Heebie-Jeebies

This is one of the Hebes in my garden, I do like the year round colour on this one. A day of researching and planning what to grow in my side garden and buying what I need, all without leaving my chair! Lots of rain this morning, but it brightened up this afternoon. 

Day 327 / Day 32 of Lockdown 3 (for my record only)
UK deaths up 1,014 to 111,264 (revised basis), with 19,114 new cases, 30,508 patients in hospital, 3,572 on ventilation and 2,578 new admissions. The R rate is now estimated at 0.7-1.0, with a growth rate of between -5% and -2%. ONS infection survey estimates 1 in 65 had the virus in Eng w/e 30/1; 1 in 70 in Wales; 1 in 115 in Scotland and 1 in 65 in NI, all stable or down but still high. c11m have now received their first dose of the vaccine. The Govt has announced that all over-50s should be offered a vaccine by May (I suspect it will be earlier for the 1st jab at least). This seems to be a 'forced' announcement following the announcement that local and mayorial elections will go ahead in May.  Good news that researchers have found that the AZ vaccine remains effective against the UK variant. The MHRA published it's first vaccine safety report, which said that the safety of existing vaccines has been 'as high as expected from the clinical trial data that supported the approvals.' The Govt has done a deal with CureVac for 50m doses of new vaccines based on mRNA technology should they be needed to respond to variants, the aim being to boost the UK's capacity to develop and manufacture variant vaccines in the UK.  Quarantine hotels now won't be introduced until 15th Feb - not exactly a rapid response to trying to control new mutations entering the country! Govt sources have confirmed to SKY news that digital vaccine passports are being looked into.