and other parts of the South East. 

Prof Chris Whitty says it is "concerning", praising the "remarkable" work that has been done in the Midlands and North. The areas where cases are still rising he says will be looked at and a decision taken on whether more restrictions may be needed.

Kent is already in Tier 3 - it's not clear if he means additional restrictions beyond that. 

05:30 PM

Matt Hancock: No restrictions being lifted for new year celebrations

Matt Hancock is then asked about spending new year with family. 

He says you can if you live with them already but there will be no special rules brought in for the new year, as there have been for Christmas. 

He repeats his warning "not to blow it" over the festive period, because there is still a high risk. 

05:29 PM

Vaccine will 'take some time' to reduce mortality risk

Matt Hancock then turns to questions from the public, the first of which asks how England will exit the tier system and whether it relates to how many people have been given the vaccine.

The Health Secretary says the tier system is led by five key indicators - case rates and so on - as they establish what impact that is having on hospitalisations. 

We can only exit restrictions by reducing the number of people in hospital and protecting those who may die from the virus, he says, however we do not know at this stage how much protection the vaccine gives us. 

Prof Chris Whitty says over time the vaccine will take the risk down, initially in terms of mortality and then serious health outcomes. It will "take quite some time," he adds. 

"We don't know if the vaccines will reduce transmission" he adds, saying once that has been established they will have a clearer idea . 

But there will be no point at which restrictions are lifted in one go, he adds. 

05:21 PM

Vaccine does not mean you are immune, stresses Hancock

Matt Hancock has urged the public to continue following social distancing rules as access to a vaccine is no guarantee against severe infection.

"We have all got to do our bit," he says, appealing to people to "respecting the social distancing and the rules that come with it."

He says: "We cant stop doing that now the vaccine is here."

The health secretary warns the jab will not make people fully immune until seven days after the second dose, and we don't know if it will stop people passing it on.

"That is the safest way to get the number of cases down," he adds.

He then moves on to say he has particular concerns about rises in London, Kent and Essex.

05:18 PM

Self-isolation support can be claimed via app

Matt Hancock says the Government is working with more than 100 local authorities to get cases down through mass testing. 

The offer remains available across the whole of the UK to be done in partnership with local leaders, he adds. 

The Health Secretary praises Test and Trace for building capacity to get to this point. 

From today, people instructed to isolate by the app who are eligible can claim the £500 support, he confirms - something which many MPs have been calling for in recent weeks. 

05:17 PM

London's secondary schools to receive mass testing as cases rise, says Matt Hancock

Matt Hancock says he is particularly concerned about the number of case in London, Kent and Essex. 

The fastest rise by far is among secondary school age children, while the rate among adults is broadly flat. 

We need to do everything we can to stop the spread among school age children, he adds, saying "targeted" action must be taken. 

That means the worst affected boroughs will begin mass testing of students, he says. 

"We want to keep schools open," the Health Secretary adds. Children will been encouraged to take a test in the coming days "irrespective of whether they have symptoms". 

He notes that one in three people have no symptoms at all as he urges everyone to get a test. 

05:15 PM

Vaccines to be rolled out to GPs next week

Since the launch on Tuesday, the UK has rolled out the vaccination programme in 73 hospitals, and with tens of thousands of people receiving the Pfizer jab. 

That will be expanded to 10 more locations, and from next week will be happening from GPs. Care homes will get it by Christmas, Matt Hancock says. 

It is free according to need and the best way to protect people, he says, although it will not fully protect people for seven-10 days after the first dose. 

When cases come down, restrictions can be lifted, he adds. 

05:11 PM

Don't blow it, says Hancock

Matt Hancock begins the briefing by saying the start of the vaccination programme "was the latest in a long line of firsts for the NHS".

He says more than 15,00 Covid patients are in hospital and 516 deaths were reported yesterday.

"The fall in the number of cases has flattened off and is rising in some places in the country," he says. "This shows us this fight is not over."

He appeals to the people of Britain not to "blow it".

05:06 PM

Coming soon: Matt Hancock leads government press briefing

The health secretary will be joined by NHS England's Professor Stephen Powis and England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty.

We'll bring you updates here.

05:00 PM

Schools in London to mass test students amid fears teenagers are fueling Covid outbreaks

Schools in London are set to get mass testing, The Telegraph understands, amid fears that teenagers are fueling outbreaks.

Ministers are preparing to roll-out rapid Covid antigen tests at secondary schools across the capital in an attempt to bring cases under control.

Headteachers have been briefed by the Department for Education that pilots for mass testing in schools have been a success and say there is a “great deal of optimism” about plans to roll it out on a wider scale.

It comes after warnings from Sadiq Khan that London could be plunged into Tier 3 as early as next week as cases continue to rise.

Camilla Turner has more here.

It comes amid warnings that London could be plunged into Tier 3 -  Jane Barlow / PA

04:52 PM

Italy reports 887 new Covid-19 deaths

Italy reported 887 coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday, a steep rise from 499 the day before, the health ministry said.

The daily tally of new infections increased to 16,999 from 12,756.

There were 171,586 swabs carried out in the past day, up from a previous 118,475, the ministry said.

The first Western country hit by the virus, Italy has seen 62,626 Covid-19 fatalities since its outbreak emerged in February, the second highest toll in Europe after Britain.

Italy has also registered 1.787 million cases to date.

04:42 PM

Welsh secondary schools and colleges to close on Friday

Wales' education minister Kirsty Williams said the decision to move secondary schools and colleges to online learning from Monday was as part of a "national effort to reduce transmission of coronavirus".

She said it followed advice from the country's chief medical officer that the public health situation in Wales was "deteriorating".

Ms Williams said: "The virus is putting our health service under significant and sustained pressure and it is important we all make a contribution to reduce its transmission.

"In his advice to me today, the CMO recommends that a move to online learning should be implemented for secondary school pupils as soon as is practicable.

"I can therefore confirm that a move to online learning should be implemented for secondary school pupils and college students from Monday next week."

04:32 PM

Wuhan citizen journalist detained for Covid reporting has 'feeding tube forcibly inserted and arms restrained'

A former lawyer detained for more than six months due to reporting on the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan has been fitted with a tube so she can be force-fed after she went on hunger strike, her lawyer said.

Zhang Zhan, 37, was apparently unable to pull the tube out as her arms were restrained. She was arrested in May and accused of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble,” a charge often used against government critics and activists in China.

Zhang attempted to report the virus outbreak on social media and streaming account, and is now being held at a detention centre near Shanghai.

She was formally charged with spreading false information in November. 

Read more here.

Zhang Zhan, a 37-year-old former lawyer, has been held in detention since she was arrested in May - Youtube

04:21 PM

UK deaths rise by 516

The Government said a further 516 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Thursday, bringing the UK total to 63,082.

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 79,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.

The Government said that, as of 9am on Thursday, there had been a further 20,964 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 1,787,783.

04:04 PM

Medics told to keep 15-minute check on those given Covid vaccine

Medical staff have been told to keep monitor all patients given the Covid jab for at least 15 minutes under new safety guidance.

Regulators issued the precautionary advice after two NHS workers with a history of allergies suffered a reaction to the jab. 

GPs had already been told in planning guidance that patients should be observed for any immediate reaction, and advised not to drive for 15 minutes after a jab. 

But the updated guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) suggests that all patients should be kept on site for this long, as a precaution.

Laura Donnelly has more here.

03:59 PM

London has highest Covid-19 case rate in England

London had the highest prevalence of Covid-19 cases in the week to 6 December, Public Health England (PHE) said, raising the prospect that the capital will be moved into the highest level of restrictions in the coming days.

Case rates per 100,000 people in London stood at 191.8, PHE said, putting the city ahead of regions in the highest level of tier three restrictions, such as the West Midlands, where cases had fallen to 158.4 per 100,000 from 196.8 a week earlier.

03:51 PM

A royal visit

Prince Charles wears a face mask as he speaks to staff during a visit to The Ritz London, in support of the hospitality sector

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales wears a face mask as he speaks to staff during a visit to The Ritz London, in support of the hospitality sector - Chris Jackson 

03:45 PM

Coronavirus fight not over, despite vaccine, warns EU leaders

EU leaders at a summit in Brussels have adopted 'conclusions' on coronavirus.

The joint statement says that even though there is a vaccine, the fight against pandemic is not yet over. 

03:39 PM

Pleas to scale back Christmas grow as US daily Covid deaths surpass 3,000

The United States' daily death toll from Covid-19 has surpassed 3,000 for the first time, prompting pleas for Americans to scale back Christmas plans even with vaccines on the cusp of winning regulatory approval.

Covid-19 deaths reached 3,253 on Wednesday, pushing up the U.S. total since the start of the pandemic to 289,740, with a record 106,219 people hospitalized with the highly infectious respiratory disease.

Healthcare professionals and support staff, exhausted by the demands of the pandemic, have been watching patients die alone as millions of Americans refuse to follow medical advice to wear masks and avoid crowds in order to contain the spread.

The one-day death toll exceeded the number of lives lost from the attacks of September 11, 2001.

"No Christmas parties. There is not a safe Christmas party in this country right now," Dr. Michael Osterholm, a member of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's Covid-19 advisory board, told CNN on Thursday.

"It won't end after that but that is the period right now where we could have a surge upon a surge upon a surge," Osterholm said.

03:33 PM

England's positive Covid cases fall to lowest level since early October

A total of 96,415 people tested positive for Covid-19 in England at least once in the week to December 2, according to the latest Test and Trace figures.

This is down 13 per cent on the previous week and is the lowest total since the week ending October 7.

However since then cases have been on the rise, sparking fears that London could be moved into Tier 3 this side of Christmas. The next review is due on December 16. 

03:25 PM

Berlin considers closing shops and extending school holds as infections rise

Berlin wants to close shops and extend the school Christmas holidays to try to get the coronavirus pandemic under control, the mayor of the German capital said as the country reported a new record number of cases of Covid-19.

Berlin’s mayor Michael Müller said he would seek the approval of the city’s parliament next Tuesday to close stores apart from supermarkets until 10 January, and also to extend the school break until that date or put lessons online for a week.

Germany’s coronavirus cases rose by 23,679 on Thursday to 1,242,203, setting a new record daily rise, while the death toll increased by 440 to 20,372, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases (RKI).

Europe’s largest economy was more successful than many neighbouring countries in keeping the pandemic under control in the first wave in March and April, but it has been struggling to turn the tide in a second wave, recording record daily deaths.

03:11 PM

Schools must remain open despite rising cases in London, says expert

Keeping schools open must be the “number one priority” despite rising infections in secondary-age children, a top expert has said.

Professor Paul Hunter, from the University of East Anglia, made the claims as London teetered on the edge of being put into Tier 3 next week, with three quarters of the Capital’s boroughs seeing a rise in infections up until December 4.

The Professor of Medicine said that in particular secondary school-age children in the capital have seen cases "increase quite rapidly throughout the national lockdown”.

But when asked on Radio 4 whether London schools should be shut to help stop infections, Professor Hunter said the decision would cause “disruption” for children’s entire lives.

He said: “It is difficult, my personal view is that we cannot damage our children’s education. I would put protecting our children's education as the number 1 priority, above the need to control covid, because the damage from inadequate education and disruption from their education is something that could last for our children’s lives.

“I would be very loath to do that.”

There are fears London will be put into Tier 3 next week, with the capital heading in the wrong direction on four of the five key tests used by the ministers to decide tier levels.

Across London as a whole, the case rate among the over 60s – a key metric for tier decisions – has risen from 110.3 per 100,000 in the week to November 26 to 122 per 100,000 up to December 3.

02:59 PM

96,415 tested positive for Covid-19 in England in week to 2 December

A total of 96,415 people tested positive for Covid-19 in England at least once in the week to 2 December, according to the latest Test and Trace figures.

This is down 13 per cent on the previous week and is the lowest total since the week ending 7 October.

For the second week running, there has been a change in how the number of contacts reached through Test and Trace are calculated and reported.

02:47 PM

England's test and trace reaches 86% of contacts, helped by change in method

England's Covid-19 test and trace system reached a higher proportion of contacts of positive cases in the first set of comparable data since a change in methodology boosted the numbers from record lows.

The test and trace system has stopped trying to contact under-18s separately to ask them to self-isolate if a parent says they will tell their child, helping to boost the proportion of contacts of cases successfully traced from record lows around 60 per cent.

The system reached 85.7 per cent of the 195,355 people who came into close contact with a positive Covid case in the week to December 2., up from 72.5 per cent last week, in the first set of figures which both used the same method for contacting families. 

02:39 PM

A view from above

The girls choir from Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire hold an outside rehearsal on the Octagon roof on Wednesday afternoon in preparation for the socially-distanced and ticketed Christmas services at the Cathedral

The girls choir from Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire having an outside rehearsal on the Octagon roof on Wednesday afternoon in preparation for the socially-distanced and ticketed Christmas services at the Cathedral. Ely Cathedral's girl choristers sang on the roof of magnificent Ely Cathedral as they prepare for a busy Christmas despite the coronavirus pandemic. - Geoff Robinson

02:12 PM

Test and trace to award £500 to people in self-isolation through app

England’s Covid test and trace system is making a £500 support payment for people told to isolate available through its app, as it outlined a plan for the next phase of the service.

The support payment for people told to self isolate was already available for people told to self isolate by phone, email or test message, but not previously through the app.

The app had been criticised as the privacy set-up meant it could not confirm who had been asked to self-isolate, meaning people could not apply for support payments through the app.

The payment is designed to encourage people to stay at home when they test positive for Covid-19, to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

01:50 PM

Africa disease control head calls on rich nations to share excess vaccine stock

Countries that have ordered more Covid-19 vaccines than they need should consider distributing excess doses to Africa, the head of the continent's disease control body said on Thursday.

As African countries begin to feel the effects of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said it was unlikely to secure enough vaccine shots.

Many African states are relying on COVAX, a global Covid-19 vaccine allocation plan co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is working to lower prices and discourage hoarding.

"Some countries have got like three times to four, five times more than what they need," Nkengasong told a news briefing, adding that those can help poorer ones kickstart vaccination programmes to protect their citizens.

Related: Poor nations lose out as rich countries hoard vaccines, charities warn

01:42 PM

Brazil aims to vaccinate entire population against Covid-19 in 2021

Brazilian Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello told a local radio station that the government plans to vaccine the country's entire population against Covid-19 in 2021.

He said that vaccine candidates that receive approval from health regulator Anvisa may be used to immunise Brazilians.

01:32 PM

Lunchtime update

If you're just joining us, here's a quick summary of the day...

  • Matt Hancock will lead a Downing Street press conference later today with NHS England's Professor Stephen Powis and England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty.

  • Severe allergic reactions to vaccines are “one in a million” and NHS staff are trained to deal with them when they occur, the former head of immunisation at the Department of Health has said, as he moved to ease fears over dangers involved with the jab.
  • Coronavirus infections and deaths in Germany are likely to rise further in the coming weeks, a senior health official at the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases (RKI) said.
  • Uzbekistan have said large-scale trials of a Chinese-made coronavirus vaccine would begin this week among its population.
  • The United States on Wednesday registered more than 3,000 deaths from Covid-19 in 24 hours, the highest toll since the pandemic began.
  • South Korea authorities are scrambling to build hospital beds in shipping containers to ease strains on medical facilities stretched by the latest coronavirus wave, which shows little sign of abating.
  • Japan has said it will buy 10,500 deep freezers to store coronavirus vaccines as it prepares for the "extraordinary task" of protecting its people.

01:24 PM

German minister says extra curbs needed in places with high infections

Germany is in a difficult stage of the coronavirus pandemic and should close down parts of society over the Christmas period to get infections under control, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Thursday.

Speaking in the Bundestag lower house of parliament, Spahn said infection numbers remained "too high" and that it was right that regions with very high infection numbers were imposing additional restrictions.

"There needs to be an overall shutdown in society for all of us, also around the turn of the year," Spahn told the Bundestag lower house of parliament, as he urged people to reduce contacts.

01:20 PM

Spain virus deaths top 45,000 in March-May

More than 45,000 people died of Covid-19 in Spain between March and May, the country's National Statistics Institute (INE) said Thursday, giving a figure that exceeds the official toll by 18,000.

According to the INE, a total of 45,684 people died within that period, of which 32,652 were certified as having the virus, while another 13,032 died "of suspected (Covid), showing symptoms compatible with the illness".

Figures released by the health ministry on June 1 put the total number of deaths from Covid-19 at 27,127 but the INE figure suggests an extra 18,557 people died between March and May.

Adding the INE figures to the official number of deaths would push the number of people who have died of the virus in Spain's to more than 65,500.

The INE figure reinforces the widespread suspicion that during the first wave of the pandemic, when hospitals and funeral homes were completely overwhelmed, many cases were not counted as part of the official coronavirus death toll.

12:51 PM

Uzbekistan begins phase 3 trials of Chinese vaccine

Uzbekistan on Thursday said large-scale trials of a Chinese-made coronavirus vaccine would begin this week among its population.

Vaccine maker Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical has delivered 3,000 doses of the vaccine and 3,000 placebos to the Central Asian country for phase 3 testing, the Uzbek innovation ministry said in a statement.

The trials involving 5,000 adults will begin on Friday.

Phase 3 trials are also planned for Indonesia, Pakistan and Ecuador, a Zhifei press release said in November.

12:43 PM

Belarus to close land border over virus concerns

Belarus on Thursday said it will temporarily close its land border in late December to curb the spread of the coronavirus, a move that the opposition viewed as a further clampdown on dissent.

According to a government decree, Belarus nationals and foreigners who hold temporary or permanent residency will not be able to leave the country via land border checkpoints starting December 20.

The decree did not state how long the measure will last.

12:30 PM

Moderna begins study of Covid-19 vaccine in adolescents

Moderna Inc said on Thursday it has dosed the first participant in a mid-to-late stage study testing its Covid-19 vaccine candidate in adolescents aged 12 to less than 18. 

12:24 PM

Coming up: Hancock to lead Downing Street press conference

Health Secretary Matt Hancock will lead a Downing Street press conference on Thursday afternoon.

NHS England's Professor Stephen Powis and England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty will join Mr Hancock.

12:09 PM

Japan places order for 10,500 vaccine deep freezers

Japan said on Thursday it will buy 10,500 deep freezers to store coronavirus vaccines as it prepares for the "extraordinary task" of protecting its people.

Japan, with a population of 126 million, has agreements to buy a total of 290 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer Inc , AstraZeneca Plc and Moderna Inc, or enough for 145 million people.

Pfizer's vaccines need to be kept at around minus 75 Celsius, and Moderna's at about minus 20C, posing complex logistics challenges in rolling them out.

"An extraordinary task awaits us," Tokuaki Shobayashi, director general of the health service bureau at the ministry of health, told a media briefing on preparations.

11:53 AM

Virus scare on Singapore 'cruise to nowhere' was false alarm

A coronavirus scare that cut short a "cruise to nowhere" off Singapore was a false alarm, officials said on Thursday, after fresh tests on a passenger came back negative.

The voyages - starting and ending at the city-state with no stops - began last month, marking a resumption of cruises after a months-long hiatus due to the pandemic.

But a liner carrying 1,680 guests and 1,148 crew had to turn back to port Wednesday, day three of a four-day cruise after the 83-year-old man tested positive at an on-board clinic.

The man was taken to hospital, while passengers and crew remained stuck in their cabins for hours until contact tracing was completed and they were allowed to disembark in the evening.

But the health ministry said that a third and final test on the Quantum of the Seas passenger on Thursday confirmed he had not been infected.

"We have rescinded the quarantine orders of his close contacts, who had earlier been placed on quarantine as a precautionary measure while investigations were ongoing," the ministry said.

11:40 AM

Gates Foundation pledges a further $250m to support vaccine delivery in lower-income countries

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged an additional $250m (£187m) on Thursday to support the development of low-cost and easier to deliver treatments and vaccines against Covid-19, Reuters reports.

The Gates Foundation’s latest contribution, its largest till date, comes on top of the $70m funding that it added in November. This brings its total commitments to the global pandemic response to $1.75bn, the foundation said.

11:15 AM

Mass mink graves in Denmark may have soiled groundwater

Decomposing mink buried in dirt pits in Denmark following a nationwide cull may have contaminated groundwater, local Radio4 reported on Thursday, citing a government agency report.

The Danish government ordered a cull of some 17 million mink in early November after outbreaks of coronavirus hit hundreds of farms and authorities found mutated strains of the virus among people.

The logistical challenge of disposing of such a large number of dead animals prompted authorities to bury some of the mink in pits in a military area in western Denmark under two metres of soil.

The government later said it wanted to dig up those mink again after some resurfaced from the mass graves, most likely due to gasses from the decomposition process pushing the mink out of the ground.

The new study says groundwater in the area may already have become contaminated and urges authorities to take swift action, Radio4 reported.

Danish mink had to be buried in mass graves on military land as the country's incinerators and rendering plants struggle to keep up - MORTEN STRICKER / AFP

11:03 AM

Germany predicts surge in coronavirus deaths

Coronavirus infections and deaths in Germany are likely to rise further in the coming weeks, a senior health official at the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases (RKI) said on Thursday, Reuters reports.

The current rise in Covid-19 infections is worrying, RKI chief, Lothar Wieler, said. “The situation is still very serious and has deteriorated over the past week. Currently we are seeing a rise in infections.”

10:49 AM

Long wait for key tests

More than 350,000 patients in England had been waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test in October, official data shows.

A total of 362,100 patients were waiting for one of 15 standard tests, including an MRI scan, non-obstetric ultrasound or gastroscopy. The equivalent number waiting for more than six weeks in October 2019 was 33,200.

The number has fallen in recent months, however, after peaking at 571,500 in May 2020.

10:29 AM

There is a 'human cost' to anti-vaccine conspiracies, says BBC boss

BBC director-general Tim Davie has warned of the "human cost" of disinformation amid conspiracy theories about coronavirus vaccines.

His comments follow a rise in false claims about the vaccines posted on social media platforms.

Mr Davie said: "2020 has been a year like no other. We have seen the rapid spread of harmful disinformation and a growing number of conspiracy theories online.

"Whether it's a threat to our health or a threat to our democracy, there is a human cost to disinformation."

The new BBC boss spoke out after seeing a 'rapid spread of harmful disinformation'

His comments came after media and technology giants pledged to work together to tackle harmful coronavirus disinformation.

The Trusted News Initiative, which includes the BBC, Facebook, Google and Twitter, will work to "ensure legitimate concerns about future vaccinations are heard whilst harmful disinformation myths are stopped in their tracks", Davie said.

10:05 AM

People waiting a year for treatment rises ten-fold

Almost 163,000 people were waiting over 52 weeks for hospital treatment in October compared with just 1,600 in February, latest NHS statistics show.

Professor Neil Mortensen, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England said that the stark numbers show just how "devastating" coronavirus has been on the NHS.

He said: “Yet again, these waiting time figures drive home the devastating impact COVID has had on wider NHS services. Waiting lists for planned treatment were already heaving when the virus first struck. It has made the situation many times worse.

“Though we were able to recover some ground over the summer, October’s figures show that as the second wave of the pandemic began to build, so too did the pressures on planned surgery. Tragically, there are now tens of thousands of patients waiting for surgery, many in pain and unable to get on with day-to-day life.

“The roll-out of a vaccine this week offers the promise of better times ahead, but it will still be many months before all staff and patients are vaccinated.  In the meantime, the NHS faces an incredibly challenging winter. To right the ship after the devastation of the pandemic, the NHS needs a New Deal from government, with extra investment in hospital beds and staff.”

09:55 AM

A&E attendances down by a third

The number of people who attended Accident and Emergency in England during November was down by a third on last year, official figures reveal.

A total of 1.5 million attendances were recorded, down 31 per cent from 2.1 million in November 2019.

NHS England said the fall is "likely to be a result of the Covid-19 response" - suggesting that people are still staying away from emergency  departments because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The year-on-year drop in A&E attendances of 31 per cent in November compares with falls of 26 per cent in October, 20 per cent in September and 19 per cent in August.

Emergency admissions to A&E departments at hospitals in England also showed a fall last month, down 19 per cent from 559,556 in November 2019 to 451,800 in November 2020.

NHS England again said this is likely to be a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak.

09:18 AM

Wedding with 50 guests shut down by police

The organiser of a wedding in east London may face a £10,000 fine after police shut down a reception attended by more than 50 people.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police were called to an address in Creek Road, Barking, on Saturday evening and found a large number of people in breach of coronavirus regulations.

Under Tier 2 regulations, wedding ceremonies and sit-down receptions are only permitted to have 15 attendees.

Police said more than 50 guests were at the wedding, which was being officiated by the organiser.

Officers spoke with the bride and groom, whose explanation was that only 15 guests were invited but other people kept arriving throughout the day with gifts, and then stayed.

As a result of the breach, 37 people were reported for consideration of a fixed penalty notice and the organiser faces possible a £10,000 fine.

Chief Superintendent Stephen Clayman said members of the public needed to remember London was "still in the midst of a national health crisis".

08:53 AM

National lockdown had 'short-lived' impact on London borough

One of the worst affected areas in England only saw a "very minor and short-lived impact" on transmission during the national lockdown.

Dr Mark Ansell, director of public health for Havering Council, said: "Our rates were 379 per 100,000 yesterday, so that is double the London average, which itself is higher than the England average.

"So, very much aware of the seriousness of our situation."

He said the highest rates were among working-age adults but he warned the rate among older residents was rising.

On whether imposing Tier 3 restrictions on London would drive down transmission in the borough, Dr Ansell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think most of the transmission is in the home.

"I think the recent lockdown had a very minor and short-lived impact locally in terms of a lot of our residents are working in health and social care.

"A lot of them are self-employed or they are in small, medium-sized sort of enterprises, so they work, they need to work, and they need to keep working to maintain their financial viability."

He added: "The work at home sort of message that has benefited some other parts of London doesn't necessarily have a great impact in Havering and the measures need to be focused on the needs of the particular communities."

Havering, in east London, has the 10th highest infection rate in England.

07:52 AM

Allergic reactions to vaccine 'very rare'

Severe allergic reactions to vaccines are “one in a million” and NHS staff are trained to deal with them when they occur, the former head of immunisation at the Department of Health has said.

On Wednesday regulators warned that people with a history of significant allergies should not take the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid jab after two NHS workers had reactions.

But Professor David Salisbury, who was head of immunisation until 2013, moved to ease fears over dangers involved with the jab.

He said: “Severe adverse reactions, allergic ones to vaccines, do happen but they are very rare. 

“They happen of the order of about one-in-a million doses. And everyone who administers vaccines in this country is trained to deal with them.”

He added that the two people who reacted, who carry epipens to deal with their allergies, have got a “different threshold for allergic reactions to many other people.”

Professor Salisbury said that clinical trials often screen out people with allergies, and so it is normal to “discover this sort of event in the surveillance that goes on after the programme rolls out.”

Asked if there could be a range of reactions as the vaccine is rolled out across the world, he said: "They will happen. What will also happen is there will be events after vaccination that actually have nothing to do with it.

"We need to be very careful to separate out coincidence from causality."

07:21 AM

Economy grew by 0.4 per cent in October

The UK economy grew by 0.4 per cent month-on-month in October but still remains 7.9 per cent below pre-pandemic levels,

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the economy has now grown for six months running, although the rise is lower than the 1.1 per cent increase seen in September.

Gross domestic product (GDP) has still not fully made up the 25.3 per cent fall seen during the first and second quarters of 2020.

Experts also expect GDP to go back into reverse in the final quarter after the impact of the second national lockdown in England is felt by businesses.

Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS, said: "The UK economy has now grown for six months running but still remains around eight per cent below its pre-pandemic peak.

"Public services output increased, while car manufacturing continued to recover and retail again grew strongly.

"However, the reintroduction of some restrictions saw services growth hit, with large falls in hospitality, meaning the economy overall grew only modestly."

06:59 AM

Third of Britons think anti-vaxxers are ‘selfish', poll finds

People who discourage others from having a coronavirus vaccine are widely considered "selfish" and "stupid", according to a survey of public attitudes.

More than four in 10 Britons (41%) think people who discourage the public from getting vaccinated are stupid, research by King's College London (KCL) and Ipsos Mori found.

A third think this group is selfish and one in six (17%) go as far as saying "anti-vax" campaigners are bad people.

And 31 per cent think people who would refuse a vaccine are stupid while a quarter think they are selfish.

Experts warned this may hinder efforts to persuade those who are reluctant to get the jab, and called for people with doubts to be engaged with, not dismissed or denigrated.

The research is based on 2,244 interviews with UK residents aged 16-75, carried out online between November 20 and 24.

Anna Quigley, head of health research at Ipsos Mori Public Affairs, said: "If we want to convince people to get the vaccine when they are reluctant, we need to engage with them constructively. This will be challenging, given almost a third of Britons believe that those who refuse a Covid-19 vaccine are stupid.”

06:47 AM

Lockdown-sceptics risk total failure unless there's a drastic change in strategy

Lockdown-sceptics have reached the toughest moment in the war against the Covidarian state, writes Sherelle Jacobs. We are losing. We are exhausted. But we are also confused. For some, suspicion towards the problem has morphed into suspicion towards the solutions.

Those of us who just want it all to end, meanwhile, oscillate wildly between desperation to swallow the Christmas fairytale of vaccines liberating us within weeks and – as tighter measures loom – feelings of outraged humbug.

In other words, the opposition has become a hot mess. This is partly because the future remains a mystery. We simply don’t know whether we are fighting against restrictions that will last another three months or another 30 years, as the jury is still out on how much of a game-changer vaccines will be. We don’t know if they prevent transmission as well as infection or can protect us from new Covid strains, or even how governments will use them to unlock society.

Read the full article. 

05:43 AM

Japan buys 10,500 freezers for vaccines

Japan will buy 10,500 deep freezers to store novel coronavirus vaccines and is considering purchasing dry ice in bulk as it prepares to protect its population from the virus, the Ministry of Health has said.

Japan has agreements to buy a total of 290 million doses of the vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna, or enough for 145 million people if everyone gets two shots as required.

Pfizer's vaccines need to be kept at around minus 75 Celsius (minus 103 Fahrenheit, and Moderna's at about minus 20C, posing logistics problems.

Pfizer, as well as Moderna and its domestic partner Takeda Pharmaceutical, plan to build networks to keep vaccines at the appropriate temperature as they are distributed to where they will be deployed, the ministry said in a statement.

Japan has had more than 165,000 cases of novel coronavirus infection and 2,417 fatalities, with the capital, Tokyo, particularly hard hit. Tokyo reported 352 new cases on Tuesday. 

03:49 AM

South Korea scrambles to build hospitals

South Korea authorities scrambled on Thursday to build hospital beds in shipping containers to ease strains on medical facilities stretched by the latest coronavirus wave, which shows little sign of abating.

The resurgence of infections has rekindled concerns about an acute shortage of hospital beds, prompting Seoul city to begin installing container beds for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Health authorities plan to launching testing temporary sites at some 150 locations across the greater Seoul area.

"We're in a critical situation where our anti-virus efforts and medical system's capacity could reach their limits before long," Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said.

Thursday's 682 new infections came a day after the daily tally hit 686, the second-highest since the country's first case was confirmed in January, even as tougher social distancing rules took effect this week.

Health workers treating a Covid patient in Anyang in March. South Korea is now on its third wave of the virus - REUTERS

02:29 AM

US deaths pass 3,000 in a day

The United States on Wednesday registered more than 3,000 deaths from Covid-19 in 24 hours, the highest toll since the pandemic began.

American officials warned a spike in deaths was coming after millions traveled around the country for the Thanksgiving holiday last month, ignoring pleas to stay home to slow the spread of the virus.

The country has recorded 289,188 Covid deaths, up by 3,071 in 24 hours. It also registered nearly 220,481 new cases and hospitalisations hit a new high too.

California, where some 33 million people were back under lockdown this week, saw more than 30,000 cases on Wednesday - the highest 24-hour tally in a US state, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

02:05 AM

Exclusive: 16pc of Covid hospital patients caught it there

A Telegraph investigation has revealed that more than 10,000 people acquired coronavirus when they were being treated in hospital for other illnesses.

Analysis of statistical data shows that thousands of patients who had been admitted to hospitals across England caught the potentially deadly virus during their stay, with one NHS Trust recording that nearly four out of every ten Covid-19 cases they were treating had been acquired in its hospitals.

The startling figures show that since August, more than 16 per cent of people treated for Covid-16 in hospital have acquired the potential deadly virus there.  

Read more: 

Telegraph investigation

01:58 AM

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