Category Archives: NEWS

People Are Pointing Out The 2 Obvious Problems With The New Nightingale Surge Hubs

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NHS England will be setting up Nightingale surge hubs to cope with high numbers of Covid hospitalisations – but people have spotted a particular problem with this new strategy.

These “surge hubs” will be set up in eight hospitals across England in preparation for the expected rise in Omicron admissions in the coming months.

Each temporary unit will house around 100 patients and construction is set to begin this week.

Additional sites for 4,000 more beds may also be on the cards as hospitalisations in England have risen above 10,000 for the first time since March this year.

NHS medical director Professor Stephen Powis said the new hubs are part of the health service’s response to Omicron and that the UK is now on a “war footing”, while health secretary Sajid Javid said the hubs might not need to be used but it’s good to prepare.

The hubs will be placed at the Royal Preston hospital in Lancashire, in St James’ University Hospital in Leeds, in Stevenage’s Lister Hospital, Tooting’s St George’s Hospital, North Bristol Hospital, Solihull Hospital, William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, and University Hospitals Leicester.

But there are two clear flaws with this new strategy.

Firstly, many have noticed that introducing Nightingale surge hubs to cope with increasing infections and hospital admissions seems at odds at the government’s refusal to introduce new restrictions before Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Restrictions are likely to be introduced in January when the government has access to more data about how severe Omicron symptoms can be, but the festive season is expected to have accelerated the variant’s transmission across the country.

The other major pressing is the shortage of employees to look after Covid patients.

NHS staff absences in London increased by 150% week-on-week in the seven days leading up to December 19, according to the health service’s data.

Critics have asked why the government is focusing on providing hospital beds rather than prioritising the NHS staff shortages.

Pat Cullen, the Royal College of Nursing general secretary, also asked how these units would work with so many members of staff self-isolating.

She told Sky News this week: “You can set up all the hubs that you wish to set up but if you don’t have the nursing staff to actually care for the patients that are going to be placed in those hubs, that places more challenges on the nursing workforce.”

The NHS was already being squeezed after the health secretary made Covid vaccinations mandatory for all staff.

A shortage of rapid lateral flow tests is causing further concern as it means people will be unable to test themselves before socialising.

However, the government has promised to make eight million Covid tests available before Friday, December 31, which could help stop some transmission on New Year’s Eve.

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Jonathan Van-Tam Rips Off His Shirt And Tie On The BBC…And Becomes An Accidental Partridge Victim

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Jonathan Van-Tam went full Alan Partridge on Tuesday night while opening a lecture about viruses.

Speaking during one of the Royal Institute’s Christmas Lectures, the UK’s deputy chief medical officer signalled that he was stepping away from his usual position as a government adviser for the evening with a rather unusual stunt.

JVT, as he is known, began: “Many of you may have seen me giving public health announcements from the podium at No.10 Downing Street.”

″But tonight is different!”

And with that, he pulled off his shirt and tie (to reveal another shirt underneath) under a cloud of smoke.

After a short pause – where the camera zoomed in on the emotionless, silent crowd – he stepped towards the audience and explained: “Tonight I am speaking to you as a scientist and a doctor not a government adviser.”

Then, swiftly pointing at the camera, he said: “Tonight – we’re going viral!”

JVT on BBC Four for the Royal Institute's Christmas lectures
JVT on BBC Four for the Royal Institute’s Christmas lectures

And while he may not have been a hit with the audience, it seems JVT certainly made an impression among his online fans with his move away from serious Covid coverage.

He’s not the only public figure to accidentally replicate Steve Coogan’s satirical character – Alan Partridge, an inept, tone-deaf broadcaster.

Former health secretary Matt Hancock made a similar blunder when he released a video greeting his constitutents, although he did later deleted it.

Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Madeley has also drawn regular comparisons with Partridge during his on air interviews, but he has since addressed the criticism.

He told the Metro: “I honestly don’t care at all. I think it’s quite funny. It’s part and parcel of doing the job that I do.

“I think some of the quotes are often made up to be honest with you, or they’re taken so ludicrously out of context, but I look at it sometimes and I think, ‘Oh that’s a bit unfair.’

“But I don’t mind, it’s all part and parcel of what I do. It’s fine.”

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UK Reports New Record Number Of Daily Covid Cases

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The number of UK daily Covid cases is in six figures for the third time as another record high was reached.

The government said lab-confirmed coronavirus cases were 122,186 as of 9am on Thursday, and a further 137 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

On Wednesday, recorded case rates of Covid across the UK rose above 100,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, new data has emerged showing that Covid infection levels have reached a new record high after a senior health official said findings that the Omicron variant is milder offer a “glimmer of Christmas hope”.

An estimated 1.7 million people in the UK had Covid-19 in the week ending December 19, the highest number since comparable figures began in autumn 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The new interim data, published on Friday, also shows that around one in 35 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to December 19 – up from one in 45 in the seven days to December 16.

This is the highest estimate for England since the ONS began estimating community infection levels for England in May 2020, and is equivalent to around 1.5 million people.

The latest figures come after UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said data suggesting Omicron may be less likely to lead to serious illness than the Delta variant of coronavirus offers a “glimmer of Christmas hope”.

But she warned that it is too early to downgrade the threat from the new strain, which is still spreading rapidly across the UK.

Dr Harries told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that more information is needed, particularly about the impact on elderly and more vulnerable patients.

She added: “There is a glimmer of Christmas hope in the findings that we published yesterday, but it definitely isn’t yet at the point where we could downgrade that serious threat.”

The UKHSA estimates that someone with Omicron is between 31% and 45% less likely to attend A&E and 50% to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital than an individual with the Delta variant.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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UK Daily Covid Cases Hit 119,789 – Another Record High

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The number of UK daily Covid cases has reached another record high.

The government said lab-confirmed coronavirus cases were 119,789 as of 9am on Thursday, and a further 147 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

On Wednesday, recorded case rates of Covid across the UK rose above 100,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

It comes as Covid infection levels reached a record high in the UK – but the government maintained no further restrictions will be set out before Christmas.

An estimated 1.4 million people in the UK had the virus in the week ending December 16, the highest number since comparable figures began in autumn 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The data emerged within hours of Sajid Javid telling broadcasters the government is not planning to make any more announcements on restrictions in England this week.

It follows a warning from NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis that the service is on a “war footing” as the Omicron variant sweeps through the country.

In other developments:

– Javid welcomed studies suggesting Omicron may cause less severe illness than earlier strains but he warned it could still lead to “significant” hospital admissions.

– The ONS said the percentage of people testing positive for Covid in the latest week is estimated to have increased in all regions of England except the north-east, south-west and West Midlands, where the trend is uncertain.

– New figures from NHS England showed one in five patients waited at least half-an-hour to be handed over from ambulance teams to A&E staff at hospitals in England last week.

In England, around one in 45 people in private households had Covid in the week to December 16, up from one in 60 the previous week, according to the latest ONS estimates.

Equivalent to about 1.2 million people, this is the highest number since the ONS began estimating infection levels for England in May 2020.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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UK Records Daily Covid Cases Above 90,000 Again

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The number of people testing positive for Covid-19 in a day in the UK is back above 90,000.

A further 91,743 lab-confirmed Covid cases have been recorded in the UK as of 9am on Monday, the government said.

A further 44 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19. Infections had fallen below 90,000 over the weekend when testing typically falls off.

It comes as Boris Johnson’s senior ministers met to discuss the rising tide amid warnings the NHS could be overwhelmed without further action to stop the spread of the Omicron variant.

The government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty briefed an unscheduled meeting of the Cabinet on Monday.

Downing Street denied it was an emergency meeting, saying ministers were being updated on a fast-changing situation.

It comes after the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warned daily hospital admissions could reach 3,000 without further restrictions.

Earlier, deputy prime minister Dominic Raab refused to rule out the possibility that additional measures could be required before Christmas – now less than a week away.

“I just can’t make hard, fast guarantees,” he told Sky News.

The government has said that it will if necessary recall Parliament to allow MPs to vote on any new regulations it proposes for England.

However, that could prove politically problematic for Johnson, with not only senior ministers objecting to any further controls.

Last week Johnson suffered the biggest backbench rebellion of his premiership with 100 Tory MPs voting against rules requiring Covid passports for entry into nightclubs and other venues.

Any additional proposals could spark another revolt at a time when the Prime Minister is politically weakened by the ongoing row over parties in Downing Street last Christmas and the Tories’ crushing defeat in the North Shropshire by-election.

Johnson has reportedly been presented with a series of options to tackle the spread of the virus, ranging from guidance asking people to limit indoor contacts, to rules on household mixing, social distancing and a curfew on pubs and restaurants, to full lockdown.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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People Are Falling For This Hilarious Robert Dyas Spoof Ad. Again.

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Twitter @chuckthomasuk

Robert Dyas’ six-year-old spoof ad is continuing to amaze people

Robert Dyas’ spoof ad from 2015 makes waves every time Christmas is just around the corner – and people seemed to have fallen for it yet again this year.

A collection of staff and customers from the DIY chain talk directly to the camera for the ad and randomly announce their sexuality while promoting the store.

The first person on screen says: “Hi, my name’s Marcus, I work at Robert Dyas and I’m gay.

″I like going out with my friends and playing volleyball. I also like showing our gay and straight customers our funky range of our Christmas gifts.”

Then another Robert Dyas worker called James appears on the screen and announces that he is straight, likes sailing and baking, along with showing off all of the shop’s Christmas items.

The ad only gets better as random customers – gay, straight and bisexual – announce their sexuality while confirming their love for the hardware shop.

It was even accompanied by the hashtag #DyasComingOut when it was first shared online.

Even though it came out six years ago, not everyone is in on the joke, including actor Laurence Fox.

Not everyone has been quite so gullible though.

The ad itself is actually a spoof of another spoof advert dating back to 2009, from the North Carolina store the Red House Furniture.

This US clip begins by telling the audience that “we can” all just get along in this particular furniture store, despite our differences.

The comedy duo Rhett and Link harmonise in the background of the clip (an element missing from the Robert Dyas ad) while various staff members talk to the camera about their own racial identity. And their love of furniture.

One man says: “Hi I’m Richard, aka Big Head. I work at the Red House and I’m Black.

“I like pumping iron and pumping furniture into people’s homes.”

His colleague then adds: “I’m Johnny, aka T-engage. I work at the Red House and I’m white.”

It goes on like this, with random customers confirming their own race and explaining how much they love the furniture shop while occasionally shaking Richard or Johnny’s hand.

Oh, and don’t forget Richard’s great line: “Look at this sofa. It’s perfect for a Black person. Or a white person.”

This line was then replicated in Robert Dyas’ ad, when one employee says: “Look at this Christmas tree. It’s perfect for a gay person or a straight person.”

Richard and Johnny even point out at the end that “Hispanic people” and “all people” buy furniture from their store, too.

It remains unclear why Robert Dyas decided to do their own take on the clip six years later, but it appears to have turned into a joke that doesn’t get old.

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Jeff Bezos Had The Audacity To Give A Speech On The Climate Crisis And No One Can Believe It

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Chris Jackson via Getty Images

Bezos speaking at COP26 in Glasgow

The richest person in the world, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, took to the stage to push for action on climate change on Tuesday – and people could not believe their eyes.

Bezos spoke at the UN’s climate summit COP26 about how his own adventures to space just earlier this year – enabled via his private company Blue Origin – made him realise how fragile the Earth and its atmosphere is.

“Looking back at Earth from up there, [in space] the atmosphere seemed so thin. The world so finite and so fragile,” the billionaire said.

“Now, in this critical year, in what we all know is the decision decade, we must all stand together to protect our world.”

He also announced a £2 billion pledge to restore nature as part of a £10 billion Bezos Earth fund.

But the irony of his declaration was not lost on viewers, who berated him for failing to implement green policies in his own companies.

The i’s Paul Waugh pointed out that just Bezos’ journey into space would have used up fossil fuels, culminating a significant portion of CO2 emissions.

The Guardian’s political correspondent Peter Walker noted that the billionaire was “explaining the obvious” after his “massively polluting ego trip into space” which lasted approximately 10 minutes.

Walker also pointed out the irony that Bezos even had a platform at the event, noting: “He’s not the saviour, he’s the problem.”

The Financial Times’ Tim Stanley dubbed the Amazon founder’s speech as “COP26′s Marie Antoinette moment” for its insensitivity.

Columnist Nick Timothy pointed out that Bezos still had significant work to do when it comes to making his own businesses more sustainable as well.

And the furious tweets from everyone who caught his speech just kept on coming.

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Wait – Is There A Covid Plan C Too?

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One of Boris Johnson’s scientific advisers admitted that ‘plan C’ restrictions have been discussed in the health and social care department in the event that Covid cases continue to soar over the winter.

The news comes as the debate over introducing plan B continues.

Downing Street is currently relying on plan A, which involves championing the booster vaccine programme, suggesting people choose to wear face masks in crowded areas, regular testing, more funds for the NHS and the “largest ever flu jab” campaign.

NHS representatives have pushed for stricter measures, also known as plan B, to be introduced – and now there’s even talk of plan C.

Where did all this talk of plan C come from?

Chief scientific adviser to the department of health and social care, Professor Lucy Chappell said measures beyond plan B have been “proposed”.

Speaking to a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, she said: “It has been proposed. The name has been mentioned. It is not being extensively worked up…people have used the phrase.”

She did not say any more on the issue, adding: “At the moment the focus is on plan B.”

The Telegraph reported last week that further measures were being considered, including potentially the banning of household mixing at Christmas.

This is just what happened last year – but the prime minister has promised this year’s festive season will not go the same way, despite rising Covid infections.

The government has also promised not to introduce a lockdown as long as people take precautionary measures to reduce the Covid spread now.

But not everyone agrees that there is even a plan C

The prime minister’s spokesperson said: “As we have repeatedly made clear, there is no plan C.

“We knew the coming months would be challenging which is why we set out our plan A and plan B for autumn and winter last month.

“We are monitoring all the data closely and the government remains committed to taking further action if necessary to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed.”

Deputy chief medical officer for the government department Dr Thomas Waite told MPs: “I haven’t been consulted on anything about a plan C.”

What about plan B?

Plan B would see mandatory face masks implemented in certain crowded or indoor places, recommendations to work from home if possible and the potential introduction of vaccine certification.

According to leaked documents, this would last five months and finish around the end of March 2022.

However Downing Street has insisted that is “no planned five-month timeline” for plan B.

Why hasn’t plan B been introduced?

Professor Chappell told the science and technology there was “no single metric” which would enact plan B.

The government has been accused of deliberately leaking reports that plan B would cost the economy between £11 billion and £18 billion, as people would stop commuting.

The prime minister’s official spokesperson also said plan B would be introduced only if the “pressure on the NHS is unsustainable”, claiming that current measures allow “venues to remain open and remain trading”.

The government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, told BBC Breakfast on Thursday: “As soon as you start thinking, ‘Am I or am I not going to do this? It looks close’, that is the time you need to push beyond your natural reluctance to do it and do it.

“This is obviously something the government will have to consider carefully but we need to be ready to move fast if that occurs.”

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‘Don’t Be That Guy’: Police Scotland Launches Powerful New Campaign To Tackle Sexual Violence

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Twitter @ThatGuyScotland

Police Scotland’s powerful new campaign tackles sexual violence

Police Scotland have launched a chilling new campaign video which aims to tackle sexual violence against women by changing the way men act.

Released on Tuesday, the initiative called ‘Don’t Be That Guy’ addresses the common behaviours that often make women feel uncomfortable.

A series of male actors talk to the camera and ask, “ever called a girl ‘doll’?”, “stared at a woman on a bus” or “said to your mate, ‘I’d do that’”.

It challenges the way some men give women a compliment “and then wonder why they didn’t get a thank you”, send unsolicited nudes or “guilt-trip women” into thinking they owe men something.

Other actors in the video ask: “You ever get her three shots in a row, hoping you’d get a shot of her?

“Then what? Bundled her wasted into a taxi, and took her back to yours?”

“Most guys don’t look in the mirror and see a problem,” the video concludes, “but it’s staring us in the face. Sexual violence begins long before you think it does. #DontBeThatGuy.”  

The campaign comes on the back of growing concerns about women’s safety in the UK.

The kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard at the hands of a then-serving police officer has heightened worries that women can no longer trust the police force.

The Metropolitan Police’s reaction in recent weeks has only made this worse, as officers recommended women “flag down buses” if they were afraid of an officer, or ring the police to check if someone was a certified officer.

The government has also refused to make misogyny a hate crime.

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab later found himself in hot water when he failed to define what misogyny actually means.

Police Scotland’s campaign has seen an overwhelmingly positive response online – including from Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon – as men are finally being asked to consider their own behaviour when it comes to male sexual entitlement.

Don’t Be That Guy has explained: “We want to reduce sexual violence. We want women to feel safer.

“Guys: we can make a real difference by taking a hard look at our attitudes and behaviour, at home, at work and socialising with our mates.”  

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Donald Trump Waxwork Stares At His Phone And Ignores Melania Trump In New Display

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A waxwork of Donald Trump typing on his phone was unveiled at the Madame Tussauds museum in Dubai, which opened Wednesday.

Presumably, though, his favourite platform Twitter isn’t on the screen. The former president has been banned from social media following his incitement of the deadly January 6 insurrection.

An effigy of former first lady Melania Trump stands nearby.

“He looks very real, but he’s not quite orange enough,” visitor Marwa al-Haddad told the Associated Press.

via Associated Press

Waxworks of former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump have been unveiled at the new Madame Tussauds museum in Dubai.

Waxworks of Trump made headlines during and after his presidency.

In 2017, a topless feminist protester groped a statue of the then-president during its official unveiling at the Madrid Wax Museum in Spain.

GERARD JULIEN via Getty Images

Tristar Media via Getty Images

Madame Tussauds London redressed its Trump statue in golf clothes following his election loss to President Joe Biden:

Jonathan Brady – PA Images via Getty Images

And in March, Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks in San Antonio, Texas, removed its Trump waxwork because customers kept punching it.

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