The Brick Castle: COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 3rd./ 4th July 2021.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 3rd./ 4th July 2021.

The UK added 24,248 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,903,434 positive cases of COVID-19.

The counter says 45,274,497 people (86% of UK adults) had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 33,614,952 people (63.8% of UK adults) had received 2 doses.

1,905 people were in hospital on Thursday 1st, with 300 using a ventilator.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 15 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 128,222 losses of life in all settings.

Nation: Cases last 7 days:
Wales: 3,071
Scotland: 21,146
Northern Ireland: 1,931
England: 117,062

Rep. Of Ireland 274,306 (+562) cases and 5,000 losses of life.

There have now been a total of 184,422,326 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,990,050. Already 168,744,090 people have recovered.

Drawing of desk with computer screen that has text You can always book your COVID vaccination at any time

"We are going to have to learn to live with Covid and find ways to cope with it – just as we already do with flu.
Please read my piece in the Mail on Sunday."
Sajid Javid, UK Health Secretary, sharing an update, but only with anyone willing to read the Mail On Sunday. Thankfully, after thousands of people made the same point, he shared a screenshot. The main headline is "The economic arguments for opening up are well known. But for me the health case is equally compelling".
He mentions domestic violence and mental health, both of which are incredibly important. He makes no mention at all of Long COVID.

It seems likely that on the 19th July in England any legal requirement to distance or wear a mask will be lifted, and you'll be expected to make your own sensible decisions on what is appropriate in a setting.
The Government won't be passing any law that makes it okay to be a dick.
EVERYONE is still expected to maintain respect and care for your fellow human beings - treat other people as you'd like them to treat your Nan. Remember no-one has had the same experiences so far. This all seemed to be supported by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick this morning on the telly. He also reiterated the latest government messaging:
"We are not going to put the COVID-19 virus behind us forever, we're going to have to learn to live with it".

Scotland is having a very bad time with COVID at the moment, with 6 out of the 10 worst affected regions in Europe in Scotland. 2 more are in England. According to the World Health Organisation's chart, Tayside are currently top, with 3,579 cases over the last week, followed by Lothian, the North East UK, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and then Nur-Sultan City, Kazakhstan.

040721 Sajid Javid in the Mail on Sunday

If you want to have a play at being Matt Hancock and Rishi Sunak, there's a very addictive Pandemic Simulator at pandemiceo dot com. It's a free game, and you can play as Germany or the USA so far. Decide how much of your country to lock down, send out stimulus cheques and watch the bodies pile up in their thousands. (To be fair it really isn't easy.)

The UK Government are reminding everyone that if you originally declined a COVID jab, it will never be too late to accept. Visit NHS dot UK or ring 119 to book, or turn up to any walk-in vaccination session suitable for you.

Today is apparently National Thank You Day. All of us have had a hell of an 18 months, it's tested us in ways we didn't know existed, and we've all proven we are stronger than we think. Whether you've bent the rules, broken the rules, kept to the rules or gone beyond them, it has still been really hard for everyone. So thank you. You rock.

Thank you written inside a Heart outline with the date beside

Tomorrow is the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the NHS, and lots of UK landmarks were lit up in blue over the weekend to celebrate, and say thank you to everyone who works with and for the NHS. There were also memorial services held around the UK to remember the healthcare workers who have died from COVID. Around 900 health and social care workers are known to have lost their lives, including around 40 doctors. The youngest of whom, listed on the British Medical Journal Memorial page, was just 44.

It goes without saying, we all owe them all our thanks.

I think that's the shortest news in about 18 months. Sadly it's because we are in a bit of a lull, and not because COVID is over! One day...

Some numbers. All with people to thank:

Countries / Cases / Losses of life (since midnight GMT. In larger countries some states /provinces have yet to report today):

Indonesia 2,284,084 (+27,233) 60,582 (+555)

India 30,571,431 (+26,946) 402,359 (+344)

Russia 5,610,941 (+25,142) 137,925 (+663)

UK 4,903,434 (+24,248) 128,222 (+15)

Iran 3,254,818 (+13,781) 84,792 (+165)

Bangladesh 944,917 (+8,661) 15,065 (+153)

Iraq 1,371,475 (+6,264) 17,316 (+35)

Mexico 2,537,457 (+6,228) 233,580 (+155)

Malaysia 778,652 (+6,045) 5,497 (+63)

Philippines 1,436,369 (+5,966) 25,149 (+86)

Thailand 283,067 (+5,916) 2,226 (+44)

Cuba 204,247 (+3,519) 1,351 (+14)

Kazakhstan 433,931 (+3,003) 4,444 (+26)