Covid: Fourth jab for Scotland’s vulnerable, and testing wind down fears in Wales

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Monday morning.

Covid boosters are being offered to vulnerable people in Scotland. The fourth vaccination is given to elderly nursing home residents, those over the age of 75, and those over the age of 12 with suppressed immune systems. The introduction follows the latest guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization.

The Covid testing system will be shut down in Wales over several months as the nation plans to scrap its remaining rules at the end of March. There are concerns about this process, however, as ministers say they are “reluctant” for this to happen. That’s according to Welsh Health Secretary Eluned Morgan, who said one concern was whether the system would be “ready to bounce back” if there were a new wave of Covid. Welsh Minister Simon Hart said testing is now “more targeted”.

A school has set up a wellness suite employing dedicated staff to help students as the country emerges from the pandemic. Headteacher Claire Huddart, of Horizon Community College in South Yorkshire, says her pupils’ mental health is “the worst thing that has ever happened” and she has spent more than £500,000 from her school budget on support. Just look.

Before the pandemic, the Muslim funeral ritual of washing and wrapping a deceased person before burial was performed by elderly volunteers. But many of them still protect themselves and are therefore unable to fulfill the religious obligation called ghusl. A program has been set up to teach younger volunteers how to do it. Read more here.

What happened to the sounds of city life when the pandemic struck and restrictions were imposed? Our absence meant the hustle and bustle was gone and replaced with other, more natural sounds. Hear what a graduate student found in Belfast city centre.

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Here’s what we know about the long-term safety of vaccines.

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