From today, the minimum self-isolation period for people testing positive for Covid-19 in England has been cut to five full days.

But people must have negative lateral flow tests on days five and six of their isolation.

Those who still test positive must stay in isolation until they have had two negative tests taken on consecutive days, or after 10 days.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid says reducing isolation to five days will "restore extra freedoms and reduce the pressure on essential public services over the winter".

He stresses the lateral flow tests on day five and six are a "crucial" part of the "balanced and proportionate" plans.

The moment of danger hasn't passed for PMpublished at 09:05 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2022

09:05 GMT 17 January 2022

Laura Kuenssberg
Political editor

Monday morning is sometimes a reflective moment in Westminster, there's no question about that.

MPs have told me that many of them were hearing very, very tough things from their constituents over the weekend.

This morning, government sources won't deny or confirm that Boris Johnson is being interviewed by Sue Gray who is carrying out this official report.

A report in this morning's Telegraph suggests that the interview has taken place.

This morning there is a bit of a lull in what is already a very long running saga because this isn't just about one event in the No 10 garden in May 2020, it's about a series of things.

It's about Downing Street's handling of this whole affair, the repeated emergence of allegations and Johnson's own judgements - that is at the core of this.

In cabinet there isn't a concerted plan to do anything drastic, other than hope for a clear out of No 10, which is the expectation in terms of staffers.

But there are people in other parts of the party, not just the backbenches but ministers further down the pecking order, that I know have been discussing with each other what the best course of action is and this moment of danger hasn't passed.

Image source, Reuters

More from Nadhim Zahawi on Today now. He's asked if Boris Johnson is safe in his job.

Zahawi replies: "I think Boris Johnson has done the right thing to apologise."

He adds: "On the big, big decisions, if you look at the work he did on Brexit, on vaccines, on Omicron pre-Christmas, on the economy being the most open economy in Europe, has called it right. But he's human and we make mistakes."

Asked again if the PM is safe in his job, he says: "Yes, he is."

The education secretary says: "I was in the room when he said: 'We have to buy more vaccines just in case there's a variant that we need to boost against.'

"Some people were advising against that. He said no, we had a discussion and he made that decision.

"So on the big calls I think he's called it right. It's been a tough two years, he made a mistake and he apologised for it and that's the right thing to do."

Nadhim Zahawi is now speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme about the Downing Street lockdown parties saga.

He's asked if the Conservative Party now faces a choice to either change the leader or insist the leader changes the way he does business.

Zahawi says: "You don't condemn a man before we've had the investigation."

He says Boris Johnson recognised the level of hurt and anguish caused by his attendance at a drinks party in the garden of Downing Street in May 2020 - which is why he apologised.

He says the PM has pledged to go back to the Commons and submit himself to scrutiny when the investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray is concluded.

Asked if the prime minister is planning to, and capable of, changing his behaviour he says "it begins with an apology".

He says: "It begins with recognising that we need to get the evidence and the investigation is going to be important. How do you change the culture unless you have the evidence?"

You can see a timeline of the Downing Street parties here.

Image source, Reuters

Meanwhile, the first 16 and 17-year-olds are now able to book a booster jab or attend a walk-in vaccination centre in England.

Invitations will initially be sent to the 40,000 teens who had a second vaccine dose at least three months ago.

Eventually more than 600,000 people aged 16 and 17 who have had two doses will be eligible for the booster.

And about 500 clinically vulnerable 12 to 15-years-olds who are most at risk from coronavirus will also be able to get a booster.

As we reported earlier, epidemiologist Professor Mike Tildesley has told BBC Breakfast that, if Covid case numbers continue as they are for another week, then he is "pretty confident" we are seeing the Omicron wave turning around.

You can watch a clip from that interview below.

We've just heard Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi refer to a photo of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer that appeared to show him drinking a beer indoors with colleagues during lockdown.

On this, Starmer told the BBC yesterday: "I was in a constituence office just days before the election. We were very busy, we were working in the office, we stopped for something to eat and then we carried on working.

"That is the long and short of it. No party, no breach of the rules and absolutely no comparison with the prime minister."

Image source, PA Media

The PM is right to wait for the outcome of an investigation into Downing Street lockdown parties before responding, the education secretary says.

Nadhim Zahawi tells BBC Breakfast that people feel a lot of pain, hurt and upset so it was only right for the PM to say sorry. He apologised in the House of Commons for attending a drinks party in the garden of Downing Street on 20 May 2020.

“We’ve had the apology and now we need the detail,” says Zahawi.

“I think it’s important now we see the evidence because it’s the only way we clear this up by having that investigation,” he says.

He refers to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer being asked on the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme about a photo of him drinking beer indoor with colleagues., external

“I hope he finds it within himself to apologise,” he says.

He says he does not recognise the so-called Operation Save Big Dog, which some newspapers are reporting is an attempt by MPs to rescue the PM’s reputation.

We've got more detail on the lockdown parties at Downing Street and around government here.

The Telegraph says Boris Johnson has been questioned by senior civil servant Sue Gray, who's been investigating allegations of lockdown parties at Downing Street.

The Mirror accuses Johnson of preparing "to throw a bunch of civil servants under the bus" in order to survive.

There's plenty of coverage of the PM's fightback – reportedly called "Operation Red Meat". The Times leads with what it describes as one of the populist announcements. The paper says he intends to put the Royal Navy in charge of stemming the number of migrant boats crossing the Channel.

Another of the measures - the announcement that the BBC licence fee will be frozen then abolished in 2027 - makes the Guardian's front page. The paper says the PM's been accused of targeting the corporation to try to save his own skin.

The Mail welcomes the move to scrap the current fee, arguing that in an era of streaming services it feels as "archaic as a black-and-white TV set".

On its front page, the Mail says Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was "forced on to the defensive" when questioned about a picture of him holding a beer in a Labour constituency office in April last year.

We've been reporting on the declining daily Covid cases in the UK this morning.

On Sunday, a further 70,924 cases were recorded, taking the seven-day average to 107,722 per day.

Also on Sunday, a further 88 Covid deaths were reported - though death figures tend to be lower on weekends due to a lag in reporting.

Image source, PA Media

An infectious disease modeller has said it is “cautiously good news” that Covid cases seem to be falling across England.

Prof Mike Tildesley says it is “it’s pretty clear that the Omicron wave is slowing down”.

But hospital cases are still high, says the member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling (SPI-M) group of SAGE.

Prof Tildesley tells BBC Breakfast that data shows hospitalisations are relatively stable and even slowing down in London.

He says he needs an extra week of data to see what the effect of children going back to school is.

But if cases continue to fall he says he will be “pretty confident that we are seeing this wave turning around”.

He says he hopes we will soon be dealing with milder versions of Covid that we will be able to deal with in a similar way to flu.

Good morning and welcome to another day of our rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Here’s what’s happening today:

• It is "cautiously good news" that Covid cases seem to be falling across England, infection modeller Prof Mike Tildesley tells the BBC
• The UK recorded 70,924 daily Covid cases on Sunday - the lowest figure since 14 December – and 88 deaths

• Covid self-isolation time has been cut to five full days in England, as long as people have a negative test on days five and six
• The first 16 and 17-year-olds are now able to book a booster jab or attend a walk-in vaccination centre in England
• Large outdoor public events can take place again in Scotland again as its coronavirus restrictions begin to be relaxed