Call to keep testing free and Covid passes scrapped in Waleson February 18, 2022 at 7:43 am

February 18, 2022

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Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning.

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

1. Keep isolation and free testing – NHS bosses

A group representing NHS bosses is calling for free Covid testing to remain, amid speculation it could be scrapped. The NHS Confederation also says 75% of senior staff in England do not want self-isolation rules to end. With the prime minister expected to announce further relaxations to England’s Covid rules on Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said various “protections we’ve enjoyed” should be reviewed as part of a “living with Covid” strategy.

2. Covid passes scrapped as law ends in Wales

People no longer have to show a Covid pass to get into large events, cinemas and nightclubs in Wales, as legal requirements are scrapped. As of Friday, venues are no longer required to ask customers for proof of two Covid jabs, or a recent negative lateral flow test result.

A Swansea City fan entering the stadium next to a sign stating a Covid pass is required to enter the stadium before the Sky Bet Championship match, on 22 January 2022

3. Hybrid working here to stay, managers say

Working from home for part of the week has become the norm for some employees, with more than 80% of managers saying their firms have adopted hybrid working, according to a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) survey. Two-thirds said this was prompted by the pandemic and, while many businesses are coaxing employees back to the office, the CMI says they should embrace hybrid patterns, citing evidence of an “uptick in productivity”.

A newspaper, with the headline "Return to the office", on a mostly empty Tube train

4. ‘My child is in pain – but I’m helpless’

Support for seriously ill children has been badly disrupted during the pandemic, according to analysis by the Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation. It says the proportion of under-16s with suspected cancer waiting more than two weeks to see a cancer doctor has nearly trebled to 16%, with the waiting list for planned treatments up by nearly a quarter in seven months. We hear from families including that of leukaemia patient Thomas Hebbron, eight, who had liver and urinary problems go undetected as fortnightly in-person appointments changed to monthly video calls.

Thomas was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was five

5. ‘Getting vaccinated is best for my child’

After it was announced that children aged five to 11 in England would be offered a low-dose Covid vaccine, we hear from families at a vaccination clinic in Northampton about why they decided to take up the offer.

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And don’t forget…

You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

Wondering about child vaccination? We answer your questions.

Government statistics show 160,221 people have now died, with 183 deaths reported in the latest 24-hour period. In total, 18,499,058 people have tested positive, up 51,899 in the latest 24-hour period. Latest figures show 11,721 people in hospital. In total, more than 52 million people have have had at least one vaccination

Image source, BBC

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