NOTTINGHAM revellers face a hefty fine as police placed an alcohol ban as BRITS set to enjoy their first days of freedom in a 25C scorcher.
It comes after hundreds of boozy students brawled with each other and peed in bushes at a park in Nottingham on Monday.
Lockdown-weary Brits will be out in full force today to enjoy record breaking temperatures of 25C, after the Rule of Six came into effect from Monday March 29.
It's their first taste of legally socialising with up to six people in a group since January 6.
Boris Johnson meanwhile has been urged to lift lockdown NOW as new data suggests more than half of Brits are now immune to coronavirus.
Thanks to the UK's superspeed vaccine rollout and high jab uptake, a staggering 54.7% of the population is now believed to have Covid 19 antibodies, according to a major Office for National Statistics testing survey.
The figure is likely to be even higher now because millions more have been vaccinated since the testing took place two weeks ago, and it takes around a fortnight for immunity to kick in.
With such a high percentage at least somewhat immune thanks to the antibodies in their system – and with many of the UK's most vulnerable people among that number – lockdown rules are now being questioned.
Follow our coronavirus live blog below for the very latest news and updates on the pandemic…
- Niamh Cavanagh
LOCKDOWN EXTENSION FEARS AS BRITS PACK PARKS AND BEACHES FOR 24C MINI-HEATWAVE AND EXPERTS WARN OF INFECTIONS SPIKE
Russia on Wednesday reported 8,275 new COVID-19 cases, including 1,286 in Moscow, pushing the national case tally to 4,545,095 since the pandemic began.
The government coronavirus task force said that 408 people had died in the last 24 hours, pushing its death toll to 98,850.
- Niamh Cavanagh
CHINESE OFFICIAL SAYS THERE'S NO BASIS TO CLAIMS IT DID NOT SHARE COVID DATA
A senior Chinese health official said today there was no factual basis to accusations that China did not share data with researchers appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to look into the origins of COVID-19.
Liang Wannian, who was co-leader of the joint study into the origins of COVID-19 by China and the WHO published on Tuesday, told reporters that the Chinese and international researchers had access to the same data.
He also said the Chinese part of the joint research had now been completed, and the world now needed to look further into potential early cases of COVID-19 outside China in the next phase of its research into the origins of the pandemic.
- Niamh Cavanagh
'WE ARE 100% CONFIDENT' WITH AZ VACCINE, SAYS HOUSING SECRETARY
Asked if there was a need to look again at AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine after news that Germany has agreed to restrict its use, Communities secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News: "No, we don't, we're 100% confident in the efficacy of the vaccine, that's borne out by study after study, by our own independent world-class regulators and by recent research, for example, by Public Health England that's shown that thousands of people's lives have been saved since the start of this year alone thanks to our vaccine programme.
"People should continue to go forward, get the vaccine, I certainly will when my time comes, it is a safe vaccine and the UK's vaccine rollout is saving people's lives right across the country every day."
- Niamh Cavanagh
PRESIDENT MACRON TO ADDRESS THE FRENCH NATION IN TV SPEECH ON WEDNESDAY
French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a televised speech to the country at 8pm local time today, said Macron's office, at which further measures to tackle the COVID-19 virus may be announced.
- Niamh Cavanagh
SHIELDING TO END FOR ALMOST FOUR MILLION BRITONS
Nearly four million people will no longer be asked to shield to protect themselves from the serious side-effects of Covid-19 as of Thursday.
Shielding will come to an end in England and Wales on April 1, while plans for Scotland and Northern Ireland have not yet been finalised.
Earlier this month, Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, said: "With the prevalence of the virus in the community continuing to decrease, now is the right time for people to start thinking about easing up on these more rigid guidelines.
"If you have been shielding, we strongly urge you to take extra precautions following April 1 to keep yourself as safe as possible, such as continuing to observe social distancing and working from home.
"We will continue to monitor all of the evidence and adjust this advice should there be any changes in infection rates."
- Patrick Joseph DUGGAN
MACRON 'DOESN'T LISTEN TO EXPERTS'
FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron is so arrogant he doesn't bother listening to experts on Covid any more – despite soaring cases, reports from the country claim.
Sources say Macron believes he's such an expert in the spread of coronavirus that he "no longer follows the advice of scientists".
And the president has been blasted in newspaper Le Monde – as France's crisis continues to spiral out of control.
The paper says Macron has flouted the advice of his experts for almost a year after he announced the reopening of schools in advance of scientific advice.
- Patrick Joseph DUGGAN
MERKEL VOWS TO HAVE AZ JAB
ANGELA Merkel is adamant she'll have the AstraZeneca Covid jab – as Germany bans it for under-60s over blood clot fears.
Germany's sudden partial suspension comes amid Europe's chaotic jab rollout and a worrying spike in coronavirus cases.
Germany will restrict the use of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine to people aged 60 and over and high-priority groups, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Tuesday.
However, she told a press conference that she would be happy to receive the Astrazeneca jab.
Merkel, 66, said: "I have said when it is my turn, I will get vaccinated, also with AstraZeneca. The possibility of me being vaccinated is nearing."
- Patrick Joseph DUGGAN
MORE THAN HALF HAVE IMMUNITY
MORE than half of adults in England now have some degree of immunity against Covid — thanks mainly to the vaccination blitz.
Data from the Office for National Statistics shows 54.7 per cent of over-16s had antibodies against the virus by mid-March.
Blood tests reveal nine in ten pensioners also have either natural or jab-induced protection.
Meanwhile, the daily death toll yesterday was 56, down from the 112 reported on Tuesday last week. And the number of new infections was 4,040, down from 5,095 seven days earlier.
- Patrick Joseph DUGGAN
FRANCE AND GERMANY BEG RUSSIA
FRANCE and Germany have begged Vladimir Putin to supply them with the Russian-made vaccine – after Angela Merkel suspended use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab for the under-60s.
In yet another huge blow for the EU's bungled jabs roll-out, the Chancellor announced that while she'll take the British vaccine, it's being partially suspended for younger people.
And Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron have now turned to Russia to discuss using shipments of the Sputnik jab when it's approved by health regulators.
- Joseph Gamp
NUMBER OF CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS SURGED DURING THE PANDEMIC
The number of children eligible for free school meals surged during the coronavirus pandemic, Government data shows.
Figures from the Department for Education (DfE) show that an additional 302,397 pupils have qualified for free school meals since March 23 last year – the start of the first national lockdown.
Nearly one in five (19.7%) pupils in England were eligible for free school meals in October 2020, up from 17.3% in January 2020, the data shows.
This amounts to 1.63 million children, a rise from 1.44 million in January 2020.
Children are entitled to free school meals if their parent or carer is on benefits, including income support or receiving universal credit with household income of less than £7,400 a year.
- Joseph Gamp
COPS BAN BOOZE IN PARKS AND BEACHGOERS TOLD TO STAY AWAY AS BRITS ENJOY RULE OF 6 FREEDOM IN 24C SCORCHER
Cops have banned booze in parks and beachgoers have been told to stay away today as Brits enjoy their newfound freedom during today's 24C scorcher.
It comes after hundreds of boozy students brawled with each other and peed in bushes at a park in Nottingham yesterday.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
UK COVID DEATHS HAVE HALVED IN A WEEK WITH 56 FATALITIES AND 4,040 CASES AS RULE OF SIX RETURNS
UK Covid deaths have HALVED in a week with 56 fatalities and 4,040 cases as Rule of Six returns
- Joseph Gamp
WOMAN SAYS SHE DEVELOPED LONG 'COVID TOES' THAT LEFT HER 'STRUGGLING TO WALK'
A MUM says she has been left in agony and almost unable to walk after developing a rare case of “Covid toes”.
Sarah Griffiths, 35, was left baffled when she spotted a rash on her left foot in January.
It quickly spread to both feet and all her toes – leaving her in so much pain she struggled to walk.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
AMBER HEARD GETS HER COVID VACCINE
Amber Heard is evidently proud to have had her Covid vaccine.
she tweeted: "Did someone say “vaccine queen”?!" along with a snap of after receiving the jab.
The location where she received the jab is not clear.
NINTCHDBPICT000644627960Credit: Instagram - Joseph Gamp
GERMANY: ANGELA MERKEL SAYS SHE'D TAKE THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINE
Germany's Iron Chancellor Angela Merkel is open to being vaccinated with AstraZeneca's Covid-19 jab, she told a news conference on Tuesday.
"I have said when it is my turn, I will get vaccinated, also with AstraZeneca," the 66-year-old told a news conference on Germany's decision to limit the use of the British-Swedish firm's vaccine over health concerns.
"The possibility of me being vaccinated is nearing."
- Joseph Gamp
WHEN IS THE BIG FOREIGN TRAVEL ANNOUNCEMENT?
Boris Johnson is set to make an announcement on foreign travel on April 5.
Speaking at his press conference on Tuesday March 30, the PM confirmed an update on holidays will be unveiled on Easter Monday.
He added he'll soon reveal "what the global travel taskforce has come up with".
But sources told The Sun: "Don’t expect a firm date then.”
- Joseph Gamp
COVID ANTIBODIES FOUND IN MORE THAN HALF OF BRITS
More than half of Brits now have Covid antibodies, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics.
Around 54 per cent of people in England are likely to have tested positive for antibodies this month, compared to 50 per cent in Wales and 49.3 per cent in Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, two in five people in Scotland are likely to have tested positive for antibodies in the week up to March 14.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
READING AND LEEDS FANS WILL ‘ALMOST CERTAINLY’ NEED COVID VACCINE PASSPORT
Reading and Leeds organiser Melvin Benn has said music fans will "almost certainly" need a coronavirus vaccine passport to attend the festivals.
The twin events are due to go ahead over the August bank holiday weekend as long as covid cases continue to fall and the vaccine programme remains on track.
Tickets sold out in less than two days, with Stormzy, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Post Malone, Disclosure and Liam Gallagher on the bill.
Speaking to the BBC today, Mr Benn said it was difficult to predict what safety measures would be required later in the summer.
- Joseph Gamp
BRITS URGED TO SNITCH ON PEOPLE TAKING EASTER BANK HOLIDAY BREAKS
Brits living near Airbnbs have been urged to call the cops on travellers staying overnight.
Overnight stays are currently banned until at least April 12, when one household will be allowed to visit self-catered accommodation.
But tourism chiefs in Devon have called on locals to report out-of-towners to the police.
Meanwhile, officials in Cornwall have also warned today that it's "still illegal" to travel miles to visit.
- Joseph Gamp
NUMBER OF CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS SURGED DURING THE PANDEMIC
The number of children eligible for free school meals surged during the coronavirus pandemic, Government data shows.
Figures from the Department for Education (DfE) show that an additional 302,397 pupils have qualified for free school meals since March 23 last year – the start of the first national lockdown.
Nearly one in five (19.7%) pupils in England were eligible for free school meals in October 2020, up from 17.3% in January 2020, the data shows.
This amounts to 1.63 million children, a rise from 1.44 million in January 2020.
Children are entitled to free school meals if their parent or carer is on benefits, including income support or receiving universal credit with household income of less than £7,400 a year.
- Joseph Gamp
GOVERNMENT TOLD TO 'STOP IGNORING WARNING SIGNS OF EXODUS OF NHS NURSING STAFF'
Support for maternity staff throughout the pandemic is "barely scratching the surface", leading midwives have warned.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said it was "easy to see why staff are questioning their future in the NHS" after it warned that thousands of midwives and midwifery support workers could leave the profession.
It follows a report by the IPPR think tank which claimed that almost one in four healthcare staff were "more likely" to leave the NHS after a year battling Covid-19.
When asked, 'Compared to one year ago, are you more or less likely to: leave the healthcare sector?', 24.2% of 1,000 British healthcare workers said they were more likely to leave.
The report stated that work-related stress levels in the NHS were "accelerating".
- Joseph Gamp
TURKEY LOGS HIGHEST NEW COVID-19 CASES SINCE BEGINNING OF PANDEMIC – MINISTRY
Turkey has recorded 37,303 new coronavirus cases in the space of 24 hours, the highest level since the beginning of the pandemic, health ministry data showed on Tuesday, a day after Ankara said it would tighten restrictions amid surging infections.
The government eased measures to curb the pandemic in Turkey this month, prompting a surge in new cases.
On Monday, President Tayyip Erdogan announced the tightening, including the return of full nationwide weekend lockdowns for the holy Islamic month of Ramadan.
The latest daily death toll was 155, bringing the cumulative toll to 31,385, according to the health ministry.
- Joseph Gamp
WHO SAYS COVID-19 ORIGINS NOT EXTENSIVE ENOUGH, CITES DATA ACCESS ‘DIFFICULTIES’
A World Health Organisation team probing the new coronavirus’s origins cited problems accessing raw data, the health agency’s chief said today, calling for further studies because the assessment, so far, has not been extensive enough.
“In my discussions with the team, they expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said after the report of a team that travelled to Wuhan, China, this year was released.
“I expect future collaborative studies to include more timely and comprehensive data sharing.”
- Joseph Gamp
IRISH LEADER: B117 COVID VARIANT 'IS A VERY DIFFERENT BEAST'
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the B117 variant of the coronavirus is a "very different beast" now compared to the start of the outbreak and if Ireland moves forward "sensibly and safely" another surge of the disease can be avoided.
In a televised address to the nation Mr Martin said as of April 12 the 5km travel limit will no longer apply.
People will be allowed to travel within their country for exercise and recreation.
- Joseph Gamp
TAOISEACH TO MAKE ADDRESS ON EASING OF LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS
A Cabinet meeting to decide upon the easing of lockdown restrictions has ended.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin is due to make an address to the nation in the next hour to inform the public what freedoms they can expect to return from next month.
Expectations have been dampened somewhat by a stark warning from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) that reopening too much, too fast will risk a fourth wave of the virus.
It has advised a cautious reopening over the next four to eight weeks, to allow the vaccine programme to ramp up and reduce the risk of another wave.
It is now expected that restrictions could be eased on a gradual, phased basis, either weekly or fortnightly.
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