Secondary school re-opening WILL be delayed by at least an extra week but primaries will open on schedule amid fears of coronavirus spike caused by mutant strain that can spread more easily among children
SAGE has told PM that a new tougher lockdown in January with schools closed is only way to take R below 1
Michael Gove confirmed staggered reopening of schools in England from Monday - but primaries will open
But in more uncertainty for parents and children, he said the plan remains under review amid union pressure
All secondary schools will be shut apart from for children in Year 11 and 13 and for key workers children
U.K. Ambulance Service Sees 2,500 More Emergency Calls in One Day Amid New COVID Strain
On 12/28/20 at 1:56 PM EST
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) received nearly 8,000 emergency calls on Saturday, about a 40 percent increase compared with a typically busy day for the service.
In an internal memo sent to LAS employees, obtained by BBC News, the service stated the increase in demand was a result of the new coronavirus strain spreading in the country. The demand is occurring because of the rapid spread of the new variant of the COVID-19 virus, initially in north-east London, but now spreading into north-central London and predicted to spread further across the rest of the capital in the coming days and weeks, said the memo.
There are now more Covid-19 patients in NHS hospitals in England than during the peak of the first wave in April, new figures have revealed.
The NHS England data shows there were 20,426 patients in NHS hospitals in England as of 8am on Monday, compared to the 18,974 patients recorded on April 12.
The number of further lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus recorded in a single day in the UK also hit a new high of 41,385 as of 9am Monday, according to Government figures.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said: “This very high level of infection is of growing concern at a time when our hospitals are at their most vulnerable, with new admissions rising in many regions.”
Covid-19: London Ambulance Service receives as many 999 calls as first wave
By Dr Faye Kirkland and Noel Titheradge
BBC News
image captionPatient demand in London is now arguably greater than in the first wave of the pandemic, according to the service
London Ambulance Service (LAS) received as many emergency calls on 26 December as it did at the height of the first wave of Covid-19, the BBC has learned.
Nearly 8,000 calls were received, a 40% increase on a typical busy day.
Patient demand was now arguably greater than during the first wave, an internal message to all staff said.
LAS said it was working urgently to reduce delays. It urged people only to dial 999 with genuine life-threatening emergencies and to use 111 if possible.