BRITS will find out crucial updates to the green and amber travel lists on THURSDAY – and quarantine-free holidays to Spain, Greece and Italy could be back on.
Pressure is mounting on the government to ease strict Covid travel curbs as soon as possible and give a huge boost to hopes for much-needed summer breaks in the sun.
Ministers will also decide if any new countries should be added to the short list of destinations where unrestricted holidays are currently allowed. And it’s been reported scientists have already told ministers that the Balearic Islands are now safe to be moved onto the green list.
Malta is also being tipped to be given key green status, reports the Mail.
Matt Hancock has confirmed the Government is "absolutely working on" plans to end mandatory self-isolation for double-jabbed jet-setters.
Instead, those who have had both shots would be able to take daily tests at home to allow them to go about their business. Holidaymakers have been warned that the lists are subject to change at short notice.
Read our coronavirus live blog below for the latest news and updates…
- Harvey Lindsay
PRISON STAFF AROUND BRITAIN GO ON STRIKE TODAY OVER COVID SAFETY CONCERNS RAISE DISPUTE
Prison staff from Lindholme, Hatfield, Moorland and Doncaster have joined around 600 staff at 49 prisons across England in a long running health and safety dispute with employer Novus.
The dispute is over the failure to address health and safety concerns raised by prison educators, a failure to meaningfully engage with UCU on the part of Novus, and repeated attempts by management to intimidate staff who had raised health and safety issues.
A spokesman for Novus said: "Our commitment to the health and safety of our colleagues and learners has always been our top priority and we are disappointed that despite our best efforts to resolve the dispute, industrial action by UCU continues.
"All health and safety concerns raised by colleagues are regularly reviewed and investigated and appropriate action is taken by the Group Health and Safety Managers. These issues are regularly discussed with union members in a recurring health and safety meeting. Unfortunately, despite an open invitation to join these meetings, UCU have not attended since January this year. This has materially impacted our ability to have an open dialogue with UCU on health and safety matters."
- Harvey Lindsay
NHS SOUNDS ALARM OVER RISE IN UK COVID PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS
The NHS is under ‘huge pressure’ as people in ventilator beds increase 41% during last week, NHS bosses say.
The deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said the number of Covid patients in hospital on ventilation beds had increased by 41% in the last week to to 227, which she said was a strong indication Covid was having an impact on health services.
Cordery told BBC Breakfast: “Trusts on the frontline are really coming under huge pressure … they have plans in place to tackle the backlog, but with more Covid cases and demand for emergency care going up, that’s really challenging.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Prof Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, said this and other surveillance data were “encouraging”, despite rising case numbers. Lower hospitalisations and death rates relative to case numbers prove the high effectiveness of vaccines in protecting people from serious illness, he said.
- Harvey Lindsay
CONTINUED: ALL THE RULES THAT COULD CHANGE ON FREEDOM DAY, JULY 19 – FROM FACE MASKS TO NIGHTCLUBS
Nightclubs: With all remaining restrictions expected to be ditched on July 19, it means nightclubs, along with dance halls and discotheques, are finallyscheduled to reopen.
Nightclubs and venues have been shut for more than a year now under restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
The full list of rules in place for when nightclubs are finally allowed to reopen next month hasn't been confirmed.
But most businesses have been thinking ahead, putting in place a plan of action when restrictions lift.
Reduced capacity has also been floated as an idea to make clubs Covid safe – but many owners say they simply cannot survive with fewer customers.
- Harvey Lindsay
CONTINUED: ALL THE RULES THAT COULD CHANGE ON FREEDOM DAY, JULY 19 – FROM FACE MASKS TO NIGHTCLUBS
Social distancing: Instructions to stay two metres away from loved-ones and strangers are also expected to be scrapped next month, if the data continues to look good.
The ditching of the "one metre plus" rule is expected to allow restaurants, theatres and nightclubs to properly fling their doors back open to customers.
Rule of six: The Prime Minister is said to be optimistic that all remaining restrictions can be lifted on July 19, meaning limits on socialising will be ditched.
It means the Rule of Six will be scrapped for gatherings, also.
- Harvey Lindsay
ALL THE RULES THAT COULD CHANGE ON FREEDOM DAY, JULY 19 – FROM FACE MASKS TO NIGHTCLUBS
From face masks and social distancing to nightclubs and the Rule of Six, the Covid rules are set to change on July 19.
The UK is said to be on track to lift all current restrictions for Freedom Day as ministers are encouraged by "very, very" low death numbers and a slowdown in infections.
A senior Government source told the newspaper that ministers want to "get as close to normal as possible" on July 19.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously hoped to lift all the Covid restrictions on June 21.
The wearing of face masks is no longer expected to be compulsory in certain spaces, and laws will be replaced with advice for wearing them.
- The Sun
GREEN AND AMBER TRAVEL LISTS UPDATED ON THURSDAY AS BRITS GET READY TO JET OFF – AND QUARANTINE-FREE HOLIDAYS TO SPAIN, GREECE AND ITALY COULD BE BACK ON
Pressure is mounting on the government to ease strict Covid travel curbs as soon as possible and give a huge boost to hopes for much-needed summer breaks in the sun.
Tory MP James Cartlidge, the Chancellor’s right hand man and aide in Parliament, wrote to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to demand double jabbed Brits be given freedom next month.
He said: “The proposal to restart international travel by allowing fully vaccinated people to go on holiday would be an absolute lifeline for this industry.”
He added: “I believe that allowing fully vaccinated people to travel is reasonable, and an important step we can take to support our fantastic travel business.”
- The Sun
DOUBLE-JABBED BRITS LOOKING AT WEEKS UNTIL THEY CAN TAKE CHILDREN ABROAD
Double-jabbed parents could take unvaccinated kids abroad in a matter of weeks in a huge boost for summer holidays.
Plans to allow adults with two doses to travel in August to amber list countries are due to be announced by the Prime Minister within days.
However, ministers are under growing pressure to bring forward the plans to next month to save school holidays on the continent.
Some MPs are even said to be pressing Boris Johnson to sanction a "big bang" reopening with travel curbs eased at the same time as restrictions are lifted at home – on July 19.
- The Sun
NEW ‘DELTA PLUS’ VARIANT THREATENS BRITS
A new "Delta Plus" Covid-19 variant that is "more transmissible" than the original has been reported in India.
Sixteen cases of the variant that is a mutation of the Delta variant, have been recorded in the state of Maharashtra, health officials said.
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday described Delta Plus as "currently a variant of concern," in a statement.
The new mutation was detected earlier this month but was not considered concerning reports India Today.
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BORIS JOHNSON TO ANNOUNCE ON MONDAY IF LOCKDOWN CAN LIFT EARLY
Boris Johnson's decision about whether to unlock early on July 5 will be announced on Monday, Downing Street confirmed this afternoon.
The PM is today poring over crucial data ahead of giving his crunch verdict next week.
He is likely to crush hopes of bringing forward Freedom Day and stick with his "terminus date" of July 19.
When Mr Johnson announced his four-week delay to the roadmap last week he wrote in a two-week break point to allow wriggle room from an early release.
No10 said today a decision on whether to pull this trigger will be made on Monday.
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AMBER ALERT
Matt Hancock has confirmed the Government is "absolutely working on" plans to end mandatory self-isolation for double-jabbed jet-setters.
Instead, those who have had both shots would be able to take daily tests at home to allow them to go about their business.
The health secretary's announcement will provide hope to millions of sun-starved families aching for a getaway later this summer.
It would open up all of Europe for tourism as well as further afield destinations such as Canada, Mexico, and the US.
Read more here
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ON THE BRINK
Hundreds of patients flood Barnsley hospital accident and emergency room causing a rare 'black alert'.
The NHS facility in South Yorkshire is struggling to keep up with the demand for beds, just days after top doctors warned of mounting pressure due to record numbers of admissions.
Internal emails seen by The Independent show the institute was forced to declare OPEL 4 status – operational pressures escalation level – on Tuesday amid the shortage, with over 300 patients turning up to the emergency department each day.
It seems the delay in people missing out on medical treatment in lockdown is finally catching up on the healthcare system, as it is A&E sickness causing the congestion, The Independent reports.
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FLIGHT OPERATORS TUI, VIRGIN ATLANTIC AND IAG JOIN MOUNTING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST GOVERNMENT TRAVEL RULES
Tui has announced it has joined Virgin Atlantic and British Airways' parent company IAG in supporting legal action against the Government's coronavirus travel restrictions.
The UK's largest tour operator said the three firms have become interested parties in a challenge that was first launched by Ryanair and Manchester Airports Group last week.
The legal bid is an attempt to get the Government to be more transparent in relation to how it determines which countries are on the green, amber and red lists under the traffic light system for international travel.
There are currently no major viable tourist destinations on the quarantine-free green list.
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RISHI SUNAK SAYS HE HAS 'HOPE AND EXPECTATION' THAT JULY 19 WILL FINALLY SEE COVID RESTRICTIONS END IN ENGLAND
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said it is his "hope and expectation" that July 19 will be the end of coronavirus restrictions in England.
Rishi was responding to a question in the Commons from Conservative Greg Smith (Buckingham) about businesses being "desperate" to return staff from furlough.
Mr Smith said: "Will (Mr Sunak) agree with me that the way to get the economy moving and to get those employees back to work is for restrictions to absolutely be lifted by July 19?"
Responding, Mr Sunak said: "(Mr Smith) is absolutely right, and my hope and expectation is we do lift those restrictions on July 19 because by that point we will have done what we set out to do, which is to get extra jabs in more people's arms to provide us with that extra level of protection we were seeking."
Mr Sunak added: "The only sustainable way to protect those jobs is to get the economy reopened so those people can return to work and provide for their families."
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COVID PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL AT HIGHEST LEVEL
Patients in hospital with Covid across the UK has risen to its highest level since April.
The nes comes after a large rise in covid infection rates across the country, with new dailyt cases reaching a four month high.
A total of 1,378 patients were in hospital on June 20, according to the latest Government figures.
The figure is up 21 per cent from the previous week, and is the highest since April 29.
It is also up 58 per cent from the 870 patients recorded on May 27, which was the lowest number since the second wave of the virus.
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MATT HANCOCK: GOVERNMENT 'WORKING ON PLANS' FOR QUARANTINE-FREE TRAVEL
The health secretary today said the Government is "working on" plans for quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated Britons – but international travel remains a "difficult" area, Matt Hancock has said.
Matt Hancock confirmed that ministers are looking at how to scrap the requirement for people to isolate for 10 days on return from an amber list country.
Mr Hancock said he is "in favour of moving forward in this area" and replacing quarantine with daily testing.
"This hasn't been clinically advised yet – we're working on it," he told Sky News.
He added: "We're working on plans to essentially allow the vaccine to bring back some of the freedoms that have had to be restricted to keep people safe. After all, that's the whole purpose of the vaccination programme, that's why it's so important that every adult goes out and gets the jab."
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WATCH: DENISE WELCH FURIOUS ABOUT COVID RULES
Loose Women’s Denise Welch shouts at Gloria Hunniford as furious star rages about Covid rules
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SCOTS TO WEAR FACE MASKS AND WORK FROM HOME AFTER AUGUST
The First Minister braced people for a handful of enduring restrictions even when all legal measures are torn up on August 9.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon she confirmed she was following Boris Johnson and delaying the next stage of lockdown easing until July 19.
Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: "As indicated last week we intend to maintain the current restrictions applicable in each part of Scotland for the next three weeks."
She went on to unveil her revised roadmap to bin all "major remaining restrictions" on August 9.
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MAJOR HOLIDAY BOOST
Double jabbed mums and dads will be able to take their unvaccinated kids on holiday this summer, The Sun can reveal.
Plans to allow adults with two doses to travel in August to amber list countries are to be announced within days, with unjabbed family members exempt in a boost to late summer holidays.
But ministers are under growing pressure to bring forward the plans to July 19 to save the school holidays on the continent.
Earlier today Matt Hancock revealed that ministers were indeed looking at plans for whether double-vaccinated Brits might be able to avoid quarantine in future when they travel abroad.
The Sun understands the new rules will mean under 16s will be able to go with their parents on holiday – but only if both parents have had two jabs.
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WATCH: SCOTS TO WEAR FACE MASKS AND WORK FROM HOME AFTER AUGUST
Nicola Sturgeon says face masks and work from home to continue after AUGUST as she delays lockdown lifting
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GRAPHIC: THE FIVE AREAS WHERE COVID CASES ARE RISING FASTEST
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MAPPED: COVID CASES IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND
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‘POSITIVE’ TALKS OVER REACHING DEAL TO SAVE EURO 2020 FINAL AT WEMBLEY
A deal to ensure the final stages of Euro 2020 are held at Wembley is on the brink of being struck between the UK Government and Uefa.
A UK Government source said there had been “positive” talks with European football’s ruling body to address the issues around coronavirus restrictions.
Uefa is thought to be pushing for 2,500 VIPs to attend the final on July 11 without being subjected to the quarantine requirements that apply to other international travellers.
A UK source said “final details are being worked through” but ministers have indicated that some restrictions would remain in place.
Reports had suggested the final could be moved to Budapest if a deal cannot be reached and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has also said that Rome could provide an alternative venue.
But in a statement, Uefa said: “Uefa, the English FA and the English authorities are working closely together successfully to stage the semi-finals and final of Euro 2020 in Wembley and there are no plans to change the venue for those games.”
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UK COVID DEATHS RISE TO 27 AND CASES SURGE TO OVER 11,600 IN HIGHEST JUMP IN FOUR MONTHS
Today's figure of 11,625 is the highest they have been since February 19 when 12,027 new cases were reported.
Daily deaths rose by 27 – bringing the total number of Covid victims to 128,008.
The grim number is the biggest leap since May 5 when 27 fatalities were reported.
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NEW ‘DELTA PLUS’ COVID VARIANT
A new "Delta Plus" Covid-19 variant that is "more transmissible" than the original has been reported in India.
Sixteen cases of the variant that is a mutation of the Delta variant, have been recorded in the state of Maharashtra, health officials said.
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday described Delta Plus as "currently a variant of concern," in a statement.
The new mutation was detected earlier this month but was not considered concerning reports India Today.
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BORIS TO ANNOUNCE ON MONDAY IF LOCKDOWN CAN END
Boris Johnson’s decision about whether to unlock early on July 5 will be announced on Monday, Downing Street confirmed this afternoon.
The PM is today evaluating crucial data ahead of giving his verdict next week.
He is likely to crush hopes of bringing forward Freedom Day and stick with his “terminus date” of July 19.
When Mr Johnson announced his four-week delay to the roadmap last week he wrote in a two-week break point to allow wriggle room from an early release.
No10 said today a decision on whether to pull this trigger will be made on Monday.
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