Covid: 'Partygate' fines to be issued and home abortion service calls

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

The Metropolitan Police has said it will issue 20 fines in connection with gatherings held at government buildings during the pandemic. Officers have been investigating a dozen events for alleged breaches of Covid regulations, including some attended by the prime minister. It says the investigation is continuing - which means more fines could be announced in the near future - and also says the individuals fined will not be named, under existing rules about penalty notices.

The number of coronavirus infections across the UK are among the highest since the pandemic began. At one point this month, more than 200,000 pupils were off school in England. And hospitals are under pressure - particularly in Scotland - with staff absences higher than normal. Ros Atkins assesses the government's current plans.

A woman who has been shielding for most of the pandemic says not everyone is happier at the opening up of society. Dalila Tremarias, from Cardiff, has lupus, an auto-immune condition that attacks her body. She explains her fears for those at higher risk from Covid, after Wales scrapped its requirement to wear a mask in shops or on buses.

Three Conservative MPs are urging colleagues to vote in favour of extending a temporary at-home abortion service brought in during lockdown. The service allows women in England to take pills up to 10 weeks into their pregnancy, without visiting a clinic. The Welsh government has already acted to make it law, while Scotland is holding a consultation. But critics have concerns about medical safety and coercive partners.

Pubs have been hit hard by the pandemic, with former regulars staying away for fear of contracting coronavirus, and Ye Olde Fighting Cocks is no exception. Reputed to be the oldest alehouse in England, the St Albans venue had survived wars, plagues and economic crises, but closed in February after the licensee's company went into administration. But there's a silver lining for the pub, said to date back to 793, as former staff take over the lease. Read the full story.

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You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

Still feeling rough, weeks after getting infected? Check the symptoms of "long Covid" and what we know about it.

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