Live Coronavirus latest news: Pfizer Covid vaccine approved by US authorities//…

10 min readDec 12, 2020

Schools that close for last week of term could face legal action
London in Tier 3 would help bring down ‘serious rise’ in cases
Kent prisons may be a ‘catalyst’ for London cases rising to Tier 3 levels
Sweden may have to send patients to Finland as infections spiral
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The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for coronavirus has been approved for use in the United States, health authorities in the country have confirmed.

The vaccine, which is thought to have 95 per cent efficacy against the virus and has been administered in the UK since Tuesday, has been granted emergency authorisation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA said that its authorisation for those over the age of 16 followed an “open and transparent review process”, while making it clear that the emergency-use approval was not the same as full approval.

Describing the jab as a “medical miracle”, President Donald Trump said in a video addess: “We have delivered a safe and effective vaccine in just nine months.

“This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history. It will save millions of lives and soon will end the pandemic once and for all.”

The first Americans will be vaccinated within the space of 24 hours, President Trump added.

It comes as the pandemic continues to take a significant toll on the US, with more than 3,000 coronavirus-linked deaths recorded on Wednesday.

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9:16am

Tier 3 rates in Kent could be due to ‘catalyst’ prisons

Prisons in Kent may have acted as a “catalyst” at the epicentre of a major Covid-19 outbreak that has spread to London, helping push the capital into Tier 3, according to experts and jail insiders.

Four of the top five areas with the highest Covid rates in England are centred around the Kent borough of Swale and its Isle of Sheppey, where there are three prisons, one of which had one of the biggest jail outbreaks of Covid-19 this autumn.

The four sit on a commuting corridor that appears to have helped drive the Covid-19 virus into south east London, which looks set to join Kent in facing the highest level of restrictions in the run-up to Christmas.

The surge in Covid-19 cases to 1,375 per 100,000 in the local epicentre of East Sheppey is being analysed by public health experts, to understand the social and economic conditions that drive the spread of the disease in the community.

Experts believe Swale — the borough with the highest rate of Covid in England, at 624.3 cases per 100,000 — has the perfect set of characteristics that meant any small outbreak could catch fire and increase exponentially.

Charles Hymas and Mason-Boycott Owen have the full story.

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Schools were threatened with legal action by Government ministers on Friday night, reports Camilla Turner, amid growing fears that many will close early in an attempt to reduce the spread of Covid-19 among teenagers before Christmas.

At least one council has already told some of its schools that it would support them to move to online learning only for the last week of term, and secondary schools across London and the South East are expected to tell parents that they will be closing early for the holidays.

Headteachers whose schools do stay open also intend to turn a blind eye if parents choose to keep their children at home, The Telegraph understands.

However, senior sources at the Department for Education (DfE) warned schools and councils that it would be prepared to apply for High Court injunctions to force them to stay open.

Read more: Many schools likely to close early to stop spread
Could schools close again? The latest lockdown rules in England

8:38am

Two in five carers could refuse Covid vaccine, says national care chair

The chairman of the National Care Association has said as many as two in five carers could decide against having the Covid-19 vaccine.

Between 50 and 60 per cent “will definitely have the vaccine and are very keen”, Nadra Ahmed told the Today programme.

“We understand between about 17 and 20 per cent of staff in services are saying they definitely won’t have it,” she said. “And then you’ve got the rest who are waiting to see.

“We are looking at potentially 40 per cent who decide not to have it. It certainly is [a huge number], however I do think people will start to change their minds as the vaccine becomes more readily available and they see colleagues having it.”

Ms Ahmed said that it was “stunning” people who had “seen the direct impact of the virus” were against taking the jab, but admitted the take up on the flu jab “isn’t very good”.

“It’s not in their contract, currently, they have to have these vaccines. It is an optional part of life,” she said.

8:08am

Russia reports more than 28,000 cases in 24 hours

Russia confirmed 28,137 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours on Saturday, including 6,622 in Moscow, pushing the national tally to 2,625,848 since the pandemic began.

Authorities said 560 people had died overnight, taking the official death toll to 46,453.

Paramedics examine a patient at his home, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus in the village of Vybiti, Novgorod Region, Russia CREDIT: REUTERS

7:58am

Relaxing restriction over Christmas a ‘mistake’

Relaxing Covid restrictions for five days over the Christmas period is a “mistake” that will have “consequences”, according to a professor of public health.

Linda Bauld, of the University of Edinburgh, said: “I think people have to think very carefully whether they can see loved ones outside, or do it in a very modest way.

“I’m also concerned about the travel, people going from high to low-prevalence areas.”

She told BBC Breakfast: “I think it’s going to have consequences.”I completely understand why governments are doing that. Behaviourally people are fed up.

“If you’re meeting people indoors from other households, there’s poor ventilation, maybe older family members are in those bubbles, unfortunately because the virus hasn’t been eliminated… I think that means the Christmas period is a risk.

“From a public health perspective, I have to be perfectly honest, I think this is a mistake.”

7:34am

Indonesian cleric turns himself in for Covid violations

A firebrand Indonesian cleric turned himself in to authorities on Saturday after he was accused of inciting people to breach pandemic restrictions by holding events with large crowds.

Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front, arrived at Jakarta police headquarters a day after police warned they would arrest him after he ignored several summonses.

Wearing a white robe, turban and face mask, Shihab told reporters that he never ran away or hid from police.

“With God’s permission, I can come to the Jakarta police for an investigation according to the laws and regulations,” he said ahead of questioning.

Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus told a news conference on Friday that Shihab is accused of ignoring measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 by holding an event to commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday and the wedding of his daughter last month that pulled in thousands of his supporters.

He said Shihab could face up to six years in prison if found guilty of inciting people to violate health regulations amid an outbreak and of obstructing law enforcement.

Rizieq Shihab gestures to supporters as he arrives at the Jakarta’s Police headquarters CREDIT: BAGUS INDAHONO/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

7:09am

Study reveals ‘intense suffering’ older people experienced

The extent of care home loneliness has been revealed after a leading charity found that 70 per cent of relatives claimed they have not been able to see their loved ones since the start of the pandemic.

The findings, published today by Age UK, come as the charity “lays bare the intense suffering experienced by many older people and their families and friends as a result of their enforced separation throughout much of the pandemic”.

Age UK also expressed concerns that many older people living in care homes will not be reunited with their loved ones by Christmas, as the Government has pledged.

Read the full story

6:44am

Peru suspends clinical trials of Chinese vaccine

Peru has temporarily suspended clinical trials of a Covid vaccine made by Chinese drug giant Sinopharm after detecting neurological problems in one of its test volunteers.

The National Institute of Health said on Friday that it had decided to interrupt the trial after a volunteer had difficulty moving their arms, according to local media.

“Several days ago we signaled, as we are required, to the regulatory authorities that one of our participants (in trials) presented neurological symptoms which could correspond to a condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome,” said chief researcher German Malaga in comments to the press.

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare and non-contagious disorder which affects the movement of the arms and legs. Peru declared a temporary health emergency in five regions in June last year following multiple cases.

In the 1970s a campaign to innoculate Americans against a supposedly devastating strain of swine flu ground to a halt after some 450 of those vaccinated developed the syndrome, which can also cause paralysis.

Peru’s clinical trials for the Sinopharm vaccine were due to conclude this week, after testing around 12,000 people.

Andean protesters march in front of the Congress building demanding the government attend to their health needs in Lima CREDIT: AP

6:34am

Cases in China sparks ‘wartime mode’

China has put one northern city in lockdown and launched citywide coronavirus testing in another, after two local infections involving workers at a port and trade zone respectively, authorities have said.

There was one new case each in Dongning and Suifenhe, which both sit on the country’s border with Russia.

In Dongning, a 40-year-old maintenance worker at a port tested positive on Thursday, triggering the latest measures.

Officials there said on Saturday it would enter “wartime mode” — temporarily suspending public bus services and road transport, while requiring anyone leaving the city to produce a negative Covid-19 test from the preceding 24 hours.

Schools will suspend classes and dine-in will be banned at restaurants, while in higher-risk areas only one member of each household will be allowed to leave the home once every two days to buy daily necessities — for no longer than two hours each time.

In the Suifenhe case, a 39-year-old man who works as a loading and unloading worker at a trade zone tested positive.

Both cities on Friday announced the launch of citywide testing, expected to be completed in three days.

A volunteer holds a sign with a QR code to indicate health status at an entrance to a residential compound following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Suifenhe CREDIT: REUTERS

3:58am

Canada, US border to stay closed until January 21

The longest international border in the world, between Canada and the US, will remain closed until January 21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday.

A second wave of infections in Canada — with a total of nearly 450,000 cases reported as of Friday — has forced several regions to reintroduce pandemic measures.

The US is the worst-affected country in the world, with almost 300,000 deaths from 15.7 million cases.

The border between the US and Mexico will also remain shut until the same date, said Chad Wolf, the acting head of the Department of Homeland Security.

2:54am

US regulator approves Pfizer vaccine for emergency use

The US regulator has approved the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, paving the way for a programme to begin vaccinating millions of Americans within days.

The US Food and Drug Administration gave the go-ahead for an emergency licence for the jab late on Friday evening after studying the evidence presented by Pfizer and hearing the opinions of a panel of scientific experts.

President Donald Trump said the first shot will be administered in less than 24 hours.