8.12am EDT
08:12
Sweden response to Covid was ‘too slow’, says commission
7.32am EDT
07:32
One in 50 people in England had Covid last week – ONS
5.48am EDT
05:48
G20 leaders set to commit to efforts to shorten development times for vaccines
5.02am EDT
05:02
Russia sets new official Covid daily deaths record for ninth time in last eleven days
4.20am EDT
04:20
London mayor Sadiq Khan: government should introduce ‘mandatory face coverings on public transport’
4.11am EDT
04:11
Northern Ireland issues 700,000 vouchers to boost post-Covid economy
3.16am EDT
03:16
Drakeford: Wales wishes UK government would take ‘more precautionary approach to international travel’
8.23am EDT
08:23
Some businesses flouted the Russian capital of Moscow’s new lockdown measures on Friday saying they needed to make ends meet amid a lack of state support.
It comes as nationwide deaths from Covid hit a new record daily high blamed on slow vaccination take-up.
The restrictions allow only essential shops like pharmacies and supermarkets to remain open, while schools and state kindergartens are shut. Bars, cafes and restaurants are only allowed to operate takeaway and delivery services.
Some entrepreneurs said they were trying to keep their businesses going as they had not been promised state aid.
Elena, an administrator at a Moscow beauty salon, told Reuters she would continue admitting customers by appointment only.
“To hell with them … we’re going to work. We’ll just put up curtains … During the last lockdown we sat there for almost a month and there was almost no help. We have to survive somehow,” she said.
Pub-owner Vladimir said bars and clubs on busy streets had to close because of their prominent locations, but his pub, which is tucked away in a courtyard, would stay open.
“I would gladly close down due to the epidemiological situation, but unfortunately, no one is relieving me of my financial obligations – the rent, bills and so on,” he said. “We have got to the point where there is simply no choice.
“We are a local pub … not on a central street. No one is interested in us.”
8.12am EDT
08:12
Sweden response to Covid was ‘too slow’, says commission
Sweden’s response to the spread of coronavirus was too slow and preparations to handle a pandemic were insufficient, a commission investigating the country’s response to Covid has said.
Sweden’s early strategy, shunning lockdowns and measures such as face masks and only gradually tightening curbs, made the country an outlier in the first year of the pandemic when many countries across Europe chose to implement tougher restrictions.
The commission said it would address Sweden’s no-lockdown strategy in its final report, but that its preliminary findings showed that measures were introduced late both in relation to the country’s Nordic neighbours and the spread of the virus in Sweden during the spring of 2020.
“Sweden’s handling of the pandemic has been marked by a slowness of response,” the commission said.
“The initial disease prevention and control measures were insufficient to stop or even substantially limit the spread of the virus in the country.”
Reuters reported:
The commission, appointed by the government amid pressure from parliament, also noted that it had taken “far too long” to build sufficient testing capacity with initially only targeted groups, such as healthcare staff, being tested.
Authorities relied heavily on voluntary recommendations for people to socially distance and wash their hands, and public places such as schools, restaurants and businesses remained largely open, with the government leaving much of the responsibility for fighting the virus with the health agency and its chief epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell.
Sweden has recorded more than 15,000 deaths from coronavirus, many times the per capita level of its Nordic neighbours that implemented tougher restrictions, but still lower than many countries that locked down tightly, such as Britain.
Its pandemic strategy has been controversial at home and abroad. Critics have called it reckless and cruel but the approach has also earned praise for being more sustainable and business-friendly and as a model for living with the virus as it becomes endemic.
The commission investigating the coronavirus response has no legal power beyond making public its findings with the aim of improving Sweden’s ability to handle pandemics and similar situations.
7.50am EDT
07:50
An interesting read below from my colleague Linda Geddes on how coronavirus-induced parosmia is surprisingly common.
Here is an extract from her piece:
Deirdre likens her body odour to raw onions; Deepak says his favourite aftershave smells foul, and coffee like cleaning products; Julie thinks coffee and chocolate both smell like burnt ashes.
Most people are aware that a cardinal symptom of Covid-19 is loss of smell, or anosmia. It may last for weeks or even months. Increasingly though, those who have recovered subsequently develop another disorienting symptom, parosmia, or a distorted sense of smell. This typically results in things that once smelled pleasant smelling bad or rotten.
Covid-19 isn’t the only cause, head injuries and other types of infection can also trigger it, but Sars-CoV-2 appears particularly adept at setting off this sensory confusion. According to one recent international survey, about 10% of those with Covid-related smell loss experienced parosmia in the immediate aftermath of the disease, and this rose to 47% when the respondents were interviewed again six or seven months later.
For the full story, please click the link below.
Updated
at 7.50am EDT
7.48am EDT
07:48
Helen Pidd
A police force in the north of England is trying to discourage children from trick or treating this Halloween because of Covid-19.
South Yorkshire police (SYP) have produced a poster residents can print out and put in their windows saying “No trick or treaters”, with a picture of a silhouetted pumpkin crossed out like a no-entry sign.
The force said: “This year our communities will be celebrating Halloween and Bonfire Night differently; organised events have been cancelled due to Covid-19 and trick or treating is being discouraged.”
It added: “Simply put the poster in your window or on your door and those taking part in the festivities will know that you do not want to be disturbed.”
The poster was widely mocked on social media, with users saying anyone putting it up “may as well print off a sign that says ‘Please egg this house'”.
Police forces around the country have come up with various campaigns around Halloween and Bonfire Night this year, which are designed to keep communities safe – even though some may view them as killjoy.
7.32am EDT
07:32
One in 50 people in England had Covid last week – ONS
The prevalence of Covid infections in England increased to around 1 in 50 people in the week ending 22 October, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
It means the prevalence of the virus has reached its highest level since the start of the year.
The ONS said that prevalence of infections had risen for its fifth straight week, having been at 1 in 55 people in the previous week. Prevalence was last at 1 in 50 people in the week ending January 2.
(@ONS)
Our #COVID19 Infection Survey shows in the most recent week, infections
? increased in England, now at a similar level to early 2021
? increased in Northern Ireland.
Trends were uncertain in Wales and there were early signs of an increase in Scotland https://t.co/sqtBXurmuo pic.twitter.com/y5SKYDN6SS
Meanwhile, in Wales, around one in 40 people is estimated to have had Covid in the week to 22 October, up from one in 45 the previous week and the highest since estimates began in July 2020.
In Northern Ireland, the latest estimate is around one in 75, up from one in 130 the previous week, but below the record high of one in 40 in mid-August.
For Scotland, the latest estimate is also one in 75, up from one in 90 the previous week but below September’s peak of one in 45.
All figures are for people in private households.
Updated
at 7.32am EDT
7.28am EDT
07:28
In the UK, students are being urged to get tested for coronavirus before returning to school to minimise disruption to lessons and to ensure families can “enjoy the best” of the festive season.
Ministers and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are calling on young people to take a rapid lateral flow test before the end of the October half-term to help prevent Covid cases from entering the classroom. PA Media reports:
The plea comes as figures – which coincide with the start of the October half-term holiday – show that the rates of new cases of Covid-19 among schoolchildren in England have fallen slightly.
Pupils are also being urged to get vaccinated where possible – either at school or at walk-in centres. Secondary school and college students in England have been asked to test twice weekly at home since returning to class in September.
A total of 1,201.2 cases per 100,000 people aged 10 to 19 were recorded in the seven days to October 24, down week on week from 1,388.0, the latest UKHSA figures show.
Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UKHSA, said:
Today I am calling on all children to help themselves and each other by getting tested before going back to the classroom so that we can stop the infection in its tracks and keep as many children in the classroom as possible, continuing their education and developing their futures.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi added:
As we start the countdown to Christmas, testing regularly and getting vaccinated is the best thing we can all do to protect education and make sure we can enjoy the best of the season – whether that’s the school nativity or the family gathering over the holidays.
That’s why I want to encourage every young person in secondary school or college to take a test before you return to the classroom next week. We have come so far in our fight against this virus, and now every single test and every single jab puts another brick in our wall of defence.
6.57am EDT
06:57
More than 2,000 tourists visiting China’s Inner Mongolia region have been sent to hotels to begin two weeks of quarantine.
The move follows reports of an outbreak of Covid in the vast, lightly populated region that attracts visitors with its mountains, lakes and grasslands.
An announcement from the regional government on Friday said 2,428 visitors had been placed under observation at hotels in the cities of Baotou and Ordos.
That came after successive reports of new cases of local infection in the region, with Inner Mongolia accounting for 19 of the 48 new cases of domestic transmission announced today, the Associated Press reported.
In the city of Lanzhou, in Gansu province bordering Inner Mongolia, millions of people have been largely confined to their homes over the past week after cases were detected there. Ten new cases were reported in the city on Friday.
6.34am EDT
06:34
Good morning. I’m Tom Ambrose and will be bringing you all of today’s top Covid headlines from the UK and around the world.
First up is the news that Poland’s total number of Covid cases since the start of the pandemic passed three million today.
It comes with daily cases hitting their highest in the fourth wave as a spike in infections gathers pace, health ministry data showed.
The Reuters news agency reported:
Amid wide disregard for rules on wearing masks, infections in Poland are surging ahead of All Saints’ Day, when crowds of people visit cemetries to pay their respects to the dead in a tradition that could contribute to the spread of the virus.
Friday’s 9,387 new cases were Poland’s highest since April, with 102 deaths. In total, the country of about 38 million people has reported 3,008,294 cases and 76,875 Covid related deaths.
The Polish government will have to consider tighter restrictions if average daily cases exceed 7,000 by the end of the month, health minister Adam Niedzielski was quoted as saying on Monday.
6.05am EDT
06:05
Today so far
First minister of Wales Mark Drakeford was critical of the UK government, saying “the numbers at this level are causing harm in the community ,are driving more people into hospital. And we have to make a concerted effort over the next three weeks to bring those numbers down. I have for a number of weeks been urging [the UK government] to move to Plan B. It would certainly help us here in Wales to have a single communication that says across England and Wales we are all taking this virus as seriously as we need to take it as we go into the autumn and the winter.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the Government to make face coverings mandatory on public transport. He said “The worst thing we can do is to lower our guard, be complacent and underestimate the risk these viruses pose to all of us.”
The Northern Ireland government has handed out GBP100 vouchers to almost 700,000 individuals to boost the local economy post Covid lockdowns.
Russia reported 1,163 new Covid-19 deaths, its highest one-day toll of the pandemic, amid a surge in cases that has forced officials to reimpose partial lockdown measures. Deaths have set new records in the country on nine of the past 11 days.
Bulgaria has recorded another 5,178 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours. Official data shows that there are 7,553 patients in hospital, 656 of them being in intensive care.
Ukraine set a record caseload for the second consecutive day, with 26,870 new coronavirus infections. There were 648 official deaths. The health ministry also said there were 5,463 hospital admissions in the last day.
G20 leaders are set to commit to supporting efforts to shorten to 100 days the period needed to develop new vaccines, drugs and tests in a pandemic, according to a draft joint document.
Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown has said wealthier countries are being “too slow” in moving unused vaccine doses to poorer countries. The ex-Labour leader said it is “only the leaders of the G20” who can decide their unused vaccines should be “moved out as quickly as possible to save lives and to avoid waste”.
A syringe shortfall threatens Africa Covid vaccine drive as the continent struggles to inoculate people against the virus. The United Nation’s fund for children (UNICEF) is predicting an “imminent shortfall” of up to 2.2 billion of the single-use syringes for Covid vaccination.
New Zealand recorded another 125 Covid cases, pushing the country’s Delta outbreak past 3,000.
Australia’s vaccination campaign has taken an icy trip to the shores of the Antarctic. An Airbus A319 arrived in Wilkins Aerodrome on Thursday evening with a cargo of Pfizer vaccines for 27 expeditioners at the Casey research station.
That is it from me Martin Belam for this week. I will be back with you on Monday. Kevin Rawlinson has our UK politics live blog today, and Tom Ambrose will be along presently to take you through the rest of the day’s Covid news. Have a good weekend, take care and stay safe.
Updated
at 6.44am EDT
5.48am EDT
05:48
G20 leaders set to commit to efforts to shorten development times for vaccines
G20 leaders are set to commit to supporting efforts to shorten to 100 days the period needed to develop new vaccines, drugs and tests in a pandemic, according to a draft joint document.
Under previous funding levels, developing vaccines has sometimes taken more than a decade, but the Covid-19 pandemic spurred an unprecedented rush in research, trials and regulatory procedures that made it possible to have vaccines ready in less than a year.
Now G20 leaders want that period to be cut further.
In health emergencies caused by pandemics “we will support science to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics from 300 to 100 days,” says a draft statement seen by Reuters that G20 leaders are set to adopt over the weekend at a summit in Rome.
The draft is still subject to last-minute changes, but officials said that this commitment is expected to remain unchanged.
Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown is also calling on the G20 to take action over vaccine equity, and prevent the richest nations stockpiling and wasting vaccines that could be delivered around the globe.
5.41am EDT
05:41
A bit of vaccine production news from Reuters here: Takeda Pharmaceutical, the Japanese partner for Novavax’s Covid vaccine, is preparing to seek regulatory approval for a roll out in Japan early next year
Novavax delayed filing for US approval to the end of this year, amid reports that the Maryland-based company faced production and quality problems. The drugmaker filed to British regulators on Wednesday.
“We will need to assess whether the package that has been filed in the UK, for example, will satisfy the Japanese authorities,” Takeda CEO Christophe Weber said in an interview.
“I think this is what will happen in the coming weeks and months,” he said, adding he believed it would be ready in time to help with Japan’s booster shot programme, which is set to start by the end of this year.
Takeda is setting up to make the vaccines “as soon as the product is approved,” he said.
5.02am EDT
05:02
Russia sets new official Covid daily deaths record for ninth time in last eleven days
Russia on Friday reported 1,163 new Covid-19 deaths, its highest one-day toll of the pandemic, amid a surge in cases that has forced officials to reimpose partial lockdown measures.
Reuters remind us that deaths have set new records in nine of the past 11 days. The coronavirus task force also said it had recorded 39,849 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, including 7,511 in Moscow.
Russia will go into a nationwide workplace shutdown in the first week of November, and the capital Moscow reintroduced partial lockdown measures on Thursday, with only essential shops like pharmacies and supermarkets allowed to remain open.
4.27am EDT
04:27
Laura Spinney is a science journalist and the author of Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World, and she writes for us today:
The endgame has been obvious for a while: rather than getting rid of Covid-19 entirely, countries will get used to it. The technical word for a disease that we’re obliged to host indefinitely is “endemic”. It means that the disease-causing agent – the Sars-CoV-2 virus in this case – is always circulating in the population, causing periodic but more-or-less predictable disease outbreaks. No country has entered the calmer waters of endemicity yet; we’re all still on the white-knuckle ride of the pandemic phase.
One thing is clear: the transition to endemicity will happen at different times in different countries and regions. It’s not unreasonable to think that the UK, with its high case numbers and vaccination rates, might be among those closest to the tipping point – which is why other countries are watching it closely.
Delta, which is around three times as transmissible as the original Wuhan variant of Sars-CoV-2, has yet to reach many countries, but since May it has been dominant in the UK, where it has spread like wildfire since “freedom day” on 19 July. That’s why some scientists think the UK is entering its final pandemic wave, from which it will exit into the endemic phase next spring.
Read more here: Laura Spinney – How does Covid end? The world is watching the UK to find out
4.20am EDT
04:20
London mayor Sadiq Khan: government should introduce ‘mandatory face coverings on public transport’
London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the Government to make face coverings mandatory on public transport as the UK continues to average more than 40,000 confirmed coronavirus cases a day for over a week.
The UK government has so far been totally resistant to bringing in so-called Plan B measures, which would see the reintroduction of mandatory face masks indoors along with guidance to work from home and the use of Covid passports.
Khan called for Londoners to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and the flu to protect the NHS this winter. He said in a statement the the “deadly virus has not gone away and this winter we’re facing both flu and Covid”. PA Media quotehim saying:
The worst thing we can do is to lower our guard, be complacent and underestimate the risk these viruses pose to all of us
The situation with Covid-19 in the capital is so finely balanced that it needs all of us to act together to protect ourselves, our loved ones, the things we enjoy and our NHS this winter.
That’s why I’m urging all eligible Londoners to have the booster vaccine and flu jab as soon as you are offered it, continue to wear a mask where you can and am calling on the Government to put simple and effective steps, such as mandatory face coverings on public transport, in place to halt the spread of the virus now.
4.11am EDT
04:11
Northern Ireland issues 700,000 vouchers to boost post-Covid economy
Lisa O’Carroll
The Northern Ireland government has handed out GBP100 vouchers to almost 700,000 individuals to boost the local economy post Covid lockdowns.
More than 1.4m people over the age of 18 applied for the hand outs by Monday’s deadline, the department of local economy has said with 667,000 already issued with GBP13m already “poured back into the economy”.
The government budgeted GBP145m for the scheme, which is aimed at supporting businesses devastated by the pandemic, with punters required to spend their money on local businesses only before 30 November.
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