Coronavirus news: Education secretary insists ‘no child should be out of school’ after government issues long-awaited guidance on pupils returning to classroom
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Your support makes all the difference.Schools have been given new guidance that says teachers should socially distance from one another and older pupils from September. Officials have also set out how mobile testing units will respond to outbreaks at schools.
Meanwhile, a coronavirus outbreak that forced the reimposition of lockdown conditions in Leicester has no obvious source, Public Health England has said. The embattled body suggested the spike could have been driven by community transmission.
In the US, officials recorded the country’s biggest-yet daily rise in Covid-19 infections with about 50,700 new cases on Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. Donald Trump said yesterday he hoped the virus would “sort of, just disappear”.
Don't fine poorer parents over school attendance, says Labour
Labour has urged ministers against fining the poorest parents over school attendance as the government laid out its plans for a mandatory return to the classroom in the autumn, writes Lizzy Buchan.
Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, said it was "critical" for pupils and for the national recovery to fully reopen schools as he unveiled guidance centred around keeping whole year groups in "bubbles" to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Fines for non-attendance have been suspended during the pandemic and parents have been able to opt whether to send their children back since schools began being reopened more widely in June.
Beer delivery - by horse and cart
A lovely image from PA snapper Danny Lawson.
Leicester still has highest Covid-19 rates
The latest figures for new Covid-19 cases in Leicester show the infection rate is largely unchanged compared with the previous week.
The equivalent of 141.3 cases per 100,000 people were detected in Leicester in the week to 28 June. A rate of 140.2 cases per 100,000 was seen in the week ending 21 June.
Public Health England said that, when looking at all local authorities across England, "activity remains highest in Leicester", though the weekly incidence of confirmed cases in the area "has stabilised".
Meanwhile, pubs in Nottingham plan to bar anyone who can't prove they haven't come from Leicester, which is under a local lockdown.
Colin Drury has more:
Warning of wave of evictions once rent protections lapse
Ministers have been warned of a “wave of homelessness” across England as the government confirmed rental evictions can resume from the end of August, writes Ashley Cowburn.
In a move that will cause concern ahead of a looming recession, housing minister Lord Greenhalgh outlined on Wednesday that from 24 August landlords will be able to seek possession of properties in the courts.
Honduran president to leave hospital
Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez is soon to be discharged from hospital after demonstrating a clear improvement, one of his doctors said on Thursday.
Mr Hernandez had fallen ill with coronavirus.
"Over the last few days he has gradually presented clear improvement in his general condition, with a decrease in respiratory symptoms and a significant decrease in inflammation," said Alicia Jimenez, a doctor at the military hospital where Mr Hernandez was being treated.
Airbus jobs cuts hit north Wales
Airbus has revealed details of its plans to axe 1,700 jobs following the impact of coronavirus.
The aerospace giant's plant in north Wales set to bear the brunt of the cuts.
The company said it had opened talks on its "adaptation plan", which it unveiled earlier this week in response to the collapse in air travel as a result of the pandemic.
As part of the discussions, Airbus confirmed the need to reduce its workforce in the UK by around 1,700.
Scottish pub rules may mean no standing or music
Pubs and restaurants in Scotland may have to keep customers seated when they reopen and turn off background music to discourage shouting.
New Scottish government guidelines could allow the hospitality sector to relax the two-metre social distancing rule to one metre.
These one-metre zones would have to be clearly signposted for customers, with their names and other details taken before they enter.
Pubs delay re-opening over 'Super Saturday' fears
It has been called Super Saturday – when pubs across England are set to reopen for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown started in March, writes Colin Drury.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to head out for a long-awaited pint this weekend as restrictions are finally lifted.
But, while many landlords and owners are hoping for a much-needed windfall few days, plenty across the country, it seems, will delay reopening – amid concerns of alcohol-fuelled mayhem.
Leicester grapples with 'confusing' lockdown border
"I couldn't make head nor tail of it," said Mel Heel, owner of the Bridal Reloved store in Stoughton Grange, Leicester. "When you look at the map, the lockdown boundary ends halfway down the road."
She later established that her business was inside the lockdown area using Leicestershire County Council's postcode checker.
"To find out at 9.20pm that you can't open the next day, when you had been building up to get back to work, wasn't great," she said.
"I'd got two appointments the next day, as I've only been doing a couple per day - the dresses have to be steamed and cleaned and put into quarantine. So it's frustrating, really frustrating. I think the way in which the lockdown was put in place and communicated to people could have been handled better, though I think it's absolutely necessary to keep everyone safe."
Neighbours separated by the Leicester lockdown border (PA)
Meanwhile 74-year-old retired bricklayer David Blohm, who lives in Telford Way, said the border meant that he could go to the pub while his neighbours could not.
He added: "My wife's not happy, she's got a hair appointment Saturday and it's half a mile away - in the lockdown area."
Jack Gutteridge, 25, who lives next-door to Mr Blohm but inside the restricted zone, said: "It is what it is, although I understand that the boundary here is pretty arbitrary.
"It's not changed things much for us as we weren't planning on going out a lot."
Serbia poised to reintroduce lockdown
Serbia has recorded the highest spike of coronavirus cases since mid-April as authorities mull the reintroduction of a lockdown, reports Associated Press.
Authorities announced 359 confirmed cases and six deaths in the last 24 hours, with 80 per cent of them in the capital of Belgrade. It brings the total to more than 15,200 confirmed cases and nearly 290 deaths.
Serbia went from having strict lockdown measures to a near-total lifting of the government's emergency rules.
Mass gatherings have been allowed with people not keeping social distance or wearing masks. Thousands of fans packed soccer stadiums, a tennis tournament and night clubs.
Wearing masks indoors became mandatory this week and Serbian media says the president is to announce the reintroduction of tough lockdown and other measures for the capital and some cluster regions.
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