The UK’s coronavirus reproduction number – or ‘R’ number – has fallen to below one for the first time since July. The figure is now between 0.7 and 0.9, according to the latest estimate. The R refers to the number of people an infected person will pass COVID-19 on to, and when the figure is
UK
Over-65s will begin receiving letters inviting them to get COVID vaccines from early next week as part of the next phase of the UK’s vaccination programme, Sky News understands. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has previously set a deadline of Monday 15 February for offering a first dose of a vaccine to 15 million people in
Coronavirus restrictions could last until at least all adults have been vaccinated, a senior Public Health England official has warned. Dr Susan Hopkins told Sky News some measures may have to stay in place beyond that, until more is known about COVID-19 transmission “before we can release everything and get back to life as it
AstraZeneca has said it is on course to roll out a coronavirus vaccine that is effective against new variants by the autumn. The company, which has produced a COVID-19 vaccine alongside University of Oxford, said clinical trials for the next generation of jab would commence in the spring. It added that the plan would be
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has admitted the UK had been concentrating all of its pandemic planning only on flu. Speaking on a Sky News’ special programme, Covid Crisis: Learning the Lessons, Mr Hunt – Britain’s longest ever serving health secretary – was candid. Asked if he felt he should take some responsibility for the
More than a year after the first COVID-19 infections were reported in the UK, some people who contracted the virus in the early weeks of the pandemic are still struggling with symptoms. “Long COVID” is thought to have affected thousands of people across the country, with ongoing physical effects reported to range from fatigue and
Chills, loss of appetite, headache and muscle aches could be a sign of COVID-19 infection, according to new findings. Based on swab tests and questionnaires taken from June up until last month as part of Imperial College London’s REACT study of over one million people, those with the above symptoms were more likely to test
Another 1,052 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in the UK, according to the latest government figures. The number is up from the 333 fatalities confirmed on Monday. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world A further 12,364 infections were also confirmed on Tuesday, compared with the 14,104 cases reported yesterday. It brings
There were 8,433 deaths linked to coronavirus in the final full week of January, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figure is up slightly from 8,422 deaths in the week to January 22. Nearly half (45.7%) of all deaths registered in England and Wales in the week to 29 January mentioned COVID-19
The South African variant of COVID-19 is not expected to become the UK’s dominant strain in the next few months, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said. Professor Jonathan Van-Tam revealed only a “very small” number of cases of it have been discovered in the UK, trying to ease people’s fears given scientists think vaccines
The mother of a 22-year-old man who was fatally stabbed in a “barbaric” attack in north London has called on the prime minister for help. Sven Badzak was killed on Friday while his friend is fighting for his life after they were chased and attacked by a “group of males” in Kilburn at around 5.30pm,
The vaccines minister has told Sky News he is “confident” the UK will hit its “tough target” of offering everybody over 50 a coronavirus jab by May. Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Nadhim Zahawi said that at one point on Saturday, the UK was administering COVID-19 jabs at a rate of almost 1,000 per
A total of 11,465,210 people have received a first vaccine as the UK has reported another 828 deaths associated with the virus. The number of deaths is down from the 1,014 reported on Friday, and comes after another 18,262 cases were reported on Saturday, latest government figures show. The latest number of infections is less
One man has died and nine others have been injured in stabbings around Croydon, south London, on Friday night, police have said. Metropolitan Police were called to five separate incidents but they are still investigating whether any of them are linked. They have enacted additional stop and search powers across Croydon overnight. Two of the
Heavy snow and icy conditions are forecast to hit parts of the UK, as strong easterly winds from Ukraine and the Black Sea area spill across the country. The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings for snow in parts of London, the east and southeast of England today, stretching from Norwich down to Canterbury, and
The number of new coronavirus cases in the UK has fallen once again, with almost 11 million people having now received their first vaccine dose. There have been a further 19,114 confirmed cases of COVID, compared to 20,634 yesterday and 29,079 a week ago, according to the latest government data. Another 1,014 people have died