HEADLINES yesterday were dominated by the sad passing of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. But here's what you need to know about the Covid pandemic: 

  • People can “start to think” about booking overseas summer holidays, according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. The Cabinet minister said it is the first time in “many months” he was not advising against booking foreign trips. His comments came just five days after Downing Street published a document which urged people “not to book summer holidays abroad until the picture is clearer”. 
  • On Friday Mr Shapps announced a “framework” for the resumption of overseas leisure travel, which included requiring all arrivals to take pre-departure and post-arrival coronavirus tests. Post-arrival tests must be the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) type which cost about £120, he said. This led to a furious backlash from the travel industry, which wants travellers returning from low-risk countries to be allowed to take lateral flow tests, which are cheaper and quicker.
  • The Government risks “wasting a huge amount of money” on coronavirus testing unless more support is given to people to self-isolate, a scientific adviser has said. Professor Stephen Reicher, from the University of St Andrews and a member of the Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours (Spi-B), which advises ministers, said more financial and practical support is needed. People in England can have two rapid coronavirus tests per week from Friday, which can produce results in around half an hour. The lateral flow kits are available free of charge at approved testing sites, pharmacies and by post.
  • A campaign is being launched calling on drinkers to support local independent brewers when pubs reopen next week. Around five million pints of cask beer are estimated to have been poured away because of the coronavirus crisis, with the brewers who made it left to foot the bill. Sales of hand-pulled cask beer, which can only be sold in pubs, have been hit hard by Covid restrictions, with sales down 70 per cent over the last year. The Cask Is Back, So Back Cask campaign is backed by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), the British Institute of Innkeeping, and Cask Marque.
  • Kate Garraway says it is “amazing” to have husband Derek Draper home. Former political adviser Draper, 53, was admitted to hospital in March last year with coronavirus symptoms. Presenter Garraway, also 53, told Good Morning Britain of the decision to bring him home: “It felt as though everything had stalled medically and, if anything, was going slightly back.” She said doctors decided “let’s give this a go, get him home safely”, to see whether being in the family environment again helps.
  • Sports Direct owner Frasers Group has warned it could take a hit in excess of £200 million due to the Covid-19 restrictions – double its previous estimate in February. The retailer said it believes further restrictions are “almost certain”, believing a writedown against freehold values and other non-cash impairments will be required.
  • Yesterday, more than 150 further cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the North-East and North Yorkshire. But total number of reported cases was reduced today, after more than 8,000 cases were removed from data tables. These included 313 cases in the North-East and 76 cases in North Yorkshire. The Government’s Coronavirus dashboard said it was due to a change in how cases are reported
  • The Government said a further 60 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Friday, bringing the UK total to 127,040. Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have been 150,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. The Government also said that, as of 9am on Friday, there had been a further 3,150 lab-confirmed cases in the UK. One death was reported at a hospital in the region, in Gateshead.