Coronavirus UK news – Britain's fourth Covid jab DELAYED as Moderna misses deadline due to 'Europe supply chain issues'
A MODERNA vaccine shipment destined for Britain has been delayed after the US firm said it will miss deadlines for the UK and Canada.
It came after Canada revealed it would only receive around half of the expected 1.2 million doses by the end of the month.
The company announced in a statement: “The trajectory of vaccine manufacturing ramp-up is not linear, and despite best efforts, there is a shortfall in previously estimated doses from the European supply chain.
“Vaccine manufacturing is a highly complex process, and a number of elements, including human and material resources, have factored into this volatility.”
Swiss drug makers Lonza have increased three new production lines to produce the active ingredients for the Moderna vaccine to aid supply outside of the United States.
Meanwhile experts said Covid variants could "scupper" the UK's roadmap out of lockdown.
Imperial College's Danny Altmann said "we should be terribly concerned" after 77 cases of a potentially vaccine-busting Covid mutation first discovered in India were identified in Britain.
Health authorities have detected 77 cases of the strain in the UK.
Seventy-three cases are in England and four are in Wales.
Meanwhile, the global death toll from Covid-19 has topped three million as cases continue to spiral in countries across the world.
The number of lives lost – as compiled by Johns Hopkins University – is almost equal to the population of Kyiv, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; or metropolitan Lisbon, Portugal.
It is bigger than Chicago (2.7million) and equivalent to Philadelphia and Dallas combined.
Read our coronavirus live blog below for the very latest news and updates on the pandemic…
- Joseph Gamp
ITALY REPORTS 310 CORONAVIRUS DEATHS ON SATURDAY, 15,370 NEW CASES
Italy reported 310 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday against 429 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections edged down to 15,370 from 15,943.
Italy has registered 116,676 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world.
The country has reported 3.857 million cases to date.
Patients in hospital with COVID-19 – not including those in intensive care – stood at 24,100 on Saturday, down from 24,743 a day earlier.
- Joseph Gamp
CHART: COVID VACCINATIONS IN THE UK TO DATE
- Joseph Gamp
RUSSIA REPORTS 9,321 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES, 398 DEATHS
Russia on Saturday reported 9,321 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, including 2,822 in Moscow, taking the national tally to 4,693,469.
The country also reported another 398 deaths, raising the official toll to 105,193.
- Joseph Gamp
MORE THAN 42 MILLION COVID VACCINES NOW ADMINISTERED IN THE UK SO FAR
Government data up to April 16 shows that of the 42,110,495 jabs given in the UK so far, 32,693,527 were first doses – a rise of 119,306 on the previous day.
Some 9,416,968 were second doses – an increase of 485,421.
- Olivia Burke
MODERNA VACCINE DELAYS FOR UK
The UK's supply of the Moderna vaccine has been delayed after the US pharmaceutical firm announced it will miss deadlines for doses for the UK and Canada.
It came after Canada revealed it would only receive around half of the expected 1.2 million doses by the end of the month.
The company announced in a statement, "The trajectory of vaccine manufacturing ramp-up is not linear, and despite best efforts, there is a shortfall in previously estimated doses from the European supply chain.
"Vaccine manufacturing is a highly complex process, and a number of elements, including human and material resources, have factored into this volatility."
Swiss drugmakers Lonza have increased three new production lines to produce the active ingredients for the Moderna vaccine to aid supply outside of the United States.
- Olivia Burke
PREGNANT WOMEN TO GET VACCINE
Pregnant women will be offered a Covid vaccine, government scientists have said.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation announced that pregnant women are expected to receive the vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population.
They said it would be "preferable" if they were offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
It comes after US data showed around 90,000 expectant mothers were jabbed without any issues.
- Olivia Burke
EXPERTS WANT INDIA ADDED TO "RED-LIST"
Experts have called for India to be added to the government’s “red list” of hotel quarantine countries as the new variant hit the UK.
The strain worryingly has two new substantial mutations in the spike protein which allow it to infect cells and override the immune system.
Professor Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College, told of his worry that the new variant could halt the UK's continuing progress.
The B.1.617 variant, first found in India, has been detected in 73 cases in England and four in Scotland, according to Public Health England.
- Joseph Gamp
BRITS HIT THE PUBS FOR ALFRESCO BOOZE-UP ON FIRST SATURDAY SINCE RESTRICTIONS EASED
Brits hit the pubs for alfresco booze-up on first Saturday since restrictions eased
- Joseph Gamp
ST GEORGE'S CHAPEL: THE SETTING FOR A COVID-SECURE ROYAL FUNERAL LIKE NO OTHER
The Queen has bid a final farewell to her beloved husband in an intimate Covid-secure funeral like no other at St George's Chapel.
The scene was set for the Duke of Edinburgh's nearest and dearest to gather together – in a socially distanced manner and wearing face masks – for what was a unique royal occasion.
As well as the traditional dressing of floral arrangements and family wreaths, bottles of hand sanitiser – a familiar mark of the coronavirus pandemic – sat next to a door in the vast nave area of the church.
The nave, which was packed with family and friends at three royal weddings in recent years, was an empty space filled only with the sunlight streaming in through the magnificent stained glass windows, four singers, a conductor, Royal Marine buglers and state trumpeters.
There were no rows of pews packed with mourners, but instead the sparse floor lay bare, allowing for the handful of singers and musicians to carry out their roles in a socially distanced manner.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Joseph Gamp
ITALY REPORTS 310 CORONAVIRUS DEATHS ON SATURDAY, 15,370 NEW CASES
Italy reported 310 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday against 429 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections edged down to 15,370 from 15,943.
Italy has registered 116,676 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world.
The country has reported 3.857 million cases to date.
Patients in hospital with COVID-19 – not including those in intensive care – stood at 24,100 on Saturday, down from 24,743 a day earlier.
- Joseph Gamp
MORE THAN 42 MILLION COVID VACCINES NOW ADMINISTERED IN THE UK SO FAR
Government data up to April 16 shows that of the 42,110,495 jabs given in the UK so far, 32,693,527 were first doses – a rise of 119,306 on the previous day.
Some 9,416,968 were second doses – an increase of 485,421.
- Joseph Gamp
PRIME MINISTER PAYS TRIBUTE TO PHILIP AS HE OBSERVES MINUTES SILENCE AT CHEQUERS
The Prime Minister has appeared with his head bowed and dressed in black on the steps outside his country home in Chequers on the day of the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
Boris Johnson tweeted the photograph, saying: "In Memoriam HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021."
Mr Johnson observed the minute's silence at 3pm from Chequers ahead of the funeral service, after being unable to attend due to coronavirus restrictions.
- Joseph Gamp
ANOTHER 35 UK COVID DEATHS RECORDED
The Government said a further 35 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Saturday, bringing the UK total to 127,260.
Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have now been 151,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
The Government also said that, as of 9am on Saturday, there had been a further 2,206 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.
It brings the total to 4,385,938.
- Joseph Gamp
GERMANY'S CONFIRMED CORONAVIRUS CASES RISE BY 23,804
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 23,804 to 3,123,077, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Saturday.
The reported death toll rose by 219 to 79,847, the tally showed
- Joseph Gamp
FEARS INDIAN COVID VARIANT COULD 'SCUPPER' ROAD MAP AS UK CASES DWINDLE
The Indian coronavirus mutation could "scupper" the UK's march to freedom, a leading scientist has warned, despite the lockdown and vaccine programme leading to cases falling to a seven-month low.
Covid-19 infections across the UK dropped to the lowest level since the autumn, according to the latest figures.
But a professor of immunology has called for Britain to be on its guard against a third wave after 77 cases of another possible vaccine-busting mutation was recorded domestically.
Public Health England (PHE) reported that 73 cases of the B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India, had been found, while a further four cases were identified in Scotland.
- Joseph Gamp
RUSSIA REPORTS 9,321 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES, 398 DEATHS
Russia on Saturday reported 9,321 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, including 2,822 in Moscow, taking the national tally to 4,693,469.
The country also reported another 398 deaths, raising the official toll to 105,193.
- Joseph Gamp
VACCINE IMMUNITY 'WON'T JUST DISAPPEAR' IN FACE OF COVID VARIANTS – JCVI EXPERT
Imported coronavirus variants are unlikely to set lockdown easing back to "square one" because immunity from vaccines "won't just disappear", according to a key figure on the UK's immunisation committee.
Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said he expected a "gradual erosion" of vaccine protection as the virus evolves but not enough to "scupper" the Prime Minister's road map, as one leading scientist had predicted. On Friday, Imperial College's Danny Altmann said "we should be terribly concerned" after 77 cases of a potentially vaccine-busting Covid-19 mutation first discovered in India were identified in Britain.
"They (variants of concern) are things that can most scupper our escape plan at the moment and give us a third wave. They are a worry," Professor Altmann told the BBC.
Prof Finn said he thought the immunology expert had been "a bit pessimistic" with his assessment.
"We've all expected evolution of this virus to occur from the start," he told Times Radio.
"I also think that we know from other viruses and previous experience that the immunity that vaccines give won't just disappear. It will be a gradual erosion. It won't be back to square one. I would be really surprised if that happened.
- Joseph Gamp
SPORT WELCOMES BACK SPECTATORS AS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS AT THE CRUCIBLE
Spectators returned to sport on Saturday morning as Ronnie O'Sullivan started the defence of his World Championship crown at the Crucible.
As one of the Government's pilot events, which are being used to help England and sport out of lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, the venue in Sheffield opened its doors to fans again.
Six-time world champion O'Sullivan was taking on Mark Joyce in the first session of the tournament, with Martin Gould playing Yan Bingtao on the other table.
All four players walked to the table to applause from the crowd, which was set to be at 33 per cent capacity for the first round.
With sanitiser stations provided around the venue, fans had their tickets scanned before sitting in designated seats socially distanced.
- Joseph Gamp
INDIAN COVID VARIANT ‘MAY BE RESISTANT’ TO VACCINE AS EXPERT WARNS IT MIGHT ‘SCUPPER UK’S ESCAPE PLAN’ OUT OF LOCKDOWN
Indian Covid variant ‘may be resistant’ to vaccine as expert warns it might ‘scupper UK’s escape plan’ out of lockdown
- Joseph Gamp
PM NOT ATTENDING PHILIP’S FUNERAL BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS GUEST LIMITS
Boris Johnson is not in attendance at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral to allow for the attendance of as many family members as possible during coronavirus restrictions, No 10 has said.
The Prime Minister was understood to have been expected to attend the ceremony for Philip by the royals, but offered to step aside with the number of guests allowed limited to 30.
The duke’s funeral will take place in Windsor Castle on April 17, but it will be unlike typical royal send-offs, with the public being told to stay away because of the pandemic.
A No 10 spokesman said: “As a result of the Coronavirus regulations, only 30 people can attend the funeral of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
“The Prime Minister has throughout wanted to act in accordance with what is best for the royal household, and so to allow for as many family members as possible will not be attending the funeral on Saturday.”
- Joseph Gamp
THAILAND REPORTS RISE IN CASES
Thailand has reported 1,547 new coronavirus cases and two additional deaths today, amid a third wave of infections in the Southeast Asian country.
The new cases took the total number of confirmed infections to 40,585, with 99 fatalities.
- Dan Keane
DUBAI EXPANDS VACCINE ELIGIBILITY
The Dubai Health Authority today said it was allowing women who are breastfeeding and those planning on conceiving to take the Pfizer vaccine, according to the Dubai Media Office.
In a Twitter post, the media office said this was in line with the latest international studies and guidelines on coronavirus vaccines.
- Dan Keane
FIRST WEEKEND OF FREEDOM
Boozy Brits danced in the streets overnight as scuffles broke out on the first weekend of freedom since beer gardens reopened.
Millions flocked to newly-reopened bars after lockdown restrictions were eased in England this week – with scenes quickly descending into chaos.
Across England, revellers showed their joy at being able to enjoy a night out as they took to the streets.
In Manchester, pub-goers danced and threw their hands up in the air to celebrate the reopening of beer gardens on April 12.
And in Liverpool, boozers posed in the streets – with one even attempting a handstand after the night out.
Credit: LNP - Dan Keane
THAILAND REPORTS RISE IN CASES
Thailand has reported 1,547 new coronavirus cases and two additional deaths today, amid a third wave of infections in the Southeast Asian country.
The new cases took the total number of confirmed infections to 40,585, with 99 fatalities.
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