Covid live news: UK expert warns large gatherings will cause cases surges; data ‘inconclusive’ on benefits of boosters – WHO

UK reports 149 new deaths as expert says large gatherings will cause significant surge' in cases; WHO chief says safety of vaccine booster shot is inconclusive

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6.38pm BST

The Australian coalition government is facing calls from within its ranks to extend a Covid vaccine mandate for workers in residential aged care to all aged care and disability care workers.

Warren Entsch, the Liberal MP for Leichhardt, raised the issue with the health minister, Greg Hunt, this week, saying the mandate for the residential aged care workforce did not go far enough.

Related: Morrison government under pressure from within to expand aged care Covid vaccine mandate

6.19pm BST

The World Health Organization director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has again said that the data on the benefits and safety of a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot is inconclusive - but richer states continue to move towards the policy.

On the boosters, first of all, its not conclusive, in terms of its benefits; and also, we don't know, if its safe. The second problem is that when some countries can afford to have the booster and others are not even vaccinating the first and second round, it's a moral issue.

Its like saying okay, you have a life jacket and you're adding another one, while others don't have a single lifejacket. But its not just a moral issue, with a big part of the population unvaccinated - especially in low- and middle-income countries, we are giving opportunity to the virus to circulate, meaning new variants will emerge.

Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros https://t.co/w7oQ9TZdct