Green list travel UPDATE: Covid cases rise but UK ‘on top of situation’ health chief says despite ‘Delta Plus’ variant

VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS

Covid vaccines are essential to beat the virus, but it is within your best interests to monitor any possible side effects.

These side effects are mostly nothing to worry about but can cause discomfort.

Experts have found that rashes and itching in another spot other than the injection site was the most common side effect.

Read more here

UK COVID CASES SURGE TO 16,135 IN HIGHEST RISE IN ALMOST 5 MONTHS

Covid cases in the UK today jumped by 16,135 – the highest number of new infections in almost five months.

The total number of cases since the pandemic began now stands at 4,667,870.

Today’s rise in infections is the highest number of daily cases since February 6 when 18,262 were reported.

It is also higher than yesterday’s figure of 11,625 as the Delta variant continues to grip the UK.

Deaths also rose by 19 – bringing the total to 128,027 – which is lower than yesterday’s 27 fatalities.

INDOOR MIXING JOY AS RULE OF 6 WILL FINALLY BE DITCHED

Boris Johnson plans to defy doomster scientists and rip up the hated Rule of Six so Brits can raise a toast to Freedom Day with dozens of friends and family. 

Axing the cap on indoor mixing as per Step 4 of the roadmap has been thrown into doubt by scientists agitating for some curbs to stay.

But senior government sources confirmed the PM is dead-set on giving Brits the much-needed boost on July 19, while breathing life back into hard-hit pubs and restaurants.

Draconian lockdown measures currently ban more than six people or two households gathering inside - which is proving a nightmare for people trying to meet in the recent cold snap.

Read more here

SCIENTISTS SAY TOO EARLY TO TELL TRUE RISK OF DELTA PLUS VARIANT

India calls the new variant a “variant of concern”, however it’s too early to tell whether it poses enough threat.

India’s health ministry says studies showed that the so-called Delta plus variant – also known as AY.1 – spreads more easily, binds more easily to lung cells and is potentially resistant to monoclonal antibody therapy, a potent intravenous infusion of antibodies to neutralise the virus.

“There is no data yet to support the variant of concern claim,” said Dr Gagandeep Kang, a virologist and the first Indian woman to be elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

“You need biological and clinical information in order to consider whether it is truly a variant of concern.”

DEPUTY CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, JONATHAN VAN-TAM IS ACCUSED OF GENOCIDE BY ANTIVAXXER

This is the appalling moment an antivaxxer abuses Jonathan Van-Tam and accuses him of genocide.

Geza Tarjanyi, 60, filmed himself hurling abuse at Van-Tam in Westminster yesterday, before sharing the shocking footage on Facebook.

Tarjanyi asked: “What was really in that needle you put into Matt Hancock?”, referring to the Health Secretary’s vaccination in April.

Tarjanyi films Professor Van-Tam as he approaches him before saying: “Are you Van-Tam, aren’t ya?

“This country’s supposed to be in the worst pandemic of all time.”

Professor Van-Tam then calmly replied: “It is.”

Read the full story here

SCHOOL SPORTS DAY GETS GOVERNMENT GREEN LIGHT AFTER FOOTBALL BACKLASH

Downing Street have said school sports days are allowed to go ahead, after backlash over plans to allow more than 60,000 fans into Wembley Stadium for the European Championship at the same time as lockdown restrictions continue for the public.

Reports suggested that some schools had cancelled sports days and children who are at very low risk of Covid-19 are still being sent home as pandemic restrictions continued.

And the Government was accused of allowing one rule for one and one rule for another, by allowing more fans into Wembley.

But the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Outdoor events like sports days can go ahead in line with existing restrictions, such as maintaining class or year group bubbles, and regular cleaning of sports equipment.

“It’s also worth saying that it’s up to schools to risk assess their sports day plans and decide if it’s appropriate to invite spectators. It would be possible for spectators in groups of 30 to attend. So depending on the size of the area, multiple groups of 30 could attend events, as long as there’s no mixing between those groups.”

MAPPED: 'DELTA PLUS' VARIANT

POSITIVE NEWS IN THIS EVENINGS PRESS CONFERENCE

• 63 million vaccinations given out, says Dr Nikki Kanani
• Zahawi confident 66% of all Brits will have two jabs by July 19 and has said vaccines are working in fight against Covid
• UK vaccine roll out ‘the most successful in health history’ says Dr Kanani
• One in three 18-24-year-olds have got first jab since the programme opened to all adults
• Over 250,000 second doses administered in England
• Nine in 10 UK adults have either taken vaccine or want to, says jabs minister

WATCH: QUEEN SAYS 'THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER' IN FIRST AUDIENCE WITH BORIS AT PALACE SINCE START OF COVID

JOIN THE MILLIONS ALREADY VACCINATED, NHS PLEADS

ALL THE RULES THAT COULD CHANGE ON FREEDOM DAY, JULY 19 – FROM FACE MASKS TO NIGHTCLUBS

From face masks and social distancing to nightclubs and the Rule of Six, the Covid rules are set to change on July 19.

The UK is said to be on track to lift all current restrictions for Freedom Day as ministers are encouraged by “very, very” low death numbers and a slowdown in infections.

A senior Government source told the newspaper that ministers want to “get as close to normal as possible” on July 19.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously hoped to lift all the Covid restrictions on June 21.

The wearing of face masks is no longer expected to be compulsory in certain spaces, and laws will be replaced with advice for wearing them.

WATCH: BRITS TOLD TO GO GET VACCINATED NOW

NHS SOUNDS ALARM OVER RISE IN UK COVID PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS

The NHS is under ‘huge pressure’ as people in ventilator beds increase 41% during last week, NHS bosses say.

The deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said the number of Covid patients in hospital on ventilation beds had increased by 41% in the last week to , which she said was a strong indication Covid was having an impact on health services. 

Cordery told BBC Breakfast: “Trusts on the frontline are really coming under huge pressure … they have plans in place to tackle the backlog, but with more Covid cases and demand for emergency care going up, that’s really challenging.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Prof Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, said this and other surveillance data were “encouraging”, despite rising case numbers. Lower hospitalisations and death rates relative to case numbers prove the high effectiveness of vaccines in protecting people from serious illness, he said.

BRITS URGED TO GET COVID JAB AMID FEARS NEW VARIANT ‘DELTA PLUS’ FOUND IN UK

Brits have today been urged to get their vaccines to protect themselves against new variants.

It comes as "Delta plus", a mutated version of the Delta variant, was confirmed to be in the UK.

A huge percentage of the country are now fully protected against Covid, with over three in five adults double-jabbed.

It comes amid a massive rollout targeting all UK adults, as Britain aims to lift lockdown next month.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The vaccination team have been working incredibly hard to provide people with much-needed protection from this life-threatening disease."

GREEN AND AMBER TRAVEL LISTS UPDATED ON THURSDAY AS BRITS GET READY TO JET OFF – AND QUARANTINE-FREE HOLIDAYS TO SPAIN, GREECE AND ITALY COULD BE BACK ON

Pressure is mounting on the government to ease strict Covid travel curbs as soon as possible and give a huge boostto hopes for much-needed summer breaks in the sun.

Tory MP James Cartlidge, the Chancellor’s right hand man and aide in Parliament, wrote to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to demand double jabbed Brits be given freedom next month.

He said: “The proposal to restart international travel by allowing fully vaccinated people to go on holiday would be an absolute lifeline for this industry.”

He added: “I believe that allowing fully vaccinated people to travel is reasonable, and an important step we can take to support our fantastic travel business.”

EXPERT WARNS YOUNG MEN COULD POTENTIALLY BE SPREADING COVID WHILST WATCHING FOOTBALL WITH THEIR MATES

Young men watching the football at home with their mates could be spreading Covid, an expert has warned.

Professor Stephen Reicher, a member of the Sage subcommittee advising on behavioural science, said “people at home not taking precautions” are the main concern, rather than fans at the matches.

The University of St Andrews professor said new data from Scotland shows the infection rate is now three times higher for young men.

“I saw data yesterday from Scotland showing that whereas two or three weeks ago, the ratio of males and females, men and women, who get infections is roughly the same, now it’s about three times higher for younger men, and the obvious explanation for that is people meeting up at home, forgetting restrictions,” he said.

Coronavirus is known to spread more easily inside with limited ventilation, with people more likely to be sharing snacks and drinks, adding to the possibility of transmission.

ZAHAWI CONFIDENT 66% OF ALL BRITS WILL HAVE TWO JABS BY JULY 19

Mr Zahawi is “confident” that 66% of the adult population would have had two jabs by the 19th - the date set by the Prime Minister as the likely end of social restrictions.

More than 14,000 lives had been saved by the vaccination programme, he added.

ZAHAWI: VACCINES ARE WORKING IN FIGHT AGAINST COVID

Mr Zahawi said more than 14,000 lives had been saved by the vaccination programme, while 44,500 hospital admissions had also been averted in England - 2,500 in the past two weeks.

UK VACCINE ROLL OUT 'THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN HEALTH HISTORY' SAYS DR KANANI

Dr Nikki Kanani said that the UK's 'world-leading' programme has been the most successful vaccination drive "in health history".

"Getting vaccinated is the most important thing you can do for you, your family and your community," she added.

NHS ENGLAND ANNOUNCES £20M BOOST FOR VACCINATION SITES ACROSS COUNTRY

An extra £20 million will be invested in the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine in England, it has been announced, amid a rise in Covid-19 cases across the country.

The NHS has said the cash will be used to provide extra support for GPs, pharmacists and local services at vaccination sites around the nation.

It will also help increase staffing numbers at sites over the next month to help with the ongoing jabbing efforts, with NHS England calling it the "drive for the finish line".

NHS England medical director of primary care Dr Nikki Kanani said: "Our local GP and pharmacy sites have been an integral part of the vaccination programme, delivering around 75% of the jabs administered so far, and we are incredibly thankful for them going above and beyond to keep our families and communities protected from Covid-19.

"This additional funding gives these essential local institutions, like general practices and pharmacies, the resources to bring more staff on board and help the country drive for the finish line as we enter the final stages of the vaccine rollout."

ONE IN THREE 18-24-YEAR-OLDS HAVE GOT FIRST JAB SINCE THE PROGRAMME OPENED TO ALL ADULTS

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “I have been absolutely thrilled to see videos of young people coming forward at some of our major vaccination events last weekend and I’m sure they’ll be doing the same this coming weekend.

“The enthusiasm is making a huge difference. We have already given first doses to almost half of all 25 to 29-year-olds in England and only a week after the programme opened to all adults on Friday, one third of people aged between 18 and 25 have had their first dose.”

OVER 250,000 SECOND DOSES ADMINISTERED IN ENGLAND

Government data up to June 22 shows that of the 75,188,795 jabs given in the UK so far, 43,448,680 were first doses - a rise of 299,837 on the previous day.

Some 31,740,115 were second doses, an increase of 250,875.

The figures include all vaccinations reported by midnight on June 22, including those recorded on pen and paper by NHS England following an IT system crash.

63 MILLION VACCINATIONS GIVEN OUT, SAYS DR NIKKI KANANI

We have already protected 4 in 5 adults with a first dose, says Dr Nikki Kanani.

Some people are anxious about coming for a vaccine.

Building vaccine confidence is part of our plan from the start, she says.

More people from ethnic minority backgrounds are taking up the vaccine.

QUEEN HOSTS BORIS JOHNSON

This si the first time the Queen has hosted Boris Johnson at Buckingham Palace since the start of the pandemic in March last year.

The Prime Minister was welcomed at the royal residence for his weekly audience with Her Majesty.

The pair, who were together at the G7 summit earlier this month, have conducted their audiences by telephone ever since the coronavirus pandemic swept through the nation.

NINE IN 10 UK ADULTS HAVE EITHER TAKEN VACCINE OR WANT TO, SAYS JABS MINISTER

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi said nine in 10 UK adults have either taken the vaccine or say they want to, and says this is "no accident.