Coronavirus UK news – Boris to reveal tougher measures for North East and Lancashire as London braced for LOCKDOWN
MANCHESTER Mayor Andy Burnham and swathe of Conservative MPs have launched a lockdown rebellion against new covid restrictions.
Blasting Boris Johnson for alleged "southern bias", the northern leaders are demanding the PM stop treating the North as a "canary in the coalmine" with experimental restrictions that could cripple local economies.
Several Conservative MPs have rebelled against the Prime Minister over forcing Manchester and Lancashire into Tier 3 restrictions which will effectively lockdown the areas, shutting most pubs, restaurants and gyms.
But the Prime Minister is set to ignore the rebellion and place Manchester into Tier 3 regardless of opposition, though it remains unclear has easy the restrictions will be to enforce if not supported by local government.
The row comes as nine million Londoners prepare for Tier 2 lockdown, banning households mixing indoors on top ofnational restrictions such as the 10pm curfew and the Rule of Six.
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- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
SOME AREAS OF UK BACK TO SAME POSITION AS IN MARCH
Professor Graham Medley, an expert in infectious disease modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and member of Sage, believes that in terms of healthcare “some areas are going to be back to the same kind of position they were at the end of March”.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “We are struggling at the moment to understand how we're balancing that imperative of having to prevent healthcare being completely overwhelmed and yet how to mitigate against the damage caused by the intervention which of course is huge.”
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
BACKBENCH REVOLT
Tory backbenchers have backed the Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham who accused the Government of treating the North “with contempt” by bringing in unproven measures, carried out “on the cheap”.
William Wragg, MP for Hazel Grove in Manchester, said health ministers had “achieved the impossible” by uniting local politicians of all parties against the government's plans.
“The meeting we had earlier today was entirely pointless and we may as well have talked to a wall quite frankly,” he said
“The closure of hospitality will drive people into private dwellings where they will mix, we do not thank goodness live in a police state for that is the only way to police it.
“Can they please listen to common sense and think again?”
- Alahna Kindred
HOSPITALS DEATHS
Doctors say there are several factors behind the improvement over the falling hospital death rate.
More widespread testing means that most patients are diagnosed and begin their treatment at an earlier stage.
Treatments have also improved, with fewer patients being ventilated and more being given the effective oxygen pressure masks to keep their airways open.
There are also effective life-saving drugs such as dexamethasone.
- Alahna Kindred
CLAMPDOWN
The latest measures in England, which will see half of the country in lockdown, sparked fury among Conservative MPs who accused the PM of smuggling in a national lockdown by the back door.
They believe Mr Johnson has sacrificed businesses in the capital to kill off claims he was punishing the North with a stricter lockdown.
But last night No 10 angrily rejected the claim, warning the virus numbers are going the wrong way in the capital.
In the North, Tories dramatically united with Labour in Manchester and Lancashire to defy a No 10 bid to slap them with even tougher restrictions.
Ministers believe Mr Johnson’s expected announcement today would isolate Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham – who refused to accept the high-risk area restrictions until he receives a bailout.
- Joseph Gamp
BATCH ASSESSMENTS OF COVID TESTS TO SPEED UP PROCESS – SCIENTISTS
Covid tests should be assessed in batches to speed up turnaround times, experts have said.
Under the Government's mass testing programme, anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 – a new and persistent cough, a fever or a loss or change in one's sense of taste or smell – can apply for a test.
Many tests are performed at drive-through or walk-in centres or at home.
These are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which assess whether a person currently has coronavirus.
They involve a swab taken from the back of the throat and nose.
This is then sent to a laboratory where the sample is checked for the new coronavirus.
- Joseph Gamp
LAST ORDERS FOR MPS
The bars inside the House of Commons have been banned from serving alcohol from Saturday as London is placed into Tier 2 lockdown – and will apply if “food is served or not”, announced the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
That means that no booze can be bought in any of the House of Commons bars and restaurants – in an echo of London's harsher coronavirus restrictions.
Sir Lindsay said: “Following the Government's decision to move London into the Tier 2 Covid alert category, I have asked the parliamentary authorities to introduce measures to bring the House of Commons into line with the national picture.
“As MPs represent different constituencies in different tiers – with the very highest level ordering the closure of pubs – I have decided to stop the sale of alcohol across the House of Commons end of the estate from this Saturday. This means it will not be possible to buy an alcoholic drink from any of our catering outlets for the foreseeable future, whether food is served or not.
“The House of Commons Commission will be meeting on Monday to consider other measures needed to protect MPs, their staff and House staff, while maintaining our Covid-secure status.”
- Joseph Gamp
WHO SAYS REMDESIVIR HAS 'LITTLE OR NO EFFECT' ON COVID HOSPITAL PATIENTCHANCE OF SURVIVAL
Antiviral drug remdesivir has “little or no effect” on a hospitalised Covid-19 patients' chances of survival, a World Health Organisation (WHO) clinical trial has suggested.
The potential coronavirus treatment option is one of four repurposed drugs being examined under the UN agency's large Solidarity trial that launched in March.
Randomised trials at hospitals around the world have involved remdesivir, lopinavir, hydroxychloroquine and interferon-beta 1a – looking to assess their impact on inpatient mortality.
The hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir arms of the trials were discontinued on June 20 and July 4 respectively.
In a statement provided to the PA news agency on Thursday evening, the WHO press office said results from these first four treatment options of the Solidarity trial were “unpromising”.
- Joseph Gamp
CROATIA SETS DAILY COVID-19 RECORD
Croatia reported 793 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, a daily record, as neighbouring Slovenia introduced new measures to fight its rising number of infections.
Since the pandemic began Croatia, with some 4 million people, has had 22,534 cases with 344 deaths. Currently there are 3,562 active cases.
From this week, face masks are obligatory indoors in public places, bars and restaurants have restrictions on the number of customers permitted and public gatherings of more than 50 people must seek approval.
- Joseph Gamp
LONG COVID SUFFERERS MUST BE GIVEN MORE HELP, SAY CAMPAIGNERS
A campaign group has urged the Scottish Government to take more action in helping people who are living with the long-term effects of coronavirus.
Long Covid sufferers are the focus of a new report from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), which suggests there is an urgent need to better understand the Covid-19 symptom journey and underlying clinical risks after having the virus.
Those living with long Covid can experience breathing problems, anxiety, numbness or fatigue.
One long Covid sufferer, Lesley Macniven, co-founded the Long Covid Action Group Scotland, which is now asking the Scottish Government to bring the NHS and third sector together to provide a national support service.
She said: “There's not one clear set of symptoms – people start to think they're getting better and then they have a major setback. It's really hard and as time goes on it's harder to keep fighting back and be resilient. dPeople are concerned they're never going to get their jobs back or even their lives back again – it's horrible.”
- Joseph Gamp
IN PICTURES: WUHAN HOSTS EXHIBITION ON ITS FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19
- Joseph Gamp
3D HOLOGRAM TECHNOLOGY OFFERS 'SOLUTION' TO LACK OF LIVE MUSIC DURING COVID-19
New 3D hologram technology could be the solution to a dearth of live music during the coronavirus pandemic, according to one artist.
Singer-songwriter Dan Olsen launched the technology, created by Musion 3D, during a performance at a central London hotel in front of a socially-distanced audience of some 40 people.
Olsen, who is from the Faroe Islands but has been living in London for the last six years, performed live from a studio in Mile End, east London, with his hologram projected into the room via the internet.
Teh creators claim the Fanshare technology will offer musicians a way to connect with their audience while venues remain closed and concerts socially distanced.
The performer is able to see their audience on a screen and react in real time.
- Joseph Gamp
SOUTH KOREA: BUSAN HOSPITAL OUTBREAK LEADS TO 110 NEW COVID-19 CASES
South Korea has reported 110 new cases of the coronavirus, half of them linked to a hospital in Busan.
The numbers released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Thursday brought the national caseload to 24,988, including 439 deaths.
At least 54 infections were reported in a hospital for the elderly in the southern port city of Busan.
More than 40 others came from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, tied to places including hospitals, churches, schools and offices.
The steady rise in infections is a cause of concern in a country that has just lowered its social distancing measures, allowing high-risk venues like nightclubs and karaoke bars to reopen and spectators to return to professional sports.
- Joseph Gamp
MANCHESTER NIGHTLIFE BUSINESSES 'LEFT IN LIMBO' IN ROW OVER RESTRICTIONS
Pub and club owners in Manchester say they have been left in limbo – and in one case close to tears – amid wrangling between city leaders and Number 10 over new lockdown restrictions.
John Hamilton, co-owner of Bar Pop in Manchester's Gay Village, said he may be weeks away from being made homeless if his bar is closed down.
Boris Johnson's Government and leaders in Greater Manchester are locked in a row over efforts to impose tighter coronavirus restrictions.
The Government has been pushing for the region's politicians to accept Tier 3 measures, which would include the closure of pubs and bars unless they can operate as restaurants.
But local MPs and council chiefs have lined up to criticise the plan and the way it has been handled by Number 10.
- Joseph Gamp
IGNORE POLITICIANS WHO HAVE FLOUTED VIRUS RULES, KHAN URGES LONDONERS
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has told Londoners who are being asked to make “monumental sacrifices” in the forthcoming local lockdown to “ignore Government politicians” who have flouted coronavirus rules.
The capital city is bracing for Tier 2 restrictions from Saturday, which means a ban on separate households mixing indoors, including in pubs and restaurants.
On the day extra restrictions were announced for areas including London, Essex and areas of Yorkshire, it was also disclosed that MP Margaret Ferrier will face no further action from police after travelling between London and Glasgow following a positive coronavirus test.
When asked if he was worried about how a lack of compliance by Ms Ferrier, as well as by the Prime Minister's chief adviser Dominic Cummings, might affect the willingness of Londoners to make more sacrifices themselves, Mr Khan urged Londoners to “do the right thing for our city”.
He said: “I know from anecdotal experience, speaking to Londoners from all walks of life, but also from polling done by independent polling companies, that the way the Prime Minister's chief adviser behaved led to people asking the question 'why should I follow the rules when he isn't?'.”
- Joseph Gamp
BROMLEY COUNCIL LEADER CRITICISES LONDON-WIDE RESTRICTIONS
The leader of Bromley Council has criticised the decision to place the whole of London under tougher coronavirus restrictions.
Colin Smith, who leads the south-east London local authority, said it was “not fair in any way” for all of the capital's boroughs to be “clumped together in a one-size-fits-all arrangement”.
Speaking about the Tier 2 restrictions for the city, he said: “What this decision singularly fails to recognise or reflect is that large tracts of Bromley feature as open farm and woodlands hosting medium size villages, with far more in common with Kent than they have with other 'London' boroughs.
“I fully accept that no-one is immune to this awful pandemic and that it is possible that we could be tipped into joining others within days if the infection levels dictate.
“I would be the very first to support doing so if the empiric evidence proves the need, but today's decision is premature and makes a complete mockery of the so-called 'localism' agenda.”
- Joseph Gamp
STURGEON OUTLINES NEW TIERED SYSTEM TO DEAL WITH CORONAVIRUS IN SCOTLAND
Nicola Sturgeon has set out more details of a tiered system planned to replace temporary coronavirus restrictions across Scotland.
Earlier on Thursday, First Minister said Scotland is at a “critical moment” and a new strategic framework is planned, subject to the approval of Holyrood.
It will indicate the level of regulations to apply when the temporary restrictions end on October 25.
Current restrictions on hospitality include pubs and restaurants being closed in five areas of central Scotland, except for takeaway services.
Elsewhere in Scotland, hospitality venues are subject to a 6pm indoor curfew and can only provide food and soft drinks within their premises.
- Joseph Gamp
JACOB REES-MOGG CONDEMNS WELSH FIRST MINISTER'S 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' BORDER PLAN
Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has called the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford's plan to turn away English visitors at the Welsh border “unconstitutional”.
During business questions, Tory MP Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Melton) asked: “Can my right honourable friend confirm that it would be illegal for the Welsh Labour Government to introduce an intensive border within the UK to restrict movement between England and Wales?”
Mr Rees Mogg replied: “What would you expect of a hard-left Labour Government?
“The approach to putting a border between England and Wales is unconstitutional and will place the police in an invidious position considering that they serve the whole of the United Kingdom.
“We are one single United Kingdom and we should not have… borders between different parts of the United Kingdom. And I'm afraid that is what you get when you vote for socialists.”
- Joseph Gamp
PEOPLE ARRIVING IN SCOTLAND FROM ITALY, SAN MARINO AND VATICAN FACE QUARANTINE
Travellers to Scotland from Italy, San Marino and the Vatican will soon have to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival.
The changes come into effect as of 4am on Sunday and are being brought in due to “significant increases” in coronavirus cases.
Meanwhile, those arriving from mainland Greece and the Greek islands, except Mykonos, will no longer need to quarantine as of the same time due to the low number of cases.
Community safety minister Ash Denham said: “Lifting quarantine restrictions on those travelling from most of Greece, in line with the public health data we have received, is not a signal that it is safe to book foreign travel.
“All travel carries a risk and people should think long and hard before choosing to go abroad. It is vital that we suppress the spread of the virus in Scotland and imposing quarantine restrictions on those arriving in the UK is our first line of defence in managing the risk of importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission.
- Joseph Gamp
MATT HANCOCK SAYS 'WE MUST ACT' AFTER MANCHESTER MAYOR REBELS AGAINST TIER 3 PLANS
Matt Hancock today declared the coronavirus spread in the North West “severe” after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham rejected a Tier 3 lockdown.
Manchester's leaders today accused No10 of “sacrificing” northern jobs to “save them elsewhere,” with Mr Burnham saying the North was being treated like “canaries in the coal mine with experimental lockdowns”.
The Health Secretary responded by telling leaders to put “party politics aside” and agree extra measures to control the virus.
“We must act. The situation in the North West of England is severe. The number of cases is rising exponentially. The number of people in hospital with Covid has doubled in just the last 12 days.”
Mr Hancock urged local leaders to “set aside this party politics” and “work with us to put in place the measures that are needed in Greater Manchester, across the north west, so that we can deal with this virus and support people through it.”
He told ITV News: “This is a time for people to come together so that we can control this virus.”
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
NORTH EAST COUNCILLORS AGREE TO OPPOSE REGIONAL TIER 3 PLAN
Council leaders in England's North East have met and agreed they will oppose the Government's plans to place the region in Tier 3 restrictions, Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon has said.
The Government may be basing its decision on whether to escalate the danger level from Tier 2 to 3 on the infection rate among over-60s, he said, although officials were not told this was the case.
The leaders of Northumberland, Newcastle, South and North Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham held a meeting at 10am and agreed their opposition, stating that the current set of measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus were working and needed more time, Mr Gannon said.
He added: “There's a bit of confusion about what the Government is looking at, we think it is based on the number of cases in over-60s. It would be helpful if they would clarify that
“If we are forced into Tier 3, we would like to know the criteria so we would know the criteria to remove us (later).”
- Joseph Gamp
FRANCE: MACRON TO IMPOSE NIGHTTIME CURFEWS IN NINE CITIES INCLUDING PARIS
President Macron has announced a nighttime curfew in nine major cities across France, including Paris.
Then rules come into force from Saturday and will bar hospitality venues from opening between 9pm and 6am.
It is said the new curfew will directly effect around 18 million people.
The ailing French hospitality industry will get all help possible to survive the upcoming coronavirus curfews imposed on nine cities including Paris, the French finance minister said on Thursday.
During a news conference held by the French government, he said the state-guaranteed loans already put in place for COVID-19 disruptions will be extended by six months, to June 2021.
- Joseph Gamp
POLICE WILL NOT TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON MARGARET FERRIER, SCOTLAND YARD CONFIRMS
MP Margaret Ferrier will face no further police action for travelling from London to Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus because the regulations on self-isolation came into force after she was tested, Scotland Yard said.
In a statement on their investigation into Margaret Ferrier MP, the Metropolitan Police said detectives investigated her account of taking a train between London and Glasgow having tested positive for coronavirus.
The force said: “Detectives tested the MP's account including obtaining and reviewing CCTV and undertaking inquiries to establish the dates of the tests, results and travel arrangements.
“Officers considered possible offences including those under Reg 11(2) of the Health Protection Regulations 2020 which relates to self-isolation requirement.
“However, on detailed examination of this new legislation, and following legal advice, it was concluded that this regulation is applicable only after the 28th September 2020. In this case the test occurred prior to the 29th September 2020 and therefore the regulation does not apply.”
- Joseph Gamp
MAPPED: LANCASHIRE CORONAVIRUS CASES
- Joseph Gamp
QUEEN SHOULD HAVE SET AN EXAMPLE ON FACE COVERING, SAYS PRESSURE GROUP
The Queen should have set an example by wearing a face mask during her first public engagement outside of a royal residence since lockdown, the pressure group Republic has said.
The 94-year-old monarch visited the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl) at Porton Down near Salisbury with the Duke of Cambridge on Thursday.
Neither wore face coverings, but the dstl said it tested all 48 people who were due to come into close contact with the royal visitors for Covid-19, and all came back negative.
Social distancing – including between William and his grandmother – was also maintained during the visit.
Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, said: “The Queen should be setting an example. I can't see how this fits with the rules everyone else is expected to follow, so the Palace needs to come up with a rules-compliant explanation.”
- Joseph Gamp
MORE THAN 1,800 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN NORTH EAST TESTED POSITIVE IN PAST WEEK
More than 1,800 students at North East universities have tested positive for coronavirus in the past seven days.
The number of positive cases fell drastically at Northumbria University to 131 in the past week, down from 619 the previous week.
And at neighbouring Newcastle University, there were 749 positive cases in the week to Wednesday, a drop from 1,003 recorded the week before.
A spokesman said: “While our numbers are still high and we are not complacent, this is a drop from the previous seven days and a similar trend is being seen at other universities.”
But numbers were up at Durham University, at 958 for the past seven days to Wednesday, up from 219 for October 1-7.
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