DEATHS SLOW
UK records ONE Covid death for the first time since last summer as another 1,649 people test positive
THE UK has recorded one new death today - the first time fatalities have been that low since last summer.
It appears to show the vaccine programme is working, with less serious illnesses resulting in less deaths.
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The last time there was a daily deaths figure as low as this was on August 30 last year.
There is often a lag over the weekend in reporting numbers of deaths and new infections, but fatalities have been encouragingly low for weeks.
The UK has recorded 1,649 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, with infections remaining steady despite the threat of variants.
It comes weeks before the next stage in the roadmap out of lockdown - when people in England will be able to mix indoors as a group of six.
It comes as:
- Surge Covid testing is extended in London to stop the spread of the South African variant
- The limit of 30 mourners at funerals in England will be lifted a month early after the Queen was pictured sitting alone at the service for Philip
- Britain is set to hit 50m Covid jabs as more than 15m get their second vaccine
- 'One metre plus’ social distancing ‘is to be scrapped in June’ so pubs and cinemas can reopen fully, it's claimed
- But masks and social distancing are set to stay past June 21, it's been suggested
It comes as the UK has now dished out 50million Covid jabs in the record-breaking rollout, Boris Johnson confirmed this afternoon.
Today the country tipped over the impressive number, with one in four Brits now fully protected with two doses.
The Prime Minister confirmed the staggering achievement in the fight against Covid today.
'SEEING THE RESULTS'
He told reporters on a visit to Hartlepool: "As things stand, and the way things are going, with the vaccine rollout going the way that it is - we have done 50 million jabs as I speak to you today, quarter of the adult population, one in four have had two jabs.
"You are seeing the results of that really starting to show up in the epidemiology."
As of today a total of 34,588,600 people have had their first dose of a Covid vaccine.
At the moment anyone over 40 can book in for an appointment, with the age bracket expected to be lowered again soon.
Matt Hancock has expressed certainty over a "great British summer" ahead.
In a video posted on Twitter, he said: "The UK vaccination programme has just delivered its 50 millionth vaccine.
"I want to say a massive thank you to everybody involved - the NHS of course, the scientists, the Armed Forces and the council personnel who've helped so much, and the volunteers who brought a real spirit to this programme.
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"Seems like only yesterday that Margaret Keenan was getting the first clinically authorised vaccine in the world and now we've delivered 50 million.
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"And this is so important of course because it is a life-saving vaccine that helps protect you, helps protect those around you, and it is our route out of this pandemic.
"And it's because of the vaccination programme that we're able to keep going down this road map, and I know we're going to have a great British summer."
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