Coronavirus latest news: June 21 re-opening 'not inevitable', warns government adviser
The final lifting of lockdown restrictions on June 21 is "not inevitable", a government adviser has warned amid the concerns surrounding the Indian variant.
There is a row brewing surrounding eight areas in England where the mutation is growing fastest that have had stricter Covid rules imposed upon them in an attempt to slow down transmission.
And Dr Adam Kucharski, a Spi-M member and assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it highlighted how "we need to keep all options on the table" when it comes to the final great unlocking.
He told the BBC: "We have to avoid seeing this as a weather forecast where it's inevitable, things are going to be open, it's inevitable.
"Of course, it doesn't make that an easy decision, keeping things in place or introducing things incurs a harm as well. But I think we do have to look at the patterns we're seeing very seriously, and think about where that may leave us in a couple of months time."
Follow the latest updates below.
07:12 AM
Up to 8,700 patients died after catching Covid in hospitals in England
Up to 8,700 patients died after catching Covid-19 while in hospitals in England, according to a report of NHS data obtained under freedom of information (FOI) laws.
The Guardian said official figures provided by NHS trusts showed some 32,307 people had "probably or definitely" contracted Covid-19 while in hospital since March 2020, with 8,747 of them dying.
The newspaper reported that it received data from 81 of England's 126 acute hospital trusts.
It said their FOI answers revealed that the 8,747 people who died were all in hospital for other medical treatment, such as to have an operation, for care after a fall or the flare-up of a serious illness.
The data includes people who died in hospital and after discharge, and did not distinguish between those who died from Covid, with Covid, or from another condition that could have been exacerbated by the virus - for example a heart attack.
FOI responses revealed that the University Hospitals Birmingham trust had the highest number of deaths with 408. This was followed by Nottingham University Hospitals with 279 and Frimley Health with 259.
Nine trusts had 200 or more deaths, The Guardian said.
07:02 AM
Therese Coffey responds to Telegraph exclusive.
Therese Coffey, asked about The Telegraph's exclusive that fully vaccinated people will still be told to self-isolate if they come into contact with positive cases after June 21, said she was "not aware of the basis" of the reports.
The Work and Pensions Secretary told LBC radio: "I'm conscious that that's a headline in one of the newspapers.
"I'm not aware of the basis of that particular information but, as has been said all along, we will keep working through all the data that has come in from right across the country to understand how we reduce the transmission of this (Indian) variant.
"I think it is too early to get into speculation about what will be happening with the social distancing and other elements from what we hope will still be June 21.
"We know that the virus and variants will continue to be a factor and an element of life in this country and within the world.
"That's why the success of the vaccination programme so far is really important in trying to tackle the impact coronavirus can have, but also we are still trying to build the data and understanding the data and what happens with transmissions and how we are tackling new variants."
06:53 AM
Government advises against travel to eight areas of England worst hit by Indian variant
The Government is under growing pressure to provide clarity on travel restrictions in eight areas of England worst affected by the Indian variant of coronavirus.
Guidance on the Government's website said the public should avoid travelling in and out of areas where the variant is growing fastest "unless it is essential".
The change to the guidance appears to have been made on Friday without an official announcement, prompting criticism from MPs.
The guidance says travelling for work or education is considered essential travel. It covers the areas governed by Bedford Borough Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Bolton Metropolitan Council and Burnley Borough Council. Also included are Kirklees Council, Leicester City Council, the London Borough of Hounslow and North Tyneside Council.
Layla Moran, chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, said updating the guidance without a proper announcement "is a recipe for confusion and uncertainty".
Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, said she was gobsmacked: "They're making such an important announcement and they don't even have the decency to tell us or tell our constituents."
06:36 AM
Cabinet minister 'surprised' at local officials feel they were not informed
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said she was "surprised" to hear that MPs in areas impacted by new guidance around the Indian variant did not feel properly informed.
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Coffey said: "The Prime Minister set out that we need to take extra caution in certain areas regarding the Indian variant.
"It is good practice to formally put that guidance on the record affecting those communities.
"We have been working in close contact, so I'm surprised to hear that people think this has come out of the blue - it hasn't.
"It is about formalising on the record the guidance which we believe people can and should follow in order to make sure we tackle and don't have more spread of the Indian variant."
06:22 AM
Blackburn director of public health not told about change of guidance
Professor Dominic Harrison, director of public health for Blackburn with Darwen, said he had not been made aware of the updated guidance advising against all but essential travel in the area.
He tweeted: "Local government areas involved were not consulted with, warned of, notified about, or alerted to this guidance.
"I have asked to see the national risk assessment which supports this action - it has not been provided to us yet."
06:12 AM
Today's front page
Here is your Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, May 25.
06:02 AM
Vaccine tough sell in New York borough despite deaths
If there's one place where people could fear the coronavirus more than a vaccination needle, it's the Far Rockaway section of Queens: Nearly 460 residents of the seaside neighbourhood have died of COVID-19.
That's one out of every 146 people who live there, making for one of New York City's highest death rates. And yet, no other place in the city has a lower percentage of vaccinated people.
As of Monday, only 29 percent of people living in Far Rockaway had received even one vaccine dose, according to data from the New York City Health Department. That compares to a rate of 49 percent citywide and nationally.
The situation in the community of about 67,000 people illustrates the challenges facing health officials in many places as they try to overcome hesitancy fueled by mistrust, misinformation and fear.
04:50 AM
Hong Kong may have to ditch millions of vaccines
Hong Kong may soon have to throw away millions of coronavirus vaccine doses because they are approaching their expiry date and not enough people have signed up for the jabs, an official warned.
Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world fortunate enough to have secured more than enough doses to innoculate its entire population of 7.5 million people.
But swirling distrust of the government as it stamps out dissent - combined with online misinformation and a lack of urgency in the comparatively virus-free city - has led to entrenched vaccine hesitancy and a dismal vaccination drive.
On Tuesday, a member of the government's vaccine task force warned that Hong Kongers "only have a three-month window" before the city's first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines go out of date.
04:15 AM
Americans warned against travel to Japan
The United States warned its citizens Monday not to travel to Olympic host Japan, citing the growing risk of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Asian nation just two months before the Games begin.
But the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee said it was still "confident" that American athletes will be able to participate this summer in Tokyo.
The warning came in a travel advisory issued by the State Department as Japan, which has been criticised for its slow inoculation rate, opened its first mass vaccination centres in a push ahead of the Olympics, which were postponed last year due to the pandemic.
The decision was based primarily on government health advice, as well as "secondary factors such as commercial flight availability, restrictions on US citizen entry, and impediments to obtaining Covid test results within three calendar days," the advisory said.
03:44 AM
Child mental illness more severe and complex, says NHS
Child mental illness has become “more severe and complex” due to delays in treatment caused by the coronavirus pandemic, NHS leaders have said.
A damning poll of managers revealed increases in waiting times across the country, with some services, such as eating disorder clinics, now overwhelmed due to mounting demand.
When children and young people are finally seen, their treatment is more lengthy and difficult, the survey found.
NHS Providers said this is due to the traumas wrought by the pandemic itself, but also the difficulty accessing help.
Read the full story
02:21 AM
Melbourne braces for more cases after new outbreak
The Australian city of Melbourne reinstated Covid restrictions today as authorities scrambled to find the missing link in a fresh outbreak that has grown to five cases.
Home gatherings will be limited to five guests; only 30 people allowed at public meetings; and face masks will be mandatory indoors until June 4.
All five cases belong to one extended family across different households and could be traced back to the variant found in an overseas traveller who returned to Melbourne this month after completing quarantine in the city of Adelaide.
Authorities, however, said they could not find how the latest cases contracted the virus from the traveller.
Thousands have been ordered to self-isolate and undergo tests with health alerts issued for several sites, including one of the largest shopping centres in the country.
One of the cases had a high viral load while he visited venues, prompting authorities to warn Melbourne's five million residents to brace for more positive cases in the next few days.
12:56 AM
Updated guidance with no announcement 'a recipe for confusion'
The chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus said updating the guidance on travel restrictions in eight areas of England affected by the Indian variant without a proper announcement was a recipe for confusion and uncertainty.
"It seems crucial lessons have still not been learnt about the importance of clear messaging during a pandemic," Layla Moran said in a Twitter thread.
"This is a major change to policy that will have a huge impact on people's lives."
She said local people and public health leaders in these areas need urgent clarity from the Government.
"Matt Hancock must come before Parliament and make a public statement to explain these new rules," Ms Moran said.
Newly elected West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said the change could cause anxiety and confusion.
Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South East and shadow international development minister, said she was gobsmacked: "I was not informed of this and I understand nor was anyone else in Bolton.
"They're making such an important announcement and they don't even have the decency to tell us or tell our constituents."
12:47 AM
Calls for more clarity on travel restrictions in England
The Government is under growing pressure to provide clarity on travel restrictions in eight areas of England worst affected by the Indian variant of coronavirus.
Guidance on the Government's website says the public should avoid travelling in and out of areas where the variant is growing fastest "unless it is essential".
The change to the guidance appears to have been made on Friday without an official announcement, prompting criticism from MPs.
The guidance says travelling for work or education - if people cannot work or study from home - is considered essential travel.
It covers the areas governed by Bedford Borough Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Bolton Metropolitan Council and Burnley Borough Council. Also included are Kirklees Council, Leicester City Council, the London Borough of Hounslow and North Tyneside Council.
A Government spokesman said: "Working with local authorities, we took swift and decisive action to slow the spread of the B1.617.2 (India) variant by introducing surge testing and bringing forward second doses of the vaccine for the most vulnerable.
"We provided additional guidance for those living in affected areas when we became aware of the risk posed by the variant, to encourage people to take an extra cautious approach when meeting others or travelling."
12:00 AM
Today's top stories
Exclusive: Fully vaccinated people still face having to self-isolate for 10 days if they come into contact with someone infected with coronavirus after June 21, The Telegraph understands.
Children suffering from a rare inflammatory condition caused by coronavirus mostly recover within six months, a study has found.
Dominic Cummings on Tuesday will be challenged to out himself as the source behind claims Boris Johnson said he would rather “let the bodies pile high” than order a third lockdown.
The pandemic response has had "massive other costs" that are being ignored, ethics advisers to the Government have warned.
Ireland is set to announce this week that it will lift its 14-day quarantine for UK holidaymakers.
The world's oldest choral society has accused the Government of strangling choirs with last-minute "draconian" restrictions.
A travel testing company has offered full refunds to passengers left at risk of fines after The Telegraph exposed poor service.
SNP ministers are facing demands to urgently fix Scotland’s coronavirus vaccine booking system, after it emerged around half of people at a major hub in Glasgow failed to turn up for jabs at the weekend.
