Covid-19: Economy to rebound and Starmer's lockdown warning
- Published
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday evening. We'll have another update for you tomorrow morning.
1. UK economy to bounce back this year
That's the latest prediction from the Bank of England. It says the economy is expected to shrink 4.2% in the first three months of 2021, amid tighter lockdown restrictions, but the UK's vaccine rollout will help it "recover rapidly" this year. It is thought that a rebound will come in the spring as people become more confident about spending.
2. Don't ease lockdown too soon, says Starmer
The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said lockdown restrictions should not be lifted too early. He asked the government "not to repeat the mistakes of last time" and to make sure that the current national lockdown in England is the last. Sir Keir also called for clarity over the government's quarantine plans,. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last month that UK arrivals from certain countries would have to quarantine in hotels, but hotel industry figures said no discussions had taken place. No 10 said an announcement would come next week.
3. Study looks at vaccine side-effects
About one in three people recently given a Covid vaccine by the NHS report some side-effects, such as soreness around the injection site, according to a study by researchers from King's College London. None was serious, and experts said some side-effects are to be expected and are not a bad thing. The researchers asked for feedback, via an app, from about 40,000 people - mostly healthcare workers.
4. Rita Ora venue keeps licence after lockdown breach
A London restaurant that broke lockdown rules to host Rita Ora's 30th birthday in November will not have its licence revoked. The singer's team offered the manager at Casa Cruz, in Notting Hill, £5,000 to allow guests to attend a party during the second virus lockdown, police said. Kensington and Chelsea Council said it will suspend the venue's licence for six weeks. The venue said it was "grateful for the council's careful consideration".
5. Couple reunited after Covid separation
A Scottish couple who had never been apart in more than 50 years of marriage have been reunited after being separated in hospital with coronavirus. Jim Tierney, 85, and his wife May, 83, from Falkirk, ended up in separate rooms on a Covid ward at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert. Reflecting on their time apart, he said: "Always say to yourself, 'come on, another day and we could be together'."
And don't forget...
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
If you're worried about whether the coronavirus vaccines are safe, here's what we know.
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