Statement by the Secretary of Health on Coronavirus (COVID-19): May 19, 2021

Hello and welcome to Downing Street for today’s coronavirus briefing.

Professor Jonathan Vantam, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Jenny Harries, Chief Executive Officer of UKHSA, UK Health and Security Agency, have joined.

I would like to inform you about what we are doing to fight this virus at home and abroad.

First of all, what is happening here in the UK?

Ask Professor Vantam to explain the numbers and details immediately.

Overall hospitalizations and deaths remain very low. So, by following step 3 of the roadmap, we were able to carefully remove more restrictions this week.

But we must be vigilant and everyone has to take personal responsibility.

I’ve always known that one of the things that could get us out of orbit is a new variant.

That’s why we created a new variant that allows you to run one of four tests when you set up your roadmap. This is the step you need to go through before performing each step on your roadmap.

Early evidence suggests that the first B.1.617.2 variant found in India is more easily transmitted from person to person than the first B.117 variant found in Kent.

But, as the Prime Minister said at lunch, we are more confident that the vaccine will be effective against it.

So our strategy is right. Carefully replace the limitation of freedom with protection from vaccines.

What that means is that it is even more important for people to be vaccinated.

Rapid local action

As I reported to the House of Commons, there are currently 2,967 known cases of this variant in the United Kingdom. We are determined to do everything we can to ensure that this new variant does not endanger our recovery.

So we acted swiftly to protect the benefits we achieved together.

Currently, the UK has a very sensitive biosecurity monitoring system. We’ll talk more about this soon.

This surveillance system detected early cases of Bolton and Blackburn.

Through surge testing and increased vaccination, we are throwing everything there.

Bolton’s weekly case rate is currently 283 per 100,000, doubling last week.

Bolton Hospital currently has 25 patients with COVID. The majority are unvaccinated.

Almost 90% do not yet have two vaccines.

This shows the importance of getting two vaccinations instead of one. So get the jab when you get the call.

Since Friday, Blackburn and Bolton have received about 14,000 vaccines, and last week more than 26,000 vaccines. This is the highest total weekly number in these areas.

It has also surged tests, providing 75,000 additional tests in two areas, with 12 test sites and a strong team of 100 people making door-to-door visits.

But these are not the only concerns we have.

There are other areas where the case rate is rising, and there are areas where we need to act as quickly as Bolton and Blackburn.

This playbook, used by Bolton and Blackburn, knows that it worked in South London against a South African (SA) variant that had a series of cases of SA variants and put them under control. We also used extensive surveillance systems and new technologies to identify areas of greatest concern.

Of course, we look at data on cases, the number of variants identified, and hospitalization, and publish all this data.

However, two more tools are now available.

Mobility data shows movement patterns in different areas. Examine this to determine where the virus is at risk of spreading.

You can then analyze 70% of the country’s wastewater and find viruses and mutants in the water. This will help identify the spreading community.

As a result of all this analysis, we are currently conducting surge tests and increasing the next vaccination.

• Bedford
• Burnley
• Leicester
• Kirkley’s
• North tyneside
• London Borough of Hounslow

We are also supporting the Scottish Government in Glasgow and Moray, who are doing the same.

What this really means is to do more tests (more test sites) and when it comes to vaccination, we make more vaccinations available to all qualified people. ..

We urge everyone across the country to be vigilant to get a jab while we are open and, of course, as soon as you can.

Pay attention to everyone in these areas. Take the test and get the jab as soon as you qualify.

We will continue to promote the vaccination program as quickly as possible to carefully replace this restriction shield with the sword of the vaccination program to provide long-term protection.

As of midnight last night, we are pleased that 7 out of 10 adults in the UK are taking their first dose.

This is 7 out of 10 people who have great protection against the virus.

I’m also pleased that 4 out of 10 people have the additional protection that comes from 2 doses.

Show charts against this background, show what this protection looks like across the country, and explain why we made the recent decision to change the dosing interval from 12 weeks to 8 weeks for the most vulnerable people. I think that I want to do it.

This graph shows the percentage of people who jab by age group.

The green bar represents a person who took one dose and the blue bar represents a person who took two doses.

As you can see, from the amount of green, the intake of the first dose is surprisingly high. And we followed the strategy of giving as many people as possible the first dose as soon as possible. And for that, especially read over 50s. You can see very high uptake rates, and we are incredibly proud of how people have made progress.

However, there is still a small gap between the green bar and 100%. Bolton’s experience shows that it is very important to be vaccinated to the last few percent and to encourage its intake.

The blue bar indicates the second dose, indicating that the uptake of the second dose is also very high. But again, it’s showing a little green, and up to everyone who received the first dose, you need to get a blue bar, a second dose.

And as you lower the age range towards the left side of the chart, fewer people take two doses because the time from the first dose is shorter.

This is why it is so important to go to the hospital and get a second dose to those who are most vulnerable to dying from illness.

According to academic studies, this decision to leave 12 weeks between the two doses saved the lives of about 12,000 people.

But those numbers aren’t 100% yet, and we won’t rest until we get there.

And decisively, for the most vulnerable, this acceleration of the second dose over the age of 50 provides the greatest possible protection to those at greatest risk.

We are also working on a booster program while giving first and second doses.

And I just want to update you about it. This ensures that our vaccine is ahead of the virus, including new vaccines targeting variants of particular concern.

I’m happy to announce New clinical trial A £ 19m tax payment to consider the use of the current COVID vaccine as a booster vaccine and to see what combination and what role it can play to keep us safe in the long run It is supported by the funds of the person.

To participate in this trial, you can sign up at the following URL: www.covboost.org.uk..

This is the world’s first clinical trial investigating the effects of booster jabs, and we are very pleased to be leading this scientific effort, as we have done many times in this crisis.

For example, consider the major advances we have made in genome sequencing.

today, Genome UK Implementation Plan How to further develop this genomic science, including a commitment to sequence a million whole genomes. And I would like to thank all the scientists and all the people of Genomics England who have been involved in making this happen.

It has also played a very important role in tackling pandemics through their genomic research. Genomics saves lives. It’s very clear in this pandemic, and I’m convinced that the UK remains at the forefront of this scientific effort.

But we are not just focusing on home efforts.

A few words about how we are working to protect people around the world.

We have donated more than £ 500 million to COVAX and are currently providing life-saving COVID-19 vaccines to 120 countries and territories.

But in addition to our cash commitment, the UK has probably done more than any other country to help vaccinate the poorest people in the world.

This is due to the gift of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine to the world. This vaccine is available free of charge to intellectual property. Invested in the UK Government, Oxford University and AstraZeneca.

Three of us have invested in research and all have come together to develop and deliver vaccines at a cost.

And in the context of the scale of this decision, about 1.5 billion vaccines have been delivered worldwide.

Over 400 million of them were Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccines. In total, the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine is currently available in 160 countries.

Two-thirds (400 million) have been injected into the arms of people in low- and middle-income countries, including 170 million doses in India, which is highly affected by the virus.

Of the 67 million doses provided through COVAX, more than 65 million were Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccines.

This vaccination program is a global vaccination program using the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine. This is the participation of all UK taxpayers in the support and everyone in the UK should be incredibly proud.

Instead of changing the rules, I got a lot of jabs all over the world, so I managed to offer this at a cost without profit. I would like to thank the Oxford and AstraZeneca teams for their incredibly progressive and positive attitude-the visual approach we took over a year ago to set this up. And it’s affecting everywhere.

Just like fighting this virus at home, we stand side by side with other countries around the world.

I just want to add another one.

If this pandemic taught us something, it means that our health is intertwined.

Next month, I will welcome the Minister of Health from G7 countries to Oxford. Oxford is the birthplace of this vaccine, which has saved many lives.

Therefore, we will hold the G7 Health Ministers Forum. It’s not just how to fight this pandemic right now, but how the great democracies of the world work together to make us emerge, stronger, healthier, and safer.

This is a virus that attacks humanity as a whole, so think about what we can do. You can still do that.

So keep in mind the basics: hands, face, space, and fresh air. And take your quick and regular tests, even when we’re doing these steps together, and get a jab when you get a call.

Now, I would like to hand over the latest data to Professor Vantam.