Ben Wallace says Covid screening of travelers from China ‘under review’
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The UK is unprepared for another wave of Covid, experts warn, as the spread of the “highly infectious” XBB.1.5 subvariant continues in the UK.
University of Warwick virologist Professor Lawrence Young told The Independent that the UK is not at all prepared for another wave if the highly transmissible sub-variant continues to spread rapidly.
People have been asked to wear masks and stay at home if they feel unwell as the new variant of the XBB.1.5 coronavirus has raised concerns about an increase in Covid-19 cases.
XBB.1.5 is the highly transmissible version of Covid that caused the surge in cases in the UK last winter. The variant is believed to make up at least 4% of the Covid viruses being sequenced.
People arriving in Britain from China have been asked to present a negative Covid test before entry. However, a cabinet minister announced that travelers who test positive for the coronavirus after arriving from China will not be forced to quarantine.
The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care said China had been slapped with the new rules for “a complete lack of health information” as Chinese state media continue to downplay the seriousness of the current sprout
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What is XBB Covid? The new variant of Omicron that has caused an increase in cases
New strains of Covid are raising new health concerns around the world, with new descendants of the highly transmissible Omicron variant now accounting for 40 percent of cases in the US.
Omicron relatives XBB and XBB.1.5 have seen an increase in cases in countries around the world.
It comes as UK-based health experts have suggested that up to 9,000 people a day are dying from Covid in China, where infections have risen sharply after the country’s end to strict isolation rules.
Eleanor Sly January 4, 2023 3:57 pm
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The UK is not prepared for further waves of Covid
The UK is unprepared for another wave of Covid, experts warn, as the spread of the “highly infectious” XBB.1.5 subvariant continues in the UK.
The strain has led to a surge in cases in the US, with some experts worried that its mutations could see it trigger a similar surge in the UK by bypassing the wall of immunity built from previous waves and vaccine launches.
University of Warwick virologist Professor Lawrence Young told The Independent’s Thomas Kingsley that the UK is not at all prepared for another wave if the highly transmissible sub-variant continues to spread at a rapid pace amid the ‘increased flu infection rates.
“We didn’t have enough public health messaging around flu. Now we have a perfect storm of different respiratory infections at the moment and that will inevitably put more pressure on the NHS,” Professor Young said.
“All the information so far shows that although this is a highly infectious variant and can escape the protections of previous vaccinations and previous infections, there is no evidence that it is causing more severe disease compared to others variants of Omicron, but the fact that it is spreading faster and faster, especially in the US, is very worrying.
“It’s reaching more vulnerable people.”
Thomas Kingsley January 4, 2023 3:04 pm
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EU offers aid and prepares to counter China’s Covid crisis
The EU said yesterday it has offered help to China to deal with its Covid-19 crisis, including donating vaccines, as the bloc seeks to coordinate how authorities should screen passengers arriving from China to detect new variants.
Several member nations announced individual efforts over the past week. At the same time, the EU’s European Center for Disease Prevention and Control insisted that the situation in China did not represent an immediate global health threat.
“The variants circulating in China are already circulating in the EU and as such do not pose a challenge to the immune response” of EU citizens, it said in its latest impact study.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 2:00 p.m
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Arrivals in China with covid-positive will not need to be isolated, says the minister
Arrivals from China who test positive for Covid will not be forced to quarantine, Transport Secretary Mark Harper has confirmed.
The senior Tory MP’s comments confirmed details, first revealed by The Independent, that testing will be voluntary for those arriving at Heathrow, the only UK airport with direct flights from China to offer testing.
Asked whether those who test positive after arriving in the UK will have to be quarantined, Mr Harper told LBC: “No, because what we are doing is we are collecting that information for surveillance purposes.”
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 1:45 pm
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Editorial | The government should declare a national emergency on the NHS
One of the many irritating statistics about the NHS crisis is that the number of people who die from delays in ambulance and emergency care (between 300 and 500 a week) is roughly the same as those who die current for Covid-19 or cerebrovascular disease (stroke). ), and 10 times the number of people who die in road traffic.
If it weren’t for the danger of hyperbole, it would be correct to call the current crisis an epidemic.
Behind the statistics lie heartbreaking stories of extremely ill and vulnerable people, often elderly, dying at home or in the back of an ambulance because of a lack of determination to deal with the crisis. Although it is now widespread and taken for granted, this is not normal, although it is becoming normal.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 1:25 pm
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As the news of the “mysterious disease” in Wuhan came out three years ago
Three years ago, on New Year’s Eve, The Independent ran a story about a “mystery disease” that had struck 30 people in Wuhan, China.
Little was known about the disease, except that most of the sick had visited a seafood market in town.
Early reports speculated that the illness was similar to the respiratory disease Sars, which killed nearly 800 people.
Little did they know it would be much worse, causing more than 6.6 million deaths worldwide.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain writes.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 12:45 pm
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Is the UK on the brink of a new wave of Covid?
Scientists in the US believe that XBB.1.5 is at least partly to blame for the increase in hospital admissions in New York.
It is not known whether the sub-variant will trigger a further surge of Covid in the UK, but reports suggest an increase in cases is likely.
However, there is potential for some respite, with medical officials suggesting that winter outbreaks of flu and other respiratory viruses could temper the threat of a new wave of rampant Covid.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 12:25 pm
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South Korea makes a mandatory Covid test on arrival for passengers from China
South Korea yesterday made coronavirus tests mandatory for Chinese arrivals, joining a growing list of countries imposing restrictions amid concerns about a wave of infections.
Travelers from China must undergo a PCR test upon arrival. From January 5, arrivals can present a negative result of a PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before departure, or a negative rapid antigen test no more than 24 hours before departure.
A total of 2,189 people have arrived from China since January 2. The results of the 590 tests so far showed that 136 people, or 22.7 percent, were infected with Covid-19, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 11:45 am
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What is XBB Covid? The new variant of Omicron that has caused an increase in cases
New Covid variants are raising new health concerns as Omicron relatives XBB and XBB.1.5 have seen an increase in cases in countries around the world.
It comes as UK-based health experts have suggested that up to 9,000 people a day are dying from Covid in China, where infections have risen sharply after the country’s end to strict isolation rules.
The surge has prompted the UK and US governments to require all passengers arriving in the respective countries from China from January 5 to return a negative Covid result before travelling.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain has more.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 11:25 am
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Arrivals to China are banned from England without a negative Covid test
All travelers coming from China to England will have to show a negative Covid-19 test before leaving from January 5, Downing Street has confirmed.
Number 10 said Rishi Sunak’s government will shortly set out full details of the new rules for travelers entering the UK from China and Hong Kong.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We are working on the final details of the implementation of the policy, and this includes Hong Kong, and will update in due course.”
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar January 4, 2023 10:45 am