Coronavirus UK update – Vaccine rollout sees lowest deaths in five months as OAP hospital cases drop 90% from peak
DAILY Covid deaths have plunged to their lowest in five months and the number of patients in hospital aged 85 and over has dropped by 90 per cent.
As Brits aged between 56 and 59 are to be called to get the vaccine, it is worth noting that coronavirus deaths haven't been this low in the UK for five months.
Daily Covid deaths have now dropped below 100 for the first time since October 19.
Yesterday's stats come as pupils head back to school.
Pupils up and down the country attended lessons for the first time since December, with a huge mass testing operation under way and extra Covid precautions in place.
Follow our coronavirus live blog below for the very latest news and updates on the pandemic…
ROMANIA DETECTS FIRST CASES OF SOUTH AFRICAN CORONAVIRUS VARIANT
Romania has reported its first two cases of the coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa, online news publication HotNews said on Friday, citing data by private clinic MedLife.
The cases were diagnosed in patients from the capital Bucharest and the central city of Pitesti, it said.
The European Union state reported over 4,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, its highest daily tally this year.
It detected its first cases of the variant first identified in Britain in early January.
DATING COACH REVEALS HOW TO FLIRT WHILE WEARING A FACE MASK
A dating coach has revealed the 12 ways you can flirt in a face mask - and confirms it is all in the eyes. There are a multitude of expressions which can be made with the eyes - including the baby doll look, side glance and wink.
Flirt expert Jean Smith reveals playing with your hair and using hand gestures are great ways of showing someone you are keen while socially distancing.
But making a flirty side glance can work wonders, as can looking away and then back again.
Holding eye contact for more than three seconds, looking at someone three times to ascertain interest and raising the eyebrows are others tips shared.
And Smith claims you should continue smiling at a love interest, because a big grin can result in a 'Mona Lisa smile' in the eyes.
GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
POLICE WARN STAYCATION SURGE WILL IMPACT POLICE RESOURCES
Owners of holiday lets are hiking their prices and rubbing their hands with glee but the huge staycation surge has got police despairing.
Forces in getaway hotspots like Devon and Cornwall say the dash to seaside flats, cottages, hotels, B&Bs and campsites will see police resources buckling.
They fear the staycation stampede will also draw criminals to the area like bees to a honeypot, sensing a bonanza as cash-rich families flood in, and there won't be enough police to cope.
Andy Berry, chairman of the region's Police Federation - in effect the police trade union - is calling on the Government to come up with answers, fast.
He suggested police from other less-stressed regions across Britain should be drafted into Devon and Cornwall this summer to help local officers.
COVID HOSPITAL INPATIENTS DROPS BELOW 10,000
The number of Covid hospital inpatients in England has finally dropped to levels seen in May.
Official data shows there are now less than 10,000 people in hospitals across the country with the disease.
On March 3, 9,594 patients were recorded as the second wave continues to tail off.
It’s the lowest since November 1, just before the second national lockdown, when inpatients stood at 9,623.
Coming out of the first wave, the level first dropped below 10,000 on May 10, when 9,893 inpatients were recorded.
GOVERNMENT DEFENDS RECOMMENDED 1% PAY RISE FOR NHS WORKERS
A Government spokesman said: "Over one million NHS staff continue to benefit from multi-year pay deals agreed with trade unions, which have delivered a pay rise of over 12% for newly-qualified nurses and will increase junior doctors' pay scales by 8.2%.
"Pay rises in the rest of the public sector will be paused this year due to the challenging economic environment, but we will continue to provide pay rises for NHS workers, on top of a £513 million investment in professional development and increased recruitment.
"That's with record numbers of doctors and 10,600 more nurses working in our NHS, and with nursing university applications up by over a third.
"The independent pay review bodies will report in late spring and we will consider their recommendations carefully when we receive them."
MARK WRIGHT'S UNCLE DIED FROM COVID-19
Former Towie star Mark Wright today said he has been left "broken to pieces" following the death of his uncle from coronavirus.
Eddie Wright, who was also the father of Mark's cousin and fellow TOWIE star Elliott Wright, passed away on Tuesday.
Eddie had lost his battle with the virus after eight weeks.
"You’d have to be God to find a better man than my uncle. Put simply, you won’t," Mark posted on Elliot's tribute post.
"I love you uncle Eddie, I’m never going to forget you. Broken to pieces."
WU WHAT?
A team of World Health Organisation experts probing the origins of Covid-19 is scrapping a top level report on its recent mission to China, say reports.
No reasons were apparently given for the decision to ditch the interim report but the move comes after a string of delays and a dramatic U-turn by the WHO.
And after it was accused of "a whitewash" by saying it found Covid probably did not originate at the Wuhan wet market or from a state science lab leak.
The much-heralded probe had been plagued by delays, concern over access and bickering between Beijing and Washington.
Tensions were heightened when the US accused China of hiding the extent of the initial outbreak and criticised the terms of the WHO visit, under which Chinese experts conducted the first phase of research.
EXTRA STRAIN
A new coronavirus variant has been identified in the UK, health bosses have revealed today.
Public Health England said 16 cases of a Covid strain known as VUI-202102/04 have been detected.
The variant has been designated a "variant under investigation", which means it will be closely monitored but surge testing won't be rolled out.
It is understood to be an evolution of the UK variant, containing the E484K mutation, and similar to the one found in Liverpool earlier this year.
But it doesn't feature the the N501Y mutation, found in all variants of concern (VOCs) such as the South African and Braziliant variants.
MOST LIKELY HOLIDAY SPOTS FOR BRITS
Holiday abroad are yet to be given the go-ahead by the UK government, although it is hoped that they will resume from the summer.
A number of countries are very keen to get Brits back, and are offering vaccine passport schemes and fewer travel restrictions to encourage people to return.
- Spain
- Greece
- Turkey
- Maldives
- Cyprus
SLAP IN THE FACE FOR THE NHS
NHS staff are expected to get just a 1 per cent pay rise next year.
As part of measures to tighten the belt, pay rises across the public sector are to be paused from April, but NHS staff and the lowest paid will get a small, below-inflation rise.
The Department of Health said in its submission to the annual pay review bodies that "the Government will need to take into account the challenging fiscal and economic context" with pay awards.
It went on: "In settling the DHSC and NHS budget, the government assumed a headline pay award of 1% for NHS staff.
"Anything higher would require re-prioritisation."