Covid in Scotland: Three quarters of adults have had booster jabs

 More than three quarters of adults in Scotland have received their Covid-19 booster vaccinations.

The Scottish government had set a target of getting 80% of eligible adults and young people boosted by the end of the year.

By 30 December, 77% had received the jabs. The government said high infection levels had meant thousands of people had to delay their appointments.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said it was not too late to get vaccinated.

He paid tribute to the people of Scotland for their collective effort and success in getting more than 2.98 million people “boosted by the bells”.

• Final push begins to get ‘boosted by the bells’
• Scots urged to stay at home for Hogmanay

Scotland leads the rest of the UK on first, second, third and booster doses, and the Scottish government said it continued to deliver one of the fastest and most successful vaccination programmes in the world.

Mr Yousaf said: “Since the emergence of the Omicron variant, there has been a heroic and monumental effort by everyone on Scotland’s vaccination programme to make sure we can deliver booster vaccines as quickly as possible – my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in the delivery of the programme and to everyone coming forward to be boosted.

“In the week ending 26 December – with staff quite rightly taking a break on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and with many areas suffering high infection rates – we achieved record-breaking numbers of vaccinations, with 77,927 jabbed on the busiest day – that’s more than one every second during vaccine centre opening hours.

“We know that many people have been unable to attend their appointments due to the virus. This has been the most common reason for people cancelling their appointment via the helpline.”

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Image caption,

People queued up at Hampden Park vaccination centre for booster jabs before the Christmas break

He said anyone who had to delay their booster due to a Covid infection or isolation period could now arrange a new appointment, 28 days after their positive PCR test.

“To deliver maximum benefits we need as many people as possible to get boosted as quickly as possible,” Mr Yousaf said. “It is everyone’s duty to get a jab if you haven’t already – vaccination could literally save your life as well as keeping family, friends and loved ones safe.

“And it is never too late to receive your booster – or even a first or second dose – so please come forward as soon as possible, as there is capacity available to get you vaccinated.”

The expansion of the booster programme and other vaccine doses will continue into the new year and young people aged 12-15 who are still to receive their second dose will now be invited to reschedule existing appointments or attend drop-in centres from Monday 3 January.

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Zanetor laments ‘breakdown’ in Ghana’s democracy

 The Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has said there is a breakdown in the structures that strengthen Ghana’s democracy.

She cited what she calls the high level of intolerance, corruption and misapplication of the law, as a basis for the decadence.

She was speaking at the 40th Anniversary Commemoration of the 31st December Revolution in Accra on Friday, December 31, 2021.

“We are seeing a breakdown in the structures that keep our democracy alive; for those who know what it took to get to this point,” she said.

Dr. Agyemang Rawlings also lamented that “there is poverty amidst plenty” in Ghana.

“It is almost as if there are two different worlds in Ghana, where some people don’t even know the level of suffering that is going on, and they cannot relate to it.”

The 31^st December Revolution, which took place in 1981, terminated the 3^rd Republican Constitution, ushering in the Provisional National Defence Council, PNDC.

It was the second coming of Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings, who had staged an earlier coup on June 4, 1979, before handing over power.

The 31^st December Movement was a celebration for PNDC and NDC activists for several decades while the party was in power.

it became a rallying point for the party in its opposition days against the John Kufuor government.

The founder of the party, the late Flight Lt Jerry John Rawlings, often delivered fiery speeches at the celebrations.

Since his demise in 2020, the party has continued with the celebration.

Taking his turn, Minority Leader and NDC MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu assured Ghanaians that his side will continue to work in their interests.

The Odododiodo Member of Parliament, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, spoke on his behalf, saying, “your Members of Parliament are solidly behind you.”

“We shall fight for you, we shall fight mother Ghana, and we shall fight for the people of this country.”

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Ex-Newport County footballer jailed for neglecting pet dog

 A former footballer has been jailed for eight weeks after admitting causing unnecessary suffering to his pet French bulldog.

The dog was left with untreated ear masses – one of which was so severe it could have been growing for a year.

Cortez Marvin Belle, 38, from Orb Drive, Newport, a former Newport County and Chester City player, has also been banned from keeping animals for life.

Newport Magistrates’ Court heard of Tinkerbell’s “prolonged neglect”.

Belle said he could not afford to pay for treatment, but the court heard Tinkerbell had had two litters of puppies, with each dog selling for about £1,500.

• Warning: This story features an image some may find upsetting

After concerns were raised, RSPCA officer Isobel Burston visited in August, and described a smell of “rotting flesh” in the house, with a “tennis ball-sized growth” dangling out of Tinkerbell’s left ear.

Ms Burston said: “The growth looked wet and had debris and hair stuck to it in some areas, and open sore-looking yellow patches underneath.”

Belle told the officer he had taken Tinkerbell to see a vet but had been told she would need very expensive surgery he could not afford, and his ex-partner had cancelled pet insurance following their break-up.

IMAGE SOURCE,RSPCA

Image caption,

A vet believes the growth could have been developing for a year

Three-year-old Tinkerbell was taken to a vet by the RSPCA and found to be in a poor bodily condition, with her spine and ribs visible and a tucked appearance at the waist.

The vet who treated Tinkerbell said: “The growths looked polyp-like and these polyps had invaded both of her ear canals, leaving no obvious ear canal for hearing. At this point I imagine she is almost deaf.”

A mass attached to her left year was described as “grossly infected and ulcerated in places”.

‘Permanently deaf’

RSPCA inspector Gemma Cooper interviewed Belle on 16 August and he told her there had been ongoing issues with Tinkerbell’s ears in the two-and-a-half years he had owned her.

After the hearing, Ms Cooper said: “His inaction resulted in Tinkerbell suffering for months and she is now permanently deaf as a result.”

Belle, who the court heard is a youth football coach and a railway worker, was also ordered to pay costs of £420 and a victim surcharge of £128.

In his defence, Belle said was experiencing mental health problems and expressed remorse and regret.

Tinkerbell is recovering at a RSPCA animal centre and will be rehomed.

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Covid: Hertfordshire hospitals restrict visitors amid case rise

 A hospitals trust has suspended visits due to “the increasing prevalence of Covid-19 in the local community”.

From New Year’s Day, the West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust will only permit visitors to patients in the last days of life, and in other limited circumstances at its sites.

The move affects Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead hospitals.

The trust said it would “monitor the situation carefully”.

It added it would review the decision in two weeks with a view to reinstating visits.

Cases increase

The “exceptional circumstances” under which visits would be allowed included patients in the Intensive Care Unit and parents visiting children.

The changes would also not apply for patients with, for example, a mental health issue, dementia, a learning disability or autism, who could be distressed by not having a family member present.

Visiting arrangements for maternity services at the hospitals would not be affected, the Trust said.

According to the latest figures, in the week to 26 December, there were 1,563 cases in Watford, an increase of 310 compared to the previous seven days.

In St Albans, there were 2,529 cases, up 144, and Hemel Hempstead had 2,616 cases, up 608 on the previous week.

The Trust’s chief nurse Tracey Carter said: “We recognise how important visiting is for patients and their families.

“However, the increase in cases locally does now pose a greater risk and we feel that it is necessary to restrict visiting to keep our patients and staff as safe as possible.

“We hope to be able to ease these restrictions as soon as we can do this safely.”

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Post Christmas Covid surge in York warns city health official

 “There has definitely been a post Christmas surge in Coronavirus cases in York” – the city’s director of public health has warned.

Sharon Stoltz told BBC Radio York: “Just in York alone yesterday’s figures show we have over 2,700 new cases of Covid in the last 7 days, that’s data up to 27 December. That’s unprecedented, we’ve never had that number of cases before.”

“I would expect to see a further surge after new year as well.”

Ms Stoltz is urging people to “make choices about their level of risk while they’re still sober” ahead of new year celebrations later.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the UK is in an “incomparably better” position now than this time last year but New Year’s Eve revellers should remain cautious.

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London teen homicides: Boy’s stabbing is record 30th killing

 A 16-year-old boy has died after being stabbed in west London, making him the 30th teenage homicide in the capital in 2021, surpassing a peak of 29 in 2008.

The fatal stabbing on Thursday evening happened shortly after a 15-year-old boy was also found fatally wounded in Ashburton Park, Croydon, south London.

A boy, 15, has been held on suspicion of murder over the Croydon stabbing.

The 16-year-old victim was found by police and paramedics with a stab wound in Hillingdon but he died at the scene.

He was found at Philpots Farm Open Space, close to Heather Lane in Yiewsley, at 19:30 GMT, about half an hour after the first stabbing.

No arrests have yet been made in connection with the Hillingdon stabbing but officers have opened a murder inquiry. A post-mortem examination would “be held in due course”, the Met said.

Neither boy has been formally identified, Scotland Yard added, but their family members had been informed and were being supported by officers.

IMAGE SOURCE,PA MEDIA

Image caption,

The other teenager who died in a separate incident was found in Ashburton Park, Croydon

The 15-year-old boy who died in Croydon was discovered injured after police had been called to Ashburton Park at about 19:00 GMT over reports of an assault.

He was given first aid by officers before paramedics arrived but died at the scene.

• How London broke 2008 record for teenage killings
• Boy, 15, stabbed to death in London park

The Met said his family had been informed and that a post-mortem examination would take place on Saturday. The arrested 15-year-old boy remains in police custody.

Of the 30 teenage homicides in the capital this year, 27 of them have been stabbings while two have been shootings and one was the result of a suspected arson attack.

More than 40 teenagers in the capital have also been charged with murder during 2021.

Speaking from the scene in Croydon, Met Police Cdr Alex Murray said: “My message today, other than speaking to the families and friends of those that London has lost, is to say you cannot carry knives in London.

“This is what happens when knives are carried and we all have a role in relation to tackling knife crime.”

He also had a direct message to parents, saying: “If you have concerns, talk to your kids.

“Make sure they’re not carrying knives, make sure they’re not hanging around with kids carrying knives.”

Analysis by BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds

IMAGE SOURCE,PA MEDIA

The Metropolitan Police has opened 122 murder investigations in London this year, of which 79 are stabbings.

Violent crime is down generally, but not when it comes to young people under the age of 18 in London.

For the numbers of teenage homicides to have exceeded the previous high in 2008 will put new pressure on the Met.

To understand why it is happening, the government decided in the summer to increase the number of ‘serious case reviews’ of murder and manslaughter cases, especially in London.

No results have yet been published, but there are well known issues, and new developments.

Police say that disagreements between people on social media result in real-life violence.

They also blame the trend towards drugs being sold by “county lines” gangs who target vulnerable young people to involve them in the trade.

However, these have been trends for years and don’t necessarily explain the latest surge.

Covid lockdowns, the closure of youth services and young people not being in school may be more relevant factors that have added additional chaos to troubled young lives, increasing their risk of being in violent situations.

Cdr Murray told the BBC that violent crime in London was down overall “but for teenagers it’s not, our teenage homicide rate is tragically high”.

He said he believed the increase was due to a combination of teenagers believing it was acceptable to carry knives, people “encouraging fight-back” between groups on social media, and children getting involved in county lines and drug dealing.

“Those three things are probably intersecting to create the peak in homicides in the capital,” he explained.

Responding to the two killings, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the safety of Londoners “will always be my number one priority”, before adding he was “investing record amounts in policing to put more officers on the streets”.

“I refuse to accept that the loss of young lives is inevitable and will continue to be relentless in taking the bold action needed to put an end to violence in our city,” he added.

IMAGE SOURCE,PA MEDIA

Image caption,

Police in Croydon have arrested a 15-year-old boy

Anthony King, chairman of the MyEnds programme, which aims to tackle knife crime in London, described the record number of deaths as like taking “10 steps forward and 11 steps backward”.

He said he thought the rise in knife crime among teenagers was “because we’re having a lot of breakdowns in schools, in education, young people are being excluded too quickly, some for minor incidents, there’s breakdown in the homes”.

“Parents, if you see a bread knife or bun knife missing from the home, please speak to somebody, please contact an agency or an organisation and let the teachers know,” Mr King added.

London’s teenage victims of homicide in 2021

• 19 January: Anas Mezenner, 17, was found with stab wounds in West Green Road, Haringey
• 25 January: Romario Opia, 15, was discovered stabbed in Holland Walk, Islington
• 11 February: Hani Solomon, 18, was found stabbed after police were called over reports of a fight between two groups of men in Ackmar Road, Fulham
• 18 February: Drekwon Patterson, 16, was stabbed in Preston Road, Brent
• 26 February: Ahmed Beker, 19, was stabbed in Paddington Green, near Edgware Road
• 3 March: Tai Jordan O’Donnell, 19, was stabbed inside a house in Alpha Road, Croydon
• 6 March: Mazaza Owusu-Mensah, 18, was stabbed during a fight in Edington Road, Abbey Wood
• 6 March: Ezra Okobia, 14, was fatally injured by fumes from a fire at his home in Russett Way, Lewisham. His five-year-old brother Joseph Okobia and mother Victoria Amaning, 34, also died after inhaling fumes. Police believe Ms Amaning started the blaze
• 8 March: Nikolay Vandev, 19, was stabbed in Penshurst Road, Tottenham
• 17 March: Hussain Chaudhry, 18, was stabbed in Lea Bridge Road, Walthamstow
• 10 April: Levi Ernest-Morrison, 17, was stabbed in Sydenham Road, Sydenham
• 23 April: Fares Maatou, 14, was stabbed in Barking Road, Newham
• 26 April: Abubakkar “Junior” Jah, 18, was found fatally wounded in Coolfin Road, Newham, having been shot and stabbed
• 7 May: Daniel Laskos, 16, was stabbed in Church Road, Harold Wood, during a fight
• 8 June: Taylor Cox, 19, was shot in Hornsey Rise Gardens, Islington
• 10 June: Denardo Samuels-Brooks, 17, was stabbed in Prentis Road, Streatham
• 11 June: Jalan Woods-Bell, 15, was stabbed in a fight in Blyth Road, Hayes
• 25 June: Tashawn Watt, 19, was stabbed in Miall Walk, Sydenham
• 1 July: Camron Smith, 16, was stabbed in Bracken Avenue, Shrublands, Croydon
• 5 July: Tamim Ian Habimana, 15, was stabbed in WoolwichStabbings set grim record for London teen killings
• 5 July: Keane Flynn-Harling, 16, was stabbed in Oval Place, near Vauxhall
• 9 July: Damarie Omare Roye, 16, was stabbed in Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath
• 1 August: Stelios Averkiou, 16, was stabbed at a skate park in Lordship Recreation Ground, Tottenham
• 1 September: Alex Ajanaku, 18, was found with shotgun wounds in Beaumont Road, Leyton
• 12 October: Hazrat Wali, 18, was stabbed to death in a playing field in Craneford Way, Twickenham
• 28 October: Kamran Khalid, 18, was stabbed to death in Harrow Road, Ilford
• 18 November: Jermaine Cools, 14, was stabbed in London Road, Croydon
• 24 November: Rishmeet Singh, 16, was found with fatal stabbed in Raleigh Road, Southall
• 30 December: A 15-year-old was found fatally stabbed in Ashburton Park, Croydon
• 30 December: A 16-year-old was stabbed to death in Philpot’s Farm Open Space in Yiewsley, Hillingdon

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