Here are the morning headlines for Wednesday, January 26, as it was announced that self-isolation rules in Wales will change from Friday.
If you have Covid you will be able to leave self-isolation after five full days if you have two consecutive negative lateral flow tests, Health Minister Eluned Morgan has confirmed.
The current minimum is seven days but the new rule will be in place from January 28, which is also the date the Welsh Government expects to move to alert level zero.
The two negative lateral flows must be taken on days five and six of the isolation period. Anyone who tests positive on either day must continue to self-isolate until they have two negative tests taken 24 hours apart or until day 10, whichever comes first, in line with Public Health Wales advice. The move was made in England on January 13.
The Welsh Government believes a shorter self-isolation period will ease pressure on public services and businesses struggling with staff absences.
Financial support through the Self-Isolation Support Scheme will drop from £750 to the previous rate of £500 "in recognition of the shorter isolation period", said a Welsh Government spokesperson. People who need support with essentials such as shopping and pharmacy goods will be able to access help through their local authority and voluntary organisations.
Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “Self-isolation is one of the most effective ways of preventing the onward spread of this virus and disrupting its transmission. But self-isolating for long periods can have a negative impact on our mental health and can be damaging for our public services and the wider economy.
“After carefully reviewing all the available evidence, we believe that testing on days five and six together with five full days of isolation will have the same protective effect as a 10-day isolation period. But it is really important everyone self-isolates and uses lateral flow tests in the way advised to ensure they protect others from the risk of infection."
Read more: All the latest coronavirus news from Wales and the UK.
Partygate report now expected to be published
The Prime Minister is set to face further questions over a police investigation into partygate as No 10 braces for the submission of a report into possible lockdown breaches.
A Downing Street source said that Sue Gray had not, as of Wednesday morning, handed in her findings about alleged coronavirus rule-breaking parties held at the top of Government.
Sky News has reported that Sue Gray received photographs of Downing Street parties which include Boris Johnson and others close together with wine bottles.
The senior civil servant's inquiry had been expected to be finalised this week, with reports suggesting it could be published to coincide with Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, or possibly on Thursday.
It comes as police launched their own probe into multiple events in No 10 after being passed information from the Gray inquiry.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said investigations into historic allegations of Covid regulation flouting were carried out in cases of the "most serious and flagrant" breaches, and when it was considered those involved "ought to have known that what they were doing was an offence".
The Prime Minister's official spokesman signalled that Boris Johnson would be willing to speak to those at Scotland Yard investigating the alleged breaches of coronavirus rules over the past two years.
However, he said Mr Johnson believes he has not broken the law. Read about how Boris was 'ambushed by a cake'.
The FT said the final report was likely to list Ms Gray's conclusions but that it would not include a "significant amount of evidence" from interviews, such as photos or messages.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister's allies looked to defend their under-fire leader, with one Cabinet minister arguing ousting Mr Johnson would inevitably lead to a general election.
Some Conservative MPs have publicly called for Mr Johnson's resignation, but others have said they will await the publication of the Gray report before trying to trigger a vote of no confidence.
In what is likely to be read as a warning to wavering rebels, Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said the modern precedent was for a new incumbent in Downing Street to go to the polls to seek a fresh mandate.
He told BBC's Newsnight: "It is my view that we have moved, for better or worse, to essentially a presidential system and that therefore the mandate is personal rather than entirely party, and that any Prime Minister would be very well advised to seek a fresh mandate."
Mr Rees-Mogg, asked whether the Prime Minister should resign if there is a photograph of him at a drinks party in No 10, urged for people to wait for Ms Gray's report to be published.
"Trying to speculate on bits of gossip and tittle-tattle around the report doesn't really get us anywhere," he added.
Study backs fourth jab to protect high risk patients
The Omicron variant of coronavirus "poses a greater risk" to people with blood cancer, experts have warned.
Researchers wanted to examine the effect of a booster dose among patients with cancer, including those with blood cancer.
Experts from the Francis Crick Institute and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust have been tracking the level of antibodies in the blood of cancer patients after vaccination.
Antibodies work as part of the body's defence system by identifying and attacking viruses, these can be generated through vaccination or can occur naturally after someone has had an infection.
The team measured levels of antibodies which specifically block the Omicron variant from infecting cells, also known as neutralising antibodies.
Patients with solid tumours appeared to generate antibody responses similar to people without cancer.
But among patients with blood cancer who had three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, only 56% generated neutralising antibodies, according to the study which has been highlighted in correspondence published in The Lancet.
This means that after three doses of vaccine 44% of patients with blood cancer did not generate these neutralising antibodies.
The researchers highlight that antibodies are not the only line of defence in the body and patients may also have protection from other parts of the immune system.
But they said that the study backs the need for four jabs for this immunocompromised group of people.
"We found that a third vaccine dose boosted the neutralising response against omicron in patients with cancer, but the effect was blunted in patients with blood cancer compared to those with solid cancer," they wrote.
They said that their study supports the UK policy of offering a fourth jab to some patients.
Pfizer starts clinical trial for Omicron variant Covid vaccine
Pfizer has begun a study comparing its original Covid-19 vaccine with doses specially tweaked to match the hugely contagious Omicron variant.
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced the study on Tuesday.
Vaccine makers have been updating their jabs to better match Omicron in case global health authorities decide the change is needed.
While Omicron is more likely than previous variants to cause infection even in people who have been vaccinated, it is not yet clear that a change to the vaccine recipe is needed.
The original jabs still offer good protection against severe illness and death. Studies in the US and elsewhere have made clear that adding a booster dose strengthens that protection and improves the chances of avoiding a milder infection.
"We recognise the need to be prepared in the event this protection wanes over time and to potentially help address Omicron and new variants in the future," said Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer's vaccine research chief.
The new US study is enrolling up to 1,420 healthy adults, aged 18 to 55, to test the updated jabs for use as a booster or for primary vaccinations.
Researchers will examine the tweaked vaccine's safety and how it revs up the immune system in comparison to the original jabs.
In one study group, about 600 volunteers who received two doses of the current Pfizer vaccine three to six months ago will receive either one or two Omicron-based jabs as boosters.
Another 600 who have already had three regular doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be given a fourth dose of either the regular vaccine or the Omicron-matched version.
The study also will enrol some unvaccinated volunteers who will receive three doses of the Omicron-based vaccine.
All the key restrictions that end in England tonight
New Covid rules come into force across England on Thursday, following the Prime Minister's decision to lift "Plan B" measures.
The restrictions, which were put in place in December end at midnight tonight.
Mandatory face coverings and Covid passports have been dropped as part of the move to 'Plan A.' It comes after work from home guidance and the requirement to wear face coverings in schools ended last week.
From today, it is no longer compulsory to wear a face mask, though the government suggests continuing to wear one in crowded, indoor spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet. Rules in Wales change from Friday, but people will still be asked to wear masks in public places. Read more about the changes here.
You will also no longer need to show your NHS Covid Pass in England at venues and events by law, but they will still be needed in Wales.
Certain other restrictions, including the need to self-isolate if you test positive for the virus, remain in place.
The government has said people who are fully vaccinated will no longer need to take a Covid-19 test before or after arrival in the UK, from February 11; passenger locator forms will still be required. Read how the rules in Wales have also changed.
And from March 24, the requirement for people with Covid-19 in England to self-isolate will expire.
However, until then, people must continue to follow the current guidance and self-isolate if they test positive for the virus.
Key changes on January 27 include: The end of mandatory Covid passes in England, with businesses allowed to use them if they choose
A mandatory requirement for facemasks will end, including in classrooms for secondary students and on public transport.
Individuals are however recommended to use them in crowded indoor venues, but told to exercise their own judgement as necessary
Working from home will no longer be required Visiting restrictions on care homes will be eased, with further details to be released shortly
There will still be a legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive for Covid.
Sir Elton John cancels shows after testing positive
The singer has been forced to cancel tour shows this week after testing positive for Covid.
The Candle In The Wind singer was due to continue his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour this week but had to postpone.
In a statement released, the singer said: "Hi everyone, wanted to send a message to let you know that I have contracted Covid and so have had to reschedule my shows in Dallas.
"If you have tickets, you’ll be contacted with the new dates really soon. It’s always a massive disappointment to move shows and I’m so sorry to anyone who’s been inconvenienced by this but I want to keep myself and my team safe."
Sir Elton, 74, added that he is fully vaccinated and has also received the booster jab, while his symptoms are mild so he’s expecting to perform upcoming shows in Arkansas this weekend.
Unions say millions of frontline workers face 'another year of wages gloom'
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned the staffing crisis in the care sector will worsen if the wages of health workers are not adjusted for rising inflation.
According to the union federation's calculations, nurses are currently £2,700 worse off than in 2010 with inflation taken into account, while care workers employed by local authorities are more than £1,600 a year worse off.
With inflation now forecast to reach 6% or higher in 2022, the TUC is calling on the government to ensure public sector workers get a "decent" pay rise.
Otherwise, the sector will continue to haemorrhage staff, TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady warned.
She said: "Hard work should pay for everyone. But millions of key workers - on the frontline of the pandemic - face another year of wages gloom. That is not right.
"The Government must stop burying its head and get pay rising across the economy. Ministers cannot abandon families during this cost-of-living crisis."
The union added that public sector workers were already thousands of pounds worse off after suffering a "lost decade" which saw wages failing to keep up with price rises.
The TUC called on the Government to prioritise key worker pay in 2022 by easing restrictions on pay policy and providing more funding to Government departments.
EU seeks to streamline cross-border travel during pandemic
The European Union is seeking to streamline the sometimes chaotic travel between its member states during the pandemic by relying more clearly on a person's vaccine or infection status rather than where a traveller came from.
The EU's 27 Europe ministers agreed on Tuesday on such a recommendation to avoid the endless second-guessing on planning trips to and from European areas where Covid-19 might run rampant or not.
"We should move to the person-based approach. It means that how you as a person are protected against the possible infection and not to work on the country by country or regional basis," European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said.
The EU said it can adopt such an approach since the vaccination rollout across the bloc is very high and the use of a QR code app widely known and accepted.
The full vaccination rate in the EU is about 70%, although there are sometimes big differences between nations.
Under the rules for a legal travel certificate, vaccination is a key element and would be valid for nine months since the last dose of the primary vaccination series or after a booster jab.
A negative PCR test no more than three days old or an antigen test one day old also counts, as does a recovery certificate no more than six months old.
The geographical aspect still counts, whereby travel to areas with very high infection rates would still be discouraged
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