Was The 10 Downing Street Party Legally Exempt
One rumour doing the rounds is that the alleged Christmas party might be exempt because it happened on Crown property.
Adam Wagner, a lawyer who has been scrutinising much of the Covid rules over the last two years, has tweeted: “The Prime Minister has been very clear he believes all guidance was followed. I assume he has had legal advice as to whether any criminal laws were broken.
“That legal advice should be published. It is time for the government to come clean on this,” he added.
“I have an inkling that the PM has been advised that the law didn’t apply to 10 Downing Street. If that is the case that itself is a scandal, how long have they thought that for and did they act as if it didn’t apply deliberately?”
Proof Of Vaccination Requirement
The requirement applies to all people born in 2009 or earlier and covers:
- Indoor ticketed concerts, theatre, dance, symphony and sporting events
- Indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants, pubs and bars
- Nightclubs and casinos
- Gyms, pools and recreation facilities
- Does not include youth recreational sport
Events, businesses and services will ask to see your proof of vaccination and valid government ID.
Proof of vaccination will not be needed to vote in-person in the September 20 federal election, or in-person at advance polling places.
The requirement is in place until January 31, 2022, subject to extension.
Plan B Would Be Hammer Blow For Retailers
Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of London retail body the New West End Company, said new restrictions would lead to “another miserable Christmas” for struggling businesses.
While our top priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues, and we fully support mandatory mask wearing in shops, a renewed work from home order during the most important trading period of the year would be a hammer blow for our retail and leisure tenants.
Many businesses have committed time and money in their Christmas plans in a bid to make up for last year’s losses – vital investment that they won’t be able to recoup.
In the event of further restrictions, the Government must provide immediate clarity on the implications of Plan B for the retail and hospitality industry, and whether additional financial support will be offered to struggling businesses.
Our hope is that a balance can be struck between keeping everyone safe and supporting the high street in its time of need. Otherwise we risk yet another miserable Christmas for struggling businesses and their staff.
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Fastest Option: Register Online With A Personal Health Number
Register online It takes 2 minutes
To register online, you must provide:
- First and last name
- Postal code
- Personal Health Number
- An email address that gets checked regularly or a phone number that can receive text messages
Find your Personal Health Number on the back of your B.C. driver’s licence, BC Services Card or CareCard.
If You Were Vaccinated Outside Ireland
You are considered fully vaccinated if you have been vaccinated with aCOVID-19 vaccine that is recommended by the WorldHealth Organisation or approved by the:
If you received your first vaccine dose in another country, you can get yoursecond dose in Ireland. You need to show evidence of your first vaccine dose inanother country. If your vaccine is not approved by the FDA or MHRA, orrecommended by the WHO, you will be offered a full course of a EuropeanMedicines Agency approved vaccine in Ireland.
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Omicron Response Was An Overreaction Says Willie Walsh
Former British Airways boss Willie Walsh has taken aim at governments for spreading fear about the omicron variant by introducing snap border controls and “rip-off” testing regimes.
Mr Walsh, who now leads airlines body IATA, said travellers should be allowed to make their own decisions based on scientific data.
The airline chief said “kneejerk” border restrictions would ease soon, but said it was too early to say whether holiday travel would be disrupted.
He added: “We can’t shut down everything when a new variant appears.”
Boris Johnson: Christmas Parties Should Continue
Boris Johnson has urged people to carry on with Christmas parties, but suggested people take a Covid test before attending.
When asked by The Telegraph’s Political Editor whether festive parties and nativity plays should be cancelled, he replied: “No, in my view they should not.
They should follow the guidance, of course, but we are not saying we want kids to be taken out of school before the end of term – not that there is very long to go now – and we don’t want nativity plays to be cancelled.
“We think that it is OK currently, on what we can see, to keep going with Christmas parties, but obviously everybody should exercise due caution, have ventilation, wash your hands, get a test before you go – a sensible thing to do to give everybody else at the party the confidence that they are going to be meeting someone who is not contagious.”
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Red Flag: It’s Illegal To Falsify Your Vaccine Card
It may seem tempting to buy a card and fill in the information yourself but the above options are better than breaking the law. First, fake vaccine cards can cost a lot of money. Most importantly, it’s illegal to purchase a fake vaccine card or fill in your own information. You should not use a government seal without permission. And buyers and sellers are both committing fraud. Even if you’ve had the vaccine, if you buy a fake card it’s still considered fraud and is punishable by fines and possibly jail.
The US Customs and Border Protection regularly reports seizing thousands of fake vaccine cards across the country. The crime is punishable by up to five years in jail or fines. So it’s a good reminder to do everything you can to retrieve your proof of vaccination the right way.
South Korea Reports Spike In New Coronavirus Cases
New coronavirus infections soared to a record single-day high of 7,175 cases in South Korea on Wednesday, up by 2,221 from the previous day and placing new strains on the nations already stretched medical services, reports Julian Ryall.
The new infections were particularly pronounced among older adults, who were among the first to receive vaccines but are now seeing the efficacy wear off, and young children who have not yet been inoculated.
The number of critically ill patients also climbed to a record high on Wednesday, up 66 to a total of 840, Yonhap News reported. More than 83 percent of the seriously ill are over the age of 60. Hospitals in Seoul are reporting bed occupancy rates of 84.5 percent, with nearly 1,000 people waiting to be admitted for treatment.
An additional 63 deaths were also reported, the third-highest figure to date and bringing the national total to 4,020.
Health authorities have also confirmed 38 cases of the omicron variant of the virus, with an additional 13 cases being monitored.
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Boris Johnson Confirms Return Of Working From Home As England Moves To Plan B
Boris Johnson has confirmed that the Government is moving to its coronavirus Plan B in the wake of rapidly increasing cases of the omicron variant.
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister issued new guidance for Britons to work from home where possible from Monday.
Face masks will also be compulsory from Friday in most indoor public venues such as cinemas, theatres and places of worship, with exemptions for certain hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants.
Mr Johnson added that vaccine passports will be required for nightclubs and other venues with large crowds as of Wednesday, with negative lateral flow tests also accepted.
He also announced that daily testing would be introduced instead of isolation for those who come into contact with infected people.
The Prime Minister stressed that Plan B measures “do not amount to a lockdown” and urged people to “keep going” with Christmas nativity plays and parties.
He said his aim was for restrictions to be in place “no later than early January and possibly before”.
Follow the latest updates below.
It’s Ok If You Went To A Mass Vaccination Site
You can still get your COVID-19 vaccine record, even if you got your shot at a mass vaccination site, like a church or stadium. Suppose you got the shot at a pop-up vaccination site that’s no longer around and you lose your card. Contact your county state’s health department. Most states have a phone number, email address and website to get your immunization records. You likely need to fill out an immunization request form and submit a photo ID. The process and timeframe can vary by state.
Keep in mind that your state’s health department may not have access to your COVID-19 vaccine status if you were not vaccinated with a state-approved provider. It could also be possible that your vaccine record has not been updated on your state’s registry yet.
Your state may also have an online portal to retrieve your vaccine info, like North Carolina’s COVID-19 Vaccine Portal. North Carolinians that got vaccinated with one of the state’s providers and provided an email address can print their vaccine record from the portal.
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Employers With 100+ Workers
Note At this time, the OSHA rule for employers with more than 100 workers has been paused by a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. OSHA stated on their website that they have “suspended activities related to the implementation and enforcement of the ETS pending future developments in the litigation.”
In his COVID-19 Action Plan, President Biden directed the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop an Emergency Temporary Standard for employers with at least 100 employees. The new OSHA rule requires workers to:
- obtain a COVID-19 vaccination, or
- submit to weekly COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work if the worker remains unvaccinated
Employees must receive their COVID-19 vaccinations by January 4th, 2022. Workers who remain unvaccinated are required to wear face coverings at work starting December 5th, 2021. Unvaccinated workers must also provide negative COVID-19 tests each week after January 4th, 2022 under the new rule. Employers are also required to offer paid time off for their employees to get vaccinated and sick leave to recover from any side effects.
- This FAQ from OSHA answers questions about requirements in the COVID-19 vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard.
Can’t Find Your Covid Vaccine Card Here’s What To Do
Don’t worry: If you lost or damaged your vaccination card, there are ways to recover it.
Your vaccine site may have proof that you got the shot if you lose your vaccination card.
What can you do if you’ve lost or damaged your COVID-19 vaccine card? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t keep vaccination status records, so it may seem difficult to retrieve proof you’re fully vaccinated. However, it’s not as hard as you think — even if you went to a mass vaccination site that’s no longer around.
You’ll want to get your card back to show proof you’re vaccinated so you can get into many restaurants, Broadway theaters and gyms across the country that require it. And millions of Americans will likely have to submit their vaccination record for employment, including , IBM, federal executive branch employees and more. It’s almost as important as keeping your photo ID handy.
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We’ll tell you what to do if you lost or damaged your card. And if you haven’t lost your card, there are also a few ways that you can store your vaccination card on your phone or your Apple Watch so you can leave the paper card at home in a safe place. And here’s the latest on COVID-19 boosters and Pfizer’s vaccine for kids. This story was recently updated.
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Pm Makes ‘no Excuses’ For Christmas Party Video
Boris Johnson is asked how he can stand at the same lectern where Allegra Stratton laughed about covid rules and tell people they must now follow his instructions.
The PM pays tribute to Allegra Stratton and says he makes “no excuses” for the frivolity in how the subject was handled.
He said there was no excuse for it and said she was a fine colleague who had achieved a great deal in government.
‘too Early’ To Say How Frequently Boosters Will Be Needed Says Nhs Medical Director
Professor Stephen Powis said it is “too early” to say how frequently Covid-19 boosters will be needed in future, but stressed that the booster programme is “even more critical” in the face of the Omicron variant.
The NHS England’s national medical director told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Well, it’s too early to say how frequently boosters might be given in the future. But what we know is that booster dose gives you a much higher level of antibodies in the blood – those are the antibodies that will neutralise the virus.”
He said boosters are “really important” because “Omicron may potentially reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, but that can be countered by the booster because that boosts the antibodies and gives you your protection back again. So, even more critical than it was a few weeks ago to get that booster dose”.
Prof Powis added: “The key message for everybody: The vaccines do work, they’re very effective and the way to make them even more effective is to get that booster dose.”
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Up To One Million Covid Vaccines Wasted In Nigeria
Up to one million Covid-19 vaccines are estimated to have expired in Nigeria last month without being used, in what is thought to be one of the biggest single losses of doses in African nations.
One source with knowledge of the delivery said some of the doses arrived within four-to-six weeks of expiry and could not be used in time, despite efforts by health authorities.
In Nigeria, Africas most populous nation and home to more than 200 million people, fewer than 4% of adults have been fully vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization .
Vaccine Passports Will Create ‘segregated Society’ Says Tory Mp
A Tory MP has said that Covid passes will create a “segregated society” and is a “diversionary tactic”.
William Wragg, Conservative MP for Hazel Grove, told the Prime Minister he doubts that anyone will be convinced by this “diversionary tactic”.
His comments come amid suggestions ministers are considering moving to Plan B measures in England, such as calling for people to work from home and implementing vaccine passports.
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Terms And Conditions Of Supply Of Vaccines
To receive government funded vaccines, I agree:
The Christmas Lockdown Will Become An Annual Tradition
Here we go again, writes Ross Clark. Like clockwork, the Government is clunking its way towards what threatens to become an annual Christmas tradition: the festive lockdown.
Last week we were told to wear masks in shops and on public transport.
This week it looks as if we are going full Plan B mask-wearing, the return of social distancing, working from home and possibly vaccine passports, too.
You can already fill in your diary for next week: as soon as the annual Downing Street staff party is out of the way a full lockdown will be called and well be forced to cancel the in-laws yet again.
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Downing Street Party Was ‘totally Reprehensible’ Says Bereaved Woman
A woman whose mother died alone in hospital last December after contracting Covid has branded the leaked video about the Downing Street party “totally reprehensible.”
Jackie Green, whose 86-year-old mother Beryl Harris died on December 18 last year said: “I couldn’t quite comprehend what I was watching, I had to watch it several times to sink in.
“I was absolutely appalled that members of the Government could laugh and joke about a party when people were losing their loved ones.
“Even if they haven’t lost loved ones, they could get severely affected by Covid.
“To put it mildly, it was inappropriate. It was totally reprehensible behaviour.”