Covid news - live: Sturgeon imposes total travel quarantine and Oxford vaccine still protects after 12 weeks

The latest official data up to 1 February shows that 10,143,511 Covid vaccine jabs have been administered in the UK so far.

Of that, 9,646,715 were first doses, a rise of 350,348 on the previous day’s figures. Some 496,796 were second doses, an increase of 2,567 on yesterday’s figures.

The seven-day rolling average of first doses given in the UK is now 399,055. Based on these latest figures, an average of 411,791 first doses would be needed each day in order to meet the government’s target of 15 million first doses by 15 February.

Government figures show that a further 1,449 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday, bringing the UK death toll to 108,013.

Separate figures published by statistics agencies for deaths where the virus has been mentioned on the death certificate, alongside additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 125,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.

As of 9am today, there have been a further 16,840 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, the lowest reported daily total of new cases since 9 December.

The total number of cases in the UK now stands at 3,852,623.

Announcing “managed quarantine” for all international arrivals direct to Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament: “By July last year, we had almost eliminated Covid in Scotland but then allowed it to be re-seeded from, in the main, overseas travel."

Scottish tourism leaders say the new policy means the country could remain closed to international visitors for the rest of the year.

Our Travel Correspondent Simon Calder reports:

Prime minister Boris Johnson has posted a tribute to the late Captain Tom, describing him as someone who “embodied the triumph of the human spirit”.

In his statement, Mr Johnson said: “It is quite astonishing that at the age of 100 he raised more than £32 million for the NHS, and so gave countless others their own chance to thank the extraordinary men and women who have protected us through the pandemic.

“He became not just a national inspiration but a beacon of hope for the world. Our thoughts are with his daughter Hannah and all his family.”

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has suggested that the UK compromised on the “safety and efficacy” of the Covid-19 vaccine in order to get started earlier on its vaccination programme.

She defended the EU’ decision to authorise potential vaccines centrally through the European Medicines Agency amid criticism that the bloc’ vaccine approval and rollout programme has been too slow.

Our Political Editor Andrew Woodcock has the full story:

The Oxford coronavirus vaccine offers 76 per cent protection for up to 12 weeks after the administration of a first dose, new analysis suggests.

Researchers at the University of Oxford also said their vaccine may reduce transmission of the virus by 67 per cent.

My colleague Samuel Lovett reports:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed that the country will vaccinate 10 million people against coronavirus by the end of the first quarter.

Speaking to ARD television on Tuesday, Ms Merkel defended her government’s handling of the vaccine rollout. It comes after Berlin and the EU have been under fire over the pace at which vaccine deployment is taking place.

She said the EU had been right not to go for the emergency approval used by the UK to release the first vaccine for public use ahead of anyone else, as it was crucial to maintain people’s confidence in the jabs.

“You could either say that we will already be able to vaccinate 10 million people using both vaccines in the first quarter, or others will say ‘only’ (10 million); but either way it will go up from there,” she said.

Following the announcement by Nicola Sturgeon that some pupils will return to schools in Scotland from 22 February, teachers’ union NASUWT has urged “extreme caution” before coronavirus restrictions can be lifted.

Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, said in a statement: “We share the ambition for all children and young people to return to face-to-face schooling as soon as it is safe to do so.

“However, the First Minister has stated that the situation regarding the virus remains severe. Extreme caution is needed before lifting the current lockdown measures so that progress in reducing levels of virus transmission is not allowed to unravel.”

He urged the Scottish government to come up with a package of enhanced safety measures for schools.

“A package of measures will be needed to secure the confidence of parents and the workforce and should include mandatory guidance on Covid safe working practices in schools that is backed up with inspection and enforcement measures to ensure compliance.

“The safety of teachers with underlying health conditions or who are clinically extremely vulnerable must also be assured, and the introduction of rotas should also be introduced to provide for effective social distancing,” he added.

“Giving priority to teachers and other education staff to coronavirus vaccinations would also be an important step in reducing the risk of further disruption to pupils’ education.

“Health and safety must remain the prime consideration and everything that can be done must be done to safeguard the welfare of children, young people and school staff.”

While the union is urging caution, Reform UK is pushing the UK government to follow in Ms Sturgeon’s footsteps and set a date for schools to return.

Richard Tice, chairman of Reform UK, said: “It isn’t acceptable that the Government refuses to put in place a decisive action plan to accelerate the return of pupils, meanwhile millions of children are unable to learn and falling behind. Parents and children are literally crying at each other, desperate for a bit of certainty and a firm school reopening date. Where is the Secretary of State for Education, we never hear from him?

“It is time Boris Johnson prioritised the vaccination of teachers and made sure that our children were back in the classroom with their friends not straining their eyes behind computer screens all day.”

US president Joe Biden’s administration has announced it would be sending one million Covid-19 vaccines doses to some pharmacies across the country starting next week, in an effort to scale up distribution of the jabs.

6,500 different pharmacies will receive the doses each week beginning 11 February, reports my colleague Danielle Zoellner from New York.

Read the breaking news story below:

Saudi Arabia has announced a ban on entry to the kingdom from 20 countries, with the exception of diplomats, Saudi citizens, medical practitioners and their families.

The state news agency reports that the temporary ban, which begins on 3 February, includes travellers from the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the US, the UK, South Africa, France, Egypt, Lebanon, India and Pakistan.