Health Secretary says new variant of Covid detected – as London moves to Tier 3 restrictions

More than 10 million people in London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will fall under Tier 3 restrictions from midnight tomorrow.

Covid rates have been rising fastest among 10 to 19-year-olds in the south east, but most schools will stay open while pubs and restaurants close.

While doctors at more than 100 centres took delivery of the vaccine today, we have been asking for exact figures for the number of people vaccinated in England. But the government will only say the number is “in the tens of thousands”.

We do know that at least 24,910 people have been vaccinated so far in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.