UK

A lack of planning could affect the next phase of the coronavirus vaccine rollout, MPs have warned. The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) praised the “world-beating” effort to get the jab to the most vulnerable, but said there is “much to be done” if the UK government is to hit its next target. Ministers are

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

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

All travellers arriving in the UK are to face mandatory coronavirus tests from next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock is poised to announce to MPs. In a Commons statement, he will say that from next Monday, 15 February, all passengers arriving in the UK will be required take a test on days two and eight

The UK’s terror threat level has dropped from “severe” to “substantial”, the home secretary has said. In a written statement to parliament, Priti Patel said the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) had lowered the UK national terrorism threat level from the fourth-highest to the third-highest level. There are five terror threat levels in total –

GCSE and A-level students have been hardest hit by COVID-19, according to the UK’s biggest study into the impacts on young people. It found pupils due to sit exams this year were not engaged with their work, and have the lowest wellbeing scores. But the report, by education group ImpactEd, also says they are not

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

A couple in their 80s who have been married for 60 years have had an emotional reunion after being kept apart for almost a year by the coronavirus pandemic. Stanley and Mavis Harbour, from Bolton, last spent time together on 20 February 2020. Since then, Mavis, 81, and 83-year-old Stanley, have been kept apart by

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

Two women and a man died in a series of linked incidents in Kilmarnock on Thursday night, Police Scotland has said. A 39-year-old woman was found injured in a car park outside Crosshouse Hospital in the town at 7.45pm. She received medical care but died at the scene. In the second incident 20 minutes later

A hospital was under lockdown for three hours in Kilmarnock as police dealt with a “serious incident” at the site and two more “potentially linked” events nearby. Police Scotland said one of the incidents was at Crosshouse Hospital, while a second happened on Portland Street in nearby Kilmarnock and a third on the A76. Officers

England’s economy will be unlocked gradually after schools hopefully return at the start of March, the vaccines minister has told Sky News. Nadhim Zahawi gave an insight into what Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s promised roadmap out of lockdown, earmarked to be announced on 22 February, will look like. He confirmed the government intends to start