People should act with caution after England’s Freedom Day to dampen the impact of an inevitable “exit wave”, the chief medical officer has warned.
Professor Chris Whitty said there was “extremely wide agreement” among scientists that there will be an exit wave after all legal restrictions are lifted on July 19, a move the Government has now confirmed is going ahead.
He told a Downing Street briefing: “The slower we take it, the fewer people will have Covid, the smaller the peak will be, and the smaller the number of people who go into hospital and die.”
However, he stressed there was “no clear evidence" to suggest that a further delay to the end of lockdown restrictions would make a difference.
The "highly effective" vaccines would protect the NHS during the wave of infections, with hospital and death rates much lower than previous waves, he added.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also urged “extreme caution”, as new modelling from the Sage scientific advisory group estimated that Covid deaths would likely rise to 200 a day and hospitalisations will "reach at least 1,000 per day" after lockdown is fully lifted.
And Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, said there was "no doubt" the country was in a third wave - but that vaccines reduce overall transmission of the virus by about 75 per cent.
Follow the latest updates below.
05:52 PM
Coronavirus around the world, in pictures
Members of the public and health workers at a pop up Covid testing clinic at the Fairfield Showgrounds in Sydney amid a cases surge - Mick Tsikas/AAP A man walks on a nearly empty street in Seoul, South Korea, amid tightened social distancing rules due to coronavirus - Heo Ran/Reuters In Bankok, Thailand, community volunteers prepare donated supplies for Covid-19 patients who are held inside a community-managed isolation area - Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Getty Images
05:40 PM
Voluntary caution over flu surge could prevent another lockdown
England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has said people may need to take "sensible precautions" if there is a rise in Covid cases over the winter, but that a return of restrictions was not inevitable.
Prof Whitty said the country could be facing a "slightly more difficult winter" for flu which could in turn lead to people adopting extra precautions.
"That is very different from issues around restrictions, which are very much an issue for ministers," he told a Downing Street news conference.
"There is not an inevitability in any way that because we have a surge which may lead to people thinking 'Okay we may need to be a bit more careful', that leads to anything which ministers have to do.
"That is just a reality that we are going to face in the coming winter and may well face in future winters."
Covid-19 figures are expected to soon begin resembling those of the flu, which can see around 20,000 deaths in a bad winter.
Commuters at King's Cross Station this morning don their masks, a week before Freedom Day - Henry Nicholls/Reuters
05:23 PM
Help poorer populations before boosting your own, rich countries urged
Lining up Covid-19 booster jabs in richer, well-vaccinated countries while health workers in other nations remain entirely unprotected is "making a conscious choice not to protect those most in need", the World Health Organization (WHO) chief has said.
"I ask you, who would put firefighters on the frontline, without protection, who are [the] most vulnerable to the flames of this pandemic: health workers on the front lines, older persons, and the vulnerable," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference.
"We're making conscious choices right now not to protect those most in need: our own firefighters."
He said the world was in the midst of a "two-track" pandemic, and called on vaccine manufacturers not to prioritise booster supplies but instead to focus on jabs for poorer countries and the Covax distribution scheme.
The WHO also said there was no data yet to show that immunity declined enough to need a booster vaccine.
It added that there was also little data about mixing and matching vaccines at this point - a policy that some countries are implementing - although there are studies ongoing.
05:16 PM
Covid deaths likely to peak at 200 a day in the summer, say government scientists
Covid deaths will likely rise to 200 a day and hospitalisations will "reach at least 1,000 per day" following the easing of restrictions on July 19, the Government's scientific advisers have warned.
At the peak of the winter wave, more than 4,200 people in the UK were admitted to hospital every day, and deaths surged past 1,200 a day.
But a senior source said that as the UK continues to unlock and get vaccinated, Covid-19 figures will begin to resemble those of the flu, with around 20,000 deaths in a bad winter.
Documents from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) released on Monday reveal modelling from experts at Imperial College London, Warwick University and the London School of Hygiene and Medicine.
One-way direction of England's lockdown roadmap is now a 'hope'
Only a few weeks ago, Boris Johnson was stressing that England's roadmap out of lockdown was irreversible - but now this is a "hope" not a promise.
The Prime Minister told a No 10 briefing: "I hope that the road map is irreversible but in order to have that it has also got to be a cautious approach, that's why we waited those extra weeks to get seven million more jabs into people's arms.
"We will proceed on Monday the 19th but what people need to remember is that this pandemic is not over. If we're cautious and everybody gets vaccinated, then, yes, we can make steady progress."
England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, added: "There isn't a cut-off point, but what we're hoping is that if we proceed now then the peak will be significantly lower than the peak we saw in January, for example. But to think we're not going to have pressure on the NHS is not realistic.
"We may see bits of the NHS under pressure at different times around the country."
04:42 PM
PM: End of lockdown is not 'invitation to have a great jubilee'
Addressing calls for clarity about "exactly what you want us to do next week", including whether people should avoid parties celebrating the end of lockdown, Boris Johnson channels Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, saying "don't tear the pants off it".
The Prime Minister says people should think carefully about what they are being told. "Don't be demob happy - this is not the end of Covid, it requires constant vigilance," he adds.
People must think of others, wear face masks when appropriate, and "how you behave" with those who are extremely vulnerable.
"Because the legal restrictions have come off, should not be taken as an invitation to everybody to have a great jubilee," he adds. "Everybody has got to be cautious."
Boris Johnson - Daniel Leal-Olivas-WPA Pool/Getty Images
04:31 PM
Johnson: We will be reviewing restrictions 'into next year'
Answering questions from the public, the first of which is about the prospect of restrictions being reimposed, Boris Johnson says the "straightforward answer" is that all data will be kept under constant review for the rest of the year, "probably into next year too".
If there is a new variant that "causes us a real problem then obviously we rule nothing out", the Prime Minister says.
He says the Government "does not hesitate to use the means at our disposal" but if we are "cautious and go slowly we can continue with the roadmap as it stands".
The next question is about whether the vaccine affects transmission, and if it removes the need for self-isolation.
Sir Patrick Vallance says there is "uncertainty" over the Delta variant, but "roughly speaking" it decreases infection by 50 per cent "or so".
The chief scientific adviser says a vaccinated person is roughly 70-75 per cent less likely to pass it on, because you are less likely to catch it in the first place.
04:26 PM
All possible unlocking dates come with risks, says Whitty
There is "no such thing" as an ideal possible data for lifting all restrictions, Prof Chris Whitty tells the Downing Street briefing.
"All the possible dates have downsides," he says. "If we go at this point in time, we go at a point when some people are still being vaccinated but we are not going at a point when the schools are just going back or when we're going into autumn and winter."
He says modelling studies on this show that all dates lead to similar outcomes, but there is "no clear evidence that a delay now is going to make a difference" - but there is evidence that going slowly helps things.
He says there is an "overwhelming view" among scientists that we must act "slowly, steadily and cautiously" as we move forward and there will be an "exit wave", which will be "significantly lower" than the January peak if people act carefully.
Chris Whitty - Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool via REUTERS
04:20 PM
Whitty: Pressure on NHS will increase - but not unacceptably
Prof Chris Whitty says all of the Government's tests for unlocking have been passed, three clearly and one provided people act with caution.
He tells the Downing Street briefing that the vaccine rollout is going very well - and the targets will be met as one dose reduces by "a reasonable margin - about a third" the chances of getting infected, while a second dose takes that up to more like 80 per cent.
The impact is even greater against hospitalisation and deaths, he notes. "These are very highly effective vaccines."
The mortality rate is "much lower" than other rates and hospitalisations, while rising, are "significantly below" previous rates.
The key question is at what point will rates go down, which he says they cannot be certain about, but at this point modelling and other data "would imply that if we go slowly with the next stage of the roadmap" it will not place pressure on the NHS.
And he says there is no reason at this point to think any domestic variants of concern will change the situation.
04:15 PM
Downing Street briefing slides
Here are the slides shown by Prof Chris Whity, England's chief medical officer, at this afternoon's Downing Street press conference.
Covid UK
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04:12 PM
Two thirds of adults to have a second dose by July 19 unlocking
The Prime Minister tells the Downing Street briefing that seven million jabs have been administered since the June 21 unlocking was delayed.
He says by next Monday, two thirds of adults will have received a second dose and every adult will have been offered a first dose.
"It is the single most crucial thing now that you get that jab", he says. "It is only thanks to the vaccine programme that we are able to take these cautious steps now."
Boris Johnson - DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / POOL / AFP
04:09 PM
Boris Johnson issues stark note of caution: 'This pandemic is not over'
Prime Minister Boris Johnson defends the Government's decision to press ahead with England's Freedom Day in seven days time.
"We think now is the right moment to proceed when we have the natural firebnreak of the school holidays in the next few days," he tells a Downing Street briefing.
But he warns: "It is absolutely vital that we proceed now with caution, and I cannot say this powerfully or emphatically enough. This pandemic is not over, this disease coronavirus continues to carry risks for you and your family.
"We cannot simply revert instantly from Monday July 19 to life as it was before Covid."
He says "we expect and recommend" that people wear a face covering in crowded or enclosed spaces, such as public transport, and urges a gradual return to the office over the summer.
He adds that "as a matter of social responsibility, we're urging nightclubs and other venues with large crowds" to use the Covid certification NHS pass showing proof of vaccination, a recent negative test or antibodies "as a means of entry".
04:02 PM
Coming up: Downing Street briefing
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is about to give a briefing on the July 19 Freedom Day live from Downing Street.
He will be joined by Prof Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser.
Stay with us for the latest updates and reaction.
04:00 PM
Javid taking 'a careful look at NHS Covid app's pinging'
Julian Sturdy, Conservative MP for York Outer, asks about the rising number of people having to isolate and called for Sajid Javid to "consider bringing forward" the end of this restriction.
"There has to be a better way forward that doesn't have the economic impact that the current isolation policy is having," he adds.
The Health Secretary acknowledges the impact it is having, but says the August 16 date is based on "the best data we can get at this time".
However he says he is taking "a careful look" at the NHS Covid app's "pinging".
03:52 PM
Government will take 'appropriate action' over new variants, says Javid
Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, has hinted at further restrictions should new dangerous variants emerge, despite the optimistic tone of his Commons statement defending England's Freedom Day.
Jeremy Hunt, chair of the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, said the Government's approach to lifting restrictions on July 19 was "entirely reasonable".
But he added added "a number of unknown unknowns and known unknowns" remain, "not least the impact of long Covid, the potential for vaccine escape and the potential for new variants".
Mr Hunt asked: "Will he reassure the House that if the data deteriorates beyond what is currently envisaged, he will not hesitate to take decisive action, not just to save lives, but also to head off the need for a further lockdown that will be so enormously damaging for our jobs and businesses?"
Mr Javid replied: "I'm very happy to give that assurance ... he's right to point out that there is still uncertainty for us, for countries across the world, in dealing with this pandemic.
"I'm very pleased to assure him that as - if - that risk matrix changes, for example, with variants of concern, we will not hesitate to take the appropriate action."
03:47 PM
July 19 unlocking 'a huge moment' for hospitality
Here's how the hospitality sector is reacting to the confirmation that England's Freedom Day is going ahead.
Theatres Trust director Jon Morgan said: "This will enable theatres to welcome back full audiences, producing shows that are financially viable and to provide more work for the sector's precious freelance workforce.
"We know that theatres will do everything in their power to continue to ensure they provide a safe environment for their audiences."
But he called for a "consistent approach" across the four nations of the UK, warning "struggling venues" in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have little reprieve yet.
Greg Parmley, chief executive of music industry trade body LIVE, said festivals "cannot wait" to get back in business but called again for a Government-backed insurance scheme to make the live events sector viable.
"While we have been waiting for this moment for the past year, commercial insurance is still not available - meaning organisers are faced with the prospect of huge financial losses should any restrictions need to change," he said.
And Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester and co-founder of Manchester's Parklife festival, tweeted:
CONFIRMED: 19th July, Hospitality restrictions to be lifted.
Now the hard work starts. The road to recovery, that will take years.
A huge moment for Hospitality businesses, Hospitality jobs, and more importantly, peoples mental health.
Tory MP attacks Labour's 'undue reliance on masks'
A Conservative MP has urged Sajid Javid to "caution the opposition on their undue reliance on masks".
Dr Andrew Murrison said: "They are not the solution: vaccinations are."
The Health Secretary said he was "absolutely right", saying vaccines had been "the key" to the roadmap.
"That is why we plan to have a booster programme in September."
03:37 PM
'When will the rest of us get to enjoy Michael Gove's freedom?'
Greg Clark, chairman of the science and technology committee, asks about the pilot scheme to "test and release" people to avoid disruption from self-isolation.
He notes that Michael Gove was a beneficiary of this pilot and asks "when it might be available to the rest of us".
Sajid Javid says it is "a very important pilot", but the results have not come through yet. He highlights the plan for double-vaccinated people not to have to isolate from August 16 instead.
Sajid Javid: September review will ensure 'we are properly set up for winter'
Here are some other key points from the Health Secretary's Commons Covid update:
Sajid Javid confirmed that there will be a review in September "to ensure we are properly set up for the autumn and winter"
He "accepts there will be increased pressure" on the NHS due to an uptick in hospitalisations but said "the most important thing is that guidance will be very clear on masks" and that the time has come to "take a more measured approach"
He said businesses and large venues are "encouraged" to use Covid certification in "high risk" settings
He rejected calls to bring forward the August 16 end of self-isolation for the fully vaccinated, saying the date is "based on clinical advice", because more people will be vaccinated by then.
03:19 PM
'We can't have livelihoods sacrificed on altar of dodgy hospitalisation data'
Mark Harper, the chair of the Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs, calls on the Government to iron out issues with hospitalisation data.
He says he fears the Health Secretary will be back at the dispatch box in the autumn announcing fresh lockdown restrictions based on hospitalisation levels putting pressure on the NHS.
But Mr Harper says there is a "big flaw" with this data because it includes anyone who tests positive for Covid in hospital, whether or not they arrived at hospital due to Covid illness.
"That is going to drive poor decision making, it is vital that it is fixed urgently, we can't have hundreds of thousands of livelihoods and wellbeing sacrificed on the altar of dodgy data."
Sajid Javid acknowledges this "very good point" about data not being "precise and detailed enough" and he has asked for more clarity on this from officials.
Currently, Covid hospitalisation data is hugely flawed - not showing distinction between patients ill with Covid & those in hospital for other reasons.
Dodgy data cannot drive us into lockdown again.@sajidjavid clearly agrees.
Labour: Government is taking high risk approach to unlocking
Labour accuses the Health Secretary of "pushing his foot down on the accelerator while throwing the seat belt off".
Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, calls Sajid Javid's plan to unlock next week "a high-risk, indeed fatalistic approach, trying to game what might happen in the winter".
He claims it risks more long Covid victims, significant increases in hospitalisations and pressure on the NHS.
But Mr Javid responds by saying "opening up is not without risks, just as ongoing restrictions are not without costs".
The Health Secretary repeats that case numbers are going up, but the "wall of defence" means that hospitalisations are rising "at a lot slower rate than before". As a result, it will not be "unsustainable for the NHS".
Mr Javid also notes that the vaccination programme is ahead of target. Adrressing Mr Ashworth's question on when adolescents will start being jabbed, Mr Javid says the JCVI is "actively looking at" whether to jab teenagers, but it will be considered "very carefully" before any move.
02:58 PM
Covid battle 'isn't over yet'
The Health Secretary tells MPs that "this battle isn't over yet".
Sajid Javid says in the Commons, "let's move forward in a confident but measured way".
He says this approach will allow us to get closer to normal life but protect the progress we have already made in the pandemic.
02:56 PM
Work ongoing to exempt NHS staff from isolation
Sajid Javid has said that work is underway to look at the issue of self-isolating NHS staff in "patient-facing roles".
He says it must be "proportionate" and reflect the protection of the vaccine.
It would "only be used in exceptional circumstances", he says, "so that we can keep our vital services going".
02:54 PM
Javid: Return to work should be gradual, and face masks worn
Sajid Javid says he must be "upfront" about the risks of keeping lockdown in place - including domestic violence, mental illness and untreated disease.
"We are publishing a plan today, showing a safe and gradual approach we will be taking throughout the summer," he tells MPs.
It includes details of "how we will be encouraging businesses and events to use certification in high risk settings," he adds.
Mr Javid has urged people to "return to work gradually" if they are currently based at home.
People should meet outdoors if possible, and it is "expected and recommended that people wear face coverings... in crowded indoor settings like public transport," he adds.
There is an audible reaction from the Tory benches.
"It's so important that people act with caution and personal responsibility," Mr Javid says.
Sajid Javid defended the easing of lockdown on July 19 - Tayfun Salci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
02:53 PM
Unlocking next week 'gives us the best possible chance of a return to normal life'
Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, tells the Commons that the July 19 unlocking will go ahead as planned. Here's how he justified the move:
We've looked closely at the data, against these four tests and we firmly believe that this is the right time to get our nation closer to normal life, so we will move to the next stage of our roadmap on July 19.
To those who say, why take this step now, I say 'if not now, when?' There will never be a perfect time to take this step because we simply cannot eradicate this virus. Whether we like it or not, coronavirus is not going away.
But moving forward next week, supported by the arrival of summer and the school holidays, gives us the best possible chance of a return to normal life.
If we wait longer, then we risk pushing the virus towards winter, when the virus will have an advantage or worse still we will not be opening up at all.
We delayed step 4 by four weeks so that we could build our vaccine wall even higher, and we believe this wall means that we can withstand a summer wave.
While the wall would be higher still if we waited until winter, we know that the wave would be much more dangerous. So while we know there are risks with any decision, this is the most responsible decision that we can take.
This step forward is about balancing the harms that are caused by Covid, with the undeniable harms that restrictions bring.
02:46 PM
Sajid Javid statement begins: 'Cases could hit 100k a day, but will not put NHS overly at risk'
The Health Secretary says "thanks to the shared sacrifices" of British people and the "protective wall" of the UK's vaccination programme, we have made "huge advances" in our fight against the pandemic.
Sajid Javid tells the Commons "we've all been yearning to get there, and we all want this to be a one-way journey".
He says the Government's decision on whether to go ahead with the July 19 unlocking of restrictions is based on the latest data and the four tests, which have all been met.
Around nine in 10 adults in the UK now have Covid antibodies, and seven million extra doses have been administered since the June 21 unlocking was delayed by a month, Mr Javid adds.
He says "we are in a stronger position than ever before" and Britain is set to beat its target of offering the vaccine to all adults. And the vaccine programme has prevented an estimated 46,000 hospitalisations and 30,000 deaths, he adds.
"Cases are rising, propelled by the Delta variant... and sadly the case numbers will get a lot worse before they get better," Mr Javid adds, and hospitalisations are slowly rising too "but we should be encouraged" they are much lower than in previous waves.
"This is further evidence that our vaccination programme is doing its job at protecting the NHS, and as more people get the jab, our protective wall is getting stronger still," he says.
He tells MPs that based on the current evidence, the Government does not believe infection rates - which could hit 100,000 a day later in the summer - will place unsustainable on the NHS.
02:32 PM
Health Secretary gives Covid update - live
Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, is giving an update in the House of Commons about the July 19 unlocking.
His statement was due to start at 3.30pm, so we are expecting his statement to MPs any minute.
Stay here for live updates and reaction.
02:16 PM
Have your say: Should face masks remain mandatory after July 19?
Ministers appear to be shifting their tone when it comes to face masks, from gleefully announcing their plans to "ditch" them come July 19, to dutifully signalling their plan to keep them close.
It comes amid warnings that replacing legal requirements with guidance could cause confusion and even cause conflict between people over the question of when and where to wear them.
Edward Argar, the health minister, this morning stressed that people should use "common courtesy" to decide when is best - but experts have warned this is not enough, likening it to smoking or wearing seat belt.
And yet more Government scientific advisers have been out on the airwaves again urging people to stay masked up, even after the July 19 great unlocking.
So should face masks remain mandatory? Have your say in the poll below.
02:03 PM
Watch live: Sajid Javid to set out step four plans from 3:30pm
Sajid Javid will be setting out the plans for life after July 19 from 3:30pm, the Commons authorities have confirmed.
There are no urgent questions or ministerial statements scheduled before the Health Secretary, meaning he will take his place before the despatch box just after Home Office questions.
We will be streaming his statement here live.
01:50 PM
India's medical body says no to reopening tourism over Covid threat
Opening India's tourist destinations and allowing pilgrimage travel could act as Covid-19 "super spreaders" of a third wave of infections, the country's top doctors body has warned.
After a devastating second wave, driven largely by the more infectious Delta variant, ravaged the country's health system, India is now reporting roughly a tenth of its peak daily numbers in May.
But experts worry that a third wave of infections is not far off as travel restrictions are eased in various parts of the country.
On Monday, the Indian Medical Association, India's top doctors body, appealed to state governments and citizens to not lower their guard against Covid-19, saying a third wave was inevitable.
"It is painful to note, in this crucial time... in many parts of the country, both government and public are complacent and engaged in mass gatherings without following Covid protocols," the IMA said.
"Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervour are all needed, but can wait for few more months," the IMA added, saying that opening up for these rituals and allowing unvaccinated people there would be "potential super spreaders for the Covid third wave."
01:25 PM
Covid triggered biggest increase in hunger in decades, UN finds
The Covid pandemic caused an estimated 18 percent increase in the number of people facing hunger, a United Nations report released on Monday found.
The world was already off track to achieve its goal of eradicating hunger by 2030, but the report warned that Covid had now sent it back in the wrong direction.
The "economic downturns as a consequence of Covid-19 containment measures all over the world have contributed to one of the largest increases in world hunger in decades," said the annual food security and nutrition report compiled by several UN agencies.
Although the full impact of the pandemic cannot yet be determined, the report estimated around 118 million more people faced hunger in 2020 than in 2019, an increase of 18 per cent.
The rise in moderate or severe food insecurity was equal to the previous five years combined.
"Nearly one in three people in the world (2.37 billion) did not have access to adequate food in 2020 - an increase of almost 320 million people in just one year," the report said. One in 10 people were undernourished.
More on this story here from Jennifer Rigby
01:07 PM
China's two major Covid-19 vaccine makers strike deal for millions of COVAX doses
China's two major Covid-19 vaccine makers have signed agreements to provide up to 550 million doses to COVAX, the UN-backed program that aims to deliver vaccines to poor countries and others that need them.
Gavi, the vaccine partnership playing a leading role in COVAX, announced that it would buy 110 million doses from Sinopharm and Sinovac between now and October. In addition, it has the option to buy 440 million more doses by mid-2022.
The World Health Organization has approved the companies' vaccines for emergency use. Their inactivated vaccines are already in widespread use in China and in many other countries.
Inactivated vaccines are made with killed coronavirus. Most other Covid vaccines in use, particularly in the West, are made with newer technologies that target the "spike" protein that coats the surface of the virus.
A man receives a shot of Covid-19 vaccine inside a vaccination centre at Shatabdi Hospital in Mumbai, India - DIVYAKANT SOLANKI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
12:49 PM
Exam aides for school pupils in 2022 under consideration
Pupils taking GCSE and A-level exams in England next year could be given advance notice on the focus of exam papers to ensure they are not disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic.
The Department for Education (DfE) and regulator Ofqual have unveiled proposals for the 2022 summer exams - which includes giving schools and colleges some choice over the topics that students are assessed on.
Announcing the consultation, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said it is "right that next summer's arrangements take into account the disruption young people have faced over the past 18 months".
This summer, teachers across England decided their pupils' GCSE and A-level grades after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row.
But a consultation on the proposed measures for next year's exams - which closes on August 1 - sets out plans to provide exam aids, such as a formulae sheet in GCSE maths and an expanded equations sheet in GCSE physics.
Schools and colleges in England could also be given advance information on the focus of exam content to help students focus their revision, and they may be given some choice about the content their students will be assessed on in GCSE English literature, history, ancient history and geography.
12:26 PM
The Covid lockdown rules that will end from July 19
Despite Freedom Day finally coming around on July 19, the public have been issued with warnings to continue wearing masks and working from home.
Boris Johnson is set to make an announcement about the final easing of coronavirus restrictions across England on Monday afternoon, confirming the implementation of step four of the roadmap.
In his update on July 5, the Prime Minister revealed that the current restrictions of gatherings of only six indoors, no more than 30 for gatherings outside, one-metre social distancing in pubs, a ban on nightclubs and compulsory face masks in place would be removed on July 19.
However, Mr Johnson is set to warn the public that the pandemic is far from over - and that the public will be encouraged to continue taking certain safety precautions - such as wearing masks and working from home.
'Home working has savaged relations and hurt the young'
'Working from home' became 'living at work' for many of the younger generation, a return to the office will be welcomed by many, writes Andrew Orlowski.
Bliss it was in that dawn of Covid to be alive and to be a salaried manager. But to be young and to work for one was less than heaven. Employees in their twenties and thirties found themselves confined to a flat or a shared house, where a garden was an unheard-of luxury.
Some flats didn’t even have daylight – six months before Covid struck, Cowell Group and Dandi Living proudly announced “high end, aesthetic and affordable housing” with no external windows. Croydon gave planning permission for the creation of a flat smaller than a London taxi. The ONS, only weeks before lockdown, reckoned that the average size of a City flat was 47 sq metres.
Students at elite universities fined more than £400,000 for Covid breaches
Elite universities have fined students more than £400,000 for breaching coronavirus restrictions, The Telegraph can reveal, as a Government adviser accused institutions of "over-zealous" enforcement of rules.
Nearly 4,000 penalties were handed to students from campus officials for infringing Government legislation surrounding masks, parties, social distancing and self-isolation, despite no involvement from the police.
Warwick and Nottingham universities, the two highest-fining in the UK, charged students £230,000 in permanent or suspended fines.
Penalties at various institutions were up to £500 each and some remain subject to appeals.
Figures obtained by The Telegraph show 16 Russell Group universities have issued financial penalties totaling £434,729 since the start of the pandemic.
Give businesses clarity so they can plan, Boris Johnson told
Boris Johnson has been urged to give businesses clear guidance for life after July 19, and longer-term clarity so they can prepare for the autumn.
Claire Walker, co-executive director of the British Chambers of Commerce, told Sky News: "Business people are not public health experts... What we have seen over last couple of days is s shifting of the boundaries. We really hope tonight we will get clear guidance form the Prime Minister about what businesses need to do at this stage."
Stressing the need for this to be the last lockdown, she added: "We need to make sure we get it right this time. We need the guidance to be there so businesses can prepare properly...
"We need to know what would measures be if we did have a difficult situation... in the autumn, so businesses can prepare and invest in the future."
Bleary-eyed commuters donned their masks at London Waterloo rail station this morning after England's Euro defeat - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg
10:55 AM
Heathrow chaos: Lengthy queues as football and NHS app blamed for staff shortage
Heathrow passengers are facing departures queues of up to two-and-a-half hours this morning, amid reports of a security staff shortage.
According to check-in personnel at the airport, 120 security staff have not arrived for work at Terminal 5, though the full details are not yet clear. Some sources say staff have "failed to turn up" because of the football, while other cite a "glitch" in the NHS app, triggering mass self-isolation.
One BA employee told The Telegraph: "I went to bed at 12 last night after the game then got up at 2.30 to do my job. Why can’t the security guards?"
Passengers have taken to Twitter to complain about the delays, with one user commenting: "Chaos at T5 this morning, 90 minutes to go through security." Others have reported departures queues of 2.5 hours.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: "We're currently experiencing some passenger congestion in Terminal 5 departures. Our teams are working hard to get passengers away on their journeys and we hope to have the congestion cleared as quickly as possible. Passengers are reminded that face coverings are mandatory inside the airport."
Booster shot plans to be discussed between Pfizer and US officials
Pfizer says it plans to meet with top US health officials on Monday to discuss the drugmaker's request for federal authorisation of a booster dose of its Covid-19 vaccine, as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser said "it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely" that they will be needed.
The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer claimed booster shots would be needed within 12 months.
Pfizer's Dr Mikael Dolsten told reporters last week that early data from the company's booster study suggests people's antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier, evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the US top disease expert, said: "Right now, given the data and the information we have, we do not need to give people a third shot.
"That doesn't mean we stop there. ... There are studies being done now ongoing as we speak about looking at the feasibility about if and when we should be boosting people."
10:23 AM
Slower squats in Seoul as Covid tones down the gym playlist
Pumping iron along to an upbeat playlist is a staple for gym-goers, but not in South Korea - thanks to new Covid rules.
To the standard restrictions such as social distancing and travel curbs, South Korea has added a requirement that gyms keep music to 120 beats per minute (bpm) tempo or less during group exercises, such as aerobics and spinning.
Health officials say the measure was intended to prevent breathing too fast or splashing sweat to other people.
The rule is designed to prevent shutting businesses again, but has invited ridicule from some opposition lawmakers, who called it "nonsense".
Kang Hyun-ku, an owner of a gym in northern Seoul, told Reuters: "Playing bright tracks is to cheer up our members and the overall mood, but my biggest question is whether playing classical music or BTS songs has proven to have any impact on spreading the virus.
"Many people use their own earphones and wearable devices these days, and how do you control their playlists?"
10:03 AM
Johnson urges caution ahead of expected July 19 freedom day
Boris Johnson warned that coronavirus infections will rise as he prepared to announce the lifting of restrictions from July 19.
Ahead of a press conference this afternoon to confirm the move, the Prime Minister said England is "tantalisingly close" to restoring its freedoms.
But his comments came as arguments continued over plans to remove legal requirements to wear face coverings, with one expert adviser to the Government saying it is clear that masks "greatly reduce transmission".
Ministers are expected to conclude that the four tests set for unlocking - the success of the vaccine rollout, evidence that vaccines are causing a reduction in hospital admissions and deaths, that infection rates do not risk a surge in admissions, and that no new variants of concern throw progress off track - are being met, allowing Step 4 of the road map to proceed.
This is despite ministers admitting that there could be 100,000 new cases a day in the summer.
Passengers wearing face masks on the Jubilee Line in London - Victoria Jones/PA Wire
09:25 AM
'I will continue to carry my face mask' after July 19, says health minister
A Government minister said he would continue to carry his face covering around with him even after legal measures have been lifted.
Asked about the future of face coverings after July 19, health minister Edward Argar told LBC radio: "I suspect - and I won't pre-empt the Secretary of State when he addresses the House later and he sets out more of what you can expect to see in that guidance - but speaking for myself, I will continue to carry my face mask in my jacket pocket.
"And the sort of circumstances where I would wear it, where I would encourage others to do so, are the sort of things that Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer set out a week or so again.
"If, for example, you are in a crowded train, if you are in a setting like a hospital where the relevant authority requires you to wear it, or where, as common courtesy, if you are in an indoor environment with someone who clearly feels uncomfortable with you not wearing it, it would be common courtesy to put it on then - that's how I would behave."
09:10 AM
Still 'considerable pressure around the country' in ICU
Dr Sarah Clarke, an intensive care consultant in Blackburn and a board member of the UK's Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, told Times Radio there was still "considerable pressure around the country" in ICU.
Regarding continuing to wear face masks and to social distance after July 19, she said: "I would absolutely err on the side of extreme caution.
"I will continue to wear a mask at all times when I'm in an enclosed space, and I will to protect others and ensure that others stay as safe as possible."
She said there had been a 60pc increase in admissions to intensive care over the last week and "we have over 500 patients being admitted per day into intensive cares".
She added: "That's not sustainable if we all decide to take our masks off and think that the vaccine programme no longer applies."
08:46 AM
Local leaders in Japan join forces to ask the government to tackle vaccine shortages
Local leaders in Japan have joined forces to beg the government to tackle a growing coronavirus vaccine shortage that has led to a drop in appointments, write Danielle Demetriou in Tokyo.
Governors said some officials have been forced to cancel existing appointments due to a shortage of vaccine supplies. The complaint came as Tokyo began its fourth state of emergency on Monday.
The capital has struggled with a coronavirus resurgence just days before the July 23 opening of the Olympic Games.
Japan lags behind other global powers in terms of its vaccine drive, with less than 17 per cent of the population – around 21.3 million – fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data.
The 41 heads of Japan’s 47 prefectures also called on the prime minister Yoshihide Suga to implement a large stimulus to help bolster local economies struggling as a result of the pandemic, according to Kyodo News.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government employees rest after receiving the Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine shot at a newly opened vaccination center at their government building - Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo
08:31 AM
May 17 reopening did not result in 'significant uptick' in R number, says Dr Tildesley
Dr Mike Tildesley told BBC Breakfast the May 17 reopening did not result in a "significant uptick" in the reproduction number (the R) "and it seems that's because a lot of people were actually being a little bit more cautious with their behaviour and weren't doing things that perhaps they were before the pandemic, so it may be that the same is true beyond July the 19th.
"So even though we are allowed to do a few more things, an awful lot of people will continue not to do so and hopefully we won't see as big a surge as many of the science community are predicting."
He said there was always a concern about new variants, including from travel, but said there was also "a risk of homegrown variants emerging when you have a high number of cases and high levels of vaccination".
He added: "It's difficult to know what we can do to mitigate for that other than doing what we have done before."
08:21 AM
Heathrow passenger numbers remain almost 90pc down on pre-pandemic levels
Heathrow passenger numbers remain almost 90pc down on pre-pandemic levels and significantly lower than EU rival airports, new figures show.
Airport bosses revealed just 957,000 passengers passed through its terminals in June compared with 7,246,157 who used the west London airport in June 2019.
The number of passengers travelling through the airport covers the month where Portugal was moved from the green list of countries to amber and led to widespread fury in the travel sector over the speed of rule changes for travellers.
Following the latest data, Heathrow bosses urged the Government to do more to support the sector.
They pointed out that Schiphol and Frankfurt airports in the Netherlands and Germany respectively have surpassed their 2019 cargo volumes, growing by 14pc and 9pc respectively compared to 2019.
A passenger working on his laptop at the Terminal 5 departure area, Heathrow, shelters unde a transparent umbrella for added protection against coronavirus
08:10 AM
Daily Covid cases could possibly hit the 100,000 mark, says health minister
Health minister Edward Argar said it is "possible" that daily coronavirus case numbers could hit the 100,000 mark but stressed that vaccines are helping to protect people from serious illness and hospital admission.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "You've seen the Secretary of State and others talk about between a range of 50,000 to 100,000 is possible."
Mr Argar added: "If you look at hospital admissions, and forgive me if my figures are a little bit out, but the seven-day rolling average of hospital admissions for now, when we're seeing this level of infection rate, is roughly between 350 and 400 a day.
"Back in January, with an equivalent infection rate, we were seeing 1,800 to 2,000.
"So you can see how that vaccine programme may not have broken it by 100pc because the vaccine isn't 100pc effective, but it has really severely weakened that link and therefore the numbers we are going to see in hospital are going to be much smaller."
08:04 AM
There has been 'mixed messaging' over face masks from ministers, says Spi-M member
Dr Mike Tildesley, from the University of Warwick and a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) group, said there had been "mixed messaging" over face masks.
He told BBC Breakfast that "some ministers have come out and said they'll be very happy not to wear their face masks and then we've had others, even in the last couple of days, saying 'we would still advise you to wear them in these settings'.
"I think it's quite confusing actually for people to know what the right thing to do is. I think all that we can do is take a sort of appropriate approach where we look at the situation and sort of weigh up the risk ourselves, and I hope that enough people do that going forward that we don't see a big surge."
Dr Tildesley said the UK was at a "really tricky phase" of the pandemic, with rising cases but "still very low numbers of deaths and very low numbers of hospital admissions, though they are creeping up a little bit."
07:44 AM
Guidance on 'things like mask-wearing' to continue after freedom day, says health minister
Health minister Edward Argar said guidance on "things like mask-wearing" would continue even after so-called "freedom day" on July 19.
Asked whether it was right to go ahead with the final stage of the road map on July 19, the minister told Sky News: "We'll wait for the Prime Minister's formal announcement later but you will have seen the Health Secretary (Sajid Javid) interviewed over the weekend saying he was optimistic, we were on track for that Step 4, which would see the removal of legal restrictions on people, but what it wouldn't do is remove guidance.
"So there will still be guidance in place and we would urge caution and the innate common sense of the British people around things like mask-wearing.
"But why now? If not now, when? We're at a position now where the vaccination programme is our defensive wall against this virus and it is proving hugely effective."
07:36 AM
Vital to keep protective measures in place, says Nervtag member
Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of Nervtag (New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group), said it was vital to keep some protective measures in place, such as wearing face coverings.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme he said: "I really don't see why people are reluctant to wear face coverings, it is quite clear that they do greatly reduce transmission.
"Vaccines are fantastic but you have to give them time to work and in the meantime keeping up all those measures which we have learned to reduce the transmission is to me really vital."
When asked if face coverings should be mandatory he added: "I think it is very difficult to say that it is up to people to choose whether to wear face masks when it is not only protecting yourself but also protecting other people.
"It's so much more straightforward to try to get face masks used in dangerous situations if there is some kind of compulsion behind it."
Boris Johnson wearing a face covering - Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
07:13 AM
Lockdown savings and property boom fuel surge in average household wealth
A boom in Britain's housing market and a surge in global share prices has led to windfall gains for middle-income and richer households during the pandemic, research from the Resolution Foundation think tank showed on Monday.
The average British household saw its wealth rise by £7,800 due to asset price rises and, to a lesser extent, lower day-to-day spending, despite Britain suffering its sharpest economic downturn in more than 300 years in 2020.
"Many families have been forced to save rather than spend during lockdowns, while house prices have continued to soar even while working hours have plummeted," said Jack Leslie, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation.
The biggest percentage increase in wealth came for those in the middle of the wealth distribution, whose net assets increased in value by nine percent to £80,500 per adult, driven by a sharp rise in house prices.
06:49 AM
Eight week gap between Covid vaccines remains 'current advice'
Professor Adam Finn, from the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said that current advice was not to reduce the gap between Covid-19 vaccine doses below eight weeks.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday he said: "There is of course an advantage in giving the second dose early, in the current circumstances with all the cases that we are seeing because you get a further boost, but the downside to that is the size of that boost is smaller and probably that will mean that the duration of protection you get from that second dose will be shorter.
"So there's a sweet spot, and at the moment the advice we have given is we should not reduce the interval less than eight weeks."
06:01 AM
Today's front page
Here is your Daily Telegraph for Monday, July 12.
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05:50 AM
Bangkok workers told to stay home as Thailand sets curfew
Thailand has implemented its toughest restrictions in more than a year in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, with new curbs on movement and gatherings imposed and widespread suspensions by airlines and bus firms.
Authorities have urged people in and around Bangkok, the outbreak epicentre, to work from home and have set up 145 checkpoints in 10 high-risk provinces, including 88 in the capital, to try to curb non-essential regional travel.
The restrictions, initially for two weeks, aim to slow the spread of the coronavirus and include a curfew, mall closures and a five-person limit on gatherings, after a period of record or near-record deaths and cases.
Thailand recorded 8,656 infections and 80 deaths on Monday, among the 345,027 cases and 2,791 fatalities overall, the vast majority from an outbreak since early April that is being fueled by the highly transmissible Alpha and Delta Covid-19 variants.
Commuters make their way on Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok on July 12, 2021, on the first day of stricter lockdown restrictions to try to contain the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus - AFP
05:18 AM
Taiwan company strikes deal for German vaccine
Taiwan's Foxconn and TSMC said on Monday they had reached deals to buy 10 million doses of Germany's BioNTech SE's Covid-19 vaccine, putting the total cost of the highly politicised deal at about $350 million.
Taiwan's government has tried for months to buy the vaccine directly from BioNTech and has blamed China, which claims the self-ruled island as its own territory, for nixing an agreement the two sides were due to sign earlier this year. China denies the accusations.
Last month, facing public pressure about the slow pace of Taiwan's inoculation programme, the government agreed to allow Foxconn's founder Terry Gou, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), to negotiate on its behalf for the vaccines.
BioNTech's Chinese sales agent Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd said on Sunday that an agreement had been signed, but did not give details of a delivery timeframe.
In this July 8, 2021, file photo, people wear face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus after the COVID-19 alert raise to level 3 in Taipei, Taiwan. Two Taiwanese high-tech companies announced a donation Monday of 10 million doses of the anti-coronavirus vaccine developed by Germanyâs BioNTech to the islandâs government. - AP
04:34 AM
Fauci says booster 'maybe likely' ahead of Pfizer meeting
Pfizer says it plans to meet with top US health officials on Monday to discuss the drug maker's request for federal authorisation of a third dose of its Covid-19 vaccine, as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser acknowledged that "it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely" that booster shots will be needed.
The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer asserted that booster shots would be needed within 12 months.
Pfizer's Dr. Mikael Dolsten said last week that early data from the company's booster study suggests people's antibody levels jump five to 10 fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier — evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.
On Sunday, Dr Anthony Fauci didn't rule out the possibility but said it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot.
In this May 11, 2021 file photo, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine an update from Federal officials on efforts to combat COVID-19, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Fauci said Sunday, July 11 âit is entirely conceivable, maybe likelyâ that Americans will need a third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the coming months, but it was too soon for the government to recommend that now. Fauci, who is President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration did the right thing last week by pushing back against drugmaker Pfizer - Pool EPA
03:56 AM
'It's up to us' to avoid longer lockdown, Sydneysiders told
The prospect of an extended lockdown in Sydney loomed on Monday as Australian health officials reported yet another record daily rise in Covid-19 cases for the year, fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant.
New South Wales state reported 112 new locally transmitted cases, almost all of them in Sydney, despite the country's biggest city entering its third week of lockdown. Case numbers have been at record levels for at least three days.
There was, however, a glimmer of light as the number of newly-infected people who were out in the community while infectious dropped to 34 from 45 on Sunday.
State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the progress of that figure in coming days would determine whether Sydney's lockdown, due to end on Friday, would be extended. "It is really up to us. The health expert advice will be based on what those numbers look like. I can't be clearer than that."
Police officers patrol at the Opera House on July 11, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Lockdown restrictions have been tightened across NSW as COVID-19 cases continue to emerge in the community. Lockdown restrictions are in place across Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and Wollongong with all residents subject to stay-at-home orders are only permitted to leave their homes for essential reasons, including purchasing essential goods, accessing or providing care or healthcare, work, education and exercise. As of 5pm on Friday, exercise is limited to within a 10km radius from home or within the local government area, and with a maximum of two people per group. Browsing in shops is prohibited and only one person per household can leave home for shopping per day. Outdoor public gatherings are limited to two people, while funerals will be limited to 10 people only from Sunday 11 July. - Getty Images
03:46 AM
Seoul numbers continue to climb despite restrictions
South Korea has reported more than 1,000 coronavirus cases for the sixth straight day as the greater capital area entered stringent social distancing restrictions to slow transmissions.
The 1,100 new cases reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency were the highest ever for a Monday, when the daily increase is usually smaller because of reduced tests during the weekends.
More than 780 of the cases were from capital Seoul and nearby Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, areas where officials have enforced the country's strongest social distancing measures starting Monday.
Private social gatherings of three or more people will be prohibited from 6pm, nightclubs and churches will be shut down, and visitors will be banned at hospitals and nursing homes.
A teacher gives an online class at Neungsil Elementary School in Suwon, South Korea, 12 July 2021, as all schools in Seoul and its neighboring cities went online in accordance with the implementation of Level 4 social distancing the same day amid a fourth wave of COVID-19. - Shutterstock
01:09 AM
Bangladesh fears hospitals will be unable to cope with surge
Authorities in Bangladesh say the country has registered its highest number of Covid-19 casualties and positive cases in a single day.
The news comes amid concern that the pandemic could worsen over the next seven days.
The government's Directorate General of Health Services said that 230 people died and 11,874 tested positive on Sunday — a single-day record on both counts.
About 100,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the last 10 days. Experts say if the present trend continues already overwhelmed hospitals would struggle to provide treatment.
A baby with Covid-19 is seen in a vehicle outside of Chittagong Medical College Hospital as 3rd wave driven by Delta variant spreads across South Asian country with emergence of new hotspots, in Chattogram, Bangladesh on July 11, 2021. - Anadolu
12:26 AM
Cubans march against government over queues, shortages
Thousands of Cubans marched through the capital Havana on Sunday to protest food shortages and high prices amid the coronavirus crisis, in one of biggest anti-government demonstrations in memory.
Many young people took part in the afternoon protest in the capital, which disrupted traffic until police moved in after several hours and broke up the march when a few protesters threw rocks.
Police initially trailed behind as protesters chanted "Freedom," "Enough" and "Unite." One motorcyclist pulled out an American flag, but it was snatched from him by others.
"We are fed up with the queues, the shortages. That's why I'm here," one middle-age protester said, declining to identify himself for fear of being arrested later.
Cubans are seen outside Havana's Capitol during a demonstration against the government of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana, on July 11, 2021. - Thousands of Cubans took part in rare protests Sunday against the communist government, marching through a town chanting "Down with the dictatorship" and "We want liberty." - AFP
11:54 PM
South Africa extends restrictions as third wave grips
South Africa extended tight Covid-19 rules on Sunday for another 14 days, maintaining restrictions that include a ban on gatherings, a curfew from 9pm to 4am and a prohibition on the sale of alcohol.
The country, the worst-hit on the African continent in terms of recorded cases and deaths, is in the grip of a third wave of infections driven by the more infectious Delta coronavirus variant.
"Our health system countrywide remains under pressure," President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation.
Earlier this month South Africa recorded a new record of more than 26,000 daily cases, stretching hospitals to breaking point.
In this July 6, 2021, file photo, a patient receives a Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19 in Hammanskraal, South Africa. New infections in South Africa rose to record levels in recent days, part of a rapid rise across the continent, and experts say the surge here has not yet peaked. South Africa reimposed several restrictions, and its vaccination drive is finding its feet after several stumbles. But even as the campaign gathers pace, experts say it's too late to reduce the deadly impact of the current spike. - AP
11:18 PM
Today's top stories
The public will still be “expected” to wear masks and urged to work from home after July 19, ministers and officials said on Sunday, as MPs warned Freedom Day risked being “watered down”.
Michael Gove was able to avoid self isolation after being "pinged" by NHS Test & Trace, because Downing Street was selected as one of the organisations to join a Government pilot scheme.
Twelve countries including Italy, Germany and Bulgaria are on course to join the quarantine-free green list this week and open up travel to unvaccinated holidaymakers, according to an analysis of official data.
Proposals to allow fully vaccinated adults to take Covid tests for five days instead of isolating are under consideration by ministers, amid warnings that life this summer will be “massively disrupted” by the current rules.
Elite universities have fined students more than £400,000 for breaching coronavirus restrictions, The Telegraph can reveal, as a Government adviser accused institutions of "over-zealous" enforcement of rules.
We all know that drinking coffee or tea before bed is a bad idea, but it turns out there's another drink that's even worse for your sleep - and it's not what you'd expect
Kate Garraway has taken to social media to issue a desperate plea for help after receiving 'unsettling post making demands' of her late husband Derek Draper
Meghan Markle was on hand to congratulate her husband Prince Harry and his Royal Salute Sentebale team after they won the Royal Salute Polo Cup in Wellington, Florida
The Chase has been dealt a huge blow as a rival show has now been crowned the most popular game show on TV, according to new information released by the network
Viewers who tuned into ITV's For the Love of Dogs on Tuesday night are all saying the same thing about Alison Hammond's new role as host, having replaced the late Paul O'Grady…
Meghan Markle is said to be missing "some aspects" of life in the UK and is worried that her children may grow up to "blame her" if they are "deprived" of the chance to be working royals in the UK.
Former prosecutor Jessica Roth discusses the legal implications of former President Donald Trump’s remark outside his criminal trial. Trump pleaded not guilty after he was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for his alleged role in a hush money scheme.
Jasmine Harman showcased her figure in a swimsuit as she posed for poolside photos during A Place in the Sun filming. See the presenter's weight loss and vegan diet confessions…
Death in Paradise is on the lookout for a new detective after Ralf Little bowed out, and now the bookies think a replacement could have been found from The Inbetweeners cast
A flight attendant has revealed the real reason your outfit could get you banned from the plane this summer - and it's not just about being comfortable on board
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