All schools in England will reopen to all pupils on 8 March under the prime minister’s roadmap out of lockdown to be announced tomorrow, with outdoor after-school sports and activities also allowed to restart. And on the same date, outdoor recreation with one other person will also be permitted, meaning people will be allowed to
UK
Another 215 COVID-19 deaths and 9,834 cases have been recorded in the UK, while the number of people to have received a first vaccine dose has now surpassed 17.5 million. In what is set to be the final update to the statistics before Boris Johnson announces his roadmap out of lockdown, the number of people
The number of cases of South African and Brazilian COVID variants in the UK appears to be falling, the health secretary has told Sky News. Matt Hancock said there was evidence that enhanced contact-tracing and stricter border measures were helping to control the number of people being infected by those new variants first discovered abroad.
More than 17 million people in the UK have now received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while the number of deaths has surpassed 120,000. Another 445 people have died within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test, according to the latest government figures, taking the total to 120,365. The deaths included a 16-year-old
Burnt-out NHS staff will be offered more support from military medics as they prepare to cope with a new wave of non-COVID patients, the defence secretary has told Sky News. Ben Wallace said “exhausted” staff would be given help as they start to come out of the worst of COVID-19 but are forced to confront
The Duke of Edinburgh is likely to stay in hospital over the weekend and into next week for rest and observation, Sky News understands. It is also understood that Prince Philip remains in good spirits, and medics are acting out of an abundance of caution. The Duke, 99, was admitted to the King Edward VII
The government cannot guarantee that the current coronavirus lockdown in England will be the last, a minister has told Sky News. James Cleverly said it was impossible to give people “100% certainty” because “viruses don’t work like that”. Latest coronavirus updates from the UK and around the world Please use Chrome browser for a more
The UK has reported another 454 coronavirus deaths and 12,057 further cases, while more than 16.4 million have now received their first vaccine dose. Today’s figures are down on Wednesday when 738 further deaths and 12,718 new cases were recorded. They are also lower than they were a week ago – with 678 COVID-related deaths
One of the largest and most authoritative coronavirus surveys has found that infections are falling in England, confirming that lockdown is working to suppress the virus. Imperial College London’s REACT study found that infections had fallen by more than two-thirds since the last time it reported in mid-January. Last time, REACT found that 1 in
The Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted to hospital as a “precautionary measure” after feeling unwell, Buckingham Palace says. A palace spokesperson said the 99-year-old is “expected to remain in hospital for a few days of observation and rest”. A royal source said Prince Philip does not have a coronavirus-related illness and walked into hospital
The NHS is likely to remain under pressure for at least another six weeks, according to a top health executive. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts in England, is calling on the prime minister to be cautious with the easing of restrictions. In a letter to Boris Johnson, he said
Another 799 COVID-related deaths and 10,625 more cases have been reported in the UK in the last 24 hours, government data shows. This is down from the 1,052 deaths and 12,364 cases recorded this time last week. That’s a fall since last Tuesday of 253 deaths and 1,739 cases respectively. Yesterday, a total 230 fatalities
The government is battling a “tsunami of disinformation” when it comes to coronavirus jabs, the vaccines minister has told Sky News. Nadhim Zahawi said that while overall COVID-19 “vaccine positivity” was high, those who are “vaccine hesitant” tend to “skew heavily” towards black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. “There is a tsunami of disinformation,
Government scientists want to keep social distancing measures in place for the foreseeable future in a move that would hit shops, pubs, cinemas and theatres, Sky News has learnt. It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson made clear he would not allow the coronavirus to let rip through younger generations, suggesting he has embraced the
Everyone in the top four priority groups has been offered a coronavirus vaccine, the health secretary has confirmed. Speaking to Sky News, Matt Hancock said the government had met its target for offering a COVID-19 jab to all over 70s by Monday’s deadline. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Uptake has
More than 15 million people in the UK have received a first dose of a coronavirus jab, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has said. The figure means the government is expected to announce soon the target of offering first vaccinations to everyone in the top four priority groups by 15 February has been met. While the