Covid-19: 'Strong decline' in virus and 'long Covid' compensation call
- Published
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday morning. We'll have another update for you this evening.
1. 'Strong decline' in virus since January
There has been a "strong decline" in levels of coronavirus infections in England since January, according to scientists working on Imperial College London's regular React study. Tests among 85,000 randomly selected people between 4 and 13 February suggest infections have dropped by two-thirds across England since lockdown began. However, the study indicates virus levels are still high, with one in 200 testing positive.
2. Compensation call for 'long Covid' key workers
Boris Johnson is facing pressure to compensate key workers suffering from "long Covid", with 65 MPs and peers signing a letter to the prime minister calling for it to be recognised as an occupational disease. Layla Moran, who chairs a committee of MPs looking into coronavirus, says ministers should not abandon "the true heroes of the pandemic". The Department of Health says employers should "make full use" of existing support for staff.
3. Is vaccination cutting the death rate?
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says falling numbers of Covid-19 deaths in care homes and among the oldest citizens provide "hard evidence" the vaccination programme is working. Can this drop in deaths be attributed to the vaccine, or could there be another cause? We examine the data.
4. 'I wished for more work flexibility... not this way'
The pandemic has transformed the working world for many of us, forcing companies and employees to adapt. We hear from a single mum juggling work with home-schooling and a supermarket manager who says he suddenly took on responsibilities for health and safety, crowd management and even counselling staff.
5. TV channels to show vaccine myth-busting video
A video with celebrities including Romesh Ranganathan, Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar (below, from left) urging people from ethnic minority communities to get the Covid vaccine will be shown across the UK's main commercial TV channels. It will be screened on ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 at 21:56 GMT, as well as on STV and various Sky channels. While the BBC's charter prevents it taking part in such a campaign, the issues will feature on its TV and radio programming.
And don't forget...
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
Read about the "challenge trial" which will deliberately infect healthy young volunteers with the virus.
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