Coronavirus news live: Latest Covid updates as variant cases found in east London

Covid might ‘reignite’ regardless of vaccine success, Mark Walport warns

A deadline for grading nations underneath the brand new visitors gentle system for worldwide journey has been missed by the federal government.

The Commons’ Transport Select Committee issued a report final week which acknowledged the inexperienced, amber and purple lists of locations should be printed by Saturday “on the newest”, however this has not occurred.

However, the Department for Transport insisted the deadline – which isn’t recognised by the federal government – has not been missed and that it’s going to verify worldwide journey preparations by “early May”.

The ban on abroad leisure journey is predicted to be lifted for folks in England from 17 May as a part of the following easing of coronavirus restrictions, leaving holidaymakers keen to find which nations they are going to be capable to journey to without having to self-isolate upon their return.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Social Care has introduced that surge testing can be deployed in Tower Hamlets this weekend after “a number of” cases of the South African and Braziliant variants had been found. According to the east London council’s web site, everybody over the age of 11 residing in 10 totally different sub-districts are being inspired to get examined for Covid-19.

Key Points

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Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s stay protection of the coronavirus pandemic. Stay tuned for rolling updates on the most recent news and statistics.

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 07:52

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Rule forcing care house residents to isolate after days out axed

Strict guidelines requiring English care house residents to isolate in their rooms for 14 days after coming back from days out are being scrapped, after protests.

Ministers have bowed to strain to finish the restriction – which had triggered the specter of authorized motion – after visits to the gardens of buddies or members of the family, or to parks and seashores.

Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has extra particulars:

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 07:58

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Thousands descend on Liverpool docks for first evening membership trial

Thousands of clubbers descended on Liverpool docks for Britain’s first authorized rave in greater than a yr.

The pilot occasion, The First Dance, doesn’t require social distancing or face coverings – however attendees might want to have a detrimental Covid check outcome earlier than entry.

Our reporter Liam James explains extra beneath:

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 08:05

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Easing of care house isolation guidelines ‘massively insufficient’, says campaigner

A campaigner has described the easing of the federal government’s care house restrictions to permit residents to depart for “low-risk” visits with out having to self isolate as “massively insufficient”.

Asked if she was celebrating the transfer, John’s Campaign co-founder Julia Jones informed BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m ready till we see the steering.

“I nonetheless battle to see what authorized proper the federal government thinks it has for stopping folks with full psychological capability from strolling out of their houses the identical as each different member of the inhabitants. I battle to see why they need to be underneath surveillance.”

Asked concerning the requirement to isolate for 14 days remaining if residents go to the physician, she stated: “It’s massively insufficient.”

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 08:15

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Easing of care house restrictions is ‘cautious step ahead’

The National Care Association stated the easing of restrictions for care house residents is a “cautious step ahead” however criticised the brief interval of discover.

Executive chair Nadra Ahmed informed BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I believe it is a cautious step ahead and we now have to make these steps ahead.

“I do not welcome it on a Friday evening with steering to observe on Tuesday, which is when it comes into impact, as a result of suppliers are going to should have some preparations and talk with households to verify everyone is aware of the place we’re.”

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 08:25

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Overseas holidays to be allowed from 17 May, studies say

Ministers are reportedly anticipated to announce subsequent week {that a} ban on abroad holidays can be lifted on 17 May.

According to The Telegraph, the federal government is planning to introduce a visitors gentle system to permit Britons to go overseas on vacation, with a “tiny handful” of nations anticipated to be on the inexperienced listing with the bottom stage of restrictions.

My colleague Conrad Duncan explains extra beneath:

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 08:37

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‘Wonderful’ to see look on clubbers’ faces at pilot occasion, says Liverpool well being chief

Liverpool director of public well being Matt Ashton stated it was “fantastic” to see the appears to be like on clubbers’ faces as they returned to the dancefloor at a pilot occasion for 3,000 folks in the town.

He informed BBC Breakfast the occasion gave a glimpse of what the long run may maintain however burdened it was nonetheless a scientific experiment about how extra occasions may very well be opened in the long run.

Mr Ashton added: “This is a scientific experiment, each earlier than and after the occasion folks should return to doing the issues they’re alleged to, so following the principles in place.

“We should cope with Covid nonetheless as whether it is nonetheless round as a result of it’s, even whether it is at low ranges, so we now have to be cautious in our strategy. And for me that is why it’s so essential that we gather the science round this to permit us to do that safely and correctly in the long run.

“But it’s nonetheless fantastic to see the appears to be like on folks’s faces as they had been on the occasion final evening. It simply offers a glimpse of what assume we predict the long run may maintain.”

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 09:06

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Nightclubbers to be tracked after pilot to determine any virus transmission

Liverpool director of public well being Matt Ashton stated individuals who check constructive following the town’s pilot membership evening can be anticipated to self-isolate after which be adopted up by contact tracers as regular.

He informed BBC Breakfast: “Anybody who checks constructive after the occasion would return into regular self-isolation and we might observe them up and ask them the place they’ve been and who they’ve been in contact with.

“But the chances are whether it is individuals who have attended the occasion then it will likely be by way of the occasion and that enables us to talk to different folks about it as properly.”

When requested if everybody on the occasion can be tracked afterwards and for the way lengthy he stated: “Everybody who attended with a ticket, completely can be.

“We ask folks to take a PCR [polymerase chain reaction] 5 days afterwards and that helps us determine any virus that occurred as a results of the occasion.

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 09:16

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Deadline missed for launch of vacation lists

A deadline for grading nations underneath the brand new visitors gentle system for worldwide journey has been missed by the federal government.

The Commons’ Transport Select Committee issued a report final week which acknowledged that the inexperienced, amber and purple lists of locations should be printed by Saturday “on the newest”, however this has not occurred.

Instead, the Department for Transport has solely stated the lists can be made public in “early May”.

The ban on abroad leisure journey is predicted to be lifted for folks in England from 17 May as a part of the following easing of coronavirus restrictions.

The visitors gentle system can be risk-based, with totally different guidelines for folks returning to England relying on which listing their vacation spot is on.

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 09:26

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Don’t ‘reignite the spark’ by dashing up lockdown roadmap, knowledgeable warns

A former chief medical adviser has warned calls for to hurry up the lifting of lockdown restrictions threat “reigniting the spark” of the pandemic.

Sir Mark Walpole stated the following scheduled date for lifting curbs – 17 May – is “frankly not far-off” and “there may be the potential for that spark to reignite”.

Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has extra particulars beneath:

Chiara Giordano1 May 2021 09:45

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