People in South African-strain Covid areas slam Matt Hancock’s demands they shun fresh fruit and veg

People in areas hit by outbreaks of the South African Covid strain have slammed Matt Hancock as ‘out of touch’ after he said they should eat out of their freezer and store cupboards before considering leaving the house to shop for fresh food.

The Health Secretary repeated warnings that the highly transmissible strain was the main problem now facing Britain and required people to take a more strict attitude to staying at home.

But shoppers visiting supermarkets today in Bristol, Southport and Walsall – three of eight areas in the UK being tested for the new strain – said they had made so many sacrifices during lockdown, but depriving themselves of fresh fruit and vegetables was a restriction too many.

At a Sainsbury’s store in Arnos Vale, Bristol, half a mile from one of the city’s Covid testing centres, Frances McGivney, 70, said: ‘You can tell Matt Hancock doesn’t do his own shopping and is probably well looked after by someone. 

‘It’s all well and good him calling for people to look for what’s in the back of their cupboards and use up whatever tins they have but I need fresh food and I have to go to the shops to get it.

‘What about when we run out of tins of food and tea bags and sugar? Not everyone has access to click and collect and even if they do they have to schedule in a particular date.

‘I go shopping once a week, on my own. The rest of the time I follow the government’s advice and stay in.

‘It’s a slight worry that as I’m about to have the vaccine, there might be a strain of Covid in Bristol which is potentially resistant but at my age I don’t go out partying much anymore and don’t mix with too many people so I’m hoping I’ll be fine.’

Neighbours Alex Potter and Jade Clarkson-Shore are in a support bubble and go shopping together.

As she unloaded a trolley of items into the boot of her friend’s car, Jade, 27, said: ‘I think Matt Hancock’s comments were a little silly because we’ve already given up so much and asking us to not go shopping is a bit too far.

‘I only go once a week anyway, with Alex because I can’t drive. I don’t have anything in the back of my cupboards or freezer – because they’re not very big – and I don’t have a larder on anything like that. I need to go food shopping.

‘I think Hancock is a bit out of touch with reality – certainly here in Bristol.’

Mother-of-two Alex, 25, has a one-year-old son and a three year old daughter who has a rare condition which requires her to have a gastrostomy button so she can be fed through a tube in her stomach.

Alex said: ‘She has a special formula to go with her blended food and we can only get it at the big supermarkets so for me there is no option to use whatever I have left in the cupboards. 

‘I think Matt Hancock’s advice in this respect is definitely easier said than done.

‘I get that he is trying to stop the spread of this mutant strain of Coronavirus but it’s not very practical to expect everyone to stay in and shop online or just raid their larders.’

Meanwhile Walsall’s Tesco Extra store, which sits in the town centre and within the high risk WS2 area, seemed as busy as ever this afternoon.

Hundreds of shoppers went in and out of the store, none of them aware of the Health Secretary’s ‘live off your larder’ message.

Valerie Coley, 81, had brought her wheeled shopping basket on the bus, to go shopping.

Asked about Matt Hancock’s message, she said: ‘I have trouble with that because I have a cat and a dog and I need to feed them.

‘I’ve got 16 tins in my trolley now. It’s all I can manage but the cat eats one a day and the dog eats more so I will be back.

‘If he wants to bring me cat and dog food then I could stay at home but that’s not going to happen.

‘At the start of lockdown the Council gave me a food delivery but I found the food was too close to its sell-by date and my dog didn’t like the dried food.’

Amarit Kalsi, 47, who had just completed the weekly shop for her family of five, said: ‘I live in WS5 but the nearest supermarket to me is here in WS2.

‘I had no idea what Matt Hancock had said but if he’s not going to deliver peoples’ food then I think he is asking too much.

‘When you have everyone working and eating at home, you just can’t avoid coming to the shops.

‘Honestly, I do think it is a shambles. They say something like that but they couldn’t close the border for all those months. I had a friend arrive from India last month and there was no checks at Heathrow, not even sanitiser. It’s a joke.’

And in Southport, Merseyside, Sam Parker, 33, an accountant, said: ‘It’s all well and good Matt Hancock saying that but what happens if you need fresh fruit and vegetables?

‘I only go shopping once a week but to say don’t go out again until the cupboards are empty is just does not work in the real world.

‘You cannot stock up on every ingredient needed. Does he expect us to live on rice and baked beans before going shopping again?’ 

Meanwhile, Mr Hancock said this morning that new data from Oxford University showing its vaccine cuts transmission ‘will help us all to get out of this pandemic’, as hopes were raised over the lifting of lockdown.

But he also warned that new variants of coronavirus – which reduce the effectiveness of vaccines – could slow things down.

Another 33 cases of the troublesome South African Covid variant have been spotted in Britain, health chiefs revealed last night amid growing fears over mutant strains that experts say could make vaccines less effective.

Public Health England claimed 143 people have now been struck down with the variant since it was first discovered on British soil in December – including five in Scotland and nine in Wales. None have been found in Northern Ireland.

The senior Government minister told BBC Breakfast: ‘We’re in a national lockdown so there is not a stronger law we can bring in place that says ”Really stay at home” but the critical point is that everybody should be staying at home unless they have to.

‘If you are in one of those postcodes, it is absolutely imperative that you minimise all social contact outside of your house.

‘So this means, for instance, whereas the Government guidance to most of us is ”Do go to the shops if you need to”, in those areas, in the immediate term, we are saying ”If you have food in the house, please use that”. 

‘It is about a more stringent interpretation of the existing rules, trying to make sure that in those areas we do everything we possibly can to end all transmissions so we can get this new variant right under control.

‘There are only a handful of cases, so we have the opportunity to really stamp on it now.’ 

It came as 10 million people in the UK were revealed to have now received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

The Health Secretary hailed the milestone as ‘hugely significant’ while the Prime Minister expressed thanks to those who had helped make it happen.

Mr Hancock said ‘every jab makes us all a bit safer’, as he made the announcement on Twitter.

In England, a total of 9,126,930 Covid-19 vaccinations took place between December 8 and February 2, according to provisional NHS England data, including first and second doses, which is a rise of 301,559 on the previous day’s figures.

Of this number, 8,663,041 were the first dose of the vaccine, a rise of 300,173 on the previous day, while 463,889 were the second dose, an increase of 1,386.

In yet another potential twist to the UK’s coronavirus crisis, officials today also announced they have found 11 cases of the Kent coronavirus variant which carries an extra mutation in Bristol.

And 32 people in Liverpool have been struck down with the original strain of the virus that has the same mutation – scientifically known as E484K. MailOnline understands the cases were spotted three weeks ago.

Around one in seven people in England would have tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies by mid-January, figures suggest.

Data from blood studies from private households suggests a rise in the number who have had coronavirus in England – up from an estimated one in nine people in December and one in 11 in November.

The figures come from the Office for National Statistics Covid-19 Infection Survey and do not include people in care homes, hospitals or other institutions.

An estimated one in nine people in Wales had been infected by mid-January, up from one in 14 in December. 

For Scotland, the estimate was one in 10, up from one in 13, and for Northern Ireland it was one in 11, up from one in 14.

The ONS said it had found ‘substantial variation’ in the proportion of people estimated to have tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies across the regions.

The highest figure was 21 per cent in London, followed by the West Midlands (18.8 per cent) and Yorkshire & the Humber (18.7 per cent).

South-west England was estimated to have the lowest level (8.3 per cent), followed by south-east England (10.2 per cent) and eastern England (10.8 per cent).

Estimates for the other regions were north-west England 18.1 per cent, north-east England 16.2 per cent and the East Midlands 15.7 per cent.

Meanwhile Oxford University and AstraZeneca plan to have a new Covid vaccine ready by the autumn to tackle new variants of the coronavirus, they confirmed today.

Growing evidence suggests that a mutation first found in the South African variant of the virus, and now cropping up elsewhere, can reduce how well current vaccines work because it changes the shape of the spike protein that the jabs target.

And to overcome this, jab manufacturers say they are already working on updating their vaccines because they need to be extremely specific to offer the best form of protection.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca team, makers of one of the world’s most advanced vaccines so far, say they will have their adapted version ready and manufactured before the end of 2021.

Oxford’s Professor Andrew Pollard, who is leading studies of the jab, said it would be a ‘short process’ compared to making the original vaccine from scratch.

The update could be used either as a booster for people who have already had a different vaccine or it could be used on its own for those who are still unvaccinated.

AstraZeneca’s executive vice-president, Sir Mene Pangalos, said today: ‘We’re very much aiming to have something ready by the autumn this year.’

The announcement comes after the team got a huge boost to their jab development from a study published last night that suggested it can cut transmission by up to two thirds and a single dose can prevent 76 per cent of severe illnesses for three months, with that rising to 82 per cent after the second dose.

Professor Andrew Pollard told a media briefing: ‘I think the actual work on designing a new vaccine is very, very quick because it’s essentially just switching out the genetic sequence for the spike protein, so for the updated variants.

‘Then there’s manufacturing to do and then a small-scale study.

‘All of that can be completed in a very short period of time, and the autumn is really the timing for having new vaccines available for use rather than for having the clinical trials run.’

Mr Johnson is resisting renewed Tory pressure to speed up lockdown easing today after a crucial study found the AstraZeneca vaccine cuts coronavirus transmission.

Fresh analysis from Oxford University showed the jab offers 76 per cent protection up to three months after the first dose, and can dramatically reduce the potential for passing on the disease.

Matt Hancock hailed the findings as proof the rollout ‘will help us all to get out of this pandemic’, with hopes that infections and deaths could fall faster as more of the public are covered. The government passed the milestone of 10million doses administered yesterday.

Senior Conservatives seized on the news to demand the country gets back up and running faster, with huge damage being wreaked on children’s education and the economy.

Mark Harper, chair of the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group of MPs pointed out that Nicola Sturgeon is bringing back schools from February 22, whereas Mr Johnson has said March 8 is the earliest possible date in England.

‘The PM said last week that reopening schools was a ”national priority”. Now that Scotland has indicated that schools are likely to return from February 22, there needs to be a very good reason for keeping English schools shut for so much longer,’ the former chief whip said.

However, government sources played down the idea that the timetable can be brought forward, with case levels still high and fears over mutant strains.

‘It’s March 8, no change,’ one said. ‘It’s good reassuring news about the AstraZeneca vaccine, but steady as she goes.’

Boris Johnson sends in the army to help Scotland sort out its vaccines rollout chaos after furious Nicola Sturgeon insists she doesn’t need ‘any favours’

British Army medics are to deploy to help speed up Scotland’s vaccine rollout for the first time, it was announced today – as Nicola Sturgeon insisted she did not need ‘a favour’ from Boris Johnson.

The Ministry of Defence said 57 medics and management would start work on Thursday to assist health boards across the nation boost the number of jabs in arms.

They will make up a ‘vaccine quick reaction force’ which will see five teams of 10 able to deploy across Scotland at short notice. 

It came as Ms Sturgeon launched a furious attack on offers of help from Westminster, as she claimed the Covid vaccination programme was ‘going well’.

She has been under pressure to improve the numbers after they hit a record low on Sunday, before rebounding on Monday and Tuesday.

Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, Mr Johnson said they offer of assistance remained if the SNP ‘were they to decide that was necessary’.

However, an agitated Ms Sturgeon lashed out this afternoon at the Scottish Tory leader in Holyrood, Ruth Davidson, when pressed on military help.

Taking First Minister’s Questions, Ms Sturgeon said: ‘Any help that the Armed Forces give to Scotland, whether it is on vaccines, whether, as in an earlier stage, it was on PPE or the logistics associated with setting up the NHS Louisa Jordan (hospital), it’s not a favour from the Secretary of State for Scotland.

‘It’s our Armed Forces that the people of Scotland pay for through their taxes. So let’s forget the suggestion that it is somehow the UK government doing Scotland a favour.’ 

The latest personnel is in addition to the 98 members of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who are already supporting the vaccine effort.

NHS Lothian is among the health boards to receive immediate military assistance, with personnel administering vaccinations at the Royal Highland Showground near Edinburgh.

Up to 24 logistic support staff, mostly from Edinburgh-based 3rd Battalion The Rifles, will also assist with the running of vaccination centres in Grampian, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

It brings the number of military personnel supporting the rollout in Scotland to more than 200.

Mr Johnson visited vaccination sites in Scotland last Thursday amid a campaign to bolster support for the Union in independence-minded Scotland.

And his offer of aid came at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons today as the nationalists sought to attack him for the trip to Glasgow.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford branded it an ‘irresponsible PR stunt’ amid claims that there was a Covid outbreak at one site before the PM visited.

But that prompted  a furious response from the Prime Minister, who told him: ‘I had a fantastic time and nobody raised that issue with me before or since.

‘It is my job to visit every part of this country, nothing and no-one is going to stop me and I am very very proud of the record of the government in rolling out the vaccine.’ 

Ms Sturgeon was also accused of threatening the UK’s long-term escape from lockdown today.

She told MSPs the number of vaccinations given yesterday was the highest daily total so far, and was 59 per cent higher than the number of jabs given last Tuesday.

She went on to say 98 per cent of older people living in care homes had had their first injection as well as 87 per cent of those aged over 80 who are living in the community.

But only just over a quarter (28 per cent) of those aged between 75 and 79 and also now had the initial dose.

In comparison more than half of those in their 70s have received a jab in England so far.

Tory MP Karl McCartney said there was a ‘danger’ the slow rollout in Scotland could undermine the effectiveness of the wider UK effort.

‘It is symptomatic of many mess ups by the SNP and Sturgeon. Education and the NHS in Scotland immediately spring to mind,’ he said.

‘The Empress, as she sees herself, has long ”had no clothes”.’

Scotland has recorded 88 deaths of coronavirus patients and 978 new cases in the past 24 hours, Ms Sturgeon announced today.

The death toll under this measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – is now 6,269.

Speaking at the Scottish Government coronavirus briefing, the First Minister said the daily test positivity rate is 5.1 per cent, down from 7.4 per cent on Wednesday when 758 new cases were recorded.

There are 1,871 people in hospital confirmed to have Covid-19, down 63 in 24 hours.

Of these, the number of patients in intensive care was 128, down 12.

She said a 649,262 people have been given a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, up 38,484 from the previous day.

Michael Gove made a similar pitch to Mr Johnson this morning. He told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland: ‘We want to make sure that that vaccine is available to citizens across the UK, and Jason Leitch was saying yesterday that the vaccine roll-out in Scotland had perhaps not been as quick as it might have been.’

‘I’m not critical of anyone – I’m just stressing that it’s important that we all work together.’

Scotland’s top medic Professor Leitch yesterday said that Scotland’s slow vaccine rollout had been hindered by GPs whose surgeries are closed on Sundays. 

The national clinical director said ‘Sundays are a little bit tricky’ and that the vaccination team has been asked to ‘have a look at that’. 

On Sunday, just 9,628 vaccinations were completed in Scotland, out of a UK-wide total of 322,000. But that figure rose to more than 35,000 on Monday.

Prof Leitch added that the reason for the drop on Sunday was because of where the jabs are being administered, with most being delivered in GP practices which ‘didn’t all work (on) Sunday’.

‘We decided to do the over-80s in their own practices, where they would know their nurses, where they would know their GPs, where they would be close to home,’ he said.

The situation is believed to be different in England where, under an agreement between the British Medical Association and NHS England ‘practices will need to be prepared to offer vaccinations seven days a week so that the vaccine is delivered within its short shelf-life and so patients receive it as soon as possible’.