BORIS Johnson is set to reveal the foreign holiday list in a matter of days and update it every three weeks.
The list of ‘green’ countries which Brits can fly to and from after the next easing of restrictions on May 17 could be announced as early as Friday.
One source told the Mail on Sunday that Portugal was “on the cusp” of being included.
A new slogan would be adopted by the Government, telling potential holidaymakers to ‘travel safely, plan ahead’, replacing the existing ‘minimise travel’ guidance.
An announcement of which countries have been assigned which colour was thought to have been pencilled in for Friday but it is thought this could slip to earlier in the week.
Only a “tiny handful” of countries are expected to make it onto the green list, with Europe’s most-popular hotspots expected to be on the amber list, which requires three tests and ten days’ isolation on return.
However, it has been revealed that quarantine and self-isolation will be replaced by daily tests for people who come into contact with Covid carriers.
Strict rules will be relaxed for 40,000 in a pilot scheme launched by the Government.
Instead of facing ten days’ mandatory isolation, those in the trial will get a week’s worth of rapid tests, letting them carry on their lives providing the results are negative.
If the trial is a success it will reduce the length of time contacts of positive cases need to lock themselves away, improve social lives and help reopen the economy.
Read our coronavirus live blog below for the latest updates…
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CONTINUED: LIMIT ON MOURNERS AT FUNERALS TO BE LIFTED
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “The British people have made huge sacrifices throughout the pandemic to protect the NHS and save lives, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the deeply painful restrictions on the numbers attending funerals.
“Losing a loved one has been incredibly hard during the pandemic and I am pleased we are now in a position, thanks to everyone’s continued efforts and the rollout of the vaccine, to remove these limits and allow more friends and family to come together and pay their respects.
“I look forward to working with faith leaders responsible for places of worship, and those who manage venues such as funeral homes, to introduce the new arrangements in a way that continues to keep people safe.”
The move was welcomed by the National Association of Funeral Directors’ (NAFD) chief executive Jon Levett, who said: “Throughout the pandemic the Government has made sure immediate families were able to be there to say goodbye to a loved one and this has always been valued.
“But it’s critical that all those who are grieving are not forgotten in the reopening of society – and for many families, the current restrictions have meant telling people very close to the person that has died that they simply couldn’t be there.
“We’d still also like to see the Government move forward with its plan to trust the public to make informed, personal decisions about social contact – using testing as a safety mechanism – enabling us all to offer the simple comfort of holding hands, or giving a much-needed hug, to those who are isolated in their grief.”
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LIMIT ON MOURNERS AT FUNERALS TO BE LIFTED
The limit on the number of mourners who can attend funerals is to be lifted in England, the Government has announced.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on Monday said that the legal limit of 30 mourners will be removed as part of the next stage of lockdown easing, expected on May 17.
Instead the capacity will be determined by how many people venues, such as places of worship or funeral homes, can safely accommodate while maintaining social distancing, the department added.
This includes both indoor and outdoor venues and all organisers must continue to be Covid-secure and follow social distancing rules, it said.
While venue capacities will vary, many will allow “significantly” more than 30 people to attend, the MHCLG said.
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ZERO CHANCE OF HOSPITALS BEING OVERWHELMED, SAYS PUB BOSS
A pub boss has said there is zero chance of hospitals being overwhelmed due to Covid-19, as cases continue to plummet.
Hugh Osmond, the boss of one of Britain’s largest pub chains Punch Tavern, has argued Boris Johnson’s roadmap is based on models which are out of date and have been proved wrong by the actual data.
Osmond, the founder of Pizza Express, claimed the roadmap, which is currently restricting the opening of indoor hospitality, is costing hospitality £200m per day.
“We were told it would be data not dates,” Mr Osmond told Radio 4 this morning. “Well now we have some very hard data which the government has not denied.
“It has shown that firstly the vaccines have proved more effective than the Sage models assumed, there’s been greater uptake, they’ve been more effective at preventing severe disease and they’ve been more effective at preventing transmission than the models assumed.
“And similarly cases have fallen faster than the models predicted, hospitalisations have fallen much, much faster than the models predicted, and deaths have fallen even faster than that.”
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VISITS TO AUSTRALIA ‘MIGHT BE YEARS AWAY’
Australia’s ambassador in Washington DC has suggested the border could stay shut until the whole world was vaccinated.
Arthur Sinodinos said despite costing the Australian economy billions, it might be “years” before visitors from the outside world can visit without a strict quarantine.
He said: “Until the world as a whole is vaccinated, and I’m thinking here of India, and other places, then we’re never going to be completely out of this.
“This is a genuine externality problem, or public good problem, where we’re all in this together and people in developing countries being vaccinated is as important as people in our own countries being vaccinated.”
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BRAZIL RECORDS 1,202 COVID DEATHS
Brazil registered 1,202 COVID-19 deaths on Sunday and 28,935 additional cases, according to data released by the nation’s Health Ministry.
The South American country has now registered 407,639 total coronavirus deaths and 14,754,910 total confirmed cases.
New cases in Brazil have fallen since a late March peak, although they remain high by historical standards.
Total COVID-19 deaths in the country are second only to those of the United States.
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PEAKY BLINDERS INVESTIGATED FOR COVID BREACH
BBC drama Peaky Blinders is being investigated over claims it breached Covid safety rules on set.
Producers have been accused of putting cast and crew at risk after one staff member allegedly continued working despite testing positive for the virus, The Guardian reports.
Filming was halted, with a spokesperson for the show saying at the time it was because of a “false positive test for a member of the crew”.
But crew members have said filming continued for a few hours after the result until it was reported by another staff member.
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WHO APPROVES EMERGENCY USE OF MODERNA VACCINE
The World Health Organization has given the go-ahead for emergency use of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.
The mRNA vaccine from the US manufacturer joins vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson in receiving the WHO’s emergency use listing.
Similar approvals for China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines are expected in the coming days and weeks, WHO has said.
The greenlight for Moderna’s jab, announced late Friday, took many months because of delays faced in getting data from the manufacturer.
Many countries without their own advanced medical regulatory and assessment offices rely on the WHO listing to decide whether to use vaccines.
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WHAT DOES THE ROADMAP OUT OF LOCKDOWN LOOK LIKE?
Boris Johnson has set out his roadmap out of lockdown, with several key dates.
Here is what to expect.
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CINEMAS FACE ‘CRUCIAL SIX MONTHS’
Crisis-hit cinemas face “a crucial six months” after they open in two weeks’ time, experts have said.
Cash taken at box offices fell by £1billion last year as a result of the Covid pandemic.
But it is not all bad news for the nation’s 843 cinemas – as a backlog of great films are expected to explode on to our screens over the summer, including the long-awaited James Bond movie No Time To Die, Oscar-winner Nomadland and the Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect.
To help drag the venues back from the brink, cinema bosses are offering two-for-one films, bigger seats, more 3D screens and discounts on food and drink.
Philip Clapp, chief executive of the UK Cinema Association, said: “Clearly, the sector sees the next six months as hugely important. The good news is the UK public can look forward to blockbuster after blockbuster in the coming months.”
Another expert said: “It’s a crucial six months ahead for some cinemas.”
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BRITAIN ‘CLOSE FRIEND OF INDIA’, SAYS HANCOCK
After Downing Street announced Britain would be sending 1,000 more ventilators to India as it battles rising Covid cases and overcrowded hospitals, Matt Hancock said the UK was “determined to help”.
He said: “As a close friend of India, we’ve felt the harrowing scenes & are determined to do all we can.
“This support, sending 1,000 more ventilators, will help save lives & support India’s healthcare system In the battle against COVID, we’re all on the same side.”
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BOOST FOR HOLS IN FRANCE AS CASES DECLINE
France reported 113 new coronavirus deaths in hospitals today, down from 195 on Saturday, and the lowest since October, health ministry data showed on the eve of an easing of the country’s lockdown restrictions.
The number of people in intensive care rose by four over 24 hours, to 5,585, halting five consecutive days of decline.
There were also 9,888 new confirmed virus infections, taking the total to 5.65 million – the world’s fourth highest.
It is a small boost to Brits hoping for a summer holiday in France.
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SELF-ISOLATION OUT, DAILY TESTS IN
Quarantine and self-isolation will be replaced by daily tests for people who come into contact with Covid carriers.
Strict rules will be relaxed for 40,000 in a pilot scheme launched by the Government.
Instead of facing ten days’ mandatory isolation, those in the trial will get a week’s worth of rapid tests, letting them carry on their lives providing the results are negative.
If the trial is a success it will reduce the length of time contacts of positive cases need to lock themselves away, improve social lives and help reopen the economy.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This could help shift the dial. It would allow people to carry on going to work.”
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THOUSANDS ALLOWED TO WATCH FRENCH OPEN IN PERSON
Up to 1,000 fans will be allowed into the three main Roland Garros showcourts during the first 10 days of the French Open, sports minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said on Sunday.
And smaller venues will be able to admit 35 per cent of their capacity.
The limit will be raised to 65 per cent but capped at 5,000 for matches on 15,000-capacity Philippe Chatrier and 10,000-seater Suzanne Lenglen courts from June 9 when the quarter-finals get underway, Blanquer told France 3 TV channel.
It is a huge rise compared to last year’s delayed tournament in September which saw only 1,000 spectators in the grounds.
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CONTINUED: SPENDING SPREE TO KICK-START COVID RECOVERY
He told The Sun on Sunday: “It’s been fantastic to see the great British public back out and about — shopping in their local shops, meeting friends and family in their local pubs and restaurants.
“I even managed to get out for a much needed haircut.
“Obviously, there’s still a way to go on the roadmap and we’ve got to continue to be cautious, but the sight of friends chatting in beer gardens and ‘open’ signs in shop windows is a welcome signal that we are on the way to recovery.
“Thanks to our world-leading vaccine programme, together with our £352billion package of economic support and the resilience of the British people, we can start to raise our sights and look ahead to the future.”
Households are sitting on a bumper savings pot – an average of £7,100 per family – built up as they have been unable to spend.
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SPENDING SPREE TO KICK-START COVID RECOVERY
Lockdown-weary Brits have embarked on a huge spending spree to help to kick-start the recovery, Rishi Sunak confirmed yesterday.
Treasury figures reveal shops, pubs and restaurants doing a roaring trade as millions use their new-found freedom to splash the cash.
The Chancellor hailed the rush, despite the cold and often rainy outdoors, as a sign the bounce-back has begun and declared: “We’re on our way.”
Mr Sunak is cautiously optimistic that consumers are ready to splurge the £192billion they have amassed in savings during the pandemic.
And he has even found time to go for a haircut himself since restrictions were eased.
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PM TO REVEAL FOREIGN HOLIDAY LIST ‘IN NEXT FEW DAYS’
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to reveal the foreign holiday list in a matter of days and update it every three weeks.
The list of ‘green’ countries which Brits can fly to and from after the next easing of restrictions on May 17 could reportedly be announced as early as Friday.
One source told the Mail on Sunday that Portugal was “on the cusp” of being included.
A new slogan would be adopted by the Government, telling potential holidaymakers: ‘Travel safely, plan ahead’.
The new line would replace the current ‘Minimise Travel’ guidance.
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RAAB URGES PATIENCE IN ‘LAST LAP’ OF COVID BATTLE
The Foreign Secretary urged caution in the “last lap” of the battle with Covid as there is just a “little bit more time left”.
But Dominic Raab said “safeguards” will remain in place until after lockdown lifts on June 21 – the final phase of the roadmap.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr: “We want to get to a position at the end of June where we can get life back to as normal as possible but there need to be some safeguards in place.”
When asked what additional measures might be need still, he replied: “It will be around distancing, maybe there will be something around masks but I don’t want to prejudge it.”
He said “steady steps” out of lockdown are “the smart way to go” so that the many sacrifices are not squandered as people plead for hugs between family members to be permitted again sooner.
“We’re very close now to really turning the corner and I think we still need to be careful to go as I said we don’t want to see the gains lost and the sacrifices that have been made undone,” he added.
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CONTINUE: THOUSANDS FLOCK TO PILOT MUSIC FESTIVAL
Ticket-holders were required to take a rapid lateral flow test before entry, and will also be asked to take a test after the event to gather further evidence on the safety of outdoor settings, reduced social distancing and the removal of non-pharmaceutical mitigations like face coverings, the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said.
They will also have to provide contact details for NHS Test and Trace to ensure everyone can be traced in the event of a positive test, it added.
Culture minister Caroline Dinenage said: “Today is a momentous occasion to celebrate as fans get their first taste of a music festival for more than a year – and all in the name of science.
“There is nothing quite like the collective experience of hearing your favourite act live in the atmosphere of a festival and I hope everyone has a fantastic day.”
The ERP is looking at a range of settings and events including a business forum in Liverpool, club nights and the World Snooker Championship.
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THOUSANDS FLOCK TO PILOT MUSIC FESTIVAL
Thousands of unmasked revellers have come together for a pilot music festival hailed as a milestone towards getting live events running again.
Around 5,000 descended on Sefton Park in Liverpool this afternoon for the outdoor gig – with no a mask in sight.
There will be performances from Blossoms, The Lathums and Liverpool singer-songwriter Zuzu.
Everyone had to produce negative coronavirus tests to enter the event but did not have to wear face coverings or follow social distancing rules.
Researchers at the event will examine the movements and behaviour of the crowd as part of the programme.
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NHS URGES VACCINATED BRITS TO CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING
The NHS has urged Brits to continue to social distance even if they have been vaccinated.
A video was shared on Twitter with the following advice: “If you’ve had the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s vital that you continue to follow social distancing guidance.”
Dr Nighat Arif also says in the video: “Everybody please, we must continue to follow the rules and help protect ourselves and those around us, even we’ve been vaccinated.
“So remember, hands, face, space and plenty of fresh air.”
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PFIZER VACCINES FOR SCHOOL PUPILS FROM SEPTEMBER
Pfizer jabs may be offered to secondary pupils from September when the new school year starts, says The Sunday Times.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “No decisions have been made on whether children should be offered vaccinations and we will be guided by the experts once clinical trials have concluded.”
Meanwhile, self-isolation requirements for people who have been in contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus could be relaxed as a result of a major new study using rapid testing.
Daily lateral flow tests will be given to as many as 40,000 people who have a positive Covid-19 contact in the Government-backed research announced on Sunday.
Instead of the 10 days of quarantine currently required, the participants will be sent a week’s worth of tests and will be able to go about their lives as before, as long as the results are negative.
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BRITAIN HELPS INDIA DURING COVID DEVASTATION
Britain rushed to increase aid for India’s teetering health care system on Sunday.
It’s promised more ventilators and expert advice as doctors grapple with a surge in coronavirus infections that is killing thousands of people a day.
The government said it will send an additional 1,000 ventilators to India.
In addition, the NHS, which has battled one of the worst Covid outbreaks in Europe, is creating an advisory group to share its expertise with Indian authorities.
Boris Johnson plans a video meeting with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday to discuss further cooperation between the two countries, the government said in statement.
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‘FAR MORE LIKELY’ COVID CAME FROM LAB
It is “far more likely” that Covid came from a lab, according to the former head of MI6.
Sir Richard Dearlove told LBC the virus was more likely to have escaped from a lab than to have come from an animal.
He said aspects of coronavirus “point in the direction of it being somewhat tailored” – though he warned this may never be proven.
Sir Richard also described the World Health Organization’s report, which said a lab leak was highly unlikely but more work was needed, a “farcical investigation”.
He did say “it’s possible” Covid came from nature, but “it’s far more likely, if you’re a scientist, that it was put together”.
“All right, put it like this… It’s a natural virus that’s been, as it were, mucked around with and the characteristics of things like the spike protein, which make it so highly infectious, also point in the direction of it being somewhat tailored,” he added.
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WAVE GOODBYE TO COVID SAY MODELLERS
Covid modellers believe a third wave of the virus “may not happen” as the UK prepares to lift more lockdown restrictions.
Sage scientists had warned ministers that another wave of infections could kill up to 20,000 people this summer.
However Professor Adam Kucharski, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout had changed that.
He told the Telegraph: “There was considerable uncertainty about the impact of vaccines on infection and transmission earlier this year, but recent studies are landing at the more optimistic end of the scale – at least for the dominant B.1.1.7 variant.
“We could still see some increase in transmission as things reopen, but the resulting impact could be relatively low if the vaccine programme stays on track and we don’t end up with variants that can partially evade immunity.”
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OVER 34MILLION FIRST COVID JABS GIVEN
Today’s coronavirus statistics show that 34,505,380 first doses of the Covid vaccine have been administered.
The incredible jab effort has now resulted in 15,329,617 people receiving their second jab.