Coronavirus news latest – Over 150 mass vaccination centres could CLOSE next month threatening to derail UK’s jab blitz

INCOME AND MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS

Among adults who had to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who had tested positive for Covid-19, around a third (32 per cent) said self-isolation had a negative effect on their wellbeing and mental health, while 28 per cent said they had lost income.

A majority (90 per cent) of those required to self-isolate after coming into contact with a positive case said they had followed self-isolation rules for the entire 10-day period.

Of those who said they had not followed the rules, a third (33 per cent) had allowed at least one visitor into their homes while 22 per cent said they had left home for a medical reason other than getting or returning a Covid-19 test.

These figures, which have also been compiled by the ONS, are based on responses collected from adults in England from March 1 to 6.

TIRED AT HOME

Nearly four out of ten Brits say they are more tired working from home, a poll has found.

Thirty seven per cent of people said they have the lowest energy levels they’ve ever experienced while grafting for the past year.

The same amount said working from home has made them the most lethargic and tired they have ever been.

The new workday has left Brits reaching for caffeine-packed energy drinks and coffees, with workers splashing £450 million per week on energy-boosting beverages and supplements.

VACCINE CONFIDENCE

The Government has absolute confidence in UK vaccine supplies, with all adults on track to receive a first dose by the end of July, a Government minister has said.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK’s vaccine programme will continue to be « world-leading », despite a row with Europe over vaccine exports.

European Union leaders stopped short on Thursday evening during a European Council meeting of banning exports of vaccines, as a disagreement with the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca continues.

RAY OF LIGHT

Scientists are trialling a new type of UV light which is hoped to kill coronavirus indoors.

Far-UVC could be a « brand new weapon » in killing coronavirus and flu bugs indoors safely – without the health risks associated with normal UVC light which can cause eye damage.

The UK Government has invested £296,000 in research at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, and for researchers from the University of St Andrews to further develop it at a Leeds facility.

REACHING OUT

Young people are more likely to help out friends as a result of the impact of the coronavirus crisis, new research suggests.

The Co-op’s charity said young people have responded to a year of social distancing and lockdowns with a spirits of caring and community.

The Co-op Foundation said its survey of 2,000 people aged 10 to 25 found that almost two thirds were more likely to reach out to friends who they think need help, compared to the start of the pandemic.

ISOLATION ISSUES

More than one in three adults in England have found self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 has had a negative effect on their wellbeing and mental health, new figures suggest.

Some 37 per cent of adults surveyed from February 1 to 13 said self-isolation had a negative impact, while 58 per cent reported no effect.

Around a third (32 per cent) reported a loss of income, while 13 per cent of those who had been working prior to self-isolating – either in or outside their home – said they were not paid during the self-isolation period.

CHURCH ON SUNDAY

The moderator of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly has said he will be back in his church this Sunday as the rules on religious services ease.

The Right Rev Dr Martin Fair said he agreed with the need to close churches earlier in the pandemic but believes it is now safe to return.

A group of 27 church leaders launched a judicial review at the Court of Session arguing Scottish Government ministers acted outwith their powers when ordering the closure of places of worship under emergency coronavirus legislation.

COVID EXPERIENCES

Academics are asking people from ethnic minority communities to share their experiences of the Covid pandemic for a vital research project that could shape future policies.

The project aims to investigate the impact of the pandemic on wellbeing and resilience across minority ethnic groups and will make recommendations to the Government to ensure long-term support is provided to those who need it.

Professor Iyiola Solanke, the principal investigator, said recognising the specific impacts of Covid-19 on these communities is important to prevent further discrimination and inequality, and the information collected by the project could be used to help in future pandemics.

VACCINE SLOWDOWN EXPLAINED

Professor Adam Finn, of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, has said the upcoming « slight slowdown » in the vaccine rollout is due to increased demand worldwide.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: « The demand for vaccine is racking up massively faster, so all the different programmes in different countries are really getting going, and so we’re moving into a phase where the rate-limiting step is vaccine supply.

« The other part of it is that the process of making vaccines is enormously complicated, it involves literally dozens if not hundreds of steps, and so getting those supplies going and making sure that all of the vaccine is in good quality, good shape, and good purity if you like, is always going to lead to some delays along the way. »

COUPLE TRAGEDY

A couple have died from Covid-19 after the husband was discharged home from hospital suffering from the virus.

John Morgan, 81, and wife Maureen, 83, died at the Whittington Hospital in North London in January.

Maureen, who had been shielding for nearly a year, caught the virus and both died in hospital within a week of each other on neighbouring wards.

They had been married 60 years and had already booked their Covid jab.

ZOOM PROBLEMS

Zoom meetings are actually bad for problem solving and idea sharing and workers would be better of just having phone calls, a new study suggests.

The last year has seen a widespread uptake of video conferencing with workers confined to their homes under lockdown rules.

While it may sound sensible that a Zoom conference is a good replacement for a face-to-face meeting, using video actually makes things more difficult, say researchers.

IRELAND QUARANTINE

Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine system has come into effect for passengers arriving from countries flagged as high risk for Covid-19 transmission.

As of 4am on Friday, all passengers arriving into Ireland from one of the 33 countries deemed high risk by the Government will have to quarantine for 12 nights at a hotel.

The stay could be reduced if a person receives a negative test for the virus taken on day 10 of quarantine.

Countries on the list include Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.

FAKE STAMPS

Amazon is flogging Covid-19 stamps that could be used to fake vaccination cards so people could wrongly claim they have had a jab.

Brits face having to prove they have been immunised to get in pubs, football matches and theatres when lockdown ends.

The online retail giant is selling the AstraZeneca and Pfizer BioNTech ink presses for £27.99.

Buyers could use them to make phoney vaccine cards.

EU TENSIONS

Dr Sarah Schiffling, senior lecturer in supply chain management at Liverpool John Moores University, said the UK is « not that dependent on the EU » for vaccine supplies, amid tensions with the bloc.

Speaking on Sky News, she said: « We have a lot of supply of AstraZeneca within the country… we’re not that dependant on the EU for imports of AstraZeneca.

« We have been importing a lot of doses of Pfizer vaccine from the EU, (but) this doesn’t seem to be right, now, in the eye of the European Commission.

« So the blockage of AstraZeneca, we have alternative supplies for that. »

COVID COP OUT

A sozzled cop has been sacked after blaming coronavirus when he reported for duty reeking of booze.

Appalled senior officers smelled booze on his breath when he walked in for the morning shift and fired him on the spot.

The Thames Valley Police officer, whose name hasn’t been revealed, told a misconduct hearing that he blamed Covid.

BOOKINGS SURGE

Pubs and restaurants have seen a huge surge in bookings for outdoor tables ahead of lockdown restrictions being eased next month, according to research.

Hospitality website Caterer.com said millions of people were making reservations for the two weeks after April 12.

Restaurants and pubs in England will be able to serve customers in outdoor seating areas from April 12 in the latest phase of the lockdown easing.

VACCINE PASSPORTS

Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick said the use of vaccine passports internationally could be out of the Government’s hands.

Questioned on Times Radio whether they would be in place for pubs being allowed indoor customers in May, as per the road map, he said: « No, we’re taking time to consider this issue carefully. It is a complex issue.

« There are two angles to it. Of course on the international stage, vaccine certification is not entirely within our control and if our citizens want to travel abroad, we’ll need to ensure that they are able to do so.

COVID RAIDERS

A centre which is rolling out Covid jabs to thousands of people in Dorset has been sabotaged by mindless raiders.

It’s the second attack in a week on the vaccination hub in Bridport.

Both times, the thieves have siphoned fuel from a bowser which powers the heating system.

Staff at Bridport Medical Centre say with the weather turning colder, it’s essential to keep the hub warm because they are in the process of giving over-80s their second jab.

JUDGE’S ORDER

A judge has ordered that an 83-year-old dementia sufferer should have the Covid-19 vaccine despite her son’s objections.

Judge Simon Carr ruled at the Court of Protection in Truro, Cornwall, that the jab was in the best interests of the pensioner.

The woman, who cannot be named, is living in a care home and agreed to her son have Power of Attorney and making decisions on her behalf some time ago, the judge was told.

CAR PRODUCTION FALLS

The number of cars built in the UK has fallen for the 18th month in a row, showing the ongoing impact of the coronavirus crisis on the industry, figures show.

Production fell by 14 per cent in February compared with the same month a year ago, with 105,008 cars leaving factory gates, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

It was the weakest February performance in more than a decade, fuelled by the pandemic that led to showrooms closing, new customs processes and global supply chain constraints.

EU WARNING

The European Commission president has warned AstraZeneca that it must « honour » its vaccine contract with the bloc before exporting doses elsewhere in the world.

Ursula von der Leyen urged « transparency » from other countries, but did not confirm if the EU would bring in tougher export restrictions on coronavirus jabs, amid a row over supplies with the British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant.

However, she acknowledged that worldwide supply chains needed to remain « intact » for vaccine production, while some European leaders appeared optimistic that the UK and EU could soon resolve their dispute over supplies.

WHAT DOES LAW EXTENSION MEAN FOR YOU?

MPs yesterday voted to extend the Coronavirus Act for another six months.

It means Brits can face penalties for flouting rules that didn’t exist just over a year ago.

So if you’re wondering how the legislation will affect you, here’s everything you need to know.

BORIS SAYS THERE’LL BE A ‘ROLE FOR COVID PASSPORTS’

More on that last blog post now.

Boris Johnson said yesterday: “I do think there is going to be a role for certification. There are three basic components. 

« There’s the vaccine, there’s your immunity you might have after you’d had Covid and there’s testing — three things that could work together.” 

The NHS app could be converted to become a digital Covid certificate, allowing people to use their phone to prove they meet one of those criteria.

Here’s everything you need to know.

PUNTERS ‘COULD GIVE BLOOD TO PUB’

The idea of Covid passports to go to pubs has been widely talked about this week – and lots of people have an opinion.

Now it’s been suggested that boozers could ask their punters for a blood test to prove immunity.

People could be required to take an antibody test to prove they have had the bug – which involves taking a sample of their blood for analysis, The Times reports.

Scientists believe that people who have recovered from Covid acquire natural immunity for up to at least five months.

More on this next.

UK CAR OUTPUT FALLS 14% IN FEB AMID COVID HIT

 British car production fell to its lowest February level since 2010 after an annual 14% drop as lockdown measures, global supply chain problems and new customs processes hit the industry, a trade body said on Friday.

Dealerships in England will not reopen to the public until at least April 12 as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 whilst a shortage of semi-conductors and Brexit deal rule changes have also impacted some businesses.

A total of 105,008 cars were produced in Britain last month, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

« These figures are yet more evidence of how badly coronavirus has hit UK car production, » said SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes.