A study has shed light on the impact of lockdown on the British high street. Over 11,000 outlets permanently closed in 2020, and the Local Data Company expects that this will be followed by 18,000 more closures in 2021.
The Scottish Government acted unlawfully in closing churches under coronavirus regulations, the Court of Sessions has ruled – just two days before communal worship is due to resume.
The "stay at home" message is behind a major fall in urgent lung cancer referrals, according to Cancer Research UK's GP adviser. Only 3% of sufferers survive for five years or more if diagnosed at the latest stage.
Domestic abuse has been called an "epidemic beneath a pandemic", with a massive increase in appeals for help over the past year. Refuge now records an average of 13,000 calls to its abuse helpline every month.
Children in the UK could start getting the Covid vaccine from August, much earlier than expected. Ministers are awaiting safety data on a child vaccine study being run by Oxford Uni before making their final decisions.
The number of excess deaths in England and Wales has fallen below zero for the first time in six months, according to ONS data. 11,000 people died in Week 10, which is 4.4% below the five-year average (511 deaths fewer).
Results from a US trial of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine may have used "outdated information" on its efficacy, casting doubt on whether the vaccine will be granted US emergency use authorization in the coming weeks.
New Covid rules which come into force on March 29th will make it illegal to go to an airport without a "reasonable" excuse. Rule breakers will face a fine of £5,000.
Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock have agreed to make Covid jabs mandatory for care home workers. And this is just the beginning – similar requirements are currently under consideration for other healthcare workers.
Boris Johnson has stressed the importance of keeping the vaccine rollout at its current pace due to the likelihood that the third wave of Covid infections across Europe will hit the UK as well.
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