The Philippines’ health ministry today reported 2,651 new coronavirus infections, the highest daily increase in cases in more than four months, and 46 additional deaths.

In a bulletin, the ministry said total confirmed cases had increased to 571,327, while confirmed deaths were at 12,247.

The Philippines, which has southeast Asia’s second-highest Covid-19 caseload will take delivery of its first vaccines at the weekend, allowing it to begin its inoculation programme.

The justice secretary has welcomed the intervention of the Queen encouraging people to get the coronavirus vaccine.

Robert Buckland told LBC: “I think anything the Queen says has immense power.

“She was implying that it was not only good for our own health but that it was also an altruistic act, and that in doing so we all collectively enhance the safety of others.

“The message of encouragement, information, support for people who have never had a vaccine before is hugely important.

“I think the Queen again in her usual way has helped reinforce that important message.”

Russia today reported 11,086 new Covid-19 cases, including 1,336 in Moscow, pushing the national case tally to 4,223,186 since the pandemic began.

The coronavirus taskforce said that 428 people had died in the last 24 hours, taking the official death toll to 85,304. 

Keeping windows open and improving ventilation in schools is much more effective at reducing coronavirus transmission than asking young children to wear face masks, a government scientific adviser has said.

Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he is “not a fan” of asking young children to wear masks, and there are better strategies for managing the virus.

But Prof Semple, speaking in a personal capacity, said: “Primary school children are the lowest risk both to themselves and to society.

“There is really good data coming out … that shows that children are half as likely to acquire the virus to a third as likely to acquire the virus.

“When it comes to transmitting, they are probably half as likely to transmit it as adults.

“That risk actually gets smaller as you go into younger age groups.

“So I am not a great fan of young children wearing face masks.”

He said he agrees that young children will find it difficult to wear the masks properly.

He added: “If I had to invest in a single activity to improve the environment both for the children and the adults, I’d be looking at improving the ventilation, unsealing windows that have been painted shut and kept shut for energy-saving reasons … improving air exchanges.

“That would be a much more effective way to reduce transmission in schools.”

Asked about the risk to teachers, Prof Semple said the data shows that teachers going to school “as a workplace are no more at risk than people in general society going about their daily living and normal working environment”.

France will not be able to avoid new lockdown measures given the increase in Covid-19 cases, the head of a Paris hospital emergencies unit told BFM TV this morning.

“I do not understand what we are waiting for,” Philippe Juvin said, adding the hospital situation was “very tense” in the Paris region.

The French government has said it will study a plan for Paris to undergo a three-week lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, according to a government spokesperson.

“Clearly, this will be studied,” Gabriel Attal told France Inter radio this morning, although he added he had some doubts over whether or not such a short lockdown would have an effect.

The Paris deputy mayor had said yesterday that Paris would submit a three-week lockdown plan to the government.

French prime minister Jean Castex had earlier said France would impose measures including weekend lockdowns in Paris and 19 other regions from the start of March if Covid-19 trends worsened. 

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