You would expect some increase in transmission given that people are mixing again big time. The big difference is that this time last year there were nearly 9,000 patients in hospital with Covid, now it's under 900. 120 people on ventilators vs 783 the same day last year.

It's quite difficult to see the full picture as the last set of robust data analysed for trends by the ONS seems to be Feb 21. At least it's not easy to find more than news reports. I wanted to see whether there were more younger people being admitted to hospital but couldn't find stats.

Exactly.
According to the news, lockdown is being eased and, lo and behold, the numbers of infections are rising again, albeit slowly.

What does that say? More lockdowns?

I'd rather people exercise some common sense instead.

However, it seems that the average Brit, apart from going to Spain to sit on the beach and drink beer every year, has very little common sense, so what can you do?

However, it seems that the average Brit, apart from going to Spain to sit on the beach and drink beer every year, has very little common sense, so what can you do?

A further 3,240 confirmed cases in the UK were announced by the government on Saturday *.

No significant fall.

On Monday, the UK reported more than 3,000 new Covid infections for a sixth day in a row.

Prof Ravi Gupta, from the University of Cambridge, said although new cases were "relatively low" the Indian variant had fuelled "exponential growth".

He said ending Covid restrictions in England on 21 June should be postponed.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the government could not rule out a delay to the planned lockdown easing.

But business leaders have warned of the harmful impact of any change to the proposed dates.

No deaths today, apparently (from Covid, I mean). That's worth a shout out , yes?

Prof Jason Leitch said more cases were inevitable as society gradually opens up after lockdown.

Earlier Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister, paused lockdown easing in some areas of the country. Most of the country had been due to drop to level one of the five-tier system next week but Ms Sturgeon said 13 council areas would stay in level two due to rising case rates.

Covid cases hit a low on 5 May, when 85 cases were recorded across Scotland. But since then numbers have been rising, with 641 recorded on Friday - the highest daily number since 25 March. The variant first identified in India is believed to be responsible for about half of Scotland's daily cases.

Prof Leitch said that as restrictions ease then it followed that there would be more cases. He added: "The question is whether you control that to a level that doesn't cause enough severe disease to fill hospitals and enough severe disease to cause misery and death to families. And that's the balance we are now trying to strike in the advice we are giving and the decisions the first minister and the cabinet have made today."