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Latest coronavirus news as of 5pm on 28 January

Vaccines from Johnson & Johnson and Novavax report positive trial results

A coronavirus vaccine developed by the US firm Novavax has been shown to be 89 per cent effective in preventing covid-19 in clinical trials. The trials included participants in the UK and South Africa, and found the vaccine to be 86 per cent effective against the UK variant of the virus, but only 60 per cent effective against the variant in South Africa. Novavax said it will immediately begin development on a vaccine specifically targeted to the South African variant.

Janssen, a subsidiary of US firm Johnson & Johnson, announced that its covid-19 vaccine showed in an international trial. These results are based on a single dose of the vaccine, which makes it easier to administer than the two-shot vaccines that have already been approved. The company has said it will sell its vaccine on a not-for-profit basis.

The UK has already ordered 30 million doses of the Janssen vaccine and the European Union has ordered 400 million. The UK has also ordered 60 million doses of the Novavax jab.

Other coronavirus news

The European Medicines Agency has of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for all adults, which will allow mass use of the vaccine in the European Union. Yesterday, a German committee approving the vaccine for people over 65 because of insufficient data in the trials, but the EMA’s experts said protection could be expected in this group and there is reliable information on safety. The vaccine is already the subject of a dispute between AstraZeneca and the EU over the firm’s decision to supply fewer doses to the EU this year than initially agreed. Today, the European Commission with AstraZeneca, which it says obliges the company to supply the agreed volumes. The drug-maker says the contract only obliges it to make its “best effort” to meet the EU demand, not to stick to a specific timetable. The EU also on vaccines made within the bloc in response to the planned cut in deliveries.��

The coronavirus variant from South Africa – which is more infectiousness  than the original variant – has been detected in the US for the first time, with two cases .��

The New York state government has showing that it undercounted deaths from covid-19 in nursing home residents by more than 3800. The state’s overall death toll has not increased, but the higher tally in nursing homes has fuelled criticism that governor Andrew Cuomo did not do enough to protect those residents.

In the UK, covid-19 hospital admissions fell to 33.51 per 100,000 people from a rate of 35.64 in the week ending 24 January, show. One in 55 people in private households in England tested positive for covid-19 between 17 and 23 January, which is similar to the previous week. The infection rate was roughly one in 70 in Wales, one in 50 in Northern Ireland and one in 110 in Scotland. The R number for the UK is between 0.7 and 1.1, according to the by the government’s scientific advisory group. The R number is the number of people each person with covid-19 will go on to infect.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Global vaccine distribution: While mass immunisation programmes are making rapid progress in rich nations, many middle-income countries have only just begun roll-outs and most low-income ones will take months to get started. These delays increase the risk of mutations leading to variants that are more transmissible,and may render vaccines less effective in future.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.19 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 101 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Essential information about coronavirus

Where did coronavirus come from? And other covid-19 questions answered

What is covid-19?

You could be spreading the coronavirus without realising you’ve got it

Which covid-19 treatments work and how close are we to getting more?

What will it take to get a covid-19 vaccine to the world?

What to read, watch and listen to about coronavirus

is tracking hospital bed occupancy in England in an interactive graphic.

is a BBC documentary about the inside story of the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against covid-19.

is a Channel 4 documentary which tells the story of the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes of the scientists on the frontline.

is assessing the progress of different vaccine candidates and potential drug treatments for covid-19, and ranking them for effectiveness and safety.

is a project highlighting the experiences of key workers on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus in the UK, through social media.

is a BBC Panorama investigation of the death of transport worker Belly Mujinga from covid-19, following reports she had been coughed and spat on by a customer at London’s Victoria Station.

on Netflix is a short documentary series examining the on-going coronavirus pandemic, the efforts to fight it and ways to manage its mental health toll.

New Scientist Weekly features updates and analysis on the latest developments in the covid-19 pandemic. Our podcast sees expert journalists from the magazine discuss the biggest science stories to hit the headlines each week – from technology and space, to health and the environment.

by Debora Mackenzie is about how the pandemic happened and why it will happen again if we don’t do things differently in future.

is about the new science of contagion and the surprising ways it shapes our lives and behaviour. The author, Adam Kucharski, is an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, and in the book he examines how diseases spread and why they stop.

Previous updates: 28 January

Germany’s public health body says there is “insufficient” data to judge AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine for people over 65

Germany has recommended against using the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine in people older than 65. The move is because there were few elderly people in the vaccine’s trials, not because of any evidence it is harmful in that age group. In the UK, which was the first country to approve the vaccine, it is being given to all age groups, with older people being prioritised. Germany’s came from the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, the country’s main public health body. The institute said in a statement today: “There is insufficient data to judge how effective the vaccination is above 65 years.”

The UK Medicines and ��ҹ����1000����care products Regulatory Agency says there is “limited information available on efficacy in participants aged 65 or over, although there is nothing to suggest lack of protection”. In this age group, there were two cases of people who developed covid-19 after one dose of the vaccine, and eight in the placebo group, the report says. Blood tests suggested that older people made similar levels of antibodies as younger people. But it might make sense to prioritise younger people for the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine as there is more data showing efficacy in older people for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, said Stephen Evans at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in a statement. However the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine is easier to deliver to people in care homes and primary care clinics because it can be stored at ordinary fridge temperatures, he added.

Germany’s move comes ahead of a decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on whether to approve the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine for the whole European Union, which is expected in the next few days. The EMA has already approved two other vaccines, made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. But vaccine roll-out in Europe is proving slower than in the UK and the US. The EU is also in negotiations with AstraZeneca after the firm has said it will be unable to deliver as many vaccines as initially agreed.

Other coronavirus news

UK member of parliament Desmond Swayne has refused to apologise after a emerged where he said NHS figures were being “manipulated” and that intensive care beds were no busier than usual for the time of year. The video was from an interview he gave to the covid-sceptic “Save Our Rights” group in November.

A Welsh ��ҹ����1000���� Board has had to ask people not to try queue-jumping for the coronavirus vaccine, after a phone line for health and social care workers was. The phone number had been shared on social media.��

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.18 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 101 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

27 January

UK prime minister Boris Johnson says it is too early to lift restrictions in England

���Բ������Ի�’s for at least three more weeks, with schools not expected to reopen until 8 March at the earliest, UK prime minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday. Johnson told parliament there is “not enough data” currently available to announce easing of restrictions in England but said the government would publish a review on restrictions on 22 February, by which point a . “By then we will know much more about the effects of vaccines in preventing hospitalisations and deaths, using data from the UK but also other nations such as Israel. We will know how successful the current restrictions have been in driving down infections,” said Johnson.

Travellers arriving in the UK from 30 countries will be in government-provided accommodation including hotels, for 10 days. The countries include South Africa, Portugal and Brazil, and travellers will have to pay for the accommodation. Boris Johnson told MPs that the new measures are aimed at preventing new variants of the coronavirus from reaching the UK. People leaving the UK will also be turned away from

airports if they do not have a legal reason to leave the country, such as travel for work.

Other coronavirus news

European Union officials are demanding that pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca supply the bloc with , amid an on-going disagreement with the company over supply delays. “UK factories are part of our advanced purchase agreement and that is why they have to deliver,” EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides . Representatives from the EU and AstraZeneca are set to meet for talks later on Wednesday.

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech to help meet demand.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.16 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 100.4 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Missing vaccine data: NHS England is facing growing criticism from public health leaders over its failure to publish data on the ethnicity of people who have been vaccinated against covid-19.

New variants in sewage: Potentially dangerous new coronavirus variants can be detected more easily by monitoring sewage systems for virus shed in faeces than by testing people directly.

Vaccine efficacy after one dose: From efficacy after one dose, to whether you can still transmit the coronavirus to others and how to find out if the vaccine has worked for you, here’s everything you need to know after one dose of the covid-19.

26 January

UK coronavirus death toll “a story of sorrow and grief”, says NHS leader

The UK has recorded since the start of the pandemic, after 1631 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported on Tuesday. Earlier, data from the Office for National Statistics showed that there had been almost 104,000 deaths with covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate as of 15 January. The true number will be higher due to the delay in reporting and publishing the numbers. “It’s hard to compute the sorrow contained in that grim statistic,” UK prime minister Boris Johnson said during a televised briefing on Tuesday evening. “Behind each death will be a story of sorrow and grief,” said Chris Hopson of NHS Providers, which represents health service managers. “As well as the high death rate, it’s particularly concerning that this virus has widened health inequalities and affected Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities disproportionately.” In the week ending 15 January alone with covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate, according to ONS figures. That is an increase from 6057 deaths the previous week and is the highest weekly figure since 24 April last year.

Other coronavirus news

The European Commission will soon require pharmaceutical companies to register their vaccine exports from the European Union, but says it has no plans to impose an export ban. Last week, EU countries learned that their supply of the covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with the University of Oxford would be 60 per cent lower than expected. This came after deliveries of the covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to the EU were also reduced. UK health minister Matt Hancock said he is “confident” the supply of vaccine doses into the UK won’t be disrupted. “I’m sure that we can work with the EU to ensure that, whilst transparency is welcome, that no blockers are put in place,” he said at an event hosted by Chatham House, an independent policy institute. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to receive approval from the European Medicines Agency on Friday.

The UK will share its genomic expertise internationally to , UK health minister Matt Hancock announced today. A new platform will allow other countries to make use of UK laboratory capacity and advice to analyse new variants of the virus. The will be led by Public ��ҹ����1000���� England in collaboration with NHS Test and Trace and a team from the World ��ҹ����1000���� Organization.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.14 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 99.8 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Deadlier variant: The B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant first identified in the UK appears to be slightly deadlier than older variants, but thanks to improved treatments, the risk of dying if you get infected could well still be lower than it was during the pandemic’s first wave.

25 January

Moderna says its existing vaccine appears to work against new coronavirus variants

The covid-19 vaccine developed by US company Moderna appears to of the coronavirus, according to preliminary research by the company. In laboratory tests, antibodies from eight vaccinated individuals were still able to neutralise the highly transmissible coronavirus variants first identified in the UK and South Africa. One point of concern raised by the study is that the antibodies were six times less efficient at neutralising the South Africa variant compared to the original strain.

As a precaution, Moderna said it will launch two new studies to investigate a third booster jab and a vaccine specific to the South Africa variant. “The virus is changing its stripes, and we will change to make sure we can beat the virus where it’s going,” Stephen Hoge, president of Moderna, told the .��

Another US pharmaceutical company, Merck, announced it will after results from a phase I trial indicated they triggered insufficient immune responses. The company will still investigate whether at least one of the vaccine candidates might be more effective if delivered using a different route of administration. Currently, both vaccine candidates are formulated for intramuscular injection.��

Other coronavirus news

People arriving in the UK by plane , UK prime minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday. The quarantine is expected to apply at least to people arriving in the UK from Brazil and South Africa, where new coronavirus variants have recently been identified. However, ministers have not ruled out extending the plan to all passengers. “We have to realise that there is at least the theoretical risk that there is a new variant, a vaccine-busting variant coming in,” said Johnson. “So we will need to keep that under control.” The UK government is considering relaxing some restrictions in mid-February and will “as soon as we can”, Johnson said. There are for more clarity on the issue.��

The highly transmissible coronavirus variant first sequenced in the UK has now been , with almost 200 cases identified so far in the US as a whole, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new variant may be up to 70 per cent more infectious than the original variant and there are some concerns it could also be more deadly.

A two-day effort to test 2 million people in Beijing, China has . According to , 668,346 people were tested for the virus in Dongcheng and 1.13 million were tested in Xicheng. The only test that returned a positive result was that of a person in Xicheng. Beijing as a whole reported three new symptomatic cases of covid-19 in the last 24 hours, all of which were in the Daxing district, which on 21 January after 12 cases were reported.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.13 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 99.3 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Coronavirus spread: The debate over whether coronavirus spreads more through surfaces or aerosols is ongoing, but scientists and campaigners are now calling for tighter precautions to limit airborne spread.

Herd immunity: It is estimated that 76 per cent of people in Manaus, Brazil, contracted covid-19 between March and October. Many people claimed the population had attained herd immunity. Then there was a second wave.

22 January

New variant of coronavirus in the UK may be deadlier than the original virus

Preliminary evidence indicates the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant of the coronavirus first identified in the UK , UK prime minister Boris Johnson told a press briefing on Friday. The government was briefed by researchers in the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, who are assessing the data on the variant, which appears to be about 30 per cent more deadly. Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and at Imperial College London concluded it is between 29 and 36 per cent more lethal, whereas researchers at the University of Exeter put the figure at 91 per cent. The UK’s chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance, said the evidence on lethality “is not yet strong”, adding: “but it is obviously a concern”.

The UK’s coronavirus epidemic may be shrinking, as the R number – the number of people each person with covid-19 infects – was found to be at or below 1.0 for the first time since early December. The for the R number puts it at between 0.8 and 1.0. Separate figures from the Office for National Statistics’ indicate the number of new cases may be levelling off slightly across England, Wales and Scotland, although cases still appear to be rising sharply in Northern Ireland. An estimated one in 55 people in England had the virus in the week up to 16 January, compared to one in 50 people two weeks earlier. In Northern Ireland, the estimated infection rate jumped from one in 200 in the previous survey to one in 60 in the most recent one. Equivalent figures for Wales and Scotland in the most recent week were one in 70 and one in 100 people estimated to have had the virus.��

Other coronavirus news

People in England will receive £800 fines starting next week. Home secretary Priti Patel told a Downing street press conference that there remained a “small minority that refuse to do the right thing”. But some scientists, including members of the Independent SAGE group, are calling for the government to tighten restrictions in England, arguing that the main problem is that the existing rules are too permissive, rather than people not abiding by them. “The problem is not that people are flexing the rules but that the rules are too flexible,” Stephen Reicher at the University of St Andrews told an . When people do break the rules – for example, by not staying home when they have symptoms – it is often because they have little choice, added Susan Michie at University College London. “People are going out because they haven’t got enough income in order to stay home,” she said at the briefing.

The UK government said it has for the coronavirus in England after that ministers were considering the idea. “There are no plans to introduce an extra £500 payment,” said a spokesperson for UK prime minister Boris Johnson. The idea was reportedly prompted by government polling, which suggested only 17 per cent of people with symptoms are coming forward for testing.��

A coronavirus information-sharing platform for pharmaceutical companies organised by the World ��ҹ����1000���� Organization in May 2020, the Guardian reported.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.09 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 97.7 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

21 January

Too soon to say when restrictions in England could be lifted, says UK prime minister

It is still “too early to say” , UK prime minister Boris Johnson told journalists on Thursday. That is because the rate of new infections in England doesn’t appear to be decreasing under lockdown and hospitals remain overloaded, while daily death rates are setting records. One in 63 people in England were infected with the coronavirus between 6 and 15 January, according to the latest results from . This is equivalent to 1.58 per cent of ���Բ������Ի�’s population and the highest figure the study has reported since it started in May. It is also 50 per cent higher than in early December. The interim results, based on random swab testing of almost 143,000 people, indicate the rate of new infections was not decreasing 10 days into ���Բ������Ի�’s nationwide lockdown, which started on 5 January. “In the REACT survey, we’re seeing the contagiousness of the new [coronavirus] variant that we saw arrive just before Christmas,” said Johnson.��

Other coronavirus news

US president Joe aimed at boosting the country’s fight against covid-19, including halting US withdrawal from the World ��ҹ����1000���� Organization (WHO). The emergency legislation also aims to accelerate the nation’s covid-19 vaccination programme, increase coronavirus testing and increase the production of personal protective equipment, such as masks. On Thursday, it is expected that Biden will issue a directive including the intent to join the WHO’s vaccine accelerating COVAX scheme, which is working to deliver vaccines to low-income countries. Overall, the Biden administration is aiming to develop a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the pandemic, Biden’s covid-19 task force coordinator, Jeff Zients, . The US has recorded more than 24.4 million coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and more than 406,000 deaths from covid-19.

The and restrict movement across internal borders, in order to try to curb the spread of new coronavirus variants. Leaders will discuss potential measures on Thursday evening. “The danger is that when the infections in a country go up, this mutation becomes a quasi-majority variant and then the infection can no longer be controlled,” German chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff, Helge Braun, told German broadcaster ARD. “And therefore even stricter entry rules at our internal borders are unavoidable, and since everyone does not want that, it is important that we act together now.”

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.08 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 97 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Virus evolution: As the new coronavirus evolves, it could follow the same path as other coronaviruses we live with already, becoming far less deadly in the future.

Vaccination challenge: More transmissible coronavirus variants, coupled with questions about whether the vaccines prevent transmission, means it might be impossible to wipe out covid-19.

20 January

Hospitals in the UK under ‘enormous pressure’, says chief scientific adviser

UK hospitals are under significant strain, the country’s , as hospital admissions and deaths continue to rise. “It may not look like it when you go for a walk in the park, but when you go into a hospital, this is very, very bad at the moment with enormous pressure and in some cases it looks like a war zone in terms of the things that people are having to deal with,” said Patrick Vallance. There are 39,068 people in hospital with covid-19 across the country, with 3947 receiving ventilation. On Wednesday, the within 28 days of a positive test – the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic. In the seven days up to 17 January, the UK reported an average of 1218 covid-19 deaths each day.

UK prime minister Boris Johnson said it would into the UK government’s covid-19 response while health services are under strain. “The NHS is under unprecedented pressure [and] the entire British state is trying to fight covid to roll out the biggest vaccination programme in the history of our country,” Johnson told parliament. “The idea that we should now concentrate […] vast state resources to an inquiry now, in the middle of the pandemic, does not seem sensible to me,” he said, adding, “but of course we will learn lessons in due course”.

Other coronavirus news

A formula used to distribute covid-19 vaccines in England, which didn’t account for the size of GP practices, has resulted in , according to London mayor Sadiq Khan. He told the Guardian the supply model is now going to be revised, following a crisis meeting with UK vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi last week. NHS England figures show that 388,437 people in London have received at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine – the lowest of any region in England – despite London being one of the largest NHS regions in the country, with a population of 8.6 million people. The Midlands region, which includes 10.6 million people, has administered the most first doses of vaccine at 713,602. “Some areas have had different logistical challenges than others,” a spokesperson for Boris Johnson told the Guardian.

US president Joe on Tuesday to memorialise the more than 400,000 people in the US who have died from covid-19. “To heal, we must remember,” he said at the memorial. “It’s hard sometimes to remember, but that’s how we heal. It’s important to do that as a nation.”

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.06 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 96.3 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

UK variant: The highly infectious B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant from the UK has now been reported in more than 50 countries, placing new urgency on the race to vaccinate the vulnerable.

Mutating virus: New versions of coronavirus that spread faster and might evade the immune system are causing fears about vaccine efficacy and a rise in covid-19 deaths. Here’s what you need to know.

19 January

Estimated one in 10 people in the UK had covid-19 antibodies in December

About are estimated to have had antibodies against the coronavirus in their blood in December 2020, according to the latest results from an infection survey by the (ONS). The detection of antibodies in the blood is an indication of a previous infection, but doesn’t indicate exactly when that infection took place. In England, about one in eight people – equivalent to 5.4 million people – would have been expected to test positive for antibodies during the same period. This is an increase from about one in 11 people the previous month. Equivalent estimates for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland put the figures for December at one in 10, one in 11 and one in 13 people who would have been expected to test positive for coronavirus antibodies, respectively, although these estimates are based on smaller numbers of positive antibody tests.��

“This study shows that infection with the [coronavirus] is much more widespread in the UK than previously realised,” said Lawrence Young at the University of Warwick in a . “The implications are that infection rates increased significantly between November and December.” 

There were 6586 deaths from covid-19 registered in the UK as a whole in the week up to 8 January, bringing the registered total to almost 96,000.

Other coronavirus news

Deaths in care homes in England have reached their, according to the most recent figures . About 1260 deaths involving covid-19 were reported in care homes in England in the week up to 8 January, up from 824 the previous week.��

US president Donald Trump on non-US citizens travelling to the US from Brazil and much of Europe, effective from 26 January. President-elect Joe Biden once in office, according to a spokesperson.��

Germany will until 14 February, with most shops and schools to remain shut.��

People aged 40 and above in Israel , its health ministry announced.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.04 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 95.7 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

New variants: It looks like some of the new coronavirus variants can evade parts of our immune response, but it’s not yet clear if we need to update the vaccines.

18 January

Over 70s and clinically vulnerable people next in line for covid-19 vaccines in the UK

People in the UK’s four nations aged 70 and over, as well as clinically extremely vulnerable individuals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, will against covid-19 this week. “Today is a significant milestone in our vaccination programme as we open it up to millions of people who are most at risk from covid-19,” said UK prime minister Boris Johnson in a on Monday. “We have a long way to go and there will doubtless be challenges ahead – but by working together we are making huge progress in our fight against this virus,” he said. People in the top two priority groups, which include care home residents and staff, people aged 80 and over and frontline health and care staff, will continue to be prioritised first. That is in accordance with made by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, UK health minister Matt Hancock explained. “When an area has already reached the vast majority of groups 1-2, they can now start opening up the programme to groups 3-4,” said Hancock.

About of covid-19 vaccine so far in the UK. Nadhim Zahawi, the UK minister responsible for the rollout of covid-19 vaccines, told the BBC’s Breakfast show he expects there could be a gradual easing of restrictions in England, potentially starting two to three weeks after people in the most vulnerable groups had been vaccinated. However, he said this will be dependent on what we learn about the impact of the vaccine on transmission of the coronavirus: it still isn’t clear if being vaccinated prevents people from spreading the infection to others.

Meanwhile, hospitals in England as admissions of covid-19 patients and numbers of patients requiring mechanical ventilation continue to rise. The most recent figures available from NHS England show that 10 out of 140 hospital trusts were at full capacity in adult critical care in the week up to 10 January, up from four the previous week.��

Other coronavirus news

Just have been administered in low-income countries, compared to 39 million doses given to people so far in wealthier countries, according to World ��ҹ����1000���� Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who . All 25 doses were administered in Guinea, which is the only low-income country to have delivered any covid-19 jabs so far. “It’s not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries,” he said at a meeting of the WHO’s executive board on Monday.

It is , even if the majority of its population gets vaccinated against covid-19, according to Australian health minister Brendan Murphy. “I think that we’ll go most of this year with still substantial border restrictions,” Murphy told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday. “Even if we have a lot of the population vaccinated, we don’t know whether that will prevent transmission of the virus.” Quarantine requirements for travellers to Australia will probably also continue for some time, he said.��

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 2.03 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 95.1 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Vaccine data: The race to vaccinate as many people as possible against covid-19 is under way, but unless countries track who receives the vaccine we won’t be able to ensure the benefits are spread equitably, says Layal Liverpool.

15 January

Concern grows about new coronavirus variant identified in travellers from Brazil

Travellers from countries in South America, as well as from Portugal, Cape Verde and Panama, are now amid growing concern about a new variant of the coronavirus that was first identified in people who travelled to Japan from Brazil. The ban came into force at 04:00 GMT on Friday. As with the other coronavirus variants identified in the UK and South Africa, the new variant contains mutations in the coronavirus spike protein, which the virus uses to enter human cells. Both of these new variants are highly transmissible, which has prompted concerns that the variant first found in travellers from Brazil to Japan may also spread rapidly.��

UK transport minister Grant Shapps told BBC Radio 4 on Friday that the variant of concern is not “as far as we are aware” already in the UK. In the Brazilian Amazonas state, where the new variant is thought to have first emerged, . The city of Manaus has seen a surge of coronavirus cases and deaths, and there have been reports of severe oxygen shortages in some hospitals in the city. “There is no oxygen and lots of people are dying,” a local healthcare worker said in a video . “If anyone has any oxygen, please bring it to the clinic. There are so many people dying.”

Other coronavirus news

Some severely ill covid-19 patients are being , due to intensive care units in London running out of capacity. “Moving intensive care patients long distances across country is a clear indicator that the NHS in London has been overwhelmed by covid-19,” Lucy Watson, chair of the Patients’ Association, told the Guardian. “At such a worrying and frightening time, the role of family liaison workers maintaining contact between patients, their families and clinicians will be all the more important,” said Watson. “This will be particularly so for those whose loved ones die far away.”

Pfizer will temporarily , developed in partnership with BioNTech, while it undergoes upgrades to increase its production capacity. “We had expected 43,875 vaccine doses from Pfizer in week 3 (next week). Now it appears that we will get 36,075 doses,” the Norwegian Institute of Public ��ҹ����1000���� (FHI) told Reuters on Friday. “This temporary reduction will affect all European countries,” the FHI said, adding that it isn’t currently clear when Pfizer will return to maximum production capacity. Many that they are receiving fewer supplies than expected.

China is in Hebei province to help contain a new covid-19 outbreak. The centre is expected to have space for 3000 makeshift wards with a capacity for several thousand people. China reported its highest daily increase in coronavirus cases in more than 10 months on Friday, with 144 new cases. More than 28 million people are living under new lockdowns in Hebei and Heilongjiang provinces.�� 

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.99 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 93.2 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

14 January

Record number of people waiting for non-covid-19 NHS treatment in England

The coronavirus pandemic is having a in England, the president of the Royal College of Surgeons, Neil Mortensen, has said, as data published by NHS England revealed millions of people were waiting for hospital treatment unrelated to covid-19. About 4.46 million people were waiting to start hospital treatment in England in November last year, the highest figure ever recorded. “When we eventually emerge from this crisis, we will need sustained investment to treat all those who have been waiting patiently for treatment,” said Mortensen. NHS England figures also show that by November 2020, compared to just 1400 people the previous year.��

Other coronavirus news

The majority of people who have had covid-19 and recovered are for at least five months, according to a study of healthcare workers by Public ��ҹ����1000���� England. In , 20,787 healthcare workers were regularly tested for the coronavirus between 18 June and 24 November. Those who tested positive for coronavirus antibodies at the start of the study – 6614 of the participants – had an 83 per cent lower risk of reinfection, compared to those who tested negative at the start.

A , China, where it will investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, China recorded its in Hebei province. The area is experiencing a new outbreak and tens of millions of people are under newly imposed lockdowns.

UK ministers are expected to announce a , following the discovery of a new coronavirus variant in people who travelled from Brazil to Japan.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.98 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 92.5 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Vaccine boost: A positive outlook, even just on the day of receiving a vaccine, as well as strong social ties and a happy relationship can help increase antibodies made in response to a shot.

13 January

UK reports record 1564 deaths in a single day

The UK within 28 days of a positive test on Wednesday, the highest daily increase since the pandemic began. The country also reported 47,525 new coronavirus cases. UK prime minister Boris Johnson said the “as soon as we can”. “We have a huge network of 233 hospitals, 1000 GP surgeries, 200 pharmacies and 50 mass vaccination centres and they are going […] exceptionally fast,” he told parliament on Wednesday. “At the moment the limit is on supply.” On Tuesday, 223,726 people , up from 165,844 on Monday.��

Thousands of hospital patients in England in order to free up beds for severely ill covid-19 patients, the Guardian reported. Some covid-19 patients could also be discharged directly from hospitals into care homes, without a negative test if they have isolated for 14 days and shown no new symptoms. “This is a dire situation, in which the NHS often has no good options available. Discharging patients early from hospital is likely to be one of few options open to the NHS to manage the scale of the current need,” chair of the Patients Association, Lucy Watson, told the Guardian.

Other coronavirus news

The US on Tuesday, the country’s highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic. On the same day, US officials recommended that states to people 65 or over who have chronic health conditions that make them more vulnerable to covid-19.

China saw its in more than five months on Tuesday. There were 115 new confirmed cases reported in the mainland on 12 January – the largest daily increase since 30 July, according to its National ��ҹ����1000���� Commission.

There are first detected in people travelling  to Japan from Brazil. Boris Johnson said he was concerned about the variant and that steps were being taken to protect the country from new infections entering from abroad. The new variant is different from the highly transmissible variants identified in the UK and South Africa.

Israel’s health ministry reported that initial data suggests the vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech after 14 days. Israel has so far vaccinated almost 2 million people – about 20 per cent of the country’s population.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.96 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 91.8 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

UK variant: The faster spreading coronavirus variant first identified in the UK has officially reached nine US states and could soon cause a massive surge in covid-19 cases that makes the post-holiday spike look minimal, an expert has warned.

Delaying vaccine doses: To vaccinate more people quickly, the UK is making people wait up to three months for a booster shot rather than the few weeks tested in trials. Here’s what the evidence says about the situation.

12 January

Pandemic caused UK excess deaths to rise to highest level since second world war

The UK has recorded the largest increase in excess deaths in the country since 1940 during the second world war. Last year there were , almost 91,000 more than would have been expected based on the average in the previous five years. This does not account for the impact of deaths in December 2020, as figures are only available until November. “The UK has one of the highest rates of excess deaths in the world, with more excess deaths per million people than most other European countries or the US,” Richard Murray, chief executive of health charity the King’s Fund, told the BBC. “It will take a public inquiry to determine exactly what went wrong, but mistakes have been made.” 

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Despite record numbers of people in hospitals in England, the pressure on the NHS , MPs have been told. That is because the infection rate will not decrease as fast as it did after the first lockdown in March. “It’s going to go down more slowly because of the increased transmissibility of the new strain,” said Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents all NHS trusts in England. Hopson was referring to the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the UK in September. “It now looks like the peak for NHS demand may actually now be in February,” he said. “If that’s right, that’s going to basically mean there’s a higher level and a more extended period of pressure on the NHS than we were expecting even a week ago.”

Germany’s lockdown , as concerns about the spread of the UK variant in the country grow.

Israel against covid-19 within the next two months, if pharmacological research shows this is safe, according to a local health official.

David against covid-19. The natural historian and TV presenter is 94 years old.��

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.95 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 91 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

UK variant spreads: Authorities in Australia have responded swiftly to contain potential outbreaks of a highly transmissible coronavirus variant. The more contagious B.1.1.7 variant, first sequenced in the UK in September, has now reached at least 45 countries.

Missing vaccine data: Demographic data about vaccination programmes could reveal problems early on. So far, no figures about ethnicity have been released in England, even though people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are at greater risk from covid-19.

11 January

Hospitals in England struggle to cope with growing numbers of covid-19 patients

���Բ������Ի�’s chief medical officer on Monday about what the country can expect in the coming weeks and urged people to avoid all unnecessary contact with others. “The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS,” Chris Whitty told the BBC. He said there were more than 30,000 people with covid-19 in hospitals in England, compared to about 18,000 during the peak of the first wave in April last year. Hospitals around the country are taking exceptional measures to cope with the influx of people with covid-19, including putting and making nurses than usual. Southend Hospital in England has been forced to reduce the amount of oxygen it uses to treat patients, because the hospital’s , according to documents seen by the BBC.

“We need to really double down, this is everybody’s problem, any single unnecessary contact you have with someone is a potential link in a chain of transmission that will lead to a vulnerable person,” said Whitty. “We’ve all got to, as individuals, help our NHS, help our fellow citizens, by minimising the amount of unnecessary contacts we have.”

Other coronavirus news

UK prime minister Boris Johnson said against covid-19 in the country so far, including about 40 per cent of people over the age of 80 and 23 per cent of older care home residents. Later, UK health minister Matt Hancock said 2.6 million doses of covid-19 vaccine had been given to 2.3 million people in the country. The UK has now , including its plan to be administering at least two million vaccinations per week in England by the end of January, and to have vaccinated 15 million people by mid-February. “It’s a race against time, because we can all see the threat that our NHS faces,” said Johnson.��

A highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus first identified in the UK of the most recent sample of positive tests in Ireland, according to local authorities.��

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.93 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 90.4 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

UK vaccination target: UK prime minister Boris Johnson has set a target of 15 February by which 13.9 million vulnerable people should be vaccinated against covid-19, but manufacturing, safety checks and distribution logistics will make that difficult.

Covid-19 puzzle: The coronavirus is a riddle on many levels, but what we do know is that the time for underestimating it is over.

8 January

London mayor Sadiq Khan urges Londoners to stay at home “to protect our NHS”

London mayor Sadiq Khan has declared a in response to surging coronavirus cases and hospitalisations in the city. More than 100 firefighters have been drafted in to drive ambulances in London, to help . Khan said the London Ambulance Service is currently taking up to 8000 emergency calls per day, compared to 5500 on a typical busy day. “Londoners continue to make huge sacrifices and I am today imploring them to please stay home unless it is absolutely necessary for you to leave,” said London mayor Sadiq Khan in a . “If we do not take immediate action now, our NHS could be overwhelmed and more people will die. Stay at home to protect yourself, your family, friends and other Londoners and to protect our NHS,” said Khan. A major incident is one that presents a serious threat to the health of the community or that causes significant numbers or types of casualties requiring special arrangements to be implemented. Previously, major incidents have been declared in London for the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and for terror attacks at Westminster Bridge and London Bridge.��

In London more than 7000 people are in hospital with covid-19, making up more than half of the capital’s occupied beds. The Office for National Statistics estimates that had the virus on 2 January. Infections in London, as well as in England and in the UK as a whole, are estimated to be growing by up to 6 per cent each day. Across the UK the most recent is between 1.0 and 1.4, which means every 10 infected people infect an average of 10 to 14 others.

Other coronavirus news

Preliminary the covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is of the coronavirus identified in the UK and South Africa. Antibodies isolated from the blood of 20 people who had received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine were still able to neutralise viruses containing one of the key mutations in laboratory tests. The research has not been peer-reviewed. Concerns that covid-19 vaccines will not work against the variant identified in South Africa for new arrivals into England and Scotland from abroad, according to UK transport minister Grant Shapps.

A for use in the UK. The UK has ordered an additional 10 million doses of the mRNA vaccine developed by US company Moderna, on top of 7 million which it pre-ordered last year, but supplies for the additional doses are not expected to arrive until spring.��

More than from covid-19 in a single day for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The country recorded 4033 deaths due to covid-19 on Thursday, according to the COVID Tracking Project, passing its previous record of 3903 deaths on 30 December.

Greater Brisbane in Australia was after one case of the highly transmissible UK variant was detected on Thursday.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.90 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 88.3 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

7 January

England hospitals cut back on services as nearly a third of patients have coronavirus

There are , accounting for nearly a third of all people in hospital. Many hospitals have had to cancel routine operations to accommodate a growing number of people with covid-19. The BBC reported that there are indications this is beginning to happen for cancer care as well. “The impact of the pandemic is taking care away from other illnesses such as cancer and heart disease,” Rupert Pearse, an intensive care consultant at the Royal London Hospital told the BBC. “We’re really struggling to provide the quality of patient care that we think patients deserve,” said Pearse.��

The number of covid-19 patients in England hospitals has increased by more than 50 per cent since Christmas, with average now exceeding 3000 per day – three times the usual winter rate for respiratory conditions.�� 

Other coronavirus news

Birmingham could developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech as soon as Friday, according to local leaders. The city has not yet been supplied with the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with AstraZeneca. Birmingham leaders called for more clarity on the covid-19 vaccination programme in their city in a letter to UK health minister Matt Hancock. “It remains unclear who is responsible for overseeing the vaccination programme in Birmingham, and whom we should hold accountable for progress and delivery,” it said. In a briefing on Tuesday, UK prime minister Boris Johnson said 1.3 million people in the UK had been vaccinated with a first dose so far and data from NHS England revealed 308,541 people received a jab in England in the week ending 3 January. The government aims to vaccinate 13 million people in four priority groups by mid-February.��

Almost half of the residents in an East Sussex care home in England over the Christmas and New Year period, with more than a third of the staff also testing positive during the outbreak, the Guardian reported. Of the 27 residents at Edendale Lodge care home in Crowhurst, 13 died with confirmed or suspected covid-19 since 13 December. Prime minister Johnson told parliament on Wednesday that 10 per cent of care home residents and 14 per cent of staff had so far been vaccinated against the disease. “That clearly needs to be stepped up,” he said.

As coronavirus vaccines continue to be rolled out across the US, health officials have stressed that the risk of severe illness and death from covid-19 still to the vaccine. In the US, 29 people have so far developed anaphylaxis after being vaccinated against covid-19 and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it currently appears that cases are occurring at a rate of about 5.5 per 1 million vaccine doses administered.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.88 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 87.3 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Why covid-19 has been such a nightmare: Humans have faced pandemics before, but some unusual features of covid-19 and modern society have conspired to create the perfect storm this time.

6 January

UK reports 1041 deaths from covid-19 in a single day 

The within 28 days of a positive test on Wednesday, the highest daily figure since 21 April, when . There were 62,322 new cases of coronavirus reported on Wednesday. “This upward trend of cases (and hospitalisations and deaths) is likely to continue for another 2-3 weeks as the impact of social mixing during Christmas/New Year continues to be felt,” said Julian Tang at the University of Leicester in a .

A quarter of all deaths in England and Wales in the week leading up to Christmas were due to covid-19. New figures from the showed that 2912, or 25 per cent, of the 11,520 deaths registered across England and Wales in the week ending 25 December mentioned covid-19 on the death certificate. Wales has been under a lockdown since 23 December and England and Scotland both entered nationwide lockdowns on Tuesday.��

Other coronavirus news

A World ��ҹ����1000���� Organization (WHO) team sent to China to investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic to the country. Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “I’m very disappointed with this news, given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute, but had been in contact with senior Chinese officials.”  

Coronavirus . The state recorded more than 74,000 new coronavirus cases on Monday and 21,597 people were hospitalised, both record daily increases since the start of the pandemic. “It is getting harder and harder for healthcare workers to care for those coming to the hospital with gunshot wounds, heart attacks, strokes and injuries from car accidents,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis told the Los Angeles Times.

People arriving in the UK from abroad may soon be in order to enter the country. A spokesperson for the Department for Transport told the BBC: “With a new strain of the virus on the loose in South Africa and a more infectious variant already widespread in the UK we need to do more.” The Department for Transport said full details of additional measures, which may also include testing before departure, remain to be agreed. Certain travellers, such as haulage drivers, may be exempt.

The European Medicines Agency has developed by US company Moderna for authorisation in the EU. The vaccine has already been authorised for emergency use in the US.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.87 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 86.7 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Mutant viruses: Mutated variants of the coronavirus making their way around the world are causing covid-19 to spread faster, and one may be able to evade current vaccines.

Disrupted senses: Loss of smell and taste is one of the most consistent symptoms of covid-19, and this anosmia reveals important details about how the coronavirus works.��

5 January

Lockdowns imposed in England and Scotland to try to curb surging virus cases

Strict new in England and Scotland, which cabinet office minister Michael Gove said could last in some form until March. UK prime minister Boris Johnson announced the new lockdown rules for England during a televised address on Monday evening, saying that vaccination of key groups of people by mid-February could allow the restrictions in England to be eased. But on Tuesday, cabinet office minister Michael Gove : “We can’t predict with certainty that we’ll be able to lift restrictions in the week commencing [15 to 22 February]. What we will be doing is everything we can to make sure that as many people as possible are vaccinated, so that we can begin progressively to lift restrictions. I think it’s right to say that, as we enter March, we should be able to lift some of these restrictions – but not necessarily all.” The top four priority groups for vaccinations include older care home residents and their carers, people over 70, frontline health and social care workers, and clinically extremely vulnerable people.

The UK reported on Tuesday, surpassing 60,000 daily new cases for the first time since the start of the pandemic. One in 50 people in England and one in 30 in London are estimated to have the coronavirus, according to the , ���Բ������Ի�’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said during a televised briefing on Tuesday. By comparison, one in 900 people were infected in early September.��

In Tuesday’s press conference, Johnson said that 1.3 million people in the UK have so far received the first dose of a covid-19 vaccine. However, more than 4 million doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech were delivered to the UK before the end of 2020, , prompting questions about the gap between the number of vaccine doses secured and the number of people who have been vaccinated. Asked about the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with the University of Oxford, of which the government has said it hopes to have 2 million doses a week by the end of January, NHS England director Stephen Powis told the Financial Times: “Certainly this month we’ll be able to get up to that sort of number but that would depend on supplies. We’ll be delivering it as soon as we get it.”

Other coronavirus news

Researchers in South Africa are investigating whether a new variant of coronavirus spreading in the country . “It’s a theoretical concern. A reasonable concern […] that the South African variant might be more resistant,” Shabir Madhi, who led trials of the Oxford/AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine in South Africa, told the BBC. Madhi said it was unlikely that the mutation in the South African variant would render current vaccines useless but said it might weaken their impact.

Germany until at least the end of January. After a partial lockdown introduced in early November failed to sufficiently reduce infections, Germany entered a second nationwide lockdown on 16 December, which was originally due to be lifted on 10 January.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.85 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 85.8 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

4 January

England expected to tighten restrictions and Scotland announces national lockdown

Much of the UK faces new lockdown measures as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there is “no question” that restrictions in England will be tightened, and Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a starting at midnight on 5 January. Johnson is expected to announce this evening in a televised appearance, which could include schools being closed and Tier 4 restrictions across the country. The UK recorded 58,784 new coronavirus cases on Monday and 407 deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, and the Joint Biosecurity Centre is expected to be to 5 – the highest level.

Most today, despite calls from teaching unions and some councils to keep schools shut. Primary schools in London and south-east England remain closed until 18 January. Council leaders in many areas including Manchester and Birmingham said they would support the decision of head teachers who think it is unsafe to reopen their schools.

First Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines administered in the UK

An 82-year-old man became the developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with AstraZeneca, as part of the UK’s mass vaccination programme. Brian Pinker received the jab at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford and 530,000 doses were ready for use on Monday. AstraZeneca has said it expects to supply by the middle of January in the UK.

Other coronavirus news

Coronavirus cases in the UK are continuing to surge, with concern growing about a variant of the virus first detected in South Africa. “I’m incredibly worried about the South African variant, and that’s why we took the action that we did to restrict all flights from South Africa,” UK health minister Matt Hancock . “It’s even more of a problem than the UK new variant,” he said. John Bell at the University of Oxford there was “a big question” as to whether existing vaccines would be effective against the South Africa variant, which contains mutations that affect part of the virus that is recognised by antibodies. However, he added that it should be possible to make new vaccines quickly, if this or any future variant of the coronavirus emerges that is resistant to the current ones. “It might take a month, or six weeks, to get a new vaccine, so everybody should stay calm. It’s going to be fine,” he said. “We’re now in a game of cat and mouse, because these are not the only two variants we’re going to see. We’re going to see lots of variants.”

India on Sunday, including the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and a vaccine called Covaxin being developed by Indian company Bharat Biotech. Gagandeep Kang at the Christian Medical College, Vellore in India expressed , as phase III trials of the vaccine haven’t yet been completed. Kang that she had “never seen anything like this before”, adding that “there is absolutely no efficacy data that has been presented or published.”

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.84 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 85.2 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Inaccessible vaccines: Many African countries applied for covid-19 vaccines through the COVAX initiative, but lack of funding could leave them without enough vaccines to reach herd immunity until 2024.

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17 December

Regions in the east and south-east of England face tier three rules from Saturday

Almost 70 per cent of ���Բ������Ի�’s population will be living under as “pressures on the NHS remain”, said UK health minister Matt Hancock on Thursday. Regions in the east and south-east of the country, including Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Hertfordshire will move into tier three one minute after midnight on Saturday 19 December, as will parts of Surrey, East Sussex, Cambridgeshire and Hampshire. “I know that tier three measures are tough, but the best way for everyone to get out of them is to pull together, not just to follow the rules, but to do everything they possibly can to stop the spread of the virus,” Hancock told parliament. There will be 38 million people in the country living in tier three from Saturday, including other parts of England already under tier three rules.

Hancock said cases in the south-east of England had risen by 46 per cent in a week, with hospital admissions up by more than a third, while cases in the east of England had gone up by two-thirds in a week and hospital admissions had risen by nearly half. He also announced that Bristol and North Somerset would be able to move down to tier two on Saturday and that Herefordshire would also be able to move down, to tier one. “I think this is a wise precautionary measure – to damp down virus transmission in the lead up to the Christmas 5-day relaxation – and afterwards, to restrict wider virus  transmission coming out of this break,” said Julian Tang at the University of Leicester, UK, in a .��

Yesterday, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments released a . “The safest way to spend this Christmas is with your own household or your existing support bubble in your own home – and we strongly recommend that this is what you do if at all possible,” the statement said. It also stressed that “scientific advice is clear: the longer you meet others for, the higher the risk of you catching and spreading the virus” and that “if you do intend to form a bubble, you should keep the bubble small and your visits short”.��

Other coronavirus news

Two after receiving the coronavirus vaccine developed by US company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, including a woman who did not have a history of allergies to vaccines and who was admitted to hospital. Both individuals received treatment and have recovered. The woman’s reaction appears to be similar to the allergic reactions experienced by two healthcare workers who were vaccinated in the UK last week. Following the two allergic reactions in the UK, US Food and Drug Administration officials said they would require Pfizer to monitor severe allergic reactions and submit data on this later on.

French president Emmanuel Macron . In a statement, the Élysée Palace said Macron would “self-isolate for seven days in line with the health protocol applicable to everyone” and that he would continue to work remotely.��

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 death toll has passed 1.65 million. The number of confirmed cases is more than 74.4 million, according to , though the true number of cases will be much higher.

Latest on coronavirus from New Scientist

Lasting immunity: We are starting to get answers to the big questions about immunity to covid-19, such as how long it lasts, can people be reinfected and whether vaccines stop transmission.

Coronavirus year in review: In an extraordinary year for science, research into covid-19 has shed a bright light on the unknown.