Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday morning.
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday morning. We’ll have another update for you this evening.
1. England care home restrictions to ease
There will be no limit on the number of visitors to care homes in England, the government’s announced, as further restrictions are set to ease. This is being brought in from Monday, and the change also sees self-isolation periods cut and care homes only having to follow outbreak management rules for 14 days, not 28. The move means people could see more of their loved ones, says Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Image source, Getty Images
2. Face masks and Covid passes end in England
The latest Covid restrictions – wearing face coverings and using Covid passes – are ending in England from today. The government says they’re no longer legally required because of the vaccine rollout and because we have a better understanding of how to treat the virus. But some shops like Sainsbury’s are continuing to ask people to wear them. Rail operators are asking the same. Some smaller firms are also doing this, saying they’ll keep mask-wearing over safety concerns. They hope customers aren’t discouraged by their decision. Read more here.
Image source, Getty Images
3. Period changes after jab short-lived
Changes to periods after having the Covid vaccine quickly return to normal, according to a leading UK menstruation expert. Writing in the British Medical Journal, Dr Victoria Male, from Imperial College London, says the changes are “small compared with natural variation and quickly reverse”. Studies from the US and Norway which tracked women’s cycles, are “reassuring”, she adds. Find out more here.
Image source, Getty Images
4. The unvaccinated NHS staff who ‘feel like political pawns’
There are around 80,000 unvaccinated NHS staff in England. Matt Taylor is one of them. He’s a specialist paramedic and says he’s prepared to lose his job over not having the Covid jab. The 42-year-old along with other unvaccinated staff have been told he could be moved to a different role or be sacked if he doesn’t have it by next week. The Department for Health and Social Care says it’s “the right thing to do to protect patients”. Read more here.
Image source, Matt Taylor
5. Getting passengers back on track
Are you back on the trains now that work-from-home guidance has eased? It seems many of us are reluctant to return to the daily commute. Network Rail is on a mission to lure people back. It’s hoping people will hop back on the trains with a mixture of free hot drinks, access to a mindfulness app, audiobooks and music streaming services. Here’s more on how it plans to get passengers back on track.
Image source, Getty Images
And there’s more…
We’ve got the full details of the rule changes in England here, and while you’re there get up to speed on what’s happening in Scotland and Wales in the coming days.
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
Image source, BBC
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