As the UK death tolls ticks over the grim figure of 100,00, here is your key Covid news from the past 24-hours: 

  • Government data up to January 25 shows of the 7,325,773 jabs given in the UK so far, 6,853,327 were first doses – a rise of 279,757 on the previous day’s figures. Some 472,446 were second doses, an increase of 1,968 on figures released the previous day. The seven-day rolling average of first doses given in the UK is now 369,536. Based on the latest figures, an average of 407,334 first doses of vaccine would be needed each day in order to meet the Government’s target of 15 million first doses by February 15.
  • The Government said a further 1,631 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, bringing the UK total to 100,162. Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 115,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK. The Government also said that, as of 9am on Tuesday, there had been a further 20,089 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK. It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 3,689,746.
  • Boris Johnson has said it is “hard to compute the sorrow contained in that grim statistic” of the Government’s figure for coronavirus deaths having passed 100,000. The Prime Minister told the Downing Street press conference: “I’m sorry to have to tell you that today the number of deaths recorded from Covid in the UK has surpassed 100,000. It’s hard to compute the sorrow contained in that grim statistic: The years of life lost, the family gatherings not attended and for so many relatives the missed chance to even say goodbye.”
  • Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government’s measure for the coronavirus death toll having passed 100,000 is “heart-breaking” and warned there is still “a tough period ahead”.
  • Hotel quarantine measures could wipe out nearly £548 million per day from the UK economy in lost travel, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). WTTC chief executive Gloria Guevara said: “The Government has a duty to share its economic impact assessment so we fully understand the effect these measures will have on the sector and the wider economy. If the UK is to have any hope of reviving the economy after the pandemic, we have to protect a sector which will be instrumental in kick-starting it.”
  • Britain’s unemployment rate has soared to its highest level for more than four years as official figures showed more than 200,000 workers lost their jobs in the three months to November. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the unemployment rate reached 5 per cent in the quarter for the first time since early 2016, with the second lockdown ripping through the UK jobs market. As the number of unemployed rose to a five-year high of 1.72 million, redundancies also surged to a new record and the growth in vacancies halved as the second wave of the pandemic struck. The North East Chamber of Commerce last night urged the Government to strengthen its support for business as Britain’s unemployment rate soared to its highest level for more than four years.
  • The UK will work with the European Union to ensure there is no disruption to the supply of coronavirus vaccines, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said. Speaking at a webinar event hosted by Chatham House on Tuesday, Mr Hancock said that vaccine protectionism “was not the right approach”, following the EU’s proposal to impose tight controls on the export of Covid-19 vaccines made in the bloc. Mr Hancock said: “We oppose protectionism in all its forms and I think protectionism is unfortunate, especially so in the midst of a pandemic, when we are working so closely together with countries right around the world.”
  • Boris Johnson has declined to give NHS staff in England a financial bonus as a gesture of support after health and social care colleagues in Scotland got a £500 payment. Instead, the Prime Minister told the Downing Street press conference: “We do our absolute utmost to support our wonderful NHS staff and indeed have had a three-year pay package for nurses, that I think was 12.8%, and will continue to invest record sums in the NHS. I think the amount we invested in the NHS even before the pandemic began was more than any time in modern memory, £34 billion package of investment, and that will continue under this Government.”
  • Nearly 100 computers have been donated to a community campaign to help ensure every child is able to complete their school work in lockdown. But at least another 900 are needed in Redcar and Cleveland for every school child to have their own laptop or tablet – and community heroes have vowed to make it happen. The #compsforkids campaign is the work of Redcar group Ladies of Steel, Marske and New Marske Community Information Group (MNMCIG) and Redcar businessman Ja Reed of EnterIT who has been refurbishing the computers for free.
  • A further 1,008 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the North-East and North Yorkshire in the last day. Here is a breakdown of the total number of confirmed cases in the region since the start of the pandemic: County Durham: 31,663 was 31,494; Darlington: 5,931 was 5,897; Gateshead: 11,768 was 11,724

    Hartlepool: 7,426 was 7,373; Middlesbrough: 9,844 was  9,794; Newcastle: 20,599 was 20,514;  North Tyneside: 10,054 was 10,002; North Yorkshire: 24,948 was 24,829; Northumberland: 14,547 was 14,494; Redcar and Cleveland: 7,627 was 7,578; South Tyneside: 9,684 was 9,629; Stockton: 12,714 was 12,627; Sunderland: 17,928 was 17,811; York: 10,779 was 10,738. Total: 1,008