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Covid news - live: We shouldn’t ‘cower’ from virus, Javid says, as pingdemic threatens widespread disruption (msn.com)
We shouldn’t ‘cower’ from virus, Javid says, as pingdemic threatens widespread disruption
© Dan Kitwood/Getty Images GettyImages-1325881667.jpg
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, has urged people to “learn to live with, rather than cower from” coronavirus, as he declared he has “fully recovered” after testing positive for Covid-19 a week ago and suffering “very mild” symptoms.
His buoyant message came as industry leaders warned that England faces a summer of venue closures, travel disruption and food supply woes, with rail operators across the country already forced to slim down services and staff shortages seeing businesses temporarily shuttered during the supposed peak season.
Pressure is growing on the Boris Johnson to bring forward plans to exempt double-vaccinated people from self-isolation requirements as of 16 August, with one food production boss branding the government’s planned measures to ease the so-called “pingdemic” as “worse than useless”.
But the British Medical Association warned the problem lies not with “excessive pinging” of the NHS Covid-19 app, but with the government’s coronavirus strategy which has caused “rocketing case numbers”. The doctors’ union called for an “urgent rethink” in favour of “more stringent infection control measures”.
Although for six consecutive days there have been fewer new daily Covid cases than the 54,674 seen last Saturday, epidemiologist Professor Adam Kucharski warned these remain “early signs”, and said data emerging over the coming fortnight – which will reflect the impact of so-called Freedom Day – will be “crucial” in understanding whether the third wave is slowing, or whether the case rates of the past few days merely represent another “false peak”.
Key Points
- We shouldn’t ‘cower’ from virus, Sajid Javid says after ‘very mild’ symptoms
- Summer of disruption ahead, industry leaders warn
- PM urged to bring forward isolation exemption for double-jabbed
- Doctors accuse government of letting virus ‘rip'
- Exclusive: Travel industry crisis as passenger numbers flounder
Anti-vaxxers clash with with police in Paris during protest
16:30 , Sam HancockFrench anti-riot police fired teargas on Saturday as clashes broke out during protests in central Paris against Covid curbs and vaccination, local media reports.
Television pictures showed officers attempting to push back demonstrators near the capital’s Gare Saint-Lazare railway station after the protesters pushed over a police motorbike carrying several officers.
At another protest called by far-right politicians in west Paris, demonstrators opposed to anti-virus measures carried banners reading “Stop the dictatorship”.
Across France, protests were also planned in cities including Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse.
It comes as lawmakers prepare to vote this weekend on a bill drafted by the government aimed at setting up a health pass and mandatory vaccination for health workers.
How ionic!
