Many scientists are pressing the British government to reimpose social restrictions and speed up booster vaccinations as coronavirus infection rates, already Europe’s highest, rise still further.
The U.K. recorded 43,738 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, slightly down from the 49,156 reported Monday, which was the largest number since mid-July. New infections have averaged more than 44,000 a day over the past week, a 16 per cent increase on the week before.
In July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government lifted all the legal restrictions that had been imposed more than a year earlier to slow the spread of the virus, including face coverings indoors and social distancing rules. Nightclubs and other crowded venues were allowed to open at full capacity, and people were no longer advised to work from home if they could.
Some modellers feared a big spike in cases after the re-opening. That didn’t occur, but infections remained high, and recently have begun to increase — especially among children, who remain largely unvaccinated.
Also rising are hospitalizations and deaths, which have averaged 130 a day over the past week, with 223 reported Tuesday alone. This is far lower than when cases were last this high, before much of the population was vaccinated, but still too high, critics of the government say.
A man receives a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine last winter at the mass vaccination program in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. COVID-19 cases are again on the rise in the U.K., raising questions about what’s behind the increase. (Scott Heppell/The Associated Press)
Some say Britons have been too quick to return to pre-pandemic behaviour. Masks and social distancing have all but vanished in most settings in England, including schools, though Scotland and other parts of the U.K. remain a bit more strict. Even in shops, where masks are recommended, and on the London transit network, where they are mandatory, adherence is patchy.
A plan to require proof of vaccination to attend nightclubs, concerts and other mass events in England was dropped by the Conservative government amid opposition from lawmakers, though Scotland introduced a vaccine pass program this month.
Some scientists say a bigger factor is waning immunity. Britain’s vaccination program got off to a quick start, with shots given to the elderly and vulnerable starting last December, and so far almost 80 per cent of eligible people have received two doses. The early start means millions of people have been vaccinated for more than six months, and studies have suggested vaccines’ protection gradually wanes over time.
Millions of people in Britain are being offered booster shots, but critics say the program is moving too slowly, at about 180,000 doses a day. More than half of the people eligible for a booster dose haven’t yet received one.
The U.K. also waited longer than the U.S. and many European countries to vaccinate children ages 12-15, and only about 15 per cent in that age group in England have had a shot since they became eligible last month.
“It’s critical we accelerate the booster program,” said epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.
Ferguson said one factor influencing the U.K.’s high case numbers was that it has relied heavily on the AstraZeneca vaccine, “and, while that protects very well against very severe outcomes of COVID, it protects slightly less well than Pfizer against infection and transmission, particularly in the face of the delta variant.”
He also noted that “most Western European countries have kept in place more control measures, vaccine mandates, mask-wearing mandates, and tend to have lower case numbers and certainly not case numbers which are going up as fast as we’ve got.”
“But at the end of the day this is a policy decision for government to make,” he told the BBC.
‘Plan B’ on hold
A report by lawmakers released last week concluded that the British government waited too long to impose a lockdown in the early days of the pandemic, missing a chance to contain the disease and leading to thousands of unnecessary deaths. Critics say it is repeating that mistake.
Last month, the prime minister said the country might need to move to a “Plan B” — reintroducing measures such as mandatory masks and bringing in vaccine passes — if cases rose so high in the fall and winter that the health system came under “unsustainable” strain.
For now, the government says it won’t change course, but will try to boost vaccination rates with a new ad campaign and an increased number of sites outside of schools where kids can receive their shots.
Johnson’s spokesperson, Max Blain, said “we always knew the next few months would be challenging.” But he said the government was trying to protect “both lives and livelihoods.”
“Clearly we are keeping a very close eye on rising case rates,” Blain said. “The most important message for the public to understand is the vital importance of the booster program.
But, he added: “There are no plans to move to Plan B.”
— From The Associated Press, last updated at 1:45 p.m. ET
Province needs tough public health measures immediately to drive down transmission of the coronavirus and ‘minimize any further death and suffering,’ says infectious diseases specialist Dr. Alexander Wong. 8:32
What’s happening around the world
WATCH | Vaccine inequity ‘driving up transmissions’ in some hot spots, WHO official says:
Vaccine inequity ‘driving up transmissions’ despite declining caseloads, WHO official says
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 technical lead, tells Power & Politics that despite the weekly decline in cases and deaths around the world, the lack of vaccine equity is still driving up infections in COVID-19 hotspots globally. 9:02
As of Tuesday evening, more than 241.5 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported around the world, according to a case-tracking site maintained by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll stood at more than 4.9 million.
In Africa, the South African drug regulator has rejected the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, citing some safety concerns the manufacturer wasn’t able to answer.
Burundi is booking appointments for people who want COVID-19 vaccines, months after most African countries embarked on vaccination campaigns.
In Europe, Latvia announced a lockdown from Oct. 21 until Nov. 15 to try to slow a spike in infections in one of the least vaccinated European Union countries.
In the Americas, Mexico’s capital returned to the lowest level on its COVID-19 pandemic warning system Monday for the first time since June.
People walk through the streets of the historic centre of Mexico City on Oct. 16, a day after the Mexican capital mayor’s office announced it will reduce restrictions put in place to fight COVID-19. (Claudio Cruz/AFP/Getty Images)
In practice, the shift from the yellow to green category changes meant only small changes to daily life. Mask wearing is still common on streets of the city of 9 million, but the rhythm of life in the capital has long since regained a high degree of normalcy.
Massive outdoor events, which had been operating at 75 per cent capacity, now face no capacity restrictions, though attendees will still be required to wear masks. The move comes just weeks ahead of Mexico City hosting a Formula 1 race.
Meanwhile, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said its decision to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for those competing at next year’s Beijing Olympics has been met with some resistance.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore reported 3,994 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, its highest since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as seven new deaths. A recent spike in infections after the relaxation of some restrictions has prompted the country to pause further reopening and tighten curbs that limit gatherings.
India’s vaccination campaign has slowed despite amassing record stockpiles of vaccine, health ministry data showed.
A health worker administers a dose of the Covishield vaccine against COVID-19 during a door-to-door vaccination campaign at a residential area in Chennai, India, on Tuesday. (Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images)
In Europe, Bulgaria will make a COVID-19 “green certificate” mandatory for indoor access to restaurants, cinemas, gyms and shopping malls, the health minister said on Tuesday, as the country struggles with a rising number of coronavirus infections.
The health pass — a digital or paper certificate showing someone has been vaccinated, tested negative or recently recovered from the virus — was originally conceived to ease travel among European Union states.
Meanwhile, new coronavirus infections in the Netherlands jumped 44 per cent in the week through Tuesday, forcing several hospitals in the country to cut back on regular care to deal with a rising number of COVID-19 cases.
In the Middle East, Iran on Monday reported 181 additional deaths linked to COVID-19 and 11,844 additional cases. The country, which has struggled to contain the virus, is seeing cases trend downward after hitting record highs over the summer.
— From Reuters, The Associated Press and CBC News, last updated at 7:45 p.m. ET
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A linebacker at Division II West Virginia State was fatally shot during what the university said Thursday is being investigated by police as a home invasion.
The body of Jyilek Zyiare Harrington, 21, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was found inside an apartment Wednesday night in Charleston, police Lt. Tony Hazelett said in a statement.
Hazelett said several gunshots were fired during a disturbance in a hallway and inside the apartment. The statement said Harrington had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said they had no information on a possible suspect.
West Virginia State said counselors were available to students and faculty on campus.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jyilek’s family as they mourn the loss of this incredible young man,” West Virginia State President Ericke S. Cage said in a letter to students and faculty.
Harrington, a senior, had eight total tackles, including a sack, in a 27-24 win at Barton College last week.
“Jyilek truly embodied what it means to be a student-athlete and was a leader not only on campus but in the community,” West Virginia State Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Nate Burton said. “Jyilek was a young man that, during Christmas, would create a GoFundMe to help less fortunate families.”
Burton said donations to a fund established by the athletic department in Harrington’s memory will be distributed to an organization in Charlotte to continue his charity work.
West Virginia State’s home opener against Carson-Newman, originally scheduled for Thursday night, has been rescheduled to Friday, and a private vigil involving both teams was set for Thursday night. Harrington previously attended Carson-Newman, where he made seven tackles in six games last season. He began his college career at Division II Erskine College.
“Carson-Newman joins West Virginia State in mourning the untimely passing of former student-athlete Jyilek Harrington,” Carson-Newman Vice President of Athletics Matt Pope said in a statement. “The Harrington family and the Yellow Jackets’ campus community is in our prayers. News like this is sad to hear anytime, but today it feels worse with two teams who knew him coming together to play.”
DETROIT (AP) — Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92.
The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Wednesday. A cause of death was not provided.
One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000.
“Joe likes to say that at one point in his career, he was 6-3, but he had tackled so many fullbacks that it drove his neck into his shoulders and now he is 6-foot,” said the late Lions owner William Clay Ford, Schmidt’s presenter at his Hall of Fame induction in 1973. “At any rate, he was listed at 6-feet and as I say was marginal for that position. There are, however, qualities that certainly scouts or anybody who is drafting a ballplayer cannot measure.”
Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt, beginning his stint there as a fullback and guard before coach Len Casanova switched him to linebacker.
“Pitt provided me with the opportunity to do what I’ve wanted to do, and further myself through my athletic abilities,” Schmidt said. “Everything I have stemmed from that opportunity.”
Schmidt dealt with injuries throughout his college career and was drafted by the Lions in the seventh round in 1953. As defenses evolved in that era, Schmidt’s speed, savvy and tackling ability made him a valuable part of some of the franchise’s greatest teams.
Schmidt was elected to the Pro Bowl 10 straight years from 1955-64, and after his arrival, the Lions won the last two of their three NFL titles in the 1950s.
In a 1957 playoff game at San Francisco, the Lions trailed 27-7 in the third quarter before rallying to win 31-27. That was the NFL’s largest comeback in postseason history until Buffalo rallied from a 32-point deficit to beat Houston in 1993.
“We just decided to go after them, blitz them almost every down,” Schmidt recalled. “We had nothing to lose. When you’re up against it, you let both barrels fly.”
Schmidt became an assistant coach after wrapping up his career as a player. He was Detroit’s head coach from 1967-72, going 43-35-7.
Schmidt was part of the NFL’s All-Time Team revealed in 2019 to celebrate the league’s centennial season. Of course, he’d gone into the Hall of Fame 46 years earlier.
Not bad for an undersized seventh-round draft pick.
“It was a dream of mine to play football,” Schmidt told the Detroit Free Press in 2017. “I had so many people tell me that I was too small. That I couldn’t play. I had so many negative people say negative things about me … that it makes you feel good inside. I said, ‘OK, I’ll prove it to you.’”
VICTORIA – British Columbia’s Environment Assessment Office has fined Coastal GasLink Pipeline Ltd. $590,000 for “deficiencies” in the construction of its pipeline crossing the province.
The office says in a statement that 10 administrative penalties have been levied against the company for non-compliance with requirements of its environmental assessment certificate.
It says the fines come after problems with erosion and sediment control measures were identified by enforcement officers along the pipeline route across northern B.C. in April and May 2023.
The office says that the latest financial penalties reflect its escalation of enforcement due to repeated non-compliance of its requirements.
Four previous penalties have been issued for failing to control erosion and sediment valued at almost $800,000, while a fifth fine of $6,000 was handed out for providing false or misleading information.
The office says it prioritized its inspections along the 670-kilometre route by air and ground as a result of the continued concerns, leading to 59 warnings and 13 stop-work orders along the pipeline that has now been completed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
