Coronavirus news: Pubs reportedly face closure in new regional England lockdown
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Ministers are reportedly considering closing pubs and restaurants in regions of England, as part of moves to simplify lockdown rules with a three-tier system. The Independent previously reported on leaked documents revealing the plans in the works.
The reports by the Financial Times and BBC follow Nicola Sturgeon’s ban on pubs and restaurants in much of Scotland selling alcohol indoors for more than two weeks.
Scotland’s first minister insisted that the new measures were not a return to lockdown but she acknowledged the restrictions would “feel like a backward step” for many people.
The potential for drastic action to contain a second wave comes as Sir Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, warned of a “disturbing” rise in hospital admissions of Covid-19 patients.
He told a virtual conference of NHS leaders: “Speaking frankly there are disturbing signs that infection rates from coronavirus are, again, rising. They are clearly headed in the wrong direction, not just nationally, but particularly in some regions and local areas across the country.
“At the start of September, we had under 500 coronavirus inpatients in hospitals across England. That is now nearly 3000. And we know that hospital admissions lag community infection by several weeks.”
Coronavirus and NHS tests hit by delay in Roche supply chain
There are fears that the supply of coronavirus and other NHS tests could be delayed due to issues in the supply chain for the pharmaceutical giant Roche.
The company, which supplies parts used in Covid-19 tests and materials for blood and cancer tests, announced on Tuesday that its processing capacity was significantly reduced after unforeseen problems at its new distribution centre in Sussex.
Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, acknowledged the problem on Wednesday morning but encouraged people to continue to try to get tested for coronavirus if they have symptoms.
Our reporter, Rory Sullivan, has the full story below:
Coronavirus and NHS tests hit by delay in Roche supply chain
Company says it is prioritising dispatch of Covid-19 tests
Our reporter, Zoe Tidman, has more details below on the decision by three major universities to shift to online teaching following coronavirus outbreaks:
Three major universities announce shift to online teaching amid coronavirus outbreaks
Two institutions in Manchester and one in Sheffield say there will temporarily be less face-to-face classes
Mayor of Liverpool warns northern restrictions are ‘not working’
The mayor of Liverpool has warned restrictions in the North of England are “not working” and called for greater powers to be given to local authorities to control outbreaks.
“We're seeing 2,500 new cases in the last week in Liverpool and yet we're seeing restrictions that were imposed on Manchester and Newcastle not working and the increasing infection rate going up,” Joe Anderson told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
“It's about common sense, it's about getting the balance right and about what we can do, what we should do and how local lockdowns work, working with local leaders to get it right.
“There's a lack of consistency, a lack of clarity, but most of all a lack of communication and collaboration.”
He added that the 10pm curfew for hospitality venues was having “the wrong effect” and said it should be down to local authorities to work with businesses in the area.
Meanwhile in the US…
The coronavirus outbreak at the White House has continued to spread, with Donald Trump’s senior policy adviser Stephen Miller becoming the latest administration official to become infected.
Mr Miller’s positive test came after the president returned to the White House on Monday following his stay in hospital with Covid-19.
The adviser joins Mr Trump’s press secretary, his campaign manager and a number of aides who have tested positive for the virus in recent days.
Our reporter, Alex Woodward, has the full story below:
Top Trump adviser Stephen Miller tests positive for coronavirus
More than a dozen people within Trump inner circle have tested positive for Covid-19
Our reporter, Clea Skopeliti, has put together a short guide below to the situation in Scotland - where new restrictions are expected this afternoon:
Sturgeon to announce new coronavirus restrictions for Scotland
Schools will not be closed, First Minister says
Northern Ireland’s economy minister calls on Sunak to ‘step up’ to save jobs
Northern Ireland’s economy minister has called on chancellor Rishi Suank to “step up” to save jobs as further restrictions are likely to combat the second wave of coronavirus.
According to modelling carried out by the Northern Irish government, unemployment is set to reach 100,000 in the region by the end of the year - levels not seen since the 1990s.
Diane Dodds urged the UK government to do more to protect jobs as she described the new support scheme as “not enough” to replace furlough,
“The Executive has written to the chancellor, I personally have written to the chancellor, I speak to the secretary of state for business because I think we will need UK-wide interventions that will help us in very difficult times,” Ms Dodds said.
She added that she feared the new scheme would help employers who want to keep very highly skilled workers, but would not have an impact on other workers in the labour market.
“Therefore I don't think that scheme he has introduced that will replace the furlough scheme is enough to see us through very difficult and testing times,” she said.
“I think the chancellor should look again and see what further help he can give and whether or not it is appropriate in certain sectors which will have a long tail of recovery - hospitality, tourism, aerospace to name but a few - these sectors deserve additional support."
The Stormont Executive in Northern Ireland is set to discuss potential further restrictions on Thursday to stem the spread of the virus.
Rising cases and hospital admissions show ‘serious problem’ in UK, Hancock admits
The rising numbers of coronavirus cases and an increase in hospital admissions for Covid-19 show there is a serious problem in the UK, Matt Hancock has admitted.
Speaking at a Confederation of British Industry webinar on Wednesday, Mr Hancock said: “It is a challenge, and everybody will have seen, from the rising case rates and unfortunately the rising hospitalisation rates which have risen really quite sharply in the last week or so, that we have got a very serious problem on our hands.”
He added: “The challenge is how to deal with this second peak in a way that has as little damage as possible. Thankfully we know far more about it than first time around.”
Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi ‘recovers from coronavirus’
Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has recovered from coronavirus after being admitted to hospital last month, a source close to the matter has told Reuters.
Mr Berlusconi spent the first half of September in a Milan hospital before being sent home under quarantine.
He has now tested negative for the virus and is waiting for the result of a second swab for final confirmation, the source said.
The former politician is believed to have caught Covid-19 while on holiday on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, which saw a surge in infections during the summer.
Reuters
US: Trump 'likely shedding virus each time he breathes', expert says
Donald Trump is likely shedding airborne coronavirus particles each time he breathes, an expert in respiratory sciences has warned, even though the president reportedly no longer has symptoms for Covid-19.
Mr Trump was discharged from Walter Reed Medical Centre on Monday after spending three nights in hospital.
Our reporter, Gino Spocchia, has the full story below:
Trump 'likely shedding virus each time he breathes', says expert
President 'still in the process of clearing his virus’, argues respiratory scientist, as another aide tests positive
Missing tests blunder caused by software '13 years out of date'
The IT error which saw 16,000 positive coronavirus tests go missing was caused by a failure to replace software which was 13 years out of date, according to experts.
The version of Microsoft Excel used – known as XLS – was superseded way back in 2007, but was still being deployed by Public Health England’s systems.
Our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick, has the full story below:
Missing coronavirus tests blunder caused by software ‘13 years out of date’
Failure to replace XLS version of Microsoft Excel - superseded in 2007 - condemned as ‘unforgiveable’
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