Covid UK news: Country faces tens of thousands of deaths in second wave, Sage expert warns

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Greater Manchester will move to Tier 3 restrictions, Boris Johnson announces

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.

Key Points

• ‘Tens of thousands’ of deaths feared in UK’s second wave
• South Yorkshire to move into Tier 3 restrictions, Sheffield mayor says
• Tier 3 status talks for northeast paused in response to encouraging data
• Scotland extends hospitality restrictions until 2 November
• Johnson ‘trying to pick off’ Manchester boroughs one by one
• Tier 3 is ‘gateway to months of agony’ for local communities, Starmer warns
• Police ‘struggling’ to enforce three-tier lockdown rules
• Ex-civil service chief says Cummings ‘undermined’ lockdown support
• Fury over Johnson’s funding offer for Greater Manchester

[21 October 2020 19:39 · Jon Sharman]

Tory MPs block plan to extend free school meals over holidays

MPs have rejected a plan to extend free school meals into the school holidays by 322 votes to 261, writes Jon Stone.

The Labour motion, which was defeated by a majority of 61, would have extended provision of hot food for children until Easter 2021.

[21 October 2020 19:56 · Jon Sharman]

Tory MP attacks Johnson’s handling of coronavirus

A Conservative MP has lashed out at Boris Johnson after he was sacked as trade envoy to Tanzania.

Andrew Rosindell had voted against the government on the matter of coronavirus restrictions.

In a statement the MP for Romford said: "It puzzles me how the prime minister can allow such a counterproductive and bizarre decision to remove me from office, simply for voting to keep our UK economy open for business.

Yes, we must fight the virus and all threats to the health of our nation, taking every precaution. However, closing down whole sections of our economy, putting companies out of business, creating mass unemployment and taking away the freedom that British people cherish, is not the answer and it won’t work.

Freedom with responsibility is what I thought the Conservative Party stood for."

[21 October 2020 20:10 · Jon Sharman]

Northern Ireland health minister says coronavirus increase has ‘slowed considerably’

[21 October 2020 20:12 · Jon Sharman]

Rashford responds

Marcus Rashford says the vote against extending free school meals during holidays during the pandemic will not put him off campaining.

He calls on Downing Street to work with him to find a solution.

[21 October 2020 20:29 · Jon Sharman]

Tier 3 status is ‘gateway to agony’ with no exit route for millions, Labour warns

The government’s flagship three-tier system of restrictions to tackle coronavirus has created a “gateway to months of agony” for millions of people, with no clear exit route, Labour has warned, writes Andrew Woodcock.

Speaking as South Yorkshire became the latest area of England to be placed in the toughest of the scheme’s alert levels, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer  voiced fears that tier 3 status offered communities “the worst of all worlds”, inflicting significant harm on their economies without freeing them from the virus.

[21 October 2020 20:43 · Jon Sharman]

Special report: Nobody wears masks, the mayor is infected and Covid cases are soaring - why does this pro-Trump town still support him?

Four years ago Donald Trump won Florida’s Baker County with a thumping 80-20 victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

It appears he is set to do so again, writes Andrew Buncombe. Across the county, and especially in the town of MacClenny, there are Trump-Pence signs pasted on walls, stuck in people’s lawns, or else plastered onto their vehicles. Such is the strength of GOP support, signs for an apparently respected Democrat running for reelection to her position as clerk to the court, made no mention of her party affiliation.

Indeed, to a visitor, it felt there were far more campaign signs in Baker County than there were face masks, even though Florida remains a Covid hot spot. In motels, bars, restaurants, and fuel stations, few people seemed to be wearing them, and many appeared unperturbed when asked about the risk of becoming infected.

[21 October 2020 20:59 · Jon Sharman]

Therese Coffey urges MPs to ‘recognise the support’ given to ‘most vulnerable children in society’ as free school meals voted down