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Welcome to the lunchtime digest of today’s major UK news headlines so far.
Five million UK vaccine doses delayed by India shortfall
Delivery of five million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to the UK will be delayed by up to four weeks due to a manufacturing shortfall in India.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs are being made by the Serum Institute of India, which was contracted by the UK Government to deliver 10 million doses.
It means people in their 40s and younger potentially face delays in getting their Covid-19 vaccine.
Read the full story here.
National landmarks in England and Wales to light up purple
Hundreds of buildings and landmarks in England and Wales will be lit up purple this weekend to celebrate the upcoming census and its importance to communities.
The event is being organised by The Office for National Statistics (ONS) to raise awareness of census day on March 21, a survey that happens every ten years and gives a picture of all the people and households in England and Wales.
Iconic landmarks, including the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, BT Tower in London and Blackpool Tower will be lit up for the celebration, which will see them light up in the Census 2021 brand colour from Friday March 19 through to March 21.
Read the full story here.
Royal Mail to put barcodes on millions of stamps
Royal Mail is trialing barcodes on stamps, in a bid to offer customers “more convenient, new services”.
The pilot scheme will see barcodes appearing on around 20 million second class stamps supplied to UK businesses, to be linked with services relevant to them.
The first barcoded stamps will be sold online from March 23, via Viking Direct and the Royal Mail shop.
Read the full story here.
UK sunshine holidays this summer – where you can travel
As Covid-19 lockdown restrictions begin to ease in the coming weeks, thousands of us will be dreaming of a sunshine break this summer.
Foreign travel from the UK is currently not allowed, except for limited journeys for work and education. However, that ban could be lifted from May 17 as part of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
But that deadline remains subject to change, with other countries also working on plans to allow visitors from the UK, as data from the Holiday Index predicts 43% of destinations could reopen their borders by mid-May.
Popular spots including Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Portugal have all indicated a reduced number of travellers can return from April, subject to restrictions.
Read the full story here.
And finally…
A lovable rescue dog called Bear is learning special voice commands after vets discovered he was going blind.
He was diagnosed with progressive retinal atrophy (or PRA), a degenerative condition which means Bear will eventually go completely blind.
Staff at the Altham Animal Centre, in Accrington noticed the two year old Malamute was starting to react nervously to traffic and other dogs, and that he couldn’t always see the toys and treats he was offered.
Jeanette Ainscough, centre manager for RSPCA Lancashire East Branch, said: “To ease his anxiety, staff have started teaching him some new verbal cues that should help him deal with his failing sight and will be useful when his vision disappears.”
Read the full story here.
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