UK
UK faces 'tidal wave' of omicron cases: Boris Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Sunday that Britain faces a “tidal wave” of infections from the omicron coronavirus variant, and announced a huge increase in booster vaccinations to strengthen defenses against it.
In a televised statement, Johnson said everyone age 18 and older will be offered a third shot of vaccine by the end of this month in response to the omicron “emergency.” The previous target was the end of January.
He said cases of the highly transmissible variant are doubling every two to three days in Britain, and “there is a tidal wave of omicron coming.”
Read: Pfizer says COVID booster offers protection against omicron
”And I’m afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need,” Johnson said. “But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose – a booster dose – we can all bring our level of protection back up.”
He announced a “national mission” to deliver booster vaccines, with pop-up vaccination centers and seven-day-a-week getting extra support from teams of military planners and thousands of volunteer vaccinators.
Johnson’s Dec. 31 target applies to England. The other parts of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — are also expected to speed up their vaccination campaigns.
The U.K. Health Security Agency says existing vaccines appear less effective in preventing symptomatic infections in people exposed to omicron, though preliminary data show that effectiveness appears to rise to between 70% and 75% after a third vaccine dose.
More than 80% of people age 12 and up in Britain have received two doses of vaccine, and 40% of adults have had three doses. Giving the rest a booster in the next three weeks will be a huge challenge, requiring almost 1 million doses delivered a day. Johnson acknowledged that many routine medical procedures would have to be postponed to meet the goal.
Johnson's announcement came hours after the government raised the country’s official coronavirus threat level, warning the rapid spread of the omicron variant had pushed the U.K. into risky territory.
The chief medical officers of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland said the 1of the highly transmissible new strain “adds additional and rapidly increasing risk to the public and health care services” at a time when COVID-19 is already widespread. They recommended raising the alert level from 3 to 4 on a 5-point scale. The top level, 5, indicates authorities think the health care system is about to be overwhelmed.
The doctors said early evidence shows omicron is spreading much faster than the currently dominant delta variant, and that vaccines offer less protection against it. British officials say omicron is likely to replace delta as the dominant strain in the U.K. within days.
“Data on severity will become clearer over the coming weeks but hospitalizations from omicron are already occurring and these are likely to increase rapidly,” they said.
Concerns about the new variant led Johnson’s Conservative government to reintroduce restrictions that were lifted almost six months ago. Masks must be worn in most indoor settings, COVID-19 certificates must be shown to enter nightclubs and people are being urged to work from home if possible.
Read: Scientist behind UK vaccine says next pandemic may be worse
Many scientists say that’s unlikely to be enough, however, and are calling for tougher measures, which the government so far has resisted.
Scientists in South Africa, where omicron was first identified, say they see signs it may cause less severe disease than delta, but caution that it is too soon to be certain.
Apasen celebrates the golden jubilee of Bangladesh in UK
Apasen, a British-Bangladeshi charity organisation, organized a colourful event in London to celebrate the golden jubilee of Bangladesh independence on the occasion of the organisation’s 37th anniversary.A function in this regard was arranged in the People's Palace Great Hall of the Queen Mary University in East London on Sunday.Legendary BBC journalist Sir Mark Tully, who provided the news coverage of the war of liberation, joined the event virtually. Prince Charles and Prime Minister Boris Johnson also sent their greetings on the occasion.
READ: Bangladesh’s Golden Jubilee of Independence: PM seeks general discussion in Parliament
Speaking at the function Sayeda Muna Tasnim, Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, said it was the largest and most spectacular Bangladeshi event she had seen during her tenure here.On this occasion mementos were handed over to the freedom fighters staying in the UK.The three-and-a-half-hour event featured screening of documentaries on the war of liberation, culture and nature of Bangladesh, Apasen activities, Bangladesh Betar music, modern music, folk and modern dances, poetry, etc.
READ: USAID launches photography book 'Golden Jubilee of Golden Bengal'
A commemorative publication was also issued by Apasen on the 50 years of independence celebration.
BGMEA urges BBCCI to promote more trade between Bangladesh, UK
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has called upon the British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BBCCI) to help Bangladesh draw more foreign investment; project a positive image and protect the interests of the country internationally.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan urged the association to explore more trade and investment opportunities and areas of cooperation between the UK and Bangladesh.
Read: BGMEA calls for investment in high value-added, non-cotton textile
Faruque made the call during a meeting with BBCCI President Bashir Ahmed, who paid a courtesy visit to the BGMEA office in the capital Thursday.
The BGMEA president sought the BBCCI's support in encouraging British businessmen, including Bangladeshis living in the UK, to invest in different potential sectors of Bangladesh such as high value-added and non-cotton textile.
He also urged the BBCCI to encourage the Bangladeshi community in the UK to give preference to garments made in Bangladesh during their shopping and also present them as gifts to their foreign friends.
Read:BGMEA for improving nutritional status of workers to boost efficiency, productivity
It would not only increase demand for Bangladeshi apparel in the UK market but also contribute to promoting the "Made in Bangladesh'' brand among the British citizens, he added.
BGMEA Vice-President Miran Ali, BBCCI North East Region President Mahtab Miah, Bengal Dutch International Managing Director GR Choudhury and Asian Tiger Capital Partners Chairman Ifty Islam were also present.
At least 2 people dead during first winter storm in UK
At least two people have died in the U.K. after the year's first winter storm battered parts of the countries with gusts of nearly 100 mph (160 kph).
The storm, which was named Arwen by the country's Met Office, hit parts of the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland particularly hard, causing road causing road closures, train delays, power cuts and high waves.
Cumbria Police, in northwest England said a man died after a tree fell on him just before 11 p.m. on Friday. In Northern Ireland, a man was killed when his car was hit by a falling tree.
Also read: Italian Coast Guard rescues 550 migrants from stormy seas
Though the worst of the storm appears to have passed, people have been advised to be wary of traveling on Saturday, as train networks reported disruption to services amid still-high winds and heavy snow.
“Storm Arwen has delivered some dangerously strong winds overnight, with gusts in excess of 90 mph recorded," the Met Office's chief meteorologist Steve Ramsdale said. “The strong winds will move south across the U.K. through the day, gradually weakening.”
Also read:Record-breaking storm douses drought-stricken California
As Europe virus cases surge, UK plows on with its new normal
The bars are shut in Vienna, and the Christmas market is empty in Munich, as several European nations tighten up or even lock down to combat a spike in coronavirus infections.
Meanwhile in London, couples sip mulled wine at a seasonal market near the River Thames, full-capacity audiences fill the seats at the nearby National Theatre, and friends huddle over pints in pubs throughout the city.
Read: EU wants to stop flights from southern Africa over variant
Not for the first time in the pandemic, Britain is out of step with many of its neighbors. But this time, it’s happy to be different.
The U.K. has endured three nationwide lockdowns and recorded nearly 145,000 deaths from the coronavirus, the highest toll in Europe after Russia. Now, it is watching as hospitals struggle with surging cases in countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, bringing lockdowns and restrictions. But while Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that a “blizzard from the east” could still ruin Britain’s Christmas, many scientists say the wind is now blowing the other way.
“We are not behind Europe in this wave. They are behind us,” said Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia.
The surge that is now hitting mainland Europe, driven by the highly transmissible delta strain of the virus, walloped Britain in the summer, just as the government removed all remaining legal restrictions on the economy and daily life.
Read: France calls for European aid after 27 migrant deaths at sea
Because Britain got delta in the summer, when respiratory viruses are transmitted less readily, “it wasn’t so explosive as we would expect it to be in the winter, and as we’re now seeing in in some European countries,” Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease modelling at the University of Edinburgh, said.
“I think the U.K. got its delta wave at a fortuitous time, whereas Austria, for example, it’s the exact opposite,” he said. Austria, where average daily deaths have almost doubled in the past two weeks, has gone into lockdown, and authorities there plan to mandate vaccinations beginning Feb. 1.
The World Health Organization said this week that Europe is the only region of the world where coronavirus cases are rising, and the continent could see another 700,000 deaths by the spring unless urgent measures are taken soon.
But Britain stands somewhat apart.
Many scientists predicted the country would see a spike in cases after July 19 — dubbed “Freedom Day” by the media — when almost all restrictions were lifted. It didn’t happen.
Infection rates that were then among the highest in Europe, drifted up and down but never soared again as feared, though they remain stubbornly high. Britain is recording more than 40,000 new cases a day, a level last seen during the past winter’s surge. But a relatively high vaccination rate — particularly among the elderly — means hospitalizations and deaths are far lower than in previous waves. Still, 130 people a day died in the past week after testing positive for COVID-19.
Britain’s hospitals have not been overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases, though they are extremely busy as the health system struggles to clear a huge backlog built up during the pandemic. Johnson’s Conservative government has so far not had to trigger its “Plan B,” which would reintroduce mask mandates and work-from-home orders to ease pressure on the health system.
But if life in Britain these days can feel unusually normal — even festive, as many embrace the holiday season with renewed enthusiasm — it is a new, more constrained normal.
Visitors from countries where restrictions are still in place are sometimes taken aback by Britain's voluntary, variable approach to mask use and social distancing. But Ivo Vlaev, a behavioral scientist at the University of Warwick who has studied data from across Europe, says people in the U.K. have largely stuck to protective measures — including limiting their contacts with others — even when they were no longer required by law. Movement data suggests Britons still travel and mix less than before the pandemic.
Read: Migrant boat capsizes in English Channel; at least 31 dead
“It seems to be the case that in U.K. people are more compliant in general across all health-protective behaviors” than in some other European nations, Vaev said.
Partly, he says, the reason is “fear — we actually are quite afraid to go out and do the usual stuff” after Britain's harsh pandemic experience.
While some European countries are turning to compulsion to get more people vaccinated, the U.K. is sticking with persuasion. Britain does not widely require proof of vaccination attend events or workplaces, and the government has ruled out mandating vaccines for everyone, though health and social care workers have been ordered to get shots.
Britain hasn't seen as much resistance to the vaccine as many other countries, and about 88% of people aged 12 and up have had at least one dose. But only about 68% of the whole population is fully vaccinated, a lower figure than in some other European nations, partly because the U.K. was slower than many of its neighbors to offer shots to children aged 12 to 15, and has not yet approved vaccines for younger kids.
The government’s focus is on giving booster doses to those most vulnerable to serious illness, offering a third shot to everyone 40 and up six months after their second.
“Get your booster as soon as you can,” the prime minister said this week. “Because it is by vaccinating our country that we have been able to get your staff back to their place of work, to open our theaters, our restaurants and get back for longer now than any comparator country, to something like normal life.”
Some public health specialists and opposition politicians say the government is relying too much on vaccination to keep the virus at bay. They want the return of mandatory masks, social distancing and other measures.
But some epidemiologists are cautiously optimistic that enough is being done to keep a lid on the virus over the winter. Perhaps ironically, Hunter says Britain’s heavy coronavirus toll puts it in a stronger position than those countries where the virus is now surging.
Read: Italian Coast Guard rescues 550 migrants from stormy seas
“They’ve got populations that are not as well immunized, whether that is from vaccine or infection, as we have,” he said. “We still have a lot more immunity from natural infection than most European countries, and we’re rolling out the booster. That is why we will have less of a troublesome winter than most.”
Covaxin cleared by UK, relief for Indian students, tourists
China and India's Covid vaccines have been approved by the U.K. for travel into the country, clearing the way for tourists and foreign students who have been fully immunized with them to enter.
Immunizations from China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd., state-owned Sinopharm, and India's Bharat Biotech International Ltd. have joined the list that the U.K. uses to grant entry with proof of full vaccination, according to a notice issued by the Department for Transport and Department of Health and Social Care on Monday, reports NDTV.
Read: Serum Institute of India to start Covishield supply to COVAX countries
Now all seven Covid shots that have received emergency backing from the World Health Organization will be recognized by the U.K., including India's Covaxin, which got the agency's nod in early November. The U.K. is following Australia, which last month expanded the number of shots it recognizes, and the U.S., which said it would accept all WHO-approved vaccines when it opened its borders to foreign travelers this month.
The U.K. decision should allow tens of thousands of Chinese students given home-grown shots to attend school there. Universities have received record numbers of undergraduate applications from Chinese nationals, according to an October report released by UCAS, a U.K. universities admission service provider. Sinovac and Sinopharm shots are the most widely used in China, which has vaccinated more than 80% of its 1.4 billion population.
Read:UK rules recognising Covaxin for inbound travel come into effect from today
China accounts for the majority of foreign students in the U.K., and their families contribute significant revenue to universities there every year, data from U.K.'s Higher Education Statistics Agency shows. More than 4,500 Chinese students applied for undergraduate admission to colleges and universities in the U.K. this year, an increase of about one-third since the global Covid-19 pandemic began.
Visitors to the U.K. who are not fully vaccinated are required to get Covid tests and quarantine for 10 days.
UK rules recognising Covaxin for inbound travel come into effect from today
The changes announced by the United Kingdom, adding India's Covaxin to the list of approved Covid-19 vaccines for international travellers, will come into effect from November 22. This means that thousands of travellers from India, who have been inoculated with the Bharat Biotech-manufactured jab, will not have to self-isolate after arrival in Britain, reported Hindusthan Times.
The UK government has also added China’s Sinovac and Sinopharm in its list of approved vaccines, benefiting fully vaccinated people from the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia too. Around one billion doses of these three Covid-19 vaccines have been delivered worldwide.
Also read: 77.8% efficacy, robust antibody response: 5 points from Lancet's new study on Covaxin
The changes were announced earlier this month, after the World Health Organization (WHO) cleared their “emergency-use listing”.
The WHO issued an emergency-use listing for Covaxin on November 3.
The UK began recognising Covishield, the Indian version of the AstraZeneca vaccine, for inbound travel from October 4.
It also began accepting India’s vaccine certificates from October 11, ending a travel row that had resulted in UK nationals facing mandatory 10-day quarantine on arrival even if they were fully vaccinated.
Covishield and Covaxin are the two main vaccines being used for India's immunisation programme. The country has also approved Russia-made Sputnik and Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine.
Last week, government officials said that as many as 110 countries have given recognition to Covaxin and Covishield, according to news agency ANI. Among these countries are New Zealand and Australia.
Also read: Covid vaccine: India-made Covaxin approved by WHO for emergency use
Covaxin and Covishield were the first two jabs to receive emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for the nationwide inoculation drive, which commenced on January 16. The former has been developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited, and is the first made-in-India anti-Covid shot. The latter is the Indian variant of Britain's AstraZeneca vaccine, and manufactured locally by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII).
UK reinforces commitment to deepening of bilateral ties with Bangladesh
UK’s Minister for South Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon on Thursday reinforced the UK’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Bangladesh as he left for London concluding his 3-day visit to Bangladesh.
In a busy programme of meetings and visits to places, the Minister reinforced the UK’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Bangladesh across a wide range of issues including trade, security, climate change and the Rohingya crisis.
Lord Ahmad, who is also the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, held meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, as well as with representatives of civil society organisations and the humanitarian sector.
Also read: UK MoS calls on PM, finds common ground on issues
In his meetings, Lord Ahmad discussed the path to Bangladesh’s landmark graduation from Least Developed Country Status, which is due in 2026.
Dhaka to welcome a number of Foreign Ministers this week
A number Foreign Ministers representing IORA countries, including the Minister for South Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, will be visiting Bangladesh this week.
British Minister Tariq Ahmad will deliver a keynote speech at a programme titled "Bangladesh-UK: Partners in Progress" on Monday afternoon.
The talks will be held at the Foreign Service Academy with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen in the chair.
The British Minister will also have a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen during his stay in Dhaka, said an official.
The Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka, Union of Comoros, Indonesia, South Africa and a Minister of Tanzania will also be visiting Bangladesh.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary Kelly Keiderling is likely to arrive here on Tuesday, said an official.
Keiderling is the South and Central Asian Affairs Bureau Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
The United States is an observer at the IORA talks.
Bangladesh, as the incoming Chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), will host the 21st IORA Council of Ministers’ (COM) meeting on November 17.
The 23rd Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) and its related meetings will be held November 15-16 in a hybrid format (in-person & virtual), officials said.
Bangladesh will assume the position of the IORA Chair in November.
The Chairship of Bangladesh is to run from 2021-2023, with the new Vice-Chair, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates now taking the position of the Past-Chair.
Also read: Dhaka to host IORA Council of Ministers meeting Nov 17
UK with Bangladesh in achieving smooth graduation: Dickson
Describing the UK’s admiration for what had been achieved in Bangladesh over the past 50 years, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson on Wednesday said they will continue to work with Bangladesh in its efforts to achieve a smooth and successful graduation.
“Graduation is a milestone, not a finishing line. We’ll continue to work with Bangladesh to achieve a smooth and successful graduation,” he said, adding that they have also decided to provide continued duty-free, quota-free access to the UK market for three years after graduation, to 2029.
While speaking at “DCAAB Talk”, the envoy said he was delighted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would be visiting London and Manchester to engage with British businesses during her visit to the UK.
Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) hosted the event. DCAB President Pantho Rahaman and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin also spoke at the event.
The High Commissioner reflected on the huge challenge ahead at COP26 and said the UK is looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and welcoming the Bangladesh delegation to Glasgow.
“This was just one sign of the way that the UK was working with an increasingly confident, prosperous and outward-looking Bangladesh on the world stage, as we headed into the next 50 years of partnership,” he said.
At the High Commission in Bangladesh, Dickson said his teams were engaged deeply in issues such as climate and biodiversity, maritime security and many other areas, including working with British businesses to build a trade and investment relationship as Bangladesh graduated from Least Developed to Middle Income Country status.
Read: COP26: Dickson says Bangladesh has particular role in 3 areas
Regional Security Challenges
The High Commissioner said the UK is working closely with the government of Bangladesh on regional security challenges.
A particular challenge is the Rohingya crisis that was created by the actions of the Myanmar army over four years ago, he said.
The UK was very clear that the shared objectives were for the Rohingya to go home to Rakhine state, as soon as it could happen in a way that was “voluntary, dignified and safe”.
“No one wanted to live in a refugee camp. Events in Myanmar were moving in a way that was worrying, so it seemed the Rohingya would likely remain in Bangladesh for some time to come,” said the High Commissioner.
The UK is working closely with the government of Bangladesh to ensure the extraordinary generosity in hosting the Rohingyas continued, and that the funding was there to provide the refugees with the healthcare, food, shelter, water and sanitation they needed until they could return to Myanmar.
The UK had contributed over £320m to the global response, working closely with allies on camp conditions and building resilience, including against Covid-19.
The High Commissioner was concerned about recent violence at the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
Read: Election should be Bangladesh-led process: Dickson
He said the UK was exploring ways that refugees could be given more productive ways to spend their time, with the opportunity for them to volunteer, provide camp services and basic livelihoods, and for children to be educated.
On a global stage, he said, the UK also makes sure this crisis is not forgotten. “The UK is the penholder on the crisis in the UN Security Council and works hard to keep it on the agenda, despite not having full support from all UNSC members.”
Dickson said the UK is also using its new status as a Dialogue Partner to ASEAN and supporting the ASEAN Special Envoy to support better outcomes in Myanmar.
The High Commissioner said the solution was leadership – leaders needed to lead people away from exploiting division, towards healing it.
He said the UK was continuing to support the government of Bangladesh in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On vaccines, the envoy said, the UK was providing all its support globally, including to Bangladesh, through the COVAX programme. “The UK was not on the front page but was a significant part of the effort.”