The red list for international travel will be scrapped in the UK, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has announced this afternoon.
This means that Covid-19 travel rules are set to change for people coming into the country, meaning that people flying in from certain destinations will no longer be asked to quarantine on arrival.
Previously the red list, which was reintroduced between 29 November and 4 December in a bid to stop Omicron from coming into the country, required travellers arriving from some countries to quarantine in hotels for 11 days – costing solo travellers several thousand pounds at short notice.
Javid told MPs in the Commons today that it was no longer deemed necessary to block arrivals from countries with Omicron from coming into the UK.
This, he said, was because there are now several thousand confirmed cases in England.
“Now that there is community transmission, the travel red list is less effective,” Javid said.
The 11 countries on the red list will be removed as of 4am tomorrow. They are Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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It is not currently clear whether hotel detainees will be able to leave their quarantine early or receive a partial refund, given the new announcement.
Other border measures will remain in place, however. All travellers entering the UK must take a Covid test before departure and isolate until they receive a negative PCR result, regardless of their vaccination status.
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told ITV: “With Omicron so prevalent in the UK, the inbound red list is now irrelevant and should have no countries on it. That would also mean the end of hotel quarantine.
“No government would want to be putting inbound travellers in forced hotel isolation during the Christmas period, so ministers will have to abandon it.”
He added: “Ministers have to adopt individual not blanket measures. Those who have been fully boosted should have no restrictions placed on them at all, if only to act as an incentive for people to get topped up.”
Labrador puppy dies after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into Greater Manchester marina
Daisy Jackson
A five-month-old Labrador puppy has died after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into a marina in Greater Manchester last week, suffering ‘multiple fractures’.
The tiny pooch was initially pulled to safety by a passing member of the public, who found her struggling in the water between two boats.
The black puppy, who was nicknamed Peggy by RSCPA staff, had suffered such severe breaks to her jaw that she would have been unable to eat or drink and was humanely put to sleep.
The RSPCA is now urging local businesses to check their CCTV for any information relating to this shocking incident, and for any witnesses or people who recognise Peggy to come forward.
The puppy was thrown into the water at the Portland Basin Marina in Ashton-under-Lyne last Wednesday 12 March, and was pulled from the water by a passer-by at around 3.20pm.
Peggy was found near the steel footbridge with no sign of anyone nearby.
When Peggy was found, she was lethargic and extremely cold, and though she was stabilised and transferred to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital later that day, her serious and inoperable injuries led to her being put to sleep.
Her jaw appeared to have been prised open, leaving her tongue hanging out and the poor puppy suffering.
Peggy was not microchipped and it’s not known if her injuries happened as a result of the fall, or if they occurred beforehand.
Labrador puppy Peggy dies after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into Greater Manchester marina. Credit: RSPCA
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Kate Sargent, who is investigating, said: “Everyone who has been involved in this terrible incident has been left feeling shocked and saddened by what happened to Peggy.
“It’s hard to understand how anyone could do something like this to such a young dog. We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to the kind people who got her out of the water and sought help, and to the veterinary teams who saw her.
“We’d appeal to anyone who recognises Peggy or who was at the marina at the time to get in touch so we can progress this investigation further. We are also asking nearby businesses and homes in the surrounding area to check their CCTV and video doorbells.”
Anyone with first-hand information is urged to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018 quoting reference number 01467665.
NHS slam ‘unacceptable’ rise in physical violence and sexual assault towards frontline staff
Emily Sergeant
Frontline NHS staff are facing a rise in physical violence, inappropriate sexual behaviour, and discrimination at the hands of members of the public.
According to the shocking revelations from the latest annual NHS staff survey published last week, around one in seven NHS staff (14.38%) experienced some from of physical violence directed at them from patients, their relatives, or other members of the public in 2024.
The report revealed that the number of attacks on staff has increased by nearly 14% since 2023.
Staff experiencing discrimination at work reached also reached its highest level in five years, with more than half (54%) saying the discrimination they received from patients and the public was based on their ethnic background.
One in 12 (8.82%) NHS workers experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in 2024, which included offensive comments, touching, and even assault.
Frontline NHS staff are facing a rise in physical violence at the hands of the public / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
On top of these findings from the staff survey, the national education and training survey – which was also published last week, and seeks to hear the thoughts and experiences of those currently training within the medical field – found that 13% of learners said they experienced or witnessed forms of ‘unwanted, harmful, or inappropriate’ sexual behaviour by patients.
A whopping 744,358 NHS staff members took part in the 2024 survey, which is the highest ever level in staff in its 20-year history.
The survey gives a snapshot of what it’s like to work in the NHS, right from the beginning of a career, throughout their working lives, and into retirement, and are used by NHS organisations to ‘make things better’ for staff and patients.
They’re also being subjected to inappropriate sexual behaviour and discrimination / Credit: rawpixel
“It’s totally unacceptable that NHS staff are facing physical violence, sexual assault, and discrimination from patients and the public while at work,” commented Dr Navina Evans, who is the Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer for NHS England, as the survey findings were published.
“We know that the most important way to stamp out incidents of unacceptable behaviour is to give people the confidence to report it, and it is important that the voice of every member of NHS staff is heard through these surveys and acted upon.
“The NHS sexual safety charter has also now been adopted by every integrated care board and NHS trust in England to enforce a zero-tolerance approach to letting unwanted behaviours go unaddressed”.
Georgina Pellant -
14th December 2021 
