Another 1,001 people die with Covid in UK and 13,013 test positive
Boris Johnson is to address the nation later in a Downing Street press conference.
Another 1,001 people have died with coronavirus within 28 days of testing positive.
A further 13,013 cases were also recorded in the UK in the past 24 hours, figures from the Department of Health show.
It means 114,851 people have died with the virus since the pandemic began, while more than 3.9 million people have been infected.
In addition, over 13 million people have now received their first dose of a Covid jab, with just days to go until the mid-February target of vaccinating the top four vulnerable groups.
The Government is expected to achieve that target and hopes all over 50s will be vaccinated by May.
Boris Johnson will be addressing the nation at a Downing Street press conference at 5pm today, where he will be joined by chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
He is expected to discuss the vaccination roll-out as well as set out the tough new rules on travel restrictions coming into force next week.
From Monday it will be mandatory for travellers entering England from any of the 33 ‘red list’ countries to self-isolate for 10 days at a Government-approved hotel, at a cost of £1,750 per person.
Anyone who attempts to flout the new rules and lie about travel plans could be fined up to £10,000 or face 10 years in jail – a penalty that has been branded ‘draconian’ and a ‘mistake’ by critics.
Former Supreme Court justice Lord Sumption said the punishments were more severe than those for some violent or sexual offences.
The health secretary yesterday told the Commons the raft of new measures were necessary to crack down on new variants entering the country, describing the Government’s efforts as ‘mission critical’.
Boris Johnson warned the public today that they are likely to need a third coronavirus vaccination in the autumn of this year to stop the spread of new strains.
‘We’re going to have to get used to vaccinating and then re-vaccinating in the autumn as we come to face these new variants,’ he told the Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions.
He said new vaccines which respond ‘at scale’ to new strains of Covid-19 need to be developed.
Oxford scientists revealed this week they are hoping to have a new vaccine ready by the autumn to protect against new strains of the virus – including those from Kent, South Africa and Brazil.
A study by the university found the jab is not as effective at preventing mild illness caused by the South Africa strain, though should still prevent hospitalisations and deaths.
It led to some countries suspending the rollout of the Oxford vaccine, which was today officially backed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) has issued interim recommendations on the vaccine, saying that the jab could be given to people aged 18 and above ‘without an upper age limit’.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.