Boris Johnson
Photographer: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg
Photographer: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg
Boris Johnson paved the way for the blocking rules to last several more months, as coronavirus deaths in the UK hit the highest daily total since April.
Speaking to Parliament ahead of a vote to approve the measures, the prime minister said the pandemic restrictions would only be phased out. While schools will be the priority for reopening, the goal of a return to face-to-face teaching from February 22 is not true, he warned.
“As was the case last spring, our emergence of the locking cocoon will not be a big bang, but a gradual unfolding,” Johnson said. The House of Commons voted 524 to 16 in favor of the new restrictions Wednesday evening.
The government tried to dampen expectations of a speedy end of the pandemic sidewalk, despite a massive vaccination program, as infections and hospitalizations continued to rise and build up pressure on the national health service. London hospitals are less than two weeks away from being overwhelmed by the virus, even in one of the best cases, the Health Service Journal reported, citing a presentation by NHS England.
Photographer: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg
The UK on Wednesday reported 1,041 new coronavirus deaths within 28 days after a positive test, the highest daily increase since April. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there are now 30,074 patients with the virus in UK hospitals.
The rise in the number of cases forced authorities to impose the UK’s third national closure this week, closing schools and kicking off the economy for a potentially devastating double-fall recession.
Scrapped exams
While millions of children are taught online at home until at least mid-February, ministers confirmed that the A- and GCSE-level exams scheduled for May and June will also be canceled this year due to the pandemic. Instead, students will be graded by their teachers.
School exams were replaced by teachers in England
The government aims to curb the spread of the virus as much as possible so that hospitals are not overwhelmed, gaining time for doctors to vaccinate nearly 14 million of the most vulnerable people and caregivers by February 15th. About 1.3 million have already received a dose.
“After last year’s marathon, we’re now in a sprint, a race to vaccinate the vulnerable as quickly as the virus can reach them,” Johnson said.
Hancock faced questions from his own Conservative colleagues in Parliament about the pace of vaccine launches and how quickly blocking rules will be lifted. He agreed that the UK urgently needs to increase the supply of approved vaccines and said manufacturers Pfizer i AstraZeneca is working as hard as possible to deliver.
Hancock pledged to eliminate “unnecessary administrative paperwork” for volunteers to give vaccines and said he wants to see pharmacists and former doctors move forward. According to the government, there are nearly 1,000 prepared vaccination sites across the country.
The UK reports 1,041 new viruses dead, most since April
Johnson faces a showdown with his own party in February, when the national closing is expected to end. Mark Harper, a former cabinet minister, said there should be no reason to continue the restrictions once the most vulnerable people are vaccinated.
Hancock urged caution, saying the government must see the “impact” of vaccines on the pandemic and “break the link” between cases and deaths before the rules can be eased.
– With the assistance of Charles Capel and Joe Mayes