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.”
Labour MP ‘understands why constituents break law’
A Labour MP says she understands why her constituents in the northeast are breaking the law to visit family members.
Julie Elliott, whose Sunderland Central constituency has been subject to greater restrictions since 28 September, said while she does not condone her constituents' actions, she understands why many are breaking lockdown rules as the government "has not listened" to local people's needs.
The Labour MP said while she does not condone some of her constituents' actions, she understands why many are breaking the law as the government are "not taking people with them".
Ms Elliott told MPs: "The reality is that people in the area I represent in the northeast in Sunderland are seeing their family members, they're breaking the rules, they're going into houses.
“Everyone knows that the virus spreads when people are in small rooms together.”
Five more deaths in Ireland
Another five deaths and 611 cases of Covid-19 have been detected in the Republic of Ireland.
Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer at the department of health, said: "Covid-19 is spreading in our community in a very worrying manner. We have to break these chains of transmission."
Trump ‘symptom-free’
Donald Trump has had no Covid-19 symptoms for the past 24 hours, with a physical examination and his vital signs showing his condition remains stable, White House physician Sean Conley says.
Mr Conley said the president had been fever-free for more than four days and had not needed or received any supplemental oxygen since his initial hospitalisation.
What a circuit-breaker lockdown would mean
Liam James analyses how our lives could be affected if Downing Street’s reported idea of a circuit-breaker - shorter periods of tighter rules and restrictions over the next six months - were implemented:
Plan to cut holidaymakers’ quarantine times
The government has announced it will introduce a system to reduce the time spent in self-isolation by returning travellers. Simon Calder reports:
Government outlines plans to cut self-isolation
Many countries allow single or multiple tests as an alternative to quarantine
Chair of Royal College of GPs raises concerns over problems with supply of diagnostic tests
The chair of the Royal College of GPs has raised concerns over problems with the supply of diagnostic tests due to problems with pharmaceutical giant Roche.
Professor Martin Marshall said: "GPs will only order laboratory tests if they think it will be beneficial in diagnosing a patient or helping to manage an existing health condition, and they need to be able to order investigations as and when necessary.
"Any delays in receiving test results will be a cause of concern for GPs and patients alike - particularly in cases where the results will determine or change a patient's treatment plan.
"This issue must be rectified urgently, both to alleviate anxiety that delays will inevitably cause for patients, but also the increased workload that this will cause in general practice further down the line when appointments potentially need to be rearranged for investigations to be redone.
"In the meantime, GPs need clarity as to how long this issue is predicted to go on for, as well as what steps we should take when presented with a patient who we think would benefit from a laboratory test."
Push for Covid-19 vaccines has led to ‘deficit’ of effective treatments, experts warn
More must be done to develop effective treatments for Covid-19, experts have warned, amid mounting concern that the push for a vaccine has led to a global "deficit of high quality" medicines for the disease.
Samuel Lovett has the full story:
Push for Covid-19 vaccines has led to ‘deficit’ of effective treatments, experts warn
‘What we really need are drugs for all stages of the disease’ - even if a vaccine is approved, say Wellcome Trust and Unitaid
NHS England chief warns of ‘disturbing’ coronavirus signs as hospital admissions surge
The chief executive of NHS England has warned the health service will need to be “agile” in its response to “disturbing” increases in coronavirus infection rates and hospital admissions.
Health correspondent Shaun Lintern reports:
NHS England chief warns of ‘disturbing’ coronavirus signs as hospital admissions surge
Hospital admissions are rising warns NHS England boss in speech to NHS leaders
Wisconsin to open field hospital to deal with coronavirus surge
Wisconsin will open a field hospital outside Milwaukee to deal with the surge in Covid-19 cases that have overwhelmed hospitals across the state, the governor, Tony Evers, has said.
The hospital will open within the next week after hospitalisations across the state nearly tripled over the last month.
There were 853 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 as of Tuesday, an increase of 71 from the day before, Mr Evers said in a statement.
Humans told to socially distance around wild animals to avoid ‘considerable risk’ of passing on coronavirus
There is “considerable risk” that humans could transmit Covid-19 to wild animals, posing a potential threat to already endangered species, scientists have warned.
Chris Baynes has the full story:
Humans told to maintain social distancing around wild animals to avoid transmitting coronavirus
Outbreaks could have ‘devastating impact’ on endangered species and lead to re-emergence of disesase in people, study warns
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