UK Covid: Johnson suggests testing for people returning from ‘green list’ countries could be simplified – as it happened
Prime minister says easyJet boss right to ask whether it would be possible to use lateral flow tests for some returning travellers. This live blog is now closed - please follow the global coronavirus live blog for updates
- England's Covid vaccine programme could slow sharply, Sage warns
- No 10 refuses to rule out Covid passports being needed to enter shops
- Johnson suggests simplifying testing regime for holidaymakers
- What are Covid-status certificates and how might they work?
- Downing Street lobby briefing - Summary
- Labour does not challenge poll suggesting it'll lose Hartlepool byelection
5.32pm BST
MAIL: Call this freedom? #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/NUI1LWWTiY
TELEGRAPH: No end in sight as @BorisJohnson says normal is some way off #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/0brd26IIuO
SPI-M-O [the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, Operational] considers slowing importation of new variants, such as B1351 [the South African variant], into the UK a very important priority to allow for the next generation of vaccines to be developed. Whilst new vaccines can be developed, this will likely take many months. Measures to prevent and manage importation risks such as testing individuals, sequencing samples, and maintaining strict quarantine measures for those entering the country will remain important and may delay the spread of variants of concern.
Related: EU drug agency denies already finding causal link between AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots
5.06pm BST
Europe's drug regulator has denied it has established a causal connection between the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and a rare blood clotting syndrome, after a senior official from the agency said there was a link, my colleague Jon Henley reports.
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