UK deaths rise by 1,564 in record single-day increase

07:05 PM

What happened today

Good evening. Here are today's major global health developments:

• Coronavirus deaths in the UK have risen by 1,564, the Department for Health has confirmed, marking a record single-day increase in the UK's daily death toll, as 47,525 more people tested positive.

• Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said being able to exercise with another person is a "lifeline" for many people, suggesting that any tightening of the national lockdown will not stop people from going for walks.

• Nicola Sturgeon further tightened lockdown rules in Scotland, and confirmed new measures around click-and-collect services, drinking outdoors in public areas, and strengthening work from home requirements.

• The seven-day average of hospital admissions for coronavirus in London and the South-East have fallen for the first time in a month amid hopes that Britain is beginning to move past the peak of the current wave.

• Face masks outside are not necessary, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has said, despite the Mayor of London calling for tougher restrictions outdoors.

• Using a narrow needle to administer coronavirus jabs significantly boosts supply of the vaccine, officials have announced.

• GCSE and A-level students may have to take exams after all, Gavin Williamson has said, a week after he confirmed that they would be cancelled.

• Germany is facing a coronavirus vaccine shortage and may not be able to secure sufficient stocks until July, Angela Merkel privately told MPs this week.

06:55 PM

Food parcel contents 'appalling and an insult', says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson today described images showing the contents of some of the free school meal food parcels during lockdown as "disgraceful".

It comes as the supermarket giant Aldi pledges to donate 10 million meals to British families facing hunger and launched an advertisement voiced by England footballer and campaigner, Marcus Rashford - who Mr Johnson said has "held the Government to account" on the issue.

Research reveals that charities believe the demand for food provision has increased by as much as 71 per cent in the past six months, amid on-off school closures and entire classes self-isolating.

"2021 is a time to level the playing field once-and-for-all," Mr Rashford said yesterday.

• Rashford condemns lockdown free school meal parcels as 'unacceptable'

• Eliot Wilson: A truly free-market party would give money directly to families

06:42 PM

Vaccine plant launches hiring spree as pressure grows for rapid roll-out

The manufacturer responsible for putting Britain's Covid vaccines into vials has launched a hiring spree amid growing pressure on ministers to speed up the jab roll-out.

Wockhardt, which carries out "fill-and finish" processing at a plant in Wrexham, has advertised for 61 new staff in the past month to move to 24-hour production.

Government sources said that the recruitment drive would mean a substantial increase in the numbers working on the jab.

The move comes as critics demand to know why immunisations are not happening more quickly. The contracts being advertised span at least a year.

Ben Gartside has the scoop.

06:29 PM

School closures: Devastating impact of lockdown laid bare after investigation

The closure of schools during last year's lockdown had a devastating impact on the physical and mental health of Scottish school children, a new study has confirmed.

A 106-page Scottish Government report, partly based on surveys of teachers, parents and children, reported that some pupils returned to classes in August having suffered a huge fall in fitness levels, weight loss due to anxiety, dental problems and in some cases, “regression in toilet habits”.

Others had gained weight due to a lack of outside space at home.

Some returning to school have been left terrified of catching the virus and passing it on to vulnerable family members, while headteachers reported a notable rise in referrals to counsellors.

Schools across the country have been closed again since the Christmas break, with no guarantee over when they will reopen, as Nicola Sturgeon refuses to rule out the extension of the current lockdown rules past January 31.

Daniel Sanderson has the full story here.

06:24 PM

Care homes: Lack of family contact has caused some residents 'to lose the will to live'

Charities have told MPs that a lack of family contact during the pandemic has caused some care home residents to ‘lose the will to live', reports Lizzie Roberts.

Helen Wildbore, Director of the Residents and Relatives Association, told the Human Rights Committee that in one case a resident had starved herself to death.

Families have reported to the Association that the separation from their loved ones is having a profound impact both mentally and physically.

Residents are “afraid they won’t even meet their grandchildren before they pass away” if restrictions remain in place, she said, while “memories of relationships (are) fading”. The restrictions are also having a “profound impact” on physical wellbeing.

“Isolation is impeding people’s mental health, particularly those living with dementia, it’s causing distress, increased confusion, people think they’ve been abandoned by their families,” she told MPs

“Too many people are passing away without the support and love of their family with end of life visits only being allowed at the very end of life.”

She added that people are experiencing a “sudden lack of control” over their lives and the impact has been “severe”.

“We’ve heard about people who have stopped eating, stopped drinking, stopped taking medication, people who have lost speech and we hear about people losing the will to live,” she said.

“One helpline caller told us that his wife starved herself to death.”

06:13 PM

Primary school staff to receive Covid tests from next week

Primary schools will begin to receive coronavirus tests for their staff from next week, the Government has announced.

Under the current lockdown rules, primary schools are only open to vulnerable children and the children of key workers in a bid to stop them acting as "vectors of transmission".

06:10 PM

Covid-19 kills four senior Malawi officials in a day as infections skyrocket

Two cabinet ministers and two senior politicians in Malawi died of Covid-19 over a 24-hour period as the country recorded its sharpest rise in cases since the start of the pandemic.

Local government minister Lingson Belekanyama and minister of transport Sidik Mia both passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, while two other senior government figures have also died, authorities have said in separate statements.

"This morning alone, Covid-19's crusade of death claimed the lives of two high-ranking government officials," President Lazarus Chakwera said in a radio address to the nation on Tuesday.

"We presently find ourselves in one of the darkest hours in our nation’s history. We have entered the eye of this pandemic's storm," Mr Chakwera added, urging Malawians to wear masks and socially distance to help prevent the spread of the virus.

On Monday, Malawi recorded 452 new cases and 10 new deaths, the highest daily numbers since the virus was first detected in the country in April, according to the head of the Covid-19 presidential taskforce, John Phuka. Authorities have suspended all major public events and are pondering declaring a state of emergency.

Anna Pujol-Mazzini has the full report here.

06:00 PM

UK news briefing: All the latest headlines this evening

Another 1,564 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 – the highest number of UK deaths reported on a single day since the pandemic began.

Boris Johnson has said the Government is concerned about a new strain of coronavirus identified in Brazil. At Prime Minister's Questions earlier, he confirmed that round-the-clock vaccine centres will be opened "as soon as we can".

It comes as Nicola Sturgeon further tightened the rules of the lockdown in Scotland. The new restrictions include stopping retailers selling non-essential items from offering click-and-collect services, which will now require staggered appointments.

Chris Price has all this - and much more - here.

05:50 PM

Pills could replace Covid jabs with British biotech breakthrough

A groundbreaking pill-based vaccine which could one day transform the fight against Covid is being developed by a Sussex biotech firm, writes Julia Bradshaw.

Burgess Hill-based IosBio has come up with a way to turn injected vaccines into orally administered tablets and is now working with Californian firm ImmunityBio to test the technology in clinical trials.

Clinical trials in monkeys have shown the oral vaccine made using iosBio technology to be highly effective. The jab version, developed by ImmunityBio, is already in phase two/three trials.

The oral vaccine will begin clinical trials on Americans this month and ImmunityBio is applying for regulatory approval to run tests in Britain too.

Approval remains many months away if it happens at all, but a pill-based vaccine would be far easier to transport and administer than injections and could drastically speed up the race to immunise the world's population.

Read more: IosBio has found a way to turn vaccines into tablets

05:42 PM

Coronavirus vaccine: It may be summer before Germany has enough doses, admits Angela Merkel

Germany is facing a coronavirus vaccine shortage and may not be able to secure sufficient stocks until July, Angela Merkel privately told MPs this week.

The admission comes amid a shaky start to the vaccine roll-out across much of the continent after the European Commission failed to order enough doses.

The German government has publicly insisted it will be able to make up the shortfall, but it has emerged Mrs Merkel this week told MPs from her Christian Democrat party (CDU) that may not be possible until the summer.

“The question is: do we have enough vaccine at the moment?” Mrs Merkel said on a conference call, according to details leaked to Bild newspaper. “Quarters one and two will be critical. From the third quarter we will be more likely to have a surplus than a need.”

The admission was a direct contradiction of the claims of Jens Spahn, the health minister, who has said Germany will be able to vaccinate its entire population by the end of June.

Read more from our foreign correspondents here.

05:34 PM

Third concerning coronavirus variant should be a 'wake up call' to the world, experts warn

An expert has warned that a new coronavirus variant detected in four travellers from Brazil is “as concerning” as strains previously found in the UK and South Africa, writes Sarah Newey.

The variant was picked up during routine surveillance by Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), which analyses the genomes from all international travellers who test positive for Covid-19 on arrival.

Professor Tulio de Oliveira – who is leading South Africa’s effort to understand the new strain detected in December – told the Telegraph that the mutation “emerged independently” from those detected in South Africa (called 501.V2) and the UK (B.1.1.7).

But Prof de Oliveira, a virologist and bioinformatician at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, said initial analysis suggests all three variants share concerning characteristics.

Earlier today, Boris Johnson told the Liaison Committee that while the Government is "very concerned" about the prospect of the South African variant spreading further in the UK, not enough is yet known regarding its characteristics.

• Full story: Japan variant shares 'concerning' characteristics with other strains

05:23 PM

Israel coronavirus vaccine: Infection rates slashed after first jab, early data suggest

Early studies in Israel have found that coronavirus vaccines can reduce infection rates by up to 60 per cent in those who have received their first jab, James Rothwell writes from Jerusalem, as the country's health minister stressed there was still a need for extreme caution.

According to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, preliminary research by healthcare provider Maccabi said the first dose of the vaccine reduced the risk of catching coronavirus by 60 per cent after 14 days.

A similar study by Clalit, another Israeli healthcare provider, put the figure somewhat lower at 33 per cent after testing 200,000 citizens who had received their first vaccination.

In an interview with the Telegraph, Yuli Edelstein, the country's health minister, said Israelis needed to stay vigilant as there was still a risk of catching the virus within two weeks of receiving a jab.

"Those who are getting the first shot should still be very, very cautious about their behaviour, due to the partial resistance to the disease," Mr Edelstein said.

• Read more: Risk of catching virus falls up to 60 per cent fortnight after jab

05:09 PM

Using a narrow needle for Covid vaccines boosts supplies up to 20 per cent

Using a narrow needle to administer coronavirus jabs significantly boosts supply of the vaccine, officials have announced, writes Henry Bodkin.

Drawing the liquid drug out of a vile using a syringe with less “dead space” increases the number of doses available by up to 20 per cent, according to Public Health England.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations, said staff had been able to get at least one more dose out of vials for both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs.

However, she said the additional capacity had not been factored into the national roll-out plans, suggesting that the forecast deliveries of jabs could immunise more people than planned.

05:02 PM

Covid vaccine: Indonesia launches one of world's biggest inoculation drives

Indonesia launched one of the world's biggest Covid-19 vaccination campaigns today with President Joko Widodo getting the first shot of a Chinese vaccine as his country fights one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Asia, reports Venetia Rainey.

The drive aims to inoculate 181.5 million people, with the first to be vaccinated receiving the CoronaVac vaccine from China's Sinovac Biotech, which Indonesia authorised for emergency use on Monday.

Unlike many countries, Indonesia intends to inoculate its working population first, rather than the elderly, partly because it does not have enough data from clinical trials on CoronaVac's efficacy on older people.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin has said nearly 1.5 million medical workers would be inoculated by February, followed by public servants and the general population within 15 months.

04:35 PM

Boris Johnson: 'Jabs, jabs, jabs' will deliver employment

Boris Johnson has said that the Kickstart scheme will help young people, but vaccines will fundamentally reopen society and recharge their prospects.

"Jobs, jobs, jobs is our focus, but the way to deliver that agenda is jabs, jabs, jabs," he told the Liaison Committee.

On the struggles faced by hospitality firms, the Prime Minister said he is aware firms are facing a "tough" period but is meeting regularly with industry representatives.

04:27 PM

Covid hospital admissions in London and South-East fall for first time in a month

Hospital admissions for coronavirus in London and the South-East have fallen for the first time in a month amid hopes that Britain is beginning to move past the peak of the current wave.

The most recent figures show that, on Sunday, rolling seven-day admissions for London had dropped by 131 cases to 5,919 – the first decrease recorded since December 2.

Daily admissions in the capital appear to have peaked on January 7, when 524 people were taken to hospital with Covid, but fell to 473 by the weekend. In the South-East, 716 new admissions were recorded on January 6, but that dropped to 583 by Sunday, the most recent regional breakdown shows.

Sarah Knapton has the full story.

04:06 PM

UK coronavirus deaths: 1,564 fatalities confirmed

A further 1,564 deaths with coronavirus have been confirmed by the Department for Health.

It comes as 47,525 more people tested positive after 584,760 tests were for the virus conducted.

04:01 PM

Boris Johnson: Not yet clear when we'll know about vaccine impact on virus spread

Sir Bernard Jenkin asks Boris Johnson when we will know whether those vaccinated are safe to let out and can no longer spread the virus.

"When will we know that the vaccine enables people to go back to their daily lives?" he asks.

"I can't tell you about transmission yet," replies Mr Johnson. "As soon as we have that data we'll publish them."

Watch the Prime Minister live at the Liaison Committee below:

03:54 PM

Brazilian Covid variant: Government "very concerned", says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has told the Liaison committee that he is "very concerned" about the spread of the new coronavirus variant that was first identified in Brazil.

"We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad," he said.

"We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant. We wouldn't know as much as we do about the South African variant or the Brazilian variant without NHS Test and Trace."

03:52 PM

Boris Johnson: NHS and councils must work together to stop 'undermining trust and cooperation'

Sir Bernard Jenkin says that local authorities should have been involved in the Test and Trace scheme much earlier.

He asks the Prime Minister why NHS officials are being encouraged not to share information with partners, and says they are "undermining trust and cooperation when we should all be pulling together".

Mr Johnson says it is "vital" that the NHS and local authorities collaborate in the vaccine roll-out.

"All colleagues will be familiar with the experience of local friction between the NHS and local authorities," he says. "It's vital that they work together but also that the NHS shares data about who has been vaccinated and who hasn't."

Mr Johnson says that there is "potentially some evidence" that black and minority ethnic community groups are "hard to reach" in the vaccination process.

03:47 PM

Boris Johnson: Vaccine decisions will be up to JCVI

Boris Johnson says that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has set up the nine priority rankings and repeats his promise to vaccinate the first four by February 15.

"We will leave the decisions on which groups should be prioritised to the JCVI, and I'm sure that's the right thing to do," he says.

"But clearly when it comes to the manufacture of the vaccine there is a critical role for those workers and that has to be taken into consideration."

Mr Johnson is asked why not all of the Ministry of Defence personnel on stand-by have been deployed, and whether extra support would be available to devolved nations from the army.

"We will step up their involvement as the distribution campaign accelerates. At the moment, that's not the constraint," he says.

03:43 PM

Boris Johnson agrees with long-term plan for health and social care

Boris Johnson has agreed with suggestions Government should consider a longer term plan in order to understand how many doctors and nurses are needed.

Jeremy Hunt, the chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, asked Mr Johnson why the Government had not been forthcoming in providing regional breakdowns of vaccinations, and what the plan is for social care going forward.

Mr Johnson said that the Government was working "hand in glove" with local authorities but would provide data as soon as available.

His commitments to healthcare and social care stand despite the economic and budgetary implications of the pandemic, he added.

03:30 PM

Sadiq Khan calls for stricter London rules

Sadiq Khan has reiterated his calls for greater coronavirus restrictions as he said that more than 10,000 Londoners have now died with coronavirus.

"We're pleading with the Prime Minister to bring in additional restrictions to provide clarity and bring this virus under control," he told Sky News.

"The Government should be requiring all places of worship to close down. We want to be saying to all Londoners you must wear a face mask, outdoors even, where you can't keep your distance. We think those who are asked to self-isolate should be given additional financial support."

He also questioned the need for non-essential retail outlets, garden centres and wine merchants to still be open.

"The vast, vast majority of people are following the rules, but the rules are less strict and lighter than they were in March and April," Mr Khan said. "We know the NHS has far greater pressures now than back in spring and so it's not understandable why we've got these lighter restrictions. Nobody likes having more restrictions but we need to alleviate the pressure."

03:14 PM

England's new lockdown rules - and the stricter measures being considered

Boris Johnson plunged England into a third national lockdown to try to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus, as the country moved to Covid Alert Level 5.

Instead of introducing a Tier 5, the Prime Minister announced a new national lockdown, which replaced the Tier system across England.

Alert Level 5, the red level, is the highest level in the plan announced by Mr Johnson in May. It means there is a significant risk that the healthcare services could become overwhelmed, and strict social distancing rules are needed.

The lockdown means people will only be able to leave their homes for limited reasons, with measures expected to stay in place until mid-February at the earliest. Some regulations could continue until March 31 if necessary, after the timetable passed through the Commons on January 6.

Read more: The rules for 'the last phase of the struggle'

02:56 PM

Only one in 10 passengers arriving in UK checked for Covid compliance

Only one in 10 passengers arriving in the UK are checked to make sure they are complying with coronavirus quarantine rules, MPs have been told.

Lucy Moreton, professional officer at the Immigration Services Union, told the Commons Home Affairs committee that any checks carried out on passengers are "very basic".

"We don't check every arriving passenger. We aim, where there is a high level of compliance with that carrier, to check about 10 per cent of arrivals," she said.

"[The checks] are very limited, unfortunately. There simply is not the facility in the border to make any checks on the veracity of what's there."

02:36 PM

UK coronavirus deaths: More than 1,000 deaths confirmed in English hospitals

A further 1,012 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in English hospitals, bringing the total number of confirmed hospital deaths to 57,828.

Patients were aged between 39 and 102, NHS England said. All except 46 - who were aged between 39 and 98 - had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between May 8 and January 12, with the majority being on or after January 6. Fifty-four other deaths were reported without a positive coronavirus test result.

02:33 PM

Jonathan Van-Tam volunteering as a vaccinator

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, England's deputy chief medical officer, joined the vaccination team at the Richard Herrod Centre on Sunday.

Prof Van-Tam is supporting the vaccine roll-out programme in his spare time as a volunteer - as well as taking a major leadership role in it in his day job.

He said: “Thank you to all the volunteers and staff for the professional and warm welcome.

"We are at the worst stage of the pandemic so far and the situation is extremely concerning but your contribution will make a positive difference”

02:28 PM

Covid origins: US report expected to claim Chinese army grew 'dangerous coronaviruses' in Wuhan

British diplomats are bracing for the United States to make grave allegations against China linked to "dangerous" coronavirus research in Wuhan, write Lucy Fisher and Sophia Yan.

Donald Trump is thought to be intent on firing a final salvo against Beijing over the Covid-19 crisis as one of his final acts before he departs the Oval Office next week.

UK sources believe Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, could make a public intervention as soon as today involving the declassification of American intelligence on the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The US may allege that the People’s Liberation Army were running research projects that involved "cultivating dangerous coronaviruses" in a series of animal species at the laboratory, a UK source told The Telegraph.

British intelligence sources have maintained that the available evidence suggests that the virus appears to have originated among wildlife.

Downing Street yesterday reiterated its commitment to a probe into the origins of the virus in China.

Full story: US report expected to allege Chinese army grew coronaviruses in Wuhan

02:16 PM

Pope Francis receives vaccine, according to reports

Pope Francis has reportedly received the coronavirus vaccine today, according to La Nacion Argentina, as the Vatican City - the smallest independent country in the world, home to around 450 people - launched its vaccination drive.

“I believe that ethically everyone should take the vaccine,” the Pope told TV station Canale 5 this week.

“It is an ethical choice because you are gambling with your health, with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others.”

Last week the Pope's personal doctor died after complications from contracting the virus.

It comes as the Italian Health Minister said it was 'inevitable' that coronavirus restrictions could be extended to April 30 when they are next up for review.

02:05 PM

Coronavirus vaccine given to homeless people in first scheme of its kind

The vaccine for coronavirus has been given to homeless people in the first scheme of its kind in the UK.

Oldham Council and local GPs made a priority group to get the vaccine at the start of the roll-out, and a clinic was organised at a shelter where around 30 people have received injections so far.

Dr Zahid Chauhan, who also sits on Oldham council, said that it was "the right thing to do and the human thing to do".

"It is setting an example for the rest of the country, rest of the world, and saying, 'Please, please don't ignore these people'," he said.

"These are the most extremely vulnerable people, the life expectancy is 43, 45, there is a reason why their life expectancy is so low. We can protect them, and if they catch Covid they become ill and if they become ill, that's where you end up in hospitals, if you are lucky, your hospital beds go, your ICU beds go."

01:44 PM

Scotland lockdown: what are the new Covid rules under the 'stay at home' order?

Nicola Sturgeon announced the "Stay At Home" message on Jan 4, and this rule is now enforceable by law on the Scottish mainland, similar to the lockdown seen in Scotland in March last year.

However, the First Minister expanded these rules on Jan 13, stating that the new restrictions are "regrettable" but are a means to an end. Click-and-collect services will be banned, apart from those which serve essentials, such as clothing, baby equipment and books. Stores must provide staggered appointment times to prevent customer contact.

In addition, takeaway food and hot drinks can only be served outside of the building, such as through a doorway or a serving hatch, and a ban has been placed on alcohol consumption in public in Level 4 areas, including those purchased at takeaway services.

The restrictions will remain in place until the end of January, although Ms Sturgeon has not ruled out extending this lockdown if necessary.

Here are the rules and restrictions under the latest tightening of Scotland's lockdown.

01:30 PM

Boris Johnson: 24/7 vaccine hubs will 'open as soon as we can'

Boris Johnson has confirmed that round-the-clock vaccine centres will be opened "as soon as we can", during his weekly clash with Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs.

While Matt Hancock had told BBC Breakfast a 24/7 approach was unlikely to be "the major factor" in hitting the mid-February target, he said he was "absolutely" behind it "if it helps speed things up".

01:13 PM

Jonathan Van Tam: Face masks outdoors and 3-metre social distancing not necessary

Jonathan Van Tam, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, has poured cold water on plans to force people to wear face masks outside and to increase social distancing to three metres.

Speaking to LBC, he suggested that the new variants of Covid-19 did not make either measure necessary:

01:09 PM

Cash transfers would help more families than meagre food parcels, campaigners say

Crisis charities have reiterated that cash transfers, rather than food boxes, are the best way to help hungry families, amid a row over "woefully inadequate" free-school meal bundles being sent to families in lockdown this week.

Downing Street launched an urgent inquiry into the standard of food deliveries offered to some schoolchildren in England after a number of photos depicting the parcels surfaced on social media on Tuesday.

Gavin Williamson has now confirmed the national voucher scheme will return from Monday.

Anti-poverty organisations, including Save the Children and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, have called on the Government to reconsider the policy all together. They point to a large body of international evidence that shows money, not food, is the most efficient and effective way to distribute emergency aid.

Jordan Kelly-Linden has more on this story here.

01:01 PM

Scotland lockdown rules tightened: What Nicola Sturgeon had to say

Presiding Officer, I know that none of this makes for enjoyable listening.

If it is any comfort - though I don’t expect it will be - it gives me no pleasure to be talking about further restrictions on businesses and on our individual freedoms to come and go as we please.

But please know that we would be doing none of this, if we did not believe it essential to get and keep this potentially deadly virus under control.

Although these are dark and difficult times, we also have genuine grounds for hope. There are some early signs that the lockdown is beginning to have an effect. So we need to stick with it.

So at this critical and dangerous moment, please stay home, protect the NHS, and save lives.

12:52 PM

Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland lockdown rules 'a means to an end'

Obligations for employers in Scotland to enforce working from home where possible will be strengthened, Nicola Sturgeon has announced, and only "essential" maintenance work will be able to take place in people's homes.

Regulations will also be revised so that Scots must not leave or remain outside their home unless for essential reasons.

"Case numbers are still so high - and the new variant is so infectious - that we must be as tough and effective as we can to stop it spreading," Ms Sturgeon said.

"Today's measures will help us achieve that. They are a regrettable, but necessary, means to an end."

12:42 PM

Scotland lockdown rules tightened by Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed a further tightening of Scotland's coronavirus lockdown rules.

"The new variant now makes up around 60 per cent of new cases in Scotland - and makes it far more difficult to get the R number back below 1, without severe restrictions," the First Minister told MSPs.

Changes will take effect from Saturday subject to Parliamentary approval. These are limits on click-and-collect availability, restrictions on going inside to collect takeaways, and a ban on drinking alcohol outdoors in public.

"This will mean, for example, that buying a takeaway pint and drinking it outdoors will not be permitted," Ms Sturgeon said.

"Again, I know this will not be a popular move. But it is intended to underline and support the fact that we should only be leaving home just now for essential purposes."

12:37 PM

Exercising with another person is a 'lifeline', says Matt Hancock

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said being able to exercise with another person is a "lifeline" for many people, suggesting that any tightening of the national lockdown will not stop people from going for a walk with others, writes Gareth Davies.

Mr Hancock said the vaccination programme was "on track" to deliver the jab to the 14 million most vulnerable people by February 15 but that restrictions will remain in place in England for as "long as they are necessary".

Asked if he would specifically change the rule on people meeting one other person outside, he said: "We always keep these things under review, but you've got to balance the downsides."

He said the rule on exercising with one other person "is clear", but he was "very reluctant to remove this rule" because for some people, such as those living alone, it is an "absolute lifeline".

• Read the full story here

• Snowball fights will get you a £200 Covid fine, police warn

12:26 PM

Mental Health Emergency: 'We’re living through a crisis that can't be ignored'

On Monday morning, I appeared on Naga Munchetty’s Radio 5 Live show to discuss mental health in a pandemic, writes Bryony Gordon.

As the Telegraph launches a new campaign to shine a light on Britain’s growing crisis, Bryony explains why it matters.

12:23 PM

Boris Johnson: 'Best thing' for economy is vaccine roll-out

Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon, asks Boris Johnson to consider extending the VAT cut for hospitality when businesses are able to reopen.

"I know the Chancellor has done everything he can to help businesses during this pandemic," Mr Johnson says. "We will do everything we can to help as we go forward.

"The best thing will of course be to ensure that we roll out this vaccine and bounce back as soon as possible.

"Any further announcements that my Right Honourable friend makes will be well ahead of March 31, when we intend to have a Budget."

12:19 PM

Care home resident must have vaccine despite lack of family consent, rules Spanish court

A court in Spain has ordered that an 84-year-old care home resident who is mentally incapacitated must be vaccinated against Covid-19, even though her family do not consent to the jab because they fear it may have adverse side-effects, writes James Badcock in Madrid.

In the first case of its kind to be judged during the Covid vaccination roll-out across Spain, a judge in Santiago de Compostela said that the “low risk” of the vaccine harming the woman’s health was outweighed by the dangers of remaining exposed to infection.

The DomusVi San Lázaro care home in which the 84-year-old is resident brought the case to the court in an attempt to overturn the refusal by the woman’s daughter and legal guardian to consent to the administration of the Pfizer vaccine.

A medical report confirmed to the court that the woman was incapable of taking the decision herself due to an advanced state of dementia that prevented “even minimal participation in the decision on the desirability or otherwise of being vaccinated”.

The woman’s daughter told the judge it was hard to make a decision on her mother’s behalf, but that she and her siblings had decided they did not wish her to receive the vaccine due to fears that it would have negative side-effects.

12:15 PM

Boris Johnson: Nobody can doubt serious damage done by lockdowns

Boris Johnson is asked by Keir Starmer: "Why on earth are restrictions much weaker than last March?"

"We keep things under constant review and we continue to do so," responds the Prime Minister. "If there is any need to toughen up restrictions - which I don't rule out - we will of course come to this House.

"I pointed out to the House that the lockdown measures combined to the Tier 4 measures are starting to show signs of some effect, and we must take account of that too.

"Nobody can doubt the serious damage that is done by lockdowns to people's mental health, to jobs, to livelihoods as well. You'd think he had no other policy except to plunge this country into 12 months of lockdown."

Sir Keir Starmer says the UK ended 2020 with Europe's "highest death toll and deepest recession", and that Boris Johnson's answer was "simply not good enough".

12:11 PM

Boris Johnson: Tougher measures 'starting to have an effect'

Sir Keir Starmer asks Boris Johnson how he justifies the gap between receiving advice on December 18 about the new variant and the January 5 lockdown announcement.

Mr Johnson says he put "the vast part of the country into much tougher measures" on December 19, and "the beginnings of some signs that is starting to have an effect" are already present.

"It is early days, people must keep their discipline, keep enforcing the rules and work together to roll out that vaccine programme."

Mr Johnson says that even on January 5, Labour ministers were "advocating for schools to be kept open", referring to Sir Keir's criticism as "a bit much".

12:09 PM

Keir Starmer says Boris Johnson 'got it wrong' at last PMQs

Sir Keir Starmer quotes Boris Johnson's comments at the last Prime Minister's Questions on December 16, in which the Prime Minister said there was "no need" to change the rules on Christmas mixing or for "endless lockdown".

He notes that there have been over a million new cases and 17,000 deaths since, asking "how did the Prime Minister get it so wrong and why was he so slow to ask?"

Mr Johnson says that Sir Keir has "failed to point out that on December 18 the Government was informed of the new variant, and the fact it spreads 50 to 70 per cent faster".

"The situation today is very troubling indeed, the NHS is under huge strain. They are an extraordinary job under very challenging circumstances".

Sir Keir says that the indicators were already in the wrong direction on December 16, and that the Government had already received warnings about the spread of the new variant.

12:05 PM

Boris Johnson: 24/7 vaccinations will start 'as soon as we can'

Sir Keir Starmer begins his questions by paying tribute to all involved in the vaccine programme, and says was "really uplifting to see the NHS, the Red Cross and lots of volunteers working together" at a centre in Newham.

"They had a simple message, and it was if they had more vaccine they could do more," he says, before asking when the 24/7 vaccine centres will be open to the public.

"I can tell him that we'll be going to 24/7 as soon as we can, and the Health Secretary will be setting out more about that in due course," Mr Johnson says.

"At the moment the limit is on supply. We have a huge network of 233 hospitals, 1,000 GP surgeries, 200 pharmacies and 50 mass vaccination centres. They are going exceptionally fast and I pay tribute to their work."

12:01 PM

Prime Minister's Questions: Watch live

Watch live as Boris Johnson takes on Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions

12:00 PM

Nadhim Zahawi: More than 2 million vaccines a week will be needed into February

The NHS will be able to deploy two million vaccines a week by the end of the month, Nadhim Zahawi has said.

The figure will "of course" need to go above two million weekly injections in February in order to meet the current Government objectives, he told the Science and Technology Committee.

When asked about if areas that have completed the first four priority groups would be able to move down to groups five to nine, Mr Zahawi said that there was a "balancing of supply and those that are most vulnerable" to consider.

"We've got to make that decision. I'd hope by mid-February that the whole country had moved at the same pace, which is what the NHS is trying to do."

11:53 AM

easyJet cabin crew to be fast tracked to support the NHS vaccination programme

Cabin crew members who work for easyJet are being fast-tracked and trained up as vaccinators at NHS hospitals across the UK after the airline's offer of help to the Government.

easyJet wrote to Boris Johnson last November offering its furloughed members of staff, which it says have an "ideal skill set" in order to distribute vaccines nationwide.

Crew who apply will now be fast-tracked and receive online and in-person training on immunisation as the UK's vaccination scheme is stepped up.

“We are delighted to be assisting the NHS in their efforts to protect the nation’s health and help to roll out this crucial vaccination programme," said Johan Lundgren, easyJet's chief executive officer.

“We are incredibly proud that once again our crew can help to support the NHS and that we can play our part for the nation at this time – and I know so many of them will step up to help at this challenging time for the country."

11:49 AM

Vaccine priority list discussed as Nadhim Zahawi 'confident' NHS will meet mid-February target

Nadhim Zahawi has told MPs that he is confident the NHS will meet the Government's target of vaccinating all vulnerable groups by mid-February.

He told the Science and Technology Committee that there is no prior view as to who will receive their jabs once the current priority list have all been offered their vaccines.

"My personal view is that you want to protect as many people as possible, as quickly as possible," he said.

"You want to get through the nine categories and then you want to move towards teachers as the Prime Minister wants us to, police officers, and shop workers."

Second dosing of those currently receiving their first injections will take place in March, Mr Zahawi said, rather than being brought forward to February.

11:42 AM

UK Covid vaccines: Are we on target to end lockdown?

The roll-out of Covid-19 vaccinations in the UK is set to accelerate in the coming weeks as several new mass vaccine centres opened their doors on Monday.

Home Secretary Priti Patel gave a press conference on Tuesday afternoon in which she announced 2.4m first doses of vaccines have been administered in the UK up to January 11, up from 1.3m in the week up to January 3.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson presented the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, authorised just after Christmas, as a path out of lockdown when he announced the new national restrictions for England at the start of last week.

He stated that offering vaccinations by mid-February to everyone in the Government's top four priority groups - a total of 15m elderly and vulnerable people as well as frontline workers - would be crucial before ministers begin to ease lockdown rules.

Our data team has crunched the numbers to see if we're on track.

11:27 AM

Mental health of NHS staff 'a grave concern' amid PTSD and anxiety surge

Experts at King’s College London have blamed the scale of mental health problems on the high number of patient deaths, combined with the difficulty of providing decent end-of-life care.

New figures from the latest British Medical Association tracker survey show that among doctors in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, almost 60 per cent of doctors are now suffering from some form of anxiety or depression. Forty-six per cent said their condition had worsened since the start of pandemic.

Dr Jeeves Wijesuriya at the Healthcare Workers' Foundation said: "It is difficult to put into words the stresses being faced by NHS workers as the pandemic continues to worsen.

"These stats reflect what we know from first-hand experience is happening on the across healthcare today and the potential long-term impact on mental health in the NHS is a grave concern.

"Where they have been there for us over the last year, we must all now do what we can to help them: we are calling on the general public to help ensure healthcare workers access to counselling support."

• Read more: ICU staff traumatised, with half suffering PTSD and anxiety

11:20 AM

Covid rules: Police filmed issuing fines for parties, long journeys and car meet-ups

Newly released footage from Leicestershire Police shows officers handing out fines for Covid-19 rule breaches.

They came across people who had made long journeys to meet up with friends, house parties and a car cruise event.

It came as Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, said ministers and police were focused on improving public compliance with the regulations rather than any immediate toughening of measures.

A new analysis revealed that lockdown laws have changed 65 times since March, prompting warnings by lawyers and police of confusion among the public and even officers charged with enforcement.

11:11 AM

Summer exams 2021: Cancelled assessments may take place after all, says Gavin Williamson

GCSE and A-level students may have to take exams after all, Gavin Williamson has said.

In a letter to the chief regulator, the Education Secretary said that he would “like to explore the possibility of providing externally set tasks or papers”.

While teachers’ predicted grades will still be used, the exams may be necessary so that teachers can “draw on this resource to support their assessments of students”, he said.

Previously, Mr Williamson had told the Commons that while exams are the fairest way of testing a student’s knowledge, the pandemic means that it is “not possible to have exams this year” and that ministers will “put our trust in teachers rather than algorithms".

But he has now told Simon Lebus, the head of The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), that he intends to consult on what “broader evidence” should be used and if this might “require” the use of exams.

Our education editor Camilla Turner has the full story.

10:58 AM

Vaccines will remain effective against mutations for months, says Van-Tam

The current coronavirus vaccines should remain effective against mutations for months, England's deputy chief medical officer has said.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said his "hunch" is that they will not be "outwitted" by new variants for many months.

But he warned that the coronavirus behind the pandemic is unlikely to be eradicated and updated vaccines may need to be deployed on a regular basis, as happens with flu.

The emergence of more infectious strains of Covid-19 in the UK and South Africa has raised concerns about the ability of the vaccines to continue to offer protection.

10:57 AM

The robot will see you now

Here is the picture of the morning from China.

10:51 AM

Increasing social distancing to 3m 'unlikely to have impact'

Increasing the social distancing recommendation would have little impact on controlling the spread of coronavirus as the new variant is unlikely to make the virus travel further, England's deputy chief medical officer has said.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said he could not see how droplets containing the virus would gain the extra distance "like in the long jump".

Reports have suggested Government scientists want the recommended gap increased from one metre, if mitigation measures such as masks or screens are in place, to two metres. That would mean an increase in distancing from two metres to three metres without mitigation.

Prof Van-Tam told LBC Radio: "The question you are asking is whether the new variant is really going to be capable of moving a greater distance, and that doesn't kind of fit with my biological understanding, because the distance relates to the force of the cough or the sneeze or the respiratory droplet that flies out of you.

"Unless we were saying that the variant makes you cough in a different way or cough more violently, I can't see how you can gain that extra distance, like in the long jump as it were."

10:47 AM

Matt Hancock arrives at 10 Downing Street

The Health Secretary was on the media rounds this morning.

Here he is returning to Downing Street.

10:31 AM

Next in line for vaccine will be 'societal decision'

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said that in order to keep services running it would be a "societal decision" on which key workers are next prioritised for a vaccine.

She told the Commons Science and Technology Committee: "The issue is probably not about mortality, but more about the resilience of the workforce.

"That, actually, is a decision that probably is beyond the health data that we normally work with.

"I think there will be other factors that we would have to consider at that time and it's almost a societal decision, I guess, on which occupations are the ones that we most want to protect in order to keep our society going."

10:14 AM

Education Secretary 'disgusted' by food parcels picture

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he was "absolutely disgusted" by a picture showing the meagre contents of a free school meal parcel, adding that such packages "will not be tolerated".

10:01 AM

Watch: Piers Morgan and Matt Hancock clash over free school meals parcels

Here is the moment the Health Secretary and the Good Morning Britain presenter locked horns over the issue of the food parcels.

09:58 AM

Footballers need to avoid celebrating goals, Van Tam says

England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam suggested footballers should avoid hugging and kissing to celebrate goals.

Asked if was time to issue "no kissing" advice, he told LBC Radio: "I completely agree with you."

Prof Van-Tam said: "We cannot relax until we have a very substantially vaccinated population. Until then we are in a dangerous place - if you look at the NHS, we are in a dangerous place now.

"Every close human contact that is avoidable should be avoided because one-in-three of us will get the infection and have no symptoms at all.

"So, I'm afraid, yes, on the football point, on the sporting point, I do agree with you."

09:53 AM

Asda pharmacy given go ahead to offer jabs

An Asda pharmacy in Birmingham will be the first supermarket to offer Covid-19 vaccinations, the retailer said.

NHS England approved the use of the store as a vaccination centre, the company said, and its George clothing section will be reconfigured to operate 8am to 8pm, seven days a week and have the capacity to administer 250 jabs per day from the week beginning January 25.

It is the first of the supermarket's pharmacies to be approved to administer the Pfizer and Asda said it has offered all 238 of its in-store pharmacies, as well as its qualified pharmacists, to help with the roll-out of the Oxford jab.

09:47 AM

ICU nurses struggling because they are with patients when they die

Intensive care nurses are particularly struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic as they are with patients when they die, a doctor said.

Dr Caroline Walker, an NHS psychiatrist appearing on BBC Breakfast, was asked about the difficult situations staff were having to cope with, such as the number of patients dying.

She said: "It's extraordinary, and the sheer number of patients that are coming in now and the number of people dying, having to make really difficult decisions about withholding care.

"And IT (intensive treatment/therapy) nurses particularly struggling, as they're the ones that are with patients in their moments before death, and they're the bridge between the patient and the families, often.

"It's extraordinary pressures they're under at the moment."

09:46 AM

Different volumes of vaccine for different areas

Dr Nikita Kanani, medical director of primary care for NHS England, said different volumes of coronavirus vaccine were being delivered to different areas to ensure the roll out is level across the country.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast, she was asked if areas had to wait for others to "catch up" if they were ahead in terms of vaccinating priority groups.

Dr Kanani said: "What we need to do is make sure that it's level across the country. Not overly manage it, but make sure that somebody isn't getting into groups five and six when somebody in their over 80s in another part of the country hasn't been offered their vaccine."

She said all sites would be getting vaccine deliveries in the coming weeks.

Dr Kanani added: "But the volume of that delivery, the amount of vaccine that sites are given is slightly different depending on how many people they've got left in priority cohort one and two, and how quickly they've come on."

09:45 AM

Chinese Covid vaccine just 50% effective

A coronavirus vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech was just 50.4% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in a Brazilian trial, researchers said on Tuesday, barely enough for regulatory approval and well below the rate announced last week.

The latest results are a major disappointment for Brazil, as the Chinese vaccine is one of two that the federal government has lined up to begin immunization during the second wave of the world's second-deadliest Covid-19 outbreak.

Several scientists and observers blasted the Butantan biomedical center for releasing partial data just days ago that generated unrealistic expectations. The confusion may add to skepticism in Brazil about the Chinese vaccine, which President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized, questioning its "origins."

09:44 AM

Matt Hancock: Don't take the mickey out of the rules

The Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that lockdown restrictions in England will remain in place for as "long as they are necessary", as he suggested there are no current plans to tighten existing rules.

Mr Hancock urged people not to "take the mickey" out of the restrictions, but said it was "impossible to know" when they could be eased.

"We will keep the restrictions in place not a moment longer than they are necessary, but we will keep them in place as long as they are necessary," he told Sky News.

"These measures that we have got in place that we hope to be able to lift - and we should be able to lift, when we have been able to protect through vaccination those who are vulnerable - right now, the vaccination is not in a position to do that."

09:26 AM

The London Mayor's list of demands

Here is what Sadiq Khan wants the Government to do.

09:24 AM

Vulnerable people need to continue to shield after vaccine

Jonathan Van Tam said: "Until tens of millions of people have been vaccinated in the UK, then I want you to follow the advice.

"I want all the shielding people to continue to shield."

09:20 AM

Footballers need to be 'respectful of the rules'

Asked about the images of elite footballers celebrating goals with hugs, the Health Secretary said: "I know that the Premier League really think hard about this.

"It's important that it is carried out in a way that is respectful of the rules.

"Now of course they have special arrangements to ensure that the players are safe and they have a testing regime, but I do think that it's important that everybody respects, not just the letter but the spirit of the rules because it's actually the spirit of the rules that's important, which is don't pass on the disease, act as if you've got it and then you won't pass it on to others."

Mr Hancock added that elite sport is important during these "tough times" and that "watching it from the comfort of your own home is a perfectly safe activity".

09:16 AM

'I don't think we'll ever eradicate coronavirus', says Van Tam

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer said he thinks there will be a need for an annual Covid jab.

He said: "I don't think we'll ever eradicate coronavirus.

"But over time we will make it largely vaccine preventable and we will be able to live with it safely."

09:14 AM

No mixing and matching jabs, says deputy CMO

Jonathan Van Tam said "at the moment" it is not possible to mix and match vaccines.

For example, someone who had a Pfizer jab as their first dose would not then be able to get an Oxford jab for their second dose.

09:11 AM

Jonathan Van Tam says delaying second dose is 'right strategy'

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van Tam is answering questions from listeners on LBC.

Asked by a man who has had his second dose appointment cancelled, he said: "Right now we're in a constrained situation."

He added the "right strategy for us" is to delay the second dose.

Prof Van Tam said: "If you've got two grandparents and you've got two vaccines - what do you do?

"Do you give one both and leave one without anything or do you give them one each?"

09:05 AM

Coronavirus around the world, in pictures

08:59 AM

Government 'on track' for vaccine rollout target

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine will accelerate over the coming weeks as more supplies become available.

Mr Hancock told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that 2.3 million people across the UK had received the jab and health services were "on track" to deliver it to 14 million by mid-February.

"The rate-limiting step on the rollout is the supply of the vaccine itself. We are now managing to get that supply more than we have done before and it will increase over the next few weeks," he said.

"We have the capacity to get that vaccine out. The challenge is that we need to get the vaccine in.

"What I know is that the supply will increase over the next few weeks and that means the very rapid rate that we are going at at the moment will continue to accelerate over the next couple of weeks."

08:23 AM

Roadside Mum speaks out for first time

The mother who shared an image of the food parcel she received on Twitter under the name Roadside Mum has described the moment her children saw the contents.

Sarah, who does not want to be identified to protect her two children, is disabled and relies on free school meals.

She told BBC Breakfast: "As I unpacked that food parcel in my living room and looked at the contents, it felt very sad and very depressing, and one of my children came in and saw me laying this out on the floor and asked why.

"I said I was going to picture it because I didn't think it looked like a lot and I could see the child's realisation that this is what I've been given to eat for a week and just the sense of sadness.

"Where has the rest of the food gone? You know, this is meant to be a week's food. Why is it so mean?"

Sarah welcomed the response from education food service provider Chartwells, telling the programme: "It's a very positive step that they're going to look at where gaps have occurred, why they have occurred and seek to resolve them."

08:22 AM

Hopes of summer Olympics fade

Hopes of a summer Olympic games in Japan this year appear to be fading as the government is reported to be planning to extend a state of emergency to seven more prefectures, reports our South Asia Correspondent Ben Farmer.

Japan has seen some 298,000 coronavirus cases and 4,192 deaths so far, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Tokyo was given emergency powers last week, and today's move came after the governors of Osaka, Kyoto and other hard-hit regions also requested the legal basis to restrict residents' movements and businesses.

The postponed Olympic games are currently scheduled for July after being postponed by the pandemic in 2020. Yet public polling shows growing opposition.

In an weekend survey by NHK, just 16 per cent of respondents said the Games should go ahead this year - down 11 percentage points from the previous poll last month - while a combined 77 per cent thought they should be canceled or postponed.

08:21 AM

Government 'absolutely up for' 24/7 vaccinating

Asked if the NHS could end up overwhelmed, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast: "We're going to do everything we possibly can to give the NHS the support, the resources it needs.

On vaccinating people 24/7, he said: "We're absolutely up for doing that if it helps to speed up the vaccination programme.

"I can't see that being the major factor, because most people want to get vaccinated in the daytime, and also most people who are doing the vaccinations want to give them in the daytime, but there may be circumstances in which that would help.

"We're absolutely up for that."

08:19 AM

Social distancing will still be needed among those vaccinated

Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Sky News that measures such as social distancing will be needed "for a while yet", even among those who have received the jab.

"We must be very clear that vaccination will prevent disease in individuals but it may not prevent those individuals from transmission to others," he said.

"So, even though you've been vaccinated, you might not be completely protected yourself, you may be in risk of transmitting to others, so I think we will have to use extra precautions in terms of social distancing, wearing masks, for a while yet."

He added: "There is light at the end of the tunnel and certainly by the beginning of March we should see a sharp drop off in hospitalisations and deaths."

08:17 AM

Health Secretary confronted with Telegraph front page

Confronted with The Telegraph's front page story about some GPs having to pause their vaccinations programmes, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Well, supply of the vaccine is the rate-limiting factor. We have to make sure vaccine is distributed to everyone over 80 and then over 70."

Told on the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that if a particular GP has done that - they have to wait, per The Telegraph's exclusive.

Mr Hancock said: "Not necessarily because we're also vaccinating healthcare staff and care homes, but the good news is we have now vaccinated over 40 percent of over 80s."

Asked why anybody was having to pause, he said it was to "make sure we get the total supply we get in out as quickly as possible".

08:09 AM

Health Secretary 'hopes' this is the peak

Asked on BBC Breakfast if the latest data showed the country had hit the peak of this wave, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Well, I want it to be.

"But, again, that comes down to the behaviour of everyone.

"We brought in this national lockdown, the rules are really simple, which is to stay at home unless you absolutely have to leave... Together we can make this the peak if enough people follow the rules, which are incredibly clear."

Pressed again on if this was the peak, he said: "Well, we don't know, we published the data every day. I hope that it is. But we watch it like a hawk.

"Everybody watching this programme, we could all do our bit. Every time that you think, 'should I do that, should I go out for this reason, should I meet up with this person?' it's those individual decisions all together that determine whether this virus continues to spread and continues to increase its spread."

08:07 AM

Royal College of Paediatrics doctor 'shocked' by food parcels

Dr Max Davie, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said he was pretty shocked to see the pictures of food parcels - like the one below - provided to families.

He told BBC Breakfast on Wednesday: "I was shocked, shocked firstly about the sheer amount of nutrition contained in these parcels.

"It's fine for a week's worth of snacks but for the kids who are on free school meals often their school dinner is their major nutritional dose of the day and to have that turned into some beans and a bit of bread is not really good enough.

"I was also shocked that essentially 30 quids worth of funding resulted in £5 worth of food, I couldn't quite work out how that worked.

"This is extremely disempowering and demoralising for families who are often struggling and on the edge, to be told 'this is what you get and take it or leave it, do what you can with it'."

08:05 AM

London leaders call for tighter lockdown

London Councils and Mayor Sadiq Khan have implored Boris Johnson to immediately implement tougher coronavirus measures - including closing places of worship - or risk putting an "unsustainable strain" on the NHS and public services.

After a major incident was declared in the capital last Friday due to rising Covid-19 cases, Mr Khan and London Councils chair Georgia Gould have written to the Prime Minister calling for measures similar to those in place last March and April.

Aside from the closure of places of worship, they have called for the PM to make mask-wearing mandatory outside the home - including in supermarket queues, on high streets and in other possibly crowded outdoor settings.

Also among four major demands is for the Government to provide greater financial support for Londoners who need to self-isolate and are unable to work, backed by improved asymptomatic testing for key workers.

The two leaders also called for the the rollout of vaccines across London to be accelerated, and for the provision of daily vaccination data by borough and ethnicity.

08:02 AM

Nearly half of ICU staff have PTSD, study suggests

Talking of the report that nearly half of intensive care staff reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression or anxiety, Mind CEO Paul Farmer said it was "very shocking but sadly not surprising".

Given the pressures on the NHS, staff are not able to take time off to get away from the wards, so Mr Farmer said trusts need to make sure staff are clear on the support they have available to them.

One thing he would like to see is staff taking a short break at the end of theirs shift to remind them of the help that's available.

He said: "It's important to stress that some of these symptoms won't be seen for months after the event, so there is time to put in a system in place."

The findings, based on responses from 709 doctors, nurses and other clinical roles across six NHS hospitals in England, date from June and July 2020, after the height of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. About 45%reported symptoms consistent with a probable diagnosis of PTSD, severe depression and anxiety.

Experts have said frontline NHS staff are suffering more than combat troops, and that nearly one in five nurses working in ICU reported thoughts of self-harm or suicide, according to the study, published in the journal Occupational Medicine.

07:48 AM

NHS under pressure, in pictures

07:43 AM

Matt Hancock: Patients could be sent to hotels to ease pressure on hospitals

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said the NHS is considering plans to move some patients into hotels to ease pressure on hospitals.

Mr Hancock told Sky News: "There are huge pressures on the NHS and we are looking to all different ways that we can relieve those pressures.

"We would only ever do that if it was clinically the right thing for somebody. In some cases, people need sit-down care, they don't actually need to be in hospital bed.

"It isn't a concrete proposal by any means but it is something that we look at as we look at all contingencies."

The Health Secretary told the BBC it would be a halfway house for patients leaving hospital for their homes.

07:41 AM

London Nightingale begins to take patients again

The London Nightingale hospital is now receiving patients for the first time since April, Matt Hancock has said.

07:39 AM

'Impossible to know' when lockdown will end, Matt Hancock says

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said coronavirus lockdown restrictions will remain in place in England for as "long as they are necessary".

Mr Hancock said the vaccination programme was "on track" to deliver the jab to the 14 million most vulnerable people by February 15.

However, he told Sky News that it was "impossible to know" when restrictions could be eased.

"We will keep the restrictions in place not a moment longer than they are necessary, but we will keep them in place as long as they are necessary," he said.

"These measures that we have got in place that we hope to be able to lift, and we should be able to lift when we have been able to protect through vaccination those who are vulnerable - right now the vaccination is not in a position to do that."

07:32 AM

Exclusive: GPs leading the way in Covid vaccine rollout are forced to slow down

GPs leading the Covid vaccine rollout have been forced to "pause" jabs to allow other parts of the country to catch up, The Telegraph can disclose.

Surgeries vaccinating hundreds of elderly people every day have had their promised deliveries cancelled amid questions over the speed of the national programme.

Drug companies manufacturing the vaccines said on Tuesday night that they could provide enough doses to be administered 24/7 after MPs called for more urgency.

Read the full story by Bill Gardner, Lucy Fisher, Robert Mendick and Gordon Rayner here.

07:27 AM

Most-broken rule is meeting more than one person outside

Dr Fancourt said the rule that people are breaking most is meeting up with more people than they are allowed to outdoors.

She told BBC Breakfast: "I think people are thinking they've got that added protection from being outside with increased air and ventilation, which of course is true to a certain extent, but actually I think now we're looking at this new virus we've got to be particularly cautious on this.

"We're finding this across all age groups, so it's not like there's one particular group that are most likely to break this rule, but I think it's one that people, if they're looking to improve their own behaviours at the moment, it's a really good one to try and tighten up on."

07:24 AM

Police issue 14 fines for illegal car meet

But, contrary to the study, the Met Police issued 14 fines last week after breaking up an illegal car meet at a London business park.

On Friday, Jan 8, police were alerted by members of the public to the gathering at Whitby Avenue, Brent, and officers 14 people and nine high-powered vehicles.

North West BCU Commander Chief Superintendent Louis Smith said: "The individuals that officers engaged with were, by their own admission, aware of the coronavirus rules, and intentionally broke them.

"As many as one in 20 Londoners in some parts of the capital have the virus. Social meetings such as these are facilitating the spread and putting the most vulnerable in our community at risk.

"The Mayor’s major incident announcement, which happened within the same 24 hours as this car meet, highlights the extreme pressure that emergency services are under at the moment. If you choose to break coronavirus legislation, then you are choosing to increase that pressure. Please stay at home, stay safe, and protect our NHS."

07:21 AM

Lockdown compliance 'improving month on month', study finds

Dr Daisy Fancourt, from UCL's Institute of Epidemiology & Health, is lead author of a study looking at lockdown rules and which ones are the most likely to be broken.

She told BBC Breakfast: "I think one of the things we were most struck by is actually how good compliance is at the moment.

"We found that compliance has been improving month on month, and week on week, and actually it's now back to the same levels that it was last May, so whilst we hear the stories of rule-breakers, actually the majority of the population are really playing their part at the moment."

07:11 AM

Today's front page

Here is your Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, Jan 13.

06:55 AM

GPs leading the way in vaccine rollout are forced to slow down

GPs leading the Covid vaccine rollout have been forced to "pause" jabs to allow other parts of the country to catch up, The Telegraph can disclose.

Surgeries vaccinating hundreds of elderly people every day have had their promised deliveries cancelled amid questions over the speed of the national programme.

Drug companies manufacturing the vaccines said on Tuesday night that they could provide enough doses to be administered 24/7 after MPs called for more urgency.

Ministers insisted vaccine supply was the "limiting factor" behind the delays, although on Tuesday night Whitehall sources confirmed plans for the pilot of a 24-hour vaccine centre to test demand.

A senior government source said: "As well as more daytime appointments we are considering a pilot where vaccinations are offered for longer hours."

Read more: Deliveries diverted to allow other regions to catch up

05:31 AM

China sees biggest daily jump in cases for five months

China has recorded the biggest daily jump in Covid cases in more than five months, despite four cities in lockdown, increased testing and other measures aimed at preventing another wave of infections in the world's second biggest economy.

Most of the new patients were reported near the capital Beijing, but a province in northeast China also saw a rise in new cases, official data showed on Wednesday, amid a resurgence that has seen more than 28 million people under home quarantine.

The National Health Commission said in a statement that a total of 115 new confirmed cases were reported in the mainland compared with 55 a day earlier. This was the highest daily increase since July 30.

The commission said 107 of the new cases were local infections. Hebei, the province that surrounds Beijing, accounted for 90 of the cases, while northeastern Heilongjiang province reported 16 new cases.

03:58 AM

Johnson to face MPs today

Boris Johnson and health chiefs will be questioned on the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine this morning after warnings to abide by lockdown restrictions were stepped up to ease pressure on the NHS.

The Prime Minister will be grilled by senior MPs on the liaison committee after facing Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs on Wednesday.

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi and health bosses crucial to the jabs programme will also be questioned by the Commons science and technology committee.

The latest NHS figures showed 2,347,461 people in the UK have received a first dose.

03:34 AM

Indonesia's president is first in his country to get vaccine

Indonesian President Joko Widodo became the first person in the country to receive a Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday, as the government launched an ambitious vaccination campaign in a bid to stem one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Asia.

The immunisation campaign aims to inoculate 181.5 million people, with the first to be vaccinated receiving the CoronaVac vaccine from China's Sinovac Biotech, which Indonesia authorised for emergency use on Monday.

Dressed in a white shirt and wearing a face mask, the president, who is known as Jokowi, received the jab in his left arm at the presidential palace.

Nearly 1.5 million medical workers are set to be inoculated by February, followed by public servants and the general population within 15 months.

Indonesia on Tuesday reported a daily record 302 coronavirus deaths, taking fatalities to 24,645. Its infections are at their peak, averaging more than 9,000 a day, with 846,765 total cases.

03:29 AM

Today's top stories

• GPs leading the Covid vaccine rollout have been forced to "pause" jabs to allow other parts of the country to catch up, The Telegraph can disclose
• The end of the stamp duty holiday will leave hundreds of thousands of buyers poorer and bring the housing market boom to a crashing halt, experts have warned
• Royal Mail's postal coronavirus "blackspots" are affecting dozens more areas than has been admitted, research by The Telegraph has found, as MPs warned that lives are being "put at risk" by the problems
• Priti Patel said on Tuesday night that the lockdown rules are tough enough as it emerged that the weekly number of people testing positive for Covid had fallen for the first time in two months
• Thousands of Britons who have received their coronavirus vaccine are set to be offered a health passport as part of a government-funded trial taking place this month
• The third lockdown triggered an “unprecedented crisis” in mental health issues, amid a surge in calls to mental health helplines, with leading charities and psychiatrists urging the Government to offer more suppor