Covid index - March 2021 - May 2021
1 Apr 2021: Fewer than one-in-five people request a Covid-19 test if they have symptoms, a large study has found
It also suggested the number who follow full self-isolation rules is low, and only half of people know the main Covid symptoms
Experts said the findings suggested the impact of the £37bn NHS Test and Trace system was "limited".
Dr Jenny Harries says the UK was "not fully prepared" for Covid-19 pandemic
She heads the new UK Health Security Agency and says lessons will be learned from fighting Covid
Proportion of black or black British adults in Britain hesitant about taking Covid vaccine has halved, the ONS says
French schools will close for at least three weeks as part of new national restrictions to fight rising Covid cases
Meanwhile, Brazil recorded over 60,000 Covid deaths during March as cases continue to rise there
There have been 128,895,644 global coronavirus cases and 2,816,081 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
2 Apr 2021: Kenya, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines are being added to England's travel ban "red list"
It means travellers from those countries will be banned from entering England from 9 April
The Philippines has recorded its highest daily number of cases yet, with 15,310 new infections
More than 70 MPs have launched a campaign opposing Covid passports in England, amid reports of pilots to test how they would work
The stay at home rule which has been in place in Scotland for more than three months has been lifted
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, has been admitted to hospital
Campaigners have started legal action over guidance banning care home residents in England aged 65+ from taking trips outside the home
A lack of "adequate" funding for schools in England during the pandemic is placing staff and pupils at risk, a teachers' union warns
West End theatres and Glastonbury Festival are among those getting a share of £400m emergency government culture funding
3 Apr 2021: The rules around indoor visits to care homes in England will be relaxed from 12 April
Two people, rather than one, will be able to visit and parents will be allowed to bring their babies and toddlers
Seven people in the UK have died with rare blood clots after being given the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, the UK's medicines regulator has said
And there have been 30 cases of clotting out of more than 18 million vaccine doses administered
But the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has urged the public to continue accepting coronavirus vaccination appointments
Clean up work is under way after huge crowds gathered to socialise in Cardiff Bay on Friday night
Italy has entered a strict three-day lockdown to try to prevent a surge in Covid-19 cases over Easter
The country is battling a third wave, with about 20,000 new cases a day
4 Apr 2021: Pilot events will start to try out measures like testing and ventilation to see if they can be safe in the pandemic
It's hoped the moves will allow the safe return of sports matches, conferences and club nights in England
The Carabao Cup final between Tottenham and Manchester City will have 8,000 fans in attendance as one test event
The UK PM and Labour leader have both talked about the pandemic in their Easter messages
The Archbiship of Canterbury's says people can choose a "better future for all" as the country emerges from the pandemic
The pandemic is disrupting Easter in eastern Europe, where cases are surging
France has entered its third national lockdown in a bid to bring down infections
5 Apr 2021: Everyone in England is to be given access to two rapid coronavirus tests a week from Friday
Boris Johnson is due to chair a meeting of the cabinet later to sign off the next stage of lockdown easing in England
The PM is expected to confirm countries will be graded under a traffic light system when international leisure travel resumes
Hairdressers, homeware shops and garden centres are reopening in Scotland as Covid restrictions on the economy have eased
India has recorded its highest number yet of coronavirus infections in a single day, with 103,558 confirmed cases
Portugal is entering its second phase of rolling back restrictions, with museums, cafe terraces and some schools reopening
Rollout of a new school curriculum in Wales must be delayed so teachers can focus on helping pupils in the wake of the pandemic, a union says
6 Apr 2021: Non-essential retail, gyms and spas can reopen from 12 April in England, with restaurants allowed to serve outdoors
Suggestions the UK could introduce Covid certificates proving someone's had a vaccine, tested negative or has immunity have led to criticism
But Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the UK was looking at all options and any plans to adopt certificates would be brought before Parliament
The Moderna vaccine will be available in the UK "around the third week of April", Zahawi confirmed
Later steps in easing restrictions, such as indoor mixing, could cause a resurgence in hospitalisations and deaths, government scientists warn
Captain Sir Tom Moore's family are encouraging people to take up their own "100" challenge on what would have been his 101st birthday
Australian and New Zealand residents will be able to travel between the two nations without having to quarantine from 19 April
North Korea has announced it will not take part in the Olympics this year, saying the decision is to protect its athletes from Covid-19
7 Apr 2021: Carer Elle Taylor, 24, from Ammanford in Wales is the first person to receive the Moderna vaccine in the UK
The UK has ordered 17 million doses of Moderna - the third vaccine used
European medicines regulator the EMA is to hold a briefing this afternoon on the AstraZeneca vaccine relating to cases of blood clots
UK regulator MHRA is also expected to give an update on its investigation
A trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab on children in the UK is being paused
Brazil records more than 4,000 Covid-related deaths in a days for first time
A study finds Covid patients are more likely to develop mental health problems
Driving lessons can resume in England and Wales from Monday, the transport secretary says
The US rules out a vaccination passport scheme for citizens
8 Apr 2021: The risk of a blood clot after Covid vaccination is about the same as on a long-haul flight, Matt Hancock says
Under-30s in the UK are to be offered an alternative Covid jab to the AstraZeneca vaccine
There are more than enough Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for under-30s, the health secretary says
The European regulator says unusual blood clots should be listed as very rare side effects of the AZ vaccine
The UK vaccination programme is starting to break links between Covid-19 cases and deaths, scientists say
While a decline in coronavirus cases has stalled, deaths have not followed the same pattern, they say
Infections are now most common in primary and early secondary school-aged children, the study says
Unpaid carers looking after terminally ill loved ones during the pandemic struggle to access pain relief, a survey finds
Sales at non-essential shops are likely to "bounce back" once they reopen on 12 April, analysts say
9 Apr 2021: Additional measures: insert Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan & Philippines (SI2021/447)
The UK government gives more detail on its traffic light system for the resumption of overseas travel from England
Travellers will need to pay for tests when departing and returning from abroad, including at least one PCR test
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says the cost of Covid tests needs to be driven down, amid criticism from the travel sector
Shapps also says he's not advising against people in England booking summer trips abroad
It's still too early to say whether foreign holidays can resume on 17 May, he says, or which countries will be deemed to be safe
Changes to household mixing and the reopening of gyms are to be brought forward in Wales as case rates fall
Twice-weekly free rapid coronavirus tests (lateral flow tests) are available to everyone in England from today
Islamic scholars and NHS leaders are urging Muslims not to let fasting over Ramadan stop them getting a Covid jab
Brazil records more than 4,000 Covid-related deaths in 24 hours for the first time, as a more contagious variant circulates
10 Apr 2021: Palace urges crowds not to gather at palaces, after death of prince Phillip yesterday. Quiet funeral planned.
Coronavirus infections 'a sixth of January peak'
Covid mum back home after 88 days in hospital
More businesses in England and Wales will be able to reopen from Monday, including gyms, hairdressers and swimming pools.
Wedding venues: 'It's costing me &pund;250,000 a month'
'Lockdown taught us we're more than just a gym'
11 Apr 2021: Non-essential shops are preparing to open their doors on Monday in England and Wales
England's gyms, zoos and hairdressers will also reopen, while restaurants and pubs will welcome customers outdoors
The public have been urged to respect staff and follow Covid guidelines - with retail sales predicted to surge
Covid rules mean UK PM Boris Johnson is to miss the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral, allowing family to attend
A further 2,589 coronavirus cases are reported across the UK on Saturday alongside another 40 deaths
12 Apr 2021: Step 2: retail, outdoor hospitality open. Eased rules for visiting care homes.
Non-essential shops and beauty salons can now open their doors in England and Wales, as Covid rules are eased across the UK
England's gyms, zoos and hairdressers can also reopen, while restaurants and pubs can welcome customers outside
Some pubs opened just after midnight, while long queues formed outside shops around the country
Pupils are returning to school full time in Scotland and Wales, while Northern Ireland's "stay-at-home" order is ending
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says people must "behave responsibly" and continue to take steps to "suppress Covid"
More than 32 million people in the UK have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine
A further seven UK deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test were reported on Sunday, the lowest daily total since 14 September
Elsewhere, China's top disease control official has said the efficacy of the country's Covid vaccines is low, in a rare admission of weakness
13 Apr 2021: All over-50s and those in high-risk groups in the UK have been offered a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, the government says
It means ministers have met their target of offering a first dose to the top nine priority groups by 15 April
People in their late 40s should now be able to book a jab in England
In Wales and Northern Ireland those in their 40s have already been able to book appointments
The NHS crashed when over-45s were invited to book, amid a surge in interest - but has since been fixed
The Moderna vaccine is to start being rolled out in England - Scotland and Wales began using it last week
It offers an alternative to the AstraZeneca jab for younger people, along with the Pfizer vaccine
The government says it is on track to offer a first vaccine dose to all adults by the end of July
Surge testing is implemented in two areas of south London, after a cluster of the South African variant was found
PM Boris Johnson warns that Covid cases and deaths will rise as lockdown lifts, despite the successful rollout
Outdoor drinking and dining resumed on Monday for the first time since England's lockdown began in early January
Non-essential shops, hairdressers, gyms and zoos were among the other businesses reopening on a busy day in England
Northern Ireland's "stay-at-home" order was lifted and some rules were eased in Scotland and Wales
14 Apr 2021: In England, an estimated 54.9% of the population had Covid antibodies in the week to 28 March, the Office for National Statistics says
That number was 49.1% in Wales, 54.5% in Northern Ireland and 46% in Scotland
The US, South Africa and European Union pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine rollout after reports of rare blood clotting
The US Food and Drug Administration says six blood clot cases were detected after more than 6.8 million doses of the vaccine were administered
Johnson & Johnson says that "no clear causal relationship" has been established between its vaccine and the clots
A leading statistician says data supports PM Boris Johnson's claim lockdown, not vaccines, was the major cause of the UK's fall in cases
A UK trial looking at whether different types of jabs can be used for first and second doses hopes to recruit more volunteers
So far more than 32 million people in the UK have received a first vaccine dose, while 7.8 million have had both doses
15 Apr 2021: Surge testing for the South African Covid variant is taking place in six London boroughs in a bid to halt its spread
Residents of Lambeth and Wandsworth, SE16, Southwark, N3, Barnet, HA2, Harrow and UB3, Hillingdon are being urged to get tested
Surge testing is also being carried out in parts of Smethwick in the West Midlands
Around 4.7 million people were waiting for routine operations and procedures in England in February - the highest since 2007
Nearly 388,000 people were waiting more than a year for non-urgent surgery compared with just 1,600 before the pandemic began
Most positive rapid Covid tests taken since 8 March seem to have given a correct result, data seen by the BBC shows
More than 32.3 million people in the UK have had their first vaccine dose - more than 8.1 million have had their second
More than 200,000 new daily cases have been confirmed in India, heightening concerns about the speed of the virus' spread
16 Apr 2021: New rules on travel and meeting people outdoors have come into force in Scotland today as restrictions are eased
People can now travel out of their local area for non-essential reasons and six people from up to six households can meet outdoors
Successful vaccine programmes will stop another washout for summer holidaymakers, the boss of Europe's largest tour company TUI says
China's economy grew a record 18.3% in the first quarter of 2021 compared with the same quarter last year
It is the biggest jump in gross domestic product since China started keeping quarterly records in 1992
Chancellor Angela Merkel says the situation in Germany is "very serious"
She urges politicians to approve a law that would see regional leaders have to impose lockdowns if infection levels reach certain levels
A new Covid-19 variant in the UK, first identified in India, features two mutations that could be a cause for concern, an expert says
A company in which Health Secretary Matt Hancock and his sister have shares has won £300,000 contracts from NHS Wales
A government spokesperson said the health secretary had "acted entirely properly in these circumstances"
17 Apr 2021: Vaccine passports 'unethical' - church ministers
Shop people say 'Please be nice to us this weekend'
Russia's Sputnik vaccine is dividing Europe
UK total deaths 127,225. Total cases 4,383,732. People in hospital 2,291. Total 1st vaccine 32,574,221.
Covid-19 deaths pass three million worldwide
Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the world was "approaching the highest rate of infection" so far.
India - experiencing a second wave - recorded more than 230,000 new cases on Saturday alone.
Almost 140 million cases have been recorded since the pandemic began
18 Apr 2021: There has been a "small amount" of community transmission of the South African variant, Public Health England's Prof Susan Hopkins says
She tells the BBC's Andrew Marr Show two-thirds of the cases of the variant have been linked to travel
"However in pockets around the country we have seen transmission," she says - the largest being in London
Vaccine passports are "unnecessary, expensive and divisive", Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey says
An outdoor gig with an audience of 5,000 will be held in Liverpool on 2 May
No-one will have to wear face masks or socially distance - but they will have to provide proof of a negative test
It comes as Wembley is set to host the FA Cup semi-final between Leicester City and Southampton later with 4,000 attending
Fans have also been allowed in at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, which began on Saturday
The number of people who have died worldwide has surpassed three million, Johns Hopkins University says
India's Kumbh festival attracts big crowds amid devastating second Covid wave
19 Apr 2021: Delhi begins week-long lockdown after a weekend curfew failed to halt record spike in cases overwhelming health services
India has had over 200,000 cases a day since 15 April - with 1,620 new deaths reported on Sunday
UK health officials investigating whether India variant might spread more easily and evade vaccines
UK PM Boris Johnson has cancelled his planned trip to India next week
Meanwhile healthy volunteers in UK who have already had Covid are to be deliberately re-exposed to it to test immune responses
The long-awaited Australia-New Zealand travel bubble, meaning visitors no longer need to quarantine on arrival, has opened
Health Secretary Matt Hancock making statement in the Commons at 15.30 BST on latest Covid developments
20 Apr 2021: Scotland's first minister is due to confirm the most significant changes to the nation's Covid restrictions since it went back into lockdown just after Christmas
Pubs, restaurants, gyms and non-essential shops are all expected to reopen on Monday
In Wales, six people from up to six different households will be allowed to meet outside again from Saturday
UK PM Boris Johnson is to hold a Downing Street press briefing at 17:00 BST
From Friday, India will be on the UK international travel "red" list amid fears over a new variant
Universities have expressed frustration at the travel ban, saying it could stop about 10,000 students returning to campuses
A review of policing says officers sometimes struggled to enforce lockdown restrictions because of a lack of clarity from ministers
And a new international group of scientists will meet today to discuss how to prepare more effectively for future pandemics
21 Apr 2021: A key scientist advising the UK government on Covid-19 says results showing how few vaccinated people catch the virus are "very good news"
Prof Calum Semple says there is a "really sharp drop off" in people being infected more than a week after their jab
"It's really good real world data showing that this vaccine works and one dose works really well," Prof Semple says
There is likely to be a summer surge in cases in the UK as lockdown measures are eased, vaccines expert Prof Adam Finn says
If there is a "significant" rise in cases the roadmap out of lockdown may need to be adjusted, he says
Denmark is allowing people back inside restaurants, museums and football stadiums as restrictions are eased
Medics have written a letter to UK PM Boris Johnson calling on him to massively increase investment in NHS staffing
Unions say increased demand for services caused by Covid-19 has led to a "chronic undersupply" in staffing with nearly 90,000 vacant posts
Video-streaming giant Netflix reports a slowdown in subscriber growth, saying the pandemic has disrupted its production pipeline
UK authorities should publish more information on the vaccination programme to allay concerns, former PM Tony Blair says
22 Apr 2021: Coronavirus is no longer the leading cause of death in England and Wales, according to Office for National Statistics data
Covid had been the leading cause of death every month between November and February
India has recorded the highest one day tally of cases of any country since the pandemic began - 314,835 in 24 hours
The Brit Awards will go ahead with a live audience next month, as part of research into how events might be held in a Covid-safe way
Labour calls for a "thorough investigation" into Boris Johnson's contact with businessman Sir James Dyson
Dyson was asked to make ventilators early in the pandemic and the PM says he "makes no apology" for trying to get ventilators
Driving tests in England and Wales resume after being suspended due to the virus, but there is a large backlog
Major UK foodbank operator, the Trussell Trusts, says use of its services has risen by a third during the pandemic
23 Apr 2021: Additional measures: insert India (SI2021/498)
Hairdressers, close-contact services and outdoor visitor attractions are reopening in Northern Ireland
It's the final part of the UK to allow these business to reopen after lockdown
UK and Irish nationals arriving from India must quarantine in a hotel, as new travel restrictions come into force
At least two hospitals in Delhi are running out of oxygen, as India struggles with second wave
India's medical system has collapsed and cremations may soon have to be held on roads due to lack of space, a charity worker says
Welsh pubs and restaurants could open indoors from 17 May, as plans to ease restrictions are brought forward
Indoor group activities and swimming lessons will also be allowed from 3 May in Wales - two weeks earlier than planned
UK government borrowing hit £303.1bn last year - the highest level since the end of World War Two
The chances of becoming infected with Covid falls sharply after a first dose of either the Oxford or Pfizer vaccines, a study finds
24 Apr 2021: Indian hospitals say their patients are dying because of a shortage of oxygen as cases and deaths reach new highs
The government is despatching special trains and flights to send oxygen supplies to the hardest-hit areas
India has recorded nearly a million infections in just three days, with 346,786 cases overnight into Saturday
US health regulators have lifted an 11-day pause on the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 jab linked to blood clots
Instead they will add a warning label about the potential for very rare side-effect
This week, Europe's drug regulator also ended restrictions on the J&J vaccine
Israel has recorded no new daily Covid-19 deaths for the first time in 10 months
Researchers say people struggling to regain their smell after catching Covid-19 should undergo "smell training"
25 Apr 2021: A campaign is being launched to encourage younger people to get the Covid vaccine when their turn comes
It comes as figures showed more than half of the UK's population have now received their first vaccine dose
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was a "brilliant milestone" but warned "the battle is not yet over"
India has set another world record for the number of new coronavirus infections for a fourth day running
There were a further 349,691 cases in the 24 hours to Sunday morning, with another 2,767 lives lost
At least 23 people have been killed in a fire at a hospital treating coronavirus patients in the capital of Iraq, Baghdad
Dozens of others were injured in the blaze, which erupted at the Ibn Khatib hospital on Saturday night
Some 8,000 spectators will attend the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham as part of the official test programme
A man has been arrested in Spain on suspicion of assault after allegedly infecting 22 people with Covid
26 Apr 2021: Shops, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and restaurants in Scotland are reopening after a four month-long lockdown
Pubs and restaurants in Wales are also reopening to customers outdoors
The defence secretary dismisses as "nonsense" a report that Boris Johnson said he would rather see "bodies piled high in their thousands" than order a third national lockdown
Labour calls for ministers to publish links with firms awarded Covid contracts
The vaccine rollout in England is opening up to 44-year-olds
International efforts are under way to help India amid a devastating surge in cases
A number of overseas players have left the country's high profile cricket league, the IPL, early
27 Apr 2021: Fines for Covid lockdown breaches should be reviewed because they hit poorer people, MPs and peers on the Joint Committee on Human Rights say
More than 85,000 fixed penalty notices have been issued in England since the pandemic began, and 8,000 in Wales
People aged 42 and over in England are now able to book their Covid-19 jab, under a further extension of the vaccine rollout
PM to chair Cabinet meeting amid claims over his conduct, including that he said he would rather see "bodies pile high" than approve a third lockdown
Boris Johnson and No 10 strongly deny he said the phrase, as the PM describes multiple reports as "total rubbish"
Makeshift pyres are being built in crematoriums in India's capital Delhi as space runs out to cremate the dead
Medical supplies from the UK have arrived in India - the first international shipment aimed at stemming the effects of a devastating Covid-19 surge
Portugal registers no Covid-related deaths for 24 hours for the second time since the pandemic began
Its long lockdown helped slash infection rates to a fraction of the level in late January, when it had the worst Covid surge in the world
The US will share up to 60 million doses of its AstraZeneca Covid vaccine with other nations as they become available, the White House says
28 Apr 2021: India has seen more Covid cases in the last seven days than any other country
A ferocious second wave has seen the official death toll surpass 200,000 - experts believe the actual number may be higher
People have died waiting for beds, as oxygen supplies run low and hospitals crumble under the strain
From today all adults over 18 can sign up for Covid vaccines - only 1.6% of India's population is fully vaccinated
US President Joe Biden says he intends to send vaccines to India
29 Apr 2021: Health Secretary Matt Hancock, 42, receives his first Covid jab from Prof Jonathan Van-Tam
The vaccination programme is being extended to all 42-year-olds in England
India has reported another world record rise in daily cases
The country reported 379,257 new infections on Thursday, after the official death toll passed 200,000
Turkey is preparing to enter its first lockdown of the pandemic
The British government has ordered an extra 60 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
They will be used for a vaccination booster programme in autumn
Nearly two-thirds of adults in England have now received a first dose of the vaccine
30 Apr 2021: About 22 million people in UK are now living in areas which had zero Covid deaths in April, BBC analysis shows
UK infections nearly down to 1-in-1000 people
All people over 40 in England are being invited for vaccination, as 90% of over-45s have received at least one jab
Shops, gyms, pubs, restaurants and cafes in Northern Ireland are reopening - but hospitality is outdoors only
Bars and restaurants say they are struggling to hire staff, as many have left the sector or the UK
Liverpool will hold the first pilot of a live music event, with an audience of 3,000 people and no social distancing
India sees the world's biggest recorded one-day rise in infections as Delhi runs short of sites for cremations
Covid-19 deaths have passed 400,000 in Brazil, which has the second-highest death toll in the world
Covid index - March 2021 - May 2021
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© Jo Edkins 2024