Coronavirus - 10th May 2021

Summary for Monday, 10th November

• Boris Johnson has set out the next stage of lockdown easing for England
  
• Pubs and restaurants can serve people inside from next Monday
  
• Galleries, theatres, cinemas and soft play centres can also reopen
  
• Hugging will be allowed but people should consider the vulnerabilities of their loved ones, he says
  
• People will be able to meet inside in groups of six, or two households
  
• Up to 30 people will be allowed to attend weddings, receptions, funerals and wakes
  
• The UK chief medical officers earlier lowered the Covid-19 alert level from four to three
  
• Zero coronavirus deaths were announced in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Monday
  
• Restrictions are also being eased across Europe, including in Ireland and Spains
  
• The Welsh cabinet will agree which restrictions to lift next when ministers meet later
  
• Northern Ireland has had five suspected cases of blood clot cases linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine
  

Welcome to our live coverage of the latest on the coronavirus pandemic.
It's a big day in England as the prime minister is expected to announce a further easing of lockdown restrictions.
Here's a round-up of the main headlines to get us started:

• Indoor hospitality and household mixing is set to return in England - and so could hugging – from 17 May, when foreign holidays will also return
  
• Boris Johnson will give a news conference from Downing Street at 17:00 BST and, as usual, we'll bring you the latest developments as they happen
  
• In Wales and Scotland indoor hospitality is also expected to reopen along with other measures from 17 May, while further restrictions may be lifted in Northern Ireland on 24 May
  
• Northern Ireland has had five suspected cases of blood clot cases linked to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine - that is from a total of 550,000 people given the vaccine up to 28 April
  
• Restrictions are also being eased across Europe: Cyprus is welcoming fully-vaccinated tourists for the first time today while non-essential travel between counties in Ireland will be allowed to resume
  
• China will set up a “separation line” on the peak of Mount Everest to avoid possible Covid-19 infections by climbers from virus-hit Nepal, state media reported, after dozens were taken ill from the summit’s base camp.
  
• Members of India’s opposition have called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a national lockdown as the country’s official death toll to date hits 238,270.
  
• Anthony Fauci says there’s “no doubt” the United States, which has reported the world’s worst overall Covid-19 death toll, has been undercounting fatal cases.
  
• The European Union has not yet renewed its contract for the supply AstraZeneca vaccines beyond June and is not certain it will, the bloc’s internal market commissioner Thierry Breton said, a day after a new contract with Pfizer is announced.
  

What we're expecting to hear from PM

We're due to hear from Boris Johnson later as he confirms what will be allowed in the next stage of England's lockdown easing. Here's what he's expected to say:

• There can be a further relaxation of measures from 17 May, which could include being able to hug friends and family
  
• People will be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, while six people or two households can meet indoors
  
• Up to 30 people are to be allowed to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals
  
• People will be able to stay overnight with those not in their household or bubble
  
• Pubs, bars and restaurants can open indoors
  
• Cinemas and soft play areas will reopen
  
• Ministers are agreeing on the next steps this morning
  

One of the key areas people will be interested in is no doubt the hugging guidance.
But a government science adviser said that if hugs are allowed, they should be selective, brief, and should avoid face-to-face contact to minimise the risk of spreading the virus.

NI reports five suspected blood clot cases linked to vaccine

Northern Ireland has reported five suspected cases of blood clot cases linked to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, out of 550,000 people given the jab up to 28 April.
It's a similar proportion to other suspected cases from across the UK including England, which has had 198, Scotland on 18 and Wales on 9. There have been another 12 across the UK where it's not known which nation the affected individual is from.
In a statement, the Department of Health said the AstraZeneca vaccine had already saved thousands of lives in the UK and around the world and that adverse reactions were "extremely rare".
Medicines regulator the MHRA says that "for the vast majority of people, the benefits of preventing serious illness and death far outweigh any risks".
The absolute risk of death by clotting after the AstraZeneca vaccine is about one in a million. The Department of Health also said that many people are "alive and well today because of the vaccine".

Restrictions being eased across Europe too

• Cyprus is welcoming fully vaccinated tourists for the first time today. Visitors from around 65 countries who have received two jabs will be able to travel to the country without having to provide a negative Covid test or quarantine upon arrival. But as Cyprus is not on the UK government's green list, travellers will still be required to quarantine upon return to the UK once foreign holidays are allowed to resume from 17 May
  
• Restrictions in Ireland are being eased from Monday, meaning that non-essential travel between counties will be allowed to resume and some limits on indoor and outdoor meetings will be lifted
  
• Thousands of people celebrated in the streets of Spain in the early hours of Sunday as a six-month state of emergency came to an end. The decision means Spaniards are now allowed to travel between different regions of the country, while bars and restaurants can remain open until 23:00 albeit with limits on capacity
  
• The EU has said it is "on track" to launch its digital green certificate to allow international tourists to enter the bloc by June. On Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a political agreement on the details of the pass scheme should be in place by the end of this month
  

Hairdressers reopen as lockdown eases in Ireland

The Republic of Ireland is to further ease Covid-19 restrictions today with hairdressers reopening and the resumption of click-and-collect and shopping by appointment retail.
It's the start of the phased relaxation of rules in the country, which has been at Level Five, its highest level of restrictions, since Christmas.
People will also be able to travel outside their own county for the first time in more than four months, while sports training can resume. Libraries, museums, galleries and other cultural attractions are also opening.
The next stage in the easing will take place on 2 June, when hotels, guest houses and self-catering accommodation will be permitted to trade.
Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Leo Varadkar described it as a "day of freedom". He said: "People can travel freely anywhere on the island, we can meet our friends and family outdoors, indoors if you're vaccinated.
"Religious services are back, which is very important to people of faith."
He thanked the people of Ireland "for getting us this far".

Head of IOC cancels next week's trip to Japan

Japan has been dealt yet another blow to its plans to hold the Olympics this summer. The head of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, was supposed to travel to the country next week to take part in a torch relay event, and to meet Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
However, with cases of Covid-19 surging in many parts of Japan, Bach has postponed the trip. It's now thought the visit will take place in June.
Last Friday, the Japanese government extended a coronavirus state of emergency in several major regions. And a local poll published today has shown that about 60% of people now think the government should cancel the Olympics altogether.
The Olympics were originally supposed to be held in Tokyo last summer, but were postponed for a year because of the pandemic.

A guide to what's changing on 17 May

Indoor pints. Foreign travel. Hugs. As we've been saying, we're expecting to hear more later about what's going to change in England from next Monday. But it's not the only place with changes happening then.

In Scotland, from 17 May:

• Up to four people from no more than two households can socialise indoors in a private home
  
• Up to six adults from three households can meet in an indoor public place (such as a bar)
  
• Up to eight adults from eight households can meet anywhere outdoors
  
• Hospitality venues return to "greater normality", possibly serving alcohol indoors until 22:30 - customers may be asked to book two-hour slots
  
• Outdoor adult contact sport and indoor group exercise to restart
  
• Cinemas, amusement arcades and bingo halls to reopen
  

And in Wales, subject to government approval, from 17 May:

• Pubs, restaurants and cafes can open indoors
  
• Cinemas, theatres and museums can reopen
  

Northern Ireland is due to ease restrictions next on 24 May.
Read more about what's happening where in the UK.

Non-Saudis to be allowed to perform Hajj this year

Saudi officials say they're going to allow some foreign citizens to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage this July.
Normally about three million Muslims from around the world make the journey to Mecca, one of the most significant moments in the Muslim religious calendar.
But last year, because of the pandemic, only 10,000 Saudi nationals were able to attend. Although more people will be able to do the pilgrimage this year, Covid restrictions are still going to be in place.
Officials say they'll announce more details at a later date.
Making the pilgrimage at least once is one of the Five Pillars of Islam - the five obligations that every Muslim, who is in good health and can afford it, must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life, according to Islam.

Hug but act responsibly, scientist says

The government will urge people to be cautious and use their judgement over physical contact with others when the guidance in England is relaxed later. There are worries that the public could go too far.
It's a concern shared by Dr Mike Tildesley, a scientist on a UK government advisory group, who said people should "act responsibly" as restrictions are lifted as "we're still a few steps away from normality".
"We have really, really high levels of vaccination but of course vaccines are not 100% protective so we need to be a little bit careful," Dr Tildesley, who sits on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, told BBC Breakfast.
It was "important for mental health and wellbeing that we can hug our loved ones, but to me the key message is, if and when this comes in, we need to remember that the pandemic hasn't gone away," he said.
"So, again, do it responsibly - if people have symptoms, if you have particularly vulnerable relatives, maybe do this with caution."

Wales to discuss foreign holiday plans

The prospect of allowing people to take holidays abroad again will be on the agenda when ministers are meeting in Wales later.
Allowing pubs and restaurants to serve customers indoors from 17 May is the next rule to be relaxed and now the timetable for foreign holidays is to be discussed.
It comes after the UK government announced plans to allow people in England to visit a green list of 12 destinations, including Portugal, Israel and Gibraltar from 17 May.
Ministers in Wales are yet to confirm if they will align with the plans or take a different approach. The discussions are the first to take place since Labour's Welsh election win.

 

UK lowers Covid alert level to three

The UK's four chief medical officers have agreed to lower the Covid-19 alert level to three, which means the virus is in general circulation, from four, which means the level of transmission is high or rising exponentially.
"Thanks to the efforts of the UK public in social distancing and the impact we are starting to see from the vaccination programme, case numbers, deaths and Covid hospital pressures have fallen consistently," they said in a statement.
"However Covid is still circulating with people catching and spreading the virus every day so we all need to continue to be vigilant. This remains a major pandemic globally."

Covid alert level system explained

As we've just heard, the UK is now moving its alert level to three, which means the virus is in general circulation.
The government unveiled the system in May 2020. Here's more on how it works.

Talks over Champions League final switch

Chelsea face Manchester City in the Champions League final


Uefa is set to decide by Wednesday whether to switch the Champions League final to Wembley from Istanbul because of travel restrictions.
European football's governing body are meeting UK government officials and the Football Association today to discuss options for the final. English Premier League sides Chelsea face Manchester City in the final on 29 May.
UK supporters returning from red-list countries are required to quarantine at a government-approved hotel for 10 days. However, fans were told not to travel after Turkey was put on England's travel red list.
Moving the final to Wembley would also require the UK government to be flexible in allowing people into England, given the various stakeholders who would expect to attend.

Analysis: England's unlocking sign of success

Nick Triggle - Health Correspondent
It's a sign of how successful the country has been in getting infection rates down that there is no question that the next unlocking will take place.
Allowing indoor mixing was always the step that concerned experts the most in the roadmap - given how much easier the virus spreads indoors compared to outdoors.
Modelling earlier this year warned there could be a deadly summer surge - but that now looks overly pessimistic.
Lockdown and social distancing has done most of the hard work in getting infection levels low, but now the vaccines are going to take the load.
From the evidence gathered so far, they're more than up to the job in combating the dominant virus in the UK.
Early signs are also promising for the variants. Some scientists are even suggesting the UK could be on brink of reaching herd immunity.
As always with this virus, it would be foolish to get too far ahead of ourselves. But the signs look very promising.

Germany lifts jab restrictions

Germany is to make the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccines available to all adults, lifting a priority system determining who gets the jabs first.
Health Minister Jens Spahn said the authorities had decided not to restrict the jabs to older people over very rare thrombosis risks.
The move follows the lifting of restrictions on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine last week allowing adults of all ages - not just those over 60 - to have the jab.
Last month, the EU's drugs regulator backed J&J's vaccine after examining cases of rare blood clots in US adults who received a dose, saying the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks.
It left it up to the EU member states to decide how to use it.
Meanwhile in Norway, experts appointed by the government have recommended that vaccines made by AstraZeneca and J&J be excluded from the country's immunisation programme.

What's been happening so far today?

Here's a recap of what's been happening so far today.

• The UK's four chief medical officers lowered the Covid alert level from four to three - saying the threat was not as great because the lockdown and the vaccination programme
  
• Boris Johnson is due to give a briefing at 17:00 BST to outline the easing of restrictions planned for England next week - with an expectation there will be guidance that it is now safe to hug friends and family
  
• Ministers in Wales are to discuss a further relaxation of its rules to allow residents to take holidays abroad
  
• Close-contact services, such as hairdressers, are reopening in the Republic of Ireland in a further easing of restrictions
  
• Cyprus is welcoming fully vaccinated tourists for the first time today - with visitors from around 65 countries able to travel to the country without having to provide a negative test or quarantine
  
• Uefa will meet with UK government officials and the Football Association to discuss whether to switch the Champions League final to Wembley from Istanbul because of travel restrictions
  

Where can people in England travel to from next week?

This time next week will mark the start of international travel again for England - but only a handful of countries are on the green list, meaning travel there is allowed.
Countries are in three categories - green, amber and red. Green countries have the fewest rules. Their status depends partly on the number of Covid-19 cases in each country and the success of their vaccine rollout.
For those wanting to go abroad, they will still need to take tests before going and when they come back, even if that is to a green list country.
Here are the 12 places on the green list so far: Portugal, Israel, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Iceland, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, and St Helena, Tristan de Cunha and Ascension Island.
The list is going to be reviewed every three weeks and countries can be added or removed at short notice.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet announced plans to restart foreign holidays.

How Hindu pilgrims became Covid super-spreaders

When millions of devout Hindus travelled to the Himalayan town of Haridwar last month for the Kumbh Mela festival, many feared that it would turn out to be a "super-spreader" event.
It now seems that those fears are being realised. Kumbh pilgrims across the country are now reportedly testing positive, and possibly spreading the virus.
Epidemiologist Dr Lalit Kant tells the BBC's Geeta Pandey that "huge groups of mask-less pilgrims sitting on the river bank singing the glories of the Ganges" created an ideal environment for the virus to spread rapidly.
"We already know that chorus singing in churches and temples are known to be super-spreader events," he says.
There had been concerns from the start that holding the Kumbh was fraught with risks.
Health experts had warned the government in early March that "a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus was taking hold in the country" and letting millions of largely unmasked people gather for a festival was not prudent.
Read our full story about how Covid may have hit Kumbh Mela devotees.

State of pandemic in three charts

As vaccinations are rolled out more widely, many countries are seeing daily new case numbers fall.
Looking at the number of doses given out per 100 people, Israel is in the lead - followed by the UAE, Chile and Bahrain. The UK is fifth, followed by the US.


But the struggle against the virus isn't over. If we look at where cases are rising, they are particularly high in Asia - mainly because of a deadly second surge in India.


And overall, cases have now passed 150 million worldwide. More than 3.2 million people have died.

After a month with no cases, Vietnam sees new outbreak

Vietnam has reported 125 new local coronavirus cases on Monday, as it sees a steady increase in infections after more than a month with no local cases, Reuters news agency reports quoting health ministry figures.
"The situation is alarming because we're having multiple outbreaks scattered across the country with unclear sources of transmission and multiple variants of the virus," Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said during a government meeting broadcast on national television VTV on Friday evening.
The latest outbreak has spread to 26 of the country's 63 provinces, authorities said, as reported by Reuters.
Towards the end of last year, Vietnam's economy was described as Asia's shining star during Covid, as the country took "decisive steps to contain the health and economic fallout from the pandemic", the IMF said at the time.
The country has recorded more than 3,400 coronavirus cases, and just 35 deaths, due largely to its strong containment record.

Poland to offer workplace vaccinations from next week

Adam Easton - Warsaw correspondent
Poland will launch a pilot programme to vaccinate employees of large companies in the workplace from 17 May, the minister responsible for the country’s vaccination programme has said.
The full programme is set to launch on 1 June to speed up the vaccination rollout.
So far, 32.6% of adult Poles have received one dose and 11.7% are fully vaccinated.
The biggest challenge to date had been a lack of supply, but that would change over the next three weeks with fresh jabs arriving, Michal Dworczyk added.
Influencers and celebrities would take part in a campaign to encourage people to be vaccinated. Opinion polls suggest between 60%-70% of respondents are willing to be vaccinated, the minister said.
Dworczyk said the government had decided to reduce the period between doses to the minimum 35 days for all vaccination brands including AstraZeneca from 17 May.
A decision on whether to start vaccinating 16-18 year olds would be taken later this week, he said.

State Opening of Parliament scaled back due to Covid

In a normal year, tomorrow's State Opening of Parliament would be the most colourful event of the parliamentary calendar - but pomp and ceremony has been reduced to prevent any spread of coronavirus.
The Commons and Lords chambers would be packed with about 600 politicians, peers and diplomatic guests for the Queen's Speech, but only 74 people will be allowed in the main Lords chamber, with a further 34 MPs and peers watching from the Royal Gallery.
Everyone there will have to test negative for Covid beforehand and wear a mask.
The Queen will travel from Buckingham Palace in a Bentley state limousine rather than by carriage, as is traditional.
There will be no members of the military lining the streets outside, or guard of honour to greet her on her arrival at Westminster.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, who would normally hand the speech to the Queen in his role as lord chancellor, will instead place it on a table.
Here's what we can expect from the Queen's Speech.

 

UK records four coronavirus deaths

There have been a further four coronavirus-related deaths in the UK, according to the government's daily figures.
This brings the total number of deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test to 127,609.
There were also 2,357 new infections recorded in the last 24 hours.

How many people have received Covid vaccines in UK?

The UK has given a total of 53,328,845 Covid vaccines, according to the latest government data.
That's 35,472,295 first doses, and 17,856,550 second doses.
You can find out when you will get your jabs here.

Australia's India travel ban upheld

Anyone breaching the rules could face jail or fines

Australia's controversial travel ban on citizens returning on flights from India has been upheld by a judge.
The government introduced the restrictions in April and they're due to be lifted on Saturday - allowing the first Australians stranded in India to return home.
The judge rejected a challenge from an Australian man who's been trapped in the Covid-ravaged nation since March. The 73-year-old man argued it was his right to be allowed home, but the judge said the government's act overrode his rights in the national interest.
More than 9,000 Australians are in India. About 900 of them - deemed "vulnerable" by the government - will be brought home from this weekend. But commercial flights will still be banned - and anyone who breaches the rules could face jail or fines.

London surge testing after South Africa variant detected

Surge testing is starting in North Kensington in London after a small number of cases of the South African coronavirus variant were detected, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said.
It says NHS Test and Trace is working with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council to provide additional testing and genomic sequencing in targeted areas within the W11 postcode.
The department says all confirmed cases self-isolated as required and their contacts have been identified, adding that there are no links between these cases and the cluster of cases of this variant recently identified in the South London area.
Everybody aged 16 years and over who lives or works in these areas is strongly encouraged to take a Covid-19 test, whether they are showing symptoms or not, the DHSC says.
Here's everything you need to know about the variants of concern.

Scotland to allow foreign trips without quarantine

People in Scotland will be able to travel to some international destinations without having to quarantine on their return, the BBC understands.
The move will be part of a traffic light system, similar to that in England, which will come into effect on 24 May.
We will bring you more news on this as we have it.

Analysis: New vaccine data bodes well for lockdown easing

Nick Triggle - Health Correspondent
Fresh data on the effectiveness of the vaccines has been published by Public Health England.
The analysis shows a single dose of AstraZeneca reduces the risk of death with Covid by 80% compared with unvaccinated individuals. This matches earlier findings for Pfizer.
Researchers were also able to identify the impact of two doses of Pfizer, concluding it reduced the risk of death by 97%.
Data for the impact of the second dose of AstraZeneca is not yet available as rollout of that jab started after Pfizer.
The findings bode well as England and the other parts of the UK ease restrictions. Lockdown was key to getting infection rates down. But vaccines are going to be responsible for keeping them there.

16:51

No 10 lockdown briefing shortly

A reminder that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will outline the next stage of lockdown easing in England at a Downing Street news briefing in about 10 minutes.
Major changes are expected. Stay with us for updates and what the new rules mean for you.

Japan's top tennis player 'not sure' Olympics should happen

Japanese tennis player and world number two Naomi Osaka says she's "not really sure" Tokyo's Olympics should go ahead this summer after a rise in Covid-19 cases in the city.
Tokyo is in a state of emergency with just 74 days to go until the Games are due to start in July.
Osaka, who would be making her Olympic debut at the Games, said the rise in cases was "definitely a really big cause for concern".
When asked by BBC Sport if it would be appropriate to stage the Games during a pandemic, the 23-year-old said: "To be honest, I'm not really sure."
A new poll suggests 60% of Japanese people want the games cancelled.

PM confirms lockdown will be eased from Monday

Boris Johnson at the Downing Street briefing

The PM has started by thanking everyone for their patience and sacrifices.
He says business, pubs and restaurants have been waiting to welcome customers and grandparents have gone months without seeing their grandchildren.
He says weddings have been postponed and funerals constrained.
"Your efforts have so visibly paid off", he says.
It has allowed the time to vaccinate a third of the populaion and 18m people have recieved a second dose.
He confirms we can move to step three of lockdown easing on 17 May.

Four tests have been met

The PM says that because of everyone's efforts, he can confirm that the four tests to further ease restrictions in England have been met. These were:

• The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
  
• Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated
  
• Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS
  
• Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of concern
  

He says the data supports moving to step three in England from next Monday.

Groups of six can meet indoors from Monday

The PM says that from 17 May in England, people will be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people, and meet indoors in groups of up to six or as two households.
The majority of sectors will reopen, including pubs, bars and restaurants indoors, he says.
Indoor entertainment will resume, including cinemas, museums and children's play areas.
Theatres, concert halls, conference centres and sports stadia can all reopen, with larger events in these settings able to resume with capacity limits.
Organised adult sport and exercise classes can resume indoors and saunas and steam rooms may reopen.

Overnight stays will be allowed from Monday

Johnson says all remaining accommodation including hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen from Monday.
Domestic overnight stays will be allowed in groups of up to six people or two households, he says.
Weddings, receptions and other life events can take place with up to 30 people.
And we will lift the cap on the numbers attending funerals, in line with how many people can be safely accommodated in venues.
He says 30 people will be able to attend a support group or parent and child group. The limit does not include children under five.
Care home visiting will be eased further, with residents able to have up to five named visitors and greater freedoms to make low risk visits out of the home.

Johnson: Follow social distancing when not with friends or family

From next Monday, the government will publish updated guidance on personal contact, such as close contact, says Boris Johnson.
The PM says "this does not mean we should throw caution to the wind" and says hugging is still a main way the virus can spread.
Meeting outdoors is still safer, meeting indoors is safer with open windows, he adds.
"I must ask you to continue following social distancing, whenever not with friends or family," he adds if you look at other countries, there is still evidence of the very "sad" consequences of the disease.
"We must remain vigilant," he states, this is "the single biggest step on our roadmap," of unlocking the country.

Analysis:  UK is past worst of pandemic

Pallab Ghosh - Science correspondent, BBC News
The journey along the government’s road toward normality is going right according to plan.
Overall prevalence of the virus has continued to fall because people have followed government restrictions – and because of the effectiveness of the vaccines and the speed of their roll out. As well as reducing infection and serious illness, the jabs have cut transmission.
The latest easing of measure, however, is the riskiest to date because it allows people to mix indoors – where transmission is more likely.
But provided people continue to behave sensibly, the expectation among scientists is that infection levels will remain low – allowing the government to progress to the final of its road map and lift all restrictions on social contact on 17 June.
That won’t however mark a return to complete normality.
The virus will still be circulating and capable of harming the unvaccinated and those whose immune systems don’t respond effectively to the jabs.
So testing and self-isolation is likely to continue to be part of the new normal.
A big unknown is emergence of new variants of the virus that might be more contagious and more resistant to vaccines.
The government’s experts do believe that cases may rise again which may in turn lead to a new wave of infections in the autumn. But they believe that we are now past the worst of the pandemic in the UK.

Travel to green list countries from Monday

The "stay in the UK" restriction will lift from Monday and people will be able to travel to green-list countries, the PM confirmed during the Downing Street press conference.
But he urged caution and stresses that we must remain vigilant to unexpected changes in the data, and the spread of new variants.
To ensure our progress through the roadmap continues to be irreversible, he says people must continue to follow the rules, remember "hands, face, space, fresh air", and come forward to get the vaccine when called.

Positive signs but a heavy dose of caution

Helen Catt - Political correspondent
So Step three is going ahead; that's been expected for a while now.
The updating of guidance to say we can have physical contact with friends and family again - even if caution was very much the word - also means life should feel a bit more normal from next week.
There were several hints in this news conference that seemed to suggest the Prime Minister is reasonably confident that Step four is also likely to happen from 21 June too, although once again he resisted any temptation to suggest that date could be brought forward.
He did promise though more information this month to help businesses prepare and there is the start of a shift in tone to letting people make up their own mind about how best to protect themselves.
However, both he and the scientists stressed that next week marks a particularly big step.
The discussion of the India variant and situations which "can come out of a blue sky" mean that there is still a heavy dose of caution to all this.

Re-cap: What did the PM announce for England?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed the third stage of England's roadmap out of lockdown will go ahead on 17 May - next Monday.
In a significant step towards normality after off-and-on restrictions for more than a year:

• Indoor pints will be poured, meals will be served inside, spectators will flow through the turnstiles of stadia
  
• Up to six people or two households will be able to meet inside, and hotels and B&Bs will reopen
  
• Pupils will no longer need to wear face coverings in classrooms or communal areas of secondary schools and colleges - as university students return to in-person teaching
  
• Updated guidance on close contact between friends and family will set out the risks so we can all make our own choices
  
• But this will not mean we can just "throw caution to the wind", the PM said, with people urged to consider the vulnerability of loved ones - including whether they have been vaccinated or not
  
• People should continue to be tested for the virus - even without symptoms - and self-isolate when confirmed to be positive
  
• Social distancing will also continue when we are not with our friends or family - for example, in workplaces, shops and restaurants
  
• Businesses will receive clearer guidance on what the end of social distancing may mean for those working from home at the next stage of the roadmap, no earlier than 21 June
  

Read more here.

Russia still eyeing herd immunity by September

Damien Sharkov
BBC Monitoring
Russia is aiming to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 by September, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has said.
When asked on about the country's vaccine rollout, Murashko said it was progressing "as planned" and insisted that Russia's target for collective immunity will be met, the Interfax news agency reported.
This comes despite Russia's slow start to its vaccination campaign with official figures showing that by 6 May only 13.4 million people had received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 9.4 million had received both.

Russia's vaccine rollout has been affected by some public scepticism, polls suggest

This is some way off the target of vaccinating 70% of the adult population by the end of the summer, initially given by President Vladimir Putin in March.
Russia's rollout has been affected by some public scepticism of vaccines as independent pollster Levada Centre suggested that in February only 30% of Russians were willing to receive the Sputnik V vaccine - the country's most widely used jab.

Scotland to use foreign travel traffic light system

We've got more on Scotland's foreign travel traffic light system which is expected to come into effect on 24 May.
Earlier, the BBC was told that people in Scotland will be able to travel to some foreign destinations without the need to quarantine on their return.
Countries are to be classified as green, amber and red and a review will take place every four weeks, the BBC understands.
The Scottish government says a Covid briefing will take place on Tuesday and it would not comment on reports.
But if it's similar to England's traffic light system, here's how it could work.

Portugal - not Wembley - could host Champions League final

Portugal has emerged as a strong candidate to host this season's Champions League final later this month after Uefa did not gain guarantees of the coronavirus exemptions it wants to move the game to Wembley.
Uefa, UK government officials and the Football Association met earlier today to discuss moving the game between Chelsea and Manchester City from Istanbul.
Uefa has decided it will be moved after Turkey was put on England's red travel list which the government says means fans cannot travel.
Portugal is on the green list so fans from England would be allowed to attend on 29 May.
Travellers from England to green-list countries will be required to take Covid tests before and after travel but do not have to quarantine on their return.
The match could still be played at Wembley but it would require a major shift from the government, who have so far failed to reach an agreement with Uefa.
European football's governing body feels in Portugal it is going to be easier to gain access for sponsors and broadcasters, who would need to be compensated if they were unable to attend the game.
Porto has been mentioned as a potential venue but it is understood Lisbon, which hosted last year's final, is also a possibility.

India Covid variant of global concern, says WHO

The new coronavirus variant known as B.1.617, first detected in India, is a variant of global concern, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.
Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, told a briefing that it may have increased transmissibility.
The variant continues to tear through India, where infections and deaths came close to record daily highs on Monday.
The variant has three lineages, of which B.1.617.2 is the fastest growing. At the UK government's Covid briefing today, England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty said that variant was a concern and officials were keeping a close eye on it.
"Our view is that this is a highly transmissible variant... [but] at this point in time, our view is it is less likely to be able to escape vaccination than some of the other variants," he said.
Here's what we know about the India Covid variant.

Pandemic plateauing globally, says WHO

The World Health Organization briefing also heard that the world is seeing a levelling off in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths. Numbers are declining in most areas, including the Americas and Europe, the worst-hit regions.
"But it’s an unacceptably high plateau, with more than 5.4 million reported COVID-19 cases and almost 90,000 deaths last week," the WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the briefing.
He said a global disparity in who can access vaccines remains one of the biggest obstacles to ending the pandemic.

Zero deaths for England, Scotland and NI

Earlier we brought you the UK's latest coronavirus data which showed that another four deaths had been reported within 28 days of a positive Covid test.
Looking closer at those reported figures, four of them were recorded in Wales, meaning there were no coronavirus deaths announced in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland today.
Take a look at the UK's latest figures in the charts below.

Restaurants and pubs are reopening inside, but what are the rules?

Pubs, restaurants and cafes in England, Scotland and Wales, will soon be able to serve customers inside again.
But things won't quite be back to normal, these are the rules that will still be in place:

• To sit inside you'll have to be a group of up to six or two households of any size
  
• But you can sit outside with up to 30 people
  
• Every customer aged 16 and over must check in with NHS test and trace, or provide contact details
  
• People will still need to order, eat and drink while seated, where alcohol is served
  
• When not seated - for example being shown to a table, or going to the toilet - customers must wear face coverings
  
• Social distancing of one metre plus will remain
  

Here's a look at the rules in more detail.

The return of cosy nights in, and, to hug or not to hug

Reality Check
Earlier the prime minister announced that from Monday we can have our friends over or catch up for a drink inside a pub - it's the end of layering up to meet up.
But if you'd warmed to the idea of an outdoor gathering, you can open it up to 30 people - the same amount of guests that will soon be allowed to weddings, receptions and other celebrations.
Here's what else you'll be able to do from next week and what there is to look forward to after that.

There's also been a lot of talk today about the return of hugging.
From Monday, it's your choice whether or not to be socially distanced with close family and friends - so if you want to hug each other, you can.
But Prof Cath Noakes, a member of the Sage committee advising the government says it would personally worry her "if we were advocating we could hug all of our friends every time we meet them again".
Hugging risks spreading coronavirus and there are safer ways of doing it apparently, so here's some reading up to help you decide whether to hug or not to hug.

Summary of recent developments

The Guardian

• Germany has opened access to Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccines to all adults, lifting a priority system determining who gets the jabs first.
  
• Malaysia’s government has announced that it will impose a national lockdown in response to rising coronavirus cases.
  
• The World Health Organziation has designated the B.1.617 coronavirus variant, first detected in India, a variant of global concern. The variant has three lineages, of which B.1.617.2 is the fastest growing.
  
• More than 15 million people in England have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest data from NHS England.
  
• Vaccinations offer high levels of protection against hospitalisation and death from Covid-19, according to latest analysis of the outcome of England’s vaccination programme.
  
• Nepal has recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus cases, registering 9,127 new infections as it struggles to combat the staggering force of its second wave.
  
• No Covid deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test have been reported in England on Monday – the first time since 30 July last year.No such deaths were also recorded in Scotland or Northern Ireland on Monday, however four deaths were recorded in Wales
  

What's been happening around the globe?

We'll be wrapping up the live page for the day shortly, thanks for joining us. Here's a round-up of some of the biggest stories from around the world today:

• Restrictions are being eased across Europe, including in Ireland and Spain. Thousands took to the streets in Spanish cities last night to celebrate the end of a six-month-long state of emergency.
  
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) says India's coronavirus variant is a variant of global concern. The variant continues to tear through India, where infections and deaths came close to record daily highs on Monday.
  
• Vietnam has reported 125 new local coronavirus cases, as it sees a steady increase in infections after more than a month with no local cases.
  
• Germany has opened access to Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccines to all adults, lifting a priority system determining who gets the jabs first.
  
• There are fresh doubts over Japan's Tokyo Olympics amid a rise in infections in the city. The head of the International Olympic Committee has been forced to postpone a trip to Japan to discuss the games because of coronavirus. Japan's top tennis player Naomi Osaka says she's unsure if the Games should go ahead.
  

What's been happening in the UK?

We are going to be bringing our live coverage to a close soon so here's a recap on the main news from the UK:

• The next stage of easing lockdown will go ahead in England from 17 May, the prime minister has announced
  
• Boris Johnson says pubs, restaurants and cafes can welcome customers through the doors and friends and families can mix inside and stay overnight
  
• Hugging will be allowed as people will be able to choose whether they continue to socially distance or not
  
• There were no coronavirus deaths reported in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland today - and four deaths in Wales
  
• The UK's four chief medical officers earlier lowered the Covid-19 alert level from four to three
  
• This means that although the virus is still in general circulation, transmission is no longer high or rising exponentially
  
• Scotland is expected to use a foreign travel traffic light system similar to England's from 24 May
  

Thank you and goodbye

That’s all from us today, thanks for joining our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll be back tomorrow morning with more updates.
In the meantime, you can read more detail on all of today's stories by going to our home page.

Today’s coverage was brought to you by: Hugo Bachega, Alexandra Fouche, Jack Hunter, Alex Kleiderman, Jennifer Meierhans, Richard Morris, Ashitha Nagesh, Emma Owen, Lauren Turner and Katie Wright.