It has been announced today that everyone over the age of 50 in England can now book a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination.
This invitation to book a slot – via the NHS website or 119 – comes after the government revealed last month that all over-50s should be offered a vaccine by May.
The government is now aiming to offer a vaccine to all those in the first nine JCVI priority groups by that date, and this includes older care home residents and staff, everyone over 70, all front line NHS and care staff, those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, the over-65s, all those over 16 with underlying health conditions, the over-60s, over-55s and now the over-50s.
Those aged 40-49 will be the next in line to get a vaccine after all vulnerable groups and the over-50s are covered.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set the target of vaccinating all UK adults by the end of July.
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The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has already recommended that the next phase of vaccinations should continue to prioritise people by age and not their occupation to avoid slowing down the rollout.
The committee said this would provide “the greatest benefit in the shortest time”.
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You can book your appointment online. If you, or someone you know, is unable to use the online service, you can also call 119. 💻📱 https://t.co/1e3nCAUFcB
It added that prioritising occupational groups – such as teachers and police – could make the rollout more complex and could potentially slow the programme overall, leaving some vulnerable people at higher risk for longer.
The priority order of vaccinations for phase two will therefore be:
• Everyone aged between 40 and 49 • Everyone aged between 30 and 39 • Everyone aged between 18 and 29
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At the time of writing, nearly 25 million people across the UK have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
A total of 1,663,646 people and counting have now had a full course.
As it stands here in Greater Manchester, officials believe that over one million people have now received their first dose, with a significant number across of people across the region having already scheduled an appointment or are set to in the coming weeks.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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How will the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales work?
Emily Sergeant
All licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone – helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you’re buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you’ve left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that ‘it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]’ and that physical ID will ‘still remain a valid way’ for customers to prove their age.
“This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out,” she concluded.
Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
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Manchester to host G20 Summit in 2027 with more than a dozen world leaders descending on the city
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been confirmed as the host city for the G20 Summit next year.
It was already announced back in November last year that the G20 Summit would be coming to the UK in 2027, and plans were apparently already being discussed to host it in Manchester even before Andy Burnham became Prime Minister and Number 10 North was set up.
But now, ahead of this year’s leaders’ summit being held in Miami in December, it has been confirmed that the G20 Summit will arrive in Manchester in November 2027.
Manchester is said to have been picked to host the leaders’ summit because of its ‘cultural heritage’.
Bringing together 19 of the world’s largest economies and two major multilateral bodies – the European Union and the African union – G20 members who will be invited to attend the summit next year make up 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population as a whole.
Manchester has been confirmed to host the G20 Summit in 2027 / Credit: 10 Downing Street | Paul Kagame (Flickr)
G20 members are also some of the UK’s closest economic partners, the Government insists.
17 of the UK’s top 20 global export markets attend the summit, as do 18 of the UK’s top 20 sources of foreign direct investment.
The presidency of the G20 is currently held by the US but will pass to the UK after the leaders’ summit hosted by the president at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort in December.
The 2027 summit will be held at Manchester Central, it has been confirmed, and other locations across the UK will also host other G20 events as part of the year-long presidency, but these are yet to be announced.
The Manc -
17th March 2021 
