Covid-19: Kent strain 'to sweep the world', and jab priority for 'severe' asthma
- Published
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday morning. We'll have another update for you this evening.
1. Kent virus variant 'to sweep the world'
The coronavirus variant which was first detected in Kent last year is set to become the world's dominant strain, according to the head of the UK's genetic surveillance programme. Prof Sharon Peacock told the BBC's Newscast podcast the new variant has "swept the country" and "it's going to sweep the world, in all probability". The Kent variant was originally detected in September 2020 and has since been found in more than 50 countries. But Prof Peacock said vaccines approved for use in the UK appeared to work well against the existing variants of the virus in the country. You can read more about coronavirus variations and mutations here, and take a look at the science behind the changes.
2. Locked-down prisoners spend 90% of day in cells
The prisons watchdog says inmates in England are being kept locked in their cells for more than 90% of the day as part of efforts to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks in jails. Predictions that up to 2,000 prisoners would die in the outbreak in England and Wales without action have been avoided. But one inmate told inspectors that measures taken to keep them safe were like "being imprisoned while you're in prison". The prisons minister Lucy Frazer told the BBC that actions taken by front-line staff had "significantly limited" the spread of the virus and prisoners are being supported.
3. Vaccine priority for 'severe' asthma
People who need "continuous or repeated" steroid use because of asthma are to be prioritised for the Covid vaccine. The government has decided that anyone who needs steroids for their asthma will be able to get a jab, after healthy over-65s have been vaccinated and before people who are younger with no health conditions. It is thought this should be done by May. Asthma charities say it may be hard to identify everyone who is eligible and health officials should "cast the net wide" to ensure people won't be missed.
4. Wales is first UK nation to vaccinate 20% of population
Wales' first minister has said that the country is one of the first in the world - and the first UK nation - to get a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine into the arms of a fifth of the population. Mark Drakeford confirmed more than 655,000 people (20.8%) had been given their jabs. Across the rest of the UK, England's total has reached more than 11 million doses, which is 19.7% of the population, while Scotland's rate has risen to 18% and Northern Ireland's is 17.6%.
5. From cabin crew to the coronavirus front line
After Nikki Hazlehurst lost her job last year as a member of airline cabin crew, she applied for work at the Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. "I went from drinks, snacks and really happy people to somewhere there's a lot of doom and gloom. It's scary," she told Radio 1 Newsbeat. But she adds that her customer service skills "have really helped" and that lugging cages around the hospital is not unlike moving catering trolleys on a plane. But Nikki really hopes to be back in the air in 12 months - along with her partner, who recently got his commercial pilot's licence.
And don't forget...
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page. We've also been looking into when schools in the UK might reopen.
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