Coronavirus - 31 January 2022

Summary for Monday, 31st January 2022

• Ministers will meet later to decide whether to end mandatory jabs for NHS staff in England
  
• Patricia Marquis, head of the Royal College of Nursing England, says mandatory vaccines are "not the way to go"
  
• Sue Gray's report into Downing Street parties during Covid restrictions is with Boris Johnson
  
• Front-line NHS workers must be fully vaccinated by 1 April - so they'll need a first dose by Thursday
  
• Health bosses say the policy will cause a staffing crisis. Tens of thousands of NHS workers remain un-jabbed
  
• Restrictions are being eased in care homes in England, with self-isolation periods reduced and the limit on visitors scrapped
  
• In Scotland, work from home advice is ending, but the government wants a "phased return to the office"
  
• It's two years since the first Covid patients in the UK were taken into hospital
  

Good morning

Welcome to our Coronavirus updates for today.
Here are some of the headlines so far this morning:

• Ministers will meet later to decide whether or not to scrap mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS staff in England
  
• The limit on visitors to care homes in England is lifted today as self-isolation and outbreak management times are cut
  
• Working from home restrictions are eased in Scotland with employers encouraged to consider a hybrid system
  
• Streaming giant Spotify announces plans to clamp down on Covid misinformation by adding advisory warnings to podcasts
  
• And today marks two years since the UK’s first Covid-19 hospital case and staff have been telling us how they remember those first weeks
  

Here’s what else has been happening over the past 24 hours:

• Spotify has pledged to add content advisory notices to all podcasts featuring coronavirus. This comes after Neil Young and Joni Mitchell withdrew their music from the streaming platform in protest against Covid misinformation.
  
• Harry and Meghan have expressed concerns about misinformation on Spotify, but have made it clear they plan to continue work on their lucrative contracts with the platform.
  
• The UK’s foreign secretary, Liz Truss, has said it is the government’s “intention to publish the full report” into alleged lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street. She also admitted: “It is a bit of a mess that we have the police investigation alongside the Sue Gray report”.
  
• Defying all odds, Portugal’s ruling centre-left Socialists won an outright parliamentary majority in Sunday’s snap general election, securing a strong new mandate for the prime minister, Antonio Costa. The result was boosted by a higher than expected turnout despite the coronavirus pandemic – around a tenth of the population is currently thought to be isolating.
  
• New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has tested negative for Covid after she was deemed a close contact of a positive case. The prime minister’s office says Ardern will continue isolating until the end of Tuesday in line with Ministry of Health guidance.
  
• Former British prime minister David Cameron has caught the virus, New Zealand media are reporting. Cameron had been scheduled to open a retreat for the opposition National party in Queenstown this coming week.
  
• New cases in South Korea’s have hit a record 17,532 as the highly infectious Omicron variant spreads. The daily count broke the record for the sixth consecutive day, rising from 8,570 on Tuesday.
  
• There have been 62,399 new cases of Covid-19 in the UK, according to the latest government figures. This is the lowest number of daily Covid cases since mid-December.
  
• Thousands have gathered in Prague to protest against Covid restrictions. They are opposed to harsher restrictions for the unvaccinated, including a ban on eating in restaurants.
  

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Lunchtime Summary (from Reuters):

Europe

• The German government has failed to hit its goal of vaccinating 80% of the population against the coronavirus before the end of January, roughly a month before lawmakers are expected to vote on a draft law on mandatory vaccinations.
  
• Britain, which will this week begin offering vaccinations to children aged 5-11 who are most at risk from coronavirus, is also looking at possibly changing rules on mandatory vaccination for health service staff.
  
• Thousands of Czechs massed in Prague’s Wenceslas Square on Sunday, waving flags and chanting slogans against Covid-19 restrictions, even as infections surged.
  

Americas

• Dozens of trucks and other vehicles blocked the downtown area of Ottawa for a second day after thousands descended on Canada’s capital city on Saturday to protest against prime minister Justin Trudeau and Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
  
• Thousands of truck drivers from Argentina were stuck at the Chilean border on Saturday due to slow Covid-19 testing, as Chile faced its second transport delay crisis.
  

Asia-Pacific

• During the past four days China has detected 119 Covid-19 cases among athletes and personnel involved in the Beijing Winter Olympics, with authorities imposing a “closed loop” bubble to keep participants, staff and media separated from the public.
  
• Australia’s federal government will offer extra payments to aged care staff as over 1,200 nursing homes deal with Covid-19 outbreaks that have caused hundreds of deaths of elderly residents this year and staff shortages.
  
• Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali will start welcoming back travellers from all countries later this week, more than three months after announcing it was open to selected nationalities.
  
• Hong Kong’s Secretary for Home Affairs resigned weeks after attending the birthday party of a delegate to China’s legislature, where two of some 200 guests tested positive for Covid-19.
  

Africa and middle east

• Qatari ministry of health said on Sunday it had approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 5-11 years.
  
• Algeria reported its first case of Covid-19’s fast spreading BA.2 Omicron sub variant, Ennahar TV cited the general Director of Pasteur institute as saying on Sunday.
  

Medical developments

• Merck & Co’s new antiviral pill, once touted as a potential game changer for treating Covid-19, is the last choice among four available options for at-risk patients given its relatively low efficacy and potential safety issues, US doctors, healthcare systems and pharmacies told Reuters.
  
• Japanese trading and pharmaceutical company Kowa Co Ltd anti-parasite drug ivermectin showed an “antiviral effect” against Omicron and other variants of coronavirus in joint non-clinical research.
  

Mandatory jabs for NHS staff in England could end

Our top story this morning is a decision being taken by ministers on whether or not to scrap mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS England staff.
Thursday is the deadline for frontline staff to get their first jab to give them time to be fully vaccinated by 1 April.
Around 77,000 NHS staff are unvaccinated and have been told if they are not double jabbed in time they will be redeployed or dismissed.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid says this rule is being "kept under review" but that it is the "duty" of NHS staff to get vaccinated.
We will bring you news of any decision as soon as we have it – but for now here’s the full story.

Why axe mandatory jabs in NHS?

Nick Triggle - Health Correspondent
There are practical and ethical reasons why the mandatory vaccination policy may go.
On a practical level, the NHS in England can ill afford staff to be forced out – there are already nearly 100,000 vacancies in the health service.
And then on an ethical level – as some staff are pointing out – is it right to insist on vaccination when the benefits are not overwhelmingly clear cut?
Vaccination against hepatitis B is a condition of employment for some staff, but that is more than 90% effective against infection and immunity lasts for years.
By comparison, immunity against Covid infection after two doses has largely gone after 20 weeks.
A booster can initially increase protection to around 70%, but by 10 weeks that has started to wane significantly too.
It certainly helps to reduce spread, but is it enough to over-ride freedom to choose?
And if staffing levels drop further because of the mandate, could the risks that poses outweigh the benefits the vaccine brings?

Papers lead on 'U-turn' on NHS staff jabs

Many of the lead stories on the front of this morning's newspapers focus on coronavirus and the prime minister.

• The Daily Telegraph is confident that the meeting this morning to discuss mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS staff will rubber stamp abandoning the policy.
  
• Meanwhile, the Daily Mail is one of many to report that in a bid to move on from lockdown partygate, Boris Johnson is pledging to end the remaining EU laws on the statute book and slash red tape.
  
• The Guardian says with what it calls a policy blitz, a Brexit Bill and a visit to Ukraine, Johnson is trying to seize back control of the government's agenda.
  

Office return for Scottish workers

Workers are expected to begin returning to the office in Scotland, as working from home guidance is relaxed.
But numbers are expected to be small, at first, as employers have been asked to implement a phased return to hybrid working.
Storm Corrie might make it a bit more tricky for people to do the commute, and Covid-related absences means ScotRail is continuing a reduced timetable.
People have been asked to work from home since the beginning of December because of Omicron.

Hong Kong official resigns after party

Tsui was one of 15 officials at a birthday party

As a report on alleged parties in Downing Street during lockdown is awaited in the UK, in Hong Kong, a minister has resigned after attending a birthday party for a politician.
Two of the guests then tested positive for Covid.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui said as one of the leading officials in the fight against the virus, he had not set a good example.
Tsui was one of 15 officials who was there - after people had been told to avoid large gatherings.
A report into his attendance is due to be released.

Lockdown parties report expected at No 10 later

The report into lockdown parties at Downing Street and Westminster by senior civil servant Sue Gray is expected to arrive at No 10 later today, the BBC understands.
Our political editor Laura Kuenssberg has tweeted: "There have been a lot of last minute changes in this whole process so it’s subject to moving around again but, as things stand it does seem like report will go to Number 10 later this morning."

Spotify clamps down on Covid misinformation

Joni Mitchell joined Neil Young in asking for her music to be removed from Spotify

Spotify says it is tackling Covid misinformation after criticism over its work with podcaster Joe Rogan, who has interviewed vaccine-sceptics.
Musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell in the last week led a procession of artists demanding that their music be removed from the platform.
The streaming giant says it's now working to add advisory warnings to any podcast on its platform that discusses coronavirus, directing users to a data hub of facts.
Rogan has posted a video response, denying trying to spread misinformation but also admitting "absolutely I get things wrong".
He says he backs the idea of disclaimer at the start of controversial episodes.

Beijing Olympics records 119 cases in four days

People have to clear Covid-19 tests before and after arriving in China

China has recorded 119 Covid cases among athletes and staff at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics over the past four days.
Russian biathlete Valeria Vasnetsova confirmed on Monday that her Olympics bid was over after she tested positive twice following her arrival in Beijing.
The Winter Olympics are going ahead despite travel in and out of China being severely restricted.
Those travelling to Beijing for the games must come on charter flights and stay in their bubble until they leave.

11:55

What's happened so far?

We've just had the breaking news that the Gray report has finally arrived at No 10. Here's a summary of that piece of news, plus other top Covid-related stories.

• Sue Gray's much-anticipated report into alleged lockdown parties in government has arrived at Downing Street
  
• We'll find out later whether ministers have decided to end mandatory vaccines for NHS staff in England
  
• The Royal College of Nursing England says forcing vaccination is not the right policy during a "staffing crisis"
  
• Covid rules are being eased in English care homes, with limits on visitor numbers lifted
  
• In Scotland, work from home advice is ending, but the government still wants a "phased return to the office"
  
• Spotify says it's clamping down on Covid misinformation after a row involving podcaster Joe Rogan, who's interviewed vaccine-sceptics
  
• Meanwhile, China has recorded 119 Covid cases among athletes and staff at the Beijing Winter Olympics over the past four days.
  

Care home restrictions ease in England

For many families, today brings the good news that Covid restrictions are being further lifted in English care homes.
There is now no limit on the number of visitors allowed, amongst other changes to isolation and outbreak control.
Tracey Blazey’s 93-year-old mother lives in an 80-bed home currently in lockdown.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme her mother “craves to be outside” and that the current rule changes don’t go far enough.

Bali to reopen to international travellers

Tourism makes up some 54% of Indonesia's economy


The popular tourist island of Bali in Indonesia will open to travellers from all countries later this week, officials say.
From Friday, international visitors who are vaccinated against Covid will have to do between five and seven days of quarantine, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan tells Reuters news agency.
The island opened its borders to tourists from select countries last October.
Tourism is incredibly important to Indonesia, making up some 54% of the country's economy.

Czech Republic sees record weekend figures

Rob Cameron - BBC Prague Correspondent
The Czech authorities registered almost 24,000 new Covid infections on Sunday - twice as many as last Sunday, and the highest figure for a weekend since the pandemic began.
There were also almost 4,000 suspected reinfections. However, the numbers in hospital remain well under control, with just 181 people in intensive care across the country. The vast majority of people in intensive care are unvaccinated.
Experts believe the system will be able to cope even when the numbers begin to rise with the lag between the high number of cases and hospitalisation.
About 63% of the population are fully vaccinated, according to latest figures, slightly below the EU average of 70%.

What's the latest on the Sue Gray report?

Downing Street has said the limited version of the partygate inquiry that Sue Gray handed to Boris Johnson will be published this afternoon, but will not commit to publishing a fuller report after police have finished investigating.
The Cabinet Office says senior civil servant Gray has provided an "update" on her investigation to the prime minister, suggesting it was not the full report she was preparing before the Metropolitan Police intervened.
Asked whether the public will see a fuller report, the PM's official spokesman says: "That's one of the things I can't confirm at this point simply because we need to discuss that with the Met and others about what is suitable."
But he says there will be no redactions from the version currently submitted to No 10, saying: "We will publish it as received".
The findings will be published on gov.uk and made available in the House of Commons library, he says.
Johnson will give a statement in the Commons at 15:30 GMT and we will bring you updates on our lockdown parties live page.

Canadian police investigate anti-vaccine protesters

Police in Canada’s capital have said they are investigating possible criminal charges after anti-vaccine protesters urinated on the National War Memorial, danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and used the statue of Canadian hero Terry Fox to display an anti-vaccine statement, the Associated Press reports.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Ottawa on Saturday to protest vaccine mandates, masks and lockdowns. Some travelled in truck convoys and parked on the streets around Parliament Hill, blocking traffic. Many remained on Sunday.
Ottawa Police said officers are also investigating threatening behavior to police and others.
“Several criminal investigations are underway in relation the desecration of the National War Memorial/Terry Fox statue,” Ottawa police said.
Some demonstrators parked on the grounds of the National War Memorial and others carried signs and flags with swastikas, sparking widespread condemnation.
The statue of Fox, a national hero who lost a leg to bone cancer as a youngster, then set off in 1980 on a fundraising trek across Canada, was draped with a upside down Canadian flag with a sign that said “mandate freedom.”
Prime minister Justin Trudeau retweeted a statement from The Terry Fox Foundation that said “Terry believed in science and gave his life to help others.”
Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. Trudeau has said Canadians are not represented by this “very troubling, small but very vocal minority of Canadians who are lashing out at science, at government, at society, at mandates and public health advice.”

The head of Cyprus’ Orthodox Christian Church has said he will suspend a dozen priests from his diocese because they refused to heed his call to get vaccinated against Covid-19
AP reports:
Archbishop Chrystostomos II told state broadcaster CyBC that most of the priests are also theologians who have swayed some of the faithful not to get vaccinated. The archbishop called the insubordination “unheard of” and warned that the suspensions could be extended to six months or lead to the priests being defrocked.
He suggested that some of the unvaccinated priests may be emboldened to defy him because of his frail health.
Archbishop Chrysostomos has been vocal in his support for vaccinations for all the faithful and the Church’s highest decision making body, the Holy Synod, has issued a clear appeal in favour of vaccination.
Covid-19 infections in Cyprus have in recent weeks tapered off, but remain high. The number of hospitalised coronavirus patients also remains high, but health authorities say the system is coping.
January recorded the second-highest number of virus-related deaths per month in Cyprus since the start of the pandemic.

In Australia, a large anti-vaccine protest on the front lawns outside Canberra’s Parliament House has seen hundreds of people mass outside the front doors of the building, demanding all politicians be “sacked”.
Josh Butler - The Guardian
Protesters are currently singing, drumming and playing musical instruments. Police have assembled lines in front of the glass Parliament House doors, to stop protesters reaching the entrance to the building.
The demonstration has been building for several hours, with participants claiming to have come from all around the country. The protest - which had been supported online by Coalition politicians George Christensen and Gerard Rennick, and which originally was set to feature a speech from Craig Kelly - was inspired by a truck drivers’ protest in Canada over the weekend, with supporters encouraging “convoys” of trucks and cars to assemble in Canberra.
Traffic jams and delays were experienced in the streets around Parliament House earlier on Monday, as protesters arrived. Police had initially blocked roads around the building, but more than a dozen trucks and cars managed to drive up onto grass opposite Old Parliament House.
A group of speakers, including members of prominent anti-vaccine groups, gave speeches raising debunked medical claims around vaccines, as well as claims relating to the Qanon conspiracy theory.
Protesters have variously held a minute’s silence, played the Last Post, and sang ‘Amazing Grace’.
“I’m surprised we haven’t been surrounded with police yet,” one man said on a live stream video, posted to Facebook by an anti-vaccine group.
Another man said he was surprised there were not more officers.


Popular US podcaster Joe Rogan has apologised amid a backlash against Covid misinformation in his programme
Spotify said it would add a “content advisory” to any episode with discussion of Covid.
Rogan, a prominent vaccine sceptic, caused controversy with his views on the pandemic and on vaccines and government mandates to control the spread of the virus.
Singer-songwriters Neil Young and Joni Mitchell announced last week that they were removing their music from Spotify in protest at coronavirus misinformation broadcast on the platform.
Young objected to his music being played on the same platform as the top-rated podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.
And 270 scientists and medical professionals wrote urging Spotify to prevent Rogan spreading falsehoods.

Comedian Joe Rogan performs during his appearance at The Ice House Comedy Club in April 2019 in Pasadena, California. Photograph: Michael S Schwartz/Getty Images

In a 10-minute Instagram video post on Sunday evening, Rogan apologised to Spotify for the backlash but defended inviting contentious guests.
“If I pissed you off, I’m sorry,” Rogan said. “I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people’s perspectives so we can maybe find a better point of view.”

Russia records 621 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours

Russia has registered 621 new Covid deaths in the past 24 hours, according to the Reuters news agency.
The country has been averaging well above 100,000 new cases a day.

Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali will start welcoming back travellers from all countries from later this week, officials have confirmed, more than three months after announcing it was open to selected nationalities.
Though Bali officially opened to visitors from China, New Zealand, and Japan among other countries in mid-October, there has since been no direct flights, tourism minister Sandiaga Uno told a briefing.
The reopening follows similar announcements by Thailand and the Philippines, which put quarantine waivers on hold in December over initial uncertainty about vaccine efficacy against the Omicron variant of Covid.
The decision comes despite a steady rise in Indonesia’s Covid cases this month, despite having brought outbreaks under control in the second half of last year. Health authorities have attributed the increase to Omicron.

Grieving Families Say No.10's Decision To Block Covid Bereavement Bubbles Was "Offensive"

Noa Hoffman - Politics Home
A leading campaign group representing more than 6,000 people who have lost family members to Covid-19 has described the government’s decision not to allow bereavement support bubbles during lockdown as “offensive to the majority of the British public”.
In a scathing op-ed published in The Times this morning, Nikki da Costa, a former director of legislative affairs in Number 10, said the option of introducing bubbles for grieving families was discussed as a possibility for stage two of the 2021 roadmap out of lockdown.
The policy was put to the Prime Minister in a written submission last year and would have enabled individuals who lost close family, suffered miscarriage, the stillbirth of a child or neonatal death to visit close contacts for support.
However, despite being “pushed” and “worked up as an option”, three days after the policy was floated it “was unpicked” by Number 10.
According to da Costa, who worked under both Theresa May and Boris Johnson, there were concerns that bereavement bubbles “would send the wrong message to the public” and “signal that everyone could relax their guard”.
But those who have lost family members to Covid-19 have dismissed the suggestion that allowing them an exemption to some lockdown restrictions would have equated to an inappropriate relaxation of the rules. 
"The British public understands the difference between a bereavement support bubble and a party,” Jo Goodman, co-founder of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice told PoliticsHome.
“To suggest that seeing family members come together to support one another at times of devastating loss would encourage the average person to disregard lockdown measures is offensive to the vast majority of the British public.
“While Number 10 was partying, the British people were largely united in preventing the spread of Covid 19 to keep our communities safe.”

Here is a brief round-up of all the latest coronavirus news from around the world today:

• China detected 37 new cases of Covid-19 among Olympic Games-related personnel on 30 January, up from 34 a day earlier, the Games organising committee has said.
  
• A sweeping new bill with powerful bipartisan support in the US Senate would establish an inquiry into the country’s Covid-19 response similar to the 9/11 Commission, among other provisions aimed at preventing the next pandemic.
  
• A top Hong Kong official has resigned after attending a birthday party with about 200 guests in early January as the city was battling a coronavirus surge.
  
• The New Zealand government has defended its strict quarantine system known as MIQ after a pregnant New Zealand journalist said she had to turn to the Taliban for help when her requests to get back to her own country were rejected.
  
• Russia has registered 621 new Covid deaths in the past 24 hours, according to the Reuters news agency.
  
• In Australia, a large anti-vaccine protest on the front lawns outside Canberra’s Parliament House has seen hundreds of people mass outside the front doors of the building, demanding all politicians be “sacked”.
  
• The head of Cyprus’ Orthodox Christian Church has said he will suspend a dozen priests from his diocese because they refused to heed his call to get vaccinated against Covid-19, the Associated Press reports.
  
• In Britain, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling for a U-turn on mandatory Covid vaccines for health workers.
  
• Taiwan’s gift of 150,000 doses of its domestically developed Medigen Covid-19 vaccine has arrived in Somalia’s breakaway Somaliland region, according to the Taiwanese foreign ministry, part of the island’s renewed pandemic diplomacy push.
  
• Omicron is now the dominant variant of Covid-19 in New Zealand, the ministry of health has confirmed.
  
• Tokyo has launched a mass inoculation drive for Covid booster shots at a temporary centre operated by the military as Japan tries to speed up delayed third jabs to counter surging infections.
  
• Britain’s public spending chief has asked fraudsters who scammed billions-worth of Covid support funds from the state to give the money back.
  
• The popular US podcaster Joe Rogan has apologised amid a backlash against Covid misinformation in his programme, while Spotify said it would add a “content advisory” to any episode with discussion of Covid.
  
• Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali will start welcoming back travellers from all countries from later this week, officials have confirmed, more than three months after announcing it was open to selected nationalities.
  

and here's a summary from AFP on the key developments today:

• Spotify says it will link content on Covid-19 to facts about the virus amid growing demands from music stars to drop the podcaster Joe Rogan for spreading misinformation about vaccines.
  
• Anti-vaxxer truckers threaten chaos in Ottawa for a third day with their “freedom convoy” against vaccine mandates amid fury at some protesters dancing on the tomb of the unknown soldier in the Canadian capital.
  
• Beijing records its highest number of new cases for a year and a half as the Chinese capital gears up to host the Winter Olympics.
  
• Greek Orthodox monks are fuelling anti-vax sentiment in the north of the country, with some clerics saying the jabs are the “mark of the antichrist”. The leader of the Cyprus Orthodox church warns he will suspend a dozen unvaccinated priests and those preaching against jabs.
  
• Ryanair cut its losses sharply in the third quarter of 2021 despite the Omicron variant, with net losses of €96m, a third of the figure for the same period in 2020.
  
• Bhutan mourns only its fourth death from the virus, which its premier says he felt like “a bullet hit”. The remote Himalayan kingdom has one of the lowest death tolls in the world.
  
• The coronavirus has killed at least 5,661,274 million people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on Monday.
  
• The US has recorded the most Covid deaths with 884,260, followed by Brazil with 626,854 and India on 495,050.
  
• Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the WHO estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.
  

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What does Sue Gray's report say?

Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties at Downing Street has just been published here.
Some 16 gatherings were investigated - 12 are being investigated by police and four fell below the threshold for them to look into.
The report is 11 pages long but some of the main findings include:

• There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office
  
• A number of gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or develop in the way that they did
  
• At least some of the gatherings represent a serious failure to observe the high standards expected not just of those working in government but the entire British population at the time.
  
• Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so.
  

What are the WFH rules?

Scotland is relaxing working from home guidance from today. But the rules are different across the UK nations - so what are they?

• In England, the government is no longer asking people to work from home.
  
• In Scotland, WFH guidance is being relaxed. The government wants firms to let workers return gradually - allowing for time in the office and some time at home.
  
• In Northern Ireland, current guidance remains for people to work from home where possible. But offices no longer need to ensure 2m (6ft) social distancing.
  
• In Wales, the government says it remains important to work from home if you can. But there's no longer a legal requirement to do so.
  

Read more about the rules here.

Police investigation limited report - Gray

More now on Sue Gray's report, which has been published this afternoon. She says she cannot give a meaningful report revealing all she has discovered about lockdown parties today, because police are investigating 12 events across at least eight dates.
Gray says the Metropolitan Police "have told me that it would only be appropriate to make minimal reference to the gatherings on the dates they are investigating".
She adds: "Unfortunately, this necessarily means that I am extremely limited in what I can say about those events and it is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report setting out and analysing the extensive factual information I have been able to gather."
Here's an at a glance guide to the report's findings so far.

Education secretary tests positive for Covid

Nadhim Zahawi, the education secretary, has tested positive for coronavirus.
In a tweet, he says it followed a test on Saturday.
"Thankfully I've had my three jabs and will be working from home while I isolate," he tweets (along with some syringe emojis).
It means he will be absent from Boris Johnson's response to Sue Gray's report, due in the Commons at 15:30 GMT.

Canadian PM tests positive

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has tested positive for Covid.
He made the announcement via Twitter on Monday.

It's been a testing week in the pandemic for Canada - on Sunday, a convoy of trucks arrived in the capital Ottawa to protest against against vaccine mandates and Covid measures.
Some were seen waving flags and signs disparaging Mr Trudeau.

Cyprus archbishop to suspend the unvaccinated

Whether to make vaccination compulsory or not, and for whom, is causing ructions in many countries, not just the UK.
The leader of Cyprus' Orthodox Church says he will suspend priests if they do not get vaccinated.
Archbishop Chrysostomos II says those without medical exemptions will be suspended for three months if they continue to advocate against getting jabs and refuse to get vaccinated themselves.
He says 27 priests in his diocese are not vaccinated but 15 are exempt.
The archbishop - who was among the first to get vaccinated in 2020 - adds the suspension could be extended to six months and in some circumstances lead to defrocking, according to AFP news agency.

Boris Johnson announcement on Sue Gray report:

The Prime Minister begun his statement by apologising, saying he understands the anger people have been feeling

By Alex Finnis, The i

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given a statement in the House of Commons in response to Sue Gray’s initial report into alleged lockdown-breaching parties at Downing Street.

Ms Gray’s report was published on Monday afternoon. You can read it in full here.

A Metropolitan Police Service investigation has forced Ms Gray to be extremely light on detail, and she has been keen to label this document an “update” rather than a full report.

Read and watch every word of the PM’s statement on Sue Gray report update   here.

What's happened today?

It's been a dramatic Monday in the coronavirus pandemic, with Sue Gray delivering her report into parties in Downing Street, but what has also happened today, and what are we still waiting on?

• A report into parties and gatherings at Downing Street when the whole UK was under coronavirus restrictions is published. You can read it here.
  
  
• It finds there were “failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office”
  
  
• In response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he will make a number of changes at No 10. This includes creating an office of the Prime Minister with a permanent secretary to lead Downing Street
  
  
• While MPs debate all of that, we are still waiting on an announcement from Health Secretary Sajid Javid to the Commons about whether the policy to insist front-line workers in the NHS in England are vaccinated against coronavirus will be scrapped
  
  
• Also, the daily statistics on coronavirus cases and deaths in the UK are delayed, as figures for people re-infected with the virus are due to be included
  
  
• Workers in Scotland have started returning to the office after working from home guidance was relaxed
  
  
• A Hong Kong official has resigned after attending a birthday party when the government advised people to remain at home
  
  
• Authorities in China have recorded 119 cases among athletes and staff in town for the Beijing Olympics over the past four days. See how the Games' bubble system will work here
  
  
• Indonesia’s popular tourist island of Bali is set to open later this week to all international visitors - although a quarantine period will be involved upon arrival
  
  
• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has tested positive and will continue to work remotely from home, he said on Twitter.