Coronavirus news – live: Boris Johnson hints two-metre rule could be scrapped in schools, after Covid-19 alert level lowered
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Boris Johnson has hinted he may scrap the two-metre social distancing rule for schools, adding: “Watch this space.” His comments came after schools in England were offered £1bn to help children catch up on learning lost due to coronavirus.
Plus, the UK’s Covid-19 alert level has been lowered from 4 to 3 on the recommendation of the four chief medical officers, who nonetheless warned: “It does not mean that the pandemic is over.”
Also on Friday, figures showed that black men suffered the highest coronavirus death rate of any group at the height of the UK’s epidemic.
Will you have a plan in place for schools in the event of a second wave of coronavirus?
Mr Williamson simply says the government will look at all eventualities and have a plan in place because it is the "right and proper way of doing it".
What countries would you like to see the UK have air bridges with? And are you concerned one of the countries being mentioned is Portugal given a spike in cases there?
Mr Williamson says: "As someone who grew up in Scarborough my personal view is that everyone if they have the opportunity can have a great benefit of some beautiful seaside reports right around the UK and frankly you can't get better than visiting places right across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and I hope people will take up that opportunity during the summer.
"The secretary of state for transport continues to have discussions with his counterparts on this and will report back when he is in a position to do so."
Do you agree with the PM that it is crucial that teachers draw up catch-up plans for every pupil before the summer?
Mr Williams says he is in "complete agreement" with the prime minister.
"We need to be doing everything we can do to support children who have suffered as a result of not being in school," he adds.
"We are asking all schools, even if pupils are not attending school, to be getting in touch with those children trying to encourage and invite them into school so they can have some face-to-face time, understand their learning needs, and give them the support to be able to catch up."
Do you want teachers to work this summer to help their pupils catch up?
Mr Williamson says one of the schemes being looked at as part of the Covid catch up plan is to have children coming into schools during the summer.
He added: "But we recognise it's really important for the schools to be able to tailor their plan for their children to make sure it delivers the maximum impact so those children catch up and really succeed."
Why are there so many outbreaks at meat factories?
Outbreaks of coronavirus have been reported at meat factories around the world, from Germany to the US, with a plant in West Yorkshire becoming the latest epicentre.
Earlier this week, officials in a west German district said the number of new infections linked to a large meatpacking plant had risen to 657 – a higher figure than many recent daily increases for the entire country.
And two meat factories in Wales also reported outbreaks this week.
So what's going on? My colleague Zoe Tidman investigates:
Rise in Mississippi coronavirus infections tied to fraternity parties
A rise in coronavirus cases in Mississippi is linked to fraternity parties that have broken social distancing measures, according to a state health official.
Fraternity rush parties, involving both current and prospective members, have continued to take place in the state this summer, and health officials believe this has led to an increase in Covid-19 cases, according to CNN.
Mississippi State Health Officer Dr Thomas Dobbs announced on Thursday that there had been 381 new coronavirus cases and five deaths in the state.
James Crump has more:
On a rainy day in Cleckheaton, few people seemed overly-fearful that the West Yorkshire town has this week found itself at the centre of a major new coronavirus outbreak, Colin Drury reports.
They were, however, almost uniformly angry that, for nine days, authorities here had attempted to keep it secret.
As more than 300 workers at a meat packing plant were quietly tested for Covid-19, officials with Kirklees Council made the decision not to inform local residents that the potentially deadly disease had found a toehold at the factory.
↵The UK’s new quarantine law could cause harm to Cornwall, the county’s tourism leader has said.
Since 8 June, almost all arrivals at UK airports, ferry ports and international rail terminals have been required to self-isolate at home for two weeks.
The measure, combined with the Foreign Office advice against all but essential travel, has led to the cancellation of millions of overseas holidays.
The effect could be to increase pressure on popular locations in the UK.
Travel correspondent Simon Calder has more details below:
A care home in south Brazil has created a ‘hug tunnel’ to allow residents to embrace their loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic, writes Samuel Lovett.
Staff at the Geriatric Clinic Tres Figueiras facility in the state of Rio Grande do Sul came up with the idea last month, shortly after Mother’s Day.
Oklahoma virus cases continue to surge
Oklahoma's new cases of the coronavirus have continued to skyrocket as the state reported its second-biggest daily increase in its case load ahead of a Trump rally planned for this weekend.
At least 359 new cases of Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, were reported on Friday. That comes after Thursday's report of a state-record 450 new cases, according to statistics on the Oklahoma State Department of Health website.
The Friday total is a 3.8 per cent increase to at least 9,706 in the state's overall case load since the outbreak began in March. The actual number of people who have contracted the virus is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
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