AN EXTRA 1.7million Brits have been added to the list of people asked to shield after new modelling identified additional risk factors.
New data from Oxford University shows people from minority backgrounds, lower income households and those who are overweight died at disproportionate rates during the first wave of coronavirus.
800,000 of those who fall into the new shielding categories but have not yet been vaccinated will now be fast-tracked to get them their jabs as soon as possible in order to make their shielding experience a short one.
The 1.7 million people will also be made a priority for supermarket deliveries and statutory sick pay, it was revealed today.
Meanwhile Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today announced that some children will be returning to schools as early as next week.
She confirmed plans to get more kids back into the classrooms in the coming days, but stopped short of revealing a full plan for easing lockdown measures in Scotland.
Sturgeon said 100% normality is not yet possible – and warned that even a slight easing of restrictions could see cases soar again.
Pre-school kids and a limited number of older kids will be able to return from Monday, 22 February – two weeks before they start back in England.
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