HEADLINES are sure to be dominated by election news, but there's everything you need to know about the pandemic: 

  • The Government said a further 27 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, bringing the UK total to 127,570. Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have been 152,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. The Government also said that, as of 9am on Wednesday, there had been a further 2,144 lab-confirmed cases in the UK. It brings the total to 4,425,940.
  • Ministers, health chiefs and Government scientists are stepping up preparations for an autumn booster vaccination campaign to protect against a third wave of coronavirus. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said scientists are looking at a range of options, including new jabs to protect against variants or mixing the types of injections given, so if a patient had AstraZeneca for their initial doses they could be given Pfizer as a booster. “We want them to be able, if they need to, from September onwards to boost those that are most vulnerable,” Mr Zahawi said. The Government has already ordered 60 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine in preparation for a booster campaign.
  • Vue has announced the reopening of its venue in Darlington with tickets available to pre-book now. From Monday, May 17, film fans can head back to the big screen as Vue Darlington reopens. From well-loved classics to a selection of theatre, sport screenings and new releases, the cinema chain says there will be something for everyone from opening day.
  • A pub has apologised after suggesting it would not serve those over the age of 25 after a certain time each evening. Bosses at The Blue Bell in Usworth, Washington, took to social media following an earlier post that said it would become an 'over 25s' pub at 7pm each day. At the time their decision, which they said was needed to "safeguard" its neighbours from noise, received a significant amount of backlash online. But in a statement this afternoon, pub bosses apologised for causing offence while saying that had not been their intention. 
  • The date an iconic department store in the North-East will close for good has been confirmed - as the retailer confirms its closure plans. Debenhams has confirmed its Newcastle City Centre store will close along with all remaining sites on May 15 for the final time.  It follows on from the chain's collapse at the end of last year, with the closure of all its store after Boohoo agreed to only buy its website and brand in a £55m rescue deal. Debenhams had already confirmed that 52 of its remaining 101 stores will shut this Saturday.
  • Brighton Pride festivities have been cancelled for the second year running due to concerns over mass gatherings. Organisers say they are “heartbroken” by the news, which comes despite the rollout of coronavirus vaccines. The event normally brings thousands of people to East Sussex city, with around 300,000 attending in 2019. The usual parade, party and festival had been scheduled to take place on August 7 and 8 this summer, but organisers said there are “uncertainties that need to be resolved to safely deliver mass gatherings”.
  • There were a further 215 confirmed cases of Covid across the North-East and North Yorkshire in the last 24 hours. The breakdown is as follows:

County Durham – 38,149 was 38,110  

Darlington – 7,560 was 7,553

Gateshead – 13,800 was 13,792

Hartlepool – 8,935 was 8,929

Middlesbrough – 12,527 was 12,509

North Yorkshire – 29,972 was 29,936

North Tyneside – 12,550 was 12,532

Newcastle upon Tyne 23,735 – was 23,699

Redcar and Cleveland – 9,334 was 9,329

South Tyneside – 11,379 was 11,369

Stockton-on-Tees – 15,959 was 15,941

Sunderland – 22,132 was 22,126

York – 12,290 was 12,283