Covid index - January 2022 - March 2022
1 Feb 2022: Boris Johnson takes Sue Gray's report into parties in No 10 during Covid restrictions seriously, says Dominic Raab
The government must now get on with the vaccine rollout and dealing with Ukraine, the deputy PM says
Former Tory cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell says crisis won't go away and is more corrosive than the MPs' expenses scandal
Sue Gray's report identified "failures of leadership and judgment" in Downing Street
The Met Police are investigating 12 events and say they have more than 300 photos
Meanwhile, the government has scrapped plans to make Covid jabs compulsory for frontline NHS staff in England
2 Feb 2022: A sub-variant of Omicron has now been detected in 57 countries, the World Health Organization says
In some countries, BA.2 now accounts for over half of sequenced Omicron cases, the WHO says
The government has written off £8.7bn spent on PPE during pandemic, accounts show
Items costing £673m were unusable, while £750m of equipment was not used before it expired
Another Tory MP has called for Boris Johnson to resign, as the fallout from parties held in No 10 continues
Tobias Ellwood says the Conservative Party is "slipping into a very ugly place"
Germany and the Czech Republic have seen record numbers of daily cases
In France, restrictions are being eased, with face masks no longer compulsory outdoors, end to limits on large crowds
On Tuesday the UK recorded a further 112,458 coronavirus cases and 219 deaths
Tonga is to go into lockdown after a handful of Covid cases were recorded in the capital city Nuku'alofa
3 Feb 2022: New Zealand to have phased reopening of borders
Djokovic tests were genuine, says Serbia
No movement yet on compulsory jabs for NHS workers in Northern Ireland
Canadian vaccine protest to continue 'for as long as it takes'
Life inside the Beijing Winter Olympics bubble
4 Feb 2022: Mental health referrals for children reach record levels
Charities warn on cancer backlog
Isle of Man plans to end isolation and border testing
Nextdoor app takes off during pandemic
Covid leaves Australia changed. More fractured. More remote. More inward-looking.
5 Feb 2022: Former minister Nick Gibb calls for PM to resign
Owen Paterson messages on Covid testing firm revealed
A&E nurse says 'Ebola experience helped me treat Covid'
School reopening: The Indian children who have never seen a classroom
Winter Olympics Covid cases rise. Some 45 new cases have been found, including 25 athletes or country team members.
6 Feb 2022: PM shakes up team as party fallout continues
'I feel stalked, bullied, harassed' - reactions to mandatory NHS Covid vaccines
Woodlands in memory of people who died from coronavirus
The game that shows people how to spread misinformation
'Why did you party when I couldn't?' - Isobel, 7, writes to PM
7 Feb 2022: A plan to tackle record NHS waiting lists in England has been delayed because of last-minute concerns in Whitehall
In the meantime, a new online service will allow people needing non-urgent surgery to get information about waiting times
Boris Johnson to make further changes to his Downing Street team this week as fallout over lockdown parties continues
Elsewhere, double vaccinated tourists will be able to travel to Australia for the first time in almost two years
Canada trucker protest: Ottawa declares emergency
8 Feb 2022: Canada truckers protest: Trudeau demands an end to trucker protest
Some Tory MPs are asking Boris Johnson to apologise over claim that Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile
But Downing Street says it has no intention of apologising for the prime minister's remarks in the Commons last week
Starmer faced baseless allegations from protesters of "protecting paedophiles"
At least six Tory MPs have linked the incident to the PM's comments
9 Feb 2022: During Prime Minister's Questions, Boris Johnson says he plans to end self-isolation rules in England ahead of time
Thanks to "encouraging" Covid trends, he says he wants to end the last domestic restrictions a "full month early"
10 Feb 2022: Queries over ending Covid restrictions early
Another photo of Xmas quiz, with sparkling wine, revealed
John Major says Boris Johnson broke law over lockdown parties
11 Feb 2022: Hundreds of thousands of people are heading away as the half-term holidays start in many parts of the UK
Britons going on overseas holidays still need to follow local Covid rules
But people travelling to the UK will no longer need to take any tests if fully vaccinated
Travel association Abta describes the easing of Covid restrictions as a "new chapter"
Turkey, Egypt and Portugal among the most popular destinations for winter sun
Unvaccinated 12-17-year-olds will be able to travel from the UK to Spain with a negative test from Monday
Met Police chief Cressida Dick resigns
Downing Street lockdown parties probe will not be affected by this, London Assembly member says
12 Feb 2022: PM sent lockdown party questionnaire by police
Canada court orders end to trucker bridge blockade
Cardiff pubs herald the return of Six Nations fans
Fully-vaccinated people travelling to the UK now no longer need Covid tests, either before departure or on arrival
But other countries still have rules (Spain has just allowed singled jabbed teenagers)
13 Feb 2022: Police try to clear Canada bridge blockade
Hundreds fined and tear gas fired at Paris protest
An expert has warned against removing coronavirus self-isolation rules, "step too far"
New Zealand plays Barry Manilow to repel protesters
14 Feb 2022: NI ministers support removing restrictions
Protests continue in NZ
Police clear bridge protesters between Canada and US
The Future Generations Commission says a four-day working week should be trialled in Wales
15 Feb 2022: Djokovic breaks silence over vaccine refusal
Northern Ireland's last Covid rules to be lifted
Extent of surgery delays in NI revealed
Canada threatens to freeze protesters' bank accounts
New life for empty department stores?
16 Feb 2022: Covid in Scotland: Vaccine offered to children aged five to 11
Record Wales waiting times for 20th month in a row
NI care home visiting restrictions relaxed
England alone cannot end free tests, warns Wales' health minister
The latest figures show that deaths have decreased by 25.6% from the previous week (4 to 10 February).
Cases have dropped by 26.6% from the previous week.
17 Feb 2022: Keep isolation and free testing - NHS bosses
Covid passes scrapped as law ends in Wales
Hybrid working here to stay, managers say
18 Feb 2022: PM returns lockdown party questionnaire to police
New Zealand reports record Covid cases
Pharmacists say abuse from customers is increasing
Newcastle Covid vaccination hub is dead zone, says volunteer
Proposal to stand down Ireland's expert Covid team
20 Feb 2022: Queen gets Covid
PM refuses to say whether he will resign if found to have broken lockdown laws
Covid isolation laws set to end in England next week
Australia prepares to reopen to tourists
Ottawa police clear main protest site
21 Feb 2022: An end to all remaining Covid legal restrictions in England will be announced later by Boris Johnson
The PM was due to agree it in talks with ministers this morning - but there have been delays to that cabinet meeting
He is due to address MPs this afternoon and hold a press conference later
It's expected that people will no longer be required to self-isolate if they test positive for Covid
Labour have questioned any moves to limit free testing
The Queen, 95, has Covid but is expected to carry out some light duties this week
Australia meanwhile reopens its international border for the first time in nearly two years
22 Feb 2022: Queen cancels virtual engagements as she recovers
Sajid Javid defends timing of end to Covid rules and free tests
Inflation sends UK debt interest payments higher
All legal restrictions in Scotland will end on 21 March
Hong Kong orders compulsory Covid tests for all its citizens
23 Feb 2022: As a precaution, delay elective surgery by at least seven weeks if you have just had Omicron.
"Unacceptable" level of mistakes, waste and fraud from Covid support loan scheme will have lasting impact on taxpayers
Boots to sell Covid tests
The pandemic put a halt to music festivals but they're making a comeback.
24 Feb 2022: Today is the day all remaining legal restrictions relating to coronavirus end in England.
Staff recruitment and retention is a major challenge for Scotland's NHS as it emerges from the Covid pandemic
Rise in evictions
25 Feb 2022: Millions of vaccine doses destroyed in England
26, 27 Feb 2022: - no Covid-19 stories as all news about Ukraine
28 Feb 2022: Scotland drops vaccine passports and class masks
Ireland removes mask rules
Care home staff suffered 'untold trauma' - report
Therapy dogs are being used to calm children who are anxious about having their Covid vaccination.
Covid index - January 2022 - March 2022
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© Jo Edkins 2024