i'm martine croxall building up to the latest coronavirus briefing from the government today led by the health secretary matt hancock. nurses prepare for strikes over a proposed pay rise of 1% this year. nhs staff who've worked through the pandemic urge the government to think again: ijust implore boris to just take himself back to this time last year, i believe, when he was taken care for in a fantastic nhs hospital and was given excellent care and that's what we give. no other public sector employee is receiving a pay rise and, so, it's against that backdrop

that the government has decided that all we can afford is the 1%. new figures show the number of people with coronavirus fell by about a third last week across the uk. the mystery person who tested positive for the brazil variant of concern in the uk has been found following a nationwide hunt. from monday, passengers travelling internationally from england will need to carry a new form setting out that their trip is permitted under current restrictions. cyprus says any britons who've had both doses of a vaccine can travel there without quarantine, from may 1st, even though foreign holidays will still be illegal. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. in half an hour, we'll bring you the latest coronavirus briefing from the government, led today by the health secretary matt hancock.

first, today's main news. unions are calling it a kick in the teeth — nhs staff in england have reacted angrily to the government proposal of a 1% pay—rise. ministers say it's "what's affordable" at the moment and that many other public sector workers are about to have their pay frozen. labour says nhs staff need to be properly rewarded for their efforts during the pandemic. the royal college of nursing has called the pay proposals "pitiful" and has set up a £35 million fund to prepare for possible strike action. it comes as new data from the office for national statistics shows levels of coronavirus infections in the uk continue to fall — in fact, they're down by about a third in the most recent week of data. the latest r number is between 0.7 and 0.9, suggesting infection numbers are shrinking. it means that, on average, every ten people with covid will infect between seven and nine others. and, this afternoon, officials have confirmed that the mystery individual in england who tested positive for the concerning brazilian variant

of covid—19 has been found. more on that shortly but first with more on that pay rise dispute, here's our political correspondent, iain watson. nhs staff have been working hand—in—glove with each other, pulling together in a pandemic unprecedented in their lifetimes. for many, the cost hasn't just been financial. it has been a difficult, difficult time. i know nurses that have been suffering with ptsd. for some nurses, i honestly believe this is going to be the final straw. well before the pandemic in 2018, a three—year pay settlement was agreed in england, but now a new deal is needed for the next financial year. the government submission to the nhs pay review body proposes a i% pay rise for health service staff in england. the royal college of nursing have said this is "pitiful," saying it would amount to only an extra £3.50 a week take—home pay for an experienced nurse, and they're calling for a 12.5% increase.

but the government insists that nhs pay is more generous than it first appears. those earning less than £24,000 will get a bigger cash injection than i%. nurses have had an increase of 12% over the past three years, and newly—qualified junior doctors can get an 8% rise. health ministers say that nhs staff in england have been well treated compared to everyone else in public service jobs, and they were pleased that the chancellor could find any extra cash at all. i knew that we had frozen public sector pay, that no—one in the public sector was receiving a pay rise, so i was pleasantly surprised that we were making an offer. and i think it'sjust worth mentioning as well that in the private sector, many people are actually losing theirjobs and have been on very much reduced incomes over the past year. it may feel like winter, but the political temperature is rising. this morning, the nurses�* union, the rcn, said they were setting up a £35 million strike fund.

this would be to compensate their members for any loss of earnings if they decide to take action over pay. it's notjust health service workers who've been on the front line during the pandemic. teachers have been holding classes for children of key workers, police and other emergency services can't work from home, so labour wants to see everyone in the public service rewarded with an increase. public sector workers should get a pay rise, they shouldn't have their pay frozen. they have been keeping our country going throughout this pandemic. it is absolutely wrong to freeze their pay at this time. but labour hasn't said how the estimated cost of £1 billion would be met, and the party has ruled out any emergency tax rises. the government has been keen to show its appreciation for nhs staff, but health unions say last year's clap for carers has been replaced now by a hands—off attitude to public sector pay. iain watson, bbc news, westminster. patricia marquis is a regional director at the royal college of nursing.

thank you very much forjoining us here. what has the reaction been of yawning members of the proposalfor a i% pay rise? yawning members of the proposal for a 196 pay rise?— a 1% pay rise? initially last night --eole a 1% pay rise? initially last night peeple were _ a 1% pay rise? initially last night peeple were pretty _ a 1% pay rise? initially last night people were pretty speechless l a 1% pay rise? initially last night i people were pretty speechless and started off very upset because of the signal that it sends. today, we continue to be really upset but also now quite angry at the message that it sends about the value placed on their time, their efforts is really incredibly hard—working professionals who have gone above and beyond over the last year, who, for the last ten years, have seen a real term pay cut. so, that anger is really, really palpable amongst health care workers and our nurses. the rcn have said the government should expect a backlash from nhs

workers. in what form? we should expect a backlash from nhs workers. in what form?— workers. in what form? we can already see _ workers. in what form? we can already see the _ workers. in what form? we can already see the backlash - workers. in what form? we can already see the backlash where workers. in what form? we can - already see the backlash where many people are speaking out to say this is not right. as time moves forward we wait to see what the pay review body says in response to the government and in response to the evidence from all the other stakeholders. should the government stick with its 1% or the pay review not fund whatever it is the pay review body says, then i think it is likely we start to see significant disruption. i don't know whether industrial action will be where we end up but it is certainly in the minds of our members at the moment. you are putting a fun together of £35 million, where does it come from and what is it for? it £35 million, where does it come from and what is it for?— and what is it for? it comes from the rcn's _ and what is it for? it comes from the rcn's funds _ and what is it for? it comes from the rcn's funds and _ and what is it for? it comes from the rcn's funds and it _ and what is it for? it comes from the rcn's funds and it is - and what is it for? it comes from the rcn's funds and it is for - the rcn's funds and it is for compensating in some small way our members if in fact they end up taking strike action and end up losing pay as a result of that. i

believe the royal college of nursing has said nurses deserve a 12.5% increase. that sounds fantastical when you think of the state of the country's finances. how could you justify that when the government is saying i% is all we can afford? irate saying 1% is all we can afford? we have ut saying 1% is all we can afford? - have put out evidence into the pay review body to make the case for the 12.5% claim we have put in. lots of it is based on the fact that over the last 12 years despite what the government wants to keep claiming nursing pay has fallen behind what it was over ten years ago by over 12.5%. what it was over ten years ago by over i2.5%. what we are trying to do is bring it back to the level it was ten years ago which is not... nobody has ever been as a nurse well paid but what we saw before the pandemic were 40,000 nursing vacancies in the nhs in england and that gap has been

there for some time and will re—emerge as we come out of this pandemic at a time when the nhs is going to have to function above what it normally functions to try to catch up. so, that gap will have been caused by the huge pay rates and lack of value given to nurses by the government and that is where our claim comes from. in the government and that is where our claim comes from.— claim comes from. in spite of that we have reported _ claim comes from. in spite of that we have reported in _ claim comes from. in spite of that we have reported in recent - claim comes from. in spite of that we have reported in recent weeks| we have reported in recent weeks that it we have reported in recent weeks thatitis we have reported in recent weeks that it is professions, like nursing, that have seen more and more people making inquiries about how they train to become nurses because they recognise the importance of the role, and also the stability of such a profession in times of a pandemic when otherjobs have fallen by the wayside which would seem at odds with what you are saying about an exodus or vacancies. we are very pleased to see there is a real increase in numbers of people interested in becoming nurses and other health care professionals but

the reality is those that are already there are burnt out, exhausted and totally demoralised by what has happened to them over the last year and what has been dealt to them by the government and there is a real risk of a mass exodus large numbers of people who are in the category that they can read who have chosen to stay to support both the pandemic and because previously they enjoyed their work. and now they are being told, do you know what, we don't value you. so there is a risk that we will do is highly experienced, long—standing experts from the service who may be replaced, we would hope long—term but possibly temporarily, by a fair number of new people coming and so it is good news there is more people interested but we need to keep those that we have got. we are already reliant on overseas nurses in large numbers, which is fabulous for our communities but actually means we are not growing enough ourselves

which is what we need to do. but we also need to retain those long—standing experts that we've already got in the service. long-standing experts that we've already got in the service. patricia marc uis already got in the service. patricia marquis from _ already got in the service. patricia marquis from the _ already got in the service. patricia marquis from the royal _ already got in the service. patricia marquis from the royal college i already got in the service. patricia marquis from the royal college of nursing, thank you very much for your time this afternoon. with me now is our political correspondent helen catt. we know how much pressure health professionals have been underfor the last year so why does the government think offering a i% pay rises adequate? government think offering a 1% pay rises adequate?— government think offering a 1% pay rises adequate? certainly you heard the 're rises adequate? certainly you heard they're some _ rises adequate? certainly you heard they're some of _ rises adequate? certainly you heard they're some of the _ rises adequate? certainly you heard they're some of the response - rises adequate? certainly you heard they're some of the response is - rises adequate? certainly you heard they're some of the response is the| they're some of the response is the anger that in a sense the warm words we've heard from ministers over the last year and are not matched in cold hard cash with this pay offer, and that is a sense of the reaction we are getting today. the argument from government is this is what is affordable, that other public sector workers are not getting any pay increase whereas nhs staff are. there is some debate raging about whether by the end of this year this

will count as a pay rise at all. why is that? that's to do with the rate of inflation. the government is seeing this pay rise of i% is above the current rate of inflation, which is 0.7% but there are some forecasts which suggest inflation will rise by this time next year it could be above i%, therefore the pay rise will not have matched the rate at which the cost of goods and services that we buy has gone up making it an effective pay cut. labour argues that should be taken into account. it is in putting a figure on what they think the rise should be but to cater for that you'd be looking at a cost of about £1 billion so there is quite a lot of debate raging around all aspects of this. there is this review body which is looking, it was hinted at there, looking at what the government needs to do to be able to keep hold of nurses and to attract new ones into the profession. it isn't impossible but it may come back and say it needs to be more than i% to do that so there is a lot of debate still to go on this. we

have the health secretary hosting for downing street at 5pm which we will be taking alive so what are we expecting him to talk about today? what he will want to talk about his mental health support for children. the government announced it is putting £79 million into that, ahead of all children going back into classrooms in england on monday. there are worries about the toll that isolation from other children, then not being in school, has taken over the last few months so this is an effort to try to boost that mental health support. however we are probably going to hear quite a lot about the person they have found who had the brazil variant. there was huge pressure on the government over its border policy and this policy for people coming into the country and huge pressure somebody had effectively managed to get through that and go missing. they found that person and i'd expect to hear a bit more about that. i'd expect by the time we get to those

questions from journalists we will hear a lot more about nurses pay and nhs pay. hear a lot more about nurses pay and nhs -a . . ., hear a lot more about nurses pay and nhs -a. ., ,, hear a lot more about nurses pay and nhs a. ., , hear a lot more about nurses pay and nhsa. . , . ., hear a lot more about nurses pay and nhsa. .,«_, , . ., nhs pay. thank you very much for the moment. coronavirus _ nhs pay. thank you very much for the moment. coronavirus infection - nhs pay. thank you very much for the moment. coronavirus infection rates | moment. coronavirus infection rates are continuing to fall across the uk according to the office for national statistics. the data suggest the number of people with the virus fell by about a third last week. the r number currently stands at between 0.7 and 0.9, meaning the prevalence of the virus is decreasing. as the vaccination programme continues, bbc news has found that some people with asthma who are eligible for a jab are being refused one, by some gps. 0ur health correspondent katharine da costa reports. as a child, sophie says she was hospitalised many times because of her asthma. she takes a daily steroid to manage the condition, but was told by her gp she would still have to wait for her age group, the over 40s, to get her vaccine. i've had bronchitis and pneumonia several times, so i probably have lung scarring. i was told that i am in phase two

because of my age group. government guidance recommends that those with severe asthma should be prioritised in group six. that includes anyone hospitalised with the condition. but some patients are being told only recent hospital admissions count. campaigners want more clarity. we think there needs to be an urgent communication out to gps to clarify the guidance. and also to help find these people, if gp systems are not quite fit for purpose in this regard. it also speaks to gps being able to use their clinicaljudgment. distance while the uk is moving apace, vaccinating more than one in three adults, the eu is still lagging behind. production delays have affected both pfizer and astrazeneca. italy has now blocked a shipment of a quarter of a million doses of vaccine to australia. it's a little ironic that europe

didn't seem very keen - on the astrazeneca vaccine a few weeks ago and all of a sudden i once the uk demonstrated it was a good vaccine, - we see a shipment. to australia blocked. back in the uk, infections continue to fall from a peak in early january. the latest survey from the office of national statistics show the number of people with the virus dropped by about a third and this week's data. in england, one in 220 had the virus. it was one in 285 in wales, one in 325 in northern ireland and in scotland one in 335 had the virus. it grows exponentially. and falls exponentially. so this could be things continuing to come down at the same rate. i if you look at hospital figures, - they show a more consistent decline and there is no particular indication of that - slowing anytime soon.

the government has promised a bumper month, as vaccine supply here is ramped up. but keeping infections low is seen as crucial to protect those still waiting for a jab and to minimise the risk if new variants emerge. katharine da costa, bbc news. katharine da costa is with me. we have been reporting that the person who was being sought, who had tested positive for the brazilian variant has now been found. that is riuht. variant has now been found. that is riht. it variant has now been found. that is riuht. it is variant has now been found. that is right. it is understood _ variant has now been found. that is right. it is understood public- right. it is understood public health england have located the individual and traced their contacts. there is very little more detail known about them at the moment, more is likely to be set out by the health secretary later. six cases of the brazil variant was discovered in the uk last month, three in scotland and three in england. 0f three in scotland and three in england. of the three cases in scotland people tested positive and they were isolating after having come back from brazil. two cases in

england were in the same household in south gloucestershire. the individual who was missing, it is thought they took a home testing kit but did not fill in the registration form correctly. public health england launched a search for them and they narrowed down about 380 households in the south—east. the pi variant was first detected in travellers in japan variant was first detected in travellers injapan coming back from manaus in northern brazil injanuary and it is a concern because there are early signs it is more contagious and it might be able to escape immunity from vaccines and past infection. current uk vaccines have not been tested against that variant but work is under way to tweak the vaccines to get a better match to new variants of concern. updated vaccines could be ready in a matter of months, so they could be ready if a new booster shot is needed by the autumn. that ready if a new booster shot is needed by the autumn. that is good news. needed by the autumn. that is good news- thank — needed by the autumn. that is good news. thank you _ needed by the autumn. that is good news. thank you very _ needed by the autumn. that is good news. thank you very much. - thank you very much. let's get more on the latest data with dr mike tildesley

from the university of warwick — he's a member of the sage subgroup, the scientific pandemic influenza group on modelling, known as spim. the group provides advice about infectious disease modelling to the government. welcome, nice to have you back. we are told that things are improving. we are told that the vaccination programme will have an effect, but when are we going to see that fully translated into data? we tend to report figures on a daily basis and that might not be the most helpful thing to do. we that might not be the most helpful thin to do. ~ ., that might not be the most helpful thing to de— that might not be the most helpful thin to do. ~ ., ., , thing to do. we do need to remember that thins thing to do. we do need to remember that things are — thing to do. we do need to remember that things are reported _ thing to do. we do need to remember that things are reported on _ thing to do. we do need to remember that things are reported on a - thing to do. we do need to remember that things are reported on a daily - that things are reported on a daily basis and it is important to look at the data. what i find most useful when i look at the data on cases and people in hospital and deaths reported is to look at them the same day the week before. we know there are variations. we know over the weekend reporting is lagged and cases are down. but if we look at

week on week transit gives us a much clearer idea of the progress being made. in that situation things are moving in the right direction. the r number has been less than one for a number has been less than one for a number of weeks and cases have gone down from the 60,000 plus weekly in january. the vaccination campaign is doing very well. of course we need to be cautious. from monday we know we will start gradually reopening society with our children going back to school. we might expect an uptick in the r number, so we need to carefully monitor that and react if we see a resurgence.— we see a resurgence. what the government — we see a resurgence. what the government does _ we see a resurgence. what the government does not - we see a resurgence. what the government does not want - we see a resurgence. what the government does not want to i we see a resurgence. what the i government does not want to do we see a resurgence. what the - government does not want to do is to open up and backtrack, open up and backtrack, so we have got to cross our fingers i suppose. backtrack, so we have got to cross ourfingers i suppose. better than that adhere to the rules while they remain in place. how well are we doing with that adherence? i remain in place. how well are we doing with that adherence? i have to sa i am doing with that adherence? i have to say i am not — doing with that adherence? i have to say i am not a _ doing with that adherence? i have to say i am not a behavioural— say i am not a behavioural scientist, so it is not my area of expertise. certainly from 0z

passivation is of the data and looking at the r number, adherence in this lockdown has been high. we are getting the r number down to similar levels to what we experienced last april, so we are doing very well with that. a slight caveat, we do need to be careful, as you have suggested, that when we start to open up society we need to be really careful to explain to people, our children are going back to school on monday, which is fantastic for children out of education for so long, but we need to be careful that even with that slight opening up of society we need to adhere to the other rules in place. the vaccination campaign will help us, but we cannot get ahead of ourselves and if we drop that level of adherence we may see a resurgence and we may have to go in reverse in terms of control and that is what we all want to avoid. we terms of control and that is what we all want to avoid.— terms of control and that is what we all want to avoid. we have hopefully develo ed all want to avoid. we have hopefully developed some _ all want to avoid. we have hopefully developed some really _ all want to avoid. we have hopefully developed some really good - all want to avoid. we have hopefully developed some really good habits i all want to avoid. we have hopefully| developed some really good habits in terms of social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing. how

strongly do you need to press home the need for us to continue with those good habits as the lockdown lives? i those good habits as the lockdown lives? ., , those good habits as the lockdown lives? ~' , _, , ., lives? i think it needs constant reminders- _ lives? i think it needs constant reminders. obviously - lives? i think it needs constant reminders. obviously these . lives? i think it needs constant - reminders. obviously these lockdown reminders. 0bviously these lockdown measures are lifting very much incrementally and it is a stepwise process with five week intervals in between each relaxation. that is really important because we need that five weeks to monitor notjust the effect on cases, but the effect on hospital occupancy, which is really crucial. as the vaccine starts to protect more people, even if people get infected, we hope they will not be severely infected in the same way they were before last year essentially. we need to monitor that and we need to hammer home that at each stage there will be interventions in place that we need to follow. hopefully by the summer, byjune, if we can stick to the schedule and we adhere to the rules in place in the meantime, we can be in place in the meantime, we can be ina in place in the meantime, we can be

in a position that we can reopen society and hopefully get back to the way we were before the pandemic started. . ., the way we were before the pandemic started. ., ,, , ., the way we were before the pandemic started. . ~' , ., , the way we were before the pandemic started. ., ,, i. , . the way we were before the pandemic started. . ,, , , . ., started. thank you very much for talkin: to started. thank you very much for talking to us- _ thank you very much for talking to us. the department for transport has said that, from monday, passengers travelling internationally from england will need to carry a new form setting out that their trip is permitted under current restrictions. the independent�*s travel editor simon calder has been explaining how they will work. here is one of these forms hot off the press so it'll be a matter of getting a passport ready, getting your ticket ready and getting your declaration to travel ready. this is something we have never seen before. it is a declaration that you have to fill in, effectively an exit permit, to let you out of the country. and as from monday morning anybody turning up at a port, airport or railway station, international one, going abroad, has to produce this form, duly completed, spaces for your name, your passport details, then you tick the box saying whether you are going abroad

forwork, education, for volunteering or whatever. and it is the latest draconian move that makes it pretty impossible to leave england. similar rules apply from northern ireland, wales and scotland, and ultimately underpinning all this is the do not travel, simply do not leave your home rule, which effectively bans all holidays both domestically and internationally. however, this has been brought in because the home secretary said there were too many people leaving the uk and coming back in again. simon calderfrom the independent. cyprus's government has said any britons who have had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine can enter cyprus from 1st may without having to quarantine, even though foreign holidays are still illegal and restrictions won't be lifted for people in england until at least may 17th. before the pandemic, about a million britons visited cyprus every year.

the deputy minister of tourism in cyprus is savvas perdios . he's been talking to our transport correspondent caroline davies about the decision to allow brits to travel there from may. we have announced that from the 1st of may we will be accepting british travellers with a vaccination passport. but i would like to go further back and make sure that everybody is aware that actually from the 1st of april we are beginning flights as well from the uk. everybody is going to be able to fly from the uk to cyprus as long as they have the necessary tests. we are categorising the uk with a traffic light system, basically either green category, orange category or read. if you are in the green category it means no testing is required, or is category one test is required, or is category one test is required. read category means a double test is needed, one in

advance and one on arrival. no matter what the case there will be no quarantine unless you test positive when you get here. this is a very open system and we want to make sure that everybody flying from the uk or everybody who wants to fly from the uk are able to come to cyprus. from the uk are able to come to c rus. , , , ~ , from the uk are able to come to crus. ., cyprus. the deputy minister of tourism in _ cyprus. the deputy minister of tourism in cyprus. _ the high court has ruled that the government failed to publish details of more than 500 coronavirus—related contracts within the required time. the judge said the government had acted unlawfully by not releasing details of the pandemic related procurement contracts within the required 30 days. the government was ordered to pay £80,000 towards the legal costs of the good law project who brought the case. let's get more on this with our correspondent lucy manning. what is the background to this? the what is the background to this? he department what is the background to this? tie: department of what is the background to this? “iie: department of health what is the background to this? i“ie: department of health were bound what is the background to this? iie: department of health were bound to have acted unlawfully because they are supposed to publish details of the contracts so that people can see

who were getting contracts for ppe and other covid related supplies. those were being published late and the goodwill project took them to court and the judge ruled they had acted unlawfully. the prime minister was challenged in the commons about this and he said all the notices are on the record, they are there for everyone to see. but what has happened today is a further part of that ruling has been released from the judge and that ruling has been released from thejudge and it is that ruling has been released from the judge and it is clear from the figures that are in that court order that 100 contracts had not been published, so questions being asked about whether the prime minister was giving mps the right information. why does it all matter? why should these contracts be published on time? thejudge at these contracts be published on time? the judge at the time was quite clear that it is important for taxpayers, you and me and all the viewers, to know what money is being spent on and to the money is being spent on and to the money is being

spent with so they can be properly scrutinised and if that cannot be properly scrutinised and people do not know if mistakes are being made. certainly over the last few months the bbc has uncovered many stories of personal protective equipment that could not be used as the government bought it. facemask for millions of pounds, tens of millions of pounds, that had ear loops that could not be used and gowns that could not be used and gowns that could not be used, so it is important these contracts are published in time. the government said it was committed to publishing all the contracts and it would publish the outstanding once as soon as possible. publish the outstanding once as soon as ossible. , , publish the outstanding once as soon as ossible. _ ., ., as possible. lucy, for the moment, thank ou as possible. lucy, for the moment, thank you very _ as possible. lucy, for the moment, thank you very much. _ as possible. lucy, for the moment, thank you very much. lucy - as possible. lucy, for the moment, l thank you very much. lucy manning. we are waiting to see the health secretary matt hancock appear at downing street for the latest coronavirus press conference. 0ur political correspondent helen catt is in westminster. quite a lot that he could get

questioned about, not least the decision by the government to offer health workers just a 1% pay increase. health workers 'ust a 1% pay increase. , , ., increase. yes, this came out last niaht, so increase. yes, this came out last night. so this _ increase. yes, this came out last night, so this will— increase. yes, this came out last night, so this will be _ increase. yes, this came out last night, so this will be the - increase. yes, this came out last night, so this will be the first - night, so this will be the first downing street briefing that we have had, the first facing the press if you like that we have had. it is almost certain matt hancock will face quite a lot of questions about that, particularly given the fairly angry reaction from the royal couege angry reaction from the royal college of nursing today and others. it is almost certain he will face questions on that. in terms of what else we might hear, the government will be keen to talk about it's fun for children's mental health with all children going back to school on monday. the government has announced it will beef up mental health support through schools for children, concerns about what they have been through on the last year and the effect on their mental health and matt hancock will begin to talk about that. we are almost certain to hear more about that mystery person who has been raised

with the brazilian variant of the coronavirus. the government has come in for a lot of criticism over its border policy. it has insisted it was tough, but this was someone who effectively slipped through the net and someone with a new variant of coronavirus. the fact that person has now been found, i would imagine matt hancock would be quite keen to tell us more about that, to show the test and tray system is working. quite a lot that we might hear at this press conference when matt hancock arrives and start speaking to us. so many people pinning their hopes with schools going back on monday lie. to look a little bit more like it did 12 months ago.— lie. to look a little bit more like it did 12 months ago. yes, schools auoin it did 12 months ago. yes, schools going back — it did 12 months ago. yes, schools going back is _ it did 12 months ago. yes, schools going back is the _ it did 12 months ago. yes, schools going back is the first _ it did 12 months ago. yes, schools going back is the first marker - it did 12 months ago. yes, schools going back is the first marker on i going back is the first marker on what the government has set out as its road map, the first e—zine provided it all goes to plan then we see things in later stages like an april shops reopening, that kind of

thing but the big worry is something comes up to throw that off track. matt hancock is now at downing street. good afternoon for the coronavirus briefing. i’m good afternoon for the coronavirus briefinu. �* ., _ ,, briefing. i'm 'oined by susan hokins briefing. i'mjoined by susan hopkins from _ briefing. i'mjoined by susan hopkins from public - briefing. i'mjoined by susan hopkins from public health | briefing. i'm joined by susan - hopkins from public health england. i've got an update on progress in our battle against coronavirus, some new evidence of the effectiveness of the vaccines, an update on cases of the vaccines, an update on cases of the brazilian variant of concern, and extra funding to support mental health in schools because of course on monday that marks our first step in the opening up after this lockdown. next week classrooms will once again be buzzing with activity, and i know that parents across england will be delighted, and i am sure relieved, that all children are going back to school. also from monday, i am just so pleased we are

able to reopen care homes to visiting. we have put in place a very careful policy so each care home resident will be able to register a single, regular visitor who will be tested and will wear ppe but be able to visit and i know this means so much to hundreds of thousands of people with a loved one in a care home to those who live in care homes, and i'm really, really glad we are able to make this step. first, let's turn to the latest coronavirus data. this data shows the progress we've made including more evidence on the impact of the vaccine in saving lives. and i have the first slide, please. here you can see the number of cases of covid—19 and i'm pleased to see they are still falling. the average number of cases is just over 6000, the lowest since late september, and

the lowest since late september, and the weekly case rate across the uk is now 84 per 100,000 people. the latest figures from the office of national statistics that were published earlier today report a further significant decline which showed that in england one in 220 people have coronavirus, a fall from one in 145 last week. this is encouraging news and should give us confidence we can safely take the steps we are taking on monday. next slide, please. this shows hospital admissions on covid which shows they are falling, too. there are still 12,136 people in hospital in the uk with covid, which is still too high. but the average number of admissions to hospital is 900, the lowest since october. next slide, please. 0ctober. next slide, please. thankfully, the number of deaths

with covid are also declining steeply. the average number of deaths per day is 248, also the lowest since october and here the decline is accelerating. a halving time of the number of deaths has come down from 19 days, so the number of deaths each day halving every 19 days to halving every 11 days now. there are fewer people dying from all causes in care homes thanis dying from all causes in care homes than is normalfor this time of year. taken together these three slides show we are heading in the right direction although there is further to go. and what we can also see in the data across the whole uk is that the vaccine programme is working to protect the nhs, and saving lives. next slide, please. the best way to see this is by looking at how fast cases, hospital

admissions and deaths are falling. the number of cases has been falling in a fairly even way since around the middle ofjanuary and by a quarter every week, a little bit more in the last few days. it hasn't been completely smooth, as you can see, one week ago, i stood here, been completely smooth, as you can see, one week ago, istood here, we stood here, and we said we were worried that the fall in cases was slowing down. thankfully as you can see in the chart that looks more like a temporary blip which is good news for us all. next slide, please. now let's turn to the number of hospital admissions. again, this is falling steadily, atjust under 30% every week. but there are signs that this fall is getting faster as you can see from the last week's data and in fact, the 29% fall in the last week as the fastest fall in hospital admissions at any point in the entire pandemic. final slide,

please. where you can see the effect of the vaccine is in the fall in the number of deaths. the number of deaths is falling faster and faster. and now deaths are falling by over one third each week and in fact in the last week has fallen by 41%. they are falling faster than before. they are falling faster than before. the chief medical told us weeks ago that you'd first see the effect of the vaccine in fewer people dying and then in reduced hospitalisations, and i believe that is exactly what is happening. what this all shows is that the link from cases to hospitalisations and deaths that had been unbreakable before the vaccine, that link is breaking. the vaccine, that link is breaking. the vaccine is protecting the nhs and saving lives and right across the country, the country's plan is working. as well as this real—world data, i want to share the results of

a study by the university of bristol which clearly shows the difference the vaccination programme is making. this study looked at all patients over 80 who were admitted with serious respiratory disease in bristol and the results showed that a single dose of both the pfizer or 0xford/astrazeneca jab offers around 80% protection against hospitalisation after two weeks, even amongst the most frail and those with underlying medical conditions. again, as with the data on this that were published last week, the effect was slightly stronger in the oxford jab than with pfizer. what this corroborates is what we have seen over the past couple of weeks — the hard evidence vaccines work. they are the best way of securing our freedom vaccines work. they are the best way of securing ourfreedom because vaccines work. they are the best way of securing our freedom because they are the best way of protecting us. as of midnight last night, 21.3 million people had been vaccinated. and i can tell you for the first

time that we have vaccinated now two fifths of the entire adult population of the united kingdom. yesterday i was in scotland seeing the combined teamwork of nhs scotland and scottish local authorities and the armed forces delivering jabs in hamilton. they were all working together as one towards a common goal of protecting us all. is anybody who has been to a vaccination centre will know, the joy vaccination centre will know, the joy on peoples faces as they get the jab is unbelievably uplifting and more and more people will be getting this feeling of protection over the next few weeks and months, and we are on course to hitting our target of offering a jab to everyone over 50 by 15th of april and all adults by the end ofjuly. the ref vaccine roll—out has allowed us to set out our road map for how we will carefully lift some of the restrictions we have all endured for far too long. as we do this we will

be drawing on the huge testing infrastructure in place and i want to spend a moment on this. we are testing 2.8 million people a week. the road map is built on the principle of replacing the protection that comes from lockdown with the protection that comes from vaccines and regular testing so as we open up for instance care homes, as i mentioned a moment ago, to visitors, that will come with regular testing for visitors and as schools and colleges return, we will be giving teachers, staff, parents, students and their households access to rapid regular testing, twice a week in term time and in holidays. and i urge all those anti—households of those who are going back to school college next week to take up this offer. 0ne school college next week to take up this offer. one of the most dangerous things about this virus... 0ne dangerous things about this virus... one of the most dangerous things... is that a round of third of those

who get it don't get any symptoms at all and yet can still pass the disease on to others. that is why it is so important that all of us follow these social distancing and take the precautions we know we must. rapid regular testing is a critical part of our response. and as we do so much more, we can do more because of the huge capacity built up by nhs test and trace so i would urge you if you're eligible to participate in one of these regular testing programmes, like i do because that is how we will keep this virus under control as we continue to roll out the vaccine. for more information go to our website and i'd urge everybody to get that regular testing. now i know also that this pandemic has been an

anxious time for so many young people and i want to spend a moment on this. after all, growing up is tough enough even at the best of times. in these very difficult times, it has been even tougher. home schooling, being unable to meet up home schooling, being unable to meet up with friends, not having regular sport, being stuck at home. i know just how much people are looking forward to going back to school, to seeing friends in a classroom properly rather than just on zoom. monday will be long—awaited for most but for some it is a moment of unease and anxiety. we need to make sure we get the help to young people to help them get through this and get life going again and give them the support they need. we've worked hard throughout the pandemic to make sure mental health services stay open, we have set up 20 four sevenths support for those in need and i'm delighted to be able to announce today we will be allocating

announce today we will be allocating an extra £79 million to boost mental health support for children and young people. almost 3 million people will benefit from more mental health support teams, children and young people, and those teams in schools will be working hard to ensure people get access to the support and care they need and we will be expanding access in the community, too. i'd like to end with some good news on our work on tackling new variants. thanks to the brilliant team working so hard over the past week, we have now successfully identified a sixth case of the variant of concern first identified in brazil. using the latest technology, and with the dog—eared determination of our testing and tracing scheme, we have successfully identified the person in question. the best evidences this person in question stayed at home

and there is no sign of any onward transmission. we are putting more testing in in croydon where they live to minimise the risk of spread. this positive outcome was only possible because of the huge genomic sequencing capacity we have in this country and because of our test and trace team so they could identify these cases, track them down, contact them, and it shows the importance of this capability we have built and how important it is also to be transparent when new variants are found because whether it is here at home or around the world, testing, sequencing, and being transparent about what you find helps stop the spread of this disease and in particular these variants of concern that are so worrying. so i am really delighted that the team have done this work, they have worked flat out since the

six cases were first identified on friday. and found the six six positive cases even though the form was not filled in quite right. susan will say more about this in a moment but by summary is things are moving in the right direction, these are challenging times but thanks to the vaccine we are making progress. are not there yet so as we go down the road to recovery it is vital everybody still plays their part, follows the rules and when the call comes, get yourjab. doctor hopkins. i am giving you some more detail on what we have done for the investigation to find the individual investigation to find the individual in question. 0n investigation to find the individual in question. on friday 26th february we identified three cases in england of the variant first described in brazil, p1. as we know now one of the individuals had attempted to register his test online but had failed to do so effectively.

specialist teams from nhs test and trace and public health england immediately launched an investigation to identify the individual concerned. an incident team of 40 people from across the system made up of laboratories, logistics, data analytics experts was mobilised to trace the individual. the team began with very little information. as of sunday morning there had a single bar code and a date and time the test was processed. using the bar code data it was established was delivered through the dhl service for home deliveries. the test and trace deliveries. the test and trace deliver many thousands of kits to the uk across the week and now they were looking at sequentially when this test was delivered and where it was delivered to comparing it to other tests that were the system. they work backwards from when it arrived in the laboratory to where the testing had come from and backwards through the postal service. the intelligence was

overlaid with a geographical spread to look for the correlation of sequential bar codes and the regions it had been distributed to. this narrowed it down to two regions and 10,000 possible households. 0nce narrowed it down to two regions and 10,000 possible households. once the team had combined the region at the time window, experts track down every single distribution centre and filtered it down further. down to 379 households. at this point enhanced contact tracing kicked in with call handlers calling, e—mailing and phoning all of the individuals that could have received a test in that time interval. these calls narrowed it down to 27 individuals who received further calls, further texts and messages and on wednesday at 3pm and individual phone the 119 service. they were able to give the missing bar code number that they had held securely for the whole time. this individual has been interviewed extensively and lives within a household that had recently returned from brazil and had all quarantine

at home. further precautionary testing will occur in the neighbourhood and we have already started testing all of the samples from the neighbourhood to ensure that there is no further distribution of cases in the community. this is a testament to the nhs test and trace teams, the call handlers and the public health england health protection team working together to find an individual and prevent further transmission.— individual and prevent further transmission. ., ,, , ., ., ,, , ., transmission. thank you. thank you very much. — transmission. thank you. thank you very much, susan. _ transmission. thank you. thank you very much, susan. first _ transmission. thank you. thank you very much, susan. first we - transmission. thank you. thank you very much, susan. first we will - transmission. thank you. thank you very much, susan. first we will go i very much, susan. first we will go to questions from the public and then the media. the first question by video is from andrew from durham. good afternoon. the past 12 months have identified current and future mental_ have identified current and future mental health challenges and also an opportunity to improve. what will the government be doing around the current— the government be doing around the current mental health challenges? how will_ current mental health challenges? how will it approach health and mental— how will it approach health and mental well—being for the future, mental well— being for the future, especially— mental well—being for the future, especially for children in schools? andrew, _ especially for children in schools? andrew, it — especially for children in schools?

andrew, it is a very pertinent question because it is an incredibly important challenge and it is clear that the measures we have had to take in the last year in the lockdown have had a significant effect on some people. we need to make sure that we respond to that and support our mental health professionals who have been working incredibly hard. i would say that the response is in three parts. the first is to support those who are currently working very hard to deliver mental health services and in particular we have seen a rise in presentations of serious mental ill—health, and making sure our mental health teams have the support to respond to those cases in a timely fashion is incredibly important. the second has been to expand the number of people who can get access to mental health services to support those who may have a challenge with their mental health,

which can be addressed through services like talking therapies and other online services, which we have expanded massively during the pandemic. and the third is something we have announced further funding to today, an extra 79 million to support children and young people's mental health, especially as they go back to school. this will be linked support workers who link schools with local mental health services. it is notjust about with local mental health services. it is not just about the with local mental health services. it is notjust about the serious mental ill—health, although that is obviously absolutely critical, it is about making sure that everybody gets the support to strengthen their mental health. this is something everybody can do in the same way that even a fit and healthy people go out to strengthen their physical health. i was out running in the park this morning. everybody can take steps to support their mental

health and to make sure that your mental health stay strong. there is a range of tools available from the every mind matters tool, which is excellent, all the way through to an array of nhs mental health services that are available. we have put in the extra money to make sure there is that link between children and young people who have challenges with their mental health, who present at school, and making sure they can get access to services so that services are accessible to them. thank you very much for the question, very timely. i hope i have given a full answer. the next question is from hannah from cornwall. in question is from hannah from cornwall. ., ., question is from hannah from cornwall-— cornwall. in order to allow shielding _ cornwall. in order to allow shielding teenagers - cornwall. in order to allow shielding teenagers the i cornwall. in order to allow- shielding teenagers the chance to return— shielding teenagers the chance to return to — shielding teenagers the chance to return to school with their peers has the — return to school with their peers has the government considered widening — has the government considered widening the criteria for which under— widening the criteria for which under 605 are eligible for the vaccine? _ under 60s are eligible for the vaccine? . ., under 60s are eligible for the vaccine? ., ,, , ., , . vaccine? thank you very much, hannah. vaccine? thank you very much, hannah- i _ vaccine? thank you very much, hannah. i am _ vaccine? thank you very much, hannah. i am going _ vaccine? thank you very much, hannah. i am going to - vaccine? thank you very much, hannah. i am going to ask- vaccine? thank you very much, l hannah. i am going to ask doctor hopkins to set out more details

because the clinical details are what matters here. but if a child's clinicianjudges what matters here. but if a child's clinician judges that because of their condition it is appropriate for them to get the vaccine, that is allowed within the rules, but it has to be down to the judgment of an individual clinician. just to be down to the judgment of an individual clinician.— individual clinician. just to add, jcp | individual clinician. just to add, jcp i have _ individual clinician. just to add, jcp i have recommended - individual clinician. just to add, jcp i have recommended that l individual clinician. just to add, | jcp i have recommended that 16 individual clinician. just to add, . jcp i have recommended that 16 to 18—year—olds in the clinically extremely vulnerable group can be offered the vaccine. in groups under that age group it is a decision for the general practitioner or the specialist in charge of the child's care. we have very little data for children yet and further data will come through from both studies in children and our monitoring process for any child given a vaccine. this is an important decision that needs to be driven by the experts involved in the child's care.— to be driven by the experts involved in the child's care. thanks, hannah, a very important _ in the child's care. thanks, hannah, a very important question. - in the child's care. thanks, hannah, a very important question. the - a very important question. the critical thing is that it is allowed

where the child was not clinician thinks it is in their best interest. the next question is from video at the bbc. ., the next question is from video at the sac. ., ,, . ., , , the bbc. health secretary, you stood at that podium _ the bbc. health secretary, you stood at that podium in _ the bbc. health secretary, you stood at that podium in may _ the bbc. health secretary, you stood at that podium in may last _ the bbc. health secretary, you stood at that podium in may last year- the bbc. health secretary, you stood at that podium in may last year and l at that podium in may last year and said that _ at that podium in may last year and said that nursing deserved a fair reward — 5aid that nursing deserved a fair reward is— said that nursing deserved a fair reward. 15 a rise fair? secondly, we have _ reward. 15 a rise fair? secondly, we have been— reward. 15 a rise fair? secondly, we have been hearing a lot about vaccine — have been hearing a lot about vaccine he5itancy in some places, do you think— vaccine he5itancy in some places, do you think it— vaccine he5itancy in some places, do you think it is— vaccine he5itancy in some places, do you think it is now a case that there — you think it is now a case that there is— you think it is now a case that there is a _ you think it is now a case that there is a case for mandatory vaccination of nhs staff? thanks very much. _ vaccination of nhs staff? thanks very much. vicky- _ vaccination of nhs staff? thanks very much, vicky. i— vaccination of nhs staff? thanks very much, vicky. i pay- vaccination of nhs staff? thanks very much, vicky. i pay tribute i very much, vicky. i pay tribute again to the incredible work of all those working in the nhs, especially over the last few months during this second peak. it has been incredible. as i said in my opening remarks, these have been challenging times and one of the challenges we face as and one of the challenges we face as a country is in terms of the financial consequences of the pandemic. and so the evidence that

was put forward yesterday was on the basis of affordability. now, of course, elsewhere in the public sector there is a pay freeze in place and we have proposed what we think is affordable to make sure that in the nhs people do get a pay rise. i think it is fair to take into account all of the considerations, the incredible hard work of those in the nhs, which means they are not part of the overall public sector pay freeze, and also what is affordable as a nation, and that is the basis on which we have taken the decision. when it comes to vaccination, obviously i would urge everybody in the nhs to get the vaccine. we have seen the take—up increase. i would like to continue to pursue that because i think that is the best way to ensure that we get as high

coverage as we can without having to bring in mandatory vaccination. we are not going to bring in mandatory vaccination across the board. at this stage we are not proposing to bring in mandatory vaccination for nhs staff. but, as you know, there is a review into these questions thatis is a review into these questions that is being led by my friend, the chancellor, the duchy of lancaster, and it will look into the moral, ethical and practical questions about all of these issues. thanks very much, vicky. libby veena at itv. good afternoon. there are still 12,000 itv. good afternoon. there are still 12.000 people _ itv. good afternoon. there are still 12,000 people being _ itv. good afternoon. there are still 12,000 people being treated - itv. good afternoon. there are still 12,000 people being treated for . 12,000 people being treated for covid _ 12,000 people being treated for covid in — 12,000 people being treated for covid in hospital that you have mentioned. how hard did you fight for a more — mentioned. how hard did you fight for a more generous pay offer for those _ for a more generous pay offer for those looking after them? and how hard are _ those looking after them? and how hard are you prepared to continue to

fi-ht hard are you prepared to continue to fight for— hard are you prepared to continue to fight for those nhs workers? can i ask doctor— fight for those nhs workers? can i ask doctor hopkins how effective do you believe the astrazeneca vaccine is against _ you believe the astrazeneca vaccine is against the brazilian variant? well, _ is against the brazilian variant? well, libby, as you know, i is against the brazilian variant? well, libby, as you know, lam a well, libby, as you know, iam a huge admirer of all those who have worked in the nhs during this pandemic and done so much. and i am very pleased that the nhs staff have been carved out of the pay freeze. we do have issues of affordability because of the consequences of the pandemic on the public finances, which were set out in the budget this week. we have to take those into account, but we have been able to carve out the nhs from the pay freeze that applies to everybody else. i will hand over to doctor hopkins for the second question.

from the point of view of astrazeneca that we do not yet have laboratory or clinical data to show the vaccine effectiveness or neutralisation studies for the p1 variant from brazil. however, as you know, we have some data from b 1351, the variant from south africa, and we expect it should at least perform in a similar way. therefore, we think it is likely there may be some reduction in the risk of transmission, or reducing the risk of transmission, but we at least hope at the moment that it will have a strong impact on reducing hospitalisations and deaths. we do have to wait for studies to come out of south america and in particular brazil, and those will come but it will take weeks rather than days i'm afraid. . , will take weeks rather than days i'm afraid. ., , . afraid. thanks very much. the next auestion afraid. thanks very much. the next question is — afraid. thanks very much. the next question is from _ afraid. thanks very much. the next question is from sky. _ afraid. thanks very much. the next question is from sky. good - afraid. thanks very much. the next l question is from sky. good afternoon health secretary, _ question is from sky. good afternoon health secretary, good _ question is from sky. good afternoon health secretary, good afternoon - health secretary, good afternoon doctor— health secretary, good afternoon doctor hopkins. health secretary,

there _ doctor hopkins. health secretary, there will— doctor hopkins. health secretary, there will be people at home who have just — there will be people at home who have just listened to what you said and will _ have just listened to what you said and will be — have just listened to what you said and will be incredulous at the language you have used, this brilliant — language you have used, this brilliant success of taking a week to find _ brilliant success of taking a week to find one individual. what does that say— to find one individual. what does that say about our test and tray system — that say about our test and tray system a — that say about our test and tray system a year on into the pandemic? doctor— system a year on into the pandemic? doctor hopkins, how helpful would it be to you _ doctor hopkins, how helpful would it be to you and your colleagues if we close _ be to you and your colleagues if we close our— be to you and your colleagues if we close our borders now? gn be to you and your colleagues if we close our borders now?— be to you and your colleagues if we close our borders now? on the first auestion i close our borders now? on the first question i think _ close our borders now? on the first question i think it _ close our borders now? on the first question i think it is _ close our borders now? on the first question i think it is an _ close our borders now? on the first question i think it is an absolute - question i think it is an absolute tribute to the team at nhs test and trace and public health england and all those who have been involved in this search. despite the fact that this search. despite the fact that this case was one of the very few were the correct details were not attached to the test itself, which happens in 99.9% of cases, despite the fact it was in that 0.1% when it does not happen, they managed to track down this individual and i think it is reassuring that all the

evidence shows that that individual and all six, three in scotland, three in england, where we found this variant of concern, followed the rules and we obviously then put in the testing around that. the final point i would make on this before handing over to doctor hopkins is we would not know about any of this without the huge testing capacity and the sequencing capacity. we sequenced just under half of all the genetic sequences in the world in this country because of the world in this country because of the capacity we have built. in fact, i was in glasgow yesterday and i was seeing the expansion of that sequencing, which we are putting in place to increase it further. it is only because of that capacity that we were able to find these six. in most other countries in the world we simply would not have known that had happened and therefore we were able to track all six down.— to track all six down. doctor

hopkins- — to track all six down. doctor hopkins- i _ to track all six down. doctor hopkins. ithink— to track all six down. doctor hopkins. i think the - to track all six down. doctor l hopkins. i think the challenge to track all six down. doctor - hopkins. i think the challenge about borders is that people coming into this country at the moment and leaving should only be doing it for essential reasons. as you know, only people with british residency or a british passport can come in from any country right now. in addition, the day two and the date eight tests whilst people are in quarantine give us extra reassurance of being able to test cases and we are genome sequencing any of those that can be sequenced. all of that is positive because it allows us to find any of these variants coming into the country earlier, trace the contacts, trace people on flights as we did for previous cases, and that gives us a lot of reassurance that even with small numbers of individuals coming into the country that we can minimise the risk to public health and the population. ideatt minimise the risk to public health and the population. next question, niel and the population. next question, nigel morris- _ the pm said all the way back injuly

2019 the _ the pm said all the way back injuly 2019 the government had already made plans for— 2019 the government had already made plans for fixing the long running crisis _ plans for fixing the long running crisis in — plans for fixing the long running crisis in social care funding and yet his— crisis in social care funding and yet his press secretary said yesterday use still had no detailed proposals on the issue so could you finally _ proposals on the issue so could you finally give — proposals on the issue so could you finally give us a firm date when your— finally give us a firm date when your social _ finally give us a firm date when your social care reform plans will be produced and update us on what cross-party — be produced and update us on what cross—party contacts have taken place _ cross—party contacts have taken place following your call for cross—party consensus on the issue? secondly— cross—party consensus on the issue? secondly and quickly could i ask was consideration given to a one—off bonus— consideration given to a one—off bonus to — consideration given to a one—off bonus to nhs staff as is happening in scotland? if so, why was the idea rejected? _ in scotland? if so, why was the idea re'ected? ., in scotland? if so, why was the idea re'ected? . , in scotland? if so, why was the idea re'ected? ., , . rejected? thanks very much. solving the social care _ rejected? thanks very much. solving the social care funding _ rejected? thanks very much. solving the social care funding issue - rejected? thanks very much. solving the social care funding issue has - the social care funding issue has been a long—standing problem. we have a clear manifesto commitment to deliver on that and we intend to publish details of how we plan to do that this year. i've been working with the prime minister on it.

clearly, before the pandemic, we were starting to work immediately after the election on this. we did engage then in cross—party engagement, i put out a call, as you mentioned, for cross—party suggestions and input. we received quite a lot of that which has been part of our considerations. and i hope we can come forward with a plan that can work and carry public broad consensus. it is more challenging to deliver this in more difficult economic times. that is obvious and clear. what we need to do, though, is put in place a long—term plan that will bring about a solution to this problem. at the same time, there are many, many other improvements to the delivery of social care we can make as well as addressing this issue of funding reform and many of those are contained in the white paper i set

out last month on which there will be a bill in due course to bring an integration between health and social care formally and more so than we have had until now because thatis than we have had until now because that is part of the solution to this significant problem. and even that part of the solution, the integration of health and social care, is an issue that has eluded governments of all stripes over many years and i am delighted to have been able to set out that white paper and to bring forward the bill in due course. on the second part, i've completely forgotten your second question, i should have written down. abs, second question, i should have written down.— second question, i should have written down. ~ ., , ., written down. a one-off bonus for nhs workers- _ written down. a one-off bonus for nhs workers. of— written down. a one-off bonus for nhs workers. of course, - written down. a one-off bonus for nhs workers. of course, the - nhs workers. of course, the administration _ nhs workers. of course, the administration in _ nhs workers. of course, the administration in edinburghl nhs workers. of course, the - administration in edinburgh take their decisions in terms of how they run the nhs. that isn't the approach

that we have chosen to take here. and, obviously, matters of pay will go to the pay review body. but we have set out what is affordable given the significant challenges to the public finances. next question, john the public finances. next question, jothohnson. the public finances. next question, john johnson-— the public finances. next question, john johnson. ., ., john johnson. good afternoon, health secreta . john johnson. good afternoon, health secretary- to — john johnson. good afternoon, health secretary. to make _ john johnson. good afternoon, health secretary. to make quick _ john johnson. good afternoon, health secretary. to make quick questions i secretary. to make quick questions if i secretary. to make quick questions if i may _ secretary. to make quick questions if i may. earlier today, the scottish— if i may. earlier today, the scottish conservative leader douglas ross said _ scottish conservative leader douglas ross said test and trace in the early— ross said test and trace in the early stages of the pandemic did not work as— early stages of the pandemic did not work as well as it should have and that he _ work as well as it should have and that he believed government ministers would accept that. do you accept _ ministers would accept that. do you accept that— ministers would accept that. do you accept that analysis? if not why not? _ accept that analysis? if not why not? secondly, conservative mp5, including _ not? secondly, conservative mp5, including the chair of the education select— including the chair of the education select committee, have called for further— select committee, have called for further evidence to be published over the — further evidence to be published over the weekend regarding the use of facemasks in schools. do you have any plans _ of facemasks in schools. do you have any plans to — of facemasks in schools. do you have any plans to explain to parents and

children— any plans to explain to parents and children and teachers to reassure them _ children and teachers to reassure them that— children and teachers to reassure them that when pupils go back on monday— them that when pupils go back on monday they are making the right decision— monday they are making the right decision by asking children to wear facemasks? gn decision by asking children to wear facemasks?— decision by asking children to wear facemasks? ., , _, , ., facemasks? on that second question, i will ask susan _ facemasks? on that second question, i will ask susan to _ facemasks? on that second question, i will ask susan to give _ facemasks? on that second question, i will ask susan to give a _ facemasks? on that second question, i will ask susan to give a clinical- i will ask susan to give a clinical answer. 0n the first question, at the start of this pandemic, test and trace didn't exist. we developed the first test, public health england did that, and they did it within about a month of first discovering this virus in the first place. so, of course, there has been a programme of constant improvement and it is testament to that improvement that we now have turnaround times of under 24 hours in the vast majority of tests right across the uk. we have this huge sequencing capacity, which is the biggest in the world as a proportion of our population by a huge margin. we have contact tracing that reaches

over 90% of positive cases, and 90% of their contacts. again, very, very rapid speeds. which is an incredible achievement of the team to have built all this. it means we are in a better place to deal with a pandemic like this than before and it has been because we have built it all the way through. that has been a very important part of what we have had to do and i've spoken on this podium many times about the work that has gone on to make all of that happen. susan. flift" that has gone on to make all of that happen- susan-— happen. susan. our face coverings and facemasks _ happen. susan. our face coverings and facemasks have _ happen. susan. our face coverings and facemasks have reviewed - happen. susan. our face coverings and facemasks have reviewed the l and facemasks have reviewed the evidence and also looked at the variant we have circulating. it was with that variant and increased transmissions we were seeing around the school environment, notjust in school but on the way to school especially in secondary schools, the advise of a secondary school children to wear masks in the classroom and in corridors whilst moving around school came as part of

the advice package to reduce the risk in secondary schools on the return on march the 8th which goes hand—in—hand with the testing we are advising schools to do to reduce the risk. along with all of the other measures the schools have put into play and this is all there to reduce the risk of transmission in schools, to allow our children to continue their education safely and to ensure that we have the least amount of rises we can possibly hope for with increased mixing around the return to schools next week.— to schools next week. thanks very much, to schools next week. thanks very much. susan- _ to schools next week. thanks very much, susan. final— to schools next week. thanks very much, susan. final question, - to schools next week. thanks very i much, susan. final question, megan ford from the nursing times. goad ford from the nursing times. good evenin: ford from the nursing times. good evening nurses _ ford from the nursing times. good evening nurses are _ ford from the nursing times. good evening nurses are considering industrial— evening nurses are considering industrial action and others may gather— industrial action and others may gather following the news they might receive _ gather following the news they might receive just a 1% pay rise after one year of— receive just a 1% pay rise after one year of covid—19 so my question is how do— year of covid—19 so my question is how do you — year of covid—19 so my question is how do you expect to stabilise the nhs and _ how do you expect to stabilise the nhs and complete the vaccination programme without nurses on the ground? _ programme without nurses on the ground? it— programme without nurses on the round? , ., . , , ground? it is an incredibly important _ ground? it is an incredibly

important point _ ground? it is an incredibly important point that - ground? it is an incredibly important point that we i ground? it is an incredibly i important point that we need ground? it is an incredibly - important point that we need more nurses, notjust the nurses who we have now, and we have a clear manifesto commitment of 50,000 more nurses in the nhs and i am delighted there is more than 10,000 more nurses who havejoined there is more than 10,000 more nurses who have joined the nhs over the last 12 months. also we have seen an increase in 34%, more than a third, in the applications to nursing and over the past three years, nurses have had a 12% pay rise. i bow to nobody in my admiration for nurses. in fact, i learnt that at the knee of my grandmother who was a nurse and worked nights at the pilgrim hospital in boston. the challenge is that the nation's finances are tight and whilst everybody else in the public sector is going to have a pay freeze, we are able to give... to

propose a pay rise for nurses at i%. i entirely appreciate that reflects the difficult financial circumstances that the country is in but what i would say to every nurse who is watching and everybody who has worked so hard is we have, over this pandemic, pulled together in an incredible way and i really hope we can continue doing that, both to deliver for patients and also to support our nhs and to welcome many, many more nurses into the nhs over the years ahead. thank you very much and thanks to all, which ends our coronavirus briefing. that is where we will leave downing street a look at some of the main points from the briefing that was today led by the health secretary matt hancock. he covered quite a lot of ground starting by outlining the encouraging news about infection rates which are at the lowest since

september. the decline in hospital admissions caused by covid is faster and deaths are falling by about a third each week. matt hancock said the link from cases to hospitalisations due deaths is breaking thanks to the vaccine so the vaccine programme is working to protect the nhs and save lives, he said. two fifths of the uk adult population have now been vaccinated with their first dose. 0n the news that the missing person who tested positive for the brazilian variant has been found, matt hancock said there was no sign of onward transmission but more testing is put in place in croydon in south london where the individual lives as a precaution. katharine da costa is with me. let's talk about the effort they went to and it was set out how they managed to find this person with the brazilian variant. it managed to find this person with the brazilian variant.— brazilian variant. it sounded like detective work _ brazilian variant. it sounded like detective work went _ brazilian variant. it sounded like detective work went into - brazilian variant. it sounded like detective work went into this. i detective work went into this. doctor susan hopkins from the public

health england set out the level of detail they went into. you will remember last friday about six cases of people who tested positive with the brazilian variant were found and one had failed to fill in their registration details correctly so there was this team of 40 people working in logistics that will put together to try to find this man. they used bar code data, they found it was a home test, they worked backwards going through the postal service. they tracked it down to two regions and 10,000 households, then narrowed it down to about 379 households. then call handlers brought it down, found one individual who happened to be a man individual who happened to be a man in croydon who lived in a household where they had just come back from brazil and they had isolated and she said further testing in the community had been carried out. the health secretary said it was important to be transparent, from sequencing through to testing, to try to stop the spread of the

variance. it try to stop the spread of the variance-— try to stop the spread of the variance. , , ., try to stop the spread of the variance. , , " , variance. it seemed they think they have stopped _ variance. it seemed they think they have stopped any — variance. it seemed they think they have stopped any forward - have stopped any forward transmission but more testing carries on. let's look at the figures. he was quite optimistic, wasn't he, and it was a positive message but we're still seeing transmission, people are being hospitalised and tragically people are dying from covid—19. but the figures are heading in the right direction that's right. the figures are heading in the right direction that's right.— direction that's right. the data su: nests direction that's right. the data suggests it's _ direction that's right. the data suggests it's the _ direction that's right. the data suggests it's the right - direction that's right. the data i suggests it's the right direction. cases are falling, 6500 cases a day, the lowest since last september. you might remember in the press briefing last friday he talked about cases in some areas flattening off. he said that may have been a blip and cases are actually falling by about a third which ties in with data we have seen today from the office for national statistics. in terms of hospital admissions, they have been falling. an average of 900 new admissions a day and he said admissions a day and he said admissions were falling 30% every

week and the fastest fall at any point in this pandemic so he said that was positive. but over 12,000 people with covid are still in hospitals across the uk and he said that figure was still too high. but it was good news again with the number of deaths, also falling, on average 248 each day, lowest since october. halving every 19 days to 11 0ctober. halving every 19 days to 11 days now, and now fewer dying in care homes than you'd expect at this time of year. so, pointing to the impact vaccines are having as more and more people are vaccinated. for the moment, thank you. our political correspondent helen catt is in westminster. as you rightly predicted, she couldn't get away without talking about the 1% pay rise that has been offered to health workers and it hasn't gone down well. ., ., , �* ., ., well. no, it hasn't, and we have seen quite _

well. no, it hasn't, and we have seen quite a _ well. no, it hasn't, and we have seen quite a lot _ well. no, it hasn't, and we have seen quite a lot of— well. no, it hasn't, and we have seen quite a lot of angry - well. no, it hasn't, and we have| seen quite a lot of angry reaction through the day not least from the royal college of nursing which is putting together a strike fund. they said it should be a rise of 12.5% and labour have said there should be and labour have said there should be a big rise for all public sector workers. it hasn't gone down well. what we saw was matt hancock sticking very clearly to the government line on this that this is what is affordable. he was also painting this is the government having carved out nurses and nhs workers from the wider public sector pay freeze, pointing out other public sector workers, such as police, the teachers are not getting a pay rise so he was painting this as nhs staff and nurses having been made a special case here so i'm not sure how well that is going to land with those who are very disappointed at the level of pay rise being offered. ., ., ~ at the level of pay rise being offered. ., ., ,, ., offered. he also talked about the extra money _ offered. he also talked about the extra money being _ offered. he also talked about the extra money being spent - offered. he also talked about the extra money being spent to - offered. he also talked about the i extra money being spent to support children whose mental health has suffered over the last year because, of course, schools in england are

beginning to go back from next monday. beginning to go back from next monda . ' ., ., , monday. £79 million boost to helping children's mental— monday. £79 million boost to helping children's mental health _ monday. £79 million boost to helping children's mental health because - children's mental health because there are concerns about the impact there are concerns about the impact the pandemic, of not being in school and being with their friends, has had on young people. matt hancock said they would put this extra money in and provide more support through schools. we are talking to some today who question if that is enough. the lib dems spokesperson has been talking about this for a while and she says any money is welcome she worries it doesn't go far enough in something more ambitious is needed. i think the thing out of that briefing which is going to also get a bit of elliptical traction is the issue around the tracing of the person with the brazilian variant. matt hancock trying to save this show is the system is working, 99.9% of people fill in their forms correctly and for the small fraction of people who do not, they managed to find this person and it was reassuring,

he said, that person follows the rules and stayed at home but what people will find less reassuring is the fact there was a period of several days, at least five days, when the government could not be sure that was the case, they knew there was somebody with one of these variants in the country but simply didn't know who they were. so, i think that will raise more questions about what is happening at the border and how tough those rules are, of a tough enough, people coming into the country. important to note, doctor susan hopkins pointed out at the moment the only people coming into the country should only be doing it for essential reasons. this will raise more questions about what happens, then, once that has started to lift and more and more people are coming in and out of the country, it won't be feasible to launch an operation like this every time if someone doesn't fill in the form correctly so that is probably going to raise more questions.

let's speak to the shadow minister for mental health and a&e doctor, dr rosena allin—khan. thank you very much forjoining us. we must start with the pay increase and with you being a doctor this will affect you. 1% being offered to health workers, a pay freeze for other public sector workers, and the government says nothing more is affordable. what figure would you think is affordable and necessary? well, ultimately i wholeheartedly agree with my nursing colleagues who say this is an absolute kick in the teeth. what one person truly represents is a real terms pay cut. we are very clear that front line nhs workers deserve a fair pay rise above inflation, not the pay cut the prime minister is giving them. it is all well and good that he and the chancellor stood on their doorsteps and clapped their hands. matt

hancock promised our front line and clapped their hands. matt hancock promised ourfront line nhs workers would be rewarded and there is, quite frankly, is nothing short of an insult. i is, quite frankly, is nothing short of an insult-— of an insult. i believe one of the unions is _ of an insult. i believe one of the unions is calling _ of an insult. i believe one of the unions is calling for— of an insult. i believe one of the unions is calling for a _ of an insult. i believe one of the unions is calling for a slow - of an insult. i believe one of the unions is calling for a slow hand | unions is calling for a slow hand clap next thursday for the government because of this. what would be an acceptable figure and what will be affordable? labour must have crunched the numbers. obviously there is an independent _ have crunched the numbers. obviously there is an independent process - have crunched the numbers. obviously there is an independent process that i there is an independent process that will take place and we will have to see what the result of that is. i will be honest with you, i have been working throughout the course of the pandemic. the bbc itself every night on our tv screens has been playing out what our nurses, doctors and health care workers have been living there. they have suffered the death of colleagues, they have been there holding people as they die. they have been family and friends to every single patient there. they have lived through the most difficult of times and this is an absolute slap in the face. it has to be fair, it has to be equitable and

there has to be recognition for the way that they have gone in every single day work to keep us safe and many of them have lost their own lives as a result of doing so. this government, quite frankly, do not show any recognition for the personal sacrifices so many of our front line staff have made to keep us safe. ., _, ., ., i. front line staff have made to keep us safe. ., .., ., ., , , us safe. how encouraged are you by the figures? — us safe. how encouraged are you by the figures? we _ us safe. how encouraged are you by the figures? we are _ us safe. how encouraged are you by the figures? we are seeing - us safe. how encouraged are you by the figures? we are seeing the - the figures? we are seeing the number of cases each week of hospitalisations and deaths, thankfully, are coming down. of course we are starting to see next week some of the restrictions lifted, certainly in england with schools going back. riff lifted, certainly in england with schools going back.— lifted, certainly in england with schools going back. of course we are all ha - schools going back. of course we are all happy to — schools going back. of course we are all happy to see _ schools going back. of course we are all happy to see the _ schools going back. of course we are all happy to see the numbers - schools going back. of course we are all happy to see the numbers going i all happy to see the numbers going down. it has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone. the british public have shown incredible resilience and sticking to the rules, but it is really disheartening for all of us working in the nhs that we have had to live through what has been a drastic

mismanagement of the pandemic that has led to us having in excess of 123,000 deaths. look at the number of families that are impacted by that. we are of course relieved that is coming down now with regards to their number of cases and we all look forward to life returning to a bit more normality. ifor one are happy to see the back of home—schooling. the teachers have been incredible, our communities have been incredible, and it is encouraging it is going down, but we have to be very clear who got us through this pandemic in our bravest ways? that was the nhs front line workers and they deserve to be recognised for all of the hard work that they have delivered throughout this pandemic. the that they have delivered throughout this pandemic-— that they have delivered throughout this pandemic. the government does recounise this pandemic. the government does recognise the — this pandemic. the government does recognise the impact _ this pandemic. the government does recognise the impact on _ this pandemic. the government does recognise the impact on mental- recognise the impact on mental health, £79 million to be spent boosting their services. how long an approach is going to be needed because it is not something you fix

overnight when you have had children out of school for the best part of a year? out of school for the best part of a ear? ' ., , ., out of school for the best part of a ear? ' ., ,.,, year? £79 million is a sticking laster year? £79 million is a sticking plaster over — year? £79 million is a sticking plaster over what _ year? £79 million is a sticking plaster over what is _ year? £79 million is a sticking plaster over what is a - year? £79 million is a sticking plaster over what is a gaping l year? £79 million is a sticking - plaster over what is a gaping wound when it comes to mental health. we knew that our mental health services were under resourced even before the pandemic. the centre for mental health themselves showed back in september before the second wave that up to 10 million people would be needing extra support for their mental health as a result of the pandemic. we are calling as a labour party for cross government working to get this right for our front line health care workers, with regards to their mental health. of course we know our young people, our children, anyone working in schools as well, they need support. yet the government will not agree to meet with us and were cross—party. i do not believe mental health should be a politicalfootball. i don't believe children's mental health should not be absolutely

prioritised, but we know our services are seeing double the number of referrals and £79 million, although a welcome bit of money, is not going to go anywhere near far enough to really deal with the issues at hand. we need a long—term plan for a mental health workforce, a long—term ban for our children and young people and their future and we owe it to them to get it right. the shadow minister for mental health, good to talk to you. from monday, all pupils in england will be able to return to their classrooms. secondary school students will be offered twice weekly tests initially carried out in school, then with rapid testing kits which will be sent home. to allow time for this testing to be done these peoples will see there stance staggered over the next couple of weeks. staff will be regularly tested and face coverings will be compulsory in all areas of secondary schools. john maguire has been speaking to families about the return to school life. it is back to school again. again.

belinda and raj have six children between them so they lead busy lives. how are they feeling about the children returning to school next week?— next week? excited. i 'ust can't contain my * next week? excited. ijust can't contain my excitement. - next week? excited. ijust can't contain my excitement. it - next week? excited. ijust can't contain my excitement. it is - next week? excited. i just can't i contain my excitement. it is really exciting _ contain my excitement. it is really exciting for— contain my excitement. it is really exciting for them to go back because it has— exciting for them to go back because it has been— exciting for them to go back because it has been tough, very tough. why has it— it has been tough, very tough. why has it been— it has been tough, very tough. why has it been tough? just trying to juggle _ has it been tough? just trying to juggle work and home—schooling. for me it _ juggle work and home—schooling. for me it is _ juggle work and home—schooling. for me it is not _ juggle work and home—schooling. for me it is not possible to be a parent, _ me it is not possible to be a parent, teacher and run your own business — parent, teacher and run your own business at — parent, teacher and run your own business at the same time. it is very— business at the same time. it is very difficult. business at the same time. it is very difficult-— business at the same time. it is very difficult. can you read it out to me? the _ very difficult. can you read it out to me? the younger _ very difficult. can you read it out to me? the younger children - very difficult. can you read it outj to me? the younger children are very difficult. can you read it out - to me? the younger children are not the only ones _ to me? the younger children are not the only ones who _ to me? the younger children are not the only ones who have _ to me? the younger children are not the only ones who have been - to me? the younger children are not the only ones who have been doing i the only ones who have been doing their homework. nadine prepared for our visit by playing interviewee and interviewer with an interesting style. interviewer with an interesting s le. ., ., ,, interviewer with an interesting s le. ., ., style. what would you miss about home-schooling? _ style. what would you miss about home-schooling? you _ style. what would you miss about home-schooling? you get - style. what would you miss about

home-schooling? you get to - style. what would you miss about| home-schooling? you get to wear style. what would you miss about - home-schooling? you get to wear your own clothes and _ home-schooling? you get to wear your own clothes and it _ home-schooling? you get to wear your own clothes and it is _ home-schooling? you get to wear your own clothes and it is more _ own clothes and it is more comfortable. _ own clothes and it is more comfortable. i— own clothes and it is more comfortable.— own clothes and it is more comfortable. ., �* ., ., ., own clothes and it is more comfortable. ., ., ., . , comfortable. i don't want to go. why not? because _ comfortable. i don't want to go. why not? because you _ comfortable. i don't want to go. why not? because you have _ comfortable. i don't want to go. why not? because you have to _ comfortable. i don't want to go. why not? because you have to get - comfortable. i don't want to go. why not? because you have to get up - comfortable. i don't want to go. why not? because you have to get up sol not? because you have to get up so earl . i not? because you have to get up so early- i already — not? because you have to get up so early. i already have _ not? because you have to get up so early. i already have to _ not? because you have to get up so early. i already have to do - not? because you have to get up so early. i already have to do that. - early. i already have to do that. wh do early. i already have to do that. why do you _ early. i already have to do that. why do you have _ early. i already have to do that. why do you have to _ early. i already have to do that. why do you have to wake - early. i already have to do that. why do you have to wake up - early. i already have to do that. - why do you have to wake up early? because i go to school now. here at the city academy — because i go to school now. here at the city academy in _ because i go to school now. here at the city academy in bristol - because i go to school now. here at the city academy in bristol the - the city academy in bristol the process of teaching children to carry out their own lateral flow tests is well under way. school sports halls are designed for five aside, netball, basketball. they will host the old school disco and every summer the exams, but now, right across the country, theatres, holes and gyms are being turned into covid testing centres. [30 holes and gyms are being turned into covid testing centres.— covid testing centres. do you know where your — covid testing centres. do you know where your tonsils _ covid testing centres. do you know where your tonsils are? _ covid testing centres. do you know where your tonsils are? they - covid testing centres. do you know where your tonsils are? they will i where your tonsils are? they will take three _ where your tonsils are? they will take three under _ where your tonsils are? they will take three under supervision - where your tonsils are? they will take three under supervision at i take three under supervision at school and then from then on will test themselves at home. br; school and then from then on will test themselves at home.- school and then from then on will test themselves at home. by the time we no test themselves at home. by the time we to back test themselves at home. by the time we go back to — test themselves at home. by the time we go back to school _ test themselves at home. by the time we go back to school we _ test themselves at home. by the time we go back to school we have - test themselves at home. by the time we go back to school we have all- we go back to school we have all taken _ we go back to school we have all taken our — we go back to school we have all taken our tests and we know who is positive _ taken our tests and we know who is positive and — taken our tests and we know who is positive and negative. so we can

keep— positive and negative. so we can keep track— positive and negative. so we can keep track of how many covid cases we have _ keep track of how many covid cases we have had and so we can be a bit more _ we have had and so we can be a bit more safe — we have had and so we can be a bit more safe-— we have had and so we can be a bit more safe. �* ., ., ., more safe. along with wearing masks in class, more safe. along with wearing masks in class. these _ more safe. along with wearing masks in class, these measures _ more safe. along with wearing masks in class, these measures are - more safe. along with wearing masks in class, these measures are aimed i in class, these measures are aimed at increasing confidence of pupils, parents and staff. i at increasing confidence of pupils, parents and staff.— parents and staff. i had one of my members of _ parents and staff. i had one of my members of staff _ parents and staff. i had one of my members of staff go _ parents and staff. i had one of my members of staff go in _ parents and staff. i had one of my members of staff go in saying - parents and staff. i had one of my members of staff go in saying i i parents and staff. i had one of my| members of staff go in saying i am really excited and pleased to be coming back into school. that is why we are in school, that is why we do thisjob, to work we are in school, that is why we do this job, to work with children face—to—face in classrooms and not on a screen online. also i think for everyone it is that first step towards hopefully coming back to normal. it towards hopefully coming back to normal. , , towards hopefully coming back to normal. , . , normal. it is quite tricky sometimes learnina normal. it is quite tricky sometimes learning online _ normal. it is quite tricky sometimes learning online because _ normal. it is quite tricky sometimes learning online because there - normal. it is quite tricky sometimes learning online because there are i normal. it is quite tricky sometimes learning online because there are a| learning online because there are a lot of— learning online because there are a lot of distractions, so it will be good _ lot of distractions, so it will be good getting back to normal school so we _ good getting back to normal school so we get _ good getting back to normal school so we get to go to the classrooms and staff— so we get to go to the classrooms and staff and actually interact with the teachers. for and staff and actually interact with the teachers-— and staff and actually interact with the teachers. for thomas and beth swa -|n~ the teachers. for thomas and beth swapping home _ the teachers. for thomas and beth swapping home screens _ the teachers. for thomas and beth swapping home screens for - the teachers. for thomas and beth - swapping home screens for classrooms comes with mixed emotions. i ieeil

swapping home screens for classrooms comes with mixed emotions.— comes with mixed emotions. i feel it is aood for comes with mixed emotions. i feel it is good for the _ comes with mixed emotions. i feel it is good for the education _ comes with mixed emotions. i feel it is good for the education side - comes with mixed emotions. i feel it is good for the education side of - is good for the education side of it, but i don't think there will be a drastic improvement in covid numbers. it is a bit 50—50. i am numbers. it is a bit 50-50. i am excited to _ numbers. it is a bit 50-50. i am excited to see _ numbers. it is a bit 50-50. i am excited to see my _ numbers. it is a bit 50-50. i am excited to see my friends - numbers. it is a bit 50-50. i am excited to see my friends but i numbers. it is a bit 50—50. i am excited to see my friends but at the same _ excited to see my friends but at the same time — excited to see my friends but at the same time it will be hard because we 5ame time it will be hard because we cannot— same time it will be hard because we cannot bubble with granddad because we will— cannot bubble with granddad because we will be _ cannot bubble with granddad because we will be in circulation. | cannot bubble with granddad because we will be in circulation. i am cannot bubble with granddad because we will be in circulation.— we will be in circulation. i am not leain: we will be in circulation. i am not leaping with _ we will be in circulation. i am not leaping with joy _ we will be in circulation. i am not leaping with joy at _ we will be in circulation. i am not leaping with joy at them - we will be in circulation. i am not leaping with joy at them going i we will be in circulation. i am not i leaping with joy at them going back to school, — leaping with joy at them going back to school, but— leaping with joy at them going back to school, but we _ leaping with joy at them going back to school, but we are _ leaping with joy at them going back to school, but we are trying - leaping with joy at them going back to school, but we are trying to i to school, but we are trying to balance — to school, but we are trying to balance up _ to school, but we are trying to balance up additional- to school, but we are trying to balance up additional wrist i to school, but we are trying toi balance up additional wrist with them _ balance up additional wrist with them going _ balance up additional wrist with them going back— balance up additional wrist with them going back to _ balance up additional wrist with them going back to school, i balance up additional wrist with| them going back to school, that balance up additional wrist with i them going back to school, that is how we _ them going back to school, that is how we view— them going back to school, that is how we view it _ them going back to school, that is how we view it and _ them going back to school, that is how we view it and that _ them going back to school, that is how we view it and that is - them going back to school, that is how we view it and that is how i them going back to school, that is how we view it and that is how we | how we view it and that is how we are speaking _ how we view it and that is how we are speaking as _ how we view it and that is how we are speaking as a _ how we view it and that is how we are speaking as a family. - how we view it and that is how we are speaking as a family. we i how we view it and that is how we are speaking as a family. we are. are speaking as a family. we are nervous, — are speaking as a family. we are nervous, but _ are speaking as a family. we are nervous, but it— are speaking as a family. we are nervous, but it is— are speaking as a family. we are nervous, but it is the _ are speaking as a family. we are nervous, but it is the right - are speaking as a family. we are nervous, but it is the right thing| nervous, but it is the right thing for them — nervous, but it is the right thing for them to— nervous, but it is the right thing for them to do, _ nervous, but it is the right thing for them to do, to _ nervous, but it is the right thing for them to do, to go _ nervous, but it is the right thing for them to do, to go back- nervous, but it is the right thing for them to do, to go back to i for them to do, to go back to school~ — for them to do, to go back to school. , ., , ., , school. so, new shoes, new uniforms and new measures _ school. so, new shoes, new uniforms and new measures in _ school. so, new shoes, new uniforms and new measures in place _ school. so, new shoes, new uniforms and new measures in place to - school. so, new shoes, new uniforms and new measures in place to ensure | and new measures in place to ensure that this time school stays in until the summer. john maguire, bbc news. parents across the country crossing their fingers that is the case. of course, it is notjust schools reopening that changes next week. matt hancock, the health secretary,

in the downing street briefing today reminded us that from next week care home residents will be able to have one singular, regular visitor. very welcome change for a lot of families who will get to see their loved ones after a long time. the health secretary was also in the press briefing forced to defend the 1% pay increase that health workers are likely to get if the proposal is accepted. he said it is more than other public sector workers will get. they are likely to see their pay frozen. 0verall, get. they are likely to see their pay frozen. overall, the admissions rates and case numbers are declining. bbc news at six next, first the weather. hello there. the weekend is nearly upon us now, and it doesn't look that bad. it's going to stay mainly dry thanks to a big area of high pressure which will be sitting overhead. it's going to be chilly, though, both by day and by night. we could see some frost and fog in places, but we should see a bit of sunshine, too. i can't promise wall—to—wall

sunshine, though, cos underneath this high, there's some cold air trapped into it, like i mentioned, but also quite a bit of cloud, too. we will have variable amounts of cloud through tonight, thickest cloud across the north and the west of the uk, where here, we could see the odd spot of rain. the odd shower elsewhere towards the east coast, which could be wintry in nature, but for most, dry with some clear skies, and that's going to allow for pretty widespread frost to develop. lows down to —3, maybe —4 celsius across parts of england and wales. as we start saturday, we notice that cold frosty start, but bright with some sunshine around. there will be variable amounts of cloud, too, a little bits of early mist and fog. through the afternoon, it could be that the cloud tends to build through the day, so some places turning a little bit grayer. a few spots of rain for the north west of scotland, most places dry but chilly, temperatures of 5—7 degrees. and then saturday night, it's going to be another cold one. particularly where skies are clear, we'll see further frost and also some fog to greet us for sunday morning. but again, some in england and wales will start cold, bit of sunshine and then start to see the cloud building up into the afternoon. for the north and west

of scotland, though, slight changes taking place here. with a weather front pushing, going it's to turn windier with outbreaks of rain and the temperatures lifting by a degree or so, highs of 8—9 degrees. as we head on into next week, for monday, it starts to turn more unsettled across the north west of the uk. further south, our area of high pressure is ebbing away. but it will still bring another fine, pretty chilly day to large parts of england and wales. a little bit of sunshine, then the cloud builds up again into the afternoon. for scotland, northern ireland, though, here, breezier, cloudier with outbreaks of rain. temperatures reaching 9—10 degrees, tending to stay around 6—8 for england and wales. and then as we move out of monday into the middle part of next week, it turns very unsettled. the potential for some deep areas of low pressure sweeping in to bring some spells of rain and gales. and for a time, certainly around the middle parts of the week, we'll see a blast of milder air moving up from the south—west before things potentially turning colder by the end of the week. so, turning much more unsettled as we move through the week, with spells of wet and windy weather for all of us.

tonight at six: some nhs workers in england threaten strike action after the government suggests a one per cent pay rise. after a year on the frontline of the pandemic, nurses say it's an insult. i thought this sort of, this time would prove, like, how valuable we were to the system and stuff like that, but i feel like that hasn't been translated with this at all. elsewhere in the public sector, there _ elsewhere in the public sector, there is— elsewhere in the public sector, there is a — elsewhere in the public sector, there is a pay freeze in place, and we have _ there is a pay freeze in place, and we have proposed what we think is affordable. white might also on the programme tonight: also on the programme tonight: tracked down to croydon in south london after a five—day hunt nationwide — a mystery person infected with a concerning brazilian covid variant has been traced.

cyprus and portugal say they'll welcome vaccinated