Covid news - live: Whitty says UK ‘past peak’ of current wave as Boris Johnson hails effort to vaccinate 10m
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England’s chief medical officer has said the UK is “past the peak” of the current wave of coronavirus infections, but warned that there could be another surge if restrictions are eased too soon.
Professor Chris Whitty told the Downing Street press conference: “Most of my colleagues think we are past the peak. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t have another one.”
Prime minister Boris Johnson hailed the “colossal” effort by the NHS in successfully vaccinating 10 million people so far, but also cautioned that it was too soon to allow people to meet up once they have received a second jab.
He warned that infections were still too “forbiddingly high for us to imagine the relaxation of the current guidelines”.
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Hospitals prepare for increase in children suffering rare disease triggered by Covid
Hospitals across the country are preparing for a significant increase in children needing treatment for a rare disease triggered by coronavirus.
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Hospitals prepare for increase in children suffering rare disease triggered by Covid
Man charged with assault after he refused Covid treatment and ‘pinned nurse against wall’
A man has been charged with assault and criminal damage after allegedly pinning a hospital nurse against a wall while refusing coronavirus treatment.
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Man charged with assault after patient refusing Covid treatment ‘pinned nurse against wall’
Covid hoaxer banned from all hospitals after taking photos to falsely claim wards were empty
A Hampshire woman who posted photos of empty wards online in an attempt to prove coronavirus is a hoax has been banned from visiting hospitals.
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Covid hoaxer banned from all hospitals after taking photos to falsely claim wards were empty
Sir David Attenborough says anti-vaxxer theories come from ‘ignorance’
David Attenborough has called anti-vax thought “an ignorance of medical fact”.
Sir David Attenborough says anti-vaxxer theories come from ‘ignorance’
UK honours memory of Captain Tom Moore with nationwide clap
People across the country have applauded in the street to mark the passing of Captain Sir Tom Moore.
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UK honours memory of Captain Tom Moore with nationwide clap
Boris Johnson leads clap for Captain Tom
The prime minister led the nation in clapping in tribute to Captain Tom Moore, who died on Tuesday.
The record-breaking fundraiser, who died at age 100, became the nation’s sweetheart after he raised over £32m by walking laps around his garden.
Boris Johnson refuses to accelerate return of England’s schools in response to falling Covid infections
The prime minister has ruled out bringing forward the return of schools in England from 8 March, as Professor Chris Whitty warned the NHS will be swiftly back in trouble if relaxations are introduced too fast.
Boris Johnson is under pressure to follow Wales and Scotland by allowing schools to return after the half-term break on 22 February, but he warned he did not want to send recent reductions in infection rates “into reverse”.
Our Political Editor Andrew Woodcock reports:
Boris Johnson refuses to accelerate return of England’s schools in response to falling Covid infections
UK Covid deaths surpass Great Plague, Aids pandemic and every terror attack and war since 1945 combined
The number of Covid-19 deaths in the UK has surpassed the combined death toll of the Great Plague, the Aids pandemic and every single terror attack and war since 1945.
The estimated fatalities from the previous events mentioned totals 99,500. In contrast, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed the lives at more than 100,000 people in the UK, reports my colleague Anthony Cuthbertson.
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UK Covid deaths now greater than Great Plague, Aids pandemic and every terror attack and war since 1945
Chris Whitty sure man who shouted at him in street will ‘become a model citizen in due course’
Professor Chris Whitty said he "didn't think anything of" being accused of lying about the pandemic by a young man while walking near Westminster, footage of which has being widely shared on social media.
"The odd young lad, showing off, occasionally happens," he told a Downing Street briefing.
"I didn't think anything of it frankly. I was very surprised it was picked up by the media at all as anything of any importance.
"I'm sure he'll become a model citizen in due course and hopefully more like Captain Tom, who is the kind of person who I think much more exemplifies the spirit of the UK."
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