BRITAIN is close to herd immunity, with the Covid pandemic "pretty much over for the UK", a scientist has claimed.
It comes after a week where covid case numbers steadily dropped for seven days straight, puzzling experts and providing a glimmer of hope.
They have suggested the fall is a fluke due to the football being over, the warm weather and a lack of testing with kids being off school.
But others disagree, saying it shows vaccines are working combined with natural immunity from past infections to beat back the virus.
Dr David Matthews, a virologist and expert in coronaviruses from the University of Bristol, told the Telegraph: “In terms of herd immunity – by which we mean the virus has managed to reach everybody and therefore most people will have a level of immune memory – I suspect we’re very close to it."
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HOW LONG AFTER HAVING COVID DO I HAVE TO WAIT BEFORE GETTING THE VACCINE?
Millions of Brits have now had a Covid vaccine and its hoped that everyone will be double jabbed by September.
But if you’ve recently had Covid-19 then there is a certain amount of time you have to wait before having a dose.
The NHS says in order to keep everyone safe, there is a 28 day wait after contracting the virus.
You can have your jab 28 days after testing positive for the virus, or 28 days after your symptoms first started.
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GRAPHIC: COVID VACCINATIONS IN THE UK
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RECORD FOR COVID APP SELF-ISOLATION ALERTS AS 'PINGDEMIC' CONTINUES
The number of people being told to self-isolate has reached another record high, with almost 700,000 alerts sent to Covid app users in England and Wales.
The so-called "pingdemic" saw a further rise last week, with 689,313 alerts sent to users of the NHS Covid-19 app telling them they had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus.
The latest NHS figures, for the week to July 21, are an 11% rise on the previous record high of 619,733 alerts a week earlier.
This week the Government said it was expanding its daily contact testing for front-line sectors who are exempt from isolation.
Downing Street has now confirmed that some 260 testing sites are open, while 800 more are "in the process" of being set up for support workers in critical industries. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "Following them, we will then establish the remaining 1,200 over the coming days."
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NORTHERN IRELAND TO RELAX COVID RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & SOCIAL DISTANCING
Stormont ministers have agreed a series of Covid-19 relaxations on international travel and social distancing.
The Executive will follow a rule change adopted by other parts of the UK meaning that from Monday, travellers from the US, EU amber countries and a number of other nations, including Norway and Switzerland, who are fully vaccinated can enter without the need to quarantine.
France is excluded from the new arrangements amid concerns about the Beta variant of Covid-19.
The powersharing administration has also agreed to allow Uefa VIP guests and Villarreal fans to travel to attend the Super Cup in Belfast on August 11 without the need to isolate.
Chelsea fans travelling from England for the showpiece match are not subject to any travel restrictions. Ministers have also agreed to the return of international cruise travel in and out of Northern Ireland from Saturday.
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EXPERT WARNS NORTHERN IRELAND ‘FACES MORE SEVERE COVID WAVE DUE TO FLAGGING VACCINATION RATE’
Northern Ireland could be facing a more severe wave of Covid-19 than other parts of the UK due to its flagging vaccination rate, Stormont’s chief scientific adviser has warned.
Professor Ian Young said there is concern that people in the region appear less willing to get a jab than those in the UK.
His comments to the Assembly’s Health Committee came as the head of the vaccination programme, Patricia Donnelly, said uptake rates have “gone off a cliff” since the rollout opened to under-30s.
Also appearing before the committee, which was recalled from recess to discuss the increasing Covid pressures within hospitals, Ms Donnelly confirmed that vaccine booster jabs will start to be rolled out in Northern Ireland in September.
In Northern Ireland, 83% of the adult population have received first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine while 71% are fully vaccinated.
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GRAPHIC: UK COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS PER DAY
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SCIENTIST CLAIMS BRITAIN IS 'CLOSE TO HERD IMMUNITY' AND PANDEMIC 'PRETTY MUCH OVER FOR UK'
A scientist has claimed that Britain is close to herd immunity, with the pandemic "pretty much over for the UK". It comes after a week where case numbers steadily dropped for seven days straight, puzzling experts and providing a glimmer of hope.
They have suggested the fall is a fluke due to the football being over, the warm weather and a lack of testing with kids being off school.
But others disagree, saying it shows vaccines are working combined with natural immunity from past infections to beat back the virus.
Dr David Matthews, a virologist and expert in coronaviruses from the University of Bristol, told the Telegraph: “In terms of herd immunity – by which we mean the virus has managed to reach everybody and therefore most people will have a level of immune memory – I suspect we’re very close to it.
“Assuming nothing truly spectacularly leftfield happens, then this pandemic is pretty much over for the UK. I suspect we will not see a major surge this winter, or any serious levels of fatalities. The more we close the gap on the last 10 per cent who haven’t had the vaccine, the better we will be. Everyone will eventually meet the virus and it is far better to do so vaccinated.”
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MAJOR GREEN LIST HOLIDAY BOOST AS MORE COUNTRIES TO BE ADDED NEXT WEEK
MORE countries will go onto the green list next week as Britain is set to open up to other "high trust" foreigners, according to the Foreign Secretary.
Dominic Raab said he was "increasingly positive" that more countries would go green at the travel review next week. Passengers coming from green countries do not have to isolate, and the fully vaccinated also avoid quarantine if they're returning from an amber list nation.
Double-jabbed travellers from the EU and US will be allowed to skip isolation when they arrive in Britain next week, and the Foreign Secretary hinted more "high trust" countries could benefit from similar deals soon.
It won't apply to France which remains on the hated amber plus list. Speaking to Sky News this morning, Mr Raab said: “I think personally it feels like the momentum forward is positive, because the double vaccination reaching 70 per cent.
“We've done the job we’ve had to do domestically, as you see other countries catch up if you like, I think we're increasingly confident that more countries will go either on the amber, or green.”
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EU HEALTH BODY WARNS AGAINST VISITING GREECE
Greece's south Aegean islands were marked 'dark red' on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's Covid-19 map on Thursday after a rise in infections, meaning all but essential travel to and from the region is discouraged.
The cluster of 13 islands includes Greece's most popular destinations for foreign tourists – Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes – which, combined, draw millions of people every summer.
Greece had relied on promoting "Covid-free" islands to draw visitors back this summer, hoping a rebound in international travel would resuscitate its vital tourism industry after its worst year in decades in 2020. Despite a strong June in terms of arrivals, uncertainty remains over how the season will unfold.
"We're waiting to see how the (tourist) markets will react," said Manolis Markopoulos, president of the hoteliers association of Rhodes, where more than 90% of tourists are from abroad, referring to the ECDC decision. The ECDC is an agency of the European Union.
Germany and Britain are the biggest sources of visitors to Greece.
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ASTRAZENECA RECORDS SURGE IN COVID VACCINE SALES AS JABS ARE ROLLED OUT GLOBALLY
Drugs giant AstraZeneca has revealed sales of its Covid-19 vaccine soared to 1.2 billion US dollars (£860 million) in the first half as the global jab programme rolled out at pace.
The group, which developed the jab with Oxford University, said vaccine sales more than tripled between the first and second quarters, rocketing from 275 million US dollars (£197 million) to 894 million US dollars (£640 million) in the three months to June 30.
It delivered about 319 million doses worldwide in the first half as the fight against Covid-19 picked up pace, but Astra pledged not to make a profit from the jab during the pandemic.
AstraZeneca supplied more than 80 million doses of the vaccination in the six months to more than 125 countries through the Covax global access initiative, making up more than 90% of Covax supply.
It also said that it had delayed application for approval of the jab in the US until the final six months of 2021, having originally hoped to put this through in the first half.
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WATCH: TOKYO 2020 ORGANISING COMMITTEE SAYS 24 PEOPLE HAVE TESTED POSITIVE IN THE PAST 24 HOURS
Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee says 24 people have tested positive in the past 24 hours
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UK DAILY COVID CASES RISE FOR SECOND DAY IN A ROW
The UK's daily Covid cases have risen for the second day in a row with 31,117 reported in the last 24 hours.
However, infections are still on a downward curve – with infections down 24 per cent compared to last week.
This day last week 39,906 cases were reported along with 84 deaths.
Meanwhile Covid deaths have fallen slightly with a further 85 losing their lives to the killer bug.
It brings the total number of UK Covid deaths recorded within 28 days of a positive test result to 129,515.
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ISRAEL TO OFFER A BOOSTER SHOT FOR OVER 60s
Israel will begin offering a third shot of the Pfizer/Biontech COVID-19 vaccine to people aged over 60, a world first in efforts to slow the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, Israeli TV and radio said on Thursday.
Those eligible will be able to get the booster shot as long as they received their second dose more than five months ago, Channel 13 TV and Kan public radio reported.
Israel was a world leader in the vaccination rollout, with many seniors getting their jabs in December, January and February as they were regarded as the most vulnerable sector of the population.
But since the emergence of the Delta variant, the health ministry has twice reported a drop in the vaccine's effectiveness against infection and a slight decrease in its protection against severe disease.
The booster campaign, expected to be announced formally soon, will effectively turn Israel into a testing ground for a third dose before approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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VACCINE ROLLOUT PREVENTED AN ESTIMATED 22m AND 60,000 DEATHS, NEW FIGURES SUGGEST
The Covid-19 vaccine rollout in England has prevented an estimated 22 million infections and 60,000 deaths, according to new figures from Public Health England.
Vaccines are also estimated to have directly averted more than 52,600 hospital admissions.
The figures cover the period up to July 23 and are based on modelling by Public Health England and Cambridge University.
Previous estimates, for the period up to July 9, had suggested around 37,000 deaths and 11,000,000 infections had been prevented.
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UPDATED COVID CASES IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Two more deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 have been notified by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.
A further 1,471 cases of the virus have been reported across the region, the department said.
On Thursday morning, there were 234 Covid-19 positive patients in hospital, with 31 in intensive care.
In total, 2,239,652 vaccines have been administered.
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VAX PASS
Covid vaccine passports have launched today in England after the NHS app was upgraded.
A new 'domestic' feature has been added to the software – while users are told they may need to show the pass "at places that have chosen to use the service".
But some users say they've not yet been able to click through to the new addition – suggesting it's not currently in use for all.
Before today, users could use the app to show proof of their vaccination status for foreign travel.
It could also be used for Government-backed Covid trials at major events, including getting into Wembley for Euro 2020.
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GERMANY TO REQUIRE PROOF OF COVID IMMUNITY OR NEGATIVE TEST ON ARRIVAL
All travellers arriving in Germany will be required from this weekend to demonstrate immunity from COVID-19 either from a vaccine or previous infection, or present a negative test result, government sources reported.
The plan reflects growing concern among Germany's regional and national leaders that rising caseloads in tourist destinations could help fuel a fourth wave when Germans come home from holiday.
Germany now requires a negative test or proof of immunity only from those arriving from so-called "risk areas", "high-incidence areas" and "virus-variant areas", which in Europe now include Britain, Spain and the Netherlands.
Rules are now also applied differently at airports and road crossings, and regional leaders are keen to make them more consistent.
Germany saw 3,142 new infections on Thursday, according to its main disease fighting agency, the Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases. Average daily new cases in Britain stand at almost 30,000.
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CLOSE RUN PING
Self-isolation rules could stay in place beyond August 16 if Covid cases start to rise again, a minister suggested today.
Policing minister Kit Malthouse said No 10 will have to remain “agile” even after new infections dropped for the sixth day in a row.
He said a final decision on whether to end quarantine for the double-jabbed will be taken on the advice of scientists.
No 10 has repeatedly insisted that the restrictions will be scrapped on August 16 come what may.
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EXTRA HELP
Vital financial support for Brits struggling because of coronavirus will come to an end this week.
Millions of people have paused repayments on mortgages, credit cards and loans thanks to emergency rules introduced during the pandemic.
The payment holiday support was extended several times and now anyone who applied before the final deadline will find their break ending this Saturday.
The official end to the break will be on July 31 – in just two days time.
Banks and lenders will still be offering help to anyone who continues to be in financial difficulty because of Covid after this date.
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EYE HELL
Covid causes eye problems by attacking the retina, researchers say.
The virus can lead to hazy vision and black spots, known as floaters.
Researchers in Brazil found traces of Covid in the retinas of those who died.
It was previously believed that Covid could impair vision, but experts have now found traces of the virus in the retinas of patients who died.
Read more here
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US BLOW
American athlete Sam Kendricks is out of the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for Covid-19 – one of the biggest name casualties of these troubled Games.
The two-time reigning world pole vault champion will not represent the United States in Japan after he provided a positive sample.
The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist’s father and co-coach Scott Kendricks revealed the situation in a post on Instagram.
The message – which was later deleted – said: “Today in Tokyo, officials informed Sam that his daily test for Covid 19 was positive.
“So he is out of the competition. He feels fine and has no symptoms. Love you son. See you soon.”
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HOLIDAY HELL
Holiday goers must check their insurance if they’ve been pinged as they might not be covered for cancelling their trip, experts warn.
One million people were told to self isolate by the NHS Covid app in just one week recently, grinding Britain to a standstill.
Supermarket shelves have been left bare, pubs and restaurants have had to close and transport services have been delayed as workers across the country have been told to stay at home.
But if you’re due to go on holiday but have been pinged, experts have warned to check the small print of your policy.
Analysts Defaqto estimate that while nine in 10 travel insurance policies cover holiday cancellation costs if you get Covid, only six in 10 policies will cover you if in cases where you’ve been told to self-isolate.
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NORWAY POSTPONES END OF LOCKDOWN – DESPITE 80% OF POPULATION HAVING THEIR FIRST DOSES
Norway postponed for a second time on Wednesday a planned final step in the reopening of its economy from pandemic lockdown, due to the continued spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, the government said.
“A new assessment will be made in mid-August,” Health Minister Bent Hoeie told a news conference.
Measures that will be kept in place to halt the spread of Covid-19 include bars and restaurants being limited to table service and limits of 20 people on gatherings in private homes.
The government in April launched a four-step plan to gradually remove most pandemic restrictions, and had completed the first three of those steps by mid-June.
On July 5, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said the fourth step could come in late July or early August at the earliest because of concerns about the Delta coronavirus variant.
About 80% of adults in Norway have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 41% of adults are fully vaccinated, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
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TRUE FREEDOM
Brits who come into contact with a positive Covid cases WON’T have to take a test after August 16.
People will be urged to get a PCR test if they have close contact with someone with the virus, but that won’t be legally required.
The rules around isolation are set to be relaxed in just a few weeks, meaning people who come into contact with a positive case won’t have to isolate anymore.
That means people who get pinged by the app won’t need to stay inside, too.
People will still be contacted by Test and Trace, but they will be urged to get a test, not legally obliged to.
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NEW RECORD FOR COVID APP SELF-ISOLATION ALERTS AS 'PINGDEMIC' CONTINUES
The number of people being told to self-isolate has reached another record high, with almost 700,000 alerts sent to Covid app users in England and Wales.
The so-called "pingdemic" saw a further rise last week, with 689,313 alerts sent to users of the NHS Covid-19 app telling them they had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus.
The latest NHS figures, for the week to July 21, are an 11% rise on the previous record high of 619,733 alerts a week earlier.
This week the Government said it was expanding its daily contact testing for front-line sectors who are exempt from isolation.
A total of 2,000 sites across the country are available for people working in prisons, waste collection, defence, the food industry, transport, Border Force and police and fire services.
Daily negative test results will enable eligible workers who have been alerted by the NHS Covid-19 app or called by NHS Test and Trace as coronavirus contacts to continue working.
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