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GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my regular South West Surrey update No. 129. As of today, we had a total of 4,411,797 positive cases of COVID-19 with 127,480 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 5,847 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 246 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 18 active cases in Waverley. All data is accurate as of 11am this morning.

VACCINE UPDATE Nationally now almost 34m people have received their dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Around 47.4m doses have been administered altogether meaning that around 70% of the population now has some level of immunity ([link removed]) . Not that we are letting up - NHS data shows that 250 appointments are booked a minute or around 15,000 an hour ([link removed]) and we are well on track to inoculate all adults by the end of July. People aged 44 are now invited to book their vaccination appointment, meaning half a million 44-year-olds are receiving or will receive an invitation via text. In more good news, the government has secured 60m more Pfizer doses ([link removed]) to be used in the autumn and
in the last seven days: coronavirus cases ⬇️6.6%, hospital admissions ⬇️19.3%, and deaths ⬇️8.9%.

HOLIDAY HOPE The government has confirmed that the NHS app will be utilised as a COVID-19 passport for international travel ([link removed]) . Passengers will be obliged to record their vaccination and testing status, meaning that holidays to countries like Spain could resume very soon. The Transport Secretary will shortly announce the ‘green countries’ with big questions remaining over whether holiday destinations like France, Spain, and Italy will make it. At the same time, all eyes remain on the terrible, unfolding crisis in India which is not just heartbreaking to watch but also has the potential to put the entire global battle against the virus into reverse.

UNSAFE HOSPITALS Hospital-acquired COVID-19 remains a major problem as it still accounts for 15% of COVID-19 hospital patients ([link removed]) . In Scotland ([link removed]) , at the end of January, there were 4,055 hospital-acquired cases which made up around 21% of COVID hospital patients and we know there were around 8,000 deaths in England in the first wave alone. Why does this matter? Apart from the human tragedy of so many avoidable deaths, a SAGE paper noted that ‘without any nosocomial transmission the duration of the first wave in hospitals may have been shortened.’ So what are the lessons to be learned? We should definitely have given out earlier advice to hospitals adhere to social distancing in their non-COVID areas. We should also have tested staff and patients more
quickly. But the biggest unknown was the extent to which the virus is airborne rather than surface borne so future guidelines need greater focus on more ventilation and fresh air. My full Twitter thread on this topic is here ([link removed]) .

HOUSEHOLD TRANSMISSION A new study by Public Health England has demonstrated that a single dose of the coronavirus jab lowers household transmission by up to half. Click here ([link removed]) to read more about this very reassuring research study.

The key number to remember for anyone with pandemic-related difficulties remains 0300 200 1008 the Surrey Helpline run by Surrey County Council (Mon-Fri 9 am to 5 pm).

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

CURTAIN-GATE continues to dominate the headlines. Whatever your views as to whether a mortal or a venial sin has been committed (or no sin at all) we can all be certain the truth will come out with multiple inquiries including by the Electoral Commission ([link removed]) , Lord Geidt the new independent adviser on ministerial interests ([link removed]) and numerous select committees.

BARK AND NO BITE In very depressing news, Iran has jailed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe for another year followed by a year’s travel ban. I have stayed in touch with her husband, Richard, since leaving the Foreign Office and their courage and resilience in private as well as public is something truly extraordinary. As I said in parliament, the risk in our current approach to Nazanin is that we are counting on publicly shaming Iran when they have shown they don’t care what we think or say. There surely must be consequences for hostage diplomacy otherwise it is just bark and no bite. My question in the House here ([link removed]) .

FOREIGN AID I continue to be very worried about our cuts to the Foreign Aid budget. Yesterday we heard there may be an 80% cut to water and sanitation funding ([link removed]) which will make the health systems of poorer countries more vulnerable to future pandemics and today we hear there may be an even bigger cut to funding for women and children family planning ([link removed]) . Here ismy question in the House on Monday ([link removed]) where I highlight the Save the Children report that 400,000 children will not be fed in Yemen as a result. It pains me to speak against the government in this way but this is surely not Boris Johnson’s vision of an outward-looking and generous country.

CARE COMMITTEE On Tuesday we had the final evidence session of the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s inquiry into the treatment of people with autism and learning disabilities. Some moments in a Select Committee just stop you in your tracks: listen to this mother of an autistic daughter ([link removed]) describe the agony of being prevented from seeing her except through the glass pane of her hospital door before COVID-19 became an issue. When our system of discharging people with autism and learning disabilities into the community is so obviously failing, why are we continuing to do more of the same? My question here to Care Minister Helen Whately ([link removed]) . The good news is that privately there are many indications that reform is around the corner - I think we should follow Italy and ban all long-term admission to inpatient units.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

CANCER CAMPAIGN Last month I launched my campaign to improve local cancer services ([link removed]) . I had a huge response so thank you very much to everyone who responded. To expand cancer provision locally at the same time as dealing with the backlog created by the pandemic will be extremely challenging - but it is a challenge I know our local NHS is up for. Check out my Herald article ([link removed]) about the findings and my next steps. I will also be holding a public meeting on 2nd July. I am hopeful this can be in person and that those of you who want to attend can do so but it may end up being virtual or a hybrid. I will keep you updated.

FANTASTIC FRIMLEY Neil Dardis, CEO at Frimley Health (which covers Frimley Park Hospital) told me this week that they are now down to just 11 COVID-19 patients after coping with the brutal third wave. That saw their COVID-19 patients rise to 700 - more than double the first wave. But encouragingly because of the use of treatments like dexamethasone (a great NHS discovery incidentally) they saved 250 lives in the second wave that would not have been saved in the first. Thanks to him and his brilliant staff for all their work.

DUCKUMENTARY The Farnham Duck Race will be aired on YouTube this Saturday. Tickets are £2 each ([link removed]) and all donations will go to local charities. Good duck to all… (sorry for that one).

See my list of local groups working to support vulnerable residents here ([link removed]) .

THE ECONOMY AND JOBS

100 DAYS Today, President Biden reached day 100 of his presidency. Although he managed to get his £1.37 trillion American Rescue Plan stimulus through, many Americans remain unemployed. In fact, according to a Goldman Sachs economist, the UK economy will grow more rapidly than the US economy ([link removed]) due to our vaccination programme. This article ([link removed]) gives Biden a ‘B’ for economics – do you agree?

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON

FINE WINE Why not check out this map ([link removed]) of wine exports over the long weekend? Perhaps unsurprisingly around half of the world’s wine exports are from France and Italy. The UK is ranked 10^th – not bad at all. As it is a Bank Holiday on Monday, my next newsletter will be delayed by a day and will be in your inbox on Tuesday 4 May. Have a winederful time…

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Promoted by Sean Donovan-Smith on behalf of Jeremy Hunt MP and South West Surrey Conservatives, all at 2 Royal Parade, Tilford Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6TD.

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