A major review into the circumstances leading up to murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes has been launched by the government to determine what improvements are needed by the agencies that came into contact with him in the months before he died.

The government has separately commissioned 4 inspectorates, covering social care, health, police and probation to undertake an urgent inspection of the safeguarding agencies in Solihull to whom Arthur was known.

As part of this inspection, all the agencies tasked with protecting children at risk of abuse and neglect in Solihull will be subject to a Joint Targeted Area Inspection to consider their effectiveness and advise on where improvements must be made.

In addition to this, the independent, national review will identify the lessons that must be learnt from Arthur’s case for the benefit of other children elsewhere in England, to be led by the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.

Together, these two actions will mean a deep, independent look at Arthur’s case, and the national lessons to be learnt; and a joined-up inspection of how all the local agencies involved are working, including how they are working together, to keep children safe nationally and locally.

The steps announced today include:

• Commissioning a Joint Targeted Area Inspection, led jointly by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, and HM Inspectorate of Probation. It will consider where improvements are needed by all the agencies tasked with protecting vulnerable children in Solihull, including in how they work together.

• A national review, led by the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, to provide additional support to Solihull Children’s Safeguarding Partnership. This will effectively ‘upgrade’ the existing local review, launched shortly after Arthur’s death in June 2020 and paused while the court case continued.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said:

Arthur’s murder has shocked and appalled the nation. I am deeply distressed by this awful case and the senseless pain inflicted on this poor boy, who has been robbed of the chance to live his life.

I have taken immediate action and asked for a joint inspection to consider where improvements are needed by all the agencies tasked with protecting children in Solihull, so that we can be assured that we are doing everything in our power to protect other children and prevent such evil crimes.

Given the enormity of this case, the range of agencies involved and the potential for its implications to be felt nationally, I have also asked Annie Hudson, chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, to work with leaders in Solihull to deliver a single, national review of Arthur’s death to identify where we must learn from this terrible case.

We are determined to protect children from harm and where concerns are raised we will not hesitate to take urgent and robust action. We will not rest until we have the answers we need.

The national review takes into account the significance and scale of the circumstances of Arthur’s murder, allowing findings to be disseminated around the country to improve practice and identify the lessons that must be learnt. It replaces and builds on the original Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review – previously known as Serious Case Reviews – which is overseen by safeguarding leaders in a local area.

Over the next few days the Department for Education will work with both the National Panel and the Solihull Partnership to agree a timeline for publication of the national review, as well as confirming the full scope of the Joint Targeted Area Inspection with the agencies involved.

Since 2010, the government has established stronger multi-agency working, putting a shared and equal duty on police, council and health services in local areas to work more effectively together in protecting and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children. An independent review of children’s social care is ongoing and is due to report next year.

Anyone who sees or suspects child abuse, or is worried about a child known to them, can report concerns to their local children’s services or by contacting the government-supported NSPCC helpline, which is for adults or practitioners concerned about a child or young person.

The letter from the Secretary of State for Education commissioning a Joint Targeted Area Inspection (PDF, 258 KB, 3 pages) is also available.

The vaccine takes 14 days before it provides maximum protection, so people should get it before 10 December to help keep themselves and vulnerable relatives safe throughout the festive season.

Flu is a highly infectious disease and can lead to serious complications for those living with a long-term health condition, including respiratory and heart conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease or a chronic neurological disease like multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy. People with underlying health conditions overall are 11 times more likely to die if they catch flu compared to healthy adults.

Pregnant women are also at increased risk of serious complications and should have the flu vaccine to help protect themselves and their babies.

While many people aged 65 and over have already come forward for their flu vaccination, exceeding the WHO target of 75%, less than half of those with underlying health conditions have taken up the offer. Uptake in pregnant women also lags behind other groups, with just 34.4% vaccinated so far this season.

While levels of flu infection are still low, typically levels ramp up over December, with a peak in January. We are calling on people to take up the flu vaccine, along with practicing good hygiene, ventilating rooms, and staying at home if unwell.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid said:

Getting your winter vaccines – whether that is your flu jab if eligible or your booster jab –  is one of the most important things people can do for yourself an your family this winter.

Record numbers of people took up the offer of a free flu vaccine last year and the programme is expanding even further this year, with a record 35 million people in England eligible.

Don’t delay – book your flu vaccine as soon as possible.

Dr Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:

The threat of flu has not gone away – it can cause serious illness and be fatal. Flu vaccination saves lives. If you are eligible, you don’t have to wait to be called up – book your flu vaccine as soon as possible to help protect yourself and family this Christmas.

In England, more than 35 million people are eligible for a free flu vaccine this winter. These include people aged 65 and over, those with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women. Children are also offered the flu vaccine to help protect them and reduce the spread of flu to more vulnerable people. This includes children aged 2 and 3 years on 31 August, and schoolchildren aged up to year 11.

There is a significant difference in flu vaccines uptake between different ethnic groups. The lowest uptake is among people from a Black Caribbean or Black African background that the government has been urging to come forward.

Eligible adults can book their free NHS flu vaccination at their GP practice or local pharmacy. Mums-to-be can also get the jab at their maternity service. Children are offered a quick and painless nasal flu spray. Parents can book an appointment at their child’s GP surgery for 2 and 3 year olds. Schoolchildren receive their flu vaccine at school; parents should look out for the consent form.

Frontline health and social care worker should be offered the flu vaccine through their employer or, for some staff groups, they are eligible to receive it through their GP or pharmacy.

• Booster programme is being accelerated with more vaccination centres and military support

• All eligible over-18s will be offered a jab by the end of January

• UK will celebrate one-year anniversary of first vaccine being administered next week

People have been urged to get a coronavirus (COVID-19) booster vaccine to top-up their protection this winter as 20 million people in the UK are expected to have had their third jabs today (Sunday 5 December 2021).

As of 2 December, a total of 19.4 million people have had their booster or third doses in the UK. 51 million have had a first dose and 46.4 million have had a second dose. The COVID-19 dashboard will be updated at 4pm with the latest figures.

Vaccines are the best way to protect people against COVID-19 and, in light of the new Omicron variant and following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the government is expanding the booster programme to all adults over 18, with all those eligible being offered a top-up jab by the end of January, as well as halving the gap between doses to protect more people more quickly.

More than one million appointments (1,077,514) for a booster vaccine were booked in England in just 4 days between Monday and Thursday this week.

To speed up the vaccination programme, around 400 military personnel will be drafted in to support deployment, with 1,500 community pharmacy sites, additional hospital hubs, and pop-up sites opening in convenient locations across the country. Extra financial support to GPs, community pharmacies and primary care staff will help boost capacity and encourage more visits to those who are housebound.

Our priority remains to protect the most vulnerable first so everyone over the age of 40 who had their second dose at least 3 months ago will soon be able to book an appointment for their booster jab. Younger age groups will be invited by the NHS in order of age in due course.

On Wednesday 8 December, the UK will celebrate one-year since it became the first country in the world to administer an approved COVID-19 vaccine to Margaret Keenan in Coventry.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Christmas is around the corner and it’s absolutely crucial that everybody who is eligible gets their booster jab to top-up their immunity before spending time with loved ones.

While our brilliant scientists learn more about the new Omicron variant, we need to do everything we can to strengthen our defences and vaccines are the best way to do that.

This is a national mission and we all have a role to play – so roll up your sleeves and get protected as soon as you can.

The first real-world study on the effectiveness of booster vaccines against the Delta variant by the UK Health Security Agency shows top-up jabs boost protection back up to over 90% against symptomatic COVID-19 in adults aged over 50 2 weeks after being vaccinated. Data from the CovBoost trial, published on Friday [3 December], shows the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being used in the UK as boosters give the best overall immune response.

It is not yet known whether existing vaccines are less effective against the Omicron variant, but it is unlikely they offer no effectiveness against serious disease.

Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup said:

Another brilliant milestone – thank you to all the GPs, pharmacists, NHS staff and volunteers who are working tirelessly to save lives.

Getting your booster vaccine is the most important thing you can do ahead of Christmas to protect yourself and your family.

Please take up the offer and come forward for your first and second doses too if you haven’t already.

The government’s Vaccines Taskforce has signed new contracts with Moderna for 60 million doses in and Pfizer/BioNTech for 54 million doses for 2022 and 2023 to future proof the country’s vaccine programme. The deals include access to modified vaccines if they are needed to combat Omicron and future Variants of Concern, to prepare for all eventualities.

Data published last week by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows COVID-19 vaccines are safe for mothers and their babies, with good birth outcomes for vaccinated women who had their babies up to August this year. There were no consistent differences between vaccinated women and all women in the figures for stillbirths, low baby birthweights and premature births. Pregnant women have been urged to get their jabs to protect themselves and their babies as data shows that almost 1 in 5 COVID-19 patients who are most critically ill are pregnant women who have not been vaccinated.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS England’s chief executive, said:

This latest milestone shows just how hard the NHS is working to ensure that every person can receive a life-saving booster, and in the last week alone, over 1 million people booked their first, second or top-up jab.

But the emergence of the new variant is obviously a concern for us all and we are entering the most complex and challenging phase of the vaccination programme.

NHS staff are continuing to pull out all the stops to boost the most vulnerable as quickly as we possibly can and our message is clear.

If you are currently eligible for the booster or you have not yet had your first or second dose please do come forward for your jab. It will give yourself and your loved ones vital protection as we enter the festive season.

Flu is another winter virus that can be serious. To give people the best protection over winter, those eligible for a free flu vaccine should come forward and book an appointment at either their GP practice or their local pharmacy, or take it up when offered by their employer or other healthcare provider.

The government has launched a nationwide advertising campaign, encouraging people eligible to get their booster and flu jabs to protect themselves and their loved ones and help reduce pressures on the NHS. This includes outdoor billboards, broadcast and community radio and TV.

The offer of a first and second COVID-19 vaccine remains open to anyone who is eligible. Vaccines are available free of charge and from thousands of vaccine centres, GP practices and pharmacies. Around 98% of people live within 10 miles of a vaccination centre in England.

• Nigeria to be added to the travel red list from 4am Monday 6 December following 21 cases of Omicron reported in England which are linked to travel from this country, with 134 UK cases now reported in total

• In light of emerging evidence on the Omicron variant, from 4am on Tuesday 7 December anyone aged 12 and above wishing to travel to the UK will need to show a negative pre-departure test (LFD or PCR) as close as possible to departure and not more than 48 hours before to slow the importation of the new variant

• Government working at pace to expand Managed Quarantine Service capacity, but passengers are advised that hotel bookings may be limited as new hotels are onboarded

• These are temporary measures that have been introduced to prevent further Omicron cases from entering the UK, and will be examined at the three-week review point on 20 December

From 4am on Monday 6 December, UK and Irish citizens and residents arriving from Nigeria must isolate in a government-approved managed quarantine facility for 10 days, and receive two negative PCR tests, as further precautionary action is taken against the Omicron variant.

Currently, the vast majority of cases in the UK have clear links to overseas travel from South Africa and Nigeria, and over the past week, 21 Omicron cases reported in England originate from Nigeria.

A temporary travel ban will therefore be introduced for all non-UK and non-Irish citizens and residents who have been in Nigeria in the last 10 days, meaning they will be refused entry into the UK. This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through Nigeria while changing flights.

Last weekend, 10 countries were added to the red list and it was announced that all vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK must take a day two PCR tests and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. Since then, the geographical spread of Omicron has increased considerably, with 37 countries around the world now reporting Omicron cases and over 134 cases identified in the UK.

New analysis conducted by the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) indicates that the window between infection and infectiousness may be shorter for the Omicron variant, which increases the efficacy of pre-departure testing as it is more likely to identify positive cases before travel.

In light of this emerging evidence and the changing global picture with regards to the spread of Omicron, from 4am on Tuesday, anyone wishing to travel to the UK from countries and territories not on the red list must also show proof of a negative PCR or lateral flow (LFD) pre-departure test, taken no earlier than 48 hours before departure. This applies to vaccinated passengers and children aged 12 and above.

Airlines will be required to check for pre-departure tests alongside a completed passenger locator form, and passengers will not be allowed to board a flight without providing evidence of a negative test result. Given the reduced incubation period of the Omicron variant, passengers are advised to take the pre-departure test as close as possible to their scheduled departure to the UK and no earlier than 48 hours before travelling.

These additional measures are vital to delaying the import of additional cases and slow the rise in cases within the UK. However, as the Prime Minister set out on 27 November, all temporary measures will be reviewed after three weeks to ensure that they remain necessary and proportionate, and this will take place on 20 December.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, said:

We knew this winter would be challenging but the arrival of a new variant means we must further strengthen our defences.

As our world-leading scientists continue to understand more about the Omicron variant we are taking decisive action to protect public health and the progress of our COVID-19 vaccination programme.

I urge everyone to do their bit to slow the spread by following the new travel rules, wearing masks where mandatory and most importantly getting the booster jab when called.

Anyone arriving from Nigeria before 4am Monday [6 December] will be advised and strongly encouraged to isolate at home, and their household should also self-isolate for 10 days starting with their arrival in England.

Affected individuals will be contacted and offered free PCR tests to be taken on day 8 after their arrival.

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said:

Following developments in the past week, the science shows that we must be cautious in guarding against this new variant and so, while we appreciate this will be difficult for the travel sector, it’s important we prioritise public health.

As we learn more about the Omicron variant, we will review these temporary measures to ensure they continue to be proportionate and necessary to protect public health.

Analysis by the UKHSA suggests there is strong indication of Omicron presence in Nigeria, and several cases identified in the UK are linked to travel from Nigeria. The country also has very strong travel links with South Africa, for example Nigeria is the second most popular flight destination from Johannesburg.

The UKHSA continues to monitor the situation closely, in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world, and government is working collaboratively with the WHO and countries around the world to better understand the new variant and possible mitigations.

Travellers should not attempt to travel to the UK from a red list country without a Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) booking, as they will not be able to board a flight and could be subject to a fixed penalty notice at the UK border. The government’s advice is to keep checking the CTM website as there are significant number of cancellations happening which will free up rooms.

The MQS has contracted several new hotels to enter service this week, in response to the likely numbers of UK residents who will want to travel from Nigeria before Christmas.

British nationals in Nigeria should check Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice and follow local guidance. The FCDO will continue to offer tailored consular assistance to British nationals in country in need of support overseas on a 24/7.

The government is clear it will take further decisive action if necessary to contain the virus and new variant.

Background

• British and Irish citizens, or those with residence rights, arriving to England from countries on the red list must book a managed quarantine hotel in advance. The quarantine package will include a managed quarantine hotel, quarantine transport and a travel test package for COVID-19 tests on day 2 and day 8 of quarantine. Read more about booking and staying in a quarantine hotel

• Further information on international travel requirements can be found elsewhere on GOV.UK, including advice on transiting through red list countries.

• Arrivals to the UK will need to meet the UK’s health and border requirements and comply with the relevant quarantine restrictions if coming from a red country or if not fully vaccinated. If you do not have the correct documentation ready to meet UK health and border requirements, you may delay yourself and others, be denied boarding, or face a fine.

• Today’s announcement comes as countries around the world continue to strengthen their travel restrictions in response to the Omicron variant, with the US, France and Ireland all requiring passengers to take pre-departure tests.