Coronavirus latest news: Vaccines to tackle new variants expected by autumn, says AstraZeneca

• One Oxford Covid jab cuts transmission

• 20,000 people a day refusing to self-isolate, says Dido Harding

• PM under pressure to follow Scotland and reopen schools

• From transmission to efficacy, the Oxford and Pfizer Covid vaccines compared​

• Analysis: High case rate means Johnson's hands are tied

AstraZeneca and Oxford University aim to produce the next generation of Covid-19 vaccines that will protect against variants as soon as the autumn, a senior executive has said.

Sir Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals research and development at AstraZeneca, said the firm was working on vaccines against variants and wanted to have them ready "as rapidly as possible".

"We're working very hard and we're already talking about not just the variants that we have ... but also the clinical studies that we need to run," he said.

"We're very much aiming to try and have something ready by the autumn. So, this year."

Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, warned that Covid-19 variants will likely evolve to evade human immunity.

The news comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that 10 million people in the UK have now received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Follow the latest updates below.

03:10 PM

Blackmail charge after man posing as officer tries to fine elderly women for coronavirus breaches

Police are warning the public to be on their guard after a man claiming to be a police officer approached two elderly women and tried to “fine” them for breaching lockdown rules.

The incident occurred in Stratford, east London on Friday January 29 when the two women were walking down a street close to the local shopping centre.

The suspect allegedly approached them and informed them that they were breaching coronavirus laws and would therefore have to pay a £500 on the spot fine.

He attempted to take them to a nearby cash machine so that they could withdraw the money to pay the fine.

Fortunately the incident was witnessed by genuine Metropolitan Police officers who quickly arrested the suspect.

He has since been charged with blackmail and impersonating a police officer.

Martin Evans has the full story here

03:05 PM

Wales is 'fastest-moving nation' with vaccine rollout, says health minister

Wales has vaccinated more of its population that the rest of the UK in the past week, the country's Health Minister has said.

Vaughan Gething said the latest vaccination figures demonstrated the "rapid progress" of the Welsh rollout, but stressed the country was not in a "race" with the other nations.

Public Health Wales figures on Wednesday showed 462,497 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had now been given out, an increase of 22,857 from Tuesday, while the number of second doses rose by 94 to 1,160.

It means Wales has now given an initial dose of vaccine to 14.7% of its population of more than 3.1 million people.

Mr Gething told the Welsh Government's press briefing the rollout was going from "strength to strength" thanks to an army of staff involved made up of NHS workers, GPs, the military, local authorities and volunteers.

02:56 PM

10 million people now vaccinated, says Matt Hancock

Ten million people have now received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

He tweeted: "This is a hugely significant milestone in our national effort against this virus.

"Every jab makes us all a bit safer - I want to thank everyone playing their part."

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi expressed his delight a the "magic 10,000,000" having been reached.

02:52 PM

Tennis: Doubt surrounds Australian Open as staff member at players' hotel tests positive

Next week’s Australian Open is back in the balance after a Covid outbreak in Melbourne, which could threaten not only the staging of the tournament but also the continuation of normal life in the city.

Just when Tennis Australia thought they had navigated their way to a Covid-free tournament, the virus popped up in a staff member who had been working at the Grand Hyatt hotel.

This was the base for between 500 and 600 tennis players, coaches and officials during their quarantine period. Every one of those people is now considered a “casual contact” of the infected worker. They have all been told to self-isolate until they have passed a Covid test.

In the short term, the 62 matches scheduled at Melbourne Park tomorrow across six separate events have been cancelled.

Simon Briggs has the full story here

02:46 PM

Social distancing may need to continue until spring 2022, says expert

Social distancing may need to continue until spring 2022 even with effective coronavirus vaccines, a leading expert has said.

Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia (UEA), said measures are likely to be needed throughout next winter to prevent a spike in deaths, largely among the unvaccinated.

Prof Hunter said that, as time goes on, restrictions can be eased, and he predicted a near-normal summer this year.

By spring 2022, the numbers affected could be so small that social distancing can be stopped, because the number of people who are left exposed to Covid-19 shrinks as people die or get the virus.

"The big question around when we can get back to normal is still not possible to say for certain," he said.

"The key issue is what do we do about vulnerable people who have declined a vaccine or who are unable to have the vaccine?

02:42 PM

Special school staff in Nottinghamshire prioritised for Covid-19 vaccine

Special school staff in Nottinghamshire have been prioritised for the coronavirus vaccine in recognition of them undertaking "health and social care tasks".

The county council said the workforce in eleven schools across the area will be offered a vaccine from Wednesday.

A headteacher in the region has welcomed the news, but questioned why a decision had not been taken nationally to prioritise the vaccination of workers at special schools.

Government guidance has said frontline social care staff are entitled to a coronavirus vaccine if they are "directly involved in the care of their patients or clients"

Speaking after his staff were given the go-ahead for the Covid-19 vaccine, Matt Rooney, headteacher at St Giles School in Retford, said: "This is great news and hasn't come as a huge surprise.

"It's absolutely the right thing to do to protect the most vulnerable children in our communities."

02:34 PM

Downing street condemns attack on Chris Whitty

Downing Street condemned the verbal attack on Professor Chris Whitty after footage showed England's chief medical officer being accused of "lying" about Covid-19 while out walking near Westminster.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Chris Whitty is an outstanding public servant who has worked incredibly hard and tirelessly to help steer us through what has been a very, very challenging time over the past year.

"And it is clearly unacceptable that somebody who has done so much is being subject to this sort of behaviour."

02:30 PM

Funeral arranger urges 'recognition and reward' for sector efforts

A funeral arranger who joined the profession at the start of the coronavirus crisis has called for more recognition of those working in the funeral sector during the pandemic.

Tracie Sharp, who works in a Co-op Funeralcare branch in Midhurst, West Sussex, was made redundant from her role as head of sales for a hotel company in March last year.

The 52-year-old started as a funeral arranger amid a demand for services caused by the pandemic in April, initially on a temporary 12-week contract, but has since been made a permanent member of staff.

"I don't think we are appreciated as much as we should be," she said.

"I think the NHS and all those workers have been absolutely amazing in helping saving lives. But we're on the flip side, we're the ones that have got to help the families when their loved ones have passed away.

02:23 PM

Indonesia deploys coronavirus breathalyzer at train stations

Indonesia launched a Covid-19 screening programme at train stations today, using a breathalyzer it hopes can find positive cases in a country battling one of the worst epidemics in Asia.

The breathalyzer, known as GeNose, was developed by the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM), which says it detects the reaction between the coronavirus and body tissue in the respiratory tract with at least 95 per cent accuracy.

Subjects are required to blow into a bag and the result is available in just two minutes.

A similar breath test for COvid-19, SpiroNose, developed by a Dutch health technology company, is being rolled out in the Netherlands to speed up its testing process.

02:14 PM

Priti Patel calls Captain Tom a 'light of inspiration'

Priti Patel called Captain Sir Tom Moore "a light of inspiration" ahead of plans for a national applause in memory of the veteran.

"In terms of a tribute, we'll all be standing by and clapping for him this evening at 6pm as the Prime Minister has announced," the Home Secretary told reporters during a visit to a vaccination centre in north-west London.

"He was a light of inspiration at a time when we have suffered a great deal, individually and nationally, over the last 12 months.

"I think all of us will think of him very fondly and really cherish the work that he did throughout the pandemic to raise funds, but also to lift the soul of the nation in the way in which he did."

Earlier today, the House of Commons held a one minute in memory of Captain Tom.

02:07 PM

Video shows customer arriving at barbers as police confront owner over breaches

A video taken in a barbershop shows a man taking a call from a customer saying "Hello, I'm out back" as officers confront him for breaching coronavirus regulations.

The owner answered the phone while the officers were standing next to him and the exchange was caught on bodycam.

Nearly 1,000 fines have been issued by Kent Police since January 1, with other breaches including an an unofficial football match for more than 20 people on Sunday.

It comes as the county faces increased testing amid concerns over variants of Covid-19.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Nix said: "Whilst it is encouraging that the rate of infection is falling and more people are being vaccinated, now is not the time to drop our guard and be complacent, we are not yet at the stage where lockdown can be relaxed."

01:58 PM

Watch: 20,000 a day are ignoring orders to isolate, Dido Harding reveals

01:56 PM

104-year-old fundraiser to complete 17-mile walking challenge in memory of Captain Tom

A 104-year-old fundraiser - who was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to complete a 17-mile walking challenge outside her care home - said she will "carry Sir Tom in my heart" as she continues her daily walks.

Joan Willett - a double heart attack survivor - raised more than £50,000 for the British Heart Foundation by walking up and down the hill outside her care home in Hastings. She was congratulated by Sir Tom who said she had done "a very good job".

She said: "Like everyone else I'm very saddened by Captain Sir Tom Moore's death. He was the big inspiration for taking on my own challenge.

"When I first saw him doing his walk on TV I thought he was marvellous and he made me smile. That's when I said to myself 'If Captain Tom can do it so can I'. He inspired me to go the extra mile so I decided to climb up and down a hill every day for my challenge.

01:49 PM

A further 707 deaths from Covid-19

A further 707 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 73,619, NHS England said today.

Patients were aged between 30 and 101. All except 21, aged between 46 and 92, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between October 21 and February 2.

There were 45 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.

01:42 PM

Russia to ship Covid-19 vaccine to rebel-held eastern Ukraine

The Kremlin said on Wednesday Russia would supply the rebel-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine with its Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 despite Kiev's ban on using the Russian shots.

Ukraine expects to receive shipments of Western-made vaccines soon and has prohibited the use of Russian vaccines against Covid-19, with its relations with Moscow essentially severed by the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The comments by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov about Ukraine's rebel-held regions come after a local news outlet in self-proclaimed Donetsk republic reported on Sunday that Russia had begun shipments of its vaccine there.

"As far as I understand, there will be deliveries there," Peskov told reporters on a conference call, referring to the regions of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels.

01:35 PM

Boris Johnson defends visit to vaccine lab hit by virus outbreak

Boris Johnson has defended his visit to a vaccine laboratory hit by a coronavirus outbreak amid claims his behaviour was "reckless" and "irresponsible".

A number of cases were reported at the Valneva site in Livingston, West Lothian, ahead of the Prime Minister's visit last Thursday.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford had claimed it was an "irresponsible decision to go ahead with what was a PR stunt" and a "shocking error of judgment".

The visit had already been controversial, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying prior to it that it was not essential during lockdown.

Mr Johnson in response said: "Nobody raised that issue with me before or since," as he explained the reason for the trip, and he insisted "nothing and no-one one is going to stop me" visiting all parts of the UK.

01:25 PM

Vaccine gives shot in arm to British business as Europe lags

The UK’s vaccine success has sent business confidence to a six-year high despite January’s lockdown hammering the services sector.

The latest activity snapshot from financial data firm IHS Markit, where a score over 50 signals growth, plunged to 39.5 in January as the latest restrictions shuttered businesses from hairdressers to bars and restaurants.

But despite the fall in activity the rapid rollout of vaccines - with almost 10m people now protected against Covid - means business confidence in next 12 months is at the highest level since May 2014.

The picture contrasted with services firms in the eurozone after bitter public rows between the European Commission and manufacturer AstraZeneca over vaccine supplies that threaten to delay the single currency bloc’s economic recovery.

Russell Lynch has the full story here

01:22 PM

Ministers consider adding more countries to hotel quarantine

Ministers are considering extending hotel quarantine to more countries as the Brazilian and South African variants have emerged in 27 more nations including Spain.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said he was “up for strengthening” the current border crackdown further and said ministers were “looking at that.”

There are currently 33 “red list” countries from which foreign travel is banned and any Britons or UK residents returning from them will be required to quarantine at their own cost in Government-approved hotels, which ministers are aiming to introduce on February 15.

The 33 countries are primarily in southern Africa and south America but include Portugal where new border controls with Spain were introduced this week to try to prevent the spread of new variants.

Ministers are expected to meet on Thursday, as part of a weekly review of travel bans.

Charles Hymas and Dominic Penna have the full story here

01:16 PM

'Too uncertain' to say summer holidays will go ahead

Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething has said that it is "too uncertain" to say that people will be able to enjoy a summer holiday abroad this year.

"I'm optimistic that people will be able to have a holiday break of some kind over the summer, I wouldn't want to forecast where that would be though," Mr Gething said.

"We know many people are opting to stay within Wales or the UK but the challenge is that we know that from this summer, international travel to mainland Europe caused lots of mixing and a reintroduction of coronavirus into the UK.

"It helped to promote the growth of the virus through the autumn. So we're all still going to need to make responsible choices.

01:14 PM

Floral tributes to Captain Tom laid at village green near his house

Floral tributes to Captain Sir Tom Moore have been laid at the village green near the house where he lived with one of his daughters and her family.

The Second World War veteran, who died at Bedford Hospital on Tuesday after testing positive for Covid-19, lived in Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire.

A steady stream of well-wishers laid flowers at the village green in Marston Moretaine on Wednesday, with dozens piled up by lunchtime.

01:08 PM

Wales: 13 cases of South African variant identified

Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething has said 13 cases of the South African variant have been identified in Wales, an increase of three from last week.

"Ten of these cases have clear links to either South Africa or to international travel," Mr Gething told a press conference in Cardiff.

"In the other three cases, there is currently no clear evidence of how they may have caught the virus. Two of these cases are in North Wales - in Anglesey and in Conwy.

"They have the same genetic sequence and they were tested on the same day in the same laboratory. The third case is in Neath Port Talbot.

"Public Health Wales is carrying out a detailed and forensic investigation into each of these cases to discover when and how each person became infected with the South African variant strain, and whether there is any evidence of wider community spread."

01:06 PM

'Captain Tom effect' boosted charities in their time of need

Captain Sir Tom Moore's fundraising efforts have been credited with keeping charities at the forefront of people's minds at a time when they were struggling most as the pandemic hit.

The Charities Aid Foundation's tracker survey of charitable giving by people in the UK showed some had mentioned Sir Tom in relation to their donations.

There was a "very big uptick" during the first lockdown in donations for hospitals and hospices, the foundation's research manager Catherine Mahoney said.

She added that people were "telling us 'I gave to Captain Sir Tom Moore' or 'I gave to NHS Charities"'.

She said charities had struggled during lockdown due to losing part of their income with the closure of charity shops and inability to hold the usual fundraising activities such as bake sales and coffee mornings.

But what became known as the "Captain Tom effect" had raised awareness of the work charities were doing and the support they needed.

12:59 PM

Coronavirus outbreak at lab visited by Boris Johnson last week

An outbreak of coronavirus has been confirmed at the vaccine laboratory which was visited by Boris Johnson in Scotland last week.

There were a number of cases reported at the Valneva site in Livingston ahead of the Prime Minister's visit on Thursday - an event which had already received some criticism.

Valneva's chief financial officer David Lawrence told the Daily Record that Downing Street was informed of the outbreak ahead of the trip.

The company said in a statement: "Valneva is absolutely committed to safeguarding the health of our employees. A number of coronavirus cases were reported among staff at Valneva's Livingston, Scotland site in January.

"As Covid-19 control procedures were in place, those staff who may have been affected were identified and, as a precaution and in-line with Government regulations, have been self-isolating; in some cases the period of self-isolation is already complete.

"The Prime Minister's visit was Covid-compliant. Our team had approved all aspects of his visit from a safety perspective and the site director is comfortable that no risks were taken."

12:57 PM

Eurovision 2021 to proceed in Rotterdam despite pandemic

The 2021 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in a limited form in the Dutch city of Rotterdam in May due to restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers have said.

Some performances will be held in the city in a "socially distanced" way, organisers said, without specifying whether any live audiences would be allowed in.

Some delegations may submit recorded performances.

Martin Osterdahl, the contest's executive supervisor, said: "The Eurovision Song Contest will definitely make its welcome return this May despite the pandemic but, in the prevailing circumstances, it is regrettably impossible to hold the event in the way we are used to."

The Netherlands is hosting the 65th edition of the event, which draws a television audience of around 200 million, after Dutch singer-songwriter Duncan Laurence won the 2019 contest with the song "Arcade".

12:52 PM

Landmarks lit up to say farewell ahead of Clap for Tom at 6pm

12:46 PM

New vaccines ready by autumn, says Oxford University

rofessor Andrew Pollard, from the Oxford University vaccine group, said new vaccines could be ready for autumn.

He told a media briefing: "I think the actual work on designing a new vaccine is very, very quick because it's essentially just switching out the genetic sequence for the spike protein, so for the updated variants.

"Then there's manufacturing to do and then a small-scale study.

"All of that can be completed in a very short period of time, and the autumn is really the timing for having new vaccines available for use rather than for having the clinical trials run."

Sir Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals research and development at AstraZeneca, added: "Our ambition is to be ready for the next round of immunisations that may be necessary as we go into next winter. That's what we're aiming for."

12:38 PM

Trials on new vaccines to tackle variants will involve 'hundreds of people'

Professor Andrew Pollard, from Oxford University, said it was likely that clinical trials on new vaccines for dealing with the variants of Covid-19 would involve "hundreds" of people at the most.

"That's a discussion which is ongoing with regulators about exactly what the data package is that they would need.

"The reason why it's such a small number is because with an updated vaccine, the question is whether immune responses still look the same but against the new variants as they emerge.

"We don't need to run studies on a large scale to prove efficacy. And so that's why they're much quicker and much smaller to conduct."

12:37 PM

Public urged to join national clap for Captain Sir Tom Moore

Captain Sir Tom Moore's memory is to be marked with a national clap, as tributes continue to be paid to a veteran hailed as having dedicated his life to serving others.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the public to join in the show of appreciation for the 100-year-old as well as health workers at 6pm on Wednesday evening.

The House of Commons fell silent in tribute to Sir Tom ahead of Prime Minister's Questions, and Mr Johnson told MPs the centenarian had dedicated his life to serving others.

He said: "We all now have the opportunity to show our appreciation for him and all that he stood for and believed in.

"That is why I encourage everyone to join in a national clap for Captain Tom and all those health workers for whom he raised money at 6pm this evening."

His death on Tuesday after testing positive for Covid-19 has prompted reaction from around the world and charities have vowed his legacy will live on "for years and years".

12:23 PM

Wales: 462,497 first doses of Covid-19 vaccine now given

Public Health Wales said a total of 462,497 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine had now been given, an increase of 22,857 from the previous day.

The agency said 1,160 second doses were also given, an increase of 94.

In total, 78.9 per cent of those over 80 have received their first dose of the vaccine, along with 76.9 per cent of care home residents and 80 per cent of care home staff.

12:17 PM

AstraZeneca expects 'next generation' vaccines to tackle covid variants by autumn

AstraZeneca and Oxford University aim to produce the next generation of Covid-19 vaccines that will protect against variants as soon as the autumn, a senior executive has said today.

Asked when AstraZeneca could produce a next generation vaccine to tackle new variants, AstraZeneca research chief Mene Pangalos said "as rapidly as possible".

"We're working very hard and we're already talking about not just the variants that we have to make in laboratories, but also the clinical studies that we need to run," he said in a briefing with media.

"We're very much aiming to try and have something ready by the autumn, so this year."

The partners are getting close to having data on the efficacy of their Covid-19 vaccine on older adults, Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said.

12:11 PM

House of Commons holds minute silence for Captain Tom

The House of Commons has observed a minute's silence in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore and others who have lost their lives as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said of Sir Tom: "His dignity and determination in raising money to support the NHS charities caught the nation's mood at the most difficult time.

"He exemplified the best of our values."

12:09 PM

Clap for Captain Tom at 6pm tonight

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged people across the country to join in a national clap for Captain Sir Tom Moore at 6pm tonight.

Boris Johnson said Captain Sir Tom Moore dedicated his life to serving others, and encouraged people to join in a "national clap" in memory of him.

Mr Johnson told the Commons: "We all now have the opportunity to show our appreciation for him and all that he stood for and believed in.

"That is why I encourage everyone to join in a national clap for Captain Tom and all those health workers for whom he raised money at 6pm this evening."

12:07 PM

Live: Boris Johnson faces Keir Starmer in PMQs

12:06 PM

Boris Johnson announces Downing St press conference

The Prime Minister will host a Downing Street press conference about the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, Number 10 has said.

A further announcement is due regarding the officials who are set to join him.

More updates to follow.

12:05 PM

PM to host national clap to honour Captain Tom

The Prime Minister will join in with a "national clap" on Wednesday evening to honour the life of Captain Sir Tom Moore, Downing Street has announced.

12:02 PM

Nick Knowles calls for Captain Tom statue on Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth

Captain Sir Tom Moore should be honoured with a permanent statue on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, says Nick Knowles.

The DIY SOS presenter, 58, said an image of the fundraising veteran swathed in the Union flag would be a "constant reminder of positivity" for the nation.

He befriended Sir Tom - who died on Tuesday morning aged 100 after testing positive for Covid-19 - when he was called in to help build a fence around the Army veteran's home to retain some privacy amid the glare of the world's media.

The fourth plinth, which was built in 1841 but remained empty due to a lack of funds, has been home to a rolling commission of public artworks for the last two decades.

Knowles said Sir Tom should be honoured in the same way Winston Churchill was following the Second World War.

11:56 AM

Singing and chanting banned at Tokyo Olympics over Covid fears

Coaches, athletes and support staff at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been told that they should only support athletes by clapping rather than singing or chanting as part of a range of new safety measures.

Organisers are pressing ahead with planning for the events between July and September and have, on Wednesday morning, published their first Playbook of guidance, which is specifically aimed at international federations and officials.

As revealed by Telegraph Sport, athletes have also been told that they should limit their contact with other athletes and maintain a distance of two metres “at all times” except when that is not possible, such as during competition.

It remains unclear whether fans will be permitted – further information will be published in April and June – but the International Olympic Committee’s guidance for support staff and officials outlines a series of strict rules.

Jeremy Wilson has the full story here

11:51 AM

UK aviation industry given £7.2 billion of Government support

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK aviation industry has been given £7.2 billion of Government support during the coronavirus pandemic.

He told the Commons' Transport Select Committee this included furlough payments to 55,000 staff costing between £1 billion and £2 billion while £3 billion has been made available to aviation companies through the Covid corporate financing facility.

A further £3.4 billion of loans have been handed to struggling airlines through the UK export finance scheme.

Mr Shapps said: "A lot of people in the aviation sector, sadly, will have lost their jobs because there's been redundancies because these airlines haven't been able to fly.

"There are wider measures in place through my colleagues, particularly the Secretary of State at DWP (the Department for Work and Pensions), for example for retraining, for opportunities to enter into new sectors."

11:45 AM

Reveller at lockdown party tells police 'we've been bored'

A partygoer attending a student gathering which was broken up by police told officers "We've been bored and we want to have fun", body-worn footage has shown.

Lancashire Police interrupted the birthday party, at a house in Wigan Road, Ormskirk, at about 2.45am on Sunday.

A spokesman for the force said several people fled the property when officers arrived, including some out of a window.

Body-worn footage shows one of the party-goers, who are believed to be Edge Hill University students, telling police: "We've been bored and we want to have fun."

The organiser of the party was located by officers and will be issued with the £10,000 fixed penalty notice, the force said.

11:41 AM

House of Commons to host minute's silence in tribute to Captain Tom

The House of Commons will fall silent in tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore.

The minute's silence will take place before Prime Minister's Questions at noon to honour Sir Tom and all victims of the pandemic.

11:35 AM

Head of Test and Trace says 20,000 people per day not isolating when they should be

The head of Test and Trace has told MPs around 20,000 people a day are not self-isolating when they should be.

Appearing in front of the Science and Technology Committee, Baroness Dido Harding said roughly 20,0000 people a day who test positive for Covid or come into contact with someone who has are not staying at home

She admitted that lack of financial support was a reason for why people were not sticking to the rules when told to self-isolate.

But when asked by Conservative MP Jeremy Hunt whether the Government should offer simple salary replacements to help people quarantine without money worries, she said ‘financial incentives’ may not drive ‘the right behaviour’ and could have ‘unforeseen consequences’.

11:28 AM

Watch: Chris Whitty accused of being a 'liar' in 'appalling' video

11:22 AM

Lockdown-sceptic Tory MPs demand restrictions eased from March 8

Mark Harper, chairman of the Covid Recovery Group which is made up of lockdown-sceptic Conservative MPs, has reiterated a call for the Government to ease lockdown restrictions from March 8 following promising data on vaccine effectiveness.

He said: "With better and better news by the day on the vaccination rollout and its effectiveness, the Government has got to start addressing its mind to the harms caused by the measures we're putting in place to control Covid, as well as to the harms caused by Covid itself.

"Covid is a deadly disease, however lockdowns and restrictions cause immense damage to people's health and livelihoods, and we need to lift them as soon as it is safe to do so.

"The Prime Minister said last week that reopening schools was a 'national priority'. Now that Scotland has indicated that schools are likely to return from February 22, there needs to be a very good reason for keeping English schools shut for so much longer.

11:18 AM

Domestic abuse up by 10% amid overall Covid-19 pandemic crime drop

Domestic abuse rose by 10% in a year, although overall crime was down during the Covid-19 pandemic, official figures show.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 842,813 domestic abuse-related offences were recorded by police forces in England and Wales in the year ending September 2020 - up from 769,611 the previous year.

Total police recorded crime dropped by six percent to around 5.7 million offences with substantial falls during April to June as the country spent most of the period under strict lockdown restrictions.

But the results of a separate survey carried out by the ONS show the number of victims of crime in July to September 2020 returned to a similar level as in the pre-coronavirus period of January to March following a 19 per cent drop in April to June.

The police recorded crime figures show a seven per cent drop in firearms offences and a three per cent dip in offences involving knives and sharp instruments in the 12 months to September last year.

11:11 AM

UK right not to follow Australia's border shutdown, says Grant Shapps

Implementing tougher Australia-style border closures would not help the UK tackle the coronavirus pandemic, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has insisted.

The Cabinet minister said the UK's proximity to continental Europe means it is important that vital goods and people continue to move in and out of the country.

Australia has enforced some of the toughest rules anywhere in the world, with only citizens, residents or immediate family members allowed to enter.

The rules were followed by a significant drop in coronavirus case numbers, enabling the country to ease lockdown restrictions.

Giving evidence to the Commons' Transport Select Committee, Mr Shapps said: "People say 'why don't we just close down and then we'll be safe?'.

"But, of course, we wouldn't be safe, because we are an island nation - unlike Australia or something which is an entire continent - and that means that we need to get medicines in, we need to get food in, we need to get our raw materials in, sometimes we have to move people around, scientists and others.

11:09 AM

Over 300 million Indians may have Covid-19

About one in four of India's 1.35 billion population may have been infected with Covid-19, according to government sources.

India has the world's second highest number of confirmed cases at 10.8 million.

But a government serological survey, whose findings are much more conservative than a private one from last week, indicates the country's actual cases may have passed 300 million.

The state-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which conducted the survey, said it would only share the findings at a news conference on Thursday.

The source declined to be named ahead of the official announcement.

It was not immediately clear how many people participated in the latest survey.

10:46 AM

Phuket is drawing up plans to fully reopen to vaccinated visitors by October

Thailand's resort island of Phuket is planning private coronavirus vaccinations for 250,000 residents in the hope the government will allow it to fully reopen to foreign tourists by October and save its battered economy, industry officials said.

"The people of Phuket are losing hope," Phuket Tourism Association President, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam said, adding that the island's economy was at its lowest point in recent history.

Foreign tourism revenue in Phuket dropped 78% to 87.5 million baht ($2.92 million) in 2020 with 2.1 million arrivals.

At least 10 Phuket industry associations including hotel, tourism and chambers of commerce have agreed to pool resources to procure vaccines and inoculate at least 70% of the island to create sufficient immunity by Oct. 1 to receive tourists.

Phuket's population is at least 400,000 and the private vaccination drive would cover most adults before a nationwide government immunisation programme for the public starts in June.

The plan has yet to meet government approval and will also look to waive a mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement for vaccinated travellers, a major hurdle for many potential travelers.

10:36 AM

10,000 home test kits to be delivered in Merseyside

A team of council and fire service staff are due to begin delivering 10,000 home test kits to houses in Southport in Merseyside as part of measures to identify the South African variant of coronavirus.

Sefton Council said a new mobile test unit also opened on Wednesday morning for people living and working in the PR9 area of the town, where the variant has been identified.

Results showing whether people have tested positive for Covid-19 will come through in about two days and swabs to identify the presence of the variant will take up to 10 days.

Director of public health Margaret Jones said: "We want everyone aged 16 and over in the affected area to take one of these specific tests, either using the home test kit that will be delivered to them or by using the dedicated mobile unit at the former Kew park and ride site.

"This will help us identify and nip this variant, which could be more transmissible meaning that it could spread more quickly, in the bud."

10:31 AM

Multiple Test and Trace phone calls to same household 'putting people off' guidance

Baroness Harding, interim executive chair at the National Institute for Health Protection, said families became annoyed with multiple phone calls from Test and Trace.

She told the Science and Technology Committee: "What became clear as contact tracing scaled through the autumn was that that was really annoying families with having multiple phone calls into the same household, particularly as then you'd extended to the isolation support calls that we also make to people who are isolating.

"There was a lot of evidence that we gathered from our local authority colleagues and directly through our contact tracing teams that this was acting as a counterproductive element of our journey that was putting people off following the guidance."

10:21 AM

Hundreds of Covid vaccines wasted after fridge switched off

Hundreds of coronavirus vaccines went to waste after a fridge was accidentally turned off in a vaccination centre.

Around 450 doses of the Pfizer jab had to be binned following a "power-related issue" with a fridge at Montgomery Hall in Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, last month.

Ninety vials of the vaccine - each containing up to five doses - were wasted when the fridge was inadvertently switched off overnight at the venue, sources confirmed.

Staff are understood to have discovered the issue when they checked the fridge temperature early in the morning of January 8.

Vaccine supplies were diverted to the hall so that all patients who were due to receive their first dose at the site could still do so despite the error, Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said.

A CCG spokesman said: "Following a power-related issue with the fridge at a vaccination service site, a number of Pfizer vaccine vials were compromised as a result of not being stored at the required temperature overnight, which meant staff were unable to administer that batch of vaccines.

"However, thanks to our partners across Rotherham, we were able to ensure all patients booked in at the site received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine as planned."

10:12 AM

Test and Trace on track to reduce R number

Baroness Dido Harding, head of NHS Test and Trace, has said the system is on track to reduce the R number in high prevalence areas by between 0.6 and 0.8 by the end of March.

She told MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee: "But with a disease with an unconstrained R in March of over 3, it is impossible for Test and Trace to single-handedly fight the disease.

"It is always going to be one element of our fight against Covid, not the silver bullet."

10:08 AM

UK cannot 'close down' borders in same way countries such as Australia can

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said the UK could not "close down" its borders to tackle coronavirus in the same way as countries such as Australia.

He told the Commons Transport Select Committee: "People say 'why don't we just close down and then we'll be safe?'.

"But, of course, we wouldn't be safe, because we are an island nation - unlike Australia or something which is an entire continent - and that means that we need to get medicines in, we need to get food in, we need to get our raw materials in, sometimes we have to move people around, scientists and others.

"If we weren't doing these things then we simply wouldn't be combating this crisis. In fact, specifically we wouldn't have had things like the medicines that we've needed or indeed the vaccinations, some of which are manufactured in Europe, only 20 miles away at its closest point."

He added: "The idea that the UK could completely button down its hatches and remain buttoned down for a year is mistaken.

"But also the evidence that that is the only thing that you need to do, or even the primary thing you need to do, is also pretty shaky."

09:57 AM

Health Secretary admits the film Contagion inspired UK's vaccine programme

Matt Hancock said the film Contagion had helped demonstrate to him the importance of securing enough vaccines once they had been approved.

The Health Secretary told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I think the safest thing to say is (the film) wasn't my only source of advice on this issue but I did watch the film - it is actually based on the advice of very serious epidemiologists.

"The insight that was so necessary at the start was that the big pressure on vaccines internationally would not be before they were approved - of course, there was a huge amount of work then - but it was after they are approved.

"So, one of the things I did early (on), was insist that when we had the Oxford vaccine, and we backed it from the start and that was great, I insisted that UK production protects people in the UK in the first instance. And, as the UK Health Secretary, that is my duty.

"At the same time we are making it available at cost to the rest of the world - not enough people give AstraZeneca credit for that, other vaccine companies are making tens of billions of pounds from their vaccines."

09:52 AM

Czech Republic surpasses a million cases

Nearly one in 10 people in the Czech Republic have been infected by the coronavirus, data showed on Wednesday, as the total number of cases surpassed 1 million in one of the countries worst-hit by the pandemic.

The country of 10.7 million has struggled to contain a second and now third wave of infections that started in September.

In Europe, only Portugal and Spain had higher per-capita infections in the past 14 days, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The Czech death rate is also among the highest in Europe.

Deaths from COVID-19 in the Czech Republic reached 16,683 as of Tuesday, doubling since the end of November. The death toll has grown 39-fold since the start of September.

09:46 AM

Health Secretary refuses to confirm quarantine hotels will open this month

The Government announced the policy aimed at limiting the spread of new coronavirus strains last week, but has not revealed when it will be implemented.

Mr Hancock was asked by LBC if the scheme will be launched by the end of February.

The Cabinet minister replied: "We'll set out more details of that when we're ready to, but you've seen that we're perfectly prepared to take very tough action if that's what's needed."

He went on: "Already there is the very clear legal rules - with the strong enforcement behind it - that we've now put in place for anybody entering the country as a passenger at all.

"Whether that is isolation in your own home or in hotels, it is isolation.

"But we're always open to looking at tougher measures."

09:44 AM

One in seven households in England may have had Covid already

Around one in seven people in private households in England are estimated to have had coronavirus by mid-January 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is up from an estimated one in nine people in December 2020 and one in 11 people in November.

The figures are the proportion of the population who are likely to have tested positive for antibodies to Covid-19, based on blood test results from a sample of people aged 16 and over.

09:41 AM

'People will be convinced' to take vaccine as millions take jab with no problems

On the issue of some people refusing vaccines, Professor Adam Finn, from the JCVI, said: "I think probably people will be convinced by events."

He said Covid vaccines have now been given to millions of people with no problems, adding: "In the past where there have been problems with vaccines, they become manifest within a relatively short period of time.

"It's not like it takes years to find out that there's a side-effect that's very rare but serious."

09:35 AM

Captain Sir Tom Moore came to 'symbolise resilience'

Matt Hancock has described his admiration for Captain Sir Tom Moore and the example the veteran set during the first lockdown.

The Health Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "He came to symbolise resilience, didn't he, in difficult times? His modesty, his very British manner.

"The thing that I really admired was that, when we were in that first lockdown, he could have just sat through it, but he saw that the NHS was under pressure and he decided to do his bit.

"And, for him, doing his bit meant trying to raise £1,000 by walking round his garden, and it just shows that everybody can do their bit and you can just get up and make it happen, and I love that.

"I admired him so much. I had the pleasure to speak with him once and it was really, truly wonderful and it is very, very sad that he is no longer with us."

09:33 AM

Pictured: door-to-door testing in Woking

09:28 AM

JCVI member says vaccines will need adjusting for 'top-level protection' as virus mutates

Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said the Oxford transmission results are "very, very good news".

He told Times Radio: "I think it points to the fact that all of these vaccines to some extent will be able to reduce transmission."

Asked if the new strains show signs of being vaccine-resistant, he said: "Yes, they do, and that's something that I guess we've expected all along.

"So it is going to be a game of catch-up going forward; the vaccines will continue to work, but, as virus mutates, they will work less well, and we'll have to adjust them to bring them back up to top-level protection.

"But that's what we do with flu all the time. It's not something that's that alarming or unexpected really, but it is a reality.

"There isn't a silver bullet, we're not going to solve this problem overnight, it's going to take time."

09:24 AM

Oxford vaccine produces 'good immune response' in older adults says chief investigator of trial

When asked about the decision in France not to approve the vaccine for use in older people, Professor Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, told the Today programme: "The European Medicines Agency has approved the vaccine for use in all ages in all countries in Europe, the MHRA has approved for all ages, and another 25 or so regulators elsewhere in the world have also approved the vaccine for all ages.

"But individual countries have their own JCVI equivalent committees and they have to look at what vaccines they have available, what they make of the data and what's best for their population. So, that's obviously up to them."

Pressed on comments by French president Emmanuel Macron, who claimed that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was "quasi-ineffective" for over-65s, he added: "I don't understand what the statement means. The point is that we have rather less data in older adults, which is why people have less certainty about the level of protection.

"But we have good immune responses in older adults very similar to younger adults, the protection that we do see is in exactly the same direction and of a similar magnitude to younger adults.

"I think we're confident that we're going to see good protection in all age groups, just as global regulators haven taken that view."

09:20 AM

Most scientists confident that vaccines will have 'good impact' against Kent variant

On the effect the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine could have on new variants, Professor Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, told Sky News: "We're working very hard to produce some data on the Kent variant, because that has been circulating here in the UK whilst we've been running the trial over the last couple of months, so we should have some new data on that fairly soon.

"But I think most scientists are confident that the vaccines will have a good impact against that variant because it hasn't picked up many mutations that should be avoiding human immune responses, whereas some of the other variants have absolutely been appearing in settings where there's a need for the virus to escape from human immunity.

"And those are going to be much more difficult to block from transmission."

09:18 AM

Science is 'clear' that Oxford vaccine 'works on adults of all ages'

Asked about the decision by health bodies in France, Germany and Austria to recommend limiting the supply of the Oxford vaccine to those under the age of 65, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "The science is clear, and the results from last night strengthen this, that this vaccine works on adults of all ages.

"I think that it is so important in these judgments to follow the science.

"It is not just based on this clinical study, it is also based on lab studies of the response of people of different ages.

"And, as soon as it is validated, we will publish the data from the actual rollout in the UK which links those people who have been vaccinated and then looks at who is testing positive to find out how the actual rollout across the country is working in terms of its effectiveness."

09:15 AM

Health Secretary 'optimistic' about great British summer

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he is "optimistic" about the prospect of people being able to enjoy a holiday in the summer.

"I'm optimistic that we will have a great British summer," he told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

"The challenge we all still have is we have to keep control of the virus, so we have got to monitor progress.

"But the vaccine rollout is going well, the vaccines clearly work and so this is really, really good progress."

09:07 AM

Matt Hancock: 'People tend to want to have the jab during the day'

The evidence from a 24-hour pilot of administering vaccines throughout the night is that both recipients and those giving the jabs prefer to work during the day, Matt Hancock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"Some hospitals did do 24-hour jabbing and they did that in order to ensure their night shifts got the protection," the Health Secretary said.

"But we have discovered, perhaps to nobody's surprise, that people tend to want to have the jab during the day, and those who are doing the vaccinations prefer to do it during the day, so, since what you need to do is you need a vaccinator and the vaccine and the person being vaccinated, getting those three together during the day is more convenient than overnight.

"So we have done 24-hour vaccinations. The rate-limiting factor is not the ability for the NHS to get this delivered, the rate-limiting factor is supply.

"We will do anything to make sure that the supply is delivered into people's arms as fast as safely possible, including 24-hour supply."

09:02 AM

Oxford vaccine news will 'help us all to get out of this pandemic'

Matt Hancock said the new information about the Oxford vaccine reducing transmission of Covid-19 is what will "help us all to get out of this pandemic".

The Health Secretary told BBC Breakfast: "The new information that we've got is that (the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine) also reduces transmission.

"I've said many times...that one of the things we don't know is the impact of the vaccines on reducing transmissions.

"We know from the earlier trials that the vaccines are safe and effective at protecting the individual.

"We now know that the Oxford vaccine also reduces transmission and that will help us all to get out of this pandemic, frankly, which is why it is such good news that we should welcome."

08:28 AM

Covid-19 will become like colds and mild infections, Oxford jab chief says

Asked about how protective the Oxford jab is against new mutations, Dr Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, told the Today programme: "We are anticipating good protection against the B117, the Kent variant, that has been circulating over the last couple of months here in the UK.

"Again, we're looking at that at the moment, we should have some information to make public very soon.

"I think on that we're fairly confident, but when we look at the new mutations that have been arising in other countries and now also here in the UK - that is the virus trying to escape from human immunity, and that's whether it's from vaccines or from infection.

"I think that's telling us about what's to come, which is a virus that continues to transmit, but hopefully that will be like other coronaviruses that are around us all the time, which cause colds and mild infections, and they know their whole raison d'etre is to be able to transmit between people, but we will have built up enough immunity to prevent the other severe disease that we've been seeing over the last year."

08:23 AM

Oxford jab could have 'huge impact' on transmission

Dr Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, said the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab could have a "huge impact" on transmission - but the data from the trial was drawn before the new variants emerged.

He told the Today programme "About a third of people have no symptoms and the other two-thirds have symptoms, if you look at the whole of that group together - because all of those people could be transmitting - then there's about a two-thirds reduction in the number who have been vaccinated, who have a positive PCR [test] and therefore are infected.

"So, because they're no longer infected, they can't transmit to other people. So that should have a huge impact on transmission."

08:15 AM

'Don't go to the shops', Health Secretary tells people in South African variant areas

People living in the postcodes in England where door-to-door testing is taking place to prevent the spread of the South African variant should consider not going to the shops if they have food in the house, Matt Hancock has suggested.

He told BBC Breakfast: "We're in a national lockdown so there is not a stronger law we can bring in place that says 'Really stay at home' but the critical point is that everybody should be staying at home unless they have to.

"If you are in one of those postcodes, it is absolutely imperative that you minimise all social contact outside of your house.

"So this means, for instance, whereas the Government guidance to most of us is 'Do go to the shops if you need to', in those areas, in the immediate term, we are saying 'If you have food in the house, please use that'.

"It is about a more stringent interpretation of the existing rules, trying to make sure that in those areas we do everything we possibly can to end all transmissions so we can get this new variant right under control. There are only a handful of cases, so we have the opportunity to really stamp on it now."

08:13 AM

Chris Whitty abuser 'pathetic', says Hancock

The person who insulted Professor Chris Whitty on social media platform TikTok has been branded "pathetic" by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Reports have shown footage of England's chief medical officer being accused of "lying" about Covid-19 while out walking near Westminster.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Hancock said: "I think the individual concerned is pathetic, I think it is ridiculous what he is doing.

"Chris Whitty is one of our greatest living scientists and his advice to the Government all the way through this, and his advice to all of us in the population, has been incredibly smart and thoughtful, and he is a great asset to this nation. The idea that someone would do something as silly as that is ridiculous."

He added: "Chris Whitty is a scientist of great repute and, frankly, he should be respected by everybody."

08:13 AM

Hong Hong threatening to knock down doors to test

Hong Kong is threatening to knock down the doors of residents who don’t respond to authorities conducting mandatory-testing blitzes as the city tries to end a persistent winter wave of coronavirus cases.

The Asian financial hub has been attempting to curb a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections with targeted lockdowns that see authorities cordon off an area and restrict movement until residents receive negative results.

Here is a photo from the locked down Sham Shui Po area.

08:10 AM

New mutations won't stop vaccine effectiveness, says Oxford jab chief

Dr Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford vaccine trial, said that even if the virus adapts so it can continue to transmit, "that doesn't mean that we won't still have protection against severe disease".

He told BBC Breakfast: "I think one of the things that we know about these new variants is that they are making changes that allow them to avoid human immune responses so that they can still transmit.

"So that does mean that it's likely over time that the virus will find ways of adapting and continue to pass between people despite natural infection and immunity after that or from the vaccines.

"That doesn't mean that we won't still have protection against severe disease because there's lots of different ways in which our immune system fights the virus - it is much more about the virus being able to continue to survive, rather than for it to cause harm to us.

"If we do need to update the vaccines, then it is actually a relatively straightforward process it only takes a matter of months, rather than the huge efforts that everyone went through last year, to get the very large-scale trials run and read out."

08:09 AM

Vaccine preventing hospitalisation, severe illness and death

Asked about new variants and mutations of the virus, Dr Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial, told Good Morning Britain: "There is one really encouraging bit of data from our trial, and actually all of the studies going on in many different countries.

"The really important endpoint - which is hospitalisation, severe illness and death - the vaccines are preventing that even in situations where there is a lot of new variants arising.

"So, if we take that as the key metric, keeping people out of hospital. I'm relatively encouraged."

08:08 AM

Virus in UK mimics South African mutation

Covid in the UK is mutating to mimic the South African variant, officials have discovered, with dozens of cases found across the country.

Genomic sequencing has identified a mutation of the spike protein, both in the original strain and the newer Kent variant of the virus, which is likely to render current vaccines less effective. The E484K mutation resembles that seen in the South African and Brizilian variants.

The discovery emerged the day after ministers ordered door-to-door testing in eight postcodes across England after cases of the South African type were discovered with no obvious link to recent travel.

Further "surge testing" was ordered on Tuesday for neighbourhoods of Bristol – where the E484K mutation was discovered in 11 cases of the Kent variant – and in Liverpool, where it was discovered in 32 cases of the original variant.

08:01 AM

Covid around the world, in pictures

07:42 AM

One Oxford Covid jab cuts transmission

A single dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine prevents two-thirds of Covid transmissions, according to new results, raising hopes for the easing of restrictions by Easter.

The data, released on Tuesday night, also revealed that the first jab prevents 100 per cent of hospitalisations after 22 days once an immune response has had time to develop.

It came as the number of vaccine doses administered in the UK passed 10 million, with 9,646,715 first doses and 496,796 second doses.

Read out front page story by Henry Bodkin, Gordon Rayner and Laura Donnelly in full here.

07:35 AM

Oxford jab report vindicates Goverment decision to delay second dose

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a study showing a single dose of the Oxford vaccine may reduce transmission of coronavirus by two-thirds "categorically" supported the Government's strategy of delaying rollout of the second jab.

He told Sky News: "This Oxford report is very good news, it backs the strategy that we've taken and it shows the world that the Oxford vaccine works effectively.

"The really good news embedded in it is that it not just reduces hospitalisations - there were no people in this part of the trial who are hospitalised with Covid after getting the Oxford jab - but also it reduces the number of people who have Covid at all, even asymptomatically, by around two-thirds.

"That reduction in transmission, as well as the fact there is no hospitalisations, the combination of that is very good news and it categorically supports the strategy we've been taking on having a 12-week gap between the doses because it shows that the strength of the protection you get is, in fact, slightly enhanced by a 12-week gap between the doses. It is good news all round."

07:19 AM

Today's front page

Here is your Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, Feb 3.

06:01 AM

Video appears to show Whitty being subjected to abuse in street

A Conservative MP has condemned a video that appears to show Prof Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, being subjected to verbal abuse in the street.

The footage, which is undated, was taken at Westminster’s Strutton Ground market and uploaded to TikTok.

Matt Vickers, MP for Stockton South, said: "This is appalling, I really can't believe this footage.

"Chris Whitty is doing all he can to help guide us through this crisis and should never be subjected to this abuse."

A young man holding the cameraphone can be heard repeatedly saying “you’re a liar”. Whitty does not respond and puts on a face mask.

05:46 AM

'Dead patient left on ward for hours amid staff shortgages'

A dead patient was left on a ward for hours and another died after a fall at a hospital which has suffered staffing issues during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A new report into care at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest in England which has been hit particularly hard by the latest coronavirus wave, has laid bare the impact of the pandemic.

A series of Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports highlight how a patient who died was left on a ward for almost five hours and was not transported away due to low staffing levels.

In one part of the trust, nurses were caring for up to 17 patients.

Inspectors also highlighted issues surrounding infection control after hearing reports of patients without Covid-19 being placed on wards where there were Covid-positive patients.

CQC inspectors said deceased patients at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, one of the hospitals run by the trust, were "not always transported from the wards in a timely manner".

The document also highlights how another patient died and others suffered harm after potentially avoidable falls.

The inspection report states: "We were provided with examples of potentially avoidable falls due to low staffing numbers.

"On ward 11, a patient fell and passed away after sustaining an injury.

"At the time of the fall, the ward was short-staffed, and all staff were busy with other patients.

04:42 AM

Ryanair’s “jab and go” ad banned

Ryanair’s “jab and go” ad has been banned after it was deemed “irresponsible” by the regulator.

The advert, two versions of which appeared on TV in late December and early January, showed an image of a vaccine while the voiceover said “vaccines are coming” and suggested travellers should book Easter and Summer holidays.

It added: “So you could jab and go.”

It led to the third highest number of complaints about a single ad ever filed to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), with more than 2,000 viewers raising concerns.

The ASA said the ad could be considered misleading for suggesting that people would be able to go on holiday this easter without restrictions if they had been vaccinated and also irresponsible by encouraging people who have had the vaccine to act irresponsibly.

Read more: Ryanair 'jab and go' ad banned by regulator

03:56 AM

WHO team visit Wuhan lab

World Health Organisation inspectors visited a laboratory in China’s Wuhan city on Wednesday that American officials suggested could have been the source of the coronavirus.

The inspection of the Wuhan virology institute, which conducts research on the world’s most dangerous diseases, will be one of the most-watched stops on the team’s probe into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The sensitive mission, which China had delayed throughout the first year of the pandemic, has a remit to explore how the virus jumped from animal to human.

But questions remain over what the experts can hope to find after so much time has passed.

Read more: WHO officials visit Wuhan lab where Trump said coronavirus erupted

03:30 AM

Today's top stories

• Covid in the UK is mutating to mimic the South African variant, officials have discovered, with dozens of cases found across the country

• A single dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine prevents two-thirds of Covid transmissions, according to new results, raising hopes for the easing of restrictions by Easter

• Boris Johnson is under renewed pressure to reopen schools after Scotland announced a phased return of primary pupils beginning on February 22

• Tributes to Captain Sir Tom Moore have poured in from the Queen and the White House after he died on Tuesday at the age of 100

• Care home deaths from Covid-19 have surged to their highest proportion since the pandemic began, dampening hopes that visits could resume before residents are given their second jab