Home » Articles » News

UK gov't under spotlight as COVID-19 cases rise again | Inquirer News

UK gov't under spotlight as COVID-19 cases rise again | Inquirer News
"People wearing protective face masks walk along a platform on the London Underground, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, July 25, 2021. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
LONDON — Britain has repeatedly trumpeted its mass vaccination program against Covid-19, hailing its early approval of jabs as a key part of the long struggle to return to normal life.
But infection rates remain stubbornly high, contrasting sharply with its European neighbors and prompting fresh questions of the government.
ADVERTISEMENT

For two weeks, the number of new cases has wavered between 35,000 and 40,000 a day, and on Monday nudged closer to 50,000 — the highest since the July peak of the “Delta” variant outbreak.
The daily death toll has often exceeded 100 since the summer, adding to an overall toll of more than 138,000, second only to Russia in Europe.FEATURED STORIES
NEWSINFO
Roque bares Sara Duterte’s last-minute appeal for him to run for Senate

NEWSINFO
‘Saving’ Manila Bay: Dolomite beach, wetlands drowning in wastes

NEWSINFO
Bongbong, family attend China embassy’s photo wall ribbon-cutting event

“Sadly, at the moment the UK has a higher level of Covid-19 than most other comparable countries, this is seen not just in positive tests but in hospital admissions and deaths,” said Jim Naismith, professor of structural biology at the University of Oxford.
Across the Channel, France is recording some 4,000 cases a day and Germany 10,000. Deaths are running at about 30 and 60 daily respectively.

Recommended videosPowered by AnyClip1/7North Korea says US overreacting over missile testRead More



4.6K









Video Player is loading.Play VideoUnmuteDuration /Current Time Playback Speed Settings1xLoaded: 0%Remaining Time - FullscreenPlayUp NextThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.Playback Speed0.25x0.5x1x Normal1.5x2xReplay the listPowered by AnyClip Privacy Policy

TOP ARTICLES







































North Korea says US overreacting over missile test
NOW PLAYING
UP NEXT





Ethiopia hits Tigray's capital with third airstrike
NOW PLAYING
UP NEXT





Isko Moreno promises to cut tax on fuel, electricity by 50%
NOW PLAYING
UP NEXT





WATCH: OCEAN PARK SA MANILA, BUKAS NA | CHONA YU
NOW PLAYING
UP NEXT





WATCH: MGA MAGSASAKA, UMAARAY NA SA SMUGGLING NG GULAY NA GALING CHINA | CHONA YU
NOW PLAYING
UP NEXT





WATCH: MGA MAGSASAKA, SUMUGOD SA MENDIOLA | CHONA YU
NOW PLAYING
UP NEXT





Atienza: Makabayan endorses Pacquiao
NOW PLAYING
UP NEXT



North Korea says US overreacting over missile test





Questions are being asked about the gulf in figures, even if Prime Minister Boris Johnson — who survived a spell in hospital intensive care with Covid — appears unperturbed.
Scientists have already voiced fears that the high underlying number of cases could overload the state-run National Health Service, which is often under pressure in autumn and winter from respiratory infections.
“We always knew the coming months could be challenging,” Johnson’s official spokesman told reporters on Monday.
“Obviously different countries are potentially at different stages of their vaccination programs and have different measures in place, so it’s difficult to compare and contrast,” he said.
“But it’s important to strike the right balance between protecting lives and livelihoods.”
ADVERTISEMENT

School-aged children
Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said the rate of infections among older school-aged children “is clearly the driving force behind this sustained tide of new infections”.
Vaccination rates are low among schoolchildren in Britain, and masks are no longer mandatory, although the government said earlier this month that they could be reintroduced if cases continue to rise.
While healthy children are generally able to fight off the disease, the rising case numbers “may be of concern to parents, grandparents with caring responsibilities, and teachers, some of whom may not be vaccinated or have health conditions that make them vulnerable,” said Clarke.
A deeper dive into the statistics shows that Britain conducts twice as many tests as France, and six times more than Germany.
It also shows there are currently more people in intensive care units with Covid in France and Germany than in Britain, although overall numbers in hospital are comparable in Britain and France at about 7,000.
But while France’s daily hospitalization rate has plummeted in recent weeks to around 150 admissions, Britain’s has not dipped below 500 since the summer, and has now risen to more than 900.
Infection rates in France, Germany and the Netherlands have also increased in recent days.
Britain removed Covid restrictions in July, ending social distancing and mask mandates — although many transport operators still require them.
Proof of vaccine for visiting crowded spaces such as restaurants, theaters and nightclubs is also not mandatory in England, and has only just been introduced in Wales and Scotland, which set their own health policy.
Mitigation measures
Britain has mainly used the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which was shown to be less effective at preventing infection from the Delta variant than the mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna predominantly used in Europe.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The country also began its vaccination program earlier, prompting questions about whether immunity is now waning, similar to Israel’s experience.
Only 41 percent of those vaccinated have received a booster shot so far, raising further questions about the effectiveness of the follow-up program.
Attitudes to mask-wearing also differ: according to a YouGov poll, around 15 percent of Britons say they never wear a mask in public. In Europe, it was about five percent.
The survey also indicated that far more Britons are returning to public transport or large gatherings than on mainland Europe.
That has prompted criticism that the government has become too lax on regulations, leading to complacency.
Johnson, who wants to get the country’s economy moving again, is reluctant to reimpose restrictions, including lockdowns.
But Naismith said: “Some immediate mitigation measures (masking, ventilation) would seem desirable… With winter approaching, it might be worthwhile taking stock of where we are.”
.inline_ffff input { width: 70%!important; }
.bypro {
float: right;
width: 71%;
text-align: center;
margin-top: -12px;
margin-right: 15px;
clear: both;
color: #5C5C5C;
font-size: 8px!important;
line-height: 9px!important;

}
.lfform-inquirer-horizontal h2 {
font-weight: bold !important;
font-family: mallory !important;
}
@media only screen and (min-width: 360px) and (max-width: 767px) {
.lfform-inquirer-horizontal #myForm3 {
width: 100%;
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
justify-content: center;
}
.lfform-inquirer img {
width: 100% !important;
margin: 0 !important;
}
.bypro {
margin-top: 10px;
}
.lfform-inquirer-horizontal input[type=""email""] {

width: 100% !important;
}
.lfform-inquirer-horizontal input[type=""submit""], .lfform-inquirer-horizontal input[type=""button""] {

width: 100% !important;
}
}

.formv4 {
width: 100%!important;
max-width: 100%;
margin: 15px 0;
}
.formv4 input[type=""email""] {
font-weight: bold;
float: left;
-webkit-appearance: none;
margin: 0!important;
width: 70% !important;
}
.formv4 input[type=""submit""] {
font-weight: bold;
width: 28% !important;
padding: 3%;
float: left;
-webkit-appearance: none;
}
.formv4 #myForm3 {
width: 100%;
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
justify-content: space-between;
}
.formv4 .bypro {
width:100%;
font-family: 'noto serif';
float: unset;
clear: both;
color: #333333;
font-size: 11px!important;

line-height: 1 !important;
margin: 10px 3px;
text-align:left;
}
.formv4 a, .formv4 a:visited, .formv4 a:hover {
color: #0b72b5 !important;
text-decoration: none; !important;
}

.formv4 h2 {
font-weight: bold !important;
text-align: left;
font-family: mallory !important;
color: #333333 !important;
margin:5px 0 !important;
padding: 0 !important;
}
.formv4 p {
width: 100%;
text-align: left;
color: #5A5A5A !important;
font-family: 'noto serif' !important;
font-size: 14px !important;
margin: 0 !important;
line-height: 1.6em !important;
margin-bottom: 15px !important;
padding: 0 !important;
}

@media only screen and (min-width: 360px) and (max-width: 767px) {
.formv4 h2 {

font-size: 16px !important;
}
.formv4 .bypro {
font-size: 12px!important;
margin: 5px 5px;
}
.formv4 input[type=""email""] {

width: 100% !important;
}
.formv4 input[type=""submit""] {
width: 100% !important;
margin: 10px 0;
}
.formv4 {
width: 95%!important;
max-width: 95%;
margin: 20px auto;
}
}

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and
acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.

What you need to know about Coronavirus.

For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link .

#inqplus-article2 {
width: 100%;
height: 250px;
margin: 20px auto;
background-color: #a5b8c5;
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: flex-start;
}
#inqplus-cta-wrap {
width: 50%;
height: 250px;
background-image: url(/single2017/images/inqplus-sub/inqplus-cta-bg1.png);
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-size: cover;
}
#inqplus-cta2 {
width: 89%;
height: auto;
margin: 35px auto 0;
}
#inqplus-cta2 img {
width: 100%;
}
#newsletter-cta-wrap {
width: 50%;
height: 250px;
background-image: url(/single2017/images/inqplus-sub/newsletter-bg1.png);
position: relative;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-size: cover;
}
#newsletter-cta2 {
width: 95%;
position: absolute;
bottom: -4px;
z-index: 1;
}
#newsletter-cta2 img {
width: 100%;
}
#inqplus-nl-sub2 {
width: 65%!important;
display: flex;
font-size: 0;
box-sizing: border-box;
z-index: 2;
position: absolute;
bottom: 10px;
right: 10px;
}
#inqplus-nl-sub2 form {
width: 100%!important;
}
.sub-input2 {
width: 70%!important;
height: 25px!important;
border: 0!important;
padding: 5px 0 5px 10px!important;
margin: 0!important;
box-sizing: border-box!important;
border-radius:0;
-webkit-appearance:none;
}
.sub-btn2 {
width: 30%!important;
height: 25px!important;
border: 0!important;
padding: 0!important;
margin: 0!important;
background-color: #004a87!important;
color: #f5f5f5!important;
text-transform: uppercase!important;
border-radius:0;
-webkit-appearance:none;
}
/* 414px */
@media only screen and (min-width: 414px) and (max-width: 599px){
#inqplus-article2 {
width: 98%;
height: auto;
}

#inqplus-cta-wrap {
width: 100%;
height: auto;
}

#newsletter-cta-wrap {
width: 100%;
}

#newsletter-cta2 img {
width: 90%;
}

}

/* 320px */
@media only screen and (min-width: 320px) and (max-width: 413px){
#inqplus-article2 {
width: 98%;
height: auto;
}

#inqplus-cta-wrap {
width: 100%;
}

#newsletter-cta-wrap {
width: 100%;
}

}

Read Next

Russia closes Nato missions as ties plunge to new low

VerrulonRemove Warts & Skin Tags Safely At Home! Try Out Now!Verrulon|SponsoredSponsoredUndoAcuStepsAng simpleng pamamaraan na ito ay aalisin ang sakit ng buong katawan. Subukan ito ngayong gabi!AcuSteps|SponsoredSponsoredUndoWork from Home | Search AdsDo You Speak English? Work a USA job from home in PhilippinesWork from Home | Search Ads|SponsoredSponsoredUndoPerfect-Dating.comAgusan Del Norte is actually full of single handsome guys. Check them out on this free dating sitePerfect-Dating.com|SponsoredSponsoredUndoDatemyage.comWhy women find older men so attractiveDatemyage.com|SponsoredSponsoredUndoTips and TricksA Marine rushes home to greet his wife, but is surprised when he sees her.Tips and Tricks|SponsoredSponsoredUndoStudent SeaKate Middleton's Daring Outfit Took Prince William's Breath AwayStudent Sea|SponsoredSponsoredUndo

window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-d',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails-desktop',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails - newsinfo',
target_type: 'mix'
});


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-e',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails-mobile',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails - newsinfo',
target_type: 'mix'
});

EDITORS' PICK

Delivering delight against all odds

Pagasa: Fair weather on Thursday; cooler days coming

US FDA clears Moderna, J&J COVID-19 boosters, backs use of different vaccine for boost

Next level mobile photography within reach with vivo X70 co-engineered with ZEISS

Leaked: A 60x Zoom and all-new Helio G96 mean a complete overhaul for TECNO Mobile’s new CAMON 18 series

DOJ drug war review: Killer cops had it easy

MOST READ

Drilon: Tax and then ban Chinese firm in pandemic funds mess

‘Saving’ Manila Bay: Dolomite beach, wetlands drowning in wastes

Robredo to supporters: Be calm, gentle and do good deeds

DOTr signs deal with Chinese firm for Phase 1 of Mindanao Railway project

Don't miss out on the latest news and information.

View comments" - https://www.affordablecebu.com/
 

Please support us in writing articles like this by sharing this post

Share this post to your Facebook, Twitter, Blog, or any social media site. In this way, we will be motivated to write articles you like.

--- NOTICE ---
If you want to use this article or any of the content of this website, please credit our website (www.affordablecebu.com) and mention the source link (URL) of the content, images, videos or other media of our website.

"UK gov't under spotlight as COVID-19 cases rise again | Inquirer News" was written by Mary under the News category. It has been read 410 times and generated 0 comments. The article was created on and updated on 16 November 2021.
Total comments : 0