Coronavirus latest news: PM insists England's roadmap will not change despite rising Covid cases in Europe

• Exclusive: Over-70s to get booster jabs from September

• Easing of curbs is not the end of lockdown, warn police​

• Counselling to be offered for pandemic depression​

• Shops to stay open until 10pm in bid to help the high street

• France warns Britain against trying to 'blackmail' EU

Boris Johnson has declared there is "absolutely nothing" to stop the planned lifting of lockdown restrictions in England, despite rising coronavirus cases in Europe.

The Prime Minister has told how he is already planning trips to the barbers and the pub as he insisted his roadmap remains on course.

In a speech to the Conservative Party's spring forum, Mr Johnson said: "I think the second half of the year will have the potential to be really fantastic. But it depends on things still going right.

"In just a few days' time, I'm finally going to be able to go to the barbers. But more important than that, I'm going to be able to go down the street and cautiously, but irreversibly, I'm going to drink a pint of beer in the pub.

"I can see absolutely nothing in the data to dissuade me from continuing along our roadmap to freedom, unlocking our economy and getting back to the life we love."

England is set to usher in the most significant restoration of personal freedoms in three months on March 29, when the 'stay at home' order will be scrapped and two households can meet outdoors.

Two weeks later, pubs and restaurants can open their doors to the public for outdoor service and non-essential retail will reopen with extended shopping hours.

However, Mr Johnson said there are still unanswered questions about what impact the third coronavirus wave sweeping across Europe would have on the UK.

He said "bitter experience" has shown a wave like the one in Europe would hit the UK "three weeks later".

"The question is - is it going to be, this time, as bad it has been in the past? Or have we sufficiently mitigated, muffled, blunted impact by the vaccine rollout?

"That's a question we still don't really know the answer to."

​​Follow the latest updates below.

05:26 PM

World news in brief

Here's a summary of today's Covid headlines around the world:

• Denmark breaks the mould as it prepares to lift lockdown after over 50s are vaccinated.

• Birth bust: how the pandemic stopped people making babies.

• Vaccinations have been suspended at the Beacon private hospital in Dublin after it emerged that spare jabs had been administered to staff at a private school.

• Manila and nearby provinces will return to stricter quarantine measures from Monday as the Philippines battles to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases that has strained hospitals.

• Brazil currently accounts for one-quarter of the entire world's daily Covid-19 deaths, far more than any other single nation, and health experts are warning that the nation is on the verge of even greater calamity.

• Facebook said Saturday that it was "freezing" Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's page for a month after repeated violations of the platform's rules against Covid-19 misinformation.

• Turkey has recorded 30,021 new coronavirus cases in the space of 24 hours, the highest number this year.

05:18 PM

Daily coronavirus figures

United Kingdom daily Covid-19 figures for Saturday, March 27.

05:04 PM

As daily Covid-19 deaths near 4,000 in Brazil, health experts fear that the worst may lie ahead

Brazil currently accounts for one-quarter of the entire world's daily Covid-19 deaths, far more than any other single nation, and health experts are warning that the nation is on the verge of even greater calamity.

The nation's seven-day average of 2,400 deaths stands to reach to 3,000 within weeks, six experts told the Associated Press. That's nearly the worst level seen by the U.S., though Brazil has two-thirds its population. Spikes of daily deaths could soon hit 4,000; on Friday there were 3,650.

Having glimpsed the abyss, there is growing recognition shutdowns are no longer avoidable - not just among experts, but also many mayors and governors. Restrictions on activity they implemented last year were half-hearted and consistently sabotaged by President Jair Bolsonaro, who sought to stave off economic doom. He remains unconvinced of any need for clampdown, which leaves local leaders pursuing a patchwork of measures to prevent the death toll from spiraling further.

It may be too late, with a more contagious variant rampaging across Brazil. For the first time, new daily cases topped 100,000 on March 25, with many more uncounted. Miguel Nicolelis, professor of Neurobiology at Duke University who advised several Brazilian governors and mayors on pandemic control, anticipates the total death toll reaching 500,000 by July and exceeding that of the U.S. by year-end.

"We have surpassed levels never imagined for a country with a public health care system, a history of efficient immunization campaigns and health workers who are second to none in the world," Nicolelis said. "The next stage is the health system collapse."

04:53 PM

Denmark breaks the mould as it prepares to lift lockdown after over 50s are vaccinated

Denmark, long an advocate of a cautious approach to Covid, is ready to take a "calculated risk" and unlock quickly in the spring after scientists said the risk of a third wave is low.

Last week, nine of the country's 10 political parties voted to back a wide-ranging plan that would see the majority of restrictions on normal life removed by the end of May, coinciding with vaccines having been offered to all over-50s.

That is in contrast to Britain, which should reach the same vaccines landmark by mid-April but will not fully remove restrictions until late June, when the entire adult population will have been offered a first dose.

Read more of Daniel Capurro's story here.

04:37 PM

Birth bust: how the pandemic stopped people making babies

A fifth fewer babies were born in parts of Europe nine months on from the start of the pandemic, as would-be parents said scenes inside Covid hospital wards persuaded them to put pregnancy plans on hold.

Emerging data from high-income countries in Europe, the United States and Asia all suggest birth rates fell in December 2020 and January 2021 by between seven and 22 per cent compared to the previous year.

Jessica May, 32, in Newquay, has one child already but says she chose to postpone plans for another in March 2020 as she saw pictures of people dying in hospital corridors in Italy.

Read more of Jennifer Rigby's story here.

04:19 PM

Turkey's daily Covid-19 cases exceed 30,000 for first time this year

Turkey has recorded 30,021 new coronavirus cases in the space of 24 hours, the highest number this year, health ministry data showed on Saturday.

Measures to curb the pandemic in Turkey were eased this month.

The cumulative number of cases stood at 3,179,115 and the latest daily death toll was 151, bringing the cumulative toll to 30,923.

04:18 PM

Pictured: The pandemic around the world

Dubai, UAE

Porto Alegre, Brazil

London, United Kingdom

03:55 PM

Facebook freezes Venezuela leader's page over Covid misinformation

Facebook said Saturday that it was "freezing" Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's page for a month after repeated violations of the platform's rules against Covid-19 misinformation.

"Due to repeated violations of our rules, we are also freezing the page for 30 days, during which it will be read-only," a Facebook spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said it had removed a video from Maduro's page "for violating our policies against misinformation about Covid-19 that is likely to put people at risk for harm."

Maduro had touted what he said was a "miracle" cure for Covid-19, and he had previously promoted other unproven remedies.

But as the Facebook statement said, citing guidance from the World Health Organization, "there is currently no medication to cure the virus."

03:37 PM

Germany expects first delivery of J&J Covid-19 shots in mid-April

Germany is due to receive the first small delivery of Johnson & Johnson's single dose COVID-19 vaccine in mid-April, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Saturday, giving the country a further shot to help speed up its sluggish rollout.

"It will only be a small delivery at first," Spahn told an online event, adding he expected a shipment of around 275,000 doses in the week of April 12.

"But at least - because we have been waiting a long time for the first delivery from J&J - we will get the first deliveries of the vaccine in mid-April, and it will then be ramped up to millions of doses, as is the case with all deliveries."

J&J's shot, which was approved by European Union regulators on March 11, is the fourth to be endorsed for use in the EU after vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford University and Moderna.

03:08 PM

NHS England passes 25 million first jabs

On NHS England passing 25 million first jabs, Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS national medical director, said: "This is the latest major milestone showing rapid and targeted progress in getting people in England protected against coronavirus.

"Passing the 25 million mark is a remarkable achievement for NHS staff across the country who have jabbed more than half the adult population and are continuing to work carefully to identify those last remaining people in the top priority groups yet to get their jab and urging them to come forward.

"While supplies of doses will be tightened next month, anyone with a second jab booked should come forward, and our other top priority is to remind everyone who is aged 50 and older or who has an underlying health condition that their first jab is available to them, now and throughout April."

A total of 27,761,724 Covid-19 vaccinations took place in England between December 8 and March 26, according to NHS England data, including first and second doses, which is a rise of 594,970 on the previous day.

NHS England said 25,284,013 were the first dose of a vaccine, while 2,477,711 were a second dose.

02:44 PM

Dublin vaccine operation in private hospital suspended after jabs went to staff at private school

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has suspended the vaccination provision at the Beacon private hospital in Dublin, with the exception of already scheduled appointments, after it emerged that it administered spare jabs to staff at a private school.

Mr Donnelly described the hospital's provision of vaccines to the school as "entirely inappropriate" and "completely unacceptable".

In a statement, Mr Donnelly said: "Ireland's vaccination programme is the most important public health programme in living memory. It is essential that the programme is run in accordance with the agreed prioritisation in order to maximise the benefit of the vaccination programme and the speed with which Ireland can emerge from Covid-19 measures.

"The provision of vaccines by the Beacon Hospital to a school was entirely inappropriate and completely unacceptable. I have considered this matter carefully and have worked with the HSE to assess the operational implications of suspending vaccine operations at the Beacon Hospital in Dublin."

He added that the suspension of vaccine operations at the Beacon Hospital means that alternative arrangements are being put into place by the HSE, with the exception of those who have already been scheduled in to have their jab there.

02:28 PM

Philippines to reimpose stricter Covid-19 curbs in capital

Manila and nearby provinces will return to stricter quarantine measures from Monday, a senior official said on Saturday, as the Philippines battles to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases that has strained hospitals.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the measures, which will be in place until April 4, will ban non-essential movement, mass gatherings, dining in restaurants. They represent a further tightening of curbs imposed on March 22.

Roque said the government will intensify tracing and conduct house-to-house visits to search for people with Covid-19 symptoms. There will also be a "heightened presence" of police and military personnel to enforce protocols, he added.

The health ministry on Saturday reported 9,595 new coronavirus cases, marking the second straight day the daily jump in infections remained above 9,000.

01:59 PM

Britain nearing vaccine deal with European Union

Britain is close to striking a vaccine deal with the European Union as soon as this weekend that will remove the threat of the bloc cutting off supplies, The Times reported on Saturday.

Under the agreement the EU will remove its threat to ban the export of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to Britain, it added.

In return, the British government will agree to forgo some long-term supplies of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that had been due to be exported from a factory in Holland run by AstraZeneca's subcontractor Halix, the newspaper reported.

However, the EU has never threatened a ban on the export of vaccines, but has only said it could block on a case-by-case basis specific vaccine shipments to countries with higher vaccination rates or that do not export vaccines to the EU.

"We are only at the start of discussions with the UK. There are no talks over the weekend," an EU Commission source said on Saturday, adding that sending vaccines produced at Halix was not part of the talks.

01:36 PM

Government adviser calls for 'positive incentives' to increase vaccine up-take

Professor Reicher, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours (Spi-B), warned the introduction of vaccine passports could depress jab up-take.

"I think positive incentives, something that gives you something extra, is one thing. People actually aren't adverse for vaccine passports to travel internationally. But when it comes to negative incentives, to in effect barring people from their everyday lives, from social activity, then actually they work in a very different way and people behave very negatively," he said

"When it comes to excluding people from everyday lives things swap around. And what's more it leads to other problems like social division.

"We'd be in a position where those communities who are less likely to get vaccinated begin to be excluded from our city centres, from social life, and that would create a whole swathe of social problems, it would destroy any sense of community which has been so positive in the pandemic."

The Prime Minister this week acknowledged the "moral complexities" around a domestic vaccine passport scheme, which the Government will set out more details on in early April.

01:06 PM

Vaccine passports could be 'counterproductive', Government adviser warns

The introduction of vaccine passports to gain access to pubs could be counterproductive in the fight against coronavirus, a social psychologist advising the Government has warned.

Professor Stephen Reicher said on Saturday that the measure being considered by the Government could compound hesitancy in those already sceptical of vaccines.

Ministers are reviewing their potential use, which could see access to hospitality venues granted only if customers have been jabbed, received negative tests, or developed antibodies through past infection.

"I don't think that the idea of vaccine passports to get into the pub is a good idea and I think in many ways they could be counterproductive," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He said "the notion of in effect making them (vaccines) compulsory led to anger and to lowered uptake" among those who were already hesitant in a small survey in Israel, which is backed in other international studies.

12:56 PM

Booster jabs in September could protect elderly and vulnerable, says Dr Tildesley

Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Spi-M modelling group which advises the Government, has said the introduction of booster coronavirus jabs for elderly and vulnerable people could "protect us as we go into the winter".

He told Times Radio: "Because of the issue of these variants that might evade the vaccine, my hope was that as we got towards the autumn, we could provide boosters to the elderly and the vulnerable.

"In the shorter term, we are worried about new variants, but if we can keep these out for a longer period of time, enough time for these boosters to be developed, then that should hopefully protect us as we go into the winter.

"So it was really good news that September was suggested as the time when these booster jabs could be available."

12:55 PM

Watch: Boris Johnson insists England's roadmap will not change

12:30 PM

Arlene Foster receives her first Covid-19 vaccine

Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster has received her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

The DUP leader was given an AstraZeneca jab by a GP at the Castle Park leisure centre in Lisnaskea in her Co Fermanagh constituency on Saturday morning.

After receiving her vaccine, Ms Foster said: "I'm just delighted to take my turn and get the vaccine today.

"There is a really positive community spirit here and across all of our centres in a collective effort to combat Covid-19.

"I am grateful to all of the wonderful team of medics and volunteers who are making this happen in GP practices and centres across Northern Ireland every day of the week.

"The programme is having real results. We are seeing falling levels of infection in our over-60s and I'm heartened to see the number of active outbreaks in our care homes reduce well into single figures."

She added: "I would encourage everyone who is eligible to step up and get booked in, to help protect themselves and their community."

12:04 PM

Vaccine rollout not possible without 'might of the private sector', says Johnson

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the vaccine rollout would not have been possible without the "might of the private sector".

Speaking at the Conservatives' virtual spring forum on Saturday he said: "Yes, Government played a pretty big role, the Vaccine Task Force, the bottling plants we helped to set up, the scientists we funded, and I renew my thanks and admiration for the incredible work of our NHS, our GPs, our nurses, our health care workers of all kinds.

"They're heroes, heroes, heroes, to say nothing of local council staff and volunteers, and the Army, so many thousands of others.

"But in the end, none of this would have been possible without the innovative genius and commercial might, and you know what I'm going to say - the might of the private sector - the free market economy.

"Because at the heart of this vaccine rollout, there is a huge and unmissable lesson about the need for private risk-taking capitalist energy."

11:51 AM

PM says discovery of Kent variant led to tiering system being dropped

The Prime Minister said discovering the Kent variant of Covid-19 - also known as B117 - led to the tiering system of restrictions to be dropped.

Speaking at the Conservatives' virtual spring forum, Boris Johnson said: "That was an incredibly important moment, because we were then able to work out what was happening, because we could see that B117 was basically transmitting considerably faster.

"With that we were able to understand why the tiering system that had been basically working for much of the autumn just wasn't going to work anymore."

11:31 AM

Reminder: Timeline of Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown

11:27 AM

Sunak told to use more 'measured language' on easing lockdown

Infectious diseases expert Dr Mike Tildesley said ministers need to use "slightly more measured language" to encourage people to ease out of lockdown rather than "flipping from one extreme to the other", following Chancellor Rishi Sunak urging people to "get out there" once hospitality reopens.

The warning comes as England is set to usher in the most significant restoration of personal freedoms in three months on March 29, when the 'stay at home' order will be scrapped and two households can meet outdoors.

Two weeks later, pubs and restaurants can open their doors to the public for outdoor service and non-essential retail will reopen with extended shopping hours.

Dr Tildesley, a member of the Spi-M modelling group which advises the Government, told Times Radio: "We need to be really careful with this, we had it similarly with the Eat Out To Help Out - there was a big switch last summer from 'it is your duty to stay at home' all of a sudden to it being your duty to go to the pub.

"I totally understand the need to reinvigorate the economy, but I think we need slightly more measured language here, to encourage people to do that, but to do it within the rules, to make sure that we observe social distancing.

"That's why I worry a little bit about this sort of language of flipping from one extreme to the other, and I think we need to ease back into normality."

11:15 AM

Still unanswered questions about what impact Europe's third wave will have on UK

The Prime Minister said there are still unanswered questions about what impact the third coronavirus wave sweeping Europe would have on the UK.

Speaking at the Conservatives' virtual spring forum, Boris Johnson said: "I think the second half of the year will have the potential to be really fantastic.

"But it depends on things still going right.

"We depend on the successful vaccine programme and disease not taking off again."

He said "bitter experience" has shown a wave like the one in Europe would hit the UK "three weeks later".

He added: "The question is - is it going to be, this time, as bad it has been in the past? Or have we sufficiently mitigated, muffled, blunted impact by the vaccine rollout?

"That's a question we still don't really know the answer to."

11:07 AM

Britain's vaccine roll-out has been a triumph of 'private risk taking capitalist energy', says Boris Johnson

Britain’s successful vaccines roll-out strategy has been a triumph of "private risk taking capitalist energy" Boris Johnson has declared.

The Prime Minister also said he had seen nothing in Government data to threaten his plan to lift lockdown restrictions in England.

In a speech to the Conservative Party's spring forum, Mr Johnson praised "the might of the private sector - the free market economy".

He said: "At the heart of this vaccine rollout, there is a huge and unmissable lesson about the need for private risk taking capitalist energy.

"Never forget that Labour not only voted to stay in the European Medicines Agency."

On the lifting of the lockdown, which moves forward on Monday when two households can meet in private gardens, he said: "I can see absolutely nothing in the data to dissuade me from continuing along our roadmap to freedom, unlocking our economy and getting back to the life we love."

Mr Johnson also pledged to keep a lid on tax rises: "It's by holding taxes down and spending wisely, which is the signature of Conservative local government up and down the land ... that we will turbo charge the innovation that I've seen happening right now across the UK."

Turning to the so-called Culture wars Mr Johnson claimed Labour politicians were "spending most of their time wondering which public statues to tear down or whether 'Hereward the Wake' should now be known as 'Hereward the Woke'."

Christopher Hope reports.

10:47 AM

Unfettered international travel 'risks undoing vaccine progress', warns Government scientist

Keeping UK borders open for international travel risks undoing "all the good our vaccination programme has done", without proper testing at airports, according to infectious diseases expert Dr Mike Tildesley.

Under current guidelines, while it is illegal to travel abroad for holidays, travel for a range of professions including defence personnel and some HGV drivers is permitted.

Travellers returning from countries included on the 'red list' where coronavirus cases are higher must quarantine in a Government-approved hotel for 10 days.

Ministers are facing pressure to protect the success of the vaccination programme against the import of new variants from overseas, with the Guardian reporting officials met on Friday to consider expanding the red list.

Dr Tildesley told Times Radio: "I can understand the need for wanting to keep our borders open for as long as possible, but if we are, there's a risk there.

"We need to do what we can to minimise the risk, because what we don't want is new variants coming in that undo all the good that our vaccination programme has done."

10:27 AM

£500m mental health plan targets people affected by pandemic

A generation whose lives have been "turned upside down" by the pandemic will be offered counselling for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress, under Government plans.

Ministers said the £500 million expansion of mental health services would mean 1.6 million people are given help in the next year.

The Mental Health Recovery Plan will focus in particular on young adults amid fears this generation's prospects and well-being have been blighted by the pandemic.

Nadine Dorries, minister for mental health and suicide prevention, urged those in need of support to "reach out".

10:05 AM

Coronavirus around the world, in pictures

Manila, Philippines

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Barcelona, Spain

09:24 AM

Failure to tackle BAME community vaccine hesitancy could be 'devastating,' says Govt minister

The Government is failing black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities and young women on hesitancy towards coronavirus vaccines, a senior Conservative has warned.

Caroline Nokes, the chair of the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, said that not tackling the issue could be "devastating" for vaccine hesitant groups as well as wider society.

The former minister said disparities on vaccine uptake and hesitancy are "most prominent" among minority ethnic groups, adults in deprived areas and young women.

The Government responded that it is working hard with the NHS to "encourage people in all communities to come forward" for vaccination.

In a letter to vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi, Ms Nokes criticised the Government for paying "insufficient attention" to the underlying causes of low uptake among BAME communities.

The backbench MP said there were suggestions the Government is "not overly concerned" about the uptake of vaccines among young women amid unfounded concerns over fertility.

"This is not acceptable, we cannot adopt a wait and see approach," she said.

08:57 AM

Over-70s to get booster Covid vaccines from September

Over-70s will start to get booster Covid vaccines from September to protect them from new virus variants as the Government drives ahead with its jabs rollout.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, revealed details of the plan, which will see some people have three doses within the first 10 months of the jabs being in use.

The first booster doses will go to people in the top four priority groups for the original rollout – those aged over 70 as well as frontline NHS and social care workers.

Read more of this exclusive from Ben Riley-Smith, Hannah Boland and Laura Donnelly here.

08:36 AM

No Easter getaway rush expected, despite easing of lockdown rules

Millions of people remain cautious about socialising over Easter despite lockdown rules being relaxed, a new survey suggests.

A quarter of the 1,200 drivers polled for the RAC said they are not planning a leisure trip by car over the bank holiday weekend because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Motorists expect to make just 5.6 million trips by car to see friends and family between Good Friday and Easter Monday, the research indicates.

Easter is normally one of the busiest weekends of the year on UK roads, with 12.2 million leisure trips planned in 2019.

Lockdown restrictions in England are due to be eased from March 29, with two households or up to six people allowed to meet outdoors, and the formal end of the "stay at home" rule.

Wales will lift its "stay local" requirement on Saturday.

RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: "What is traditionally one of the busiest weekends for leisure trips in normal times could turn out to be anything but in 2021, with the pandemic continuing to have a big impact on drivers' plans to see friends and family this Easter."

07:37 AM

'Cautiously I think it's the right time to reopen'

Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Spi-M (Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling) group that advises the Government, said next week is the right time for re-openings in England despite a levelling off in the decline of coronavirus infections in the country.

The infectious diseases expert told Times Radio: "We have seen a rise (in infections), but we have to remember of course that secondary school-age children are being tested every few days, so we might expect to see more cases cropping up, so that's part of the reason why we've seen cases have saturated a little bit over the past week or so.

"But hospital occupancies and deaths are still going down, and that's really important. We need to look at those metrics as well over the next few weeks to give us confidence in reopening.

"Cautiously I think it's the right time to reopen - things are going pretty well."

He added: "Hopefully we're in a good position to start relaxing, but taking it cautiously with the hope that by June we can be pretty much back to normal."

07:00 AM

Cricket legend tests positive

India cricket batting great Sachin Tendulkar announced today that he has contracted coronavirus.

Tendulkar, who turns 48 next month, retired from the professional game in 2013 after notching a still unmatched 100 international centuries in a prolific 24-year career.

He returned to the crease recently as captain of the India Legends team in a promotional event called the Road Safety World Series in Raipur, in the state of Chhattisgarh.

"I have been testing myself and taking all the recommended precautions to ensure Covid is kept at bay. However, I have tested positive today following mild symptoms," Tendulkar said on Twitter.

India today reported 62,258 new infections - its highest since October - taking its tally to 11.91 million. The death toll rose by 291 to stand at 161,240.

Tendulkar lives in Mumbai, the capital of the Western Indian state of Maharashtra, which has been the hardest hit by a resurgence in cases.

06:34 AM

HK awaits results of defective vaccine packaging investigation

Hong Kong expects preliminary findings of an investigation into packaging defects of the BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine as early as next week, the South China Morning Post reported today, citing a senior official.

The government began to administer jabs on March 6, with recipients set to take the booster shot after 21 days.

But Hong Kong and Macau suspended use of the vaccine on Wednesday, as BioNTech and regional distributor Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group began a probe into tilted or loose vial caps and minor stains on a small number of bottles.

06:26 AM

Himalayan kingdom launches its vaccination drive

Thousands of Bhutanese travelled to schools and public buildings for vaccination today as the Himalayan kingdom launched its biggest inoculation drive against Covid with the AstraZeneca shots provided by neighbouring India.

Ninda Dema, a 30-year-old woman born in Buddhist astrology's year of the monkey, became the country’s first to receive the shot in the capital Thimphu, an event that was televised live.

Ninda, a bureaucrat, pressed her palms in the traditional gesture of greetings and prayers as she received the dose from a masked nurse amid lighting of butter lamps and chanting of Buddhist prayers. The nurse was also born in the year of the monkey.

Religious followers believe that people born in the year of the monkey are inventive and can solve even the most difficult problems rather easily.

Bhutan's Prime Minister shared the news on social media.

Bhutan has been able to slow the spread of the virus with early screening and monitoring at entry points, testing and sealing of borders.

Total infections stand at 870, with one death, in the country of about 800,000 people

05:41 AM

EU has a loaded gun on the negotiating table

European Union leaders have left the gun of a vaccine export ban on the negotiating table with Britain but they don’t want to pull the trigger in case they shoot themselves in the collective foot, writes The Telegraph's James Crisp.

"The heads of state and government of the remaining 27 member states held a video summit on Thursday night to discuss stricter export controls on coronavirus vaccines," he says.

Europe is faced with a third wave of coronavirus, a slow vaccination rate and huge shortfalls of supplies of the AstraZeneca jab.

"Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, hoped for backing for her new tougher rules, which allows Brussels to stop exports to countries, like the UK, with higher vaccination rates than the EU and low exports to it," he says.

James explains that the European Council was too divided to agree to explicitly support the new rules in their summit conclusions.

Read the full analysis by our Europe Editor, James Crisp, here.

04:12 AM

Restrictions continue to be relaxed in Wales

People in Wales are allowed to stay in self-contained holiday accommodation from today in an easing of coronavirus restrictions.

The country's "stay local" requirement has also been lifted, meaning there are no travel restrictions within Wales for the first time since it entered lockdown on December 20.

But the easing of tourism and travel rules are not meant to be taken advantage of by people living elsewhere in the UK - with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland still under lockdowns.

And an interim "all-Wales travel area" in place until April 12 means people will be unable to travel in or out of the country for at least another two weeks, unless for a reasonable excuse such as work.

Other changes to Wales' coronavirus rules from today include allowing up to six people from two households to meet and exercise outdoors, as well as organised outdoor activities and sports for under-18s.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "These further relaxations are part of our careful and phased approach to unlocking the restrictions and enabling people and businesses to resume their activities in the safest possible way."

He took to social media to outline the changes.

04:00 AM

Greek children to self-test for virus when schools reopen

Authorities in Greece say students and teachers will have to use self-test kits for Covid in order to attend classes when schools reopen.

Greece is planning to make the test kits freely available on a weekly basis to every resident of the country with a social security number, starting next month.

The program is designed to allow for the reopening of schools as well as restaurants and retail businesses which have remained mostly closed since lockdown was imposed in early November.

Vassilis Kontozamanis, the deputy health minister, said a legislative amendment in parliament would be needed to make testing mandatory for school attendance.

Greece is currently grappling with a surge in infections that has seen many hospitals run by the state health system reach capacity.

The country's centre-right government says it plans to launch the tourism season in mid-May but has not yet given a date for schools and retail businesses to reopen.

School children of all ages are currently attending compulsory online classes.

03:36 AM

Premier not alarmed by Queensland's new case

The Australian state of Queensland reported one new coronavirus case today which is linked to the highly contagious UK mutant strain, but authorities say the situation is not yet alarming.

The infected man is a close contact of a 26-year-old male who tested positive on Friday. Another 18 close contacts of the first case are self-isolating and being tested.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged residents to maintain social-distancing and get tested.

"We are not seeing large-scale community transmission, this is a close contact," she said.

"We're very comfortable where we are at the moment and if anything changes we will update the public."

Aged care, hospitals, prisons, and disability care homes in the Brisbane City and Moreton Bay Council areas have been closed to visitors.

03:27 AM

Counselling to be offered for pandemic depression

A generation whose lives have been "turned upside down" by the pandemic will be offered counselling for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress, under Government plans.

Ministers said the £500 million expansion of mental health services would mean 1.6 million people are given help in the next year.

The Mental Health Recovery Plan will focus in particular on young adults amid fears this generation's prospects and well-being have been blighted by the pandemic.

Nadine Dorries, minister for mental health and suicide prevention, urged those in need of support to "reach out".

Read the full story here.

02:57 AM

Today's top stories

• Over-70s will start to get booster Covid vaccines from September to protect them from new virus variants as the Government drives ahead with its jabs rollout.
• The public must not treat next week's easing of lockdown restrictions as an excuse to return to normal life, one of the country's most senior police officers has warned.
• Retailers will be allowed to open until 10pm when they reopen next month as the Government seeks to bolster the high street and ensure compliance with social distancing rules.
• The mass coronavirus testing of lorry drivers entering Britain is to be delayed until April 6 in an attempt to minimise the risk of disruption to food and other supplies.
• France's foreign minister has warned Britain against trying to "blackmail" the European Union before officials hold negotiations to avoid a Brussels vaccine export ban against the UK.
• A former top US health official has suggested coronavirus “escaped” from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, and began circulating as early as September 2019.
• More than a year after the pandemic forced workers into spare rooms and kitchen tables, companies are gearing up for a future of hybrid working as the five-day commuting slog gives way to the “age of the three and two”.