Vaccines to be offered to over-25s, as Hancock says jabs keeping patients out of hospital
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Health secretary Matt Hancock has announced that people aged 25 and over can book their first coronavirus vaccine from tomorrow morning.
Mr Hancock told that House of Commons that although it’s too early to say whether or not the final Covid-19 restrictions should be lifted on 21 June, the vaccination rollout “brings us hope”.
He went on to say that vaccines have prevented an estimated 39,000 hospitalisations and over 13,000 deaths, and that the NHS is on track to vaccinate all adults by the end of July.
His announcements come amid rising Covid-19 case rates across most of the UK.
New analysis from PA suggests that around three quarters of local authorities reported a week-on-week rise in the week to 2 June – the highest proportion since early January.
A total of 283 out of 380 areas recorded an uptick in cases, with the greatest numbers in London, northwest England and Scotland.
Air travel bosses call for end to UK-US restrictions
Air travel bosses are calling for an end to travel restrictions between the US and the UK.
Several seniors industry figures spoke out as Joe Biden and Boris Johnson prepare to meet one another at the G7 summit.
The US is currently on the UK's Covid amber list, meaning travellers from there must quarantine for 10 days.
Virgin Atlantic chief executive Shai Weiss said: "There is no reason for the US to be absent from the UK green list.
"This overly cautious approach fails to reap the benefits of the successful vaccination programmes in both the UK and the US.
"While transatlantic links with the US are restricted, it’s costing UK economy £23 million each day."
Brazil should reconsider hosting Copa America if it can’t manage risk
Brazil should reconsider hosting the Copa America football tournament if it can't manage the Covid risks associated with mass gatherings, a top WHO official has said.
The competition is due to start next week. Cases in Brazil have flattened in recent weeks but remain high. Just under 40,000 were reported yesterday.
Dr Mike Ryan, WHO's exeuctive director of emergencies, said: "We would advise that any country undertaking such a mass gathering, especially in the context of community transmission, be extremely careful about ensuring they have the proper risk management in place
"If that risk management cannot be guaranteed then certainly countries should reconsider their decisions to host or run any mass gathering."
India may ‘increase vaccine spending to $6bn over financial year'
India may raise spending on Covid-19 vaccines by over a quarter this fiscal year to up to 450 bn rupees ($6.18 bn) from its budgeted amount, two government sources told Reuters after the prime minister offered free doses to all adults.
Prime minister Narendra Modi said in an address to the nation on Monday that the federal government would bear the cost of vaccinating all adults from 21 June. His previous policy of getting individual states to pay for immunisations for those aged under 45 years was widely criticised.
The sources, who did not want to be named as they were not authorised to speak with the media, said the government would spend up to 450 billion rupees on Covid shots this fiscal year, which started on 1 April. The previously budgeted amount was 350 billion rupees.
Denmark trial uses virtual reality game to boost Covid vaccinations
Denmark researchers are using virtual reality to encourage more Covid-19 vaccinations, through a game of manoeuvring through a virus-infected crowd in a city square.
In an experiment by the University of Copenhagen, participants wear goggles to play an elderly person crossing the square while avoiding red-clothed bypassers infected with COVID-19. Vaccinated characters dress in blue.
"It was fun, definitely. It felt like you were there," said Adam, a participant who got infected in the game he played in a Copenhagen park.
Adam already had decided to get a COVID-19 shot before this, he said.
"We know from similar studies that after people went through a virtual reality experience like this, their vaccination intention increases. We have observed this with COVID already," said Robert Bohm, professor of psychology at the University of Copenhagen, citing a prior online study by the researchers.
The idea can be used at doctor's offices, he suggested.
ICYMI: Over-25s can book jab from tomorrow, Matt Hancock announces
People aged 25 and over in England will be invited to book Covid-19 vaccinations from Tuesday, the health secretary has announced.
Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Matt Hancock told MPs: “From tomorrow morning we will open up vaccination to people aged 25 to 29.
Over the remainder of this week the NHS will send texts to people in these age groups and of course, GPs will be inviting people in these age groups to come forward.”
Our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports:
Over-25s can book Covid jab from tomorrow, Matt Hancock announces
Health Secretary also opens door to 12 year olds and above being vaccinated
UK business chiefs call for further support amid Covid debt mountains
UK business chiefs have warned MPs that a “generation” of firms could face collapse without further support, after piling up billions of pounds in debt during the pandemic.
Leaders in the UK’s hospitality, travel and retail sectors made a fresh plea for financial support measures and policy shifts at the Treasury Select Committee on Monday.
Full report:
UK business chiefs call for further support amid Covid debt mountains
Mark Tanzer, chief executive of travel trade body Abta, told MPs that Government support has not been ‘adequate’.
New York to lift more Covid restrictions when 70% of adults get at least one jab
New York's remaining Covid restrictions will be lifted when 70 per cent of the state's population has had at least one dose of a vaccine, governor Andrew Cuomo has said.
"We’re only 1.4% away from hitting that goal," he added. "Get vaccinated."
New Covid cases and deaths have been steadily declining across New York since the peak of the last wave in mid-January.
Fan zone a 'slap' to Glasgow hospitality sector, industry body says
Glasgow should not be put back into Level 3 restrictions if the city's fan zone causes a spike in cases, a trade body has said.
Proposals are yet to be given final approval, with a decision expected from the Scottish Government this week, for the events during the European Championship this month.
It could see up to 6,000 people per day flock to Glasgow Green, with maximum capacity expected to be reached during Scotland matches.
But Stephen Montgomery, a spokesman for the Scottish Hospitality Group, said the rest of Glasgow's hospitality industry, which this weekend was allowed to open indoors, should not face heavier restrictions if the events cause a spike in cases.
"As far as we're concerned, the risk versus risk still equals risk," he said.
"We always were told that alcohol was one of the reasons why we weren't allowed to open up inside and serve alcohol because people's inhibitions would go.
"But why are they allowing alcohol at the fan zone?
"We were told way back at the beginning of May by Glasgow City Council that there will be no alcohol at the fan zone - and now we're having it.
"I think it's an absolute slap to the hospitality sector within Glasgow."
ICYMI: Travel chaos as Britons flee Portugal: ‘The lines of passangers are longer than I’ve ever seen them’
Portugal’s main holiday airport, Faro, is the location for chaotic scenes as holidaymakers end their trips early to avoid quarantine.
More than 40 flights from the Algarve airport are scheduled to operate to the UK, carrying an estimated 7,000 passengers. British Airways is deploying its biggest jet, the Boeing 777, to boost capacity in the evacuation.
Our travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:
Airport chaos in Portugal amid rush to return
Airlines are putting on more than 40 flights from Faro alone to the UK on the last day before quarantine becomes a requirement
New York City plans Central Park concert to mark pandemic comeback
New York will host a concert in Central Park featuring an undisclosed line-up of major musical artists in August to mark the city's comeback from the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday.
The live music event is part of a week-long citywide celebration of the city - once the US epicenter of the pandemic - as vaccination rates rise and the virus abates.
"This is going to be an amazing, memorable once-in-a-lifetime week in New York City," the mayor told a news conference.
De Blasio did not announce a line-up or a date for the concert, although the New York Times reported it is tentatively set for Aug. 21 in Central Park's Great Lawn.
Clive Davis, a legendary music industry figure, will pull together the huge event that will feature an "all-star" roster of artists, according to de Blasio.
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