Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Wednesday evening. We'll have another update for you on Thursday morning.
1. Most Covid rules scrapped in England
England's Plan B measures are to end from next Thursday, with mandatory face coverings in public places and Covid passports both dropped, Boris Johnson has announced. Advice for people to work from home has been immediately scrapped. The PM said England was reverting to "Plan A" due to boosters and how people had followed Plan B measures. He told MPs scientists believed the Omicron wave had peaked nationally.
2. Covid infections fall across most of UK
It comes as the number of people infected with coronavirus in the UK showed the most significant fall since the start of the Omicron wave, the Office for National Statistics estimated. In the week to 15 January, 3.5 million people tested positive – down from 4.3 million the week before, it says. Covid infections dropped in England, Scotland and Wales – although the trend was less certain in Northern Ireland.
Getty Images3. Search begins for 'lost' 100,000 pupils
The children's commissioner for England has said she intends to literally "go out and find" as many as 100,000 children who are not attending school as expected. Dame Rachel de Souza said 95% of children were usually in school at this time of year – but the figure is currently about 87%. Some absences were down to illness and Covid, she said, but other children had simply failed to return following classroom closures during the pandemic.
Getty Images4. Czech singer dies after intentionally catching Covid
A folk singer from the Czech Republic has died after deliberately catching Covid, her son has told the BBC. Hana Horka, 57, was unvaccinated and had posted on social media that she was recovering after testing positive, but died two days later.
Jaromír ZAJDA Zajíček5. Millionaires ask to pay more tax after pandemic
More than 100 of the world's richest people are asking to pay more tax as the world moves towards recovery from the pandemic. The so-called Patriotic Millionaires said the ultra-wealthy were not being forced to pay their share towards the global economic recovery after coronavirus. The number of millionaires increased by 5.2 million in 2020, to a total of 56.1 million globally, according to Credit Suisse.
Getty Images
Get a longer daily news briefing from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning, by signing up here.
And there's more…
You've found out you've got Covid, so what do you do now? Tell people you have the virus is one of the things experts recommend. Here are some others.
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
BBC What questions do you have about coronavirus?
In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.
Use this form to ask your question:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in.
- WHAT IS AN 'ANTI-DIET'? The food movement that could change your attitude towards exercising
- FOR THE NHS, THE FIGHT GOES ON: How is the health service coping two years into the pandemic?
Artmotion UK
