'No doubt' further waves of infections to come, warns head of ONS

The UK's national statistician said he has "no doubt" that there will be a further wave of Covid-19 infections in the autumn.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), also said there is a lot of regional variation in terms of how many people have antibodies.

His comments come after England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said there were still risks to reopening society and the UK will experience another surge of cases at some point, potentially in late summer or through the autumn and winter.

Sir Ian said people need to understand how the data is moving forward and look at the impact of the "wonderful" vaccine rollout.

"But having said that, we need also to recognise that this is a virus that isn't going to go away. And I have no doubt that in the autumn there will be a further wave of infections," he told BBC's Andrew Marr.

07:02 PM

Roundup of today's news

Here is your evening roundup of today's news:

• There is “no doubt” that Britain will be hit by a third wave of coronavirus infections this autumn, the UK’s statistics chief has said, as he warned of stark regional disparities in antibody rates.

• AstraZeneca has found no evidence of increased risk of blood clots with vaccine.

• Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has received his first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted that the UK will "beat Covid" in the coming months.

• Angela Merkel’s party suffered heavy defeats in regional elections on Sunday as voters turned on her government over its handling of the coronavirus crisis.

• Ireland temporarily suspended the rollout of the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab, after Norway reported that one person had died and three been admitted to hospital after receiving the shot.

• Dutch riot police used water cannon and batons on Sunday to disperse a crowd of anti-lockdown protesters gathered at a field in the centre of The Hague a day before general elections.

06:50 PM

MPs not to dial in online for debates, Parliament recommends

MPs should not be allowed to dial into debates in the House of Commons virtually after the last coronavirus restrictions have been lifted, Parliament’s procedure committee has recommended.

A cross-party group of MPs said “hybrid” proceedings, where members can choose whether to attend via video call or in person, should only continue until the last stage of the easing of lockdown, scheduled for June 21.

The committee recommended that virtual proceedings remain an option in case the Commons is disrupted again, such as when the Palace of Westminster is renovated, but that MPs should return to work as normal in the meantime. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, has previously backed a similar timetable, warning that MPs “can’t be behind nightclubs”.

The decision will be made by a vote of all MPs. Karen Bradley, the Procedure Committee’s chair, said: "This committee's recommendations for a return to something approaching 'normality' are consistent with both the commission and the Government, but the ultimate decision must be made by all MPs."

06:43 PM

AstraZeneca finds no evidence of increased risk of blood clots with vaccine

AstraZeneca Plc on Sunday said it had conducted a review of people vaccinated with its COVID-19 vaccine which has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.

The review covered more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and United Kingdom.

A statement below reads:

06:25 PM

US considers reducing social distancing to one metre

The United States' top pandemic advisor said Sunday that authorities were considering cutting social distancing rules to one metre a move that would change a key tenet of the global fight against Covid-19.

Anthony Fauci, a world-respected figure during the coronavirus crisis, said experts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were examining a Massachusetts study that found "no substantial difference" in Covid cases in schools observing six-foot and three-foot rules.

Asked on CNN's "State of the Union" show whether that meant that a three-foot separation was sufficient, Fauci replied, "It does, indeed."

"The CDC is very well aware that data are accumulating making it look more like three feet are OK under certain circumstances," Fauci added.

06:04 PM

Italian region lifts ban on AstraZeneca vaccine

Italy's Piedmont region has lifted a blanket ban on the AstraZeneca vaccine and instead limited the ban to the batch used to inoculate a man who later died, writes Erica Di Blasi in Turin.

The northern region at first blocked all further use of the Astra vaccine while it established which batch was involved in the death of the man, a 58-year-old teacher.

It then limited the moratorium to the batch from which he was vaccinated, number ABV5811.

Sandro Tognatti, a clarinet teacher from the city of Novara, died this morning. He had been given the vaccine yesterday.

Those who had been waiting to be inoculated with the Astra vaccine this morning were sent home. Vaccinations with the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines continue.

The ban follows one on another lot of the Astra vaccine, number ABV2856, following the deaths of two people in Sicily who had received the jab.

06:02 PM

Protesters occupy French theatres to fight Covid-19 closures

Artists, performers and students have occupied iconic theatres in several French cities to demand the immediate reopening of cultural venues after months of Covid-related closures.

While most businesses have opened in France, theatres, music halls, cinemas and museums have been closed since the start of the second national lockdown on October 30.

At least 29 venues in Paris, Marseille, Toulouse and across the country were occupied in protest as of Sunday, according to SFA-CGT, a union representing show business workers.

"We have not worked for a year. It's been a year that we have no salary, no benefits, no social security…" Catherine Lecoq, an actress in Marseille, told French TV.

The movement started on March 4 as dozens of protesters organised sit-ins at the Odeon Theatre on the left bank in Paris that have continued every day since.

05:37 PM

Pupils' return to school 'politically motivated,' says senior union official

A partial return of all secondary school pupils to the classroom from Monday was "politically motivated", as the Scottish Government was seeking a "good news story", a senior teaching union official has claimed.

Education Secretary John Swinney said the Government's "sole motivation" was ensuring pupils' wellbeing.

Nicola Sturgeon announced on March 2 that all pupils would have some time in school from March 15.

The remaining primary pupils, P4-P7, all return on that date, with secondary school pupils making a partial return to the classroom through a blended learning model also involving home schooling.

Assistant secretary of the EIS teaching union, Andrea Bradley, told BBC Scotland's Sunday Show: "The decision seemed to be a political one rather than one that was based on sound educational principle.

"Certainly it wasn't one that has taken account of the very real circumstances in which teachers are working - under quite significant stress and pressure over the last six months."

04:32 PM

52 new deaths from Covid-19 in UK

The Government said a further 52 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Sunday, bringing the UK total to 125,516.

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 147,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.

The Government also said that, as of 9am on Sunday, there had been a further 4,618 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.

It brings the total to 4,258,438.

04:14 PM

No evidence to suggest AstraZeneca vaccine is cause of blood clots, says UK regulator

Evidence does not suggest the AstraZeneca vaccine is the cause of blood clots, the UK regulator has said.

Ireland suspended use of the jab on Sunday, out of an abundance of caution.

It followed reports of serious clotting in adults in Norway which left four people in hospital.

Irish Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said it was a "precautionary step".

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said: "We are aware of the action in Ireland.

"We are closely reviewing reports but, given the large number of doses administered and the frequency at which blood clots can occur naturally, the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause."

04:05 PM

Sir Keir Starmer receives vaccine

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has received his first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

The 58-year-old had the jab at the Francis Crick Institute in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency.

he mass vaccination centre is one of five across north central London set up by University College London Hospital.

Sir Keir said: "I am so grateful to the staff and volunteers at the Francis Crick Institute for their warm welcome and exceptional work throughout the pandemic.

"From the help they gave our local hospitals with testing last year, to this vaccination centre, they have been at the forefront of efforts to support our NHS and keep our community safe.

"It has been such a difficult year and the vaccination programme is the light at the end of the tunnel.

"The vaccine is safe, effective and I urge everyone in our community to take it when it's their turn."

04:02 PM

UK will 'beat Covid' in coming months, claims Boris Johnson

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted that the UK will "beat Covid" in the coming months.

Mr Johnson said that "in the not-too-distant future" businesses would be able to reopen and people would once again be able to hold family and friends.

He spoke about how the "kindness and perseverance of the British spirit" had shown "how much we can achieve when we all pull together" during the coronavirus pandemic.

And with the UK vaccination programme having "roared into life in every corner of this country", he said restrictions that have been in place across the UK for much of the last year could soon be removed.

03:55 PM

Dutch riot police use water cannon to disperse anti-lockdown protesters

Dutch riot police used water cannon and batons on Sunday to disperse a crowd of anti-lockdown protesters gathered at a field in the centre of The Hague a day before general elections.

The demonstration was broken up after the crowd violated social distancing rules and ignored a police warning to leave.

03:06 PM

Legal action launched over indoor hospitality reopening date

Plans to keep indoor hospitality venues closed for weeks longer than non-essential shops in England are facing a legal challenge from a leading restaurateur and night tsar.

Hugh Osmond, the founder of Punch Taverns and a former director of Pizza Express, and Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester's night time economy adviser, have submitted a claim for a judicial review to the Government.

They believe there is "no evidence or justification for the prioritisation" of non-essential retail over hospitality, and said it could have a "potentially indirectly discriminatory effect" on young people and people from BAME backgrounds working in hospitality.

Under the Prime Minister's road map for unlocking restrictions in England, non-essential retail will open no earlier than April 12. But indoor hospitality venues will not open until at least May 17.

Mr Osmond, director of Various Eateries, said the Government must base its decisions on "evidence not prejudice" when taking "momentous and unprecedented actions affecting millions of its citizens".

02:58 PM

Italian region suspends AstraZeneca doses

Italy's northern region of Piedmont said on Sunday said it would temporarily suspend AstraZeneca coronavirus doses after a teacher from the town of Biella died following his vaccination on Saturday.

The decision, following similar moves elsewhere in Europe, was precautionary and the region was awaiting the results of checks which will verify the batch that was used and whether there is a connection between the death and the vaccination, the regional government said in an online statement.

It did not say how the teacher died.

"It is an act of extreme prudence, while we verify whether there is a connection. There have been no critical issues with the administration of vaccines to date," Luigi Genesio Icardi, head of regional health services, said in the statement.

02:48 PM

Scotland records two more deaths as cases rise by 484

Scotland has recorded two more coronavirus deaths and a further 484 positive cases, the latest figures show.

The Scottish Government's daily statistics for Sunday show an increase in positive cases from the same point last week, when 390 were recorded.

However, positive cases are down from 639 on Saturday, March 13.

The death toll under the daily measurement - of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days - now stands at 7,510.

Registrar offices are often closed at weekends, affecting the reporting of deaths.

Some 461 people are in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19 and 40 are in intensive care.

02:33 PM

Fauci hopes Trump will tell his supporters to get Covid-19 vaccine

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said on Sunday he hopes former President Donald Trump will urge his supporters to get the COVID-19 vaccine and emphasized that pandemic-related restrictions should not be lifted prematurely.

In a PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll released last week, about half of U.S. men who identified themselves as Republicans said they had no plans to get the vaccine.

Asked whether Trump should speak to his supporters directly, given those poll numbers, Fauci said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program: "I hope he does because the numbers that you gave are so disturbing."

"How such a large proportion of a certain group of people would not want to get vaccinated merely because of political considerations ... it makes absolutely no sense," Fauci said.

The other living former U.S. presidents - Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter - are set to appear in two public service announcements for the coronavirus vaccine alongside their wives, without Trump.

02:29 PM

UK's vaccine programme show 'success' of Scotland union, says minister

Scotland would still be in the "vice-like grip" of coronavirus if it had followed SNP advice on vaccinations, a UK Government minister has claimed.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack hailed the vaccination programme against the virus as being a success for the UK.

He insisted: "Had we followed the SNP's advice on vaccines and waited for the flat-footed EU, we would still be in the vice-like grip of the pandemic instead of confidently looking forward to better days.

"There can be no more eloquent expression of the success of the Union than this brilliant UK-wide approach."

The UK, Mr Jack said, has developed a "Covid-19 vaccination programme that is the envy of the world".

He described this as being as a "truly astonishing achievement" and on a "scale that dwarfs anything since the war".

02:11 PM

Singapore may reopen its borders by end of year

Pime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he hoped Singapore would start re-opening its borders by the end of the year as more countries ramp up vaccination drives against Covid-19 infections.

The Southeast Asian island nation has largely banned leisure travel, but has put in place some business and official travel programmes. It is also discussing the mutual recognition of vaccine certificates with other nations.

"I hope if that many countries can have substantial proportions of their populations vaccinated by later this year, we will be able to have the confidence and to have developed the systems to open up our international borders to travel safely again," Lee told the BBC.

"Hopefully by the end of this year or next year, the doors can start to open, if not earlier," he said.

01:56 PM

Portugal to open borders to holidaymakers from May

Portugal could open its borders to British holidaymakers from early May, the country's tourism secretary has announced.

Rita Marques told LBC that visitors would only be permitted if they can provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test.

01:49 PM

EU announces shortfall in AstraZeneca vaccine

The European Union was faced with another setback in its vaccination programme after AstraZeneca announced a shortfall, as countries across the world tried to step up their Covid-19 immunisation drives.

The pharmaceutical company's image had already taken a hit with several countries suspending the rollout of its vaccine over blood clot fears, though the World Health Organization said there was no reason to stop using it in the fight against the pandemic.

Mass vaccinations are considered critical to ending the pandemic, which has claimed more than 2.6 million lives globally, and the AstraZeneca announcement was another blow for EU leaders, who have already faced criticism for the stumbling start to the jab drive on the hard-hit continent.

"AstraZeneca is disappointed to announce a shortfall in planned Covid-19 vaccine shipments to the European Union... despite working tirelessly to accelerate supply," the firm said Saturday.

It had previously warned of shortfalls from its European supply chain due to lower-than-expected production output, and was hoping to compensate by sourcing shots from its global network.

01:40 PM

Bahrain relaxes Covid-19 measures as cases ease

Bahrain eased some of its coronavirus restrictions on Sunday, including allowing eating inside restaurants and re-opening educational institutions to students, as case numbers fall.

Restaurants and cafes, which had been limited to take-away meals since late January, can open with no more than 30 customers at one time, the ministry of health said.

Swimming pools and sports facilities can re-open on Sunday, but social gatherings of more than 30 people in homes and private venues are still prohibited.

Ministry officials urged residents to get a vaccine and to continue to adhere to measures such as social distancing and washing hands.

Daily case numbers have fallen from a mid-February peak of 896 following a steady rise since December. The country, which offers residents and citizens four types of vaccine, registered 579 new cases on Sunday.

01:25 PM

Met Commissioner claims crowds at vigil 'posed a real risk of transmitting Covid-19'

Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball has said police were put into a position "where enforcement action was necessary".

She said: "Hundreds of people were packed tightly together, posing a very real risk of easily transmitting Covid-19.

"Police must act for people's safety, this is the only responsible thing to do. The pandemic is not over and gatherings of people from right across London and beyond, are still not safe.

"Those who gathered were spoken to by officers on a number of occasions and over an extended period of time. We repeatedly encouraged those who were there to comply with the law and leave. Regrettably, a small minority of people began chanting at officers, pushing and throwing items."

The assembled crowd chanted "shame on you" as police led people away at the vigil, while during another confrontation a distressed woman could be heard telling officers "you're supposed to protect us".

Reclaim These Streets had organised the vigil before being forced to cancel following consultation with the Metropolitan Police, which said it would be in breach in coronavirus restrictions.

01:24 PM

49 new deaths from Covid-19 in England

A further 49 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 85,234, NHS England said on Sunday.

Patients were aged between 50 and 93 and all except three, aged between 62 and 89, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between January 10 and March 13, with the majority being on or after March 10.

There were 17 other deaths reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.

01:17 PM

Australia says working on travel bubble with Singapore

Australia is "working with Singapore" to create a travel bubble between the two nations as early as July, officials said Sunday, in an effort to restart tourism and travel put on hold by Covid-19.

Early in the pandemic Australia effectively closed its international border to slow the spread of the coronavirus, with non-citizens banned from visiting except in special circumstances.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said Australia was "working with Singapore at the moment potentially for a bubble (beginning) in July".

"As the vaccine rolls out, not only in Australia but in other countries, we will reopen more bubbles," he told public broadcaster ABC.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported the deal would allow Singaporeans and Australians who had been vaccinated to travel between the countries without quarantining.

01:06 PM

Arrests at Denmark anti-lockdown protest

Two people were arrested on the sidelines of a weekend protest against coronavirus restrictions in Denmark's capital Copenhagen.

One person was arrested for throwing fireworks at police during the Saturday march, while another was detained over violent behaviour, Danish police said.

The rally was organised by a group calling itself "Men in Black Denmark" which has called regular demonstrations since the end of last year against what it calls the "dictatorship" of the country's Covid-19 restrictions.

Walking through firework smoke, the protesters held torches as they moved through the city centre chanting "Freedom for Denmark" and "Mette Ciao," a reference to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Local media reported that the march took place in a "sometimes intense" atmosphere, but without major incident.

12:45 PM

Italy's health minister expects cases to start falling in late spring

Italy is seeing a steady rise in infections but a national vaccination campaign and tougher restrictions mean numbers should start improving in late spring, the health minister said.

Italy, the first Western country hit hard by the pandemic, saw infections rise by 10 per cent last week compared with the week earlier.

Officials have warned that the situation is deteriorating as highly contagious variants gain ground.

"The application of more rigorous measures and the progressive rise in the number of vaccinated people make us think that already in the second half of spring (contagion) numbers will be improving," Health Minister Roberto Speranza told daily la Repubblica in an interview.

He added that the coming weeks "would not be at all easy".

12:32 PM

Japanese monks brave smouldering coals to pray for safety during pandemic

Japanese worshippers prayed for the safety of themselves and their families on Sunday by walking barefoot with Buddhist monks over smouldering coals at an annual festival near Mt. Takaosan.

The fire-walking was more tense than usual because participants were required to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

The festival was also limited to 1,000 participants. Last year, it wasn't open to the public because of the pandemic.

"Passing your body through the flames cleanses your soul and delivers your prayers to Buddha," said Koshou Kamimura, a Buddhist monk from Takaosan Yakuouin Temple.

"Historically, Mt. Takaosan is an important place to pray for deliverance from plagues, so I felt we should hold the festival this year with certain precautions."

12:08 PM

EU says says speedy Pfizer production can help offset AstraZeneca vaccine delays

The European Union will be able to stick to its vaccination targets this quarter despite AstraZeneca delivery delays as Pfizer is producing faster than planned, EU industry commissioner Thierry Breton said on Saturday

AstraZeneca said on Friday it would try to deliver 30 million doses to the EU by the end of March, down from a contractual obligation of 90 million and a previous pledge made last month to deliver 40 million doses.

Breton told France's Europe 1 radio that the delay was unacceptable, but that for now there were no plans to sue the company.

"The good news is that even though there are delays with AstraZeneca we won't be late with our vaccination programme in the first quarter," Breton said.

11:57 AM

Ireland to suspend AstraZeneca vaccine

Use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine should be temporarily suspended, Ireland's deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said.

Serious blood clotting has been recorded after inoculations in Norway.

The Irish authorities have been pressing the pharmaceutical firm to speed up its supplies to the Republic.

Dr Glynn said: "This recommendation has been made following a report from the Norwegian Medicines Agency of four new reports of serious blood clotting events in adults after vaccination with Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca.

"It has not been concluded that there is any link between the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca and these cases.

"However, acting on the precautionary principle, and pending receipt of further information, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has recommended the temporary deferral of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca vaccination programme in Ireland."

Several other European countries temporarily suspended AstraZeneca jabs following reports of people suffering blood clots.

11:44 AM

'No doubt' there will be further wave of Covid-19, warns head of ONS

The UK's national statistician said he has "no doubt" that there will be a further wave of Covid-19 infections in the autumn.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), also said there is a lot of regional variation in terms of how many people have antibodies.

His comments come after England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said there were still risks to reopening society and the UK will experience another surge of cases at some point, potentially in late summer or through the autumn and winter.

Sir Ian said people need to understand how the data is moving forward and look at the impact of the "wonderful" vaccine rollout.

"But having said that, we need also to recognise that this is a virus that isn't going to go away," he told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One.

"And I have no doubt that in the autumn there will be a further wave of infections."

11:01 AM

Regional variation in Covid antibodies

Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said there is a lot of regional variation in terms of how many people have antibodies.

Asked if it is too early to know how much of the fall in infection across the UK is down to the vaccine rollout, he said there are a number of moving parts such as vaccines and restrictions.

He told The Andrew Marr Show: "I mean I would say though that this has been an incredibly impressive vaccine rollout, and we've been looking at antibodies in the population, and we've been scaling up our survey in order to be able to take many more blood tests so that we can look at the impact.

"And what we're seeing is quite remarkable increases in the level of antibodies in the over-80s, and increasingly in the over-70s. So I'm very, very confident that the vaccine rollout is really starting to provide some real protection.

10:03 AM

Call for vaccinated people to travel without restrictions

British Airways's new boss said vaccinated people should be allowed to travel without restriction and non-vaccinated people with a negative Covid-19 test, as he set out his ideas for a travel restart a month before the UK government finalises its plans.

Holidays will not be allowed until May 17 at the earliest, the government has said, but before that, on April 12, Britain will announce how and when non-essential travel into and out of the country can resume.

Sean Doyle, appointed BA's chief executive last October, called on Britain to work with other governments to allow vaccines and health apps to open up travel, after a year when minimal flying has left many airlines on life support.

"I think people who've been vaccinated should be able to travel without restriction. Those who have not been vaccinated should be able to travel with a negative test result," he said.

Mr Doyle wants government to give its backing to health apps that can be used to verify a person's negative Covid-19 test results and vaccination status.

09:55 AM

Russia's daily coronavirus cases grow to more than 10,000 again

Russia reported 10,083 coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours on Sunday, the first time the number of daily infections has crossed the 10 thousand mark since Monday, Reuters reports.

It brought the total case tally to 4,390,608.

The Russian coronavirus crisis centre said 395 more coronavirus patients had died in the last 24 hours, taking the national death toll to 92,090.

07:49 AM

EU faces another setback in vaccine programme

The European Union was faced with another setback in its coronavirus vaccination programme after AstraZeneca announced a shortfall, as countries across the world tried to step up their Covid-19 immunisation drives.

The pharmaceutical company's image had already taken a hit with several countries suspending the rollout of its vaccine over blood clot fears, though the World Health Organisation said there was no reason to stop using it in the fight against the pandemic.

Mass vaccinations are considered critical to ending the pandemic, which has claimed more than 2.6 million lives globally, and the AstraZeneca announcement was another blow for EU leaders, who have already faced criticism for the stumbling start to the jab drive on the hard-hit continent.

Read more: Oxford jab delivery hold-up disrupts EU bid to stop third wave

07:36 AM

Grandmothers missing out on baby's key moments

A fifth of grandmothers have not seen their grandchildren in nearly a year with many missing key milestones like first words and steps, research has found.

With lockdown restrictions in place across the UK, a YouGov survey revealed 21 per cent of grandmothers have not seen their grandchildren in more than ten months.

It also found that eight per cent of mothers and grandmothers said they had missed a child’s first day of school or nursery, while six per cent said they had missed seeing a child’s first steps and their first words.

Read the full story

06:59 AM

Experts predict a post-Covid baby boom

Did you know there was a baby boom nine months after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales? I didn’t, but a spokesman from the Royal College of Midwives said so on the news this week, so it must be true. Seems a pretty odd aphrodisiac to me, but there’s no telling with some.

Experts are predicting similar after the pandemic. Apparently, a quarter of 25- to 40-year-olds say that having children is more important to them now than before Covid struck, meaning that 1.9 million babies could be born in the two years after the restrictions are lifted.

Read the full story

Read more: Questions loom large over jabs for pregnant women

05:55 AM

Carnival CEO predicts another tough two years for cruise industry

Carnival Corp Chief Executive Arnold Donald anticipates at least two more tough years for the cruise industry, which is unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2023, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

The cruise company's full fleet might be sailing by the end of this year but it will take longer to recover to pre-crisis revenues, Donald told the newspaper in an interview.

Carnival in January reported a bigger-than-expected preliminary fourth-quarter net loss as business was brought to a virtual standstill by the coronavirus outbreak.

Read more: An inside look at 12 devastating months without holidays at sea

04:03 AM

Japan reportedly eyeing March 21 to ease restrictions

Japan's government is leaning towards ending a state of emergency for Tokyo and surrounding areas over Covid-19 as scheduled on March 21, the Sankei newspaper reported on Sunday.

The government is expected to make its decision at a meeting with advisers on March 18, Sankei reported. Calls to the prime minister's office were not answered.

The number of hospital beds in use to treat Covid-19 patients is falling gradually, which is justification to end the state of emergency as scheduled, the Sankei said, citing an unnamed government official.

Restrictions such as shorter business hours for restaurants and bars have helped reduce new daily cases in Tokyo to roughly a tenth of a peak of 2,520 on Jan. 7, but the number of new infections in Tokyo has been creeping up in recent days, raising concerns that the state of emergency might be extended.

03:08 AM

Charities urge people with health conditions to get jab

Scores of charities have written an open letter to encourage people with underlying health conditions to come forward for a coronavirus vaccine.

Cancer Research UK, Mencap and the Terrence Higgins Trust are among 18 signatories to the letter aimed at people in vaccine cohort six.

The group includes carers as well as people with a range of underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk from coronavirus.

They include chronic respiratory, heart, kidney and liver disease and neurological conditions, immunosuppression, asplenia, diabetes, morbid obesity and severe mental illness.

People with sickle cell disease, lupus and those on a GP learning disability register, as well as people who have vascular disease or have had a stroke are also included in group six.

Read more: Who is next on the priority list for Covid vaccines?

02:58 AM

Australia 'working with Singapore' to create travel bubble

Australia is "working with Singapore" to create a travel bubble between the two nations as early as July, officials said Sunday, in an effort to restart tourism and travel put on hold by Covid-19.

Early in the pandemic Australia effectively closed its international border to slow the spread of the coronavirus, with non-citizens banned from visiting except in special circumstances.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said Australia was "working with Singapore at the moment potentially for a bubble (beginning) in July".

The Sydney Morning Herald reported the deal would allow Singaporeans and Australians who had been vaccinated to travel between the countries without quarantining.

02:53 AM

Today's top stories

• The FA Cup final will be played in front of 20,000 fans and the World Snooker Championships will kickstart the return of spectator sport, the Government has confirmed.
• Boris Johnson faces a major rebellion next week from dozens of Conservative MPs over extending lockdown laws in England.
• The coronavirus vaccine may alleviate the symptoms of people suffering from long Covid, according to patient groups and scientists studying the condition.
• The UK vaccine rollout is going at such a speed that a head-scratcher that the Government has been putting off is almost upon them. That is the question of whether pregnant women and those considering having a baby should be offered the jab.
• Pensioners may get a vaccine booster in August as the risk posed by a winter wave is “too big”, a leader of the government’s vaccine advisory committee has warned.