UK Covid live: South African variant cases reported in Surrey prompt fears of community transmission

Latest updates: mass testing after two people with no history of travel reportedly catch variant; some care home staff yet to receive first jabTwo London clinics mistakenly offer Covid jab to young peopleUK Covid patients dying needlessly over unfounded ventilator fearsCovid could cost children £350bn in earnings from lost learning, says IFSNHS has offered Covid jab to all older residents in care homes in EnglandGlobal coronavirus updates - live 12.33pm GMT Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, has suggested the May elections should be postponed for public health reasons, because the Covid pandemic and incomplete vaccination programme could make staging it unsafe.After calling on Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, to withdraw her plans for a second independence referendum due to the pandemic, Ross was asked during a briefing with reporters whether he believed the election should go ahead. He replied:I’ve said I don’t think now is the right time for politics and that means the next period, when parties would be going into campaigning, makes it really difficult. We will be in a different place in May but not in the months running up to May.However, we have got to prepare, which is why the Scottish Conservatives [as a] party, we’re ready for an election in May. But will obviously have to take clear guidance and public health advice on whether it can safely go ahead.Not enough has been done to engage people in the election; I think there’s very limited bandwidth out there to be thinking about politics and an election in May. 12.27pm GMT Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2021/feb/01/uk-covid-coronavirus-lastest-news-minister-says-some-staff-still-waiting-for-vaccine-as-care-home-residents-in-england-get-first-jab #coronavirus #politics #uk_news #health #vaccines_and_immunisation #infectious_diseases #care_workers #social_care