OVER-30s will begin receiving Covid vaccinations before April as a staggering 10 million extra doses become available next week.
There will be a "rapid increase" in the number of people getting vaccinated in the coming weeks thanks to a "big uplift" in supply following a "dip" at the end of February, vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said today.
And all adults in the UK could have received the vaccine as early as MAY following a surge in vaccine supplies.
It comes as Brits were told to hold off on booking summer holidays abroad until it’s clearer whether the PM’s roadmap out of lockdown is still on track.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned “we can’t guarantee” international travel will definitely restart on May 17 because the decision will depend on the state of the pandemic.
And he advised people desperate for a break in the sun it would “make sense” to wait until after April 12 – when a panel of experts will report back on how to restart tourism – before making bookings.
His remarks will come as a blow to millions who are already eyeing up a jaunt in warmer climes, with Britain’s vaccination successful vaccination programme causing cases and deaths to plummet.
Follow our coronavirus live blog below for the very latest news and updates on the pandemic…
- Niamh Cavanagh
PREGNANCY RISK
Expectant mums are more than twice as likely to suffer severe Covid compared to other younger women.
Research reveals the risk from the virus to the unborn child is very low. But pregnant women were 2.1 times more likely to end up in intensive care as a result of Covid infection.
And their risk of needing ventilation was 2.6 times higher, according to the Birmingham University findings published in the BMJ.
Experts analysed the findings of 192 studies into the impact of Covid on pregnant women and their babies.
- Niamh Cavanagh
HOME WORK
Women have taken on the bulk of housework and homeschooling during the pandemic.
Despite both men and women being home a lot more last year, men seemed to still get away with doing less around the house.
Men pitched in an average of two-and-a-half hours a day in April 2020, but this fell to under two hours by September.
This is in contrast to the fairly consistent three-and-a-half hours of housework and schooling a day done by women, according to the Office for National Statistics.
By September women spent 99 per cent more time on unpaid childcare than men.
- Niamh Cavanagh
LOCKDOWN RULES
England is currently in the middle of its third national lockdown due to the coronavirus crisis, but some shops are allowed to stay open.
All businesses that are deemed non-essential must closed – this includes shops that sell clothes, toys and homeware goods.
Non-essential retail isn't expected to open until at least April 12 as part of Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown.
The roadmap out of lockdown will be done in stages, and is dependent on coronavirus cases remaining under control and the vaccine roll out staying on target.
For the list of essential shops, click here.
- Niamh Cavanagh
JUST THE JAB
Over-30s will receive Covid jabs by April as a surge of 10 million extra doses become available from next week.
There is to be a "rapid increase" in the number of people getting vaccinated after a "dip" at the end of February.
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi has said there will be a "big uplift" in supply in the coming weeks.
- Niamh Cavanagh
BORIS HITS BACK
Boris Johnson has defended the under-fire Test and Trace system, insisting the £37billion bill is worth the money.
The PM stepped in after a former Treasury chief described it as “the most wasteful and inept public spending programme of all time”.
Boris hit back during Prime Minister’s Questions, saying: “It’s thanks to NHS Test and Trace that we’re able to send kids back to school and begin cautiously and irreversibly to reopen our economy and restart our lives.”
And Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he believed the team behind Test and Trace had done “an amazing job”.
- Niamh Cavanagh
MORE THAN 40 PEOPLE FACE FINES OVER ILLEGAL RAVE
More than 40 people are facing fines of £800 after being caught at an illegal rave in the vault of a disused bank, police said.
The Metropolitan Police said officers heard loud music while on patrol in Hortus Road in Southall, west London, just before 9am last Sunday.
They identified the source of the music as a derelict building, and discovered people had made their way into the premises through a gap in a fence, with DJ equipment and speakers having been set up inside.
The officers then entered the venue and reported all 44 people inside for consideration of a fixed penalty notice of £800 before removing them from the premises.
- Ben Hill
MORRISONS HIT
Morrisons has revealed that profits were cut by more than half over the past year after it was hit by £290 million in pandemic-related costs.
The supermarket group told investors that profits before tax and exceptional costs slid by 50.7% to £201 million for the year to January 31.
The Bradford-based retailer said it was impacted by higher-than-expected pandemic costs after a recent increase in absences, as well as the £230 million impact of handing its business rates relief back to the Treasury.
Group like-for-like sales, excluding fuel and VAT, jumped by 8.6% as it was buoyed by strong grocery demand, with 9% growth in a strong final quarter.
- Ben Hill
COVID CONSERVATION CONSEQUENCES
The pandemic has hit nature conservation efforts around the world, including job losses for rangers and cuts to anti-poaching patrols, experts said.
While there are some examples of Covid-19 economic recovery packages and government policies to benefit conservation areas, 22 countries have rolled back protections during the crisis, research warns.
The findings are published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in a special issue of Parks, the journal of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.
The pandemic caused a sudden and massive reduction in visitor numbers to many protected areas, a loss of income from tourism and government support, and reports of more incursions and illegal extraction of resources.
- Ben Hill
AUSSIE TRAVEL
The Australian government unveiled a A$1.2 billion tourism support package on Thursday, aimed at boosting local travel while international routes remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The basket of airline ticket subsidies for travellers, cheap loans to small tour companies and financial aid for the country's two largest airlines is designed to keep the critical sector ticking over until foreign tourists return.
"This package will take more tourists to our hotels and cafes, taking tours and exploring our backyard," Morrison told reporters in Sydney.
"That means more jobs and investment for the tourism and aviation sectors as Australia heads towards winning our fight against Covid-19 and the restrictions that have hurt so many businesses."
- Hana Carter
- Hana Carter
JABS DONE BY MAY
Every UK adult could have had their vaccinations as early as May as an extra 10 million extra doses are now available.
A surge in supply from manufacturers is set to begin this week, with Wales's First Minister Mark Drakeford said a "dip" in vaccinations was now over.
He told the i of the predicted increase in the number of doses being administered over the rest of this month.
- Hana Carter
'HEALTHY' MUM DIED AFTER MODERNA JAB
A '"healthy" mum with no pre-existing medical conditions has died four days after she received he second dose of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine.
Kassidi Kurill, 39, suddenly passed away on February 5 after she complained to her parents that "her heart was racing and she felt like she needed to get to the emergency room."
It comes after four people died and a spate of 153 Utahns reported bad reactions after receiving at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assured Americans they have "not detected patterns in cause of death that would indicate a safety problem with COVID-19 vaccines."
- Hana Carter
BOJO WARNS OF EUROPE'S COVID SURGE
Boris Johnson has warned Europe's Covid surge could hit the UK despite the speedy vaccine rollout as he rejected calls to ease lockdown more quickly.
The Prime Minister raised fears the UK could “follow the upwards curve” being seen among countries in Europe as they battle to get to grips with rocketing Covid rates.
He warned the “rate of infection is still high” and despite the successful jabs rollout carrying out a huge 24 million vaccinations so far, confirmed the lockdown exit would be no earlier than June 21.
“I know there are plenty of people who think we should be going faster out of lockdown,” the Prime Minister wrote in The Telegraph.
“But we must recognise that the rate of infection is still high – much higher than last summer.
“We can see the signs of a surge of Covid among some of our European friends, and we remember how we in the UK have tended to follow that upwards curve, if a few weeks later.”
- Alice Fuller
INFLAMMATORY PROTEIN LINKED TO SEVERE COVID-19
Patients with severe Covid-19 show increased levels of a key protein in their blood, which researchers believe may help identify those most at risk.
In an analysis of more than 500 coronavirus patients across the UK, scientists identified several inflammatory markers in blood that increased within the early stages of Covid-19 in those who went on to become critically ill.
One marker in particular, a cytokine called GM-CSF, was found at higher levels in those who later progressed to severe disease, compared to healthy controls or those with flu.
It was found to be almost 10 times higher in those who died from Covid-19.
- Alice Fuller
LABOUR TO FOCUS ON NURSES' PAY ROW DURING MAY CAMPAIGN
Sir Keir Starmer will target the Government's controversial 1% pay rise for NHS workers during the campaign for the May elections, declaring "a vote for Labour is a vote to support our nurses".
The Labour leader is to launch the party's campaign for the local and mayoral elections by demanding key workers are given "a proper pay rise" at a virtual event on Thursday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's move to recommend the low increase for health workers in England, despite their year-long toil during the coronavirus pandemic, has been widely criticised.
Mr Starmer, who has been seen to be struggling to overturn the Tories' popularity after taking over the Labour leadership, will hope focusing on nurses' pay will provide his campaign with much-needed momentum as he tries to centre the elections on Britain's recovery.
He will stress "this is a different Labour Party, under new leadership" in attempting to highlight the distance between himself and Jeremy Corbyn, who led the party to a dismal general election defeat in 2019.
- Alice Fuller
INCREASE IN FIRST JABS BEFORE APRIL, SAYS MINISTER
There is to be a "rapid increase" in the number of people who will receive their first Covid-19 jab before the end of March, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi has said.
He added there was to be a "big uplift" in supply in the coming weeks which will see a surge in people receiving their first dose and many of the highest risk getting their second jab.
He said that the ultimate aim was to get 95% of British adults vaccinated and the offer of a jab was "evergreen" for people who had not yet accepted their invitation.
So far 24,064,182 jabs have been given in the UK, including 1.2 million second doses.
Mr Zahawi told the Women and Equalities House of Commons Committee that until now "supply has been finite" but he was "expecting tens of millions of doses to come through".
- Hana Carter
MILLIONS OF VULNERABLE EU CITIZENS NOT JABBED
The EU exported 25 MILLION doses of Covid vaccines last month, despite a supply crunch at home meaning millions of vulnerable people have still not been jabbed.
More than eight million jab doses made in EU-based facilities were exported to the UK between February 1 and March 1.
Overall, the European Union exported more doses of vaccines than it administered over this time period, a report says.
Canada was the second-largest recipient of vaccines from the beleaguered block, according to the New York Times, while Japan and Mexico followed as the third and fourth largest recipients.
- Hana Carter
ANOTHER LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECT
AS the Covid pandemic has evolved, experts are understanding more about the lasting impacts the virus can have.
Now researchers say they have identified another long-term side effect of coronavirus.
A rare heart condition which can cause rapid heart rate, dizziness and lightheadedness may be linked with the infection, scientists have found.
Experts in Sweden say that postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, could be the latest in a bizarre list of so called "long Covid" symptoms.
It can cause bouts of dizziness when sitting up or standing due to low blood pressure, while other symptoms can include heart palpitations, headaches, fatigue and blurred vision.
- Hana Carter
MYSTERY AS WOMAN FOUND DEAD AFTER MISSING JAB
A woman who was found dead after failing to turn up for a Covid vaccine may have passed away up to 12 years ago, it has been reported.
The “skeletal” remains of the woman, named locally as Christina Malley, were found in the Aberdeen home she shared with her elderly husband on February 25.
Her husband Daniel Malley, 78, is believed to have told cops he held on to wife Christina’s body as he could not accept she was gone.
The alarm was raised after nurses came looking for the pensioner, who was in her 80s, after she failed to turn up for her Covid vaccination.
Cops are trying determine exactly when and how she died but fears have been raised that it may have been more than a decade ago, the Evening Express reports.
- Hana Carter
- Hana Carter
SURGE TESTING FOR NEW AREAS IN LONDON
Surge testing has been deployed to two new areas of London to stop the spread of the South African variant of coronavirus.
Public health officials today said people living in certain areas of Wandsworth must take a Covid test – even if they don't have symptoms.
This includes two postcodes – SW11, which covers Battersea and Clapham Junction, and SW15, which is the Putney area of south west London.
It comes after a small number of cases of the South Africa variant, which aren't linked to travel, were identified.
- Hana Carter
EASY DOES IT
Relaxing lockdown is a “very big step” that will trigger a surge in cases and deaths, a Sage expert has warned.
Professor Andrew Hayward, of University College London (UCL), said there are uncertainties around the impact of reopening schools and shops.
The infectious disease epidemiologist, speaking to Times Radio in a personal capacity, said these are “very big steps” and “we don’t really understand what impact they will have on transmission”.
He said there are “very sizeable numbers of people” who are “vulnerable to ending up in hospital and dying”.
- Hana Carter
SNAIL’S PACE
Half of vulnerable Germans STILL haven’t had their first Covid Jab with 3.2million people left waiting thanks to the EU’s jab shambles.
Vaccine delivery in Germany has been hampered by production delays, political infighting and confusion over the use of the Oxford jab in over-65s.
Of 8.6 million people most vulnerable at least 3.25 million, including many people over 80, have still not received a single dose.
In a stark contrast the UK has jabbed all vulnerable patients, OAPs and a third of all adults.
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach told BILD: “The fact that so many older people have not yet been vaccinated is a big problem – we have to get these vulnerable groups to safety as quickly as possible with the vaccination.”
- Niamh Cavanagh
TEST CHAOS
An entire class of students were sent home just ONE day after returning to school after a child received a positive lateral flow test – but a gold PCR test returned negative.
The students at an un-named school were sent home earlier today, meaning after just a few hours in the classroom, they were back to home-schooling.
Dr Rachel Clarke, a palliative care doctor took to Twitter and said: “You really, really couldn't make this up.
“After one day of school, my son and 30 other pupils are self-isolating at home for 10 days after one child had a positive school lateral flow test. Even though the subsequent gold standard PCR test was negative.
“That's 31 children denied face-to-face education for 10 whole days – even though @Number10press allegedly clarified yesterday that PCR superseded LFTs. Sheer, bureaucratic, unscientific madness.”
- Niamh Cavanagh
WALES COULD FACE VARYING 'STAY LOCAL' RESTRICTIONS, HEALTH MINISTER SAYS
People in Wales can expect varying travel restrictions depending on where they live if the country moves to "stay local" rules next week, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said.
Mr Gething said those living in more rural areas would be given allowance to travel greater distances than those in urban towns and cities.
The current "stay-at-home" requirement is expected to be lifted in Wales by Monday, with First Minister Mark Drakeford due to announce changes to restrictions at a press conference on Friday.
Mr Gething told Wednesday's Welsh Government briefing that unlike the previous "stay local" period in force last year, which restricted travel to five miles from home, limits would take account of areas' geography.
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