BRITS should get double-jabbed before returning to the office but No 10 won't make vaccination compulsory for workers, Grant Shapps has said.
The transport secretary insisted it's a "good idea" for everyone who wants to end working from home to become fully vaccinated.
And he predicted many companies will start to enforce Covid papers as a policy for their staff who want to head back to their desks.
But the senior cabinet minister insisted there are no plans for the Government to pass laws requiring workers to be jabbed.
He made the remarks after Google and Facebook said they'll only let vaccinated employees return to the office in the US.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the very latest updates..
- Joseph Gamp
RISK OF DEADLY BLOOD CLOTS INCREASES IF YOU REJECT VACCINE AND CATCH COVID, STUDY WARNS
Vaccines have been linked with cases of blood clotting in a tiny number of people since March, but are still deemed safe and effective.
Health chiefs have urged people to keep coming forward for their shots regardless of the tiny risk.
And a new study further confirms people are better off accepting their jab invite than not.
It looked at six million people in Catalonia, Spain, of which some 1.3 million had been vaccinated with either one or two doses of AstraZeneca of Pfizer.
A further 222,710 people who had previously had Covid were included in the study.
Researchers in Spain, funded by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), were looking for cases of blood clotting disorders.
- Joseph Gamp
UK BEGINS DELIVERY OF NINE MILLION COVID-19 VACCINES OVERSEAS
The UK has begun operations to deliver nine million Covid-19 vaccinations overseas as part of an international drive to fight the virus.
The first flight carrying doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to Guyana and Belize departed from Heathrow airport on Friday.
Further batches will be shipped this week and distributed to countries including Indonesia, Jamaica and Kenya, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.
The Government has pledged a total of 100 million vaccines abroad, 80 million of which will go to the Covax scheme which helps supply vaccines to lower-income countries.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced the plans to ship excess vaccines overseas to "vulnerable" countries on Wednesday.
- Joseph Gamp
SPAIN COULD FOLLOW FRANCE ONTO AMBER PLUS LIST WITH QUARANTINE EXEMPTION AXED
Ministers could scrap the quarantine exemption for fully vaccinated UK holidaymakers returning from Spain, an analyst has warned.
Data expert Tim White believes the Government may announce next week that the country will be added to the amber plus list.
This is due to NHS Test and Trace figures showing that 2.9% of people arriving in England from Spain between July 1 and 21 tested positive for coronavirus.
Mr White said: "More worryingly for Spain is that 3% of the samples had a variant not widespread in UK.
"So, from the data, my analysis is bleak."
He described the decision on Spain's status as a "huge call" for Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
Spain is the UK's most popular tourist destination.
- Joseph Gamp
MAN UTD ABLE TO RETURN TO TRAINING AS CLUB CONFIRM NO POSITIVE CORONAVIRUS CASES
Manchester United have announced they have no positive coronavirus cases within their first-team group and are able to return to training.
United on Thursday cancelled their pre-season friendly with Preston at Deepdale that had been scheduled for Saturday having identified a "small number" of suspected positive cases in their camp, with those individuals isolating pending further tests.
A subsequent statement from the Red Devils on Friday said: "After further testing yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday), we can confirm that there are no positive cases within the first-team group.
"Following consultation with the Premier League, they are satisfied that all COVID protocols have been followed correctly and the squad can return to training immediately"
United are due to close their pre-season programme with a game against Everton at Old Trafford on August 7. The opening fixture of the Premier League campaign for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men is a home clash with Leeds a week later.
- Joseph Gamp
VACCINE ROLLOUT PREVENTED AN ESTIMATED 22m AND 60,000 DEATHS, NEW FIGURES SUGGEST
The Covid-19 vaccine rollout in England has prevented an estimated 22 million infections and 60,000 deaths, according to new figures from Public Health England.
Vaccines are also estimated to have directly averted more than 52,600 hospital admissions.
The figures cover the period up to July 23 and are based on modelling by Public Health England and Cambridge University.
Previous estimates, for the period up to July 9, had suggested around 37,000 deaths and 11,000,000 infections had been prevented.
- Joseph Gamp
UK BEGINS DELIVERY OF NINE MILLION COVID-19 VACCINES OVERSEAS
The UK has begun operations to deliver nine million Covid-19 vaccinations overseas as part of an international drive to fight the virus.
The first flight carrying doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to Guyana and Belize departed from Heathrow airport on Friday.
Further batches will be shipped this week and distributed to countries including Indonesia, Jamaica and Kenya, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.
The Government has pledged a total of 100 million vaccines abroad, 80 million of which will go to the Covax scheme which helps supply vaccines to lower-income countries.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced the plans to ship excess vaccines overseas to "vulnerable" countries on Wednesday.
- Joseph Gamp
IRELAND CONFIRMS 1,501 COVID CASES IN LAST 24 HOURS
A further 1,501 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ireland, the Department of Health said.
A total of 169 patients in hospital have Covid-19, with 23 in intensive care.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said: "This week, vaccination is open to anyone over the age of 16 and those aged 12-15 will be able to register soon
- Joseph Gamp
COVID SYMPTOMS ARE DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE AND SEX – FULL LIST REVEALED
The NHS states that the most common Covid symptoms include a new persistent cough, a high temperature and a loss of taste or smell – but new research says this could differ based on various factors.
Researchers tested a variety of symptoms and found that the most notable differences in symptoms was present between those aged 16-59 years compared to older age groups 60-80+.
They found that a loss of smell lost significance in people over 60 years of age and was not relevant for people over the age of 80.
Other early symptoms such as diarrhoea were key in those who were aged 60-79 and 80.
For those aged 40–59 years the experts said most people who suffered a persistent cough had a “higher relevance” to detect Covid and those with chills or shivers were less likely to have their infection detected.
- Joseph Gamp
COVID-19 CASE RATES FALLING IN EVERY LOCAL AREA OF ENGLAND FOR FIRST TIME
Covid-19 case rates have fallen in every local authority in England – the first time this has happened in all areas simultaneously since comparable figures began more than a year ago.
Not one of the 315 local authorities recorded a week-on-week rise in rates for the seven days to July 26.
Middlesbrough currently has the highest rate of new cases in England, but this is down sharply week-on-week from 1,421.5 cases per 100,000 people to 695.8.
The biggest fall was recorded by Redcar and Cleveland, which is down from 1,520.2 to 668.6.
Breckland in Norfolk saw the smallest fall, where the rate has dropped slightly from 160.8 to 157.2. Case rates have been compiled by the PA news agency from data published on Friday by Public Health England.
- Joseph Gamp
DAILY COVID CASES AND DEATHS BOTH DROP AS BRITAIN FINALLY TURNS THE TIDE ON VIRUS
Daily Covid cases and deaths both DROP as Britain finally turns the tide on virus
- Joseph Gamp
JUDGE SLAMS 'YOB' WHO PUT CHRIS WHITTY IN A HEADLOCK
A "yobbish" former estate agent left Professor Chris Whitty "humiliated" after he put him in a headlock when England's chief medical officer declined to take a photo with him.
Lewis Hughes, 24, of Romford, Essex, put his future at risk with "10 seconds of madness" when he accosted Prof Whitty in St James's Park in central London last month, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.
Footage of the incident, lasting around 20 seconds, was widely shared on social media.
Hughes, who was sacked following the incident on June 27, admitted a charge of assault by beating at the court on Friday and was handed a suspended sentence.
Senior district judge Paul Goldspring told the defendant: "He (Prof Whitty) goes about his very difficult job without the expectation of yobs like you accosting him, assaulting him.
"And to compound it all, he was further humiliated by that video being posted."
- Joseph Gamp
ISRAEL TO OFFER A BOOSTER SHOT FOR OVER 60s
Israel will begin offering a third shot of the Pfizer/Biontech COVID-19 vaccine to people aged over 60, a world first in efforts to slow the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, Israeli TV and radio said on Thursday.
Those eligible will be able to get the booster shot as long as they received their second dose more than five months ago, Channel 13 TV and Kan public radio reported.
Israel was a world leader in the vaccination rollout, with many seniors getting their jabs in December, January and February as they were regarded as the most vulnerable sector of the population.
But since the emergence of the Delta variant, the health ministry has twice reported a drop in the vaccine’s effectiveness against infection and a slight decrease in its protection against severe disease.
The booster campaign, expected to be announced formally soon, will effectively turn Israel into a testing ground for a third dose before approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Joseph Gamp
HOW TO FIND YOUR VACCINE PASSPORT ON THE NHS APP
1. Get the NHS app
The NHS app is free to download in England and Wales from the Apple Store if you have an iPhone and from Google Play if you have an android mobile.
It can also be downloaded to your tablet.
It is different to the NHS COVID 19 app which is used for contact tracing.
Search “NHS APP” and it should be the top result.
2. Personal details
Once downloaded, you must fill in your details such as your name, postcode and NHS number which will link back to your health record with your GP.
3. Get your Covid pass
You’ll need to click on ‘Get your NHS Covid pass… Domestic’.
This brings up a QR code, which states how long the pass is valid for in England.
You can also easily email yourself or download a PDF copy of this via the app, by clicking underneath the QR code.
- Joseph Gamp
RISK OF DEADLY BLOOD CLOTS INCREASES IF YOU REJECT VACCINE AND CATCH COVID, STUDY WARNS
Vaccines have been linked with cases of blood clotting in a tiny number of people since March, but are still deemed safe and effective.
Health chiefs have urged people to keep coming forward for their shots regardless of the tiny risk.
And a new study further confirms people are better off accepting their jab invite than not.
It looked at six million people in Catalonia, Spain, of which some 1.3 million had been vaccinated with either one or two doses of AstraZeneca of Pfizer.
A further 222,710 people who had previously had Covid were included in the study.
Researchers in Spain, funded by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), were looking for cases of blood clotting disorders.
- Joseph Gamp
COVID-19 NEWS ROUND-UP: THE LATEST
- Number of Covid patients in hospital falls in fresh sign pandemic is in retreat
- Risk of deadly blood clots increases if you reject vaccine and catch Covid, study warns
- Delta variant poses ‘severe’ risk to mums-to-be as all pregnant women urged to get jabbed
- Holidaymakers told stay outside and keep testing while you’re away, as PHE warns ‘the pandemic is NOT over’
- Record number of Brits ‘pinged’ by NHS app last week as 1 in 5 admit to bending self-isolation rules
- Joseph Gamp
DAILY COVID CASES AND DEATHS BOTH DROP AS BRITAIN FINALLY TURNS THE TIDE ON VIRUS
DAILY Covid cases and deaths have both dropped today in a sign that Britain is finally turning the tide in the battle against the virus.
Infections increased by 29,622 – a slight rise on last week's figure but a huge drop on a fortnight ago.
Deaths have risen by 68, which is down on the 71 recorded on Monday but above the 43 reported on July 16.
Today's rise in cases marks a slight increase on last week's figure of 27,144 – but a significant drop on the 46,691 infections recorded a fortnight ago.
The increase takes the total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,830,774. And the rise in deaths brings the total to 129,583.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Joseph Gamp
SCIENTISTS VOICE 'CONCERN' OVER RISE IN FOREIGN TRAVEL THIS SUMMER
Any increase in foreign travel this summer is concerning while autumn could prove to be "a particularly risky point" for the country, scientists advising the Government on coronavirus have warned.
The latest documents, revealing expert advice given to ministers earlier this month, raised concerns that the return of students to schools and universities for the new term could place "significant pressures" on the health service.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab this week insisted the Government's new rules on travel allowing fully vaccinated people from the US and EU to enter the country without having to quarantine are part of a "modest opening up".
A document dated July 14 stated the importance of global surveillance on the emergence of new variants and added: "Any increase in foreign travel over the summer and the return of international students to universities in the autumn is of particular concern."
- Joseph Gamp
CHINA FACING BIGGEST COVID OUTBREAK SINCE WUHAN AS ENTIRE CITY ORDERED TO GET TESTED AS DELTA SURGES
The country, which has pursued an aggressive policy of zero Covid through brutal lockdowns, has reported 206 new infections since an outbreak in the city of Nanjing on July 20.
The Nanjing outbreak began when a group of airport workers cleaning a plane that arrived from Russia tested positive – sparking a cluster of cases that has now spread to five provinces and at least 13 cities, including the capital Beijing.
Infections have been reported in Sichuan and Liaoning provinces as well as Hunan province – where four people who attended an open-air event in the city of Zhangjiajie tested positive.
Though the number of cases remains relatively small, the infections are spread across the country – prompting fears amongst officials that the new wave could mirror the initial outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019.
All flights from Nanjing airport have been suspended until August 11 in a bid to clamp down on the rise in cases, and all 9.3 million residents of the city have been ordered to take a PCR test.
- [email protected]
HOW TO FIND YOUR VACCINE PASSPORT ON THE NHS APP
1. Get the NHS app
The NHS app is free to download in England and Wales from the Apple Store if you have an iPhone and from Google Play if you have an android mobile.
It can also be downloaded to your tablet.
It is different to the NHS COVID 19 app which is used for contact tracing.
Search "NHS APP" and it should be the top result.
2. Personal details
Once downloaded, you must fill in your details such as your name, postcode and NHS number which will link back to your health record with your GP.
3. Get your Covid pass
You'll need to click on 'Get your NHS Covid pass… Domestic'.
This brings up a QR code, which states how long the pass is valid for in England.
You can also easily email yourself or download a PDF copy of this via the app, by clicking underneath the QR code.
- [email protected]
CHINA FACING BIGGEST COVID OUTBREAK SINCE WUHAN AS ENTIRE CITY ORDERED TO GET TESTED AS DELTA SURGES
The country, which has pursued an aggressive policy of zero Covid through brutal lockdowns, has reported 206 new infections since an outbreak in the city of Nanjing on July 20.
The Nanjing outbreak began when a group of airport workers cleaning a plane that arrived from Russia tested positive – sparking a cluster of cases that has now spread to five provinces and at least 13 cities, including the capital Beijing.
Infections have been reported in Sichuan and Liaoning provinces as well as Hunan province – where four people who attended an open-air event in the city of Zhangjiajie tested positive.
Though the number of cases remains relatively small, the infections are spread across the country – prompting fears amongst officials that the new wave could mirror the initial outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019.
All flights from Nanjing airport have been suspended until August 11 in a bid to clamp down on the rise in cases, and all 9.3 million residents of the city have been ordered to take a PCR test.
- [email protected]
RECORD NUMBER OF BRITS ‘PINGED’ BY NHS APP LAST WEEK AS 1 IN 5 ADMIT TO BENDING SELF-ISOLATION RULES
Record number of Brits ‘pinged’ by NHS app last week as 1 in 5 admit to bending self-isolation rules
- [email protected]
BORIS JOHNSON SAYS EDUCATION IS ‘SILVER BULLET’ TO FIX GLOBAL PROBLEMS
Boris Johnson has said investment in global education is a “Swiss army knife” for solving “virtually every problem that afflicts humanity”.
Speaking at a summit attended by a host of developing world leaders, the Prime Minister said he was “proud” the UK had pledged £430 million last month to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in the face of “difficult financial circumstances” after the coronavirus pandemic.
He described the contribution as a “hell of a lot”, despite critics saying it falls short of what is required to fix the global education “crisis”.
The GPE campaign, which aims to secure at least five billion US dollars (£3.6 billion) over the next five years, is designed to help 175 million girls and boys in up to 90 countries.
Closing the two-day Global Education Summit in south-west London, the Prime Minister said education has the rare ability to be the “universal cure” for preventing the “ignorance” that leads to terrorism and war.
- [email protected]
COVID LATEST
- Number of Covid patients in hospital falls in fresh sign pandemic is in retreat
- Risk of deadly blood clots increases if you reject vaccine and catch Covid, study warns
- Delta variant poses ‘severe’ risk to mums-to-be as all pregnant women urged to get jabbed
- Holidaymakers told stay outside and keep testing while you’re away, as PHE warns ‘the pandemic is NOT over’
- Record number of Brits ‘pinged’ by NHS app last week as 1 in 5 admit to bending self-isolation rules
OFFICIAL R RATE FALLS FOR FIRST TIME IN WEEKS – AS COVID CASES SLOW
Experts have said that there are signs that an increase in infections has slowed, despite there now being one in 65 people with Covid in the country.
This week the R rate sits between 1.1 and 1.4, it's the first time its been as low as 1.1 since July 2.
Last week the R rate was at 1.2 and 1.4 and had been at this rate for two weeks.
Last week cases of the virus fell for seven days in a row but have increased over the last two days.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) states that one in 65 people in the week to July 24 had Covid – up from one in 75 last week.
The R rate – how many people an infected person spreads the virus to – needs to stay below 1 in order for the outbreak to get smaller.
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