Afternoon summary
Here’s a roundup of the key moments from the day:
- Nearly 2 million more people in England will be asked to shield and 800,000 of those offered priority vaccination as a result of new modelling that has identified adults at higher risk from Covid-19 because of a combination of health factors and their circumstances, including ethnicity and low income.
- Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that a phased return to school for younger pupils will start from next Monday. This will include children aged four to seven and secondary pupils who are required to carry out practical assignments.
- Nearly 69,000 additional laptops and tablets have been delivered or dispatched by the government to help children with remote learning in the past week.
- Four passengers were each fined £10,000 after arriving at Birmingham airport without declaring they had travelled from a “red list” country during the previous 10 days, West Midlands police said.
- Travellers in quarantine hotels face an additional £1,200 bill if they test positive for coronavirus, the government has revealed. This is on top of the £1,750 fee for entering the programme and will apply to guests required to extend their stay beyond the initial 11 nights.
- The vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has apologised for “any confusion” over when people with asthma can expect to be offered a coronavirus jab after previously telling LBC that everyone who uses an inhaler would be in priority group six.
- Jo Whiley has said she is living a “nightmare” after she was offered the coronavirus vaccine before her sister who has learning difficulties and diabetes.
- There have been a further 275 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 199,793.
- A further 474 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 79,593, NHS England said on Tuesday.
- There have been another 10,625 confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK. It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 4,058,468. Another 799 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus, bringing the UK total to 118,195.
- All regions of England recorded a week-on-week fall in the number of Covid-19 deaths registered in the week to 5 February, the ONS said.
I’m closing this liveblog now. Thanks so much for joining me. Please do head over to our global coronavirus liveblog:
People who have had the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine are being encouraged to enrol in a study monitoring side-effects and whether jab recipients get coronavirus.
The Drug Safety Research Unit (DSRU) in Southampton wants at least 10,000 patients in its study who will be contacted at regular intervals after receiving the vaccine, PA Media reports.
Participants will include anyone over the age of 50, so there will be “a good cohort” of older people to monitor for safety and effectiveness.
A number of countries have opted not to give the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab to the over-65s, citing lack of sufficient data about its effectiveness in older people.
The DSRU director, Prof Saad Shakir, said:
Our study will look predominately at safety but also whether vaccines actually get Covid-19.
We will focus on people in phase 1 of the UK vaccination programme, which includes everyone over the age of 50, so we will have a good cohort of older vaccines to monitor for safety and effectiveness.
We will be sharing our results regularly and hope they help to fill some of the gaps in our global, collective knowledge about this promising vaccine.
People across the UK are being encouraged to take part, whether or not they have had any symptoms after vaccination.
Updated
UK records 799 more Covid-linked deaths and 10,625 new cases
There have been another 10,625 confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK. It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 4,058,468.
Another 799 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus, bringing the UK total to 118,195.
The latest government data shows that 15,576,107 have received the first vaccine dose and 546,165 have received the second dose of the vaccine.
Updated
A mountain rescue volunteer may never walk again after falling 150 metres during a callout to two lockdown breakers in the Lake District.
Chris Lewis, 60, a retired engineer, sustained life-changing spinal injuries and multiple facial fractures when he was called out to help people camping illegally above Kirkstone Pass on 6 February.
He was part of the Patterdale mountain rescue team that went to the aid of the two campers from Liverpool and Leicester after one fell ill, believing he was having a heart attack. It was pitch black and cold enough that the team’s oxygen cylinders froze when Lewis slipped and fell.
The original casualty was taken to hospital where he quickly recovered. Both men were fined £200 for breaking coronavirus restrictions.
Read more here:
More than half of pubs would not reopen and the rest would be at the mercy of the weather under tentative plans to allow beer garden service from April, the industry trade body has said.
The British Beer and Pubs Association (BBPA) said 29,000 pubs, about 60%, do not have a big enough garden or outdoor area to welcome drinkers without also needing to open indoor areas.
The prediction comes amid speculation that the government will permit pubs to welcome guests outside from April, easing some of the pressure on a sector that has been among the hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
The BBPA is pushing for permission to serve customers indoors as soon as non-essential shops are allowed to reopen.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Scientists have identified another new variant of coronavirus that has potentially concerning mutations.
Known as B.1.525, the variant contains a genetic change called E484K, also found in the Brazilian and South African variants. Public Health England (PHE) has said there is no evidence that the mutations in the new variant make the virus more transmissible or cause severe disease, PA Media reports.
It said B.1.525 has been classed as a variant under investigation (VUI) and as of Tuesday, 38 cases had been identified in the UK. The variant has also been seen in other countries, including Australia, Denmark, Nigeria, Canada and the US.
Laboratory studies have shown that viruses with the E484K mutation can escape human defences, making them more efficient at evading natural and vaccine-triggered immunity.
Experts say the variant has alterations in its genetic material that make it similar to the Kent variant, which is the dominant virus in the UK.
Pro Yvonne Doyle, PHE medical director, said:
PHE is monitoring data about emerging variants very closely and where necessary public health interventions are being undertaken, such as extra testing and enhanced contact tracing.
There is currently no evidence that this set of mutations causes more severe illness or increased transmissibility.
The best way to stop the spread of the virus is to follow the public health advice - wash your hands, wear a face covering and keep your distance from others.
While in lockdown, it is important that people stay at home where possible.
Updated
Good news for parents of younger children in Scotland today, but with a heavy dose of caution around further relaxations.
While Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that a phased return to school for younger pupils will start from Monday, including pre-school children, pupils in primaries 1, 2 and 3, and a limited number of secondary students who need to carry out practical assignments - she also said that lockdown measures for the rest of us will continue at least until March, stating that Scotland’s exit from this second lockdown is likely to be “even more cautious” than it was last summer.
Sturgeon told the Holyrood chamber that she hoped to be able to set out the second phase for school reopening in two weeks time, but that it is unlikely that there will be further return before 15 March.
Speaking of the necessity for trade-offs, she said that adults would have to live with restrictions for some time longer in order to get children back to school “because children’s education and wellbeing is such a priority”.
She also told the public she was very likely to advise against booking Easter holidays, while saying that ongoing limits on overseas travel this summer was “likely to be inescapable”.
Updated
A further 474 people have died in hospital in England
A further 474 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 79,593, NHS England said on Tuesday.
Patients were aged between 26 and 99. All except 17, aged between 38 and 93, had known underlying health conditions, PA Media reports.
The deaths were between 1 April 2020 and 15 February 2021, with the majority being on or after 12 February.
There were 39 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
Updated
Thousands of Amazon workers received the wrong coronavirus test results after a mistake meant they were given inaccurate information by test and trace.
The Guardian understands that 3,853 staff members at the online retailer received an erroneous result. Officials said they had tested negatively but received notifications to say they had tested positive and asking them to self-isolate.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it had been resolved in a day but those working for the “world-beating” service that tracks down those who may have been infected with the virus said they were still dealing with the fallout.
One test-and-trace worker said: “The tests, as far I can tell were good, but what people were told about their results is wrong.”
Read the full story here:
Updated
Lockdown in Scotland has been working, Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs.
When the new stay at home order was put in place in early January, average daily case numbers were 2,300 and have fallen to 810.
The first minister said:
As a result, we are now seeing fewer Covid patients in hospital and intensive care – although our health service remains under severe pressure.
Test positivity has also declined significantly – from around 11% at the start of January, to around 6% now.
All of this – together with our progress on vaccination – is extremely good news.
But Sturgeon said “even a slight” easing of restrictions could see cases “start rising rapidly again”.
Updated
Scotland's first minister sets out plans for phased return for schools
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that a phased return to school for younger pupils will start from next Monday.
This will include children aged four to seven and secondary pupils who are required to carry out practical assignments.
Sturgeon also warned that schools return would not mark the start of a broader easing of restrictions, telling MSPs the stay at home lockdown order will continue until at least the beginning of March, and possibly beyond that.
Updated
Four passengers were each fined £10,000 after arriving at Birmingham airport without declaring they had travelled from a “red list” country during the previous 10 days, West Midlands police said.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd told a meeting held by the force’s strategic policing and crime board:
By midday yesterday [Monday], on the first day of implementation, we have received six passengers who had declared travelling from a red list country, who were taken to the quarantine hotel.
We also had four passengers who were identified as having travelled from a red list country, that hadn’t declared it. So there are some people who have who have attempted to hide their routes but that’s not worked out.
They were identified and received £10,000 fines as a result.
Updated
Almost 2m more people in England will be asked to shield
Nearly 2 million more people in England will be asked to shield and 800,000 of those offered priority vaccination as a result of new modelling that has identified adults at higher risk from Covid-19 because of a combination of health factors and their circumstances, including ethnicity and low income.
Until now the NHS identified those most at risk on the basis usually of a single underlying health condition, such as specific cancers, together with age. But a more sophisticated modelling tool developed by the University of Oxford has shown that the shielding list should nearly double, adding 1.7 million people on the basis of multiple risk factors.
Among the issues the model takes into account are ethnicity and postcode, which will give a measure of economic deprivation. There have been higher rates of death among people from black, ethnic minority and Asian communities and also people from poorer neighbourhoods with cramped housing. Body mass index will also be factored in, because obesity is known to increase the risk of severe illness.
All those newly identified will get a letter from their GP suggesting they shield until at least 31 March, which is later than the current date of 21 February. The majority have already been vaccinated, because of their age or a particular health problem. But the rest will now be prioritised as part of the group with underlying health conditions who are being called up.
Read the full story here:
Updated
The use of coronavirus “vaccine passports” to enable businesses to reopen after lockdown could put venues at risk from discrimination claims, a cinema association has warned.
Phil Clapp, chief executive of the UK Cinema Association (UKCA), said that requiring proof of receipt of a Covid-19 jab presented “a range of practical and legal problems”.
His comments came after Boris Johnson suggested that rapid testing will be used over vaccine passports to support businesses reopening once lockdown restrictions ease.
But speaking on Monday, the prime minister did not not completely rule out using domestic immunity passports, saying the government will “look at everything”.
Clapp told PA Media:
The use of vaccine passports in particular presents a range of practical and legal problems.
At this moment in time, and in the medium term of course, the ongoing rollout of the vaccine makes this impractical, but even when that programme is complete, there will be a number of groups of who will not have been vaccinated for a range of legitimate reasons – some people with disabilities, pregnant women and young people amongst them.
Making the proof of vaccination a condition of entry would open up cinemas (as it would other venues) to a host of possible claims for discrimination.
He added: “Asking an audience of 250 each to take the test and wait 30 minutes before seeing a two-hour film seems impractical, as is asking customers to pay what equates in many instances to a 50% uplift on their cinema ticket.”
Clapp said cinemas had previously proved their ability to provide “rigorous safeguards”, adding that no Covid case had been traced to a UK cinema site.
“With the same or similar measures in place as necessary, we look forward to welcoming people back to the big screen when allowed,” he added.
Updated
Nearly 69,000 additional laptops and tablets have been delivered or dispatched by the government to help children with remote learning in the past week.
New figures from the Department for Education suggest that 493,324 devices have been sent to councils, academy trusts, schools and colleges across England since the lockdown began on 4 January – which is an extra 68,896 devices compared to the same time last week, PA Media reports.
A total of 1,055,745 laptops and tablets have been delivered or dispatched to support pupils to access remote education since the start of the pandemic.
Updated
1m more prioritised for vaccines and told to start shielding
Up to a million people are to be added to the list of those who should be shielding from the coronavirus pandemic, and will therefore be prioritised for Covid vaccination, according to a report in the Health Service Journal.
The expansion of the numbers who should be shielding from infection follows the adoption of a new risk calculation method that takes account of ethnicity, homelessness, deprivation and age. The exact number of people affected is not yet certain, but estimates indicate it could include hundreds of thousands, and potentially up to a million nationally.
The advice may be confusing for some, critics warned, coming as it does 11 months after 2.2 million “critically extremely vulnerable” people - whose status was based on their pre-existing health conditions - were first recommended to minimise their contact with others.
HSJ’s report cited a letter to GPs from NHSE, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS Digital which said the vulnerable patients would now be assessed according to a “new data-driven risk assessment”. It said:
[The assessment] has been used at a national level to help identify an additional group of patients with specific multiple risk factors which, combined, may put them at similar risk to those who are clinically extremely vulnerable to severe outcomes. As a precautionary measure, this group will now be added to the shielded patient list (SPL), on the advice of the chief medical officer.
We will have more on this soon from our health correspondents.
Updated
There have been a further 275 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 199,793, the PA Media news agency reports.
Public Health Wales reported another eight deaths, taking the total in the country since the start of the pandemic to 5,145.
The rapid COVID-19 surveillance dashboard has been updated
— Public Health Wales (@PublicHealthW) February 16, 2021
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Read our daily statement here: https://t.co/u6SKHz0zsG pic.twitter.com/XorEnNrktY
A total of 795,927 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had now been given across the country, an increase of 11,118 from the previous day. Public Health Wales said 7,251 second doses have also been given, an increase of 1,849.
In total, 89.7% of over-80s in Wales have received their first dose, along with 90.9% of those aged 75-79 and 90.1% of those aged 70-74. For care homes, 82.1% of residents and 84.7% of staff have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Public Health Wales said 80.6% of people in the clinically extremely vulnerable category had received their first dose.
Giri Shankar, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at the agency, said those who had been vaccinated must continue to follow public health advice. Dr Shankar said:
Although the data currently shows that on an all-Wales level the numbers of cases are reducing and that the incidence is now below 95 cases per 100,000 population, the rates in some areas – particularly in north Wales – are still at nearly double that, and there have been small increases in others.
It is encouraging to see that the numbers of people being treated for coronavirus in our hospitals is reducing, but there are still a large number of people who are extremely ill, which means that the pressure on services is still very high.
All of Wales remains in lockdown. We recognise that complying with the restrictions can be challenging, but coronavirus is still active in our communities and can cause severe illness and death. The reduction in the number of cases does not mean that people can meet people from other households (apart from one person for socially distanced exercise), as this can cause the virus to spread.
Updated
A quarter of primary school pupils in England were being taught on-site last week, the latest data from the Department for Education has shown, a rise of one percentage point from the previous week.
The DfE also estimated that 38% of teachers and school leaders were working on-site in open state-funded schools – 50% in primary schools, 23% in secondary schools and 64% in special schools.
Regarding pupil attendance, the latest data release from the department says:
Attendance was 24% in state-funded primary schools, 5% in state-funded secondary schools and 35% in state-funded special schools on 11 February. Attendance has increased in primary and special schools, where attendance was 21% and 30% respectively on 13 January. Attendance in state-funded secondary schools has remained the same since 13 January.
Pupils in schools and colleges in England – except children of key workers and vulnerable pupils – have been told to learn remotely during the lockdown.
Approximately 894,000 children of key workers were in attendance last week, slightly down from 895,000 the week before.
Updated
Musicians from the Royal Marines Band have been providing support on hospital wards to free up medics caring for Covid-19 patients.
A group of 42 members of the service band based at HMS Collingwood, Fareham, Hampshire, and Portsmouth Naval Base have been aiding frontline NHS staff at hospitals in Bournemouth, Dorset, and Bath, Somerset, as well as the NHS Nightingale hospital in Exeter, Devon.
The band members are trained to carry stretchers, drive ambulances and assist the military’s full-time medics during times of conflict.
Warrant Officer 2nd Class Trev Naughton said:
Despite the unfamiliar roles that we have been tasked to support, the team have thrown themselves at every task and supported our brave NHS staff in every way they can.
I couldn’t be prouder of the selfless attitude of our people, taking on a huge variety of roles which has freed up the NHS staff to concentrate on their primary clinical roles.
This has not only improved the care that’s given to the patients but also boosted the morale of our NHS staff.
As well as helping to support the medical needs of patients, the musicians have been boosting morale by providing musical performances on non-Covid wards.
Naughton said: “Music delivers in a way only music can, lifting the spirits of both patients and staff alike.
We are using our skills to provide some positive therapy amidst some very difficult times – and its impact has been immense.”
Chantal Baker, assistant director of nursing at NHS Nightingale hospital Exeter, said the arrival of the military personnel has been “timely and simply wonderful”.
She added:
They have lifted spirits in our team, brought another dynamic to the hospitals, and most of all, have an incredibly positive, can do attitude. We cannot thank them enough.
When they’re not supporting clinical duties or taking on family liaison roles, they can be found with our patients reading to them, playing games with them, or just simply chatting away together. It is incredibly touching to see.
Their beautiful music has filled our corridors, pouring out from the wards for the patients.
Updated
The number of people who have antibodies for the virus which causes Covid-19 has increased across the UK, but there is “substantial variation”, new figures show.
Having antibodies in the blood indicates that people have either previously been infected with the virus or have had a Covid-19 vaccine, PA Media reports.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that in England an estimated one in five adults would have tested positive for antibodies against the virus on a blood test in the 28 days up to 1 February.
This compares to one in seven in Wales and Northern Ireland and an estimated one in nine in Scotland.
Older people were more likely to have antibodies in England.
But in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the highest rates were seen among younger adults.
The increasing number of people with antibodies reflect the effect of the vaccine programme as well as the high levels of infection seen in recent months, the ONS suggested.
Esther Sutherland, principal statistician for the Covid-19 Infection Survey, said:
Antibody positivity rates have increased across all four nations and the effects of the vaccination programmes have begun to appear, especially in the older age groups.
In England those aged 80 and over currently have the highest percentage of antibody positivity, most likely due to the high vaccination rate in this group.
In Wales and Scotland those aged 16 to 24 years old have the highest percentage and in Northern Ireland it’s in 25- to 34-year-olds.
We would expect younger groups to have high levels of antibody positivity after the period of high infection rates we have seen in the last few months.
We will continue to closely monitor antibodies as the UK vaccination programmes continue to be rolled out.
Updated
Jo Whiley has said she is living a “nightmare” after she was offered the coronavirus vaccine before her sister who has learning difficulties and diabetes.
The BBC Radio 2 DJ comments come as charity leaders raise concerns that those with learning disabilities “aren’t being prioritised at all”.
Whiley has been campaigning for her younger sister, Frances, who has the rare Cri du Chat genetic syndrome, to be prioritised for the jab, PA reports.
The 55-year-old said people with learning disabilities are often neglected by society and that she would give up her vaccine “in a heartbeat” if she could.
Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Whiley said the care home where Frances, 53, is a resident had suffered an outbreak of Covid-19 last week and the effect on her sister’s mental health had been “quite extreme”.
Since the interview, Whiley has been told that Frances has tested positive for the virus, the BBC reported.
Frances has been unable to see her parents since the outbreak and become “very distressed”. Whiley said she has, for the first time, refused to take calls from family members.
Whiley said she does not know why has been called for her injection, but suggested it may be because she is classed as a carer for her sister.
I fail to understand, to be honest with you. Myself, my parents and the home have done everything we can to try and facilitate the vaccine coming in to the people who need it the most.
She is in tier six but she also has quite bad diabetes, which in my understanding puts her in tier four because she has an underlying health condition, so I would have thought that she would have been vaccinated, but that hasn’t happened.
And I suppose what I am doing is just wanting to speak up for people like Frances, people who live in her care home, who have been overlooked, because this happens so often.
People with learning difficulties are neglected. They haven’t got a voice, they haven’t got anybody there. Just badgering everybody saying ‘What about me? Help me out here’.”
Whiley said her mind is “boggling” over why she has been called for her jab.
She added: “And I would give up my vaccine in a heartbeat if I could for my sister and any of the residents in her house to have their vaccine. It just does not feel right.”
Edel Harris, chief executive of the learning disability charity Mencap, said:
People with a learning disability are six times more likely to die from Covid-19 than the rest of the population yet those with a mild or moderate learning disability aren’t prioritised at all. We urge the government to include everyone with a learning disability in group six urgently – it is not too late.
It’s unacceptable that within a group of people hit so hard by the pandemic, and who even before Covid died on average over 20 years younger than the general population, many are left feeling scared and wondering why they have been left out.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and government must act now to help save the lives of some of society’s most vulnerable people by urgently prioritising all people with a learning disability for the vaccine.
Updated
The vaccines minister has apologised for “any confusion” over when people with asthma can expect to be offered a coronavirus jab.
Nadhim Zahawi clarified the vaccination priority groups for asthmatics on Tuesday morning, after previously telling LBC that everyone who uses an inhaler would be in priority group six.
The new guidelines mean only people with severe asthma are being prioritised for vaccination, with those who regularly take steroid tablets or have ever had an emergency hospital admission in this category.
People with asthma who received a letter advising them to shield are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable and will be vaccinated in priority group four.
Zahawi told ITV’s Good Morning Britain:
In category four, those with serious, extremely vulnerable cases of asthma would have been given the first dose in category four.
Now in category six, if they have oral steroids, then they are in category six.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation looked at the evidence and that’s what we are guided by.
I apologise if there was any confusion, I certainly don’t want to have any confusion at all.
People with asthma who do not fall into either of those groups and are under the age of 50 will be vaccinated after the first nine priority groups, according to Asthma UK.
Sarah Woolnough, the chief executive of both Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation, yesterday said:
While we understand the government’s need to prioritise those most at risk of death from Covid in the first stages of the vaccine roll out, we want the government to take the needs of everyone with asthma seriously including their concerns about Covid causing long-term effects or making them unwell.
We are also continuing to call for the government to prioritise everyone with asthma for the next wave of vaccinations after the initial priority groups.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has not yet set out plans on who should be vaccinated beyond the top priority groups.
Matt Hancock has, however, pledged that all UK adults will be offered a coronavirus vaccine by autumn.
Updated
Travellers in quarantine hotels face an additional £1,200 bill if they test positive for coronavirus, the government has revealed.
This is on top of the £1,750 fee for entering the programme and will apply to guests required to extend their stay beyond the initial 11 nights, PA Media reports.
Information about the £152 daily cost of longer stays was only published on the government’s website on Monday, after some guests had already checked in.
From 4am on Monday, travellers arriving in England must quarantine in a hotel if they have been in a country at high risk of coronavirus variants in the previous 10 days.
Scotland is extending the requirement to cover arrivals from any country unless they have travelled from the Common Travel Area (CTA), which includes the UK and Ireland.
Guests are allowed to leave after 11 nights if they receive negative results from tests taken on day two and day eight of their isolation.
A positive result from the first test will extend a traveller’s stay by two nights at a cost of 304. If the second test returns a positive reading, the guest must remain in their room for an additional eight nights and pay 1,216.
Boris Johnson was asked at Monday’s Downing Street press conference what will happen if a traveller cannot afford the extra fee.
The prime minister replied:
It is currently illegal to travel abroad for holidays anyway. We would expect people who are coming in from one of these red list countries to be able to cover their costs.
There are 33 countries on the government’s “red list”, which includes Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, South America and southern Africa.
Updated
There were 7,320 deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales registered in the week to 5 February, new ONS data shows – down 13% on the previous week’s figure.
However, 42.6% of all deaths recorded in this week were due to coronavirus, the third highest proportion recorded during the entire pandemic. In last week’s ONS release, Covid accounted for 46.2% of all deaths, which is the highest figure to date.
The majority of Covid-19 deaths (67%) occurred in hospital in the most recent week’s figures, while a further 24% took place in care homes.
Excess deaths – the proportion of deaths above the five-year average – also remained high, with 4,986 more deaths than the average week.
Updated
Rapid testing, as well as mass vaccination, could be central to reopening sporting and entertainment venues in England, the vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, has said, adding that preliminary evidence on the effect of vaccines on coronavirus transmission was encouraging.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Zahawi said: “It’s a combination of rapid testing as well as the mass vaccination programme that will get our economy back on its feet and venues open again.”
Many venues, such as nightclubs, have been unable to reopen since the country first went into lockdown in March last year, while theatres reopened last summer with significantly reduced capacities.
Despite earlier doubts about their reliability, lateral flow tests, which can give results within 30 minutes, have been used by the government in “surge testing” in areas with high infection rates, and also in settings like schools, workplaces and care homes to test asymptomatic people.
Read the full article here:
With new variants of coronavirus popping up around the world, what do the latest studies tell us?
This is a useful article about what we know about Covid reinfection, immunity and vaccines by my colleague Nicola Davis.
For those who don’t know, I’m Nicola Slawson and I’ll be liveblogging for you today.
Email me nicola.slawson@theguardian.com if you have a question or a tip. You can also message me on Twitter: @Nicola_Slawson.
All regions of England recorded a week-on-week fall in the number of Covid-19 deaths, ONS says
All regions of England recorded a week-on-week fall in the number of Covid-19 deaths registered in the week to 5 February, the ONS said.
Two regions each saw more than 1,000 Covid-19 deaths registered: south-east England (1,415 deaths, down from 1,710 in the week to 29 January) and eastern England (1,098 deaths, down from 1,297), PA Media reports.
A total of 133,077 deaths had occurred in the UK by 5 February where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, the ONS said.
There were 23 consecutive days in January – from 7-29 January – when the daily death toll was above 1,000.
During the first wave of the virus in April 2020, there were also 23 consecutive days when the death toll – based on death certificates – was above 1,000.
Some 2,175 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 in England and Wales were registered in the week to 5 February – a drop of 13% on the previous week.
A total of 37,895 care home residents in England and Wales have now had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate, the ONS said.
The figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.
Updated
Blackburn’s director of public health says it is clear the vaccine is working.
Dominic Harrison tweeted: “Cases are down & the majority of BwD hospitalised cases are now already under 70 for the first time in the Pandemic.”
#COVID19 #vaccination #impact News
— Dominic Harrison (@BWDDPH) February 15, 2021
Don’t hesitate to get vaccinated!
The impacts of vaccination in @blackburndarwen are now clear.
Cases are down & the majority of BwD hospitalised cases are now already under 70 for the first time in the #Pandemic
Vaccination works! pic.twitter.com/veAXsgXNTL
Updated
Britain’s foremost economics thinktank has urged Rishi Sunak to use next month’s budget to announce a targeted extension of government support to tackle a “triple challenge” to the economy from Brexit, Covid and global heating.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the chancellor needed to steer clear of raising taxes in response to record peacetime borrowing of about £400bn inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic and called on him instead to focus on supporting the UK’s economic recovery from lockdown.
In an intervention as Sunak prepares to deliver the 3 March tax and spending set-piece in the Commons, the IFS said additional support was needed to help Britain adjust to the triple economic challenges presented by Brexit, Covid and meeting targets for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Read the full story here:
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi suggested accessibility issues and hesitancy over safety is behind lower uptake of coronavirus vaccines among social care workers.
He told LBC:
It’s partly driven by accessibility. If I take the residential care homes for the elderly and the social care workers and the care workers that work with them and of course the domiciliary care as well, part of it is accessibility so we’re going back four times into residential homes to deliver the two doses.
That accessibility to staff is beginning to pay off. Allowing them to book on the national booking system, I had a look at this on Saturday and out of 264,000 bookings on the national booking system 91,000 were from social care.
So I think part of it is giving them much greater access to get their appointments at a time that’s convenient to them and of course make sure we share the information about how safe vaccines are.
Zahawi also declined to say whether employers can legally require staff to disclose whether they have received a coronavirus vaccine.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
The vaccination is not mandatory. Employers have been talking to us, they are concerned about their duty of care for the residents, the elderly residents, especially if the virus mutates.
At the moment, the dominant virus in the UK, the vaccines work well against the dominant virus.
Pressed again if employers can require employees to disclose their vaccination record, he said: “At the moment, the vaccination programme is non-mandatory.”
Nicola Sturgeon to expected to online plan to reopen schools
Nicola Sturgeon is to announce whether some schoolchildren will return to Scottish classrooms from next week.
Scotland’s first minister is expected to address parliament this afternoon and will announce whether the phased reopening of schools will go ahead on 22 February as was previously announced.
On Monday, Sturgeon said during her daily briefing that she was “very, very, very keen to go ahead” with plans for a phased return to the classroom.
Sturgeon will make the announcement as part of her wider Covid-19 update to Holyrood.
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