UK coronavirus deaths rise by 587

The UK has recorded another 587 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test, bringing the official total to 106,158.

A further 21,088 cases were also reported, according to the government, while a record 598,389 people received their first dose of a vaccine.

The latest updated figures for the last seven days show that deaths, positive tests and hospital admissions are all decreasing, with the rate of new infections now standing at 287.6 per 100,000 people.

However there are still 34,783 people in hospital with Covid and 3,832 patients on ventilators in intensive care.

Separate figures from the national statistics agency suggest there have now been 123,000 deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned as a cause on the death certificate.

Health officials have warned the government that lockdown restrictions should only be relaxed "very slowly, very cautiously" to prevent another surge in cases and deaths in the Spring.

Dr Hopkins told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "We have learnt, as we did on the first occasion, we have to relax things really quite slowly, so that if cases start to increase we can clamp down quite fast.

"Any releases that we have will have to happen very slowly, very cautiously, watching and waiting as we go, with a two-week period to watch and see the impact of that relaxation because it takes that to see what's happening in the population."

New research commissioned by Sage experts suggest that another surge in deaths will only be avoided if vaccines are highly effective at blocking  coronavirus transmission.

Academics on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) said deaths are only "substantially reduced" under a gradual relaxation scenario if vaccines are able to prevent 85 per cent of infections in vaccinated individuals, rather than just reduce the severity of disease.

It also raised the prospect of social distancing rules remaining in force until 2022.