Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

21 Jun

21 June 2021

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

Key Announcements:

  • Official figures show that 9,284 people tested positive for coronavirus yesterday in the UK, and six people died within 28 days of a positive test.
  • The government is expected to publish plans for a Covid booster jab programme “in due course”, following calls from NHS trusts that the autumn roll out must start now.
  • Dr Susan Hopkins, a government adviser on the pandemic, has said that people who have been double vaccinated may be exempt from self-isolation in future. A decision would be made after the results of a study that uses daily lateral flow tests as an alternative to isolation for 10 days after coming into contact with a positive case, she said.
  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to discuss social care reforms and funding with the Health Secretary and Chancellor on Tuesday, although a Number 10 official said it was “not a decision-making meeting”, Politico’s Playbook reported.
  • The UK government will be injecting funds to “restore Britain’s status as a scientific superpower,” the Prime Minister writes in the Telegraph . A National Science and Technology Council will be established, with Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance heading up the Office for Science and Technology Strategy.

Devolved

  • Changes in Wales today will see a relaxation of capacity rules in music and comedy venues . Groups of six people from six households will be able to attend music and comedy venues, and wedding and wake venues can now host as many people as they can safely.
  • Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has accused the First Minister of Scotland of “hypocrisy” over a travel ban to the north-west of England. All non-essential travel to Manchester and Salford has been banned from today.

International

  • France lifts mandatory mask-wearing outdoors today and end its night curfew.
  • China has administered over one billion vaccines, more than a third of the doses given worldwide.
  • Japan is expected to announce today that a limited number of spectators will be able to attend venues for the Olympic Games.

Stakeholders

  • Figures obtained by The Sunday Times, show that the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received almost 4,000 reports of women with period issues linked to the vaccines up to 17 May.
  • Analysis by the Resolution Foundation has found that there has been little evidence of an increase in the share of younger adults living with their parents since the start of the pandemic.