ovid certificates will be needed to enter pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs under plans to stave off a fourth wave of the virus in the autumn, it has been reported.
The proposals would mean Britons would have to show vaccination passports to prove they are double-jabbed or have had a recent negative test before entering entertainment venues.
Experts hope the move will increase the stalling vaccination rates among young people and limit another surge in cases.
A Downing Street source told The Times: “In autumn vaccine passports could become an important tool that will allow us to keep things open.”
Another added: “If we can show real benefits of getting vaccinated in terms of everyday life then it could be quite a useful tool.”
The Government’s certification review release earlier in the week said although the so-called vaccine passports would not be mandated now, it did not rule out the prospect if England faces “a difficult situation in autumn or winter”.
Police have urged England fans without tickets for the Euro 2020 final on Sunday not to travel to London as cases continue to rise in the capital and across the UK.
The force also asked football fans not to congregate in large groups amid the spread the Delta variant.
1625928872Bangladesh’s health minister said today that the country has secured an additional 17.5 million vaccine doses, amid record coronavirus deaths and over a million cases.
The country, which has a population of 169m, has been under strict lockdown for two weeks with troops on the streets to stop people going outdoors.
1625927575The Netherlands has reported 10,345 new coronavirus cases - the most in one day since Christmas.
According to the NL Times, the surge has brought the seven day average up by 41% to 4,504 and the daily average is now 7.5 times higher than it was 11 days ago.
1625927522Up to a fifth of staff could be absent from one NHS trust in just three weeks from now, potentially leading to the cancellation of as many as 900 operations, a representative organisation has warned.
NHS Providers, the membership organisation for NHS trusts in England, said a combination of staff having to self-isolate due to rising coronavirus infection levels and people “rightly” taking annual leave that was delayed due to the pandemic is likely to put a strain on the health service.
NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said: “Covid-19 infection rates are rising rapidly, with the Secretary of State predicting 100,000 cases a day.
“This will mean the number of staff having to self-isolate will continue to rise if current procedures are kept in place.
“Trusts are also expecting a very stretched holiday and leave period this summer, with high numbers of staff rightly taking annual leave that was delayed due to Covid-19 pressures early this, and late, last year.
“One trust is predicting that its overall absence rates are potentially going to reach 20 per cent in three weeks’ time, which means they would have to cancel up to 900 operations.”
1625926257Scotland has recorded seven deaths of coronavirus patients and 2,190 cases in the past 24 hours, the latest figures show.
The Scottish Government’s figures for Saturday also showed the daily test positivity rate was at 9%.
A total of 435 people were in hospital with recently confirmed Covid-19, with 42 patients in intensive care.
So far, 3,920,145 people in Scotland have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 2,861,110 have received their second dose.
1625919689Thailand has reported a record daily figure of 91 coronavirus deaths and 9,326 new cases.
According to the Bangkok Post, the previous highest number of fatalities recorded in a day was 75 on Thursday, when the country also logged 7,058 new infections.
The majority of the deaths were in the capital, which also recorded 3,191 of Saturday’s cases.
Getty Images 1625917227Malta has become the first European Union country to require proof of vaccination for visitors.
From Wednesday, visitors aged 13 and over will have to show a Covid-19 vaccination certificate issued in either Malta, the EU or the UK.
Health minister Chris Fearne said: “Malta will be the first EU country taking this step.”
Children aged 5-12 will instead have to show proof of a negative PCR test and younger children are exempt.
Malta had 46 active cases on 1 July and 252 active cases yesterday. So far, 79 per cent of adults have been fully vaccinated.
1625914193Fukushima is to ban spectators from Olympic events because of rising coronavirus infections as Japan prepares to host the games in less than two weeks.
It comes after organisers said on Thursday that although there would be no spectators in Tokyo after a state of emergency was declared in the capital, they would be permitted in Fukushima – which is hosting seven softball and baseball games – and other prefectures.
Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium, which will host the baseball and softball competitions during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic
/ REUTERSBut the governor of Fukushima prefecture, Masao Uchibori, said today that they would not be permitted after all, Reuters reports.
1625910501South Korea had its highest-ever number of new daily COVID-19 infections of 1,378 in the last 24 hours, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Saturday.
Starting on Monday, coronavirus curbs will be tightened to the strictest level possible in Seoul and neighbouring regions for the first time, South Korea said on Friday, as a streak of record new COVID-19 cases fanned concern.
1625908973The European Union (EU) has delivered enough coronavirus vaccine doses to member states to vaccinate at least 70 per cent of adults, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.
Von der Leyen urged the EU countries to increase vaccinations and said that about 500 million doses would be distributed across the union by Sunday.
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