The UK has recorded a further 157 COVID-related deaths and 38,351 new cases, according to the latest daily government figures.

It compares to 40,375 cases and 145 deaths recorded on Friday and 30,693 cases and 155 deaths this time last week.

On a seven-day measure, cases edged up 0.4% on the previous week while deaths of people who had tested positive for the disease within 28 days were down 7.9%.

NHS England has revealed more than two million people have now received their COVID-19 booster in the past week.

It said 2.1 million boosters were delivered between 6-12 November, an increase on the 1.7 million boosters given out during the previous seven days.

A total of 2.7 million appointments were made on the National Booking Service in the past week – with more than three quarters of a million bookings made on Monday.

More than 10 million people in England have now received their booster vaccine since the programme began – including people who are clinically vulnerable, aged 50 and above, or who work in health and social care.

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COVID-19: UK ‘unlikely to see catastrophic winter wave’ that requires Christmas lockdown – SAGE adviser

Meanwhile, the expert whose modelling helped instigate the first coronavirus lockdown said he does not think restrictions will be needed this Christmas.

Professor Neil Ferguson, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said he feels it is “unlikely” Britain will see a “catastrophic winter wave” similar to that seen last year, which led to months of further lockdown across the country.

With high levels of COVID immunity and a strong booster vaccination programme, the epidemiologist said he “very much” hopes a clampdown of the sort being ordered in some parts of Europe can be avoided in the UK.

The Netherlands has returned to a partial lockdown amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, its government has announced.

Under the three-week lockdown, bars, restaurants and supermarkets will have to close at 8pm, while professional sports matches will be played in empty stadiums.

Stores selling non-essential items will have to close at 6pm, and people are being urged to work from home as much as possible.

Social distancing measures will be re-imposed, and the government is recommending that no more than four visitors be allowed in a home.

It follows Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announcing a lockdown for unvaccinated people in two hard-hit regions next week, with the possibility that similar measures could be brought in nationwide.

In Germany, people are being urged to avoid large events and to reduce their contacts as virus cases increase.

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