Covid news live: Johnson to announce end to restrictions in England; NZ to end vaccine mandates after Omicron peak

2.47am EST

02:47

Hong Kong was set to report 7,533 new Covid cases on Monday, a new record high, broadcaster TVB reported.

It comes as the city battles to contain a surge in cases that has overwhelmed its healthcare facilities.

Updated
at 2.53am EST

2.28am EST

02:28

A vast majority of Japanese people think the rollout of booster shots against Covid is too slow and give mixed reviews to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s handling of the pandemic, polls show.

Anger over the Japanese government’s handling of the pandemic helped sink the administration of Kishida predecessor Yoshihide Suga, and Kishida faces a crucial election for the upper house of parliament in July, Reuters reported.

About 73% of respondents to a Kyodo news agency opinion poll over the weekend felt Japan’s rollout of booster shots has been far two slow, though 54.1% approved of how it had tackled coronavirus overall.

As of Friday, only some 12% of the population had received booster shots even though nearly 30% of the country is 65 or older and at greater risk without the protection of the booster, even with Kishida repeatedly promising to accelerate the programme.

Kishida told a news conference last week that he has yet to receive the booster, but should get one early in March.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, 17 February 2022. Photograph: David Mareuil/EPA

Nearly half of respondents to the two-day telephone survey said it was “too early” to loosen border controls, which have among been the strictest among wealthy nations but were slammed by businesses and educators, a move set to take place in stages from 1 March.

About 45.7% said the decision, which will open borders to foreigners except for tourists, came too early, Kyodo said, while 34.9% said it was “appropriate” and 16.3% saw it as too late.

Updated
at 2.33am EST

2.18am EST

02:18

Johnson to say ending Covid rules in England is a ‘moment of pride’

Boris Johnson will proclaim that the lifting of all remaining Covid restrictions in England this week marks a “moment of pride” when he unveils the government’s long-term strategy for living with the virus, despite concerns from scientists, health experts and Labour that the move is premature.

The legal requirement for anyone with Covid to isolate will be ditched a month earlier than planned, while free PCR and lateral flow tests for everyone will be axed to rein in public spending and attempt to restore people’s confidence that life can return to normality. The tests will reportedly be kept for the over-80s.

The national contact tracing service is expected to be wound down and schoolchildren will no longer be told to get tested twice a week.

Fresh guidance is expected to be issued, similar to that already published about seasonal flu, designed to let individuals make their own judgments about the risk of catching or transmitting Covid.

Following meetings over the weekend the cabinet will be assembled to rubber stamp the plans on Monday before a Commons statement by the prime minister and a press conference in the evening, likely to feature the government’s two leading pandemic advisers, Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance.

The changes will be announced on Monday and start to come into effect from later in the week.

2.18am EST

02:18

Hello and welcome to the global Covid live blog. My name is Tom Ambrose and I will be bringing you all the latest coronavirus headlines from around the world over the next couple of hours.

We start with the news that New Zealand will lift Covid vaccine mandates and social distancing measures after the Omicron peak has passed, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.

The announcement comes as protesters occupying the parliament grounds again clashed with police.

Inspired by truckers’ demonstrations in Canada, thousands of protesters have blocked streets near the parliament in the capital Wellington for two weeks with trucks, cars and motorcycles, piling pressure on the government to scrap vaccine mandates.

Ardern refused to set a hard date, but said there would be a narrowing of vaccine requirements after Omicron reaches a peak, which is expected in mid to late March.

“We all want to go back to the way life was. And we will, I suspect sooner than you think,” Ardern said at a weekly news conference.

“But when that happens, it will be because easing restrictions won’t compromise the lives of thousands of people â not because you demanded it,” she said, addressing protesters.