Coronavirus UK update live: Latest news as vaccines pass 17 million

Every adult in England will be offered a vaccine by the end of July, Boris Johnson has announced.

The Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Express are among the papers leading on the news (although it is officially under embargo until 10.30pm).

There are also a few more details on the ‘lockdown easing roadmap’ due to be unveiled on Monday.

It envisages all schools reopening on 8 March, while people will be allowed to socialise with one other person.

Outdoor sports such as tennis and golf are expected to resume “shortly after”, and gatherings of two households outdoors could be allowed by Easter.

The main development today was the announcement that care home residents are to be allowed one regular indoor visitor from 8 March.

Visitors will have to take tests before each meeting and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) including face-coverings, but will be permitted to hold hands with their relative or friend.

A government advisor on coronavirus has called for an end to the ban on outdoor sport – at least for children and small numbers of adults.

Professor Mark Woolhouse, who is part of the Spi-M subgroup of Sage, told the Observer: “The data is extremely good, far better than anyone anticipated two or three wees ago.

“If we plan to ease lockdown in a data-driven way we should right now be looking at starting the process of coming out of lockdowns earlier than we were thinking two or three weeks ago.”

Nearly 1.7m Londoners have now received their first dose of the vaccine, according to the latest figures.

However we reported yesterday that nearly one in five (18.8 per cent) people aged 80 and over in the capital are yet to have their first Covid-19 jab. The average for England as a whole is just 6.6 per cent.

Israel has officially unveiled its plan to allow people who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend cultural events, fly abroad and go to health clubs and restaurants.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the scheme at a news conference on Saturday night, saying those who have been vaccinated will be able to download the “green badge” in the next few days.

“The green badge is gradually opening up the country,” he said, adding: “Get the green badge and come back to life”.

Israel has already vaccinated nearly half of its 9.3 million people and is now starting to gradually relax lockdown restrictions.

On Sunday, retail stores, shopping malls, gyms, some middle school grades and other public services for limited crowd sizes are set to start back up.

Mr Netanyahu said the government could not keep unvaccinated residents from places like medical clinics, pharmacies and supermarkets. But he said other services would be allowed only for those who have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Italy has reported 251 coronavirus-related deaths against 353 yesterday, the health ministry said.

The daily tally of new infections fell to 14,931 from 15,479 the day before.

Some 306,078 tests for COVID-19 were carried out in the past day, compared with a previous 297,128, the ministry said.

Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority has announced it is extending an entry ban for non-Kuwaiti citizens until further notice as part of coronavirus restriction measures.

The agency said citizens are still allowed to enter but they must spend a week in quarantine at a hotel and another week at home.

France’s new coronavirus cases compared to a week earlier his rose for the third day in a row.

The health ministry reported 22,371 cases today, compared to 21,231 last Saturday.

France also reported 183 coronavirus deaths in hospitals in past 24 hours, compared to 571 yesterday, when the tally included several days of death data in retirement homes as well.

Boris Johnson is said to be spending the weekend finalising plans for easing the lockdown in England, ahead of an official announcement on Monday.

The latest newspaper reports suggest a focus on relaxing the restrictions on gatherings by Easter, with a return to either the Rule of Six or allowing two separate households to meet outdoors regardless of the total number of people.

However Downing Street has dismissed as speculation reports that pubs could be permitted to serve customers outdoors from April.

Further leaks and speculation are expected in tomorrow’s newspapers, which should emerge at around 10pm.

Two women were caught disguised as elderly women to try and get Covid Vaccine shots, Florida health officials say.

The fake “grannies”, who were both in their 30s and 40s, appeared at the Orange County Convention Center wearing hats, gloves and glasses.