North Essex returns to Covid hotspot map

Clacton East has returned to the Governments Covid Hotspot map after recording three cases in the seven days leading up to May 26.

All other areas in both the Colchester Borough and Tendring District have recorded less than three cases in the last seven days and the virus is classes as "suppressed" in these areas.

They are not recorded on the Covid hotspots map any longer.

The infection rates in both areas remain low, despite the Indian variant being identified in both.

In Colchester the rate stands at 2.6 per 100,000 people.

The rate is slightly higher in Tendring but still low at 7.5 per 100,000 people.

Read more:

• Downing Street issues update on plans to end lockdown on June 21
• School days ‘to be extended’ and teachers to get pay rise under new plans 
  
  Earlier today Downing Street indicated that Boris Johnson still sees nothing in the nothing in the data to suggest the plan to end all restrictions on June 21 will need to be delayed.

Asked about the Prime Minister’s plans amid warnings over the spread of the Indian variant, a No 10 spokesman said: “I was going to point to what the PM said on Thursday.

“The Prime Minister has said on a number of occasions that we haven’t seen anything in the data but we will continue to look at the data, we will continue to look at the latest scientific evidence as we move through June towards June 21.”

All over 30s are now eligible for a vaccine in England as the NHS prepares to extend the rollout to those aged 18 to 29.

A single-dose Covid vaccine made by Janssen was also been approved for use in the UK by the medicines regulator last week.

The vaccine, which was 85 per cent effective in stopping severe illness from Covid-19 in trials, has met expected safety standards.

Twenty million doses have been ordered for the UK, and will arrive later this year.

It will be the fourth vaccine to be used in the UK to protect against Covid-19.