VACCINES have forced down waves of Covid deaths to just ripples – despite a spike in the number of cases reported, according to the data.
Hospital patients are, on average, younger, less poorly and able to leave the wards faster than in previous waves, analysis shows.
Brits are also facing weeks of pandemic chaos with disruptions to transport, bin collections and food supplies due to isolating workers.
Companies and councils have warned the August 16 date to lift quarantine for the double-vaccinated could now be delayed amid fresh concern.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the very latest updates…
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PIERS MORGAN REVEALS HE CAUGHT COVID IN WEMBLEY EURO FINAL CHAOS
Piers Morgan has revealed he caught Covid during chaos at the Euro 2020 final – despite being double-jabbed.
The ex Good Morning Britain presenter says he was infected during chaos at Wembley amid England's heartbreaking defeat to Italy.
And the broadcaster, who has won widespread acclaim for his criticism of the Government's pandemic policies, said he's been struck down with a raging fever, chills and violent coughing fits.
Officials assured fans attending the final that only fully-vaccinated spectators, or those with negative tests, would be allowed into the stadium.
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CHELSEA SCRAP PRE-SEASON TRAINING CAMP IN IRELAND AND FLY HOME AFTER ‘POSSIBLE COVID CASE IN TRAVELLING PARTY’
CHELSEA players are returning home early from a training camp in Dublin due to a possible case of coronavirus.
A friendly against League of Ireland outfit Drogheda was cancelled on Thursday evening following the test result.
And the club have confirmed that Thomas Tuchel and his squad are back in the capital to continue their preparations for the new season.
A spokesperson said: “With the cancellation of last night’s friendly game, the team’s training camp has moved back to the club’s training ground early to continue preparations for the game against Bournemouth.”
Chelsea travelled across the Irish Sea on Tuesday for a pre-season camp which was due to culminate in the behind-closed-doors friendly.
Read more here.
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TOO EARLY TO SAY IF COVID-19 NUMBERS ARE LEVELLING OFF, WARN EXPERTS
The apparent fall in Covid-19 case numbers may be temporary ahead of a return to exponential growth, experts have warned. By 9am on Thursday, there had been a further 39,906 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases in the UK – down from 44,104 at the same time on Wednesday.
A further 84 people had died within 28 days of testing positive as of Thursday, up from 73 on Wednesday. Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the Norwich School of Medicine, University of East Anglia, said Thursday was the first time reported case numbers had been lower than the same day the previous week since early May.
“They represent a 18% drop. Also the week-on-week percentage increase in cases has fallen from a peak of 43% last Sunday to just 24% today.
“But it is still too early to see any impact of the relaxations of Monday 19 and some of the reduction in cases will be because of many children no longer being tested as regularly now schools are closed.
“I would caution that this may just be a temporary slowing in reports before we start to see a return to exponential growth towards the end of next week as a result of the ending of restrictions last week,” he said.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPH: DAILY HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS PER 10,000 COVID CASES
- Joseph Gamp
COVID RULES COULD BE ‘BACK IN WEEKS’ AS MINISTERS DRAW UP PLANS AMID RECORD CASES IN YOUNG BRITS
Infections are on the up in younger age groups as society opens up once more.
Now, ministers part of a Covid task force are set to be drawing up plans which will include fresh guidance on working from home, social distancing and mask wearing.
Sources told the Independent that there was “no plan” to return to a hard lockdown that had been seen at the start of the year with others saying adding restrictions would be a “last resort”.
One expert told the Independent that the government’s current plan for reintroducing lockdowns fits with the way they have handled previous waves.
They said: “First ignore the problems and deny action is needed, then realise there is a problem and tell people it is up to them to act, then, belatedly, impose greater restrictions than would have been needed if one acted early.”
- Joseph Gamp
YOB IN SPIDERMAN COSTUME CAUSES MAYHEM IN TESCO TWO WEEKS BEFORE SUPERHERO MOB BRAWL IN ASDA
Yob in Spiderman costume causes mayhem in Tesco two weeks before superhero mob brawl in Asda
- Joseph Gamp
SAJID JAVID CRITICISED OVER 'COWER FROM COVID' COMMENT (CONTINUED…)
Shadow justice secretary David Lammy questioned Mr Javid's use of the word cower, in words echoed by Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner.
"129,000 Brits have died from Covid under your Government's watch," Mr Lammy wrote. Don't denigrate people for trying to keep themselves and their families safe."
Lib Dem health spokeswoman Munira Wilson said Mr Javid's tweet was "outrageous" while thousands remain in hospital with Covid-19.
"His careless words have insulted every man, woman and child who has followed the rules and stayed at home to protect others," she said in a statement.
"He owes them all, especially the millions who are shielding, an apology."
- Joseph Gamp
SAJID JAVID CRITICISED FOR SUGGESTING PEOPLE HAVE 'COWERED' FROM COVID-19
Sajid Javid has been criticised for saying people must no longer "cower" from coronavirus as he announced he had made a "full recovery" from Covid-19.
Labour accused him of having managed to "denigrate" people who followed the rules to protect others, while the Lib Dems told him to apologise to those who have shielded because they are particularly vulnerable to the disease.
Mr Javid received a positive test result on July 17 for a coronavirus infection that ultimately sent Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak into isolation as contacts.
The Health Secretary, who had received both jabs before testing positive, said on Saturday he had made a "full recovery" and that his "symptoms were very mild, thanks to amazing vaccines".
"Please, if you haven't yet, get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus," he wrote on Twitter.
- Joseph Gamp
SAJID JAVID CRITICISED FOR SUGGESTING PEOPLE HAVE 'COWERED' FROM COVID-19
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has been criticised for saying people must no longer "cower" from coronavirus as he announced he had made a "full recovery" from Covid-19.
Shadow justice secretary David Lammy accused him of having "insulted" people who followed the rules to protect others, while the Lib Dems told him to apologise to those who have shielded because they are particularly vulnerable to the disease.
Mr Javid received a positive test result on July 17 for a coronavirus infection that ultimately sent Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak into isolation as contacts.
The Health Secretary, who had received both jabs before testing positive, said on Saturday he had made a "full recovery" and that his "symptoms were very mild, thanks to amazing vaccines".
"Please, if you haven't yet, get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus," he wrote on Twitter.
- Joseph Gamp
SCOTLAND RECORDS A FURTHER 11 COVID-19 DEATHS
Scotland has recorded a further 11 coronavirus deaths, with the number of people in intensive care with Covid also increasing.
The latest daily figures published on Saturday mean 7,859 people have now died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.
Another 1,307 new cases of the virus were also confirmed in the last 24 hours, with 6.1% of tests coming back positive.
There were 60 people in intensive care with the virus on Friday, a rise of three from the previous day's total.
However the number of people in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19 was down from 502 on Thursday to 478 24 hours later.
- Joseph Gamp
DAILY HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS PER 10,000 CASES
- Joseph Gamp
JABS SLASH DEATHS – DESPITE SPIKE IN CASES
Yesterday, 870 patients were admitted to hospital, the highest daily figure since February 25.
However, deaths remain comparatively low, with 64 recorded yesterday.
On January 20, 1,820 deaths were recorded – the highest number of UK deaths reported on a single day since the outbreak began.
People aged 75 and over account for 19 per cent of patients admitted to hospital with Covid in England during the current wave, which has so far lasted just over two months.
At the same time in the winter wave, this age group had made up 44 per cent of all virus patients.
The number of beds occupied in hospital per 10,000 Covid-19 cases is also on the decline during the current wave, while it was rising in the winter
- Joseph Gamp
POLICE, FIRE CREWS AND BORDER FORCE STAFF CAN SKIP COVID ISOLATION
Downing Street was forced into another U-turn as they announced police, fire crews and some Border Force staff at ports can skip isolation regardless of vaccine status.
So will those at the most critical parts of transport and freight systems.
Amid growing alarm at the sheer scale of the pingdemic crisis, No 10 has scrambled to free more essential workers from the draconian rules.
Along with food distribution workers, thousands of these frontline staff will be able to take daily tests so they can carry on with their duties if they are pinged by the NHS Covid app.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Daily testing will keep our frontline teams safe while they continue to serve the public and communities across our country.”
- Joseph Gamp
GARETH SOUTHGATE URGES YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET COVID JAB
England manager Gareth Southgate has urged young people to get their freedom back by supporting the coronavirus vaccination programme. In the UK, more than 46 million people have now had a first Covid-19 vaccine dose, and more than 36 million have had both doses.
Southgate, 50, whose England side lost this month’s Euro 2020 final on a penalty shoot-out to Italy at Wembley, said in a video message: “I just firstly wanted to say thank you for the support you gave the team this summer, but also to say we know the last 18 months have been incredibly difficult for everybody.
“And there’s no doubt that the vaccination programme is our best route out of this problem, not only for us as a country but across the world. So I just wanted to say how important it is, if you haven’t had your vaccine yet, to go and get it done.
“I know oldies like me have had both jabs so we can crack on with our lives, but for you younger ones especially it’s the chance for everything to open up, to get your freedom back. So much of that is going to rest on you having the vaccine.
“So, don’t put it off any longer, go and get it done, we can open everything up, we can protect the people we need to protect and you guys will get your freedom back.”
- Joseph Gamp
DAILY UK INFECTIONS BEGIN TO DROP
The number of infections reported in the UK is finally beginning to drop.
Yesterday, a further 36,389 cases were diagnosed overnight – a drop of almost a third from the 51,870 reported last Friday.
Now the Mail reports that, during the winter wave when daily cases were around the same as they are now, there were almost 27 times more Covid deaths each day. There were also nine times more people in hospital.
Meanwhile, there are currently 125 patients on ventilators for every 10,000 daily new infections, compared with 2,312 per 10,000 at the same point in the previous wave.
And people aged 54 and under make up 60 per cent of virus patients admitted to English hospitals this time around – compared with just 22 per cent during the winter wave.
- Joseph Gamp
NO MORE GROUPS WILL BE ADDED TO AUGUST 16 PINGDEMIC SELF-ISOLATION EXEMPTION LIST
Staff in critical sectors – including food and water supply, medicines and public transport – can dodge 10 days quarantine if their bosses get permission from the Government.
The news was welcomed by industries facing major staff shortages, with more than 618,903 Brits ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid-19 app in just one week.
The Government has not published a list of essential workers – like it did in the first lockdown – but has identified vital industries.
George Eustice said today that the exemption from self-isolation would not be extended to the hospitality industry.
And he made clear that no other sectors are being considered to dodge self-isolation before August 16.
- Joseph Gamp
COMPANY ACCUSED OF FAKING PCR TESTS BANNED FROM OPERATING
The Sun exposed RT Diagnostics last week, after secret footage revealed tens of thousands of tests were allegedly being dumped.
The Halifax firm had been on the government-approved list of private providers.
Accreditation body UKAS confirmed it has been removed.
A UKAS spokesman said: “We are aware that this matter is being followed up by the appropriate regulatory bodies which includes Trading Standards.
“In the interim this body is not listed on the Department of Health and Social Care website and may not offer Covid 19 services.
“It is now for the regulators to take this matter forward and prosecute if there have been breaches of legislation.”
- Joseph Gamp
SAJID JAVID URGES BRITS TO GET VACCINATED AFTER 'FULL RECOVERY' FROM COVID-19
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he has made a "full recovery" a week after testing positive for a coronavirus infection that ultimately sent the Prime Minister and Chancellor into isolation.
Mr Javid, who had received both vaccine doses before he tested positive, urged people to get their jabs after reporting he experienced only "very mild" symptoms.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's quarantine in his Chequers country residence is expected to end late on Monday.
Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak initially tried to avoid isolation by saying they were taking part in a testing pilot, but backed down in the face of widespread public criticism.
- Joseph Gamp
PIERS MORGAN REVEALS HE CAUGHT COVID IN WEMBLEY EURO FINAL CHAOS
Piers Morgan reveals he caught Covid in Wembley Euro final chaos
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPH: DAILY DEATHS PER 10,000 COVID-9 CASES
- Joseph Gamp
PIERS MORGAN REVEALS HE CAUGHT COVID IN WEMBLEY EURO FINAL CHAOS
Piers Morgan has revealed he caught Covid during chaos at the Euro 2020 final – despite being double-jabbed.
The ex Good Morning Britain presenter says he was infected during chaos at Wembley amid England’s heartbreaking defeat to Italy.
And the broadcaster, who has won widespread acclaim for his criticism of the Government’s pandemic policies, said he’s been struck down with a raging fever, chills and violent coughing fits.
Officials assured fans attending the final that only fully-vaccinated spectators, or those with negative tests, would be allowed into the stadium.
- Joseph Gamp
FESTIVAL FANS ENJOY FIRST SATURDAY SINCE 'FREEDOM DAY' AT LATITUDE AND TRAMLINES
Music fans have been enjoying the first weekend since coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England at Latitude Festival, Tramlines and Standon Calling.
Saturday headliners at Latitude Festival, which is taking place at Henham Park estate near the Suffolk coast, are The Chemical Brothers, while Rudimental and Supergrass will also play.
Around 40,000 people have attended the event, which is part of the Government's Events Research Programme.
Festivalgoers were pictured enjoying the music after the heatwave came to an end. Tramlines festival is also continuing in Sheffield on Saturday.
Royal Blood, Mahalia and Little Simz are among the acts taking to the stage on the second day of the festival.
- Joseph Gamp
UK RECORDS A FURTHER 31,795 NEW COVID CASES
A further 31,795 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded across the UK today.
Saturday's figure is down almost 5,000 cases from the previous day, official government data showed.
Delays with the data meant the number of deaths has not yet been released.
- Joseph Gamp
COVID COULD BE SPREAD THROUGH FARTING, MINISTERS CLAIM
Some officials have privately pointed to evidence that the virus can be spread through omitting bodily gasses in confined spaces like bathrooms.
One minister told The Telegraph that they read “credible-looking stuff on it” from other countries around the world.
They claimed there had been evidence of a “genomical-linked tracing connection between two individuals from a [toilet] cubicle in Australia”.
Also, there have been some “well-documented cases of diseases spreading through waste pipes during lockdowns in Hong Kong when the U-bend had dried out”.
However, government scientists have not confirmed the claim.
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NORTH EAST GETS EXTRA SUPPORT IN BID TO SLOW GROWTH OF COVID-19
The North East of England is to be given a five-week package of support by the Government in a bid to slow the growth of Covid-19 in the region.
The package includes the option to deliver extra testing in the area, as well as providing logistical support to maximise vaccine and testing uptake.
It will be deployed to the seven local authorities across Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham, and five local authorities in the Tees Valley.
The move comes as similar support in Bedford and much of the North West, which has been in place for between six and 10 weeks, is being scaled back.
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