Extra coronavirus testing will probably be carried out in components of southwest London after instances of the South African variant had been recognized.
Additional testing and genomic sequencing is being utilized in the SW11 and SW15 postcodes, the Department of Health and Social Care introduced.
Surge testing contains door-to-door testing in some areas and testing folks with out signs.
Scientists investigating the hyperlink between vitamin D and Covid outcomes say proof is missing that larger ranges of the sunshine vitamin decrease the chance of falling significantly in poor health with the illness.
Researchers from Europe, Canada and Japan didn’t discover a hyperlink between vitamin D and the probabilities of catching the illness, the severity of the sickness as soon as caught, or the probability of a affected person ending up in hospital.
Another examine discovered that the variant first detected in Kent could also be as much as twice as earlier strains.
The extra transmissible B117 variant, which unfold throughout the UK on the finish of final 12 months earlier than infecting massive components of the world, is between 30 per cent and 100 per cent extra lethal, in accordance with analysis revealed within the British Medical Journal.
See under for what was our stay protection.
Key Points
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Hello and welcome to The Independent’s rolling protection of the coronavirus pandemic.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 07:52
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Transport secretary ‘hopeful’ summer time holidays overseas will probably be potential
Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has mentioned he’s “hopeful” that individuals will have the ability to journey overseas this summer time however warned there have been no “forged iron ensures”.
Mr Shapps mentioned that below the street map out of lockdown in England, the earliest folks would have the ability to journey abroad was 17 May and he urged warning when it got here to reserving.
“We know you received’t have the ability to journey till 17 May. I’d say that it is smart to see how the course of the pandemic unlock proceeds,” he advised Times Radio.
“I’m hopeful however, as with every little thing to do with this virus, you possibly can’t say for sure.
“There are quite a lot of points that we have to work round however I’m working with worldwide companions, each governments and organisations, to attempt to make it occur. We can’t present forged iron ensures on it.”
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 08:00
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Transport secretary defends Test and Trace after watchdog fails to search out proof it lower infections
Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has mentioned the pandemic would have been “one heck of rather a lot worse” with out Test and Trace, within the wake of a report which discovered “no clear proof” it had lower an infection ranges.
Mr Shapps advised Sky News: “It actually hasn’t been low cost preventing coronavirus but it surely has completely been essential.
“9.1 million folks have been contacted by Test and Trace. These are individuals who in any other case can be wandering spherical usually unaware that they’d coronavirus and spreading it round additional.
“Whatever the coronavirus expertise we’ve had as a nation, good or dangerous, it could have been one heck of rather a lot worse if we didn’t have a Test and Trace system which has contacted so many individuals and prevented the illness spreading additional.”
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 08:19
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Bulgaria stories highest each day variety of instances in three months
Bulgaria has reported 3,502 new Covid-19 instances – its highest each day determine in three months, whereas the variety of fatalities rose to 132, authorities information confirmed.
Regional well being authorities might shut faculties, gyms, non-essential retail and hospitality in the event that they contemplate it essential to curb the unfold of the coronavirus. Non-urgent operations in hospitals have already been cancelled.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 08:26
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Russia stories 9,079 instances, 466 deaths
Russia has added an additional 9,079 Covid-19 instances to its tally, together with 1,116 in Moscow, taking the nationwide an infection whole to 4,351,553 for the reason that pandemic started. This compares with 10,416 per week in the past.
The authorities coronavirus taskforce mentioned that 466 folks had died in previous 24 hours, pushing its loss of life toll to 90,275 – an increase from 443 final Wednesday.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 08:39
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Relaxing restrictions too rapidly may result in ‘tens of 1000’s of hospitalisations’, Sage member says
Opening faculties and enjoyable lockdown restrictions are “very huge steps” and “we don’t actually perceive what affect they may have on transmission”, a Sage member has mentioned.
Speaking in a private capability, Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious illness epidemiology at University College London advised Times Radio there are “very sizeable numbers of individuals” who’re “susceptible to ending up in hospital and dying”.
He added that regardless of the vaccine rollout, it’s nonetheless potential there will probably be “tens of 1000’s of hospitalisations and really many deaths if we chill out too rapidly”.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 08:57
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Vaccines ought to eradicate risk of winter surge in Covid deaths, Sage member says
The UK is true to take a cautious strategy to enjoyable restrictions, a Sage member has mentioned, including that vaccines ought to push down variety of Covid fatalities over winter.
Asked in regards to the tempo of enjoyable restrictions, Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious illness epidemiology at University College London, advised Times Radio that “it’s taken a very long time for us to study to be cautious on this respect; I don’t assume it’s time to return to a extra dangerous strategy”.
Prof Hayward, who was talking in a private capability, mentioned that vaccinations ought to minimise deaths if there have been a surge in Covid-19 infections over the winter.
He mentioned: “What the vaccine ought to do is take out the opportunity of that surge resulting in, say, over 100,000 deaths. I feel that’s unlikely… we’re going to be more likely to be speaking within the tens of 1000’s of deaths and hopefully within the low tens of 1000’s of deaths.”
The Sage member mentioned that though the estimate “sounds horrible”, it’s similar to annual figures linked to flu and different respiratory infections.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 09:13
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‘Don’t e book international holidays’, urges transport secretary
The transport secretary has as soon as once more warned potential travellers to not e book summer time holidays.
This morning,Grant Shapps was requested on the BBC Today programme by Mishal Hussain: “Still too early to e book international holidays?”
Mr Shapps mentioned: “Yes, in as a lot as we all know that the Global Travel Taskforce that I’m operating stories on 12 April. We’ve mentioned that it’s going to stay unlawful to journey internationally until no less than 17 May. That’s an ‘on the earliest’ date.”
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 09:25
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Spain may begin utilizing vaccine passports in May, tourism minister says
Spain may start utilizing vaccine passports in May, the nation’s tourism minister has mentioned, when the worldwide tourism honest FITUR is ready to happen in Madrid.
“We might be able to start out implementing the digital passport (when FITUR begins on 19 May)”, Reyes Maroto advised Antena 3 TV station.
EU leaders have agreed to work on vaccine certificates to kick-start the tourism trade, which has been severely broken by the pandemic, with the European Commission saying final week draft laws can be launched for an EU-wide go.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 09:48
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Texas scraps masks mandate and occupancy restrictions on companies
Texans have awoken to their state-wide masks requirement having been scrapped, alongside different restrictions similar to caps on buyer numbers in venues.
Texas’ rollback of coronavirus restrictions is essentially the most excessive to date within the United States, together with the same measure in Mississippi. In observe, nevertheless, massive swathes of the Lone Star State have barely enforced these guidelines within the final 12 months.
The US’s second most populous state was one of many first to reopen its economic system after the primary wave of pandemic instances final May.
Austin’s metropolis council voted to nonetheless mandate face coverings – and dared state officers to sue the town.
“In Austin, we’re dedicated to saving lives,” metropolis council member Greg Casar wrote on Twitter.
The Texas Education Agency’s steerage for public faculties is for the continued use of masks, whereas care properties is not going to chill out measures.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 10:19
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Kenya approves Sputnik V vaccine
Kenya has permitted Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to be used in opposition to the brand new coronavirus, the Russian Direct Investment Fund introduced on Wednesday.
The sovereign wealth fund, which is selling the vaccine globally, mentioned that 47 international locations had now permitted Sputnik V to be used.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 10:37
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EU diplomat summoned to UK’s Foreign Office over vaccine row
A senior EU diplomat has been summoned to the Foreign Office in London, the newest twist within the more and more bitter row over Covid vaccine provide.
It follows an accusation by European Council president Charles Michel that the UK authorities had imposed an “outright ban” on the export of jabs produced in Britain.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab sought to “set the report straight” in a letter to Mr Michel on Tuesday night – claiming the EU chief’s claims had been “utterly false”.
Adam Forrest bringing you the newest right here:
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 10:49
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Kent variant could also be as much as twice as lethal, examine suggests
The virus variant first detected in Kent could also be as much as twice as lethal as earlier strains, a brand new examine has recommended as researchers warn new variants may hinder vaccination efforts.
The extra transmissible B117 variant, which unfold throughout the UK on the finish of final 12 months earlier than infecting massive components of the world, is between 30 per cent and 100 per cent extra lethal, in accordance with analysis revealed within the British Medical Journal.
Researchers on the Universities of Exeter and Bristol discovered that the Kent variant led to 227 deaths in a pattern of 54,906 sufferers – in contrast with 141 among the many similar variety of intently matched sufferers who had the earlier strains.
The larger transmissibility of the Kent pressure meant that extra individuals who would beforehand have been thought-about low threat had been hospitalised.
Leon Danon, from the University of Bristol, senior writer of the examine, mentioned that “there’s a actual concern that different variants will come up with resistance to quickly rolled out vaccines”, including that monitoring for rising variants and performing in response should be “a key a part of the general public well being response sooner or later”.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 11:07
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Treasury’s former prime mandarin blasts Test and Trace as ‘most wasteful spending of all time’
The authorities’s Test and Trace system has been blasted as “essentially the most wasteful and inept public spending programme of all time” by a former head of the Treasury civil service.
The former mandarin’s assault got here after a report by a Westminster spending watchdog discovered there was no proof that the programme has had any measurable affect on the coronavirus pandemic regardless of its “unimaginable” £37bn finances over two years.
Lord Macpherson, who led the Treasury civil service from 2005 to 2016 tweeted: “This wins the prize for essentially the most wasteful and inept public spending programme of all time. The extraordinary factor is that no one within the authorities appears stunned or shocked. No matter: the Bank of England will simply print more cash.”
Full report by Andrew Woodcock right here:
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 11:27
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Scotland stories 20 deaths and 691 instances
Scotland has recorded 20 additional deaths of coronavirus sufferers and 691 new instances up to now 24 hours, Nicola Sturgeon mentioned.
Scotland’s first minister advised MSPs on Holyrood’s Covid-19 Committee that Wednesday’s figures imply a complete of seven,461 folks have died inside 28 days of testing constructive for the illness.
The each day take a look at positivity fee is 3.1 per cent, Ms Sturgeon mentioned.
An extra 19,781 Scots have obtained their first dose of a vaccine, the primary minister advised the committee, pushing the overall determine to 1,809,158.
More figures on the variety of folks in hospital will probably be obtainable later within the day, the primary minister mentioned.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 11:33
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Covid instances drop under 50 in 100,000 in half of UK’s native areas
Covid-19 case charges have fallen under 50 instances per 100,000 folks in half of all native areas within the UK, a brand new evaluation reveals. One month in the past, solely six of the 380 native areas had been reporting charges under this stage.
The evaluation, which has been compiled by the PA information company, reveals that for the seven days to five March a complete of 190 out of 380 native authority areas within the UK recorded Covid-19 case charges under 50 per 100,000 folks.
In England, these ranged from 49.7 in Dartford in Kent to five.7 in South Hams in Devon.
Most of Wales’ native areas at the moment are under 50 instances per 100,000 folks, with Ceredigion recording a fee of simply 9.6.
The majority of areas in Scotland are additionally under 50, together with the Shetland Islands (4.4) and the Orkney Islands (no current instances).
In Northern Ireland, two of the 11 native authority areas at the moment are under 50: Newry, Mourne & Down (40.8) and Fermanagh & Omagh (33.2).
The an infection charges throughout the 4 UK nations have fallen to their lowest stage since September final 12 months.
Nationwide, Wales had a fee of 42.8 instances per 100,000 folks within the week to five March, whereas the determine was 60.8 in England, 62.9 in Scotland and 65 in Northern Ireland, in accordance with PA’s evaluation.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 11:46
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Pakistan begins vaccinating over-80s in opposition to Covid-19
Pakistan has begun inoculating aged folks in opposition to Covid-19 because it makes an attempt to sort out excessive ranges of vaccine hesitancy amongst its 220 million folks.
The drive will start with a deal with folks over the age of 80, well being minister Faisal Sultan mentioned, telling Reuters that authorities will “will work [their] means down in coming days”.
Hesitancy is excessive, even among the many nation’s well being employees. According to a ballot launched final week, almost half of healthcare employees had issues over China’s Sinopharm vaccine, which is the one one obtainable in Pakistan at current.
The ballot of 555 medical employees performed by Gallup Pakistan and a physicians’ affiliation between 12 and 20 February discovered that many well being personnel would like different vaccines.
The nation had distributed 504,400 Sinopharm vaccine doses to provincial authorities by 20 February, and 230,000 front-line well being employees had obtained a dose by Friday, Mr Sultan mentioned.
Clea Skopeliti10 March 2021 12:03
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Scotland care residence deaths attain seven-month low
Coronavirus deaths in care properties throughout Scotland are at their lowest fee since August, in accordance with official figures.
National Records of Scotland figures present that between Monday 1 March and Sunday 7 March, 141 deaths had been registered that talked about Covid-19 on the loss of life certificates – a fall of 89 deaths on the earlier week.
Hospital sufferers accounted for 84 per cent of the deaths over this week – 119, whereas 14 deaths occurred in care properties – accounting for 10 per cent; and eight had been at residence or in non-institutional settings.
Jane Dalton10 March 2021 12:45
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No proof vitamin D cuts dangers, examine finds
Scientists investigating the hyperlink between vitamin D and Covid outcomes say proof is missing that larger ranges of the sunshine vitamin decrease the chance of falling significantly in poor health with the illness, writes Tom Batchelor:
Jane Dalton10 March 2021 12:52
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What can I do in England’s subsequent spherical of rule lifting?
The subsequent date set by the federal government for additional restricted modifications to lockdown is 29 March. Kate Ng stories on the modifications:
Jane Dalton10 March 2021 13:05
