Covid-19: Pet abduction to be made offence and Scotland offers vaccination QR codes

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning. We'll have another update for you this evening.

While our furry friends have helped many of us get through the pandemic, demand for pets has driven up prices and, with them, theft. It became such a problem, the government set up a taskforce which found about 2,000 dogs were stolen last year. It recommended pet abduction be made a specific offence, recognising the emotional distress it causes, and now UK ministers are backing the proposal.

People in Scotland can now download or receive a paper QR code showing their Covid vaccination status, via the NHS Inform website. The change comes after plans to require vaccine passports for nightclubs and large events were announced.

While lockdowns contributed to people holding on to cash three times longer than previously, the use of cash has begun rising as restrictions have eased, according to UK Finance. However, the banking trade body says we're still hoarding an estimated £50m in loose change at home, with little sign of it being spent. It has prompted calls for people to donate their coins to charity, amid reports of a drop in donations last year.

A man who has spent much of his life restoring and running a windmill says he had to fight people off when demand for flour surged during lockdown. But now Nigel Moon, 69, says he fears for the future of traditional mills, amid the rise of gluten-free food and trends for converting them into luxury homes.

A 94-year-old who recovered after spending three weeks in hospital with Covid is to have his diary of lockdown life in a care home turned into a book. In Pandemic! My Care Home Diary, former journalist and PR executive Bob Skinner tells of his frustration at seeing society gradually going back to normal while he and his fellow residents at care homes across the country were still "confined to our rooms".

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If you're confused about when you have to self-isolate, our guide has the latest rules.

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