Green list travel UPDATE: Covid cases rise but UK ‘on top of situation’ health chief says despite ‘Delta Plus’ variant
- Rule of six to STAY in place for another month
- Work from home to continue until July 19
- Everything you can and can’t do after June 21 delay
THE NEW "Delta Plus" Covid variant "more transmissible" than the original has been detected in the UK with 41 cases being monitored.
Delta Plus has been found in nine other countries - USA, India, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, Russia and China.
PHE is not calling it "Delta Plus", and said the World Health Organisation is considering it simply part of Delta, but is monitoring the cases.
Brits will find out crucial updates to the green and amber travel lists tomorrow - and quarantine-free holidays to Spain, Greece and Italy could be back on by August.
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.
Read our coronavirus live blog below for the latest news and updates...
WATCH: DENISE WELCH FURIOUS ABOUT COVID RULES
Loose Women's Denise Welch shouts at Gloria Hunniford as furious star rages about Covid rulesSEE WU LATER
A British scientist who tried to silence the Wuhan lab leak theory has been removed from the United Nations commission investigating the the origins of Covid.
Dr Peter Daszak has been ousted from the UN-backed Lancet probe as he has repeatedly attempted to dismiss allegations the virus could have escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).
Dr Daszak is the president of the EcoHealth Alliance – a US-based organisation that was revealed to funneled taxpayer cash to WIV to carry out gain of function research of bat-based coronaviruses.
The 55-year-old has a close relationship with the lab’s chief Dr Shi Zhengli – dubbed “Batwoman” – and was last year jovially tweeting about singing karaoke with her and “partying in a bat cave” amid the pandemic.
WIV however are the prime suspect as circumstantial evidence mounts that link the origins of the virus to a lab leak as the US ordered a “redoubled” probe.
MATT HANCOCK: GOVERNMENT 'WORKING ON PLANS' FOR QUARANTINE-FREE TRAVEL
The health secretary today said the Government is "working on" plans for quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated Britons - but international travel remains a "difficult" area, Matt Hancock has said.
Matt Hancock confirmed that ministers are looking at how to scrap the requirement for people to isolate for 10 days on return from an amber list country.
Mr Hancock said he is "in favour of moving forward in this area" and replacing quarantine with daily testing.
"This hasn't been clinically advised yet - we're working on it," he told Sky News.
He added: "We're working on plans to essentially allow the vaccine to bring back some of the freedoms that have had to be restricted to keep people safe. After all, that's the whole purpose of the vaccination programme, that's why it's so important that every adult goes out and gets the jab."
MAPPED: COVID CASES IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND
RISHI SUNAK SAYS HE HAS 'HOPE AND EXPECTATION' THAT JULY 19 WILL FINALLY SEE COVID RESTRICTIONS END IN ENGLAND
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said it is his "hope and expectation" that July 19 will be the end of coronavirus restrictions in England.
Rishi was responding to a question in the Commons from Conservative Greg Smith (Buckingham) about businesses being "desperate" to return staff from furlough.
Mr Smith said: "Will (Mr Sunak) agree with me that the way to get the economy moving and to get those employees back to work is for restrictions to absolutely be lifted by July 19?"
Responding, Mr Sunak said: "(Mr Smith) is absolutely right, and my hope and expectation is we do lift those restrictions on July 19 because by that point we will have done what we set out to do, which is to get extra jabs in more people's arms to provide us with that extra level of protection we were seeking."
Mr Sunak added: "The only sustainable way to protect those jobs is to get the economy reopened so those people can return to work and provide for their families."
FLIGHT OPERATORS TUI, VIRGIN ATLANTIC AND IAG JOIN MOUNTING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST GOVERNMENT TRAVEL RULES
Tui has announced it has joined Virgin Atlantic and British Airways' parent company IAG in supporting legal action against the Government's coronavirus travel restrictions.
The UK's largest tour operator said the three firms have become interested parties in a challenge that was first launched by Ryanair and Manchester Airports Group last week.
The legal bid is an attempt to get the Government to be more transparent in relation to how it determines which countries are on the green, amber and red lists under the traffic light system for international travel.
There are currently no major viable tourist destinations on the quarantine-free green list.
GRAPHIC: THE FIVE AREAS WHERE COVID CASES ARE RISING FASTEST
‘POSITIVE’ TALKS OVER REACHING DEAL TO SAVE EURO 2020 FINAL AT WEMBLEY
A deal to ensure the final stages of Euro 2020 are held at Wembley is on the brink of being struck between the UK Government and Uefa.
A UK Government source said there had been “positive” talks with European football’s ruling body to address the issues around coronavirus restrictions.
Uefa is thought to be pushing for 2,500 VIPs to attend the final on July 11 without being subjected to the quarantine requirements that apply to other international travellers.
A UK source said “final details are being worked through” but ministers have indicated that some restrictions would remain in place.
Reports had suggested the final could be moved to Budapest if a deal cannot be reached and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has also said that Rome could provide an alternative venue.
But in a statement, Uefa said: “Uefa, the English FA and the English authorities are working closely together successfully to stage the semi-finals and final of Euro 2020 in Wembley and there are no plans to change the venue for those games.”
AMBER ALERT
Matt Hancock has confirmed the Government is "absolutely working on" plans to end mandatory self-isolation for double-jabbed jet-setters.
Instead, those who have had both shots would be able to take daily tests at home to allow them to go about their business.
The health secretary's announcement will provide hope to millions of sun-starved families aching for a getaway later this summer.
It would open up all of Europe for tourism as well as further afield destinations such as Canada, Mexico, and the US.
Read more here
WATCH: DENISE WELCH FURIOUS ABOUT COVID RULES
Loose Women's Denise Welch shouts at Gloria Hunniford as furious star rages about Covid rulesBORIS JOHNSON TO ANNOUNCE ON MONDAY IF LOCKDOWN CAN LIFT EARLY
Boris Johnson's decision about whether to unlock early on July 5 will be announced on Monday, Downing Street confirmed this afternoon.
The PM is today poring over crucial data ahead of giving his crunch verdict next week.
He is likely to crush hopes of bringing forward Freedom Day and stick with his "terminus date" of July 19.
When Mr Johnson announced his four-week delay to the roadmap last week he wrote in a two-week break point to allow wriggle room from an early release.
No10 said today a decision on whether to pull this trigger will be made on Monday.
UK COVID DEATHS RISE TO 27 AND CASES SURGE TO OVER 11,600 IN HIGHEST JUMP IN FOUR MONTHS
Today's figure of 11,625 is the highest they have been since February 19 when 12,027 new cases were reported.
Daily deaths rose by 27 - bringing the total number of Covid victims to 128,008.
The grim number is the biggest leap since May 5 when 27 fatalities were reported.
SCOTS TO WEAR FACE MASKS AND WORK FROM HOME AFTER AUGUST
The First Minister braced people for a handful of enduring restrictions even when all legal measures are torn up on August 9.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon she confirmed she was following Boris Johnson and delaying the next stage of lockdown easing until July 19.
Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: "As indicated last week we intend to maintain the current restrictions applicable in each part of Scotland for the next three weeks."
She went on to unveil her revised roadmap to bin all "major remaining restrictions" on August 9.
WATCH: SCOTS TO WEAR FACE MASKS AND WORK FROM HOME AFTER AUGUST
Nicola Sturgeon says face masks and work from home to continue after AUGUST as she delays lockdown liftingMAJOR HOLIDAY BOOST
Double jabbed mums and dads will be able to take their unvaccinated kids on holiday this summer, The Sun can reveal.
Plans to allow adults with two doses to travel in August to amber list countries are to be announced within days, with unjabbed family members exempt in a boost to late summer holidays.
But ministers are under growing pressure to bring forward the plans to July 19 to save the school holidays on the continent.
Earlier today Matt Hancock revealed that ministers were indeed looking at plans for whether double-vaccinated Brits might be able to avoid quarantine in future when they travel abroad.
The Sun understands the new rules will mean under 16s will be able to go with their parents on holiday - but only if both parents have had two jabs.
HAVENS ABOVE
Haven is extending its holiday season until November to keep up with demand from UK holidaymakers.
It means 11 of the holiday company's parks will be open for longer, and there are breaks starting from just £61.
Demand for staycations has been at an all-time high this year due to ongoing foreign travel restrictions.
In response, certain Haven parks will stay open until November 15, giving guests an extra two weeks to enjoy a British coastal break.
Breaks start from just £61 for a three or four-night stay and there are Stay and Stay+Play holidays available.
ENGLAND TEAM MEMBERS PUT INTO ISOLATION
England have been so cautious about the threat of Covid-19 ripping through their squad they put Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell into quarantine in the back of an ambulances.
Mount and Chilwell have been forced to isolate for ten days after coming into close contact with Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour.
The Chelsea youngster tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, ruling him out of the clash with Croatia at Hampden tonight.
And his Stamford Bridge teammates were identified as close contacts after CCTV footage showed they spent 20 minutes talking to their pal in the tunnel after Friday’s goalless draw at Wembley.
Once Public Health England confirmed them as being in contact, Mount and Chilwell were immediately told they needed to isolate until Monday 28 June.
GOVERNMENT MOVES TO SCRAP 10-DAY QUARANTINE FOR COVID CONTACTS
Matt Hancock has said he plans to scrap the requirement for people who have had two Covid-19 jabs and come into contact with an infected person to isolate for 10 days.
The Health Secretary said the approach is currently being piloted but will be introduced as soon as possible once clinicians have looked at the data.
It came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the July 19 date for easing the final restrictions in England is “looking good”, when asked if he would rule out further lockdowns this winter.
“You can never exclude that there will be some new disease, some new horror that we simply haven’t budgeted for, or accounted for,” he told reporters during a visit to a laboratory in Hertfordshire.
“But looking at where we are, looking at the efficacy of the vaccines against all variants that we can currently see… I think it’s looking good for July 19 to be that terminus point.”
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PLANS TO LIFT ALL RESTRICTIONS BY 9 AUGUST
The Scottish Government plans to move out of Covid-19 restrictions on August 9 if possible, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, she said changes to current restriction levels in Scotland will be postponed until July 19.
The First Minister said on that date it is hoped all of Scotland can move to the lowest level of restrictions, Level 0, three weeks later than initially planned on June 28.
She said increasing case numbers are behind the delay, after 2,167 cases were recorded in Scotland in the past 24 hours - the highest daily figure since January 8.
However, she set out a series of vaccination milestones and said if these and other criteria are met the majority of restrictions could be lifted by August 9.
SEE WU LATER
A British scientist who tried to silence the Wuhan lab leak theory has been removed from the United Nations commission investigating the the origins of Covid.
Dr Peter Daszak has been ousted from the UN-backed Lancet probe as he has repeatedly attempted to dismiss allegations the virus could have escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).
Dr Daszak is the president of the EcoHealth Alliance – a US-based organisation that was revealed to funneled taxpayer cash to WIV to carry out gain of function research of bat-based coronaviruses.
The 55-year-old has a close relationship with the lab’s chief Dr Shi Zhengli – dubbed “Batwoman” – and was last year jovially tweeting about singing karaoke with her and “partying in a bat cave” amid the pandemic.
WIV however are the prime suspect as circumstantial evidence mounts that link the origins of the virus to a lab leak as the US ordered a “redoubled” probe.
EUROS 2020: MATT HANCOCK STRUGGLES TO EXPLAIN WHY SCOTLAND PLAYERS AREN'T ISOLATING AS GMB VIEWERS SAY 'HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL'
Euros 2020: Matt Hancock struggles to explain why Scotland players aren't isolating as GMB viewers say 'he knows nothing about football'
MATT HANCOCK: GOVERNMENT 'WORKING ON PLANS' FOR QUARANTINE-FREE TRAVEL
The health secretary today said the Government is "working on" plans for quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated Britons - but international travel remains a "difficult" area, Matt Hancock has said.
Matt Hancock confirmed that ministers are looking at how to scrap the requirement for people to isolate for 10 days on return from an amber list country.
Mr Hancock said he is "in favour of moving forward in this area" and replacing quarantine with daily testing.
"This hasn't been clinically advised yet - we're working on it," he told Sky News.
He added: "We're working on plans to essentially allow the vaccine to bring back some of the freedoms that have had to be restricted to keep people safe. After all, that's the whole purpose of the vaccination programme, that's why it's so important that every adult goes out and gets the jab."
MAPPED: COVID CASES IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND
RISHI SUNAK SAYS HE HAS 'HOPE AND EXPECTATION' THAT JULY 19 WILL FINALLY SEE COVID RESTRICTIONS END IN ENGLAND
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said it is his "hope and expectation" that July 19 will be the end of coronavirus restrictions in England.
Rishi was responding to a question in the Commons from Conservative Greg Smith (Buckingham) about businesses being "desperate" to return staff from furlough.
Mr Smith said: "Will (Mr Sunak) agree with me that the way to get the economy moving and to get those employees back to work is for restrictions to absolutely be lifted by July 19?"
Responding, Mr Sunak said: "(Mr Smith) is absolutely right, and my hope and expectation is we do lift those restrictions on July 19 because by that point we will have done what we set out to do, which is to get extra jabs in more people's arms to provide us with that extra level of protection we were seeking."
Mr Sunak added: "The only sustainable way to protect those jobs is to get the economy reopened so those people can return to work and provide for their families."
FLIGHT OPERATORS TUI, VIRGIN ATLANTIC AND IAG JOIN MOUNTING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST GOVERNMENT TRAVEL RULES
Tui has announced it has joined Virgin Atlantic and British Airways' parent company IAG in supporting legal action against the Government's coronavirus travel restrictions.
The UK's largest tour operator said the three firms have become interested parties in a challenge that was first launched by Ryanair and Manchester Airports Group last week.
The legal bid is an attempt to get the Government to be more transparent in relation to how it determines which countries are on the green, amber and red lists under the traffic light system for international travel.
There are currently no major viable tourist destinations on the quarantine-free green list.
