Indian variant: Live updates as Boris Johnson announces second doses of vaccines to be accelerated
The Prime Minister is holding a Covid-19 press conference from Downing Street to update the nation after four UK deaths linked to the new variant
The video will auto-play soon8Cancel
Play now
Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a Covid-19 press conference after it was announced four people have died in the UK with the Indian variant of Covid-19.
According to data published by Public Health England (PHE) the four deaths, which are the first known deaths in the UK from the variant, took place between May, 5 and May, 12.
A new large vaccination centre will open for the North-East and North Cumbria on Thursday, May 13 A SEVENTH large vaccination centre for the region will open this week. The facility at Hexham Mart, Northumberland, becomes operatoinal on Thursday, May 13 and joins the six large vaccination centres which are at Newcastle’s Centre for Life, the NHS Nightingale Hospital North East at Sunderland, the Arnison Centre in Durham, Darlington Arena, The Riverside Stadium at Middlesbrough and the Auction Mart at Penrith. These large centres operate in conjunction with local vaccination services run by groups of GPs working together in Primary Care Networks and services offered by some community pharmacies.
Covid sign Richmond Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT THE Covid alert level in the UK has been downgraded after a “consistent” fall in cases, hospital admissions and deaths - meaning the virus is no longer rising exponentially . The four chief medical officers of the UK have said the threat level should be lowered from “level 4” to “level 3”, thanks to the success of the vaccination programme and social distancing restrictions. This means that the epidemic is in general circulation, but transmission of the virus is no longer deemed to be high or rising exponentially. It comes as experts said that the nation is in a “strong position” to press ahead with the easing of coronavirus restrictions.
The centre will open its doors on Thursday, April 13 in Hexham. Hexham Mart Vaccination Centre is the seventh large vaccination site in the region and the site will have the capacity to see up to 800 people per day, vaccine supply permitting. The decision to open a large new vaccination centre in Hexham was made in conjunction with local NHS partners so that the West Northumberland Primary Care Network, which has so far delivered 60,000 vaccinations, can return to providing core GP services. The centres, of which there are already six in the region, work with local vaccination services run by groups of GPs working together in Primary Care Networks and services offered by community pharmacies.