Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Tuesday evening.
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Tuesday evening. We’ll have another update for you in the morning.
1. All five to 11-year-olds offered vaccines in Wales
Wales has become the first UK nation to announce it will offer all five to 11-year olds Covid vaccinations. Health Minister Eluned Morgan said she was following a “yet to be published” recommendation from the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). She said ministers and health boards were working on implementing the offer, but did not set out a timetable for the vaccination programme. There are reports the official JCVI announcement has been delayed due to a disagreement with the UK government.
Image source, Getty Images
2. Covid deaths in UK continue to fall
Death registrations involving coronavirus in the UK fell slightly in the week ending 4 February, according to the latest figures. There were 13,472 deaths registered in total in the UK in that week, 9% below the five-year average, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. A total of 1,390 of these involved Covid – a drop of 155 when compared with the previous week. Currently, fewer than two in every three Covid-related deaths are thought to be caused by the virus, the ONS estimates.
Image source, PA Media
3. Matt Hancock failed in equality duty over Covid appointments
The UK government failed to comply with equality law when making appointments as part of its Covid-19 pandemic response, the High Court has ruled. A judgement found then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock did not uphold a public sector duty to promote equality when hiring then-chair of NHS Improvement Dido Harding and former Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coupe in 2020. In a statement, Mr Hancock said he had always acted quickly to “save lives” and highlighted that claims of “apparent bias” and “indirect discrimination” had been thrown out by the court.
4. Relief mixed with concern in NI as regulations removed
Northern Ireland has scrapped all its remaining Covid-19 regulations. From mask wearing to Covid certificates, restrictions have been a part of life for nearly two years. But Health Minister Robin Swann advised people to be vigilant and warned coronavirus remains a threat to public health. Right before the changes took place the BBC spoke to people in Belfast and Londonderry, who expressed a mixture of relief and concern.
5. How do we know Covid vaccines are safe?
For those following the BBC’s exclusive interview with tennis star Novak Djokovic about his refusal to have a Covid vaccine, our health editor Michelle Roberts has looked in to how we know they are safe. She examines the role of medical trials in their development, who approves vaccines for use, what the potential side effects of coronavirus jabs are and more.
Image source, Getty Images
And don’t forget…
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
If you’re interested to see how the global Covid vaccine rollout is going, click here to see our analysis of the latest data.
Image source, BBC
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