COVID-19 News And Updates

Public appointments commissioner raises concerns as spotlight falls on roles given to Tory-linked figures Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Criticism of how four Covid-19 “tsars” were put in place has been voiced by an independent watchdog, as a new spotlight also fell on appointments of as many as 19 Tory-linked figures over the past 12 months. “Greater clarity” about the terms on which the four were appointed in areas such as PPE and vaccine procurement “might have helped”, said the head of the public appointments watchdog, who recently expressed concern that the government was presiding over a new wave of political cronyism. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Photographer Grey Hutton has been photographing the impact of the pandemic and the community response in his home borough of Hackney, east London, meeting local families and documenting the support networks, with the support of the National Geographic Society Covid-19 Emergency Fund “The only time I come out of my bedroom is when my mum calls me,” Ava Ogarro quietly confesses to me as we chat on the sofa. She’s eight years old, and the youngest of three living with their mum, Joanne Piggin, in a two-bedroom apartment on the Frampton Park Estate in Hackney, east London. Ava hasn’t left the flat in days, despite Joanne encouraging her to see friends. Over the last year, something has changed and she doesn’t feel comfortable being around other people any more. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The artists have responded to the pandemic with comic, haunting works showing themselves being buffeted around a chaotic London. They talk about lines of coffins, illegal raves and ‘shameful’ statue-toppling As they call themselves living sculptures, I can’t resist asking Gilbert and George what they think of all the statue-toppling that took place last year. When I ask for their verdict on the removal of public works that have been accused of celebrating slavery and colonialism, they are sceptical. “We would call that shameful behaviour,” says George. “And it’s very odd – because normally those statues are totally invisible. Nobody ever looks at them. I remember, very near my home town, there’s a statue of Redvers Buller , the hero of the Boer war, surrounded by dying Zulus and things. And if you asked people in Exeter, ‘Where’s Buller’s statue?’, none of them knew. It’s a bit silly. Rewriting history is very silly.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Mark Rutte enters final leg of race in dominant position despite ‘difficult phase’ of pandemic Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Coronavirus has “completely taken the wind out of Dutch politics”, analysts say, predicting little change in the makeup of the coalition government after March elections as the prime minister, Mark Rutte, begins cautiously easing restrictions. Despite three nights of rioting and 400 arrests after the night-time curfew, the first since the second world war, was imposed in January, and one of Europe’s slowest vaccine rollouts, Rutte enters the last two weeks of the election race in a dominant position. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Berejiklian calls for ‘some certainty’ while echoing GPs’ concerns that lack of information is making it hard to plan for next stage of rollout Australia’s AstraZeneca vaccine rollout to start by 8 March Australian ‘myth-busting’ unit established to take on Covid misinformation Follow the global Covid liveblog The New South Wales government says it remains without key details of the vaccine rollout and needs “certainty” from the commonwealth to allow it to better plan distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Australia’s first 300,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Sydney on Sunday , but the NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said the state still had little idea how many doses it would receive and when. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

New Zealand PM says she understands frustration at people who have not followed Covid rules but argues against punishment Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has expressed frustration over rule-breaking by people implicated in the recent cluster of coronavirus cases, leading to further restrictions for Auckland. The city re-entered lockdown with level-three restrictions in place for at least a week from Sunday following the discovery of a community case of unknown origin. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Ahead of Wednesday’s budget, UK chancellor says he would ‘do whatever it took’ to support workers Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Rishi Sunak has indicated that emergency support measures such as the furlough scheme will be extended beyond the end of April in the budget on Wednesday. In an interview on Sunday, the chancellor also ruled out speeding up the easing of lockdown even if the data improved and defended his Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

BMA chief urges NHS staff to take up the vaccine amid signs of gaps in coverage among ethnic minorities Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage More than a fifth of NHS healthcare workers in England had still not received their first dose of Covid vaccine a week ago, the Observer can reveal, as medics urged their colleagues to take one as soon as possible. The government has claimed that all healthcare workers have been offered a jab, but new figures released by NHS England show that only 77% of all its 1.4 million healthcare staff had received the vaccine by 20 February. However, that figure is likely to have increased further over the past week. The figure is also likely to be higher for those working directly with Covid patients, but no direct data is currently available. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The tax break on house purchases saw prices rise by 8.5% – but is it really the best way to address the housing shortage? Reports last week that the stamp duty holiday in England and Northern Ireland is to be extended were met with unsurprisingly little consternation, surprisingly. I mean that I wasn’t surprised by the lack of consternation which, on reflection, was surprising. Can you be surprised on reflection, or just by a reflection because you haven’t had a haircut since October? I think you can. It was a gradual, creeping surprise that stole through me gingerly, like a presentiment of diarrhoea. People don’t like stamp duty, because it makes the surreal sums involved in procuring shelter significantly more eye-watering. Still, isn’t it a bit nuts, when you think about it, extending the stamp duty holiday? The country isn’t made of money. Except it sort of is made of money because the property here is worth so much. Particularly in the south-east, but in Britain generally, hou

There is mounting evidence that HRT can help menopausal women recover from the virus, but little action is being taken Coronavirus - latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage ‘To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle,” wrote George Orwell , and seeing in front of our masks in this endless pandemic turns out to be even harder. Take the compelling case of the effect of oestrogen, the female hormone, on the coronavirus. Quite simply, research suggests that women with more oestrogen in their bodies are less likely to die and more likely to have milder symptoms of Covid-19. Doctors are also discovering that topping up low hormone levels seems to help some women suffering from long Covid. Yet, this area of research is being sorely neglected. I wonder why? Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The chancellor must perform a deft juggling act in the budget. It’s not just the finances that will be hard to reconcile – it’s the politics Wednesday 11 March 2020 was a momentous day not only for Rishi Sunak, but for the UK and the world. It was the day Sunak delivered his first budget as chancellor of the exchequer. But it was also when the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic as cases of Covid-19 soared. In his budget , Sunak threw the huge sum of £30bn at Covid-related support. He told the Commons: “There is likely to be a temporary disruption to our economy. For a period, it’s going to be tough.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Priti Patel obtains advice on ensuring post-Covid demonstrations do not impact on ‘rights of others to go about their business’ Concern over the government’s limitation of the right to protest during lockdown continues to mount after it emerged that the home secretary, Priti Patel, is eager to grant police greater powers to control demonstrations once the Covid restrictions are lifted. In a letter to HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Patel wrote that although she appreciates protest is “a cornerstone of our democracy” she wanted to know how the Home Office could help police ensure protests in the future do not impact on “the rights of others to go about their daily business”. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Ministers urged to help families struggling to protect children with underlying health conditions Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Thousands of the UK’s most vulnerable children are being “forgotten” in the coronavirus vaccine rollout, charities have said, as they urged ministers to help struggling families. The country has met its target of vaccinating the most clinically vulnerable adults, but under-16s are not eligible as current vaccines have not been licensed for minors. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Experts fear policies of John Magufuli could undermine vaccine programme in Africa Grieving relatives of Covid-19 victims, health experts and opposition politicians in Tanzania have accused President John Magufuli of causing thousands of deaths in the east African country and undermining the fight against the pandemic across the continent. Magufuli has denied the local spread of Covid-19 in Tanzania, discouraged the mention of the disease by health workers, rejected most conventional measures in favour of prayer and said vaccines are dangerous, without offering any evidence. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Thank heavens we found a good parking spot… My father has been remarkably stoic about lockdown. This has surprised his children since we have, at different points, heard him complain about most things. He hates corduroy. He has an avowed distrust of traffic islands. He detests people using more toilet paper than is strictly necessary. My father's complaints sometimes concern me, usually connected to whatever 'lies' I've told about him in this column Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Social and economic changes have pushed people into ‘reluctant individualism’ First, the good news. Britons see inequality as a major problem and divide broadly along traditional political lines in their attitudes towards it. Then, the bad news. Britons are also inclined to see inequalities as driven by individual behaviour as much as by social policy or structural factors. So suggests Unequal Britain , a new study of public attitudes to inequalities published last week by the Policy Institute at King’s College, London. It’s a fascinating deep dive into perceptions both of the problems and the solutions. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Though a hundred thousand people have died, initial predictions were far worse, giving rise to many theories on ‘the African paradox’ Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage As Africa emerges from its second wave of Covid-19, one thing is clear: having officially clocked up more than 3.8m cases and more than 100,000 deaths, it hasn’t been spared. But the death toll is still lower than experts predicted when the first cases were reported in Egypt just over a year ago. The relative youth of African populations compared with those in the global north – while a major contributing factor – may not entirely explain the discrepancy. So what is really going on in Africa, and what does that continent’s experience of Covid-19 teach us about the disease and ourselves? “If anyone had told me one year ago that we would have 100,000 deaths from a new infection by now, I would not have believed them,” says John Nkengasong, the Cameroonian virologist who directs the Africa

Research shows more than 12 million signed up, from helping at food banks to fighting loneliness Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage He calls her his “wee ray of sunshine”; she says he brightens her day and talking to him breaks up the hours alone in the house. It’s an unlikely friendship between an 18-year-old student and a 70-year-old man, Chris, born out of the worst health crisis in a century. Freya Riley, from Kelty in Fife, saw an appeal for volunteers on social media last March and stepped forward. “I knew that people were feeling alone and I wanted to help,” she said. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Scheme to remedy Covid education loss sees teachers paid a fraction of hourly rate charged The government’s decision to hire private tutoring companies to provide “catch-up tutoring” to disadvantaged pupils in England after lockdown will cost schools and the Department for Education up to four and a half times more than these companies will pay private tutors to teach the children. An investigation by the Observer reveals some private tutoring companies hired are charging between £72 and £84 per hour for tutors via the government’s flagship National Tutoring Programme (NTP) scheme. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

For the Observer’s cartoonist, keeping a daily pictorial record of events was the only way to make sense of last year. He tells how a new book was the result On 13 December 2019 I woke up and reached out for the “on” button of my bedside radio. I lay back and listened to the familiar voices of Radio 4’s Today programme tell me the results of the general election. As the interviews and analysis washed over me, I felt that mixture of emotions that had become all too familiar. Anger, sorrow, disbelief and helplessness. It was how I had felt when Nick Clegg became David Cameron’s useful idiot, when Boris Johnson and Michael Gove stood at the podium dumbfounded by their Brexit victory and when Donald Trump’s tiny hands grasped the reins of power and he became the leader of the free world. Now a bumbling buffoon had won a working majority and was going to “Get Brexit done”. As I shouted at the radio, I noticed the sketchbook next to it. I love drawing in sketchbooks. I have hundreds of th

Scientists emphasise safety but younger women still hesitant Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Amy Taylor was chatting to friends over a Zoom drink when the conversation took an unexpected turn. One of the group – all in their early 30s, mostly university-educated and in professional jobs – mentioned that she had concerns about the Covid vaccine because she wanted to try for a baby in the next year or two. “I was surprised when others said they were also a bit anxious. Then I started thinking maybe I should be worried too – even though I’m pro-vaccinations and I know this is the way out of the pandemic,” said Taylor*. “This really plays into the fertility insecurity that lots of women in their 30s have anyway – have I left it too late, will I need IVF, should I freeze my eggs? We don’t want anything else that could interfere with our chances of motherhood.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Employees at Uline, owned by billionaires Dick and Liz Uihlein, have filed numerous safety complaints, investigation finds Employees at a private Wisconsin company owned by two top Republican donors in the US have faced significantly higher rates of Covid-19 infection and have filed numerous complaints about workplace safety to federal authorities, according to a Guardian investigation into Uline. Related: Billionaires backed Republicans who sought to reverse US election results Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Guaranteed training, education or work placements would be geared to the needs of the post-pandemic economy Young people who have been furloughed before being made redundant, or out of work for six months, would be guaranteed training, education or work placements geared to the needs of the post-pandemic economy, under ambitious plans unveiled on Sunday by Labour. The pledge to youngsters , whose progress in the jobs market has been blighted by Covid-19, comes as party analysis of House of Commons library figures suggests that more than one million people will become “long-term unemployed” (out of work for more than a year) during 2021 and 2022. The data also suggests that 660,000 16- to 24-year-olds will reach a point where they have spent six months out of work, education or training during the same period, at what they hoped would be the start of their working lives. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Money saved on commuting is eaten up by the need for bigger homes in order to avoid being confined to the kitchen table Homeworking is all the rage. Apparently, we’ll all be at it permanently. So proclaim lifestyle gurus and HR consultants. Many make a profession out of talking as if only professional work exists, forgetting that only a third of working adults are working entirely from home even in this lockdown. You don’t find many scaffolders working on the kitchen table. The gurus aren’t just predicting that working from home is here to stay, they’re also prophesying that it’ll be great and cheap. Not only will commuting costs disappear, homeworking will make housing cheaper, as not living near the office will mean everyone is paying small-town rents while earning city-centre salaries. Back in the real world, new research shows that homeworking households actually spent about 7-10% more on housing compared with similar non-remote households in the same region. Why? Homeworkers n

For diehard Remoaners like me, all this endless good news about jabs and carbon emissions is pretty hard to take Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage For those of us who like to talk Britain down, all this good news is hard to take. The vaccination figures are shocking. Nearly 20 million first doses administered. A forward-thinking procurement plan. The leading large nation, far ahead of the US and, more gallingly for us frothing Remoaners, miles ahead of Europe. Nothing could be more depressing for the honest self-loathing liberal Brit. You know the type. Recycle assiduously but fly once a fortnight. We can’t say we haven’t had a good run. The past few years have been wonderful. Any positive stories could be written off as a fluke or a statistical aberration. There has been abundant bad news to confirm what we already knew: Britain is a sad, grey little Plague Island in the Atlantic, incapable of relinquishing its past glories and heading full tilt towar

Gavin Williamson, once again, has passed schools a poisoned chalice to avoid any political risk to himself A pandemic that has seen schools shut for months, exams cancelled for two years running and has consigned the majority of university students to a distance-learning model, was always going to wreak havoc with children and young people’s lives. However, time and again the government has, through a mixture of incompetence, carelessness and a desire to pass the buck, made things worse. So it was with last summer’s examinations fiasco. The cancellation of all exams resulted in pupils enduring weeks of uncertainty as the government insisted on using a crude algorithm to adjust teacher assessments to reduce any grade inflation, then dropped this when all the problems – about which government had been warned – came to fruition. This created significant problems for universities, with some over-subscribed and others under-subscribed as a product of the resulting grade inflation. And it

NSW premier calls for federal government to keep states better informed of vaccine rollout plans • Follow the global Covid liveblog • Is Australia’s goal of vaccinating the entire adult population by October achievable? • The risk of catching Covid from surfaces overblown, experts say • Do Covid vaccines stop you spreading the virus? The rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine is set to begin by 8 March after the first 300,000 doses landed in Sydney on Sunday. The prime minister, Scott Morrison, announced the arrival in a statement on Sunday, saying it was “the next step as we ramp up the vaccine rollout”. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Australian state of Victoria reports zero new cases; Auckland seven-day lockdown begins ; UK records lowest cases in five months Concerns grow as UK Covid testing labs scaled back before even opening House approves $1.9tn Covid aid bill despite minimum wage setback New Zealand: Auckland to go into seven-day Covid lockdown See all our coronavirus coverage 12.46am GMT The Food and Drug Administration has authorized Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine for emergency use, making it the third vaccine available to the US public and securing another vital step in the US fight to control Covid-19. The decision was a formality after an independent expert advisory panel late on Friday afternoon recommended drug regulators approve the one-shot vaccine. Related: FDA approves Johnson & Johnson's single-dose coronavirus vaccine 12.42am GMT The Auckland lockdown has complicated several high-visibility sporting events planned in Auckland, Reuters reports. The organisers of the America’

Government data shows 19.6m get first jab and up to 770,000 inoculated a second time Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage More than 20 million people in the UK have received at least a first dose of coronavirus vaccine, with under 4% of those given as second doses. Government data shows that of the 20.5m jabs given in the UK up to 26 February, 19.6m were first doses. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Poverty and religion are creating a class the newly inoculated will come to resent Coronavirus - latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage It is easy to see how the pandemic could lead to class and racial strife by imagining how the UK will stand in six months’ time. The vindictive will start to describe Covid as a sickness of choice. Its victims will be victims of their own stupidity. They might have accepted vaccination. They might have protected themselves and others if, as seems likely, vaccines limit infections . Rational people will ask why they should continue to accept restrictions on their freedoms because of ignorant delusions. Employers will demand to know what possible argument there is against allowing the owners of pubs, airlines, restaurants, hotels or holiday homes to demand proof of protection when immunity passports might save their business. To make it personal, how would you feel come the autumn if someone you love contracted cancer and the NHS delayed t

Public spaces such as beaches and parks busy as temperatures reach up to 15C in parts of the UK Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Warmer temperatures have brought crowds to beauty spots including beaches and parks, amid calls from police not to make unnecessary journeys or meet up in groups. Large crowds could be seen at Hove seafront and Greenwich park in London, as temperatures reached 14C and 15C in parts of the UK. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley admits ‘critical mistakes’ after man unable to provide social security number turned away A university in Texas has apologised after undocumented immigrants were refused a Covid-19 vaccine, saying it had made “critical mistakes” in turning people away. The Washington Post reported that a pre-diabetic man, Jesús Díaz, 61, was denied the vaccine after failing to provide a social security number. It said Diaz was among at least 14 people refused a vaccine because of residency or immigration status by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The second world war veteran in laid to rest in his home town of Bedford Captain Sir Tom Moore - in pictures Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Employees’ reluctance to return to full-time commuting after a year of Covid means change is afoot for companies Susanna* has spent most of lockdown in back-to-back Zoom meetings. It is a major change for the senior banker, who used to commute to London from her home in rural Lincolnshire and regularly travelled across the country to meet business customers face to face. The 55-year-old does not miss the 5.30am alarms or spending three nights a week away from her husband and son. And she appreciates the way the bank’s management has banned calls between noon and 1pm – now dubbed “golden hour” – and cuts video meetings off after 50 minutes to give staff a brief buffer. But working from home has felt relentless, and after nearly a year she is longing to return to some sort of normality. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Defense secretary Lloyd Austin acknowledges hesitancy and says ‘we have to work to hard to dispel rumors and provide facts’ Reluctance to be vaccinated for Covid-19 is now rife in the US military, with about a third of troops on active duty or in the national guard refusing to be administered the vaccine. Related: How to avoid 'Zoom fatigue' during the Covid pandemic Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

A second world war-era plane flew over the funeral service in honour of Moore, who raised almost £39m for NHS charities during the first coronavirus lockdown. An honour guard fired three volleys as Moore’s coffin was carried into the crematorium by six soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment. After tributes to Moore by his family, a bugler played the Last Post Captain Sir Tom Moore’s funeral to get flypast by WWII plane Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Susan Michie cites evidence from previous vaccine rollouts, saying people should not drop their guard Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage People may be less likely to adhere to coronavirus lockdown rules after getting vaccinated, a leading behavioural scientist has said. Prof Susan Michie, the director of UCL’s Centre for Behaviour Change, cited evidence from previous vaccine rollouts, recent national surveys suggesting people would be less likely to abide by the rules, and evidence from Israel, which has the highest Covid vaccination rate in the world, indicating this may be the case. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Constantly being confronted with an image of yourself while video conferencing can be exhausting, says expert Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Imagine you’re walking around your workplace followed incessantly by colleagues holding a mirror which causes you to stare at yourself for large parts of the day. The bizarre scenario is in effect becoming the norm in the era of physically distanced video conference meetings and this “nonverbal overload” is leading to “Zoom fatigue”, according to a study by Jeremy Bailenson, professor of communication at Stanford University. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Planned multi-million Lighthouse facilities cut by up to 50%, with smaller labs decommissioned New Lighthouse labs, created by the government to boost the nation’s Covid testing capacity, are to be dramatically scaled back before they open. It is understood that new multi-million pound labs in Gateshead and Plymouth, announced last year but yet to open, are among those to see a big cut in daily testing by as much as 50% compared with original plans. Some smaller labs will be decommissioned and others will not have their contracts renewed this spring as part of the overhaul, with officials citing new technology and the changing pressures of the pandemic as factors behind a rethink. The changes are likely to reignite the debate over the use of public money by the £22bn NHS test and trace programme. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Public were not able to attend funeral but thousands of signed online book of condolences Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore paid tribute to the war veteran who raised tens of millions of pounds for the NHS during the first coronavirus lockdown, as he was laid to rest in a funeral broadcast to the nation. Speaking at the private service in Bedfordshire crematorium, Moore’s family said that his “message and his spirit lives on”. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Public Health Wales says more than 38% of adult population have received first dose Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage One million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered in Wales, with more than one in three adults in the country receiving at least one dose. Data from Public Health Wales shows that more than 38% of the adult population, 916,316 people, have received their first dose of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. So far, 89,053 people have received their second dose. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Prime minister dismisses idea that lockdowns will lead to permanent shift towards working from home Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Commuters will return to offices “in a few short months”, Boris Johnson has predicted, dismissing the idea that lockdowns will lead to a permanent shift towards working from home. Speaking at a rail industry conference via video call on Friday, the prime minister said he was confident workers would return to traditional work patterns when lockdown restrictions were eased. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Officials warn against ‘pathogen porn’ amid limited data, but researchers say they are simply stating the facts Reports of a new variant of coronavirus in New York City have circulated this week, causing a rift between health experts and city officials who questioned how concerned people should be when data is limited. Two separate studies in pre-print stages, meaning they have not been peer-reviewed, were released this week pointing to a coronavirus variant, named B.1.526, spotted in parts of New York City starting in November. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Are coronavirus cases rising in your local area and nationally? Check week-on-week changes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the latest figures from public health authorities Coronavirus has hit the UK hard, with the country recording more than 3m cases and 120,000 deaths linked to the disease. The government figures below include confirmed cases only – some people who have the disease are not tested. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Restrictions in country’s biggest city to be imposed after single Covid case of unknown origin was recorded Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern , has said the country’s biggest city, Auckland, will be put into a seven-day lockdown from Sunday after a coronavirus community case of unknown origin was recorded. The rest of New Zealand will be put into level 2 restrictions that limit public gatherings, among others, she told a news conference. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

If we are to offer more freedom to some UK citizens, there must be alternative options for those who have not been vaccinated Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage It’s the great British summer, lockdown is lifted and you’ve finally been fully vaccinated. You’re filled with a huge sense of relief. Vaccines are a game changer, not only because they drastically reduce your chances of getting ill with Covid-19, but because, as the evidence is beginning to show, they prevent the spread of the virus in the first place. Now you can finally have a drink in a bar without the uncomfortable feeling that you’re putting yourself and others at risk. But what if the person ordering drinks next to you and the bartender haven’t been vaccinated? Well, at least your elderly relative has had their jabs a while back – that gives you peace of mind. But what if the person responsible for their everyday care has refused the vaccine? No matter, the UK population at large is close

Rishi Sunak warns of risk to economy; Joe Biden tells US ‘now is not the time to relax - follow all the day’s news as it happens Van-Tam warns against giving up on Covid rules Experts criticise Boris Johnson for putting dates in Covid roadmap See all our coronavirus coverage 8.35am GMT New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, will enter a week-long lockdown, Jacinda Ardern has announced, after a new Covid-19 case was detected. The measures will come into effect on Sunday, the prime minister told a news conference. The lockdown was announced after a single coronavirus community case of unknown origin was recorded. 8.35am GMT Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned that the UK ’s finances will come under “enormous strains” following the third national lockdown, adding that debt accrued by spending on coronavirus support will have to be paid. Speaking to the FT ahead of Wednesday’s unveiling of the budget, Sunak said low interest rates have left public finances “exposed”. The government

Family-only service given honour in recognition of veteran who died at 100 after raising £38m for NHS A second world war-era plane will fly over Captain Sir Tom Moore’s funeral service in honour of the war veteran, who raised almost £39m for NHS charities during the first coronavirus lockdown. The C-47 Dakota, part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which operates from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, will perform the flypast. Moore, who died this month at the age of 100 after testing positive for coronavirus, will have his coffin carried by six soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment. A firing party of 14 will each fire three rounds in unison, and a bugler will sound The Last Post at the end of the private service. Related: Captain Sir Tom Moore obituary Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

This year’s graduates may never even know what they have missed – and it’s not the lectures Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The birds are singing, the sun shining and flowers are poking through the soil; suddenly we are in the second half of what has actually started to feel like the spring term. Even better, university teachers can dare to dream of once more accidentally writing on a whiteboard with permanent marker. Many have been expressing their deep yearning to get back into the seminar room. What about our students? They want to be on campus too, of course – but not necessarily for the same reasons. Think back to your school or university days. What are your fondest memories? My guess is that you are not reminiscing about a lecture. Formal contact hours are typically only a small portion of time spent at university. For me, my sharpest campus memories are heated discussions about the failures of capitalism and the inevitability of nuclear war,

Travel sites were buzzing after Boris Johnson unveiled his Covid lockdown exit plan, but much is still uncertain It has been one of the main topics of conversation all week: can we – should we – book a holiday for 2021? And will we be able to get our money back if it does not work out? Within hours of Boris Johnson presenting his plan on Monday to move England out of lockdown, travel websites were reporting a rush of reservations from people desperate to get a date for a break in the diary. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Study reveals unemployment among BAME people is double the rate for white people Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The coronavirus pandemic has held up a “mirror to the structural racism” in the UK’s labour market, the TUC has said, as a study reveals that jobless rates among black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are now double the rate for white people. There are 1.74 million people out of work across the UK, the highest level in five years, and business shutdowns are disproportionately affecting women and ethnic minorities. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Queensland border reopened to greater Melbourne as New South Wales reports no new cases for 41st consecutive day The Queensland border has been reopened to greater Melbourne, after the region was declared a hotspot on 13 February following a Covid-19 outbreak at the Holiday Inn quarantine hotel in the city. It means travellers can enter Queensland without a border pass or quarantining, with Victoria recording no new cases of community transmitted coronavirus on Saturday as restrictions were again eased. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Compliance with lockdown is proving increasingly hard for people in relationships who don’t live together Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Since most of the UK went back into lockdown on 5 January, people have once again been forced to “stay at home, save lives”. But with “pandemic burnout” on the rise many say compliance is proving increasingly difficult. People in relationships who do not live with their partner have been in a tough position throughout the pandemic. Faced with the prospect of breaking lockdown or breaking up, many couples have opted for the former. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Organisers say vaccine rollout and lockdown easing mean celebrations will take place in some form Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Pride festivals in Manchester and London will be going ahead this year, organisers have confirmed, with Manchester Pride being an in-person event as long as the UK government’s roadmap out of lockdown for England remains on track. After being postponed due to the pandemic last year, both sets of organisers said the government’s plans to continue to roll out the Covid-19 vaccine and reopen hospitality venues offered certainty that the events could go ahead in some form. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Unions say company should have done more to reward workers for dedication during pandemic Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Sainsbury’s and Argos workers are to receive a third pandemic bonus and a pay increase of more than 2% to match the real living wage outside London, as supermarket sales continue to boom during the high street lockdown. Minimum hourly pay for Argos workers outside London will rise from £9.00 to £9.50 from March, and from £9.30 to £9.50 for Sainsbury’s staff. Pay for Sainsbury’s staff in central London will rise from £9.90 to £10.10, still short of the independently calculated living wage of £10.85. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Republicans unveil minimum wage bills in response to Democrats’ push House will vote on $1.9tn Covid rescue plan today Airstrikes in Syria kill 22 in Biden’s first military act as president Republicans criticizing Haaland’s nomination have ties to fossil fuels Single Pfizer jab can reduce asymptomatic Covid infections by 75% Sign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email 1.31pm GMT Overnight, faced with the decision by unelected and nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough that the $15 minimum wage provison in the proposed Covid recovery bill be stripped out, Rep Ilhan Omar called for her to go. It isn’t without precedent, as Katie Shepherd notes for the Washington Post this morning : Parliamentarians are essentially the umpires of the Senate, ensuring that lawmakers follow the rules that govern how legislation moves forward. In recent years, the most difficult calls have involved bills passed through budget reconciliation, which allows the Sen

Yanshui beehive fireworks festival was almost cancelled but has gone ahead to hopefully ward off virus Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The fuse was lit. Dozens of helmeted worshippers and adrenaline seekers stood stoic if they could, or ran from the flaming projectiles and paper shrapnel, the thousands of explosions ringing ears a block away. In the final days of the lunar new year celebrations and as part of the lantern festival, this notorious Taiwan folk event was much scaled down but no less dramatic, and in the current global climate, newly significant. The Yanshui beehive fireworks festival was almost cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. But then it was revived, for the same reason. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Wary organisers call for government cancellation insurance as ticket sales soar Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Festival organisers are enjoying record ticket sales after the government’s announcement of its roadmap out of lockdown , despite uncertainty over what state support exists if last-minute cancellations have to take place. “Lots of our members have seen sale spikes since Monday, which has generated lots of consumer confidence,” said Paul Reed, chief executive of the Association of Independent Festivals. “There is a huge appetite for live experiences and I don’t think that is surprising. It’s about communal experiences, being outdoors in groups.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

JCVI says age-based approach is most effective, despite calls for teachers and police to be prioritised Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Adults over the age of 40 have been prioritised as the first group to be vaccinated once all at-risk groups in phase 1 have been offered at least one dose of the vaccine. Vaccination will then proceed down the age groups, with all those aged 30-39 years the next in line, followed by everyone aged 18-29. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Robert Buckland says government often acts unlawfully and key thing is that it learns from court rulings Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage There are plenty of times when the government acts unlawfully, the justice secretary has admitted, but “getting something wrong is not the same as deliberately flouting the law”. What mattered, said Robert Buckland, was that the government did not break the same law twice. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Getting up at dawn used to be vital, but pandemic productivity levels show early risers no longer have the moral high ground A study from Finland has discovered – I paraphrase slightly – that early risers are better than night owls. As I am an extreme night owl writing this at nine o’clock in some morning or other, I dismiss the findings utterly and assume the researchers have to be in the pay of Big Lark. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Thousands of Washington state residents have found vaccine appointments with help from a Facebook group Nicole D’Abreau had spent weeks searching for a Covid-19 vaccine slot for her 62-year-old, diabetic mother when she launched a desperate attempt. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Friendship blossoms in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet – plus all the week’s reasons to be hopeful Someone smarter than me once wrote that everything ends up for the better – if you wait long enough. Related: My Brother’s Keeper: a former Guantánamo detainee's unlikely friendship with his guard Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Latest updates: Robert Buckland said prison inmates will not be prioritised over other groups but emphasised need for speed and protecting staff Blair says collaboration on Covid could have cut three months off crisis English school leaders despair over new rules on Covid tests and masks Queen urges Britons to ‘think about others’ and get vaccinated Global coronavirus updates – live 9.29am GMT Keeping windows open and improving ventilation in schools would be a much more effective at reducing coronavirus transmission than asking young children to wear face masks, a government scientific adviser has said. Professor Calum Semple , a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he is “not a fan” of asking young children to wear masks, and there are better strategies for managing the virus. Primary school children are the lowest risk both to themselves and to society. There is really good data coming out ... that shows t

Nigel Skea, 52, from Southampton, flouted coronavirus quarantine order to visit fiancee Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A British man has been sentenced to two weeks in jail and fined just over £540 for breaking a coronavirus quarantine order in Singapore to visit his fiancee. Nigel Skea , 52, from Southampton, is the first Briton to be jailed for flouting coronavirus rules in the city-state. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Group calls for passenger digital health passes to ‘reopen skies’ as Covid takes toll Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The owner of British Airways, International Airlines Group, has reported a record €7.4bn loss for last year, and called for the introduction of digital health passes for passengers to enable the airline industry to get back on its feet. IAG said that passenger capacity last year was only a third of 2019 and in the first quarter of this year is running at only a fifth of pre-Covid levels. The airline group reported a total annual operating loss of €7.4bn (£6.4bn), including exceptional items relating to fuel and currency hedges, early fleet retirement and restructuring costs. It compared with a €2.6bn profit in 2019. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

With Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine close to distribution in the US, the end of the pandemic seems a big step closer. But not everything will return to normal right away Public health authorities want people to keep wearing masks and social distancing, even after they receive a vaccine . This might seem counterintuitive – after all, if someone gets a vaccine, aren’t they protected from the coronavirus? The answer is complicated: the vast majority of people who are vaccinated will be protected from Covid-19 , the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, vaccinated people may still be able to transmit the virus, even though they do not display any symptoms. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

As ministers review the feasibility of Covid vaccine passports, what limits could society fairly put on refusers? It’s the exclusive club millions long to join, the VIP pass that promises to smuggle us past the velvet rope. Although so far, it’s only for older and vulnerable people. Every day, the Covid jab starts to look more like a golden ticket back to normality, or at the very least a holiday. Without one, it’s already impossible to book many cruises, or an international flight with Qantas. And in more daring pensioner circles, it’s becoming the key to an illicit social life too. An older acquaintance let slip this week that underground dinner parties are back among his friends, although invites are strictly limited to those who are jabbed. He hasn’t yet dared take advantage, but wonders whether, when legal socialising resumes this summer, vaccine refusers will find themselves social pariahs. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

In a country where pneumonia, malaria and TB are much bigger killers, doctors say ‘resource-intensive’ Covid-19 is diverting precious resources Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage When stocks of medical equipment in the general ward of Tengandogo University hospital in Ouagadougou ran low as resources flowed to the coronavirus unit, medical staff bought the essentials themselves. Blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors and oximeters were needed. Even the ink in the printers had to be replaced. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Former prime minister tells the Guardian the world must be better prepared for the next pandemic World leaders could have cut the length of the Covid outbreak by three months if they had collaborated on vaccines, testing and drugs, Tony Blair has claimed as he launched a report on preparing for the next deadly pandemic. The former Labour prime minister urged the UK to take the lead in developing a new “health security infrastructure” that would ensure countries coordinate better in identifying emerging new threats as well as developing, testing and manufacturing vaccines and treatments. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Therapeutic Goods Administration may follow US in allowing vaccines to be stored at warmer temperatures Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine could soon be delivered at temperatures 50 degrees warmer than currently required if Australia follows the US’s lead to ease the rollout. The US Food and Drug Administration has announced it will allow the vaccines to be transported and stored at conventional pharmaceutical freezer temperatures for a period of up to two weeks. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Guardian music writer Laura Snapes, singer-songwriter Arlo Parks and musician Nitin Sawhney discuss the impact that Covid, Brexit and the ‘streaming economy’ are having on the sector The Guardian music writer Laura Snapes talks to Rachel Humphreys about why this has been such a challenging period for the music industry. Not only has Covid prevented musicians from touring, but the Brexit rule changes will now make it tricky for them to work in the EU. She fears the inability of the EU and UK to strike a deal to help the creative industries will hold back UK artists from a fast-growing market. Rachel also talks to the singer-songwriter Arlo Parks and the musician Nitin Sawhney . They speak about how they miss touring and the impact that the Brexit rule changes will have on their industry. They also discuss how the economic model of streaming platforms is challenging artists’ ability to earn a living. The major record labels take around three-quarters of streaming revenue every month

Press watchdog says News Corp columnist breached two rules. Plus: Daily Mail pushback on media bargaining code Andrew Bolt has received a rap over the knuckles from the Australian Press Council for attributing the spread of the coronavirus in Melbourne to multiculturalism. Two columns were found to have breached two press council rules: one for ensuring that factual material is balanced and fair and one for not causing substantial offence, distress or prejudice. In June last year the Herald Sun columnist wrote : “Victoria’s coronavirus outbreak exposes the stupidity of that multicultural slogan ‘diversity makes us stronger’. Oh, really? It’s exactly that diversity – taken to extremes – that’s helped to create this fear of a second wave.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

One year on from the nation’s first case of coronavirus, Aotearoa has largely eliminated the virus - communications played a key part in its success Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage “Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.” The catch cry of pandemic Britain under Boris Johnson, revived last month, might sound familiar to New Zealanders now enjoying their “unstoppable summer”. Johnson’s three-part slogan reportedly derived last March from a suggestion by Ben Guerin, a 25-year-old Kiwi who advised on the Conservatives’ social media strategy. His attention had been caught by a phrase that was increasingly prevalent in Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s messaging back home: “Stay at home, save lives.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

French PM says worrying Covid spread in 20 areas; global death toll passes 2.5m; Brazil death toll passes 250,000. Follow latest updates Biden hails 50m vaccine doses since he took office Moderna forecasts $18bn in sales of Covid vaccine this year Queen urges Britons to ‘think about others’ and get vaccinated Revealed: four in five Oxford Covid jabs delivered to EU not yet used See all our coronavirus coverage 12.42am GMT South Korea has launched its vaccine campaign, with the first jabs of the AstraZeneca’s injection going to nursing home workers and patients across the country. Authorities will on Saturday begin administering 117,000 doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine to around 55,000 healthcare workers in coronavirus treatment facilities. 12.34am GMT France will impose measures including weekend lockdowns in Paris and 19 other regions from the start of March if signs of the coronavirus accelerating persist, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday. Castex

Marathon runner Eddie Izzard, solo sailor Pip Hare and explorer Levison Wood explain what they have learned about enduring the seemingly unendurable It just goes on and on, doesn’t it? Despite the millions of vaccinations, and Boris Johnson’s “roadmap” for easing the lockdown , this pandemic is feeling increasingly like an endurance test – a marathon, followed by another marathon, followed by another. Or trudging for miles and miles across the desert for day after day. Or sailing alone around the world, battling storms and loneliness. How do you keep going? There are people who know a thing or two about that – keeping going, endurance, deserts and storms. Perhaps they might even have some advice. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian