Coronavirus news – live: Boris Johnson hints two-metre rule could be scrapped in schools, after Covid-19 alert level lowered

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Over-50s and keys workers to be given priority for coronavirus vaccine, Hancock says

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.

Key Points

• UK death toll rises by 173
• 2-metre distancing may be axed for schools
• Covid-19 alert level lowered
• Black men have worst Covid-19 death rate in UK
• £1bn catch-up fund for English schools
• Masks becoming mandatory across US

[19 June 2020 21:47 · Vincent Wood]

Happiest place on earth may not yet be the safest - union officials

Unions representing 17,000 workers at Walt Disney Co's Disneyland Resort in California have told the state's governor they are not convinced the theme park will be safe enough to reopen by the company's July target date.

In a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom the unions said they had been in discussions with Disney since mid-March when Disneyland was closed to help curb the coronavirus pandemic. The resort in Anaheim, in southern California, houses both the Disneyland theme park and the California Adventure Park, both of which the company has targeted to reopen on 17 July.

"Unfortunately, despite intensive talks with the company, we are not yet convinced it is safe to reopen the parks," the letter from the Coalition of Resort Labor Unions said.

[19 June 2020 21:59 · Vincent Wood]

Costa Rica delays lockdown easing as cases increase

Costa Rica's government will halt reopening the country's economy due to an increase in the number of coronavirus cases over recent days, a senior official has said.

"These are not numbers to think that nothing is wrong and that we can continue with the reopening," Health Minister Daniel Salas told reporters during a news conference, referring to the uptick in the numbers.

Over the last 24 hours, Costa Rica has registered a record 119 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 12,058. Twelve people have died from the highly-contagious respiratory disease caused by the virus.

"Stores and shopping malls, beaches, churches and other activities will have to wait until we have a sustained decrease in cases," said Salas.

[19 June 2020 22:17 · Vincent Wood]

Hydroxychloroquine trial dropped by swiss drugmaker amid struggle to find participants

More bad news for the drug backed throughout the pandemic by Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump.

Swiss drug maker Novartis is halting its trial of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19 after struggling to find participants, it said on Friday, as data from other studies raised doubts about its efficacy.

Novartis's move follows the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision this week to revoke emergency use authorisation for hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19, on grounds that it is unlikely to help patients.

[19 June 2020 22:45 · Vincent Wood]

Sketch: Gavin Williamson is going to reopen all schools in September — he just hasn't got a clue how, so don't ask

"There are few politicians on whose words it is harder to concentrate than Gavin Williamson" - writes Tom Peck. 

He adds: "There are many reasons for this, though chief among them might be that, given the fundamental impossibility of intelligent thought ever entering Gavin Williamson, it is an equal impossibility that any should exit it."

More below:

[19 June 2020 23:07 · Vincent Wood]

Global tally - more than 8.57 million reported infections, 456,209 deaths

More than 8.57 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 456,209 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019. 

[19 June 2020 23:25 · Vincent Wood]

Social distancing patrols and digital orders - plans for pubs to be revealed soon

Drinkers would be encouraged to order pints on smartphone apps and pubs could be patrolled to ensure social-distancing measures are enforced under plans to ease the lockdown for the hospitality sector - according to The Times.

Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement next week on pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels - with their reopening in England an ambition from July 4 to start reviving the ailing economy.

With the coronavirus alert level having been reduced on Friday, the Prime Minister believes he has some space to relax measures in a boost for the sector.

[19 June 2020 23:35 · Vincent Wood]

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