Coronavirus news: Sport to return and groups of six can meet to exercise together says government, despite warnings on lockdown easing
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Your support makes all the difference.Elite sport can return behind closed doors from 1 June, the government announced as it eased coronavirus restrictions to allow groups of up to six people to exercise together outdoors.
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden described the move as “a significant moment” despite warnings from scientific advisers that Covid-19 “is spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England” with an estimated 8,000 infections per day.
With the new NHS test and trace system still “untested”, Professor John Edmunds accused ministers of making a “risky” and political decision, saying “Westminster clearly made a decision that this is the sort of level of incidence that they’re willing to tolerate”, despite it being “significantly higher” than similar European nations.
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Government could be seen as 'trying to hide' testing figures amid missing data, scientist warns
The government's daily figures for the number of people tested have been missing for a week, which the Department of Health says has been "temporarily paused to ensure consistent reporting across all pillars".
Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, told The Guardian: “Whether or not the Department of Health is trying to hide these figures ... not making them publicly available could be perceived as that.
“If the government is setting targets that it’s then going to judge itself by, the results should be publicly available so that people outside the small group of advisers to the government are able to judge them independently. It does feel that the openness is not there.”
Britain to be hotter than Mediterranean as public warned not to break lockdown rules
Wall-to-wall sunshine has scored the UK its sunniest spring since records began in 1929, but as the country faces its hottest day of the year so far on Sunday, people are reminded that lockdown rules still apply when heading out to enjoy the warm weather, Kate Ng reports.
The Met Office said that by Wednesday, the UK had clocked up 573 hours of sunshine. Only nine other springs on record have topped 500 hours of sunshine. It is also on track to be the driest May on record for some parts of the UK, particularly in the south of England.
UV levels are also very high throughout this weekend, which will see temperatures reaching 28C in parts of northern Scotland and 25C in Cardiff and London - warmer than a host of Mediterranean holiday destinations including Ibiza, Monaco and Barcelona.
London hospital director warns Boris Johnson has 'taken big risk'
Sir Chris Ham, a director of Royal Free Hospital and a chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire STP, has warned that the prime minister is taking a big risk to relax lockdown without a "fully fledged" test and trace system in place.
Sage adviser Susan Michie liked the comment.
India 'could extend lockdown' due to lift tomorrow after daily rise of nearly 8,000 new cases
India has reported a record daily jump of 7,964 new Covid-19 infections on Saturday, the day before lockdown restrictions are due to be eased.
In an open letter marking one year into his second term, Modi appealed to the country's population of 1.3 billion to follow all lockdown rules, saying there is a "long battle" ahead.
"Our country (is) besieged with problems amidst a vast population and limited resources," Mr Modi said, adding that labourers and migrant workers had "undergone tremendous suffering" due to restrictions.
The government could extend the lockdown beyond 31 May, a home ministry official said on Saturday. The home ministry did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
India has recorded a total of 173,763 Covid-19 cases and 4,971 deaths, making it the ninth most-affected country globally, Reuters calculates.
Greece to open up in two weeks – but not to UK tourists
The popular holiday destination will open up to visitors from 29 nations in two weeks’ time as the Greek government looks to soften the financial blow of coronavirus, Zoe Tidman reports.
Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, South Korea, China are on the list of countries Greece will accept tourists from on 15 June. Others include Australia, Bulgaria, Israel, Norway, Finland, Japan and Czech Republic.
However, some of the world's worst-affected countries - including the UK, France, Italy and Spain - are not included on the list.
Holidaymakers will be randomly tested for coronavirus, the Greek Tourism Ministry said.
Ministers accused of 'no longer following the science'
"The decision by key members of Sage to go public with their concerns shows that ministers are no longer following the science," said the Liberal Democrat health spokesperson.
"The test, trace, isolate system that we need to keep people safe is not yet fully functional. The NHSX app is delayed for an unknown period. For seven days straight the government has been unable to provide even basic data about the number of people tested.
"On top of these failings, public health messaging has been badly undermined as people see it's one rule for the Tory elite and another for everyone else. Given this chaos, measures to lift lockdown appear premature."
Government adviser on coronavirus warns keeping Dominic Cummings will damage trust needed 'now more than ever'
Stephen Reicher, a member of the Sage subcommittee advising on behavioural science, has warned the government's ongoing decision to keep the PM's chief aide risks undermining the new test and trace programme.
Images taken at Durdle Door in Dorset suggest it could be another busy day on beaches around the country.
The government and various police forces have urged people not to meet more than one person from another household until Monday, despite the warm weather.
PA Wire/Andrew Matthews
Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Scientific advisor accuses government of 'risking tens of thousands of lives for political expediency'
Professor Robert West, a health psychologist who sits on the Sage SPI-B subcommittee, has indicated he believes the government is risking tens of thousands of lives by allowing Dominic Cummings to keep his job.
EU 'will collapse' if Italians treated 'like lepers', foreign minister warns
Italy's foreign minister is warning that the European Union will "collapse" if governments treat Italians like lepers over the coronavirus and "black list" Europe's one-time virus epicentre during the summer tourism season.
Luigi Di Maio posted a blistering Facebook message on Saturday after Greece excluded Italians — as well as nationals from Spain, Britain and other countries with high infection rates — from the list of foreign tourists it will welcome this summer.
Mr Di Maio said competition for tourism is one thing, but he insisted that it be healthy and fair in demanding a European response to the reopening of EU borders after virus lockdowns. He warned: "If you act differently and dislocated, the EU spirit will be lost. And Europe will collapse."
Di Maio praised French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian for making his first post-lockdown visit to Italy on Wednesday. Mr Di Maio said he would be traveling to Germany, Slovenia and Greece in the upcoming week to make the case that Italy is ready to receive foreign tourists. Tourism and its related industries account for some 13 per cent of Italy's GDP.
AP
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