Five headlines to bring you up to date on the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning.
Five news stories to bring you up to date on the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning.
1. Vulnerable adults set for autumn booster
At-risk groups should be given a booster Covid vaccine dose this autumn to top up levels of protection for the winter, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is advising. The body suggests jabs should be offered to over-65s, health and care staff and clinically vulnerable adults aged 16-64. The provisional guidance is designed to give the NHS and care homes time to plan, and both Scotland and Wales have confirmed they will follow the advice.
Image source, Getty Images
2. No more fines but PM braced for ‘Partygate’ report
After learning he faces no further police action over parties that broke Covid rules in Downing Street, Boris Johnson awaits the full report into the “Partygate” affair. The expectation is that senior civil servant Sue Gray will publish the document next week, when Parliament is still sitting, and the prime minister will then give his promised statement in the Commons. Political correspondents Iain Watson and Ione Wells examine what’s to come.
Image source, PA Media
3. Infections continue to fall across UK
Estimated infection levels continue to fall, according to the latest weekly Office for National Statistics figures. The number of people admitted to hospital with coronavirus in the past week was 5,072 – almost 1,000 fewer than the previous week. The number of people reported to have died within 28 days of a positive Covid test in the last seven days was 789.
4. North Korea fights Covid with tea and salt water
North Korea is grappling with the spread of Covid in an unvaccinated population, without access to effective anti-viral drugs. Its leadership has so far rejected outside medical support and state media has recommended traditional treatments to deal with what is referred to as “fever”. Here’s what the population is being advised to try.
Image source, Reuters
5. More people playing golf than before pandemic
It’s one of Covid’s more unusual side-effects… a sudden interest in golf. Data suggests more people are enjoying a round in Scotland than before the pandemic, with more than 200,000 registered golfers across the country. Jodie Stalker, 27, tells us she took up the sport as a way to get outdoor exercise when restrictions meant she could not play her usual netball games.
And don’t forget…
Find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
Image source, BBC
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