Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to key eventsSkip to navigation

Austria to mass-test population – as it happened

This article is more than 3 years old
 Updated 
Sun 15 Nov 2020 18.47 ESTFirst published on Sat 14 Nov 2020 19.37 EST
Sebastian Kurz
The Austria chancellor, Sebastian Kurz. Photograph: APA-PictureDesk GmbH/REX/Shutterstock
The Austria chancellor, Sebastian Kurz. Photograph: APA-PictureDesk GmbH/REX/Shutterstock

Live feed

Key events

Summary

Here are the key developments from the past few hours:

  • The UK prime minister is self-isolating after being informed of contact with a Covid-positive MP. Boris Johnson is showing no symptoms but is following NHS guidelines and self-isolating for two weeks.
  • The Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, has said that the country will follow in Slovakia’s footsteps by mass-testing its population to get out of lockdown in time for Christmas.
  • The US has surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases today, meaning the country has recorded 1 million new cases in one week alone.
Share
Updated at 

The US has surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases today meaning that the country has recorded 1 million new cases in one week alone.

On Saturday the US recorded 156,416 cases, marking the eleventh day in a row that the country had reported more than 100,000 daily cases.

Share
Updated at 
Edna Mohamed

Starmer calls for “national action plan” for vaccine distribution

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on Boris Johnson to enact a “comprehensive national action plan” for distributing the expected Covid vaccine.

In a letter to the prime minister, Starmer writes: “The challenge facing the country now is not just how we get control of the virus, but how we get ready for the vaccine. We are world leaders in vaccines, and I believe we should be aiming for a world-class programme for rolling it out.

“However, this will be a mammoth logistical operation, probably larger than we have seen since the second world war. If we are to get it right, then we must have a clear plan in place now.

“It should be a plan that harnesses all of the talents of the British people: our businesses, nurses, doctors, scientists and public servants.”

Starmer continues to say that the government should “consider supporting councils and local NHS services to refurbish community assets, such as town halls or sport centres, into local vaccine clinics” as part of the new programme.

He emphasises that the action plan must harness the talents of the British public for the new national vaccine programme. Following the announcement of a viable vaccine, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, has said that UK residents are likely to be among the first in the world to receive a jab.

Pfizer and BioNTech have announced that preliminary findings show that their vaccine can prevent more than 90% of people from contracting the virus.

The interim recommendations that determine who gets the vaccine once available are set up in terms of vulnerability. Currently, the list prioritises older adults in care homes and care workers first, followed by all those aged 80 and over, and health and social care workers.

Next in line are the over-75s, then the over-70s, and so on down the age groups, as more vaccine shots become available. But, Starmer has said that Labour is also calling for a plan into the interim criteria.

Saying they want a system that guarantees “equitable access to the vaccine no matter where you live”.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care told the Guardian: “The rollout of a Covid-19 vaccine will be delivered by the NHS which has vast experience delivering widespread vaccination programmes, and an enormous amount of planning has taken place to ensure our health service stands ready to deploy.

“This includes putting in place logistical expertise, transport, PPE and an expanded workforce to ensure we can deploy vaccines rapidly once they have met robust standards on safety and effectiveness and been approved by the medicines regulator. We have also provided GP practices with an additional £150m to support them over the coming months.

“We will follow independent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisations on which groups should be prioritised to receive a vaccine, and will publish further details on our deployment plans in due course.”

Starmer’s letter comes ahead of the visit to Oxford vaccine labs on Monday with the shadow chancellor, Anneliese Dodds.

Share
Updated at 

Boris Johnson has posted on Twitter confirming his self-isolation.

Today I was notified by NHS Test and Trace that I must self-isolate as I have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

I have no symptoms, but am following the rules and will be working from No10 as I continue to lead the government’s pandemic response.

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 15, 2020
Share
Updated at 

The Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, has said that the country will follow in Slovakia’s footsteps by mass testing its population.

Austria is currently set to close schools and shops on Tuesday as it toughens its lockdown measures until 6 December. Kurz said that the fast but less reliable antigen tests could help reopen the country faster in time for Christmas.

Share
Updated at 

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson, who met the PM on Thursday, updated his constituents on Facebook:

Isolating. On Friday I lost my sense of taste at the same time my wife had a bad headache.

I had no cough, no fever and felt well. We both had a test on Saturday and the result came in Sunday morning. My wife and I both tested positive.

I feel absolutely fine and my biggest concern is my wife who is in the shielded group. But we are both feeling good.

Share
Updated at 

Boris Johnson intends to continue speaking to the country during his self-isolation period. No 10 is set to speak with the parliamentary authorities to discuss what options are available for the PM to take part remotely in some parliamentary business.

Share
Updated at 

A spokesman for No 10 has said:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been told to self-isolate through the NHS track and trace app after coming into contact with someone who tested positive.

No 10 confirm that the PM met with a small group of MPs in Downing Street on Thursday morning including the MP for Ashfield, Lee Anderson. Anderson later developed symptoms for the virus and has now tested positive.

Share
Updated at 

Reuters reports that Boris Johnson is “well” and “does not have any symptoms of Covid-19.”

Share
Updated at 

UK prime minister to self-isolate after positive case reported

The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has been told to self-isolate through the NHS track and trace app after coming into contact with someone who tested positive, 10 Downing Street confirms.

Share
Updated at 

Summary

Here are the key developments from the past few hours:

  • The UK reported 24,962 new Covid cases on Sunday, down by 1,898 from Saturday’s 26,860.
  • Italy has reported 546 Covid-related deaths, up from 544 the day before, the health ministry said on Sunday. The country also registered 33,979 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, down from 37,255 on Saturday.
  • Professor Ugur Sahin, chief executive of BioNTech has said that the impact of the jab will appear by next summer, with normality expected by the winter - contingent on a high vaccination rate.
  • In a statement on Sunday, the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, declared “the general mobilisation of the nation and the government” after health authorities announced the highest ever number of daily cases in the country.
  • India is expected to fly doctors in from other regions of the country to double its testing capacity in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus in the capital New Delhi.
  • The prime minister of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Ambrose Dlamini, has tested positive for Covid-19 but is asymptomatic.
  • France reports 302 deaths and 27,228 new cases in the last 24-hours, according to the French health ministry website.
  • WHO registers highest Covid-19 cases in one-day over the weekend, reports AFP. Saturday’s figures of 660,905 and Friday’s 645,410 both surpassed the previous set highest daily total of cases which was recorded at 614,013 on 7 November.
Share
Updated at 

Most viewed

Most viewed