Covid-19: Jabs effective against Indian variant and lockdown confessions

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Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Sunday morning. We'll have another update for you tomorrow.

1. Jabs effective against Indian variant

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he is "increasingly confident" the government will be able to ease restrictions on 21 June after a study found the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective against the variant first identified in India . Two doses of the jabs offer similar levels of protection against the Indian variant as they do for the Kent one. However, both vaccines were only 33% effective against the Indian variant three weeks after the first dose. Mr Hancock said the data showed it was "absolutely vital" people got both vaccine doses.

image copyright Reuters

2. England surpasses 50 million vaccinations

England has surpassed 50 million vaccine doses , according to NHS data. Some 31,546,846 UK adults have had their first jab, while 18,699,556 have had two, NHS England figures show. The milestone was reached as the vaccination programme continued to move down the age groups, with 32 and 33-year-olds in England now being invited to book their first vaccination from this weekend. Mr Hancock said the government is on track to offer a first vaccine dose to all adults in the UK by the end of July.

media caption Why it is normal for some people to experience short-term side effects from Covid-19 vaccines

3. The tribal area that had oxygen as cities gasped

India's cities and towns have struggled to keep Covid patients breathing amid a severe oxygen shortage during a deadly second wave of the pandemic. But one rural district has been praised for managing to avoid the crisis . Dr Rajendra Bharud, the collector, or senior administrator, in Nandurbar, began preparing in September after seeing other countries deal with second and third waves. And even as cases dipped, his administration continued expanding or building infrastructure - from quarantine centres to oxygen plants - that would help fight the virus. His district's approach has been making headlines in India and has been dubbed the "Nandurbar model".

image caption Dr Rajendra Bharud, district collector for Nandurbar, has been praised for his efforts in tacking the second wave

4. Vaccination certificates hit by security glitch

The Scottish government has said it is working to fix a security flaw that could allow people to edit Covid vaccination status certificates . People in Scotland travelling to a foreign country can download the vaccination status forms from the NHS Scotland Portal. They show the dates of vaccinations and which jabs were given to an individual. But a security glitch means vaccination status details can be altered using popular computer software programmes. BBC Scotland was able to download a certificate and edit it to include a false name and the address of the BBC's Glasgow headquarters.

image copyright Getty Images

5. The lockdown confession postcards

Stationery and design shop owner Eleanor Tattersfield sent out blank postcards asking people to reveal their lockdown secrets. So far she's received 1,200 responses and has been left amazed by the coronavirus confessions they have shared . Eleanor said there were a number of recurring themes, particularly around self-reflection. She said she was planning to release a book containing the messages.

media caption Eleanor Tattersfield sent out postcards asking people to reveal their lockdown secrets

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And there's more...

With restrictions set to ease further in Northern Ireland on Monday, and following the latest relaxation of rules in England, Scotland and Wales, head here to find out what the UK's roadmap for lifting lockdown is.

Find further information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page .

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