Coronavirus latest news – New York variant hits the UK as holidays abroad BANNED until end of June

WHAT IS STEP FOUR?

This will take place no earlier than June 21 and will hopefully see all restrictions on social contact removed.

Before this step the government will review the wearing of face masks and social distancing in public.

Nightclubs and other remaining venues will be reopened and restrictions on large events will also be eased.

WHAT IS STEP THREE?

This will come into place no earlier than May 17. Most restrictions on social contact outdoors will be lifted while gatherings of more than 30 people will still be banned.

The Rule of Six or the two households rule will be reviewed and potentially changed.

Indoor hospitality - such as restaurants, pubs and cafes - will reopen and there will be no curfew. Cinemas will finally reopen in Step 3 as well along with hotels, hostels and B&Bs.

Indoors venues hosting entertainment or sporting events will also reopen with a maximum capacity of 1,000 people.

Outdoor entertainment venues will be allowed a capacity of 4,000 while larger, seated, outdoor venues will bed allowed to gave 10,000 people attending.

Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings and funerals.

WHAT IS STEP TWO?

This will come into place on April 12. As already laid out in the government's roadmap, non-essential shops will reopen as well as gyms and public buildings such as libraries.

Outdoor venues such as zoos, drive-in cinemas and other outdoor hospitality venues will be opening up to the public.

People drinking in outdoors venues, such as pub gardens, will not be required to order food but must eat and drink while seated. Campsites and holidays lets will also be open for business.

WHAT IS STEP ONE?

From March 29, all of England will be in be under Step 1 restrictions. This means the Rule of Six is back with outdoors gatherings, including in gardens, being permitted.

Two separate households will also be allowed to meet up outside. The Stay at Home rule will also end on March 29 meaning Brits will no longer have to stay 'local' when leaving their homes.

There is also a loophole regarding to two households mixing indoors called the 'linked childcare household.' Two households can meet if one has a child aged 13 or under which the second household looks after.

Peaceful protests will also be allowed under the new rule from March 29.

NO. 10'S 'STEPS' OUT OF LOCKDOWN

The Government's roadmap out of lockdown will come into law next Monday as the UK looks to leave its Covid nightmare behind.

And after the 'Tier' system last year, Downing Street's new system will now evolve around 'Steps' - with 'Step 1' having the most severe restrictions.

Rule changes including a ban on foreign holidays. The rules on household mixing have also changed meaning two families can mix indoors but only if there are kids aged under 13.

TURKEY'S COVID INCREASE

Turkey has recorded 22,216 new COVID-19 cases - the highest daily rise so far this year.

The country's health ministry data showed that cases are continuing to increase after coronavirus-control measures were eased earlier this month.

The cumulative number of cases stood at 3,035,338, data also showed, while the number of deaths rose by 117 to 30,178.

STAFFORDSHIRE SCHOOL FORCED TO CLOSE

A school in Staffordshire has been forced to close to all but vulnerable and key worker students due to a "significant rise" in positive COVID-19 cases.

Polesworth School in Tamworth announced today it would shut its doors for two days to the majority of its students because of a rise in infections in a 24 hour period, Birmingham Live reported.

Students will continue to with home learning in the meantime.  

"Unfortunately we have had to close for a couple of days in the first instance due to a significant rise in the number of positive cases," head teacher Maura Favell said.

PUTIN BLASTS VACCINE WAR

Vladimir Putin today blasted the "confrontational" EU over the AstraZeneca jab war and even questioned whether it is putting citizens first.

The Russian leader hit back after one top bloc official said it didn't need Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine despite reports Germany was poised to strike a deal to get hold of it.

“It’s a strange statement. We’re not imposing anything on anyone,” Putin said at a televised meeting about his country's vaccine programme.

“This raises a question: Whose interests are these people defending and representing?," he added, as it was revealed he will receive his vaccine tomorrow.

"The interests of some pharmaceutical companies or those of the citizens of European countries?”

HOLIDAYS ILLEGAL FOR BRITS

Brits face an official holiday ban in law from Monday - with the risk of a £5,000 fine for escaping.

Under new Covid laws, which were published by ministers today, people across the country will be officially banned from leaving the country without a reasonable excuse. 

Previously the holiday ban was implied, as it was not one of the reasons people are allowed to leave their homes.

30 MILLION VACCINE MILESTONE

Matt Hancock has tweeted his thanks after as over 30 million vaccines have now been delivered across Britain. 

The Health Secretary wrote: “The vaccine roll-out is showing the best of Britain - THANK YOU to the team involved.”

FRANCE REPORTS MORE COVID DEATHS

France has reported 343 more COVID-19 deaths and 15,792 new cases.

The number of cases is a drop from the 30,581 reported on Sunday - taking the country's total number of deaths to 92,621. 

Last week, France reported 35,000 new coronavirus cases in one day with as many as 10% being the South African variant. 

ITALY COVID DEATHS INCREASE

Italy has recorded another 386 COVID-19 deaths - up from 300 deaths recorded the day before.

The country’s daily number of new infections decreased to 13,846 from 20,159.

Italy has registered 105,328 deaths linked to coronavirus since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the ministry reported - the second-highest deaths figure in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world

KATE GARRAWAY MAY HAVE TO GIVE UP GOOD MORNING BRITAIN

Kate Garraway has admitted she "fears the reality" of giving up her presenting gig in order to provide 24-hour care for her husband.

Former political advisor Derek Draper is still in hospital after being contracting coronavirus last year and being placed in a coma.

She realises their marriage will be a "completely different dynamic" when he is able to leave hospial.

She tells their son Bill in a new ITV documentary Finding Derek: "You know that we are hoping that dad will get better and better, but when he comes home he will probably need to be in a wheelchair, so we are trying to make it so he can do all this.

"And if I have to give up work to care for him then it is best to do it now when I am earning money.

WEEKLY COVID RATES FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Out of the 315 local areas in England, 138 of them have seen a rise in coronavirus case rates.

There has been a fall in cases in 171 areas, and six remain unchanged.

Barnsley currently holds the highest rate in England after recording 483 new cases from March 11 - March 18.

The second highest rate is in Corby, Northamptonshire - seeing an additional 137 new cases.

MATT HANCOCK THANKS VACCINE DISTRIBUTORS

Britain's Health Secretary expressed his thanks to the amazing front-line workers involved in the vaccine rollout, after the total number of doses administered passed 30 million.

He said on Twitter: "Over 30 MILLION vaccines have now been delivered across the whole UK The vaccine roll-out is showing the best of Britain - THANK YOU to the team involved."

Government data up to March 21 shows that 30,279,360 vaccines have been given in the UK.

NHS DOC SAYS SHE IS "SO THANKFUL" AFTER RECORD BREAKING VACCINE FIGURES

HOW MAY VACCINES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED IN THE UK?

Government data up to March 21 shows that of the 30,279,360 jabs given in the UK so far, 27,997,976 were first doses - a rise of 367,006 on the previous day.

Some 2,281,384 were second doses, an increase of 52,612.

PROTESTS ARE PERMITTED UNDER NEW COVID LAWS

People will be allowed to participate in protests under the new coronavirus laws that come into action next week.

From March 29, protesting will be the exception to the rules banning group gatherings.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021, states it is permitted if "it is organised by a business, a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution, a public body or a political body".

Demonstrations are only allowed if the organiser "takes the required precautions in relation to the gathering";, such as making the event "Covid-secure" by encouraging people to wear masks and social distance.

WHAT DOES THE ASTRAZENECA STUDY MEAN FOR AMERICA?

American authorities insisted that the AstraZeneca vaccine had to be trialed in the US before it could be approved for use in the US.

The study has also proved extremely significant in calming fears that the jab was unsafe, despite leading British experts and the World Health Organisation continuously insisting it was.

AstraZeneca said it will apply for US approval in the next weeks, which suggests it could be authorised for use by next month.

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) meeting on the matter has not yet been scheduled.

ASTRAZENECA STUDY TURNS VACCINE TIDES

The US study into the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine showed "no safety concerns related to the vaccine," the manufacturers said.

Data was collected from 32,449 to help calm fears the vaccine was responsible for causing blood clots.

The drug was 80% effective among participants 65 years and older - which proves a pivotal piece of information for the elderly due to the lack of European data on the matter.

The independent investigators found there were no concerns regarding blood clots, thrombosis, or rare cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.

It comes after a number of European countries stopped using the vaccine amid concerns it was detrimental to a subject's health.

​ASTRAZENECA VACCINE IS 100% EFFECTIVE AGAINST SEVERE ILLNESS, US STUDY SAYS

The AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine is 100% effective against severe or critical disease and hospitalisation, according to a US study.

The manufacturers announced an independent safety committee and an independent neurologist conducted an intense review into the drug after fears it caused blood clots.

The study explored the claims, as well as exploring the odds of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), which is an extremely rare blood clot in the brain.

The ground-breaking study found that the vaccine was 79% effective in preventing symptomatic illness, and was 100 percent effective against severe or critical disease and hospitalisation.

VLAD'S VACCINE WILL NOT BE A "PUBLIC EVENT"

Vladimir Putin receiving the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine will not be a "public event".

It has not yet been revealed which of three Russian doses will be injected into his arm.

“Vaccination is a voluntary act,” Putin said.

“It is a personal decision. By the way, I am going to do it (get vaccinated) tomorrow.”

BAN ON LEAVING UK WITHOUT REASONABLE EXCUSE UNDER NEW COVID LAWS

New legislation is being brought in next week banning travellers from leaving the UK without a reasonable excuse.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021, laws come into force on March 29 and were published today.

It suggests anyone found to be in breach of the rules could be hit with a £5,000 fine. The rules will be reviewed by the Government every 35 days.

According to the legal document: "The Regulations also impose restrictions on leaving the United Kingdom without a reasonable excuse (regulation 8)."

The law says no-one may "leave England to travel to a destination outside the United Kingdom, or travel to, or be present at, an embarkation point for the purpose of travelling from there to a destination outside the United Kingdom" without a reasonable excuse.

CONTINUED

France: has announced UK visitors can enter with a negative PCR test carried out 72 hours before departure. However, a self-isolation period of seven days is required, and another test must be taken at the end of this period.

Cyprus: Brits who have had both vaccine doses will be welcomed from May 1 without needing to provide proof of a negative test or any self-isolating requirements.

Italy: Non-essential visitors from the UK are banned until April 6 at the earliest, due to fears regarding the UK variant. A molecular or antigen swab test must be taken 72 hours before arrival, and a second test must be taken 48 hours later.

HOW DO HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS PLAN TO OPEN UP TO TOURISTS?

Greece: is aiming to reopen its borders to holidaymakers who are vaccinated and provide a recent negative test or have coronavirus antibodies, from May 14

Spain: wants to open up "as soon as possible" but has not confirmed any concrete plans. It is considering the use of vaccine passports from May.

Portugal: intends to allow UK visitors from May 17, closely coinciding with the date Brits can travel for leisure. It is believed tourists will be able tto enter if they show evidence that they have been vaccinated, have coronavirus antibodies or have received a recent negative test.