Authors: Steven Swinford, Matt Dathan, and Katie Gibbons
> Boris Johnson said people should go out and celebrate New Year’s Eve despite a nationwide shortage of Covid tests and a record number of cases.
>The prime minister, senior cabinet members and government advisers have all urged people to do lateral flow tests before meeting up to help limit the spread of the Omicron variant.
>However, no tests were available for delivery on the government website for most of yesterday, while pharmacies said there was a “huge” supply problem. The government will attempt to deliver millions more tests to pharmacies over the next 48 hours.
>Last night a No 10 source clarified that people could still go out if they failed to secure a test but should exercise caution.
>Sajid Javid, the health secretary, told a Tory MP that people should not stockpile tests as he admitted that the country was being hit by a global shortage. He said there was no “quick fix”.
>Whereas New Year’s Eve celebrations will go ahead in England, nightclubs have been ordered to close in Wales and Scotland. A minister in London said yesterday that Scots could cross the border to celebrate the new year. In other developments:
>Covid-19 cases across the UK rose by a record 183,037, though this included five days of data from Northern Ireland — 22,972 infections — because of a lag in reporting over Christmas.
>The prime minister said up to nine in ten patients admitted to intensive care with the coronavirus had not had the booster jab, as another 1,213 hospital admissions were recorded.
>Data from South Africa suggested that Omicron was less deadly than previous strains and would result in a quarter of the deaths seen in earlier waves.
>Staff at some NHS hospitals were still being told to isolate for ten days rather than seven, despite shortages.
>Yesterday the government website experienced issues with the availability of tests for home delivery for the third day running. The availability of PCR tests at walk-in centres was also limited.
>Despite the shortages, Johnson urged people to get tested during a visit to a vaccination centre. “Everybody should enjoy New Year but in a cautious and sensible way. Take a test, ventilation, think about others but above all get a booster.” He added that Omicron was “obviously milder”.
>A No 10 source subsequently made clear that people did not need a negative test to go out. “People should exercise caution, and testing is one of several mitigations,” the source said. “The government is not telling people they should not go out. It’s about personal responsibility. But of course people should get a test where possible.”
>Sir Roger Gale, a senior Conservative MP, spoke to Javid after complaining on Twitter about the limited availability of tests. Javid told him the government was “buying as much as we are able to” but admitted there was a shortage. He advised people to “keep trying and only order what they need”.
>Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said customers were asking for tests every five minutes. She told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “Because of the issues around supply being patchy and inconsistent, it means that those who come for the test don’t always get it.”
>The UK Health Security Agency said nearly 900,000 lateral flow tests were being provided every day. Yesterday it said eight million kits would be offered to pharmacies by New Year’s Eve. However, there is no guarantee they will be delivered before then. An agency spokesman urged people to keep checking the government website for lateral flow and PCR tests.
>Hospitality bosses in Scotland and Wales believe tens of thousands of people could cross the border to England to celebrate the new year. Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, said it was “essential” to take action to reduce transmission.
>Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said: “People are doing the right thing, follow the government’s own advice and test themselves regularly, but are prevented by the Conservative government’s incompetence.”
>Downing Street said the prime minister’s remark about 90 per cent of intensive care patients not having had the booster was anecdotal data from several NHS trusts in London. It did not disclose which trusts.
Go to new years eve parties.
Cross borders if you can’t go where you are.
Go even if you can’t take a test.
But be cautious tho.
Yes party on, those Nightingale hospitals will need to be used…
4 comments
**Article Text:**
Authors: Steven Swinford, Matt Dathan, and Katie Gibbons
> Boris Johnson said people should go out and celebrate New Year’s Eve despite a nationwide shortage of Covid tests and a record number of cases.
>The prime minister, senior cabinet members and government advisers have all urged people to do lateral flow tests before meeting up to help limit the spread of the Omicron variant.
>However, no tests were available for delivery on the government website for most of yesterday, while pharmacies said there was a “huge” supply problem. The government will attempt to deliver millions more tests to pharmacies over the next 48 hours.
>Last night a No 10 source clarified that people could still go out if they failed to secure a test but should exercise caution.
>Sajid Javid, the health secretary, told a Tory MP that people should not stockpile tests as he admitted that the country was being hit by a global shortage. He said there was no “quick fix”.
>Whereas New Year’s Eve celebrations will go ahead in England, nightclubs have been ordered to close in Wales and Scotland. A minister in London said yesterday that Scots could cross the border to celebrate the new year. In other developments:
>Covid-19 cases across the UK rose by a record 183,037, though this included five days of data from Northern Ireland — 22,972 infections — because of a lag in reporting over Christmas.
>The prime minister said up to nine in ten patients admitted to intensive care with the coronavirus had not had the booster jab, as another 1,213 hospital admissions were recorded.
>Data from South Africa suggested that Omicron was less deadly than previous strains and would result in a quarter of the deaths seen in earlier waves.
>Staff at some NHS hospitals were still being told to isolate for ten days rather than seven, despite shortages.
>Yesterday the government website experienced issues with the availability of tests for home delivery for the third day running. The availability of PCR tests at walk-in centres was also limited.
>Despite the shortages, Johnson urged people to get tested during a visit to a vaccination centre. “Everybody should enjoy New Year but in a cautious and sensible way. Take a test, ventilation, think about others but above all get a booster.” He added that Omicron was “obviously milder”.
>A No 10 source subsequently made clear that people did not need a negative test to go out. “People should exercise caution, and testing is one of several mitigations,” the source said. “The government is not telling people they should not go out. It’s about personal responsibility. But of course people should get a test where possible.”
>Sir Roger Gale, a senior Conservative MP, spoke to Javid after complaining on Twitter about the limited availability of tests. Javid told him the government was “buying as much as we are able to” but admitted there was a shortage. He advised people to “keep trying and only order what they need”.
>Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said customers were asking for tests every five minutes. She told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “Because of the issues around supply being patchy and inconsistent, it means that those who come for the test don’t always get it.”
>The UK Health Security Agency said nearly 900,000 lateral flow tests were being provided every day. Yesterday it said eight million kits would be offered to pharmacies by New Year’s Eve. However, there is no guarantee they will be delivered before then. An agency spokesman urged people to keep checking the government website for lateral flow and PCR tests.
>Hospitality bosses in Scotland and Wales believe tens of thousands of people could cross the border to England to celebrate the new year. Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, said it was “essential” to take action to reduce transmission.
>Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said: “People are doing the right thing, follow the government’s own advice and test themselves regularly, but are prevented by the Conservative government’s incompetence.”
>Downing Street said the prime minister’s remark about 90 per cent of intensive care patients not having had the booster was anecdotal data from several NHS trusts in London. It did not disclose which trusts.
Go to new years eve parties.
Cross borders if you can’t go where you are.
Go even if you can’t take a test.
But be cautious tho.
Yes party on, those Nightingale hospitals will need to be used…
Party on but be excellent to each other
He’s now getting his advice from Bill and Ted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S67sDHdhpio