Only the key events are shown.
17m ago
Blair says that only a full lockdown would be effective against Omicron.
There was a new update at 8.27am.
43m ago
The JCVI will recommend vaccinations for vulnerable children.
46m ago
Drakeford accuses the UK government of beingalysis in the face of threat.
It was updated at 8.03am.
54m ago
1h ago
There are new Covid rules for Wales on Boxing Day.
1h ago
Proposed fines for not working from home in Wales are intended to protect workers from bad bosses.
It was updated at 7.44am.
1h ago
The rule of six will be enforced in Wales on Boxing Day.
The Welsh government has set some new rules after Christmas. He says it is going further.
A new alert level 2 will be introduced for cinemas, theatres and public gatherings. On Boxing Day, these will come into force at 6am.
The rule of six will apply in these venues and the premises will have to offer table service and collect contact details.
He says that the maximum number of people allowed to gather is 30. 50 people will be allowed to meet outdoors.
The number of people allowed for a wedding depends on the venue's ability to manage social distance. Guests will have to take tests.
The Welsh cabinet decided not to impose new rules on people who mix in each other's homes or gardens. Guidance will be issued.
He says that the government will bring back a rule that prevents people from having large gatherings in their homes.
The rules will have an impact on business. He says the government will give £120m to help firms.
At 7.47am, we updated.
1h ago
The Welsh first minister gives a presentation.
1h ago
1h ago
At 7.47am, we updated.
2h ago
2h ago
The government announced new self-isolation rules overnight.
In an assessment for the Science Media Centre, Dr Richard Tedder says that it is probably correct to say that someone who tests negative for two LFTs is unlikely to be infectious.
Dr Deepti Gurdasani, an epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London, has criticized the policy and how it is being promoted.
Deepti Gurdasani is on the phone.
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This is what we need. In the midst of unprecedented levels of cases and rising hospitalisations, it is important to end isolation early for omicron infections. I don't know what to say anymore.
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December 22, 2021.
Deepti Gurdasani is on the phone.
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This is not about collapsing healthcare, essential services or the economy being able to run, it's about things. We could have a novel idea to reduce infections.
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December 22, 2021.
The UK Health Security Agency advice for people who do exit self-isolation after seven days is not even remotely reassuring, says Gurdasani.
This is the advice she is talking about. The UKHSA says:
If you leave self-isolation on or after day 7 you are advised to limit close contact with other people in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, work from home and avoid contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if you get Covid- 19
At 7.02am, the update was added.
2h ago
The new seven-day self-isolation rule could be more like six days for some people.
The social care minister said this morning that anyone who tested positive for Covid on Saturday last week might be able to get out of isolation in time for lunch on Christmas Day. See 9.21am.
Some readers have pointed out that under the rules, the timetable starts from the day after you first get symptoms, or test positive. The first day would be Sunday, and the last day would be Christmas Day.
There is another change under the new rules. 10 days inclusive was the rule for the 10-day rule. You can be free on day seven if you pass the second lateral flow test. The UK Health Security Agency explains it.
The new guidance states that if you have a positive test on day 6 and day 7 you can take the test on day 0. If they take a test on the morning of day 6 and a second test on the morning of day 7 and both are negative, they can leave self-isolation.
The new seven-day quark would be more like six days for anyone doing both tests early in the morning.
It was updated at 6.43am.
3h ago
DfT figures show that the rail passenger numbers are half of their pre-pandemic levels.
It was updated at 5.19amEST.
3h ago
Oxford Street is in London this morning. Normally it would be busy with shoppers this close to Christmas, but many people have stopped going out in response to the Covid cases.
Ian West is the photographer.
3h ago
The minister says there is not yet enough data to justify further restrictions after Christmas.
It was updated at 5.33am.
4h ago
The UK has contracts for 4.25m courses of antivirals.
It was updated at 4.50am.
4h ago
It was updated at 4.35am.
4h ago
The minister says that self-isolation rules will allow more people to spend Christmas with their family.
Good morning. Boris Johnson talked about how mass testing would be the "moonshot" that would provide a path back to normal. He said at a news conference that this might help bring life closer to normal before Christmas, and a leaked document talked about mass testing.
This was seen as one of thewilder examples of Johnson's boosterism, and some of his claims were off the mark. At the time Johnson was talking about avoiding a second lock down, there were at least two more to come. More than a year has passed since this vision was first presented. The government is sending out more than one million kits per day. They are being used a lot. The government announced last night that people who test negative for a LFT can reduce their Covid self-isolation period from 10 days to seven. Andrew Gregory has the information.
The social care minister told Times Radio that the new rules would allow some people to spend Christmas Day with their loved ones instead of being isolated. She explained.
If you get a negative test on day six and day seven, you will be able to enjoy your Christmas lunch.
I will post more soon.
Many people are wondering if there will be further restriction in England after Christmas. England is an outlier because Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all announced tighter Covid rules for the post- Christmas period. We will be hearing about what is happening in Wales and Northern Ireland.
The agenda is here.
Weekly transport usage figures are published by the Department for Transport.
New Covid restrictions are expected to be considered by the Northern Ireland executive. The first minister and the deputy first minister are expected to hold a news conference after that.
Mark Drakeford, the Welsh first minister, holds a news conference.
Drakeford made a statement to the Senedd about the new Covid rules.
I will mostly be covering UK Covid developments here, but for global developments, you can read our live blog.
It is difficult to read the comments below the line. I am more likely to find it if you include Andrew in your question. I try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line.
If you want to get my attention quickly, it is probably better to use a social media platform. I am on Andrew Sparrow.
You can email me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com
It was updated at 4.49am.
