Covid UK news: Country faces tens of thousands of deaths in second wave, Sage expert warns
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The UK faces “tens of thousands” more coronavirus deaths in the epidemic’s second wave, Sage expert Professor John Edmunds has warned. The outlook was “gloomy”, the infectious disease specialist told MPs.
He said: "We're already in Liverpool... elective operations are already being cancelled, so we're already at the stage where that's under strain. Elsewhere in the northwest in particular but also in the North and Yorkshire, it's not very far behind.
"So we are already at the point or getting close to the point where the health service in much of the North will be under strain in the next few weeks.
"Even if we stopped things now, cases and hospitalisations would continue to go up. I think if you look at where we are, there's no way we come out of this wave now without counting our deaths in the tens of thousands."
In northern England, Sheffield mayor Dan Jarvis warned that “inaction was not an option” as he announced the move to Tier 3 measures from Saturday and called on local people to follow the new restrictions to prevent further fatalities.
And Boris Johnson was accused of trying to “pick off” Greater Manchester councils one-by-one to bypass the mayor, Andy Burnham.
Meanwhile, Labour warned that tier 3 restrictions were a “gateway to months of agony” for businesses and communities. Sir Keir Starmer voiced fears that tier 3 status offered regions “the worst of all worlds”, inflicting significant harm on their economies without freeing them from the virus.
Read more: What restrictions are there in tier 3 areas?
It came as Nicola Sturgeon announced that hospitality restrictions in Scotland would be extended for one week and as Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner accused Boris Johnson of trying to play a “spiteful little game” with local leaders in Greater Manchester.
Financial support in Scotland to be extended over hospitality restrictions
Financial support in Scotland will be extended to help businesses impacted by the one-week extension of hospitality restrictions in the country.
Speaking at the coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon said that full details of the support would be published online, but the business support grants and top-ups for the furlough scheme would be extended.
She said Scottish businesses would receive a “proportionally the same” amount of support in the extra week as they did in the 16 days which the measures were originally intended to be in place for.
The Scottish government will outline levels of support to be offered to firms in the new tiered system of restrictions to be published on Friday.
Ms Sturgeon added that the financial support outlined in the framework would be the maximum amount which could be offered by Holyrood, but she said it would be “the minimum that we think is necessary”.
The Scottish government, she said, would pursue “urgent discussions” with the Treasury to increase funding to allow support for businesses to be offered.
Elderly in Wales hit with ‘worryingly high’ numbers of infections, health minister says
The “firebreak” lockdown to be imposed in Wales on Friday must be “sharp and deep”, the country’s health minister Vaughan Gething has said, with “worryingly high levels of infection” emerging among the elderly.
"We've chosen to make the firebreak as short as possible but to be as effective as possible, it needs to be sharp and deep, including all parts of society, to have a maximum impact on the transmission of the virus," Mr Gething said.
“Most importantly, it needs to target the main sources of transmission - places where people meet with other people.”
Mr Gething said the estimated R value was between 1.1 and 1.4 but could be driven down to below one with the “firebreak”.
"This will slow the spread of the virus, reducing the infection rate, which ultimately means fewer people needing hospital treatment and fewer people dying," he said.
Hospital cancels operations as coronavirus patient numbers return to levels last seen in May
Bradford Teaching Hospitals said it was being forced to stop non-urgent surgery and outpatient appointments for at least two weeks from Tuesday because of the numbers of severely ill Covid-19 patients, our health correspondent Shaun Lintern reports.
In statement the hospital said it had seen a spike in admissions in the last few days with 100 coronavirus patients now on the wards with 30 patients needing oxygen support – the highest number of any hospital in the northeast and Yorkshire region.
The trust is the latest to announce cancellations, joining the University Hospitals of Birmingham, Nottingham University Hospitals and Plymouth Hospitals as well as those in Liverpool and Manchester where hundreds of Covid patients are being looked after.
Hospital cancels operations as Covid patient numbers return to levels last seen in May
Bradford Teaching Hospitals stopping non-urgent surgery for two weeks
Health minister denies plans for ‘circuit-break’ lockdowns in Tier 2 and 3 areas
As health minister Edward Argar fields MPs’ questions in the Commons, he has insisted he knows nothing of plans for a “circuit-break” lockdown in Tier 2 and 3 areas.
“Surely people in South Yorkshire and elsewhere need to know where they're at and be confident the goalposts won't move,” said former Tory health minister Steve Brine.
“So can the minister please comment on stories this morning that plans are being worked up by [chief medical officer Chris Whitty] for local, not national, three-week circuit-break lockdowns in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas?”
Mr Argar replied: “I can reassure him that is not something I have been involved in or being sighted of.”
Boris Johnson at war with Sadiq Khan over order to hike fares and expand congestion charge zone
The PM is at war with Sadiq Khan over a threat to seize control of Transport for London unless the mayor agrees to hike fares and taxes and expand the congestion charge zone.
A plea for a £4.9bn bailout for the next 18 months – after passenger numbers and revenues plummeted because of the lockdown – has been rejected unless the tough measures are accepted.
Today, the feud spilled over into the Commons and social media.
Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has the details:
PM at war with Sadiq Khan over order to hike fares and expand congestion charge zone
‘The PM wants to increase fares, the C-Charge & taxes – & end free travel for children and older Londoners’
‘This is not the time for politics’: Bolton Council leader to seek its portion of Greater Manchester’s missing £60m
With ministers insisting they are open to future talks after a difference of £5m saw funding negotiations with Greater Manchester leaders collapse yesterday, Bolton’s Council leader has said he will push ahead for the town’s share of £60m initially offered – and then seemingly withdrawn – by the government.
Tory councillor David Greenhalgh said he had spoken to communities secretary Robert Jenrick and that he hoped talks would resume later today.
“It is clear the amount on the table, which is what has been accepted in Liverpool, Lancashire and now South Yorkshire, and I am not prepared for Bolton businesses to miss out on this extra financial help,” Mr Greenhalgh said.
"This is not the time for posturing and politics. This is about getting the best deal available for Bolton business and those who work in the sectors worst affected.
"I hope to have further discussions later today with government officials and ministers, and progress as a matter of priority to enable a scheme to be worked up that targets those most affected."
The city region’s mayor Andy Burnham had said the £65m he was pushing for was the “bare minimum” needed in order to support the city through harsher restrictions and a “punishing” winter.
Government must be ‘fair and proportionate’ with financial support for regions, minister says
Health minister Edward Argar has said the government has to be “fair and proportionate” when it comes to awarding further financial support for regions in the same tier for coronavirus restrictions.
Labour's Peter Kyle (Hove) said: “If you are leading an authority, you've got to ask the question - what is the point of negotiating?”
Mr Argar replied: “We have been working very closely in a collegiate way with local authorities, but it is absolutely right that alongside that negotiation, that discussion on the package and the support that they need, that we recognise that we have to be fair and proportionate again across other regions which are in the same tier.”
If you’re confused about where your county stands with coronavirus restrictions right now, you can find a quick guide to the current rules below:
What can do you under new coronavirus restrictions in each UK country?
How do the rules differ between each nation?
Tier 3 status talks for northeast paused in response to encouraging data
It is understood that government talks with Tees Valley and Tyneside in the northeast of England over introducing Tier 3 restrictions have been paused following signs of progress with controlling coronavirus in the area.
Discussions have also taken place with officials in Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire on moving those areas into the highest category of restrictions.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has more on this breaking story below:
Tier 3 status talks for northeast and Teeside paused in response to encouraging data
Partial reprieve following talks with government officials
Tier 3 restrictions could be ‘coming to a town near you’, Labour warns
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has warned the public that coronavirus restrictions for Greater Manchester could soon be “coming to a town near you”.
“I absolutely hope the prime minister does the right thing because this is not just about Greater Manchester,” Ms Rayner told the Commons, as she called for greater financial support for businesses hit by the measures.
“This is coming to a town near you. In so many areas now the R number is increasing. So many areas are in Tier 2. So many areas are going to go into Tier 3.
“So this is a marker to ensure that our economy survives through these problems.”
She added: “I remember the promises the prime minister made, not just in this crisis but before it. He offered 'levelling up' for communities like mine.
“But he's not levelling us up. He's letting us down. Under Thatcher we were consigned to managed decline. Now it feels like mismanaged decline.”
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