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Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Monday morning. We'll have another update for you tomorrow.
1. Million households fear eviction as ban ends
As rules preventing evictions in England end today, research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests about a million households fear losing their homes . About 400,000 renters have been served with eviction notices or have been told to expect them, the poll of 10,000 people found. Earlier in the pandemic, bailiffs were told not to carry out evictions if anyone living there had Covid symptoms or was self-isolating and notice periods were extended to six months. From today, that reduces to four months. One renter told the BBC his landlord had "the power to just flick their finger and get me out", but a landlord said she had struggled to pay her mortgage while her tenant was not paying rent.
2. India ponders fate of its Covid orphans
The wave of coronavirus infections which swept across India killed hundreds of thousands, left many children orphaned and raised questions about how they will be cared for. Anurag Kundu from the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights said these orphans constitute a "national emergency" after an unprecedented number of people died in such a short period of time. For some, like five-year-old Pratham and his baby brother Ayesh - whose parents died within days of each other - an NGO is hoping they can be adopted together. Relatives of other orphaned children reject adoption. One grandmother caring for her grandchildren after the death of their parents said she worried for their future but asked: "How can I give them away?" India's adoption rates are usually low. But social media has been flooded with calls to adopt children whose parents died of Covid - raising fears of trafficking and exploitation.
3. Warning over security at deadly virus labs
A leading expert on biological warfare has warned that loosely regulated laboratories researching deadly viruses are an "open goal" for terrorists . Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a soldier turned academic who has investigated chemical and biological warfare in places such as Iraq and Syria, said there are thousands of labs worldwide holding deadly viruses where controls can be disturbingly weak. It comes as the US has said it is revisiting the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, including the possibility that it escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan.
4. Asian American volunteers on patrol against racist attacks
"It could be me, it could be my family, my friends. Any day, any time, on the street, in the subway. I'm not feeling safe," says Wan Chen of the rising number of racist attacks against Asian Americans during the pandemic. A third of Asian Americans say they fear for their safety. That is why Ms Chen joined a volunteer patrol in Queens, New York City, where members intervene or call for help if they see trouble. It is one of several such groups to spring up across the US. The anti-China rhetoric of some politicians, including former President Donald Trump, has been blamed for the escalation in racist incidents.
5. Holiday homes see surge in demand
Companies offering homes to rent for holidays say they have been "blown away" by demand , with some saying they expect to make as much from this summer's bookings as they normally do over the whole year. Greg Stevenson of Under the Thatch says issues with booking abroad such as quarantine and testing have helped fuel the boom in domestic holiday lets. Businesses relying on tourists from overseas are facing a slower recovery, however, with one saying it has made just £4,000 in 15 months.
And don't forget...
If you're planning to travel abroad, you may need to prove your vaccine status. Here's how you can do that with the NHS app .
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page .
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from Via PakapNews