Covid index - December 2020 - February 2021
1 Jan 2021: The UK's new strategy to give more people a first dose of the vaccine, while delaying the second, is being defended by experts
The four chief medical officers said giving one jab to as many vulnerable people as possible was "much more preferable"
A doctors' union criticised the change in strategy after some patients had their second doses delayed
Both parts of the Oxford and Pfizer jabs will now be given 12 weeks apart, rather than 21 days between Pfizer doses
Eight London boroughs have urged ministers to delay the re-opening of primary schools as some move to online teaching
It comes as the nation sees in the new year without traditional parties, after warnings for people to stay at home
A record 55,892 daily cases of coronavirus were reported in the UK on Thursday, with a further 964 deaths
2 Jan 2021: Schools reopening: Call for closures as Covid cases rise
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said that all London primaries would remain shut on Monday, rather than only those in some boroughs
Hospitals across UK 'must prepare for Covid surge', senior doctor warns
Hospital bosses warned the next few weeks would be "nail-bitingly difficult"
Cases of the new variant - which is up to 70% more infective - topped 50,000 for the fourth consecutive day
London's Nightingale emergency hospital is ready to admit patients, the NHS has said, while other sites currently not in use are being readied.
3 Jan 2021: Boris Johnson says he cannot rule out extending restrictions further in England in the coming weeks and months
His appearance on The Andrew Marr show came as a further 57,725 new cases were reported in the UK on Saturday - a new daily high
The government is facing pressure to keep all schools in England closed after the Christmas holidays
The PM says parents should send their children to school on Monday if they're open and that there is "no doubt in my mind" they are safe
The Ofsted chief inspector says closing schools puts children's lives on hold and should be kept to a minimum
Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens is in hospital with Covid-19
India has approved the emergency use of two coronavirus vaccines
4 Jan 2021: First Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccination
Schools re-open for one day
The newly-approved coronavirus vaccine created by Oxford University and AstraZeneca is being rolled out across the UK today
Dialysis patient Brian Pinker, 82, was the first person to receive it this morning, at Oxford's Churchill Hospital
Primary schools in large parts of England are re-opening, despite calls from teaching unions and some councils
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to announce new Covid-19 restrictions following a sharp rise in cases
Cambridge figures rising sharply
PM Boris Johnson has warned regional restrictions in England are "probably about to get tougher"
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for a new national lockdown to be imposed from Monday
India authorised two Covid-19 vaccines on Sunday, including the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab and the locally-produced Covaxin
Globally more than 85 million cases of Covid have been reported and 1.84 million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
5 Jan 2021: PM Boris Johnson warned the coming weeks will be the "hardest yet" as he announced another national lockdown for England
All schools have been ordered to switch to online learning and this summer's exams will not go ahead
Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will receive a grant worth up to £9,000, the UK chancellor announces
Scotland entered another tough lockdown at midnight, with schools remaining closed to most pupils until at least the start of February
Northern Ireland will legally enforce 'stay at home' orders and schools will have an "extended period of remote learning"
And in Wales, which is already under lockdown, schools and colleges will shut until 18 January
More than 800 consultants, doctors and nurses have called for hospital staff to be given better PPE
Globally at least 85 millions cases of Covid have been reported and 1.85 million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
6 Jan 2021: Universal Tier 4 - Lockdown 3. (SI2021/8)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will make a statement on England's third coronavirus lockdown in the House of Commons at 11:30 GMT
The lockdown legally came into force overnight, and MPs have been recalled to Parliament to vote retrospectively on it later today
The UK government says it is considering requiring travellers to the UK from abroad to prove they have had a negative coronavirus test
One in 50 people are currently testing positive for the virus in England, official statistics suggest
The head of the World Health Organization says he is "very disappointed" China blocked the entry of its investigators
The team had been due to investigate the origins of Covid-19 in the Chinese city of Wuhan
The US had a record number of coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, recording almost 4,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University
The Netherlands is set to begin offering coronavirus jabs today - but is the last country in the EU to start vaccinations
7 Jan 2021: There have been 78 new deaths in Scotland over the past 24 hours, Nicola Sturgeon says
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being rolled out to hundreds of GP-run vaccination centres in England
People are starting to receive vaccinations at the repurposed Derby Arena
Seven more mass vaccination hubs in London, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Surrey and Stevenage are due to open next week
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to give a briefing at 17:00 GMT
A weekly doorstep round of applause returns at 20:00 GMT - under the new name of Clap for Heroes
For the first time, Sweden is recommending face masks on public transport during rush hours
Japan announces a new state of emergency for Tokyo and surrounding areas as infections reach record levels
Global virus cases have exceeded 87m and nearly 1.9m have died during the pandemic, according to figures tracked by Johns Hopkins University
8 Jan 2021: UK approves Moderna jab - its third Covid vaccine
The vaccine is 94% effective in preventing disease, and the UK has ordered 17m doses in total
The UK has already vaccinated 1.5m people using Pfizer and Oxford jabs
All travellers to the UK will soon have to provide a negative Covid-19 test result, though self-isolation rules will remain in force
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says there is "great concern" over another variant spreading in South Africa
Covid-19 cases in the UK rose by almost a third over the Christmas period, a major study says
The US has seen daily deaths pass 4,000 for the first time as the epidemic worsens in states including California
In Australia, the city of Brisbane will enter a three-day lockdown after a case of the UK-detected variant was found
9 Jan 2021: Self-isolation: apply to Botswana, Israel, Jerusalem, Mauritius & Seychelles
Additional measures: insert Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Zambia & Zimbabwe (SI2021/18)
The government launches a new advertising campaign to try to boost compliance with the lockdown restrictions in England
"Your compliance is now more vital than ever," PM Boris Johnson says amid record UK cases, deaths and admissions to hospital
Government sources say there is likely to be more focus from police on enforcing rather than explaining rules
The UK reported on Friday a record daily number of cases and deaths - 68,053 and 1,325 respectively
England, much of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland continue to be under strict national measures
The World Health Organization accuses rich countries of buying up supplies of Covid vaccines at the expense of everyone else
US President-elect Joe Biden describes the rollout of coronavirus vaccines under the Trump administration as a "travesty"
10 Jan 2021: Every adult will be offered a coronavirus vaccine by autumn, Matt Hancock says
But right now, people must follow lockdown guidance and stay at home, the health secretary says, as the situation for the NHS is 'very serious'
Regular, rapid tests for people without symptoms of Covid-19 will be made available across England from this week
Local authorities will be encouraged to target testing to people who cannot work from home during lockdown
The CBI, which represents business, welcomed the announcement as a "key piece of the puzzle" to beat the virus
More than 80,000 people have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid test since the start of the pandemic
11 Jan 2021: The chief medical officer for England, Prof Chris Whitty, warns the next few weeks will be "the worst" of the pandemic for the NHS
He also says following the existing rules is more important than thinking of tightening them
Prof Whitty answered questions on the BBC as the UK suffers record numbers of cases and deaths
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is to lead a Downing Street briefing at 17:00 GMT
Seven mass vaccination centres open in England, with more sites to open later this week
Vaccinations minister Nadhim Zahawi says they could open 24 hours a day, if there is need
About two million people have now had the first dose of the Covid vaccine
Spain is racing to distribute vaccines to areas cut off by the weekend snowstorm before temperatures drop
A record number of small firms in the UK could close if the government doesn't offer help, a business group warns
An Essex hospital says its oxygen supply has "reached a critical situation" because of the number of Covid-19 cases
More than 1.9m people have died and 90m have been infected worldwide - Johns Hopkins University
12 Jan 2021: Self-isolation: apply to UAE (SI2021/25)
Last year saw the largest increase in UK deaths in a single year since 1940, according to provisional ONS figures
In 2020, nearly 697,000 deaths were registered, compared with an average of nearly 606,000 each year between 2015 and 2019
UK police chiefs are under increasing pressure to enforce the lockdown laws
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said tighter measures in England cannot be ruled out
The Scottish government's cabinet is due to meet on Tuesday to discuss restrictions
There are more than 32,200 people in hospital in the UK with coronavirus, data shows
In the US, two Congress members have tested positive after hiding in a crowded room during the Capitol riot
Malaysia has declared a nationwide state of emergency to combat a rise in cases
Globally, almost two million people have died with Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University
13 Jan 2021: - Many hospital staff treating the sickest patients during the first wave of the pandemic were left traumatised, a study suggests
Nearly half of intensive care staff at King's College Hospital in London reported mental health repercussions
Boris Johnson is facing MPs in the first Prime Minister's Questions of the new year
The UK's Department of Health is considering a pilot scheme to offer 24-hour Covid vaccinations
School staff should be the top priority for the next phase of the vaccine rollout, says Education Secretary Gavin Williamson
China's CoronaVac vaccine has been found to be 50.4% effective in Brazilian clinical trials
World Health Organization experts are due to arrive to China's Wuhan city to begin investigating the origins of Covid
Globally, there have been more than 91 million registered Covid cases and almost two million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
14 Jan 2021: A total of 4.46 million people were waiting to start hospital treatment in England at the end of November - the highest since records began
The Royal College of Surgeons says the newly-released figures show the calamitous impact of coronavirus
The World Health Organization team arrives in Wuhan as China announces its first death from Covid-19 in eight months
More than a dozen scientists will interview people from research institutes, hospitals and the seafood market linked to the initial outbreak
Most people who have had Covid-19 are protected from catching it again for at least five months, says Public Health England
Six High Street pharmacies in England will start vaccinating people from priority groups from Thursday
Andy Murray has tested positive for coronavirus, putting his participation in the Australian Open in doubt
New rule requiring anyone arriving in England to have pre-departure testing is pushed back from Friday to 04:00 GMT on Monday
UK ministers to discuss whether to stop flights from Brazil amid concern over another new variant of coronavirus that has emerged there
270m doses of vaccines secured for African continent - on top of 600m already promised - but it is still not enough for the whole region
Globally, there have been more than 92 million registered Covid cases and almost two million deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University
15 Jan 2021: Self-isolation: apply to Chile, Madeira & The Azores
Additional measures: insert Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Madeira, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Suriname, The Azores, Uruguay & Venezuela
Prohibition of arrivals from Argentina, The Azores, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Madeira, Portugal & South Africa (SI2021/47)
Travellers from South America, Portugal and Cape Verde are barred from entering UK, amid fears over a new virus variant
Scientists say its mutations seem to be associated with a rapid increase in cases
Minister Grant Shapps says he does not think the Brazilian variant is in the UK "as far as we are aware"
The health system in the Brazilian city of Manaus is said to be collapsing amid soaring infections linked to the new variant
The UK economy shrank by 2.6% in November as lockdown restrictions reduced economic activity, official figures show
US President-elect Joe Biden has announced a $1.9 trillion stimulus package to tackle the pandemic and revive the economy
Around the world, more than 93 million Covid cases have been confirmed and nearly 2 million deaths
16 Jan 2021: Self-isolation: apply to Aruba, Qatar and Bonaire, Sint Eustatius & Saba. (SI2021/49)
The UK's aviation sector "urgently" needs more government support to survive virus restrictions, industry groups say
UK to close all travel corridors from 04:00 GMT on Monday, PM Boris Johnson said at Downing Street press conference
The travel corridors have been in place to allow arrivals from some countries to forgo quarantine
From Monday all people arriving in the UK will need to isolate for up to ten days, though a negative test after five days can cut it short
Travellers must have proof of a negative Covid-19 test in previous 72 hours - with new rules in place until at least 15 February
Epidemiologist Professor John Edmunds says is "likely" there are already cases of two coronavirus variants from Brazil in the UK
Russia's official death toll from coronavirus has now exceeded 65,000, with 590 deaths reported on Saturday
Several EU countries are receiving significantly fewer doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine than expected
The highly contagious coronavirus variant first detected in the UK could become the dominant strain in the US by March, health officials say
More than 2 million people have now died of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, according to Johns Hopkins University
17 Jan 2021: NHS chief executive Simon Stevens says a 24/7 vaccinations pilot will begin in 10 days' time
The NHS in England is vaccinating at a rate of 140 jabs a minute, he says
Simon Stevens said he expects lockdown to be eased gradually, and it will be a "balance of risk"
Ten more mass Covid vaccination centres are to open in England from Monday
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says the government's aim is to vaccinate the adult population of the UK by September
It aims to get the first priority groups - 15 million people - a dose by 15 February
Lifting England's lockdown will not be a "big bang" but will see the reintroduction of the tiers system, Dominic Raab says
There will be increased checks on those who must quarantine after arriving in the UK, he says
More than half of the Church of England's 14,000 parishes are not expected to open for Sunday services today
Saturday's data for deaths in the UK within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test took the total by this measure to 88,590
France has begun a nationwide 6pm to 6am curfew, which will be in place for at least 15 days
At least 47 tennis players preparing for the Australian Open are in quarantine after positive cases on their flights
18 Jan 2021: Self-isolation: all exemptions cancelled. (SI2021/49)
Covid-19 vaccinations begin for people aged 70 and over in England
People listed as clinically extremely vulnerable will also start getting the Covid-19 jab
The move comes as 10 new mass vaccination hubs open across England
Vaccines minister Nadim Zahawi says once the top four priority groups are protected with jabs, restrictions could be eased from March
Zahawi says he is confident of meeting target to immunise 15m most vulnerable people by mid-February
He says 50% of over-80s had been vaccinated - and in some areas it is 90%
UK has shut its travel corridors until at least 15 February - but there are reports of long queues at Heathrow Airport
Guatemala's government says 21 people, among a group of thousands of migrants trying to reach the US, have tested positive for Covid-19
Australia is unlikely to fully open its borders in 2021, a senior health official says
19 Jan 2021: One in 10 people in the UK had antibodies against the virus by December, national statistics show
Almost 96,000 people have died with the virus, death certificates indicate
Criminal justice watchdogs have "grave concerns" about court backlogs
Campaigners take the UK government to court over claims support scheme discriminated against self-employed mothers
Unions call for tougher enforcement amid concerns bosses are breaking Covid safety rules
Stress, depression and anxiety among parents has increased with lockdown pressures, research suggests
Joe Biden's spokeswoman says the US will maintain travel bans on the UK, much of the EU and Brazil to mitigate spread of Covid-19
Two more Australian Open tennis players test positive
20 Jan 2021: Teachers and police officers could be given a Covid jab as a priority in the second phase of the UK's vaccination programme
The committee that recommends who has the vaccine will consider prioritising those with "exposure risks"
The UK's inflation rate surged to 0.6% in December from 0.3% in November, new figures say
That's despite Covid curbs that forced non-essential shops to shut in the run up to Christmas
Chancellor Angela Merkel appeals to EU countries to agree common measures to curb infections, as she extends Germany's lockdown
Some 1,610 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test were recorded in the UK on Tuesday - the biggest daily figure reported
There have been more than 96 million cases of the virus worldwide and two million people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University data
21 Jan 2021: The UK is giving 200 vaccinations every minute, Health Secretary Matt Hancock says
Hancock says the UK has now given more than five million doses of the vaccine to 4.6 million people
Coronavirus infection levels may have risen at the start of the latest lockdown, scientists tracking the spread in England say
Parents will be given two weeks' notice of return to schools in England, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says
He hopes to be able to restart daily testing in schools, after plans were paused on the advice of Public Health England
Another 65 vaccination centres in England are welcoming their first patients today
People forced to evacuate their flooded homes in England and Wales are being told they won't be breaking Covid restrictions to do so
Among newly-inaugurated US President Joe Bidens's first executive orders are steps to tackle the coronavirus crisis
EU leaders will meet via video later for a summit focusing on the vaccine rollout and how to contain the spread of new variants of Covid-19
A further 1,820 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test were reported in the UK on Wednesday
There have been more than 96 million cases of the virus worldwide and two million people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University data
22 Jan 2021: Additional measures: insert DR Congo & Tanzania (SI2021/68)
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will lead a Downing Street briefing at 17:00 GMT
Government sources firmly downplay the idea of a universal £500 Covid payment for people in England required to self-isolate
Financial support for people needing to self-isolate is a "key weakness" in the UK pandemic strategy, a scientist advising the government says
British retail sales saw their largest annual fall in history last year as the impact of the pandemic took its toll
Sales fell by 1.9% in 2020, when compared with 2019, the largest year-on-year fall since records began in 1997
The release of the next James Bond film No Time To Die is delayed for a third time because of the coronavirus pandemic
French President Macron says from Sunday anyone arriving in France from the EU will need a negative test taken within 72 hours of arrival
23 Jan 2021: From tonight, anyone outside in the Netherlands between 9pm and 4.30am must have a valid reason
Belgium bans people from taking foreign holidays while Finland tightens arrival rules
In the UK, doctors say gap between the first and second Pfizer vaccine jabs should be cut
EU expresses 'deep dissatisfaction' over delays in vaccine distribution
Doctors say 'it's not clear' yet that a variant of coronavirus first identified in the UK may be more deadly
A further 1,401 people have died in the UK with coronavirus within 28 days of a positive test
It is one year since Wuhan, where the virus emerged, began its lockdown
24 Jan 2021: Health Secretary says 75% of over-80s and three quarters of UK care homes have received a first Covid jab
Matt Hancock tells BBC 'no community transmission' of variant first found in South Africa
He says everything being done to stop spread new variants from Brazil and South Africa
He adds that there are a 'small number of cases' of the Brazil variant, which are being monitored closely
People who have received a Covid-19 vaccine are warned they could still pass the virus on to others
British employers made plans to cut 795,000 jobs last year
New Zealand reports first case of Covid-19 outside a quarantine facility in more than two months
25 Jan 2021: Tory MPs are asking the government to set out a "route map" for the reopening of schools in England
Schools will be a priority but nobody would want restrictions lifted so quickly while the rate of infection is still very high, PM says
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive
Prof Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, defends the UK's 12-week gap between first and second jabs
Riot police in the Netherlands have clashed with protesters angry at new coronavirus restrictions
Covid has exposed "tensions" between Westminster and the UK nations and regions, former PM Gordon Brown says
A third national lockdown will probably soon be needed in France, the country's top medical adviser says
26 Jan 2021: Ministers are expected to approve a plan to require UK citizens to quarantine in a hotel if they arrive in England from high-risk countries
They are meeting tonight to discuss the plan - a decision may not be announced until Wednesday
More than 100,000 deaths involving coronavirus have been registered in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics
The UK is confident it will receive enough doses of coronavirus vaccines to meet its targets, the vaccine minister has said
The EU warns it will tighten exports of vaccines produced in the bloc, amid a row with AstraZeneca over a cut in planned supplies
Protesters defying a Covid-19 curfew in the Netherlands have again clashed with riot police, after a weekend of unrest
Latin America's richest man Carlos Slim has tested positive for Covid-19
27 Jan 2021: UK PM Boris Johnson will take questions at noon and make a Covid-19 statement in the House of Commons at 13:30 GMT
Government did "all we possibly could" in fight against Covid, says UK minister Robert Jenrick
"There wasn't a textbook" on dealing with Covid he says, a day after the UK's death toll passes 100,000
"Monumental mistakes" were made, says Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth
AstraZeneca pulls out of a scheduled meeting with EU officials to discuss vaccine supplies, an EU official says
French pharmaceutical company Sanofi announces it will mass produce a Covid vaccine developed by its rivals Pfizer and BioNtech
British residents arriving in England from Covid hotspots will have to quarantine in hotels, government expected to announce
People in Belgium are now banned from non-essential travel abroad for tourism or leisure until 1 March
28 Jan 2021: The EU and UK-based AstraZeneca have vowed to work together to resolve a bitter row over supply shortages to the 27-member bloc
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to visit Scotland despite Sturgeon questioning whether the trip is necessary during lockdown
It would be "premature to imagine" lockdown restrictions in England will be lifted before 8 March, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove says
Black MPs from across the UK political spectrum join together in a video encouraging people to get the coronavirus vaccine
Imperial College London scientists tracking coronavirus in England say there are signs of "shallow decline" in infection levels but remain high
Social workers are braced for a "tsunami of needs" as the UK recovers from the pandemic, a union has warned
WHO team is out of quarantine and set for face-to-face meetings as part of their probe into the origins of the virus in the Chinese city of Wuhan
29 Jan 2021: Additional measures: insert Burundi, Rwanda and UAE. Prohibition on arrivals: insert an entry for UAE (SI2021/98)
A new coronavirus vaccine named Novavax has been shown to be 89.3% effective in large-scale UK trials
The Novavax jab is said to be the first vaccine to show in trials it is effective against the new virus variant found in the UK
The new vaccine will be "another weapon in our arsenal to beat this awful virus" if it is approved, says Health Secretary Matt Hancock
More than 60 suspected Covid outbreaks in offices were recorded in the first two weeks of the current lockdown in England, data shows
AstraZeneca lacks a "plausible explanation" for not delivering the number of doses promised, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says
There are hopes some pupils in Wales could return to school after the February half term
Pupils in England losing out on significant learning time due to the pandemic should be allowed to repeat a year, say education policy experts
Australian Open tennis players have begun to leave hotel quarantine after completing their 14-day isolation
30 Jan 2021: The EU reverses a decision to temporarily override part of the Brexit deal amid an ongoing row over Covid vaccine supplies in the bloc
The move could have seen checks at the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland to prevent shipments entering the UK
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster described the move as an "incredible act of hostility"
France announces tough new Covid-19 border restrictions, closing its borders to most non-EU travel
PM Boris Johnson publishes open letter to parents, saying he is "in awe" of how they are coping with home schooling
The WHO urges the UK to pause its vaccination programme once vulnerable groups have had their jabs, to ensure the global rollout is fair
Funeral directors consider asking bereaved families to agree in advance to pay any fines they might incur if their ceremony breaches Covid rules
Australian Open organisers allow 30,000 spectators a day - half the number of fans who would usually be allowed in due to the pandemic
31 Jan 2021: Public Health England's Dr Susan Hopkins expects to start seeing the impact of the vaccine over the next two weeks
Relaxing restrictions will need to be done "very cautiously", Public Health England's Dr Susan Hopkins says
The NHS will be under pressure with Covid patients until at least the end of March, she says
UK ministers say it is too soon to talk about donating some of its coronavirus vaccines to other countries
The World Health Organization has called on richer nations to commit to donating any excess supplies
UK-EU relations are being "reset" after the EU triggered a provision in the Brexit deal to control Covid vaccine exports
A night curfew will also be more tightly enforced and large shopping centres will close, the French PM says
Australian city of Perth is to enter a five-day lockdown after a security guard at a quarantine hotel gets coronavirus
Covid index - December 2020 - February 2021
Return to Covid index
© Jo Edkins 2024