Covid-19: Call to lift lockdown laws and vaccine rollout extended to over-65s
- Published
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Sunday morning. We'll have another update for you tomorrow morning.
1. Tory backbenchers want all Covid laws to be lifted before May
Dozens of Conservative MPs have written to the prime minister to demand that he commit to removing all Covid-19 legal restrictions by the end of April. The Covid Recovery Group - comprising 63 MPs - says that by this time all nine priority groups are likely to have received the vaccine, so there will be no justification for "unnecessary restrictions". The prime minister has suggested he will aim for a "cautious" relaxing of rules, not unlike last years's phased removal of measures imposed in the first nationwide lockdown.
2. Vaccine rollout extended to over-65s
With the UK on the brink of hitting its target to offer the vaccine to all of the most vulnerable people, invitations for appointments are being extended to a wider range of people in England. People aged 65 to 69 and under-65s in at risk groups are the next to be offered the jab as the rollout is officially expanded beyond the top four priority groups. About 2.4 million people in these categories are expected to receive letters this week inviting them for vaccination. Those in at-risk groups include people with chronic respiratory disease such as obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and severe asthma.
3. Eviction ban extended for six weeks
Eviction notices cannot be served until the end of March, the government has announced, extending the ban for another six weeks. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said the measure struck "the right balance between protecting tenants and enabling landlords to exercise their right to justice". The charity Shelter said its research showed almost 445,000 adults renting privately had fallen behind in their payments or been served some kind of eviction notice in the past month. It said the extensions would "keep people safe for now", but warned it was "not an answer to the evictions crisis" - as renters still had to repay the arrears.
4. 'Devastated' Holden admits lockdown breach
Amanda Holden, the Britain's Got Talent judge and radio host, has said she broke lockdown rules by travelling more than 200 miles to see her parents in Cornwall after a "distressing" phone call from her father. Her agent said: "Amanda is aware of the travel rules and is devastated she had to break them on this one occasion. Lockdown rules ban travel outside your local area and meetings with anyone outside your household, support bubble or childcare bubble - although there are exceptions for caring for vulnerable people or providing emergency assistance.
5. A Valentine's Day tale of lovers reunited
Paula Reynolds met Roberto Fiorillo, the man she hopes to marry, by chance while visiting her daughter in Australia last March. But since then, the pandemic has kept them separated by 10,000 miles, her in Caerphilly, Wales, and him in Perth. Finally a visa came through for her in December, only for her flights to be suddenly cancelled as Australia tightened its restrictions on arrivals. But thanks to a fundraising drive by her colleagues, Paula is now able to cover the inflated cost of a new ticket and the cost of hotel quarantine on her arrival - and be reunited with the man she loves.
And don't forget...
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page. Are all those Zoom calls leaving you square eyed? We've got a guide to taking care of your eyes during lockdown.
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