Boris Johnson is facing a growing backlash on “Beijing-style” plans reportedly being considered to ban students from university lectures if they are not fully vaccinated.
The Prime Minister is said to be "raging" at the lack of vaccine uptake from younger people and wants to pressure students into getting inoculated, according to The Times.
The early-stage proposals were not ruled out this morning by Downing Street and Vicky Ford, an education minister, despite critics raising concerns about legality and the independence of universities.
Tory MPs have railed against any such move, with Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, expressing “real concern we are never getting back to normal”.
“This is another form of an ID card,” he told Talkradio. “We need to be extremely careful that we don’t go from a Brussels-type democracy to a Beijing-type democracy.”
Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the Covid Recovery Group, said it was “a proper slippery slope” and a “choice to coerce young people into getting vaccinated”, while Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons education committee, branded it "wrongheaded, like something out of Huxley's Brave New World".
The University and College Union, the lecturers’ union, called it “hugely discriminatory” against those unable to be jabbed and international students.
Follow the latest updates below.
04:37 PM
New York issues vaccine mandate for 300,000 city workers
New York City will require municipal workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19 by mid-September or face weekly testing, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday.
This effectively imposes a vaccine mandate on more than 300,000 municipal workers, a week after the city passed a vaccine mandate for all healthcare workers at city-run hospitals and clinics.
Across New York, about 59 per cent of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19.
"It is about protecting the workforce, their health and safety and the people they serve," de Blasio told reporters on Monday.
Officials in the city are racing to bring a rising tide of delta variant infections under control before the start of the school year.
04:18 PM
In one week, Bhutan storms through its remaining vaccine rollout
Bhutan has protected most of its eligible population with second doses of Covid vaccines in a single week, in a speedy rollout hailed by Unicef on Monday as a "success story" for international donations.
More than 454,000 shots were given over the past week in the remote Himalayan kingdom - just over 85 percent of the eligible adult population of more than 530,000 people .
Wealthy nations such as the US and Denmark sent a flood of donations after Bhutan appealed for jabs when India halted exports due to its Covid surge.
Unicef's Bhutan representative, Will Parks, said: "We really need a world in which the countries which have surplus vaccines really do donate to those countries that haven't received (shots) so far.
"And if there's anything that I hope the world that can learn, is that a country like Bhutan with very few doctors, very few nurses but a really committed king and leadership in the government mobilising society - it's not impossible to vaccinate the whole country."
Bhutan's vaccination drive has been hailed as a model success story for other nations - UNICEF Bhutan/DWangchuk HANDOUT
03:59 PM
'Why Neil Ferguson's critics are missing the point'
The limitations of modelling were clear all along, but vaccines have enabled us to stop obsessing about case numbers altogether, writes Ross Clark on our comment pages.
I can understand how gratifying it is to quote Professor Neil Ferguson’s words back at him – words he said just a week ago when he told Andrew Marr it was “almost inevitable” that daily Covid cases would reach 100,000 a day as a result of the last stage of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown. "The real question", he added, "is do we get to double that – or even higher?”
Almost from the moment he uttered those words, new Covid infections began to plummet. Not only does it show that his modelling is, to put it kindly, not all it is cracked up to be – it also indicates that you don’t necessarily need a lockdown to provoke a sudden change in direction followed by a steep decline in Covid infections.
Have we peaked? UK Covid cases down for sixth day in a row
Coronavirus cases in the UK are down for the sixth day in a row, with 24,950 more infections logged as of 9am on Monday, Government figures show.
This is a 15,000 drop on the figure last Monday, and the sixth day-on-day decline.
Officials said the latest daily number for deaths within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 have been delayed due to technical difficulties.
While the daily figure can be temperamental, the tumbling infections have raised hope among scientists and in Government that the current wave of infections may have peaked.
A Downing Street spokesman said earlier that the fall has been "encouraging" but numbers were still expected to rise when the effect of the July 19 unlocking is seen.
"The Prime Minister thinks we're not out of the woods yet," the spokesman told reporters in Westminster.
03:24 PM
Poll: Yes or no to vaccine passports in the UK?
It was only a few weeks ago that Boris Johnson and senior Government ministers were unequivocal about vaccine passports: they could feature in international travel, but domestically they were not happening.
But the official stance has shifted markedly since then, to the ire and shock of MPs and civil liberty campaigners, with mandatory vaccination proof being planned for nightclubs, Premier League matches, large events and potentially even university lectures.
So what are your thoughts? Let us know in the poll below.
03:09 PM
Belfast gets more ICU beds amid rising Covid patients
Extra intensive care beds are being drafted in for Northern Ireland's capital as hospitals struggle to cope with a surge in Covid-19 admissions.
Northern Ireland's chief nursing officer Charlotte McArdle said beds for Belfast health trust patients are being made available at Belfast City Hospital due to capacity issues at the Royal Victoria and Mater hospitals.
She said numbers in ICU had risen markedly in Northern Ireland over the weekend, with 27 Covid-19 patients in intensive care as of Sunday. Around 60 per cent of those being admitted to ICU are not yet vaccinated, she said.
Ms McArdle said there was currently no plan to reopen the region-wide Nightingale facility at Belfast City Hospital, but this would become a "very real possibility" if the rise continues.
02:56 PM
Tory MPs rail against PM's vaccine 'ban' on university lectures
University students will have to be fully vaccinated if they want to attend lectures in person under plans reportedly being considered by Boris Johnson.
But the Prime Minister's proposal to increase vaccine uptake among young people, mooted from isolation in Chequers according to The Times, is being met with a backlash from his own MPs.
Mark Harper, chair of the Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs, called it "compulsory vaccination (in effect)" and said "persuasion not panic" was "the right public health approach".
Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told Talkradio: “This is another form of an ID card. We need to be extremely careful that we don’t go from a Brussels-type democracy to a Beijing-type democracy.”
And Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons education select committee, called it "wrongheaded".
He told The Times: "It's like something out of Huxley's Brave New World where people with vaccine passports will be engineered into social hierarchies - those who will be given higher education or those who do not."
Around one third of 18 to 29-year-olds are yet to receive a vaccine, prompting concern among ministers - ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
02:39 PM
Probe after GP gave Covid jabs away from official vaccination site
A GP is being investigated for taking 300 Covid-19 vaccines to be administered outside of an official vaccination centre.
Patients in Portsmouth, Hampshire, who received one of the doses are being offered an additional jab as a precaution.
The Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group has warned that the 300 vaccinations given by the GP, who has not been named, might not be as effective if they had not been stored at the correct temperature.
A spokeswoman said: "These vaccinations were given by a GP outside of an NHS-approved vaccination site.
"While there is no reason to suggest that people vaccinated at this site are at any increased risk, we are acting on advice from Public Health England and contacting them to offer an additional vaccination as a precaution."
02:21 PM
US 'not lifting travel restrictions yet' due to delta variant - report
The United States will not lift any existing travel restrictions "at this point" over concerns about the delta variant of coronavirus and rising cases, according to Reuters.
The news agency cited a White House official as confirming the long-running travel restrictions that have barred much of the world's population from the US since 2020 will not be lifted in the short term.
It deals a further blow to the travel industry, which has been demanding trans-Atlantic restrictions ease because of the economic impact.
"Given where we are today with the delta variant, the United States will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point," the official told Reuters, following a White House meeting.
"Driven by the delta variant, cases are rising here at home, particularly among those who are unvaccinated and appear likely continue to increase in the weeks ahead."
02:06 PM
Sturgeon under fire over 'humiliating failure' on vaccine target
Nicola Sturgeon has denied missing her own government's vaccine target.
The Scottish First Minister was attacked over the weekend by opposition parties over its pledge to give second doses to the 40-49 age group by July 26, when just 75.8 per cent of that group is actually fully covered.
She had previously told MSPs that she "expected to have given second doses" to this group by July 26.
Labour called it a "humiliating" failure, while the Conservatives said the SNP had "stumbled at the crucial moment".
But hitting back against critics on Monday, Ms Sturgeon claimed the target was to offer the doses, not provide them. "No vaccination target has been missed and that’s not an opinion, that’s a fact," she said.
"What we set ourselves the target of was offering, by now, the first dose of the vaccine to every adult, everybody over the age of 18, and two doses to the over 40 age group. Those targets have been met."
Nicola Sturgeon said it was a 'fact' she had not missed her target - Jeff J Mitchell/PA Wire
01:43 PM
PM's vaccine plan for university students is 'discriminatory' - union
Plans reportedly being pushed by Boris Johnson to make Covid vaccines compulsory for attending university lectures have been condemned as "discriminatory" by Britain's lecturers union.
Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, said: "Students should be prioritised for vaccinations, to ensure as many as possible have the opportunity to be vaccinated by September.
"But making vaccinations compulsory as a condition to access their education is wrong and would be hugely discriminatory against those who are unable to be vaccinated, and international students.
"Sadly, this looks and smells like a prime minister trying to pin the blame on students for not yet taking up a vaccine they haven’t been prioritised to receive."
The union wants the Government to "sensitively encourage" student vaccination by making it as widely available as possible, and scrap vaccine patents globally to help inoculate populations in poorer countries.
01:35 PM
Dutch ease EU Covid-19 travel restrictions but extend festival ban
Authorities in the Netherlands are easing restrictions to allow travel to all European Union countries - but extended a ban on multiple-day music festivals, which were deemed too risky.
Dutch travel recommendations will now no longer be based solely on infection rates which had been making holidays to Spain and Portugal virtually impossible, the country's health ministry said.
The decision was made possible by a relatively high vaccination rate of 50 per cent across the 26-nation bloc and manageable hospital occupancy rates in the Netherlands, it added.
Travellers aged 12 and older will have to provide a negative test result from August 8 when returning to the Netherlands from an EU country deemed risky.
The Netherlands reimposed restrictions on dance clubs, music festivals and restaurants on July 9 just two weeks after reopening, citing a surge in the delta variant among young people.
01:16 PM
'Vaccine passports are a step on the road to Hell'
We may criticise China for its social credit system, but we too are on the way to big state surveillance, says Tim Stanley.
Supporters say they will only be at nightclubs and large venues, like stadiums, and temporary to boot, but the Government ruled out even creating them several times before – and if we have learnt anything it’s that what seems unimaginable one week is public policy the next. Ergo, it’s very silly to shrug and say “well, they’re only for nightclubs and I haven’t been to one since Wham”, because what is logically applicable to something you don’t care about – a medium-sized venue where crowds gather – is applicable to something you do.
Face mask usage among young people has slumped since "Freedom Day" on July 19, polling suggests.
A YouGov survey found 46 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they wore a face mask in a public place in the last two weeks, compared to 58 per cent on July 16 and 64 per cent on June 2.
But other age groups were still wearing face coverings at around the same rate - at around 70 per cent.
Meanwhile, the proportion of Britons thinking the Government is handling Covid-19 well fell from 41 per cent just before Freedom Day to 34 per cent afterwards.
The survey of 1,742 British adults between July 21-22 found confidence of handling among Conservative voters tumbled 17 points this week.
Mask use has slumped among 18-24 year olds following Freedom Day, from 58% before to 46% afterward.
Downing Street said around 500 testing sites would be set up this week where double-jabbed workers would be exempt from self-isolation if they are coronavirus contacts.
The Government has promised up to 500 sites critical to food supplies and 200 covering frontline emergency and transport workers will take part in the programme, with daily tests replacing quarantine.
A No 10 spokesman was unable to say how many sites were currently operating the scheme.
But he told reporters: "We expect 500 sites to be able to test within this week and we said at the end of last week we have rolled out the workplace daily testing following the Government's close engagement with industries that have been affected by self-isolation.
"It's obviously the case that we want to avoid any disruption in critical services."
Critical workers are being exempted from isolation to avoid the 'pingdemic' grinding the country to a halt - ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
12:22 PM
No 10 can't rule out vaccine passports for university lectures
Downing Street has not denied reports that students would need to be fully vaccinated to attend university lectures and stay in halls of residence.
"You have heard what the PM has said before, specifically that the pandemic is not over," a No 10 spokesman told reporters. "We are still looking at the scope for vaccination certifications."
Asked if there was concern about take-up of the vaccines in younger age groups, the spokesman said: "I think you continue to see more and more young people coming forward to receive the vaccine, both in terms of first doses and now second doses.
"Of course, we want to see more people come forward to receive it."
Earlier, Vicky Ford, the minister for children and families, refused to rule out such a policy this autumn, saying the Government must "look at every practicality" to get students back on campus.
12:11 PM
'We're not out of the woods yet', No 10 warns
Downing Street has said the five-day fall in coronavirus cases in the UK has been "encouraging" but numbers were still expected to rise.
"Throughout the pandemic we have always said it's encouraging when cases are falling," the Prime Minister's deputy official spokesman said.
But the pandemic "is not over" and "we should still expect to see a rise in case numbers given the move to Step 4 last week".
"The Prime Minister thinks we're not out of the woods yet," the spokesman told reporters in Westminster.
12:07 PM
Pingdemic travel chaos as commuters cram on to reduced services
On the morning that many Britons returned to the office after months of working from home, the pingdemic saw commuters squeezed onto reduced services due to rail staff self-isolating.
Train operators have been forced to slash the number of trains on the tracks on Monday morning because drivers and guards are stuck at home.
But commuters have been left with just one train an hour on busy lines into London, with reports of passengers sitting in the aisles while government advice is to maintain social distance.
The transport union RMT has called for all rail workers to be added to the isolation exemption list that would allow staff to return to their place of work if they tested negative after being pinged.
The London Underground was busy this morning as the 'pingdemic' took its toll on transport networks - Henry Nicholls/Reuters
11:48 AM
England's first weekend after Freedom Day, in pictures
A long queue of club-goers waiting to get in to Heaven nightclub in central London at the weekend - Rob Pinney/Getty Images A group of women sing and dance in the back of an illuminated cycle rickshaw in Soho, London, after legal lockdown restrictions ended - Rob Pinney/Getty Images Runners take part in the Parkrun at Bushy Park in London, as the weekly Saturday morning 5k returned in England after 16 months - Victoria Jones/PA Wire
11:33 AM
Ban on alcohol sales lifted as South Africa's virus cases decline
South Africa's government has lifted a ban on alcohol sales and relaxed other pandemic restrictions, saying a spike in coronavirus cases has now peaked.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday night that the average daily number of new confirmed cases over the last week was around 12,000, which was a 20 per cent drop on the previous week.
"The latest figures suggest that we have largely passed the peak of the third wave of infections, although there are areas in the country where we still need to be concerned because the rates of infection have not yet shown signs of decline," he told the nation.
The government is now allowing retail alcohol sales to resume from Monday through Thursday, while bars and restaurants also will be permitted to sell alcoholic beverages.
Schools have fully reopened, and social and religious gatherings are again allowed for a maximum of 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. A nighttime curfew has been reduced to 10pm to 4am.
11:12 AM
Boris Johnson's vaccine passport plan is 'unworkable', says Labour
Labour's deputy leader has dismissed the Government's plans for vaccine passports are "unworkable".
Speaking on a visit to co-working space Impact Hub, in central London, Angela Rayner said: "We think it is unworkable actually and we should be encouraging people to get the vaccine as soon as they possibly can, and also encouraging people to take regular tests as well. Because that is how we keep control of the virus.
"Of course, even with the two vaccines you can still get Covid, so therefore testing has got to be an important part of that scheme."
Earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for the "pragmatic" use of vaccine passports at certain events but "not for everyday use".
The Labour Party confirmed last week it was against mass vaccine passports, meaning the Government faces a much higher prospect of defeat in any Commons vote this autumn, combined with Tory rebels.
10:54 AM
More coronaviruses 'have pandemic potential than thought'
There are more animal coronaviruses with the potential to “spill over” to humans and cause pandemics than scientists previously thought, new research from a leading US institute has suggested.
By tracking existing coronaviruses, a team from the University of Washington found that only small mutations could allow many pathogens that currently circulate in bats to jump over to humans.
Pre-pandemic, there were six known coronaviruses that spread in people. Four of them cause mild respiratory illness, like the common cold. The other two - Sars and Mers - both emerged this century and are more deadly, but the outbreaks were contained.
However, the severity of the current pandemic has focused research on the coronavirus family, in an attempt to uncover if related viruses may pose threats.
Double-jabbed expats get relaxed vaccine travel rules
Double-vaccinated expats are set to be free to travel to the UK, as the Government plans to recognise foreign jabs from August 1.
British families and couples have been separated by the current restriction on quarantine-free travel to and from amber list countries because the Government only recognises those people who have been vaccinated by the NHS.
However, ministers are preparing to change the rules to allow UK nationals who have been vaccinated overseas to register the jabs with their GP, clearing the way for them to return to the UK to visit family and friends without having to self-isolate for 10 days and pay for two PCR tests.
It could benefit some 300,000 expat British citizens living in just eight of the main EU countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Portugal, 700,000 Britons in the US and a further 150,000 in France, once it is removed from its current "amber-plus" status.
'Pingdemic' hits public transport networks across UK
Public transport services are being hit by staff self-isolating, with thousands of "pings" from the NHS Covid app grinding the sector to a halt.
Reduced timetables have been introduced on railways across England in an attempt to improve reliability after a recent spate of last-minute cancellations due to staff shortages.
Thameslink and Southern has cut its weekday timetables on five routes "until further notice", and warned that further changes could be required.
Avanti West Coast has reduced the frequency of its services between London Euston and Manchester, Birmingham and North Wales to "manage staff shortages and ensure a reliable service".
A revised timetable with fewer services was also launched by London Northwestern Railway on Saturday, while ScotRail said a "very limited number of trains" are being cancelled due to staff shortages.
Transport for London closed the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines over the weekend due to more than 300 members of staff self-isolating, and bus operator Arriva said a number of its staff have been told to self-isolate.
09:50 AM
Some 60pc of French population vaccinated
The number of people in France who have received at least one jab against Covid-19 has crossed the 40-million mark, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
After four million people received vaccines over the past two weeks, some 60 percent of the population are now partly or fully vaccinated, Macron tweeted during an official visit in French Polynesia.
"All together, we will beat the virus. We will carry on," he said.
The health ministry added Monday that some 33.2 million people in France, close to 50 percent of the population, are now fully vaccinated.
09:32 AM
Street clashes outside Tunisia's army-barricaded parliament
Street clashes erupted on Monday outside Tunisia's army-barricaded parliament, a day after President Kais Saied ousted the prime minister and suspended the legislature, plunging the young democracy into a constitutional crisis.
Members of Tunisian security forces face off with anti-government demonstrators during a rally in front of the Parliament in the capital Tunis - Fethi Belaid/AFP
Saied sacked Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and ordered parliament closed for 30 days, a move the biggest political party Ennahdha decried as a "coup", following a day of angry street protests against the government's handling of the Covid pandemic.
Soldiers from early Monday blockaded the assembly in Tunis while, outside, the president's supporters hurled volleys and stones at backers of Ennahdha, whose leader staged a sit-in to protest being barred entry.
Supporters of Tunisia's biggest political party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, take cover from stones thrown at them by supporters of President Kais Saied, outside the parliament building in Tunis - Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters
Saied's dramatic move - a decade on from Tunisia's 2011 revolution, often held up as the Arab Spring's sole success story - comes even though the constitution enshrines a parliamentary democracy and largely limits presidential powers to security and diplomacy.
It "is a coup d'etat against the revolution and against the constitution," Ennahdha, which was the biggest party in Tunisia's ruling coalition, charged in a Facebook post, warning that its members "will defend the revolution".
Tunisians gather after president ousts government, in Tunis - Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters
The crisis follows prolonged deadlock between the president, the premier and Ennahdha chief Rached Ghannouchi, which has crippled the Covid response as deaths have surged to one of the world's highest per capita rates.
09:09 AM
Footfall up by up to 14pc in London's West End
Footfall in London's west end was up by more than 5 percent over the past week, and up 14 percent on Saturday and Sunday compared to the previous weekend.
But businesses have called for extended Sunday training hours to help the numbers return to pre-pandemic levels.
Jace Tyrrell, Chief Executive at New West End Company, which represents 600 businesses on Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street and in Mayfair said: "The removal of restrictions has proved a big hit for the West End, with visitors safely returning to not only enjoy the many retailers and restaurants in the sunshine, but to make the most of the thriving nightlife that is once again open for business.
"It has been a true delight to see our world-famous theatres welcoming back audiences that have been patiently waiting for the stage doors to reopen, revitalising a core element of the West End’s renowned offer. We remain optimistic and expect footfall numbers to continue to rise. It has been a relief to see that the perseverance shown by businesses in the district during this difficult time is beginning to pay off.
"However, despite a marked improvement, footfall has still not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and will not for some time.
"We are doing everything we can to ensure the West End remains both safe and inviting for visitors, but we need more government support in the form of extended Sunday trading hours and fundamental business rates reform in order to allow retailers, restaurants and bars the opportunity to thrive once again.
"This will be vital as we work towards getting back to full capacity - an achievable goal, but one that will require support to realise."
08:56 AM
Starmer wants 'pragmatic' proposals on Covid passports
Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to be "pragmatic" over proposals on the use of Covid passports.
The Labour leader was asked on LBC about the use of certification at mass events such as the Euros final at Wembley.
He said: "I think tests are actually more useful than double vaccinations, as the Health Secretary has shown. He, of course, got Covid just about 10 days ago now, I know he's through it now, but he had been double vaccinated. So, I actually think tests are much more useful.
"I think that the idea that we can go back to mass sporting events or other events without any checks is not one I would subscribe to."
Asked whether he would support the Government in a vote, he said Labour would "look carefully" at proposals and added: "What I don't want to see, just to be very clear about this, is I don't want to see vaccine passports used on an everyday basis for access to critical things like health, dentistry, food, etc.
"So, for sporting events, I'll look at what the Government puts on the table. I want to be pragmatic because we all want all business sectors and sporting sectors to return as quickly as possible. But not for everyday use."
08:43 AM
Travel news latest | Six million could have holidays ruined if Spain and Greece turn 'amber plus'
As many as six million Britons could have summer holiday plans ruined, if Spain and Greece fall on the 'amber plus' list in the next traffic light update.
As of last Monday, all double vaccinated arrivals from amber list countries are exempt from quarantine upon return to the UK. However, due to concerns over the beta variant, France was placed in a new category – dubbed 'amber plus' – which means quarantine remains mandatory when returning from the country, even if fully vaccinated.
There have been concerns in recent days that Greece or Spain could join the 'amber plus' list, as instances of the beta variant are feared to be on the rise in the holiday favourites.
'We can't force people to come into work if they've been pinged', says Heathrow boss
Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye was asked on Times Radio about suggestions that some Border Force workers do not want to be added to the list of critical workers who are exempt from isolation to tackle the coronavirus "pingdemic".
He replied: "We've been part of the pilot scheme since January and my experience talking to colleagues is they want to come into work.
"They've been working in a business which has been devastated by the pandemic. They're worried about their jobs and their future.
"If there's a chance of serving passengers, they want to be here doing that. That's what's key to them.
"We can't force people to come into work if they've been pinged, but this is a really good scheme that allows those people who want to work to come in and serve passengers and get Britain back travelling again."
07:39 AM
'When you test more, you find more'
Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of Spi-M, from the University of Warwick, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it always takes a couple of weeks for dropping case numbers to be reflected in hospital admissions.
"I would say that the fact the cases have gone down for the last five days or so is ... I'm cautiously optimistic. I'm cautiously optimistic about that, but I think we're going to have to wait another couple of weeks before we see, firstly, the effect of the 19th of July relaxation and, second, whether hospital admissions will start to go down.
"I think if they do then at that point we can be much more confident that we're starting to see hopefully this wave turning round."
On schools breaking up, meaning fewer children are being tested, he said: "Testing clearly is very important, but it is true of course that when you test more you find more, and of course this is the issue that when you're doing a lot more lateral flow testing, you're going to find more positive cases.
"So, when that stops, it's possible that cases may seem to go down, when infections may be not going down as fast."
He said "we need to monitor this over the next few days to see if this is consistently going down or whether we are sort of seeing a dip because schools are closed and then maybe things might level off again, so I think it remains to be seen exactly what's going to happen."
07:30 AM
Covid around the world, in pictures
Police tries to clear tourists from the promenade on Levante beach before closing for a night-time curfew which comes into effect tonight - Reuters Soldiers from The High Command of Chemicals under Vietnam's Ministry of National Defence spray disinfectant throughout a street as a precaution against the coronavirus, in Hanoi, Vietnam, 26 July 2021 - Luong Thai Linh/Shutterstock Soldiers from The High Command of Chemicals under Vietnam's Ministry of National Defence get ready before spraying disinfectant throughout the streets of Hanoi as a precaution against the coronavirus, in Hanoi - Luong Thai Linh/Shutterstock
07:15 AM
Minister denies Government putting pinged workers at risk
Education minister Vicky Ford was asked whether the Government was putting double-vaccinated workers at risk by expecting them to go into work if they were "pinged".
She told Sky News: "I think it is important that we also minimise the disruption to the economy, and that's why we've looked at certain really, really crucial sectors and are saying that in those circumstances those double-vaccinated adults if they haven't had the positive test, they don't have any symptoms, then they can continue to work.
"This is a really, really small number of people in order to keep those truly essential services running as services like, for example, police, fire, border control, some of the food sector, and some elements of transport as well."
07:07 AM
Spi-M member cautiously optimistic about falling cases
Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group, which provides modelling evidence to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said he was cautiously optimistic about falling cases but wanted to see if hospital admissions also drop.
He also suggested schools breaking up for the summer could be behind the drop in cases.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Well, I mean the first thing obviously before I start is it is good news ... Any situation where cases are falling clearly is good news. So, I'll say that up front before I start caveats.
"I think what we need to think about, though, is that there has been a change recently and I think the big one is that in a lot of parts of the country schools have now closed for the summer.
"Now, of course, because of that, what that means is - secondary school children have been doing lateral flow tests twice a week for quite a long period of time and we know at the moment cases are slightly higher in younger people - (and) because schools have now broken up, it may be that part of the reason cases have dropped somewhat is that we're not detecting as many cases in younger people now.
"The other thing we do need to look at before we really draw confidence in whether we are seeing everything turning round is what's happening with hospital admissions and, of course, what's happening with deaths."
07:00 AM
Lack of clarity on student situation
Education minister Vicky Ford was asked whether double vaccination would become a requirement for students to attend university lectures.
Asked about the issue on Sky News following newspaper reports, she said: "No, we must make sure that we continue to prioritise education and if they want to be able to avoid the self-isolation such as we have said for other adults, the double-vaccinated adults by August the 16th if you have not got a positive test, if you don't have symptoms, you won't need to self-isolate.
"So, for students who are returning to university that's really important."
06:51 AM
Almost half of English adults gained weight over lockdown
People who put on weight during lockdown gained an average of half a stone, research by Public Health England (PHE) has found as it launched a new health drive.
A survey found 41 per cent of adults in England said they had put on weight since social restrictions started in March 2020.
Those who said they had gained weight reported adding an average of 4.1kg during the course of the pandemic, with 21 per cent saying they put on a stone or more.
Nearly half of those who reported putting on weight said it had mainly been caused by bad dietary habits, such as snacking and comfort eating.
06:30 AM
Drop in cases 'very good news', says minister
Education minister Vicky Ford said that while the sustained drop in coronavirus cases was "very good news", she warned against complacency.
She told Sky News: "We all know how quickly it can go back up again.
"I think it does show how important it is that we continue to take issues like self-isolation really seriously as well and continue to encourage people to get that vaccine, and the double vaccine indeed, because that's going to be the way that we get out of this longer term."
06:04 AM
Today's front page
Here is your Daily Telegraph on Monday, July 26.
dt
05:45 AM
Helpline for double-jabbed who missed out on passport
The NHS is set to launch a helpline for double-jabbed people who have been locked out of getting vaccine passports due to NHS errors, as it emerged at least 50 people a day are being missed
The Telegraph has been inundated by readers who are fully vaccinated, but face missing out on holidays and entry to major events after failures by NHS recording systems, an investigation has found.
It comes as Nadim Zahawi, the Vaccines Minister, announced on Sunday that 70 per cent of adults are now fully vaccinated and that 88 per cent have had one dose.
Amid growing chaos, health officials are preparing to launch a new service to deal with hundreds of people whose vaccines have not been properly recorded on the app.
Union leaders have launched a battle against Government plans to end the pingdemic in a move that threatens a summer of disruption for holidaymakers, shoppers and commuters.
Critical workers are able to avoid self-isolation via a Government scheme launched amid fears key infrastructure could collapse under the pressure of hundreds of thousands being told to stay home by the NHS app.
However, leaders of the UK’s largest unions are now encouraging key workers - including in transport and food - to ignore the exemption and stay home, suggesting fears that they could be exposed to Covid-19 in the workplace, The Telegraph can reveal.
'Vaccinated will have more freedoms than unvaccinated'
German politicians were deeply divided on Sunday over a warning by Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff that restrictions for unvaccinated people may be necessary if infection numbers reach new heights in coming months.
Chief of staff Helge Braun told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag that he doesn't expect another coronavirus-related lockdown in Germany, but unvaccinated people may be barred from entering venues like restaurants, cinemas or sports stadiums "because the residual risk is too high".
Mr Braun said getting vaccinated is important to protect against severe disease and because "vaccinated people will definitely have more freedoms than unvaccinated people".
He said such policies would be legal because "the state has the responsibility to protect the health of its citizens".
03:28 AM
Vaccination rollout for South Korea amid fourth wave
South Korea kicked off vaccinations for people aged 55-59 today to speed up the pace of its inoculation campaign, as the country battles its fourth wave of infections.
The rollout of vaccinations for people in their late 50s had sputtered to a week-long halt this month after a record high number of new cases sparked a rush for shots, exhausting available supplies and crashing an official reservation website.
South Korea has prioritised immunising the elderly, the vulnerable and frontline healthcare workers. It has inoculated 33pc of its 52 million people with at least one dose, while 13pc have had both jabs.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 1,318 new cases for Sunday. Total infections in the country stand at 190,166, with 2,077 deaths.
02:16 AM
Meeting to tackle NI relaxations
Stormont ministers will meet later to consider further Covid relaxations for Northern Ireland and discuss ways to tackle the region's spiralling health waiting lists.
The virtual executive meeting will re-examine decisions that were postponed last week amid concerns about rising infection numbers.
These "moderate" risk moves include allowing theatres and concert halls to welcome back audiences and increasing the limit on gatherings in indoor domestic settings from six to 10, from no more than three households.
Ministers will also consider whether to lift current restrictions on MoT test centres.
An easing of the requirement for face coverings in places of worship is also set to be discussed.
The decisions will be taken during at an executive meeting that was already scheduled to discuss Northern Ireland's waiting list crisis.
The region has the worst waiting list times in the UK.
01:50 AM
Covid jabs mandatory for French health workers
The French parliament has approved a bill today that will make Covid vaccinations mandatory for health workers as well as require a bolstered health pass in a wide array of social venues.
It comes as France battles a fourth wave of infections.
Visitors heading to museums, cinemas or swimming pools in France are already denied entry if they cannot produce a pass showing that they have been vaccinated or have had a recent negative test. The pass has been required for large-scale festivals or to go clubbing.
From the start of August, the pass will further be needed to enter restaurants and bars and for long-distance train and plane journeys.
The measures contained in the bill are due to end on November 15. A final green light from the constitutional court, the nation's top jurisdiction, will be needed before the law can come into effect.
Daily infections in France have gradually increased, topping 22,000 last week, with hospitalisations also on the rise.
01:05 AM
Sydney could stay in lockdown until mid September
Victoria has reported low numbers of new Covid cases, raising hopes of an end to a lockdown in the Australian state as planned, while neighbouring New South Wales looks set to extend its strict stay-home orders.
Australia is fighting to douse an outbreak of the highly infectious delta variant.
Sydney, the worst affected city and the state capital of NSW, is in a five-week lockdown until Friday, but that looks set to be extended further - possibly September 17 - as a growing number of cases are still being detected in the community before being diagnosed.
NSW reported 145 new cases today.
Officials are also worried about a major flare-up in infections in Sydney after thousands of people joined anti-lockdown protests over the weekend.
Eleven locally acquired cases were detected in Victoria.
Double-vaccinated expats are set to be free to travel to the UK, as the Government plans to recognise foreign jabs from August 1
The NHS is set to launch a helpline for double-jabbed people who have been locked out of getting vaccine passports due to NHS errors, as it emerged at least 50 people a day are being missed
Sajid Javid has apologised for suggesting that the nation should not "cower" from coronavirus after his comments were branded insensitive by bereaved families and opposition MPs
The NFL will allow players to wear protective Guardian Caps during games beginning with the 2024 season. The caps were previously mandated for practices.
Atlanta Falcons first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. said quarterback Kirk Cousins called him after he was picked No. 8 overall in one of the 2024 NFL Draft's more puzzling selections.
Tyrese Haliburton hit a floater with 1.1 seconds left in overtime to give the Indiana Pacers a 121–118 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers lead their first-round playoff series two games to one.
Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger & SI’s Pat Forde react to the huge performance this weekend by Texas QB Arch Manning, Michigan and Notre Dame's spring games, Jaden Rashada entering the transfer portal, and more
Trump is entitled to an additional 36 million shares if the company's share price trades above $17.50 "for twenty out of any thirty trading days" over the next three years.
