As ministers come under increasing pressure to implement Plan B, new evidence of Covid’s confidence has emerged.
Modeling seen by the government suggests coronavirus cases will drop in November even without a new approach.
The telegraph understands that ministers have reportedly refrained from introducing restrictions such as mandatory masks, working from home and vaccine passports after seeing screenings from several groups that show infections decline rapidly within weeks.
One model suggests cases will peak soon, before dropping sharply during the winter months, even without the additional restrictions. Scientific editor Sarah knapton explains what is driving much of the current wave.
And, as ministers consider allowing everyone over 50 to reserve their booster shots after five months, JCVI members have warned that rushing the deployment could do more harm than good.
Meanwhile, Jacinda Ardern has acknowledged that Covid policies will create a two-tiered system in New Zealand where unvaccinated citizens do not have the same rights as those who have been given the jab.
It comes as figures show the number of EU citizens claiming benefits has doubled during the pandemic amid fears that many are living abroad while receiving the money.
EU citizens with permanent status remained eligible for millions of pounds in benefits and leave thanks to the Withdrawal Agreement despite leaving the UK.
At least 100,000 have resigned to return to Europe, according to a new analysis from the Office for National Statistics.
NHS gets £ 6bn budget boost to reduce backlog
Budget week is here. Rishi Sunak will announce that the NHS will receive a £ 6bn boost for operations and screening in a bid to reduce record backlogs. The Chancellor will set the additional capital funding on Wednesday to provide nine million additional tests, scans and operations by 2024-25 for patients requiring treatment for hip and knee replacements, cataracts, hernias and other non-urgent conditions. As Charles Hymas explains, this will increase the number of elective surgeries and checks by nearly a third on pre-pandemic levels. It comes as Mr Sunak suggested the budget would end the public sector wage freeze, which means potential wage increases for 2.6 million workers.