Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

22 Jun

22 June 2021

A series of daily updates for CHO members regarding relevant updates pertaining to Coronavirus from home and abroad.

Key Announcements:

  • Official data shows the number of people who tested positive for the virus yesterday in the UK was 10,633 and 5 people died having tested positive within 28 days.
  • The number of people who have received their first dose of a vaccine was 43,127,763 and the figure for the second dose was 31,449,915 as of 20 June.
  • The Prime Minister has said that the 19 July is still “looking good” for the date when all Covid restriction can be lifted in England.
  • Ministers are reportedly considering relaxing travel restrictions from August and dropping quarantine rules for double-jabbed travellers.
  • Government borrowing fell in May compared with the same month last year, at £24.3bn this month, which is £19.4bn less than May last year, as the economy appears to recover.
  • Older schools pupils could be offered a vaccine before the next academic year begins, subject to approval from doctors, as Ministers are reportedly keen to vaccinate young people who are considered to be more “socially active.”

Devolved

  • First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to confirm a delay to the easing of Scotland’s Covid-19 restrictions later, to allow more people to be vaccinated.
  • Pupils across Wales are getting provisional GCSE, AS and A Level grades throughout the month, set by teachers as an alternative to summer exams – however, there are concerns some may be in limbo for weeks before results are confirmed, as university places will not be confirmed until August.
  • More than 9,000 NI students from lower income backgrounds at Queen’s and Ulster universities are to receive an additional £495 payment for disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic – this is on top of a £500 payment from the Stormont Executive to about 40,000 students across Northern Ireland.
  • Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, has called for Sturgeon to justify the “totally disproportionate” travel ban between the North West of England and Scotland.

International

  • US deaths from Covid-19 have dipped below 300 a day for the first time since March last year, as the country approached its milestone of 150m Americans vaccinate, but President Biden falls sort of target to send 80m doses abroad.
  • The World Bank and the African Union said on Monday they would work together to accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations for up to 400 million people across Africa, bolstering efforts to vaccinate 60 percent of the continent’s population by 2022.
  • Indonesia has tightened restrictions further , as health authorities continue to battle a new surge in infections following their highest one-day total on Monday, with 14,535 cases confirmed.
  • In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to jail people who refuse to be vaccinated against the coronavirus as the Philippines battles one of Asia’s worst outbreaks – “You choose, vaccine or I will have you jailed,” Duterte said in a televised address on Monday following reports of low turnouts at several vaccination sites in the capital Manila.
  • Australian doctors have reported a surge in the number of people cancelling their vaccine appointments , amid a new wave of caution over the AstraZeneca jab.

Stakeholders

  • Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour will miss his side’s final Euro 2020 group stage game with Croatia on Tuesday after testing positive for Covid – England duo Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount are now self-isolating as a precaution, following Friday night’s match.
  • Italy’s prime minister reportedly wants the Euro 2020 final to be moved from Wembley Stadium because of Britain’s rising coronavirus infections, but reports say UEFA is not looking to change venue, and is in fact in talks with the UK government about increasing Wembley’s capacity.
  • Dating app Bumble has closed its offices this week to combat workplace stress, with its 700 staff worldwide told to switch off and focus on themselves