HERE'S everything you need to know about the Covid pandemic from the last 24-hours: 

  • There were an additional 429 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the North East and North Yorkshire. The Government said a further 104 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Monday, bringing the UK total to 122,953. It is the lowest daily figure since October 26, when there were 102 further deaths. The Government also said that, as of 9am on Monday, there had been a further 5,455 lab-confirmed cases in the UK, bringing the total to 4,182,009.
  • A total of 17,812,739 Covid-19 vaccinations took place in England between December 8 and February 28, according to provisional NHS England data, including first and second doses, which is a rise of 170,947 on the previous day’s figures.
  • Boris Johnson has insisted the UK has “one of the toughest border regimes anywhere in the world” despite the Brazilian coronavirus strain being detected. The Prime Minister claimed the Government “moved as fast as we could” to launch its quarantine hotel policy. Public Health England has identified six UK cases of the concerning P1 variant first detected in the Brazilian city of Manaus – three in England and three in Scotland. This has led to accusations that stricter and quicker restrictions should have been imposed on international arrivals.
  • A North-East restaurant chain has asked furloughed staff to loan the firm part of their wages or face being sacked, it has been claimed. Tomahawk Steakhouse, which has its headquarters in Eaglescliffe and has restaurants in Darlington, Middlesbrough, Durham, Yarm and North Yorkshire, wrote to employees asking them to sign an agreement to lend 10 per cent of their wages each month to cover their pension and national insurance contributions, the GMB Union says. A letter, which has been seen by the Northern Echo, has been sent to employees asking them for a “voluntary” loan.
  • The Director of Public Health at Darlington Borough Council says it is 'absolutely fantastic' that the town was chosen for a mass Covid vaccination site. The site at Mowden Arena offers an alternative choice for people to their local GP vaccination service which is already operating throughout the borough. Penny Spring said the mass site would help vaccinate 'so many more people' per day, adding: "It will really help us get as people vaccinated as quickly as possible so it is a really big plus, a great opportunity for Darlington."
  • The Great Yorkshire Show will go ahead in July, organisers said today, as long as it be done safely. Last year's show, at the Harrogate showground, was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, as with the majority of events. A statement released today by show organisers the Yorkshire Agricultural Society said: "Following the publication of the Government’s roadmap we are pleased to confirm that we are planning to hold the Great Yorkshire Show on July 13-15, 2021."
  • Air France has started flights from Newcastle to Paris, marking a step in recovery for international travel. The flights, between Newcastle International Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle, will first operate every Monday and Friday. As the peak summer season approaches, passengers will have the opportunity to connect daily via Paris to up to 150 destinations worldwide through Air France’s onward network.
  • The scientists behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine are now looking into the possibility of jab alternatives. As the UK surpasses 20 million jabs administered in the fight against the virus, researchers behind the vaccine are looking at the possibility of pills or nasal sprays as a possible alternative.
  • Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there was “exciting new data” showing the effectiveness of the vaccines. He told a Downing Street press conference the data showed that “a single shot of either the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine or of the Pfizer vaccine works against severe infection among the over-70s with a more than 80% reduction in hospitalisations”.
  • Dr Susan Hopkins, of Public Health England, said they were tracking “very closely” the new Brazilian P1 coronavirus variant following the discovery of six cases in the UK. We are tracking it very closely because it shares some important mutations with the variants first identified in South Africa,” she told a Downing Street news briefing. She said they were in the process of trying to track down the one person who has yet to be identified who is believed to have taken a test on February 12 or 13.