sir patrick vallance did say that we need _ other.rick vallance did say that we need to be able - other. sir patrick vallance did say that we need to be able to - other. sir patrick vallance did say that we need to be able to ramp. other. sir patrick vallance did say i that we need to be able to ramp up very fast. if there is an increase, may be the measures will be put back into place and the kind of support you have been talking about. professor stephen reicher, thank you very much. vulnerable people will be offered an additional booster from the spring. however, it's still an anxious time for those who have been shielding throughout the pandemic, including disabled people and those with long—term health conditions. joining me now are trishna bharadia, an ambassador for the ms society, and her sister anisha gangotra, a mental health manager and dance teacher, who have been shielding for most of the pandemic. trishna bharadia and anisha, thank you forjoining us. what was your first reaction when you had these restrictions were going

least another month and my sense from sir chris woody and my sense from sir chris woody and sir patrick vallanceis that wrapping up of testing and of course the uk is world leading and on that world beating, oramongst world leading and on that world beating, or amongst the leaders on economic sequencing, but how quickly could that be wrapped up and would free test actually be available? we have seen weather here in central london or across the uk real difficulties while tests were frequent so we were told there was no problem with the stock, but there were problems with the stock insert language distribution. so i think this is worrying, and it's all very well relying on personal responsibility but i think many people would argue that the people who receive questionnaires including the prime minister himself and headed for the men by last friday evening and we will see, we must not prejudge what the outcome of the ongoing police investigation or indeed the full unredacted report will say whatever either or both of those come out, this is just yet another choice and i have not even included peopl

sir patrick vallance — cannot afford it. sir patrick vallance was _ cannot afford it.at all times and clearly there is a concern people on low incomes may not be able to afford lateral flow tests when they have to start paying for them. an anonymous question. is it no longer anonymous question. is it no longer a legal requirement for admin staff and clients to wear face coverings in health care settings? each hosital in health care settings? each hospital trust _ in health care settings? each hospital trust has _ in health care settings? each hospital trust has its - in health care settings? each hospital trust has its own i in health care settings? eacq hospital trust has its own rules. i work it is a requirement for all staff to wear face coverings, for those of us who are front line staff, i do not know the routes across the country but certainly where i work, that is still a requirement.— where i work, that is still a requirement. where i work, that is still a reauirement. , ., requirement. the question is admin staff and client _ requirement. the question is admin

patrick vallance was uuite tests now? patrick vallance was quite candid _ tests now?y understand that. the advice needs to be - in its tail. i completely understand that. the advice needs to be very. that. the advice needs to be very carefully measured, doesn't it? alongside of the relaxing of restrictions, we also heard about boosters, particularly for more vulnerable people. can you tell us a little bit about who will be eligible for that and when that might happen? this eligible for that and when that might happen?— eligible for that and when that might happen? eligible for that and when that miahthauen? . , ., .,, . might happen? this is going to be a s-urin might happen? this is going to be a spring dose. — might happen? this is going to be a spring dose. spring _ might happen? this is going to be a spring dose, spring booster, - might happen? this is going to be a spring dose, spring booster, four i spring dose, spring booster, four sevenths million people aged 75 and over, and around half a million people aged 12 and who are immunosuppressed, and so have a very

i would be happier if we had heard from a chris whitty and patrick vallance.auses me concern that it is the wrong time. anna says it is a dangerous and premature move and it will jeopardise the vulnerable. i've had quite a few comments, and so far everybody is disagreeing with the removal of all of the legal requirements around the restrictions. if you think otherwise, get in touch. i can only read out what i am sent. you can continue to get in touch on twitter and let me know what you think about what we are expecting to hear from the prime minister today. joining me now is professor anthony costello, a former director at the world health organization and professor of global health at university college london. professor, good to have you with us. do you think the conditions are right for this removal of the legal requirements of the covid restrictions we have had in place up until now? we restrictions we have had in place up until now? ~ ., restrictions we have had in place up until now? ~ . ., , restrictions we have had in place up until now? . . . , . unti

but, from sir patrick vallance, the chief scientific advisor, he is often more shall we say cautiouso seeing notjust omicron but also winter, when we are used to seeing not just omicron but also food winter, when we are used to seeing notjust omicron but also food and other respiratory diseases, and that is quite a powerful cocktail. going into summer. _ is quite a powerful cocktail. going into summer, traditionally, - is quite a powerful cocktail. going into summer, traditionally, in - is quite a powerful cocktail. going into summer, traditionally, in the j into summer, traditionally, in the last couple of summers, there has been a bit of a waning of the virus because in warmer weather and more people being outdoors, it is less good for transmission but in the winter it could be very different. he also stressed that people's behaviour in recent months under these restrictions has reduced transmission from what it would otherwise be. now, there was an opening up, certainly in england, and that is likely to increase transmission. you said that was inevitable, so there will be more spr

that's absolutely crucial, as we heard sir patrick vallance and from sir chris whitty because there will actually start up have been let go to actually start up again quickly and what will be very important also is the economic sequencing to spot mutations. now thatis sequencing to spot mutations. now that is an area that the united kingdom is an absolute world leader on, and that is absolutely also one of the big tools in the armoury of the uk, along with a vaccination programme fulsome and very briefly i want to the labour leader calling in parliament in response to the prime minister's statement on the government to publish data supporting the ending of that illegal —— legal requirements of isa life is that there will be very important to see if that is indeed forthcoming. important to see if that is indeed forthcoming-— important to see if that is indeed forthcoming. thank you. the final covid story. _ forthcoming. thank you. the final covid story, the _ forthcoming. thank you. the final covid story, the daily _ forthcoming. thank you. the final covid story, the daily telegraph, | co

medical officer professor sir chris whitty and also the government's chief scientific adviser sir patrick vallancesort of restrictions for almost two ears. , ., ., , years. it is hard to believe it really is _ years. it is hard to believe it really is two _ years. it is hard to believe it really is two years. - years. it is hard to believe it really is two years. there i years. it is hard to believe it really is two years. there is| years. it is hard to believe it i really is two years. there is very dramatic announcements back in march 2020, of lockdown, something that had never happened in peacetime. and here we are, for england, the ending of legal restrictions. it is the legal bit that is the important thing. the key dates, february 24, for the end of isolation requirements, the requirement to self—isolate if you test positive, and the same for contacts. there will be just and the same for contacts. there will bejust guidance. and the same for contacts. there will be just guidance. and and the same for contacts. there will bejust guidance. and on and the same for contacts. there will be just g

sir patrick vallance and chris whitty are pictured. please his backbenchers who are critical to his future stability.— future stability. time again, the british public _ future stability. time again, the british public has _ future stability. time again, the british public has aired - future stability. time again, the british public has aired on - future stability. time again, the british public has aired on the i future stability. time again, the i british public has aired on the side of caution when it comes to covid—i9 restrictions. the restrictions haven't gone far enough, and what has come through clearly is that people are far more likely to trust the scientists and the extroverts then the politicians. it's a very different time for the prime minister —— scientists and experts. until the situation is resolved, which may be meant for months or years, is going to be a difficulty. if he announces counselling of covid rules, even if you have covid, and the scientist don't back that up, what will the public make of that? that will go

medical officer professor sir chris whitty, and the government's chief scientific officer sir patrick vallancealled for an urgent meeting of the un security council. it comes as president putin tells his security council that ukraine is being used as a tool against russia, presenting a major and dangerous threat to his country. he made the remarks in a rare public gathering with his ministers and security officials. mr putin also asked the meeting to consider an appeal for recognition by the two breakaway regions of ukraine controlled by russian—backed separatists. storm franklin — the third named storm in a week — has brought heavy rain and strong winds to many parts of the uk. severe flooding in northern ireland, yorkshire and manchester have forced people to leave their homes for safety. a yellow weather warning for widespread strong winds has been in place for most of the uk, but has now been lifted. but there are still 154 flood warnings across england, wales and scotland. and the environment agency says heavy rain is likely to cause significant river flooding along the river severn for s

he will later hold a news conference alongside professor sir chris whitty and sir patrick vallance.ing significant to say they will tell us. but she wants to carry on with white duties if possible this week, going through her paperwork from her state boxes, perhaps carrying on with some virtual audiences like we have seen her do in recent weeks, phone calls including may be one with the prime minister later in the week. the team around the queen will take a day to day view on how she is doing. but the mood is ifs she is well enough she will continue to continue with these light duties but we do not expect to get any regular update on her health over the course of the next few days. her health over the course of the next few days-— her health over the course of the next few days. thank you, daniela. there has been toing and froing with last—minute discussions on the plan for testing, last—minute discussions on the plan fortesting, it last—minute discussions on the plan for testing, it seems. what do you think should happen with testing going forward? we think should happen with testi

let me start with the comments from sir patrick vallance this evening.ement today about continuing the ons surveillance, which is great that that's going to continue. but it's probably going to be scaled back. so it will be continuing, but not at the level it has been. but there are other surveillance mechanisms that are probably going to be ongoing as well. they were alluded to but not detailed in the announcements that came out today. and one of those is actually looking at waste water. that is a great way of actually getting surveillance of all the sewage. it is the polite way of actually describing sewage. so you can actually screen that so you can get disease activity and new variants that could emerge. it is cost effective. i variants that could emerge. it is cost effective.— cost effective. i don't think your cat likes it! _ cost effective. i don't think your cat likes it! laughter - cat likes it! laughter i don't think your cat likes it at all! ,, ., , ., i don't think your cat likes it at all! ,, . , ., ., i don't think your cat likes it at all!

before prime minister's questions, rather than a press conference flanked by chris whitty and patrick vallancebour mp neil coyle has been suspended from the party, following allegations he made racist comments to a journalist in a house of commons bar. a labour spokesperson said the party took such allegations very seriously and that an investigation was under way. in a statement, mr coyle described his comments as "insensitive", adding that he has "apologised to everyone involved". us officials have urged canada's government to use its federal powers to end a blockade by truckers protesting against covid restrictions. us—canada border points have been affected, including the ambassador bridge, one of the most important trade corridors between the two countries. samira hussain has the latest. horns blare. for yet another day, lorry drivers furious at vaccine mandates and covid restrictions have blocked the busiest land border crossing in north america. itjust keeps going on and on. the economic impact could be serious. a quarter of all trade between canada and the united states happens here, o

before prime minister's questions, rather than a press conference flanked with chris whitty and patrick vallancer advice, chief medical officer advice, and in proper discussion with the whole cabinet before settling on a position to keep wales safe and hopefully move us out of the emergency phase of the pandemic. thank you very much for your time this morning. the reason that you are speaking today is that the first minister mark drakeford has tested positive for coronavirus yesterday and i know there is going to be a press conference later on in the day about the changes in wales. just after 20 past seven. the number of children needing help for eating disorders is at crisis point, with waiting lists in england at record levels. that's according to new figures. the royal college of psychiatrists says lives are being put at risk. let's take a closer look at the situation. between october and december 2021, more than 1,900 young people were waiting for routine treatment, the highest number on record. more than 200 young people were waiting for urgent treatment, the second highest number on record