Andy Burnham has published a letter to Nicola Sturgeon where he calls her government’s lack of compensation for banned Manchester residents “frankly insulting”.
Mr Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester said in the letter that: "Our 2.8 million residents deserve to be treated with due respect and proper consideration when restrictions are being implemented which will affect their lives."
Ms Sturgeon had this morning suggested that Burnham’s complaints about the travel ban between Scotland and Manchester were motivated by his desire to boost his prospects of becoming the next Labour leader.
The Scottish First Minister told the BBC that she had “always got on well with Andy Burnham” but she has a “duty… to keep Scotland as safe as possible.”
Meanwhile, SNP deputy John Swinney said financial compensation would not be “appropriate” and said the travel ban is “consistent” with similar policies in the past.
Mr Burnham accused the Scottish government of “hypocrisy” because the travel ban came “out of the blue” - in the same way Sturgeon’s government has frequently criticised Westminster.
In the letter he questioned how it is “consistent and fair” that Bolton’s residents are affected by the travel ban, when data shows Dundee has a similarly high case-rate.
Residents from Greater Manchester and Salford have been temporarily banned from travelling to Scotland, and vice versa, because of Holyrood’s concerns about the high rates of the Delta variant in the area.
Follow the latest updates below.
05:41 PM
Police your own wedding or face £10,000 fine, couples warned under new Covid rules
New guidance issued by the Government for weddings of more than 30 people puts the onus on the hosts, who “may be the couple”, to ensure they are Covid-compliant.
The new rules require organisers to complete a risk assessment form before a marriage takes place, with the threat of £10,000 fines if guests break social distancing rules.
According to a sample risk assessment form, published on the Government’s website, wedding organisers are told: “You should not allow dancing. Everyone should be seated whilst eating and drinking.”
Conflict violence against children soared in 2020, says UN
Violence against children in war-torn countries soared in 2020 and was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an annual United Nations report.
The report, signed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that child abductions increased by 90 per cent while rape and sexual abuse of children rose by 70 per cent compared to the previous year.
The report found that the pandemic "increased the vulnerability of children to abduction, recruitment and use, sexual violence and attacks on schools and hospitals."
Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Somalia were the most dangerous countries for children in 2020, the report found.
05:18 PM
Two England players isolating after close-contact with Scottish player
Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount are isolating and will be kept away from the rest of the England team's players, after they came into close contact with Scottish player Billy Gilmour, who has since tested positive for Covid-19, during Friday's Euros game.
Scotland's Billy Gilmour, who today tested positive for Covid-19, speaks with Chelsea teammates Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount, who will now isolate, who will now isolate, at Friday's Euros game
05:13 PM
US employers grapple with vaccine requirements for workers
Christopher Ranch, America's largest garlic farm, needs 1,000 workers to harvest its annual crop, but it faces an unexpected hurdle in this year's recruitment drive: it now must document and track the Covid-19 vaccination status of its seasonal labourers.
Employers in California's Santa Clara County, where Christopher Ranch is located, are required as of 1 June to disclose if their workers have been vaccinated and must check in every 14 days on those who say they have not or who decline to answer.
Ken Christopher, the farm's executive vice president, said the company has to develop a system to check who has been vaccinated while observing privacy laws and monitoring workers' adherence to safety protocols and testing.
"If the government wants to mandate [a vaccine], that’s one thing," Christopher said. "But then requiring us to police it, that feels very unconventional."
The entrance to Christopher Ranch garlic farm in Gilroy, California on 29 March 2019 - Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
04:56 PM
Six staff members test positive for Covid at Edinburgh McDonald's branch
At least six staff at a McDonald's branch in Edinburgh have tested positive for Covid-19.
The workers, from Fort Kinnaird, have been asked to self isolate, but the restaurant remains open.
A McDonald’s spokesperson told Edinburgh Live that: “Six employees at our Fort Kinnaird restaurant have tested positive for Covid-19 and are self-isolating. As soon as we were informed, the restaurant was given an enhanced clean as a precaution and will be followed by a deep clean by an external cleaning company this evening."
04:45 PM
Cake, candles and coronavirus: how birthdays increase risk of a Covid outbreak
Having a birthday within a household raises the risk of catching Covid by 30 per cent for a period of a fortnight, a study by scientists at Harvard University suggests.
Researchers looked at nearly three million homes in the US for 45 weeks in 2020 and noticed that there was a leap in Covid positivity for householders within two weeks of an individual celebrating a birthday.
The link remained through restrictions that left schools and events closed, and gatherings limited, suggesting people were less inclined to stick to the rules on birthdays.
Mask-wearing might add to social anxiety, study suggests
People who have social anxiety might experience increased distress related to mask-wearing during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, a recent study suggests.
David Moscovitch, co-author and professor of clinical psychology at Canada’s University of Waterloo’s Department of Psychology and Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment, said: "The adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression, have been well-documented.
“However, little is known about effects of increased mask-wearing on social interactions, social anxiety, or overall mental health."
The paper, to be published in the journal Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, also suggests that people with social anxiety may find it particularly challenging during periods where guidance around mask-wearing is less clear.
04:24 PM
US to share 55 million Covid doses globally
The US today outlined its plans to share 55 million Covid-19 vaccines globally, with around 75 per cent of the doses allocated to Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa through the COVAX scheme.
The plan fulfils Joe Biden's commitment to sharing 80 million US-made vaccines with countries around the world. The President spoke of his priorities for the first 25 million doses from that pledge earlier this month.
Of the 55 million remaining doses, some 41 million would be shared through COVAX, the White House said, with approximately 14 million going to Latin America and the Caribbean, some 16 million to Asia, and roughly 10 million to Africa.
The other 25 per cent, or roughly 14 million doses, would be shared with "regional priorities," including Colombia, Argentina, Iraq, Ukraine, the West Bank and Gaza.
04:12 PM
Pfizer and Moderna in talks with WHO to enable South African vaccine manufacturing
Pfizer and Moderna are in talks with the World Health Organisation over plans to enable their vaccines to be manufactured in South Africa.
The negotiations are taking place after the WHO called for mRNA vaccine technology transfer hubs to pass expertise and know how to existing manufacturers.
Enabling the jabs to be manufactured in South Africa will speed up access to jabs on a continent where less than two per cent of the population have been vaccinated. However, vaccines would not be ready for at least nine to 12 months.
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said the initiative would put Africa on a path to “self determination”.
“South Africa welcomes the opportunity to host a vaccine technology transfer hub and to build on the capacity and expertise that already exists on the continent to contribute to this effort.”
WHO director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of local production to address health emergencies, strengthen regional health security and expand sustainable access to health products.”
04:07 PM
UAE launches vaccine tourism for anyone with entry visa
The UAE has quietly launched vaccine tourism, with the emirate of Abu Dhabi offering visitors free jabs after approving the vaccinations of all those with visas issued by its authorities.
AFP reports that Abu Dhabi has not officially announced that it is vaccinating tourists, but authorities in the emirate said in a brief statement earlier this month that free Covid-19 vaccines were approved for everyone with an “entry visa”.
Abu Dhabi’s healthcare app allows visitors to register either for the Pfizer/BioNTech jab or the Chinese-made Sinopharm. The app features two separate tabs - one for Emiratis and residents, and the other for visitors.
Visitors can book appointments using their passport information on the app, which states that those with an Abu Dhabi-issued visa or with passports “eligible for visa on arrival” can register to be vaccinated. Proof of a visa or an entry stamp is required at the time of vaccination.
03:54 PM
Wales to speed up second vaccine doses to protect against Delta variant
Wales will speed up its Covid-19 vaccination programme by bringing forward second jabs for people aged over 50, the country's health minister has said.
Eluned Morgan said an additional 500,000 jabs would be made available between now and mid-July in response to the growing number of Delta variant cases in the country.
03:48 PM
Global vaccine rollout, in pictures
Healthcare workers cross the Mundeswari river in a boat to vaccinate villagers against Covid-19 at Uttar Batora Island in West Bengal, India on 21 June 2021 - Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters A man receives a shot of the EpiVacCorona vaccine in Talovka, Russia on 21 June 2021 - Dmitry Rogulin/TASS Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon receives her second dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Glasgow on 21 June 2021 - Jeff J Mitchell/AFP
03:21 PM
Current traffic light travel system is a 'no man's land', says expert
The Government must choose between opening up travel and allowing more freedoms within the UK in order to avoid the risk of more variants, a scientist has said.
Oksana Pyzik, a specialist in infectious diseases at University College London, told Sky News that the current traffic light system for travel is a "no man's land" that satisfies neither the travel industry nor scientists.
She said: "You can't have your cake and eat it too. We need to decide whether we want to open up and have more freedom in the UK but be a bit more patient with travel."
03:12 PM
UK reports further 10,633 new Covid cases and five deaths
The UK recorded 10,633 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, up from 9,284 on Sunday, along with a further five deaths.
03:05 PM
Portugal ramps up vaccine rollout amid spike in Lisbon cases
Portuguese authorities have said they are speeding up vaccinations and increasing testing, as the country tries to bring a spike in cases under control.
Just over 25 per cent of Portugal's 10 million-strong population has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, with the vast majority of those fully vaccinated being older or vulnerable.
A recent rise in cases around the Lisbon area has now led authorities to speed up the vaccination campaign, especially among younger people.
Those aged 35 to 39 can start booking their vaccination slot from today. Next month, the rollout will be expanded to 20 to 29-year-olds.
The Delta variant represents more than 60 per cent of cases in the Lisbon area, though still less than 15 per cent in the northern half of Portugal, the country's health institute said.
02:58 PM
Wellies are back as English festivals return
This weekend saw some of the first music festivals to take place in England in over two years, since before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Download Festival, held at Donington Park in Derby, was attended by 10,000 metal fans and formed part of the government's large-scale event pilot scheme, and featured sets from Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Enter Shikari.
A man crowd surfs at Download Festival on 20 June 2021 - Katja Ogrin/Getty Images
Crowds at Download Festival on 20 June 2021 - Katja Ogrin/Getty Images
Bigfoot Festival took to Warwickshire's Ragley Hall for its inaugural event, hosting 4,000 beer, food and music fans eager to see sets from artists including Primal Scream and Sports Team, as well as independent breweries like Gipsy Hill, Verdant and soda company Square Root.
People gather for food and beer at Bigfoot Festival, held between 18-20 June 2021 - Andrew Makin/Bigfoot Festival
Crowds dance at Bigfoot Festival, held between 18-20 June 2021 - Andrew Makin/Bigfoot Festival
02:45 PM
Canada to lift some border restrictions for fully-vaccinated citizens from July
Canada will start to lift some border restrictions for fully-vaccinated citizens from 5 July.
The Canadian government announced on Monday that while Canadians and permanent residents returning to the country will be exempt from quarantine, travellers from all other countries will remain excluded.
02:18 PM
Fourteen arrested at Westminster anti-lockdown protest
Fourteen people have been arrested and three police officers injured at an anti-lockdown protest near Westminster.
We've made fourteen arrests while policing a demonstration in #Westminster today.
Three police officers were injured, thankfully their injuries are not serious. pic.twitter.com/764D2NZP68
— Metropolitan Police Events (@MetPoliceEvents) June 21, 2021
Slogans are seen on an umbrella during an anti-lockdown protest in Westminster on 21 June 2021 - Peter Nicholls/Reuters
A man is led away by police during an anti-lockdown protest in Westminster on 21 June 2021 - Peter Nicholls/Reuters
02:11 PM
Football fans at 2022 Qatar World Cup must be fully vaccinated, says government
The Qatari government has announced that everyone attending the World Cup in November 2022 must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the New York Times reports.
Prime minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani, told state media yesterday that the government planned to obtain one million shots to vaccinate attendees if global efforts fell short.
“When the date of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 comes, most countries of the world will have vaccinated and immunised their citizens,” he said, according to Sky News.
“Due to the possibility that some countries will not be able to vaccinate all their citizens, Qatar will not allow fans to enter stadiums without receiving a full vaccination against the virus.”
Some 1.5 million fans are expected to attend the tournament next November. Thus far, around 57 per cent of the Qatari population has received one dose, while 44 per cent have been fully vaccinated, according to data cited by the NYT.
01:56 PM
South Africa set to host vaccine technology transfer hub
South Africa is set to host a "technology transfer hub" for Covid-19 vaccines to scale up production know-how, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday.
"The briefing will focus on the establishment of the first messenger RNA technology transfer hub for Covid-19 vaccines, located in South Africa," the president said.
The WHO has previously set up such hubs, which provide knowledge and training to local manufacturers, to boost global production of influenza vaccines.
South Africa accounts for over 35 per cent of Africa's total recorded Covid-19 cases, and is currently suffering from a third wave of mass infections amid a struggling vaccine rollout.
01:41 PM
Government must instil confidence in Britain's traffic light system
The first "checkpoint" review since the traffic light system was introduced is due to take place on June 28.
But Paul Charles, chief executive at travel consultancy The PC Agency, said he does not anticipate any major changes.
He said: "I think caution is going to continue from the Government.
"I think there may well be very few changes. You may see maybe somewhere like Turkey move from red to amber, you may see a couple of greens added.
"But they've got to re-instil confidence in people about the traffic light system. The system is shot to pieces at the moment, because of the way that they treated Portugal two weeks ago.
"They've either got to reinvigorate the traffic light system, or they've got to outline how they're going to enable fully jabbed citizens to travel with more freedom and not have to quarantine when they return from an amber country."
He added: "I'm not sure they're going to open things up very much at all until August."
01:22 PM
Portugal scrambles to contain Lisbon spike
Portuguese authorities are scrambling to bring a worrying spike in cases under control and said they would accelerate vaccinations and increase testing.
Just over 25 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 but a recent rise in cases around the populous Lisbon area led authorities to speed up the vaccination campaign, especially among younger people.
The number of people testing newly positive every 24 hours is back to late February levels, when Portugal was still under lockdown. Most restrictions have since been lifted and Portugal opened its doors to some tourists last month.
The Delta variant, first identified in India, represents over 60 per cent of cases in the Lisbon area though still less than 15 per cent in the northern half of Portugal, the country's health institute said on Sunday.
Those aged 35-39 can start booking their vaccination appointment on Monday.
The Portuguese Society for Health Management (SPGS) urged authorities to open vaccination for all age groups as soon as possible as younger people are at greatest risk of contagion this time around.
A weekend travel plan was put in place around Lisbon's metropolitan area last Friday, stopping people from leaving or entering the region, but the SPGS said more measures were urgently needed.
"The control of Lisbon's metropolitan area must be more restricted and prolonged to try to avoid the spread of the virus as much as possible," it said.
01:01 PM
Data on Covid booster vaccines to be given to JCVI by 'end of August', says professor
Professor Saul Faust, lead investigator of a Covid-19 booster vaccine trial, said his team would be able to provide data to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) by the "end of August" on the impact of a top-up shot.
The University of Southampton academic told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "The results of the trial, both in terms of the side effects and the blood test data which shows immunology and how the vaccines are working against all the current circulating variants, those data will be available to JCVI by the end of August.
"That is incredibly quick in terms of the fact we are still recruiting - the recruitment for this trial, giving people their third dose, is happening right now in June."
12:57 PM
Hong Kong to relax quarantine rules for arrivals
Hong Kong authorities said quarantine requirements will soon be relaxed for travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and arriving from certain lower-risk countries.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Monday that the relaxation of quarantine measures will firstly apply to Hong Kong residents returning to the city. They must have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days, must undergo a serology test to prove they have antibodies and must test negative for Covid-19 upon arrival in Hong Kong.
Officials said the arrangement could begin on 30 June, and that it is looking to open a similar arrangement for non-residents later.
12:43 PM
No 10 denies G7 summit is behind Cornwall's Covid surge
Downing Street has denied that the G7 summit in Cornwall was responsible for an increase in Covid-19 cases in the area.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said it had always been expected that cases across England would rise following the latest easing of lockdown restrictions in May.
"Attendees going to the G7 were tested before arriving and throughout the summit. We are not aware of any cases of transmission to local residents," he said.
"We always said that, following the move to step three, we would see cases rising across the country. That is what we are seeing playing out."
Protesters from Extinction Rebellion gather in Cornwall, during the G7 summit, on 13 June 2021 - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg
12:37 PM
New antibody drug reduces hospitalisations and deaths in Covid patients, study finds
GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology said on Monday that final results from a late-stage study of their monoclonal antibody confirmed it significantly reduced hospitalisation and death among high-risk Covid-19 patients when given early on in the disease.
The treatment, sotrovimab, received authorisation for emergency use from the US Food and Drug Administration in May, while the European Union's drug regulator has also backed it.
The drugmakers said on Monday that the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recommended sotrovimab to treat high-risk, non-hospitalised patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19.
In a study of 1,057 patients, sotrovimab resulted in a 79 per cent reduction in risk of hospitalisation for more than 24 hours or death due to any cause.
12:31 PM
Completion of giant Buddha statue at Thai temple to be delayed due to pandemic
A Thai temple that is building a $16 million (£11.5 million) 230ft-tall Buddha statue that will be visible across Bangkok has said construction is nearly complete - but its official opening may be pushed back to 2022 due to the pandemic.
The Royal Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen temple on the outskirts of Bangkok dates back to 1610.
Work on the new statue started in 2017. Parts were produced in China before being shipped to Thailand to be assembled.
The giant Buddha statue of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen temple is seen in Bangkok, Thailand on 10 June 2021 - Jorge Silva/Reuters
12:24 PM
PM warns of upcoming 'difficult year for travel'
Boris Johnson has downplayed suggestions that restrictions on foreign travel could be lifted as more people receive their Covid-19 vaccine.
Speaking during a visit to a laboratory in Hertfordshire, the Prime Minister said: "I want to stress that this is going to be - whatever happens - a difficult year for travel.
"There will be hassle, there will be delays, I am afraid, because the priority has got to be to keep the country safe and stop the virus coming back in."
12:21 PM
Vaccine side-effects on menstrual cycle 'mild' and should not deter women from getting jabbed, says medic
The side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine on periods are "mild" and should not deter women from having the vaccine when they are offered it, a leading medic has said.
Dr Pat O'Brien, vice president at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, was responding to a report in The Sunday Times yesterday that said the vaccines watchdog has received reports from around 4,000 women who said they have suffered period problems after having their coronavirus vaccine.
The newspaper said data obtained from the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) showed that it had received 2,734 reports of period problems linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, 1,158 related to the Pfizer jab, and 66 linked to the Moderna vaccine up to May 17 - with the issue typically involving "heavier than usual" bleeding.
Dr O'Brien said: "It's important to remember these side effects are mild and should not deter women from having the vaccine when they are called.
"We also want to stress that these perceived changes in menstrual cycle after having the Covid-19 vaccine should not be confused with an impact on fertility and the ability to have children. There is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines will affect fertility."
Maisie Ayres, 18, receives a Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at Tottenham Hotspur's stadium on 20 June 2021 - Yui Mok/PA
12:07 PM
Digital vaccine passports aim to help South Koreans get back on the road
After the stress of being drafted onto Covid-19 wards during the worst of South Korea’s outbreaks, surgeon Dr Choung Moon-yong is now feeling a fresh wave of optimism.
Not only was he one of the first in line for the Asian nation’s slow-moving vaccination rollout, but the jabs qualified him to install a new digital “vaccine passport” app on his smartphone to help ease him back into normal life and, hopefully, a well-earned holiday.
“I feel very lucky to be vaccinated in the early stages. I don’t have to worry as much I did in the past,” said the Seoul-based doctor. “I am really looking forward to the day when I can use my vaccination passport..My hobby is scuba diving, so when borders open up I would be more than happy to use the app to go diving overseas.”
Boris Johnson said it is "looking good" for lifting all remaining Covid-19 restrictions on 19 July - but added that the NHS may face a "rough winter".
The Prime Minister said: "You can never exclude that there will be some new disease, some new horror that we simply haven’t budgeted for, or accounted for.
"But looking at where we are, looking at the efficacy of the vaccines against all variants that we can currently see - so Alpha, Delta, the lot of them, Kappa - I think it’s looking good for July 19 to be that terminus point."
In regards to the winter, Mr Johnson said: "I think what the scientists are saying is that things like flu will come back this winter, we may have a rough winter for all sorts of reasons, and obviously there are big pressures on the NHS.
"All the more reason to reduce the number of Covid cases now, give the NHS the breathing space it needs to get on with dealing with all those other pressures, and we are certainly going to be putting in the investment to make sure that they can."
11:48 AM
Brazil surpasses 500,000 Covid deaths
Brazil's death toll from Covid-19 surpassed 500,000 as experts warn that the world's second-deadliest outbreak may worsen due to delayed vaccinations and the government's refusal to back social distancing measures.
Nearly 18 million people have been infected so far and the country is seeing an average of 73,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths a day. However, many believe this is a vast underestimate of the true scale of the numbers.
Thousands took to the streets across Brazil to protest against President Jair Bolsonaro's pandemic response, blasting the leader for not acquiring vaccines fast enough and for questioning the need for mask-wearing.
Despite the crisis the country is hosting the Copa America football tournament.
11:38 AM
India gives out record five million vaccine doses
India gave out a record five million vaccine doses on Monday, under a federal campaign to vaccinate all adults for free.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government would buy 75 per cent of all vaccines from drug makers and distribute those for free to states, who had previously, along with private hospitals, been buying shots for people aged 18 to 45.
"It marks the beginning of the end of adversities related to Covid-19 in the country," Giridhara Babu, a member of the Indian Council of Medical Research, told Reuters.
People wait to get vaccinated against Covid-19 at a mosque in Ahmedabad, India on June 21 2021 - Ajit Solanki/AP
11:28 AM
Macron invites French clubbers to techno-rave at presidential palace
French president Emmanuel Macron has invited music fans to a socially distanced techno party at the presidential palace tonight.
French electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre and 1970s disco star Cerrone will headline the concert on Monday evening in the palace courtyard, where Macron normally greets visiting heads of state. However, attendees will be asked to remain seated and social distancing will be observed.
Nightclubs across France will also be allowed to reopen from 9 July, the government announced.
10:58 AM
Sturgeon accuses Burnham of playing politics over travel ban
Nicola Sturgeon has suggested that Andy Burnham’s public complaints about the Scottish government’s ban on travel between Scotland and Manchester were motivated by the Mayor of Greater Manchester's desire to boost his prospects of becoming the next Labour leader.
Responding to what he said, the Scottish First Minister told the BBC: "These are public health measures. I have a duty, one I take very seriously, to keep Scotland as safe as possible. I’m sure Andy Burnham feels that same sense of duty towards people people in the Greater Manchester area.
"I’ve always got on well with Andy Burnham. If he wants a grown-up conversation, he only has to pick up the phone.
"But if, as I’m sure might be the case, this is more about generating a spat with me as part of some positioning in a Labour leadership contest of the future, then I’m not interested. We’ve all got a serious job of work to do and I’m serious about doing that job in a way that keeps Scotland as safe as I possibly can."
10:50 AM
10-day quarantine requirement for double-vaccinated could be scrapped, says PM
Boris Johnson has confirmed ministers are looking at plans to scrap the requirement for people who have had two Covid-19 jabs and come into contact with an infected person to isolate for 10 days.
The Prime Minister said: "When it comes to travel we will certainly be looking at that, but I stress that this is going to be whatever happens this is going to be a difficult year for travel."
"There will be hassle, there will be delays I'm afraid, because the priority has got to be to keep the country safe," he said.
10:45 AM
Summer Solstice 2021, in pictures
Hundreds of people attended the summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge on Monday, despite officials asking people not to travel to the site in line with Covid-19 restrictions.
English Heritage pulled a live feed of the sunrise at 4.52am as police were called in to disperse crowds.
People are removed by police officers after crowds gathered at Stonehenge on June 21 2021 - Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
Crowds gather to celebrate the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge on June 21 2021 - Toby Melville/Reuters
10:34 AM
Indonesia surpasses two million Covid cases
Indonesia passed two million Covid-19 cases on Monday, as infection rates continue to rise and hospitals are inundated with new patients, prompting warnings that the nation's health crisis could spiral out of control.
On Monday, official figures showed that Indonesia had recorded a daily record high of 14,536 cases, taking the total to just over two million with nearly 55,000 deaths, among a population of nearly 270 million.
But those figures are widely thought to be a severe undercount, due to low testing and contact tracing - some experts have said that official cases may only be about 10 per cent of the real number.
"It's starting to bubble up to the surface, like a time bomb," said Windhu Purnomo, an epidemiologist at Indonesia's Airlangga University.
"This is just the beginning. Depending on how things are handled, we could end up with a major explosion like in India," he added.
10:28 AM
Israeli health official urges 12 to 15-year-olds to get vaccinated
An Israeli health official has urged more 12 to 15-year-olds to get vaccinated against Covid-19, citing new outbreaks that he attributed to the more highly transmissible Delta variant.
Israel expanded vaccine eligibility to include adolescents last month.
Reuters reports that the country's health ministry will probably issue a recommendation that 12 to 15-year-olds get vaccinated, having previously left the matter up to the parents' preference, referencing comments made by Nachman Ash, the national pandemic response coordinator.
"I think that would certainly be correct at this stage, when we see an outbreak of the Delta variant in the country," he told Tel Aviv radio station 103 FM.
"We should not wait for higher numbers. We have seen there were quite a few children infected over the last week."
10:19 AM
'Please do have the jab', says first Briton to receive the vaccine
Margaret Keenan became the first person to receive a Covid-19 vaccination, outside of trial conditions, in December 2020.
Mrs Keenan was given the dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Coventry's University Hospital and has now urged others to get vaccinated.
The 91-year-old told BBC Breakfast: "Whatever you thought before, please do have the jab.
"There is nothing to it. Don't be afraid of a needle. It is just to save your life and to save other lives."
Margaret Keenan receiving her first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at University Hospital, Coventry on December 8 2020 - Jacob King/PA
10:04 AM
Nightclubs in France to reopen from July 9 onwards
French nightclubs will be allowed to re-open from July 9 onwards, said government minister Alain Griset, allowing the industry to operate again for the first time since it was shut during France's Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020.
France eased its third nationwide lockdown - meant to rein in the coronavirus outbreak - last month with the reopening of terraces on May 19.
Earlier in June, restaurants, bars and cafes were allowed to reopen for indoor service for the first time in seven months.
More than 100 nightclubs out of 1,600 in France have closed permanently due to the Covid pandemic crisis, according to hospitality trade union UMIH.
10:01 AM
Safety data for vaccinating children needs to be 'incredibly robust', says Prof Semple
Professor Calum Semple told Sky News the safety data for vaccinating children needed to be "incredibly robust" owing to their low risks from Covid.
"The knowledge around safety in children is growing, but I would say it's not as robust as it needs to be if there was to be blanket vaccination of children who themselves are not at risk of very severe disease.
"That's the crux of the matter. If you are going to vaccinate children to protect society, that is a fair decision that can be made, but you want to do that with full knowledge of the safety data."
09:41 AM
Vaccinating children 'could open education up', says Sage member
Asked whether vaccinating children would be to protect vulnerable adults or perhaps to stop spread in the classroom, Professor Calum Semple told Sky News: "That's a really good argument that can be made for vaccinating children.
"If there was a situation where the Government was to say that after two doses there would no longer be a need to isolate with symptoms, then double vaccination or evidence of double vaccination could open education up and prevent whole classes being sent home.
"Remember, this winter we're going to have all the other usual respiratory viruses out there causing misery and they will be the cause of it, not necessarily Covid.
"So, if you go purely on a crude symptom-based approach, you're going to have lots more people isolating unnecessarily. So, the presence of double vaccination could mitigate against that."
09:34 AM
Scotland footballer Billy Gilmour tests positive for Covid-19
The Scotland national team has confirmed that midfielder Billy Gilmour has tested positive for Covid-19 and will self-isolate for 10 days, which means he will miss the Euros 2020 match against Croatia tomorrow.
We can confirm that Billy Gilmour has tested positive for COVID-19.
Having liaised with Public Health England, Billy will now self-isolate for 10 days and therefore miss tomorrow’s UEFA EURO 2020 Group D match against Croatia at Hampden.https://t.co/lRNWvckqCK
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 21, 2021
09:27 AM
'Really close call' on whether children should be vaccinated, says Sage member
Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) and professor of child health and outbreak medicine at the University of Liverpool, told Sky News "it's a really close call" on whether children should be vaccinated.
"Children still are not at risk of severe disease, even taking into account the multi-inflammatory syndrome, which is also rare, and long Covid - they're much less at risk of severe disease," he said.
"So if there was to be a push to vaccinate them, it'd be a case of vaccinating them to reduce transmission in the community, rather than primarily to protect them.
"And we've still got a much greater impetus to vaccinate the adult population, particularly those sectors of the adult community which are harder to reach, are hesitant about being vaccinated.
"An ethical and moral question could then be raised that, if we then have vaccine left over, it would still be better to probably send it to other countries where they are in greater need of the vaccine and where more lives are likely to be saved by it. So it's a really close call as well."
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09:13 AM
Up to 10,000 fans allowed at Tokyo Olympics events
Up to 10,000 fans will be allowed at Tokyo Olympic events, organisers said Monday, warning the competition could move behind closed doors if infections surge.
The decision, just weeks before the opening ceremony, ends months of speculation about whether spectators will be allowed at the pandemic-postponed Games. Overseas fans were banned in March.
"In light of the government's restrictions on public events, the spectator limit for the Olympic Games will be set at 50 percent of venue capacity, up to a maximum of 10,000 people in all venues," organisers said in a statement.
A decision on spectators at the Paralympics will be delayed until July 16, a week before the Olympics open. Officials left open the possibility of a reversal if the virus rebounds.
"If there should be major dramatic change in the infection situation, we may need to revisit this matter amongst ourselves and we may need to consider the option of having no spectators in the venues," Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said.
09:06 AM
Health Secretary says 'hopeless' comment from PM feels like 'ancient history'
Asked how he felt about being described as hopeless at his job, which former aide Dominic Cummings claims Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a message to him about Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary told BBC Breakfast: "Well, honestly, it feels like ancient history.
"The vaccine programme is a huge success. At times of stress, people say all sorts of things in private."
Asked if it is embarrassing for his boss to have said those things, Mr Hancock said: "No, it isn't really because of all the things we've delivered together, and you know we're here talking about the success of that vaccine programme."
He added: "But what I can tell you is that the delivery of that programme has been absolutely fantastic, and if you look across other areas, whether it's protecting the NHS and dealing with this backlog now that we're talking about, or working on social care, we work incredibly closely together, and especially over the past six or seven months, especially after the autumn."
08:55 AM
Matt Hancock: 'We'll take a specific look two weeks into the four-week delay'
Asked whether the remaining restrictions are likely to be lifted before the new roadmap date for England of July 19, Matt Hancock said: "We are looking at the data, and we've said that we'll take a specific look two weeks into the four-week delay that we had to put in place to get more people vaccinated, so we'll do that.
"But I have every confidence that the more people get vaccinated, the easier it is, the safer it is to lift restrictions. We had to have the delay in order to get more people vaccinated, especially those second vaccines to protect people, we're being careful, we're being cautious.
"But I have a high degree of confidence that this vaccine is going to get us out of this, and the more people who come forward, the easier that will be."
He said more than a million second jabs for people over the age of 50 have been done in just 10 days.
"So we are getting there," he added. "We're not quite there yet but we're getting there and you can see it in the data, you can see the protection that people are getting."
08:49 AM
Self-isolation for double-vaccinated may be removed in pilot plan, says Matt Hancock
Britain is piloting a plan to ditch the self-isolation requirement for people who have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine if they are exposed to someone with the virus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday.
"We are piloting that approach that if you've had two jabs, instead of having to isolate if you're a contact, then you have a testing regime," Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast.
"We're piloting that now to check that that will be effective. It is something that we're working on, we're not ready to be able to take that step yet."
08:45 AM
Hospital admissions 'slowly rising' but nothing like rates in previous waves
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said hospital admissions are "slowly rising" but are nothing like the rates seen during previous waves.
He told Times Radio: "Two weeks ago, on June 4, we had 800 Covid-19 patients in hospital; as of Friday it was 1,170.
"In November there were 14,700 and (in the) January/February peak, there were 34,000 people in hospitals with Covid-19.
"It's rising relatively slowly but it's nowhere near anything like the kind of numbers we've had in previous waves.
"In terms of who is coming into hospital, it tends to be younger people, people who haven't been vaccinated, and it's very, very few people who've had double vaccinations and the chance to have that two- to three-week protection build-up."
08:36 AM
Clinical data for booster jabs should be available in next few weeks, says Matt Hancock
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government is working on the booster jab programme and should have clinical data in the next few weeks.
He told BBC Breakfast that second jabs offer very strong protection "but there is more protection still that we think that you can get from a booster jab and we're currently trialling which combinations of jabs are the most effective".
"When we know the results of that, then we will set out the full plans for the booster programme over the autumn," he said.
"We've got to make sure we get the logistics right; for instance, GPs have been so heavily involved in this vaccination effort, but GPs have also got to do their day job, so that's something we're working hard on now, and, in the next few weeks, when we get the clinical data through on what's the most effective combinations to have... then we'll set out all the details of the booster programme for the autumn."
Health service needs time to plan for booster jab campaigns, says NHS leader
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said the health service needs time to plan for potential Covid-19 vaccine booster campaigns to make them "business as usual" instead of "emergency response".
"There are a bunch of questions that really do need to be answered in terms of looking forward to the next phase," he told Times Radio.
Mr Hopson added: "Flu jabs start in September, so if we're going to do one jab in one arm, one jab in the other, we really do need to know quite quickly.
"And that's why we've called today for the Government to do all it can to get us the answers to those questions. We need those answers really pretty quickly if we're to carry on our fantastic success."
He added: "To be frank, we're probably going to need to do these vaccinations, probably on an annual basis for, I don't know, at least five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 years."
18-year-old Solomon Bird receives a dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a vaccination centre set up at Tottenham Hotspur's football stadium in London - WILL EDWARDS/AFP
08:11 AM
Booster programme needs to be 'adequately resourced to allow us to do it well'
On any potential Covid-19 vaccine booster campaign, Professor Martin Marshall, chair of Royal College of GPs' Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I do believe that general practice has a very important role to play because we were part of the successes of the current programme because general practice knows how to do it.
"But it needs to be adequately resourced to allow us to do it well.
"We can't have GPs and practice nurses and pharmacists diverted away from normal business, because we can't afford to let our patients down on all the many other things that we do in general practice."
08:04 AM
Flu could be a 'bigger problem' than Covid this winter, says JCVI Deputy Chair
Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the JCVI, said flu could be a "bigger problem" than Covid-19 this winter.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that data on whether the flu and Covid-19 jabs could be given at the same time is expected soon.
He added: "Reactogenicity, or how they react with each other, and what sort of side-effect profile that they give when given together, is really important.
"I will emphasise that actually flu could be potentially a bigger problem this winter than Covid.
"We've had a very, very low prevalence of flu for the last few years, particularly virtually nil during lockdown, and we do know that when flu has been circulating in very low numbers immunity drops in the population, and it comes back to bite us. So, flu can be really, really important this winter."
Asked about giving children Covid-19 vaccines, he added: "We need to think very carefully what the benefits are to children themselves and those would be the deliberations we'll be making in the next few years."
07:51 AM
'We have to act quickly', says John Swinney in defence of Manchester and Salford travel ban
Deputy First Minister for Scotland John Swinney has said Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham's call for compensation after residents from Manchester and Salford were temporarily banned from entering the nation due to a rise in coronavirus cases is not "a relevant point".
"We obviously face many challenges in the suppression of coronavirus," Mr Swinney told the BBC's Today programme.
"We have in place, in Scotland, business support that we have made available to companies to try and sustain them, there will be support in place in England for exactly the same circumstances.
"We have got to take decisions based on the data that presents itself and sometimes that is very uncomfortable data for us.
"We have to act quickly to try to make sure we are doing everything possible to suppress the spread of the virus, and that is what members of the public would expect of us."
07:39 AM
John Swinney defends last-minute ban of people entering Scotland from certain parts of England
Scotland's Deputy First Minister has defended the Scottish Government's decision to implement a last-minute ban of people entering the nation from certain parts of England.
John Swinney said it had acted within the realms of what the public would expect from them after it announced on Friday that residents from Greater Manchester and Salford have been temporarily banned from travelling to Scotland and vice versa.
He told the Today programme: "We have got to take decisions based on the data and the evidence that presents itself, and take decisions which are designed to stop the spread of the virus.
"In our judgment, the rising case numbers and the high levels of the virus in the Greater Manchester and Salford area justified the decision we took and we are taking that to try and minimise the circulation of the virus."
07:35 AM
Booster campaigns should be given by non-clinical trained vaccination staff to free up GPs
Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs' Council, suggested booster campaigns might be conducted by non-clinical, trained staff to free up time for doctors and nurses.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We do need to (look) into what the programme looks like for an endemic condition, when we're outside the crisis mode that we've been in the last six months.
"We do need to know, first of all, whether a booster vaccination programme is needed? Who will need it? We need to know where it will be given and by whom.
"In general practice, for example, where three-quarters of the vaccines have been given, our GPs and nurses are exceptionally busy. Is it possible that a booster campaign can be given by non-clinical trained vaccination staff?"
He added that general practices administer large flu campaigns in the winter and asked whether it would be possible to give a Covid-19 jab at the same time as "clearly that would be a very efficient process".
07:15 AM
Autumn booster campaigns will be 'data-driven', says JCVI Deputy Chair
Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said decisions about future Covid-19 vaccine booster campaigns would be data-driven but would consider the need for planning within the NHS.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The most key question is how long do these vaccines last? ie. what is the duration of protection? Whether we can mix vaccine schedules is important and the Government have commissioned a study which will be reporting on mixing the schedules of seven different vaccines - AstraZeneca; Pfizer; Moderna; Novavax; Janssen; CuraVac and Valneva.
"We need to think about various vaccines and we need to think about age groups, and we need to think about mixing with flu vaccines and there is a study ongoing at the moment of combining the flu with a Covid vaccine.
"One of the key things is that these vaccines have been incredibly successful and I think that if we can get two doses into the majority of the adult population, then we'll be in a really good place, but we may not be so with flu, and flu is going to be really important this winter to get vaccinated against."
07:10 AM
Today's front page
Here is your Daily Telegraph for Monday, June 21.
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07:00 AM
Social media giants join UK vaccine drive
Users of social media platforms including Snapchat and Tik Tok will be able to upload virtual NHS stickers to show they have been vaccinated as part of a Government Covid-19 vaccination drive for the over-18s.
The leading social media platforms have signed up to a partnership aimed at further accelerating the final stages of the UK’s vaccine programme.
Snapchat users will now be able to share on their accounts NHS stickers, a filter, and later this month an augmented reality lens which will read "I’ve had my vaccine".
An NHS vaccination filter is available for use on social media applications in a partnership between Snapchat, Reddit, TikTok and Youtube with the Government, in a bid to encourage more young people to get vaccinated - Freuds/PA Wire
The app is also hosting a series of question and answer sessions with medical experts on the Prime Minister’s snapchat account.
Meanwhile, TikTok has also added NHS vaccine stickers to its library for users to share, and is working with a group of scientists to provide the latest information on vaccines with entertaining and shareable videos.
Reddit has hosted two live Q&A sessions on its coronavirus forum, featuring experts answering a range of questions.
While YouTube has rolled out a video campaign with the tagline ‘Let’s Not Go Back’, which is aimed at its viewers aged between 18 and 34 to remind them of the impact that lockdowns have had on their lives.
06:54 AM
'Unlikely' that restrictions will be lifted before July 19, says the Business Secretary
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said it is "unlikely" that coronavirus restrictions in England will be lifted before July 19.
Boris Johnson last week delayed the lifting of lockdown controls to July 19 due to the spread of the Delta variant, which originated in India, but said there would could be a review after two weeks.
However, Mr Kwarteng told Sky News he did not expect that to lead to an earlier relaxation of the current measures.
"I would always err on the side of caution and I would look to July 19. It could be before but I think that is unlikely. Generally we have stuck to the dates we have set," he said.
"I think now I am very focused on July 19."
06:24 AM
Cabinet minister says pretty sure pension 'triple lock' will stay
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on Monday he was "pretty sure" the so-called 'triple lock' system for increasing state pensions would not be changed to pay for the cost of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Lots of things have been discussed in government, I don't think that that's necessarily the way forward," Kwarteng told Sky News. "I'm pretty sure the triple lock will stay."
05:43 AM
Dongguan latest city in China's Guangdong to be hit by virus
The major manufacturing hub of Dongguan in China's most populous province of Guangdong launched mass testing on Monday for the coronavirus and cordoned off communities after detecting its first infections in the current outbreak.
The delta variant has dominated infections in the provincial upsurge, the first time it has hit China.
Dongguan launched a citywide testing programme on Monday, following two cases reported since last Friday. City authorities told residents not to leave, except for essential reasons.
Even then, those leaving must show negative test results within 48 hours of departure.
05:06 AM
Indonesia to tighten restrictions for 2 weeks after cases rise
Indonesia will tighten mobility restrictions in some areas for two weeks starting from Tuesday after a rise in Covid-19 cases, including limiting the number of workers in offices and barring religious activities at houses of worship, a minister said.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto told a streamed news conference on Monday the curbs would apply to "red zones" where infections have been rising more quickly.
The Southeast Asian country reported 13,737 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, the highest daily rise since Jan 30, with deaths from the respiratory disease also rising. Indonesia has recorded a total of 1.99 million coronavirus cases and more than 54,600 fatalities.
A relative weeps during a funeral at a Covid-19 dedicated cemetery in Jakarta - MAST IRHAM/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
04:59 AM
Flexible rail tickets to save passengers up to £350 a year
Train passengers in England can buy flexible season tickets from Monday, with commuters able to save up to £350 a year compared to some typical annual fares.
In the first part of a major shakeup of the railways post-Covid, the scheme will offer workers commuting into the office two or three days a week savings on routes across the country.
The paperless flexible tickets, which can be used from June 28, will allow travel for eight days over a 28-day period.
They have been introduced following the shift to working from home during the pandemic, with many workers commuting to and from towns and cities expected to permanently switch to more flexible ways of working.
Support rising in Japan for Tokyo Olympics this summer
Around a third of Japanese now back holding the Olympics, up from just 14 per cent last month, a new poll showed on Monday, though a majority still prefer cancellation or postponement because of the pandemic.
The poll reinforces other recent surveys that suggest opposition to Tokyo 2020 is softening slightly, just over a month before the July 23 opening ceremony.
Support for holding the virus-postponed Games rose to 34 per cent, according to the poll by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper published on Monday.
However, 32 per cent still want the Games to be cancelled altogether and 30 per cent want the games to be delayed again, down from 43 per cent and 40 per cent in last month's survey, respectively.
The Asahi survey was conducted on June 19 and 20, with 1,469 responses from people contacted on home and mobile phones.
Anti-Olympics group's members display a banner during their protest march, amid the coronavirus outbreak, in Tokyo - Reuters
01:58 AM
Vaccine bookings top one million in two days
More than one million Covid-19 jabs were booked in just two days after the NHS opened its vaccination programme to all remaining adults in England.
A total of 1,008,472 appointments were arranged over Friday and Saturday through the booking service, NHS England said - an average of more than 21,000 every hour, or six every second.
The full figure is likely to be higher as it does not include appointments at local GP-led vaccination services or people getting the jab at walk-in centres.
Treasury officials are drawing up plans for a pensions tax raid in the autumn to help pay for heightened public spending during the Covid pandemic, The Telegraph understands.
The Government has been ordered to hand over documents examining how adult social care and the NHS would cope during a pandemic if it were overwhelmed – a move that is likely to raise questions about whether Britain was sufficiently prepared for Covid 19.
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.
Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley rebuked comments Jimmy Butler made about the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, while also implying that his star needs to play more.
Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the Padres-Marlins trade that sent Luis Arraez to San Diego, as well as recap all the action from this weekend in baseball and send birthday wishes to hall-of-famer Willie Mays.
An annual government report offered a glimmer of good news for Social Security and a jolt of good news for Medicare even as both programs continue to be on pace to run dry next decade.
