Nervtag’s Prof Openshaw warns New Year’s Eve ‘perfect’ conditions to transmit virus; Canadian provinces including Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia set records

• UK Covid test shortage amid new year parties ‘very worrying’
• Lateral flow tests to be ‘constrained’ over next two weeks, says Javid
• Italy is set to relax isolation rules while Spain will cut quarantine period
• WHO say not advisable to reduce controls as case numbers surge
• See all our coronavirus coverage

Here’s a reminder of the news overnight that NHS England is looking to set up new “pop-up” Covid facilities. My colleagues Rowena Mason and Aubrey Allegretti report:

NHS England confirmed that it was creating new small-scale “Nightingale” facilities with up to 100 beds each at eight hospitals across the country. The health service said it had asked trusts to identify empty spaces to accommodate beds in places such as gyms or teaching areas. NHS managers are aiming to create up to 4,000 beds as surge capacity if needed, with work on the first tranche, in temporary structures, starting this week.

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Source: The Guardian