THE Government is "absolutely open" to delaying the June 21 lockdown lift – with Britain's full freedom hanging in the balance
Matt Hancock on Sunday stressed that June 21 was a "not before" date and that it was only "pencilled in" as the next step out of lockdown.
Mr Hancock admitted the emergence of the Indian variant had made the "calculation" on whether to proceed with unlocking this month "more difficult".
He also revealed the latest scientific advice is that the mutation – also known as the Delta variant – is 40% more transmissible than the Kent strain and implied that social distancing could continue beyond the final stage of the Prime Minister's road map
It comes after it was claimed the Government is "drawing up other options" before deciding on whether a June 21 end to Covid restrictions will still go ahead.
'Freedom Day' on June 21 could be delayed to July 5 in an effort to make sure all those aged over 50 receive a second vaccine. Sources told ITV News that plans are being made to push it back by two weeks.
It comes as recent data suggests the mutation is twice as likely to cause hospitalisation, as June 21's "Freedom Day" hangs in the balance. A Public Health England report showed that people who tested positive for the Indian coronavirus variant were at 161% higher risk of needing hospital treatment within 14 days.
Read our coronavirus live blog below for the latest news and updates…
- Joseph Gamp
MORE THAN HALF OF PEOPLE 'HOPING TO ATTEND LIVE EVENTS IN NEXT 12 MONTHS'
More than half (59%) of people are hoping to attend big events such as a music concert, a festival, a comedy or theatre show, or live sports in the next 12 months, a survey has found.
On average, they hope to attend two big events over the next year – one less than before the coronavirus pandemic, according to Nationwide Building Society.
More than three-quarters (78%) of people who go to large events book their tickets online, the society found.
On average, people expect to spend £168 attending a live event, including the cost of the ticket, plus additional expenses such as travel, food and accommodation.
James Smith, Nationwide's director of digital, said: "The nation is already eager to get back out there and see their favourite band, team or idol in the flesh.
"That eagerness can bring with it a rush to book tickets, and sometimes at the expense of our own safety and security."
- Joseph Gamp
LOW-PAID WORKERS ON JOBS 'ROLLERCOASTER' AS A RESULT OF PANDEMIC, REPORT SAYS
The coronavirus crisis has created a jobs "rollercoaster" for low-paid workers, who have been worst affected by the pandemic, according to a new report.
Those on low pay are now returning to work fastest in the recovery but face the dual risks of rising unemployment and high job insecurity later this year and beyond, the Resolution Foundation said.
The think tank said low-paid workers have been at the heart of the Covid economic crisis.
In March, the lowest-paid workers were more likely to have lost their job, been furloughed or faced a cut to their hours and pay than the highest paid, according to the report.
Further increases in the national living wage are set to end low pay by the middle of the decade, but while the outlook for low-paid workers is better than last year, the foundation warned that big risks lie ahead in the wake of the crisis.
- Joseph Gamp
MAPPED: SURGE TESTING IN THE UK
- Joseph Gamp
U.S. ADMINISTERS 301.6 MILLION DOSES OF COVID-19 VACCINES
The United States has administered 301,638,578 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country and distributed 371,520,735 doses as of Sunday morning, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Those figures are up from the 300,268,730 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by June 5 out of 371,520,975 doses delivered.
The agency said 170,833,221 people had received at least one dose while 138,969,323 people are fully vaccinated as of Sunday.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Joseph Gamp
GOVERNMENT 'ABSOLUTELY OPEN' TO DELAYING JUNE 21 UNLOCKING – HANCOCK
Ministers are "absolutely open" to delaying the June 21 unlocking in England if the Indian variant worsens the country's coronavirus recovery prospects, the Health Secretary has said.
Matt Hancock, in what will be viewed as the clearest indication yet that the target date for lifting all restrictions could slip, stressed that June 21 was a "not before" date and that it was only "pencilled in" as the next step out of lockdown.
The comments come as Covid-19 cases have continued to surge in the UK amid reports Boris Johnson is considering delaying so-called freedom day by at least two weeks in order to allow more people to be fully vaccinated against the Indian variant.
The Health Secretary, pressed on whether the June 21 removal of restrictions could be postponed if the Indian variant data "gets bad", told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "We are absolutely open to doing that if that's what needs to happen.
"We said in the road map that June 21 is the date by which we would not take Step 4 before that date and that we would look at the data. That is exactly what we are doing, so the road map was set up in order to be able to take these sort of changes into account."
- Joseph Gamp
SPAIN CAPTAIN TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID (CONTINUED…)
A statement from Royal Spanish Football Federation read: "The RFEF regrets to announce that its captain Sergio Busquets has given a positive result in the last PCR test that was carried out this morning on the national team in Las Rozas.
"The rest of the members have all tested negative.
"Both the workers and the close contacts of the player will remain isolated for prevention and personalised training routines will be activated, maintaining the isolation, to continue with the preparation for the Euros.
- Joseph Gamp
SPAIN CAPTAIN SERGIO BUSQUETS TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS AHEAD OF EURO 2020
Spain's Euro 2020 preparations have been hit after captain Sergio Busquets tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday.
The Barcelona midfielder led the team in a friendly against Portugal on Friday but contracted the virus over the weekend and will now enter a period of self-isolation.
The rest of the squad all tested negative, but the players and staff who were in close contact with the 32-year-old must also quarantine.
Spain, who open their European Championship campaign against Sweden next Monday, are set to play their final friendly against Lithuania on Tuesday.
The game will still go ahead, but under-21s manager Luis De la Fuente will take charge and use players from his squad.
- Joseph Gamp
MORE THAN 7 MILLION JABS GIVEN IN LONDON SINCE DECEMBER
NHS England data shows a total of 7,333,382 jabs were given to people in London between December 8 and June 5, including 4,534,137 first doses and 2,799,245 second doses.
This compares with 6,309,144 first doses and 4,568,797 second doses given to people in the Midlands, a total of 10,877,941.
- Ed Southgate
YOUNG BRITS QUEUE FOR THREE HOURS FOR JAB
Young Brits queues for three hours to get a jab today.
Crowds of people lined up along the seafront in South Ayrshire.
The town's drop-in centre offered under-30s vaccines until 6pm tonight in a bid to lower infections.
- Joseph Gamp
US ADMINISTERS 301.6 MILLION DOSES OF COVID-19 VACCINES
The US has administered 301,638,578 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country and distributed 371,520,735 doses as of Sunday morning, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Those figures are up from the 300,268,730 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by June 5 out of 371,520,975 doses delivered.
The agency said 170,833,221 people had received at least one dose while 138,969,323 people are fully vaccinated as of Sunday.
The CDC tally includes two-dose vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech,, as well as Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine as of 6 a.m. ET (1000 GMT) on Sunday. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru Editing
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPH: COVID VACCINATIONS IN THE UK
- Joseph Gamp
WATCH: UK COVID CASES RISE BY 65% IN A WEEK WITH 5,341 MORE INFECTIONS WITH FEARS JUNE 21 FINAL FREEDOM WILL BE DELAYED
UK Covid cases rise by 65% in a week with 5,341 more infections with fears June 21 final freedom will be delayed
- Joseph Gamp
TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE JUNE RESTRICTIONS LIFT, SAYS MATT HANCOCK
Matt Hancock revealed today Boris Johnson will examine Covid stats this week to help him make a decision. The Health Secretary said it was "too early" to determine whether the Government would lift all coronavirus restrictions later this month.
He also admitted the Indian variant had made the decisions behind the June 21 unlocking "more difficult" as he confirmed the mutation is 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent variant.
Asked whether he had seen anything in the data that could delay reopening this month, Mr Hancock told Sky News: "It is too early to make a final decision on that.
"The Prime Minister and I and the team will be looking at all of the data over this week. We have said that we will give people enough time ahead of the June 21 date which is pencilled in as the next step – which is to be not before June 21 – and the critical thing is to see whether the four tests we have set have been met.
"That's because the third test, the rollout of the vaccine, is going incredibly well. Then, of course, we have to look at the impact of new variants and we have seen a very significant impact of a new variant – the Delta (also known as the Indian) variant – over the last month or so."
- Joseph Gamp
UK COVID CASES RISE BY 65% IN A WEEK WITH 5,341 MORE INFECTIONS WITH FEARS JUNE 21 FINAL FREEDOM WILL BE DELAYED
COVID cases in the UK have risen by 65 per cent in a week with 5,341 infections reported today amid fears "Freedom Day" could be delayed.
The latest number of cases brings the total number of infections since the pandemic began to 4,516,892. A further four deaths have also been reported with the total now at 127,840.
Today's cases are up from last Saturday when 3,240 new infections were recorded. But it is lower than yesterday's rise of 5,765 cases and 13 Covid deaths.
The figures also show a total of 67,994,584 vaccinations have been adminstered.
Of these, 40,333,231 people have received a first dose and 27,661,353 are doubly protected.
- Joseph Gamp
GOVERNMENT ‘ABSOLUTELY OPEN’ TO DELAYING JUNE 21 UNLOCKING SAYS MATT HANCOCK
Ministers are “absolutely open” to delaying the June 21 unlocking in England if the Indian variant worsens the country’s coronavirus recovery prospects, the Health Secretary has said.
Matt Hancock, in what will be viewed as the clearest indication yet that the target date for lifting all restrictions could slip, stressed that June 21 was a “not before” date and that it was only “pencilled in” as the next step out of lockdown.
The senior Government minister also implied that social distancing could continue beyond the final stage of the Prime Minister’s road map.
The comments come as Covid-19 cases have continued to surge in the UK amid reports Boris Johnson is considering delaying so-called freedom day by at least two weeks in order to allow more people to be fully vaccinated against the Indian variant.
The Health Secretary, pressed on whether the June 21 removal of restrictions could be postponed if the Indian variant data “gets bad”, told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “We are absolutely open to doing that if that’s what needs to happen.
- Joseph Gamp
COVID NEWS ROUND-UP: THE LATEST
- The Indian Covid strain is 40 per cent more transmissible than other Covid variants, Matt Hancock has warned
- A maritime loophole allowed 600 cruise ship workers from India to fly here and avoid compulsory hotel quarantine
- Boris will examine the Covid stats this week to decide over lifting restrictions on June 21
- Brits in their 20s will get their Covid jabs this week
- Twelve-year-olds are set to get the Covid vaccine from August under plans to tackle the Indian variant surge
VACCINES: REGIONAL BREAKDOWNS ON JAB TOTALS
The breakdown for the other regions is:
- East of England: 4,021,219 first doses and 2,825,717 second doses, making 6,846,936 in total
- North East and Yorkshire: 5,249,506 first and 3,710,125 second doses (8,959,631)
- North West: 4,271,728 first and 2,991,809 second doses (7,263,537)
- South East: 5,493,356 first and 3,851,918 second doses (9,345,274)
- South West: 3,562,593 first and 2,680,319 second doses (6,242,912)
MORE THAN 7 MILLION JABS GIVEN IN LONDON SINCE DECEMBER
NHS England data shows a total of 7,333,382 jabs were given to people in London between December 8 and June 5, including 4,534,137 first doses and 2,799,245 second doses.
This compares with 6,309,144 first doses and 4,568,797 second doses given to people in the Midlands, a total of 10,877,941.
MAPPED: ENGLAND COVID HOTSPOTS WHERE CASES ARE RISING
MORE THAN THREE MILLION VACCINES ADMINISTERED IN IRELAND
More than three million vaccines have been administered in Ireland, latest figures show.
It means more than half of the adult population has had one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
It comes as those over the age of 40 are now able to register to have their vaccine.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly posted a video on Twitter thanking health care staff working in vaccine centres on the bank holiday weekend.
"Because of your incredible work we are hitting three million doses of vaccine administered," Mr Donnelly said.
"It's an amazing achievement and everybody involved deserves huge thanks, huge praise and huge recognition.
"We've had a huge response from everyone who is eligible for a vaccine so far.
- Joseph Gamp
GRAPH: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
- Joseph Gamp
MATT HANCOCK HAILS ‘ASTONISHING ACHIEVEMENT’ OF 40 MILLION FIRST JABS IN UNDER SIX MONTHS
In a statement, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “It is an astonishing achievement to deliver over 40 million first doses in under six months. In all corners of the UK, people are rolling up their sleeves when their time comes to protect themselves and the people around them.
“It seems with every day we pass another major vaccination milestone on the road back to recovery. Over three quarters of adults have received a first dose and over half of adults have now been vaccinated with the life-saving second dose.
“I pay tribute to the tireless work of the NHS, volunteers and armed forces in building this momentum – but our work is not yet done. I encourage everyone who is eligible to join the millions who have the fullest possible protection from this virus by getting their jab when the time comes.”
- Joseph Gamp
WATCH: DAN OSBORNE IN FURIOUS RANT ABOUT THE COVID VACCINE AS HE TELLS FANS 'I WON'T PUT THAT S***IN ME OR MY KIDS'
Dan Osborne in furious rant about the Covid vaccine as he tells fans ‘I won’t put that s***in me or my kids’
- Joseph Gamp
IRELAND CONFIRMS 313 NEW CASES OF COVID-19
There have been an additional 313 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, the Department of Health has said.
As of midnight on Saturday, there were 70 people in hospital with the disease, of whom 27 were in intensive care units.
Daily case numbers may change due to future data review, validation and update, owing to the HSE cyber attack.
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