Covid: Rules relaxed in Wales and Scotland, but should the Omicron plateau worry us?on January 28, 2022 at 7:10 am

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning. We’ll have another update for you this evening.

Some of the rules introduced in December in response to the rise of the Omicron variant are being relaxed in Wales and Scotland today. In Wales, nightclubs can reopen; the rule of six in pubs and restaurants is lifted; and the legal requirement to work from home will also end. But mask mandates – which have ended in England – are staying in shops, hospitals and public transport. In Scotland, face masks will no longer be required for adults taking part in organised activities with children under five. And face covering exemptions requiring two-metre physical distancing will be reduced to one metre. Here’s a reminder of the rules across the UK, and a look at the latest data.

The fall in Covid cases seen since early January has come to a halt, writes our health correspondent Nick Triggle. But how concerning is this? The good news, Prof Tim Spector of the Zoe Covid study says, is that most infections in the vaccinated are “mild”, which should keep the numbers ending up in hospital and dying low. Because while protection against infection wanes, protection against serious illness is much more durable. This explains why there has been a huge drop in the death rate. Even with such high levels of Covid in recent weeks, deaths appear to have peaked at a level – a bit below 300 a day – similar to that seen during a bad flu season.

Doubts have emerged over the timing of the positive Covid test tennis star Novak Djokovic used to enter Australia to try to compete in the Australian Open. The test result was provided to exempt him from rules barring unvaccinated people. However, the serial number on his test on 16 December appears out of sequence with a sample of tests from Serbia over this period gathered by the BBC. It is also higher than for his second (negative) test result from six days later.

The partner of a man placed in an induced coma after catching Covid-19 is warning others not to drop their guard as restrictions are lifted. Olly Toole, from Canterbury in Kent, is 32 and was not vaccinated, but had no underlying health conditions. He is now out of the coma, but his partner said at one point she was told he might not survive. Cheryl Waters, who is seven months pregnant, said: “They told me to come in and say goodbye.”

The castle in Barnard Castle – the County Durham town thrust into the national spotlight in 2020 – had its best every year for tourists in 2021. The fortress saw 30,721 visitors, up 20% from 2019, according to English Heritage. The prime minister’s ex-chief aide Dominic Cummings famously drove to the town to test his eyesight after self-isolating at his family’s farm.

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Under current rules, NHS England staff must have a first jab by 3 February to allow time to be fully vaccinated by 1 April to continue in front-line roles. Read about the staff who won’t get jabbed here. And for more stories, information, advice and guides, read our coronavirus page.

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