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Tuesday morning news briefing: Jab 'not licence to end lockdown'

Plus: Donald Trump prepares bonanza of pardons on final full day in White House & how to spend lockdown like an A-lister

Hall change: Health workers prepare the Bournemouth Covid vaccination centre
Hall change: Health workers prepare the Bournemouth Covid vaccination centre Credit: BNPS
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Getting jab 'could prompt public to abandon rules'

Having a coronavirus vaccination is not a licence to abandon lockdown. That is what ministers are being urged to tell Britons after being warned that millions of people are likely to begin ignoring Covid restrictions once they have been vaccinated. Government scientists are concerned those who receive jabs are likely to relax their attitude towards social distancing and other rules. Papers released by Sage disclose concerns that changes in the behaviour of those given the jab could more than offset the benefits of the vaccination programme. Health Editor Laura Donnelly reports that the scientists suggest ministers should prepare to reintroduce stricter lockdown measures if adherence falls. Officials have refused to provide details on when lockdown could be relaxed. Read everything we know about the rules - and how they could change.

Meanwhile, NHS data appeared to expose a "postcode lottery" in vaccine provision. It revealed that under one in 20 people had been inoculated in London, compared to one in 12 in the North East, Yorkshire and South West. Use our UK vaccine tracker and see the priority list for Covid jabs. And allow Matt to raise a vaccine-related smile with today's cartoon.

Trump prepares bonanza of pardons on final day

Outgoing US president Donald Trump is set to issue a slew of pardons on his final full day in the White House today. As many as 100 pardons and commutations are said to be set for him to sign ahead of Wednesday afternoon, when he hands power to Joe Biden. Those chosen will join a list of people pardoned since the election, but Mr Trump will reportedly not attempt to pardon himself. It came as Mr Trump named famous and historical figures he plans to memorialise in a "National Garden of American Heroes", including black civil rights leaders. Overnight, it emerged Mr Biden will block Mr Trump's lifting of UK travel restrictions.

Don't get mad - this lockdown, make marmalade

Up and down the country and all across the world, under-occupied people are finding creative ways to pass the time during lockdown. The sourdough has proven. All the banana bread is baked. The hot tubs have frozen over. So, what else is there to do now? As Liz Hurley turns to marmalade to stay busy, Guy Kelly discovers how A-listers and influencers are keeping their spirits up in the third lockdown.

At a glance: More coronavirus headlines

Also in the news: Today's other headlines

Smart motorways 'need review' | A coroner has called for a review into the safety of smart motorways after finding that scrapping hard shoulders "presents an ongoing risk of future deaths". David Urpeth concluded the lack of hard shoulder on a stretch of the M1 contributed to the "unlawful killings" of two men who stopped on the inside live lane to exchange insurance details when a lorry ploughed into them.  

Around the world: Navalny calls for street protests

Alexei Navalny called on his supporters to "take to the streets" after he was jailed for at least 30 days in an extraordinary trial that took place in a police station rather than a court. As Nataliya Vasilyeva reports from Moscow, the opposition leader called on his supporters to rally against "that pack of thieves who have been robbing Russia for the past 20 years". View our gallery of more striking world pictures of the day.

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Comment and analysis

You've got this: Getting you through lockdown

  1. The great summer holiday dilemma | Should you risk booking a trip now - or wait?
  2. Dr Rangan Chatterjee | Vital for children to get fresh air - how to get them outside
  3. Homeschooling… and controlling anxieties | How to help a child of any age in lockdown

Business and money briefing

Hopes of a boom | Britain could escape a huge tax raid if the economy manages to bounce back strongly as vaccines are rolled out, a Treasury minister suggested. Jesse Norman raised hopes that the country could recover without the burden of extra taxes to pay for an unprecedented borrowing spree which has funded the fight against Covid-19.  

Sport briefing

Covid demands | World No 1 Novak Djokovic faced an angry backlash from fellow professionals after his demands for more lenient quarantine conditions ahead of the Australian Open were rejected. After Djokovic sent a letter to Tennis Australia, Nick Kyrgios - Australia's best-known current player - called him "a tool" on social media.  

Tonight's dinner  

Spiced sea bass with citrus butter sauce | This colourful dish by Pip Sloan can be served with rice, couscous or chickpeas and greens. View the recipe and try out our Cookbook newsletter.

And finally... for this morning's downtime

High-stakes race | Quantum computing stands to leap forward this year, with the US and China leading global progress. Rachel Cunliffe investigates how it could make possible calculations on a scale that seems almost magical by today's standards.

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