Coronavirus

<p>A leaked email from Boris Johnson&#8217;s Principal Private Secretary offers evidence that Downing Street officials held a party at the height of lockdown.  Martin Reynolds, who has run Johnson&#8217;s private office since October 2019, sent the email on May 20, 2020, when government rules banned people from meeting in groups outdoors. It is said to <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/downing-street-held-garden-party-drinks-at-height-of-lockdown-leaked-email-proves/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>The leader of an anti-vaccination organisation has urged people to drink their own urine to fight against coronavirus.  Christopher Key is the leader of the so-called &#8216;Vaccine Police&#8217;; an organisation that condemns the Covid-19 vaccine and has repeatedly lashed out at the jabs and those supporting them over the last few months. Key threatened those <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/anti-vax-leader-urges-people-to-drink-their-own-urine-to-fight-against-the-virus/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>Boris Johnson has revealed that he is considering changes to the self-isolation period for those who test positive for coronavirus.  The prime minister discussed his thoughts on the current rules during an interview today, January 10, after the government previously lowered the isolation period from 10 days to seven, with two negative tests. Johnson has <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-announces-hes-considering-new-changes-to-self-isolation-period/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>The UK&#8217;s COVID-19 death toll has officially passed 150,000. The total number of deaths reported within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test now sits at 150,057, making it the fourth-highest death toll in the world behind Brazil, India and the US. It comes after the latest daily figures showed a further 313 coronavirus-related fatalities. <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/uks-covid-death-toll-has-passed-150000-as-cases-soar/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>If you&#8217;re a resident in Japan with COVID-19, the government will send you a quarantine kit &#8211; and they&#8217;re enormous. We&#8217;re now nearly two years on from the start of the pandemic, and we&#8217;ve all come to terms with the idea of locking ourselves away for a couple of weeks if you catch COVID-19. For <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/life/people-cant-believe-the-size-of-these-japanese-quarantine-kits/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>Shark antibodies have been revealed as potentially being able to help make sure there are no future coronavirus pandemics, according to scientists.  University of Wisconsin scientists have discovered that small proteins in the blood of the predators could help prepare the world for further outbreaks of Covid-19. The finding could &#8216;be used down the road <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/animals/sharks-could-be-the-key-to-preventing-pandemics-scientists-reveal/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>The United States&#8217; first known case of &#8216;flurona&#8217; has been confirmed at a COVID-19 testing site in Los Angeles County. Officials at the testing site in Brentwood, California, confirmed the case after a child tested positive for both Influenza A (flu) and SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) following a trip to Cabo San Lucas. Despite both being contagious <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/first-case-of-flurona-confirmed-in-the-us/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>A biology teacher in the US has been arrested after allegedly giving a student a vaccine in her home without parental permission.  Laura Parker Russo administered what is believed to have been a coronavirus vaccine shot in her living room, Nassau police said, despite having no medical qualifications. The 17-year-old who allegedly received the shot <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/science-teacher-arrested-after-vaccinating-pupil-in-her-home/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>The UK&#8217;s lateral flow testing process is set to be radically altered by the government.  In his address to the nation at around 4pm today, January 5, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce changes to the isolation requirements following a positive lateral flow result for coronavirus. After it was reported that &#8216;around a <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/government-to-announce-major-changes-to-positive-lateral-flow-test-process/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to address the nation today, January 5, regarding the surge of Omicron cases in England.  Johnson is planning to make the announcement after the first Prime Minister&#8217;s Questions of 2022, which is taking place at 3.00pm today. Following a meeting with his Cabinet this morning to discuss the rise <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-set-to-address-the-nation-again-today-as-omicron-cases-surge/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>Members of the British public were left baffled after Boris Johnson announced the creation of &#8216;250,000 virtual hospital beds&#8217;. The prime minister made the comment during a press conference today, January 4, as the UK reported 218,724 new cases of coronavirus. Johnson noted the number of new cases is the highest the UK has seen <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-just-announced-2500-virtual-hospital-beds-and-people-are-confused/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>A new coronavirus variant with 46 mutations has been identified by scientists in France.  Scientists have discovered a number of new variants following the initial COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, with members of the public experiencing different symptoms and levels of severity depending on the variant. After previously identifying the Delta and Omicron strains of <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/new-ihu-covid-variant-with-46-mutations-discovered-in-france/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>Television presenter and physicist Igor Bogdanoff has died just days after his identical twin brother, at the age of 72.  On Monday, January 3, Igor passed away six days after his brother Grichka, having been in hospital since the middle of December after he reportedly contracted coronavirus. Loved ones of the star, who first began <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/celebrity/iconic-french-tv-star-igor-bogdanoff-dies-aged-72-days-after-twin-brother/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>A nurse woke up from a 28-day coma caused by coronavirus, after medics gave her Viagra as part of an experimental treatment.  On November 9, Monica Almeida was admitted to Lincoln County Hospital after she tested positive for Covid-19 on October 31. The 37-year-old mother-of-two was double vaccinated but suffered from asthma, however she took <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/health/nurse-wakes-up-from-28-day-covid-coma-after-taking-viagra/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>A man who spent four years in a concentration camp has criticised a TikToker who appeared to compare being unvaccinated to the Holocaust.  TikTok user and Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev and his partner Julie have racked up more than 107,000 followers online after they first started sharing videos last year, with Gidon regularly reflecting on <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/life/holocaust-survivor-reacts-to-tiktoker-who-was-pretending-to-be-in-a-concentration-camp/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>Doctors have revealed the first diagnosis of what is being dubbed &#8216;Flurona&#8217; in Israel.  On Thursday, December 30, a woman tested positive for both coronavirus and influenza while at the Beilinson Hospital, located in the city of Petach Tikva. However, doctors suspect that further cases of &#8216;flurona&#8216; are likely present within the country. Director of <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/first-case-of-flurona-detected-in-israel/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

<p>Absence rates are anticipated at reaching up to 25% as a result of a record number of daily cases of coronavirus from over the Christmas period. While no new restrictions were implemented ahead of January, the Cabinet Office has revealed leaders of public sectors have been warned to prepare for &#8216;worst-case scenarios&#8217; for workplace absences <a href="https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/omicron-workplaces-warned-over-absences-of-up-to-25/" title="Read more" >&#8230;</a></p>

"We put so much pressure on ourselves to enjoy Christmas and enforce fun, but actually, who is forcing that?"