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UK coronavirus live: government discussing new London clampdown on pubs, cinemas and gyms UK coronavirus live: government discussing new London clampdown on pubs, cinemas and gyms
(31 minutes later)
All the day’s developments as schools across the UK close their doorsAll the day’s developments as schools across the UK close their doors
The Department for Education has announced more details on how assessments will replace the cancelled A-levels and GCSE exams in England this year, with pupils to be told their grades before the end of July.
The DfE says the exam regulator Ofqual will set grades using a national criteria, with each students’ individual grades then ratified by their teachers. Pupils will have the option of sitting an exam early in the next academic year.The statement reads:
The government is investigating a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus deaths in the West Midlands, with one of the region’s NHS trusts reporting nine deaths from the illness, the highest number for any trust in the country.
The health secretary, Matt Hancock, confirmed this morning that the government was looking “very, very closely” at why a hotspot seems to have emerged in the region, where 28 deaths have been recorded so far. The majority of deaths have been of elderly and at-risk patients.
Following suit, Aldi has announced a recruitment drive to hire 9,000 new workers, including 4,000 permanent jobs, to help keep shelves filled during the coronavirus outbreak.Following suit, Aldi has announced a recruitment drive to hire 9,000 new workers, including 4,000 permanent jobs, to help keep shelves filled during the coronavirus outbreak.
The supermarket added that all nappies and paper products, including toilet and kitchen roll, will now be restricted to two items per customer. All other products will remain restricted to four items per customer, with a few exceptions.The supermarket added that all nappies and paper products, including toilet and kitchen roll, will now be restricted to two items per customer. All other products will remain restricted to four items per customer, with a few exceptions.
The government has banned the parallel export of 80 crucial medicines – including adrenaline, insulin, paracetamol and morphine – to protect supplies during the coronavirus outbreak.The government has banned the parallel export of 80 crucial medicines – including adrenaline, insulin, paracetamol and morphine – to protect supplies during the coronavirus outbreak.
The government describes parallel exporting as “when companies buy medicines meant for UK patients and sell on for a higher price in another country, potentially causing or aggravating supply problems”.The government describes parallel exporting as “when companies buy medicines meant for UK patients and sell on for a higher price in another country, potentially causing or aggravating supply problems”.
The department of health said that any company found to be parallel exporting could face tough action from the country’s drug regulator, including the removal of their trading licence. The full list of medicines is here.The department of health said that any company found to be parallel exporting could face tough action from the country’s drug regulator, including the removal of their trading licence. The full list of medicines is here.
Car giant Jaguar Land Rover is to suspend production at its UK plants because of the coronavirus crisis.Car giant Jaguar Land Rover is to suspend production at its UK plants because of the coronavirus crisis.
The company said production will be temporarily halted over the course of next week, with the intention to resume on 20 April, subject to review of the “rapidly-changing circumstances.”The company said production will be temporarily halted over the course of next week, with the intention to resume on 20 April, subject to review of the “rapidly-changing circumstances.”
The firm has plants across the UK, including Castle Bromwich, Solihull, and Halewood.The firm has plants across the UK, including Castle Bromwich, Solihull, and Halewood.
Other firms including BMW, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Vauxhall have already halted production in the UK.Other firms including BMW, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Vauxhall have already halted production in the UK.
Farnborough International Airshow, which had been due to take place in July, has been cancelled.Farnborough International Airshow, which had been due to take place in July, has been cancelled.
Hotel Chocolat is the latest retailer to announce all NHS workers will get a 50% discount in stores on presentation of their staff pass during the coronavirus crisis.Hotel Chocolat is the latest retailer to announce all NHS workers will get a 50% discount in stores on presentation of their staff pass during the coronavirus crisis.
All performances at “major commercial” West End theatres are cancelled until 26 April, according to the Society of London Theatre.All performances at “major commercial” West End theatres are cancelled until 26 April, according to the Society of London Theatre.
The leader of Cornwall council, Julian German, and the Cornish MP Steve Double have asked people not to travel to the far south west of England.The leader of Cornwall council, Julian German, and the Cornish MP Steve Double have asked people not to travel to the far south west of England.
Politicians and doctors fear an influx of people to Cornwall from London and other cities could put pressure on the health service in the area – and spread the virus.Politicians and doctors fear an influx of people to Cornwall from London and other cities could put pressure on the health service in the area – and spread the virus.
In an open letter they said:In an open letter they said:
Asda has announced plans to hire more than 5,000 temporary employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.Asda has announced plans to hire more than 5,000 temporary employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.
The supermarket is working with more than 20 companies nationally to bring in staff from industries including food and travel.The supermarket is working with more than 20 companies nationally to bring in staff from industries including food and travel.
Chief executive Roger Burnley said: “During these difficult times everyone has to work together to help people most affected by Covid-19 and Asda is pleased to play its part.Chief executive Roger Burnley said: “During these difficult times everyone has to work together to help people most affected by Covid-19 and Asda is pleased to play its part.
“That is why today we have committed to hiring more than 5,000 employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and have been left with deep concerns about their household budgets.”“That is why today we have committed to hiring more than 5,000 employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and have been left with deep concerns about their household budgets.”
Earlier, Lidl announced plans to recruit 2,500 workers on four-week contracts to help keep up with high demand in stores as customers continue clearing shelves over the coronavirus outbreak.Earlier, Lidl announced plans to recruit 2,500 workers on four-week contracts to help keep up with high demand in stores as customers continue clearing shelves over the coronavirus outbreak.
Here’s some more on the publication of the scientific evidence that has been supporting the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Among the guidance laid out by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies SAGE, is that social distancing measures may be needed for most of the year.
“It was agreed that a policy of alternating between periods of more and less strict social distancing measures could plausibly be effective at keeping the number of critical care cases within capacity. These would need to be in place for at least most of a year,” the report said. Meanwhile, a potential drop in police numbers due to workplace absences could lead to an increase in “opportunistic crime”, although “large scale rioting is unlikely”.
The guidance also sets out that government messaging to the public during this time should “promote a sense of collectivism” in order to rule out “increasing tension between different groups”.
The government was today actively discussing a new clampdown on London with pubs, cinemas and gyms possibly being ordered to close to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
An announcement could be made within hours, after crisis planners became increasingly concerned that too many people were continuing to ignore social distancing advice, making the spread of the virus more likely.
The British capital is the target of tougher measures because it has the highest rate of infection and deaths so far. Debate within government is continuing about whether non-essential shops - that is those not selling food or medical supplies - would be included in the ban.
The government had been considering a formal ban on Thursday and was braced to announce it - but pulled back. Among senior government figures there is a deep reluctance to issue banning orders.
Officials believe they would have the power to order bans even without special emergency laws to address the pandemic.
Crisis planners and government advisers have been looking at a range of data, such as transport usage in the capital and hospital admissions, to assess if the pleas made on Monday for people to stay home were being heeded.
Continuing anecdotal evidence of people, especially younger Londoners, continuing to go to pubs despite repeated pleas has led to the government believing it may have no choice but to issue the ban.
Giving her daily briefing, Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said that it was not helpful to use words like “lockdown”, which only confused the public, but added that “it should not be assumed that what we are asking people to do now will not become stricter in the future”.
There are 56 new cases in Scotland overnight but no change in the number of deaths.
Asked about Boris Johnson’s pledge to beat the virus within twelve weeks, Sturgeon said she was hopeful that progress would be made if the public followed the guidance properly, but said: “I cannot stand here and say with certainty when we will be in the position to lift these measures.”
Sturgeon also said she “unreservedly condemned” the case of the Aviemore hotel which sacked and evicted staff members yesterday.
Scotland’s chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood said that the country was now witnessing a “rapid escalation” in cases with sustained community transfer.
She said the situation was not the same around the UK, with numbers and community transmissions concentrated around London, and Scotland’s rates much slower,
“If we can suppress the spread [through these measures] then perhaps we can slow that community transfer and slow that explosion of cases that has been seen in other countries and not yet in London but may happen there.”
The number of Scots who have been diagnosed with coronavirus has grown by 56 since yesterday to 322. Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed the new total during a briefing on the outbreak.
Schools across Scotland will close today as part of an effort to combat the spread of the disease.
I’m Amy Walker and I’ll be running the live blog over lunchtime.
Agencies recruiting seasonal workers to pick the fruit and vegetables that will help feed the nation have issued an urgent call for British people to sign up to work.
Normally, 99% of the 80,000 workers come from abroad, mostly from eastern Europe. But travel restrictions and anxieties about the coronavirus pandemic have led many workers to cancel.
The Hops agency said it has already had 3,000 applications since Wednesday and its website is struggling to cope with the interest. The soft-fruit picking season is due to get fully under way in April, with vegetable picking to follow after that.
Hops operations director Sarah Boparan said:
Workers are paid at least the minimum wage and Hops said all the farms they work with are following the correct procedures around safe working conditions during the coronavirus outbreak.
A spokesman for the National Farmers Union said:
Recruitment of seasonal workers has been affected by Brexit, with farmers forced to leave tonnes of crops to rot last year as it struggled to find staff.
The Landworkers’ Alliance, a union representing more than 1,000 small- and medium-scale farmers and landworkers across the UK, said measures must be put in place to ensure the resilience of the domestic food supply in the months ahead.
Jyoti Fernandes, at the Landworkers’ Alliance, said:
National Express is advising passengers to check online before they travel as it introduces an extensive reduction to its timetable with effect from 00:01 Tuesday 24 March 2020.
This follows the news yesterday that the coach operator will be temporarily running limited services across its scheduled national network in response to the impact of the coronavirus.
Chris Hardy, managing director of National Express UK Coach, said:
Full details on their website.
A Scottish hotel has sacked more than a dozen members of staff over the coronavirus outbreak, making them homeless, our Scotland correspondent, Libby Brooks, reports.
The workers at the Coylumbridge hotel near Aviemore received a letter yesterday informing them management was “taking the latest government advice” and that staff employment had been terminated, with those who live at the hotel complex asked to leave the premises immediately.
The full story is here.
The Guardian’s editor-in-chief, Katherine Viner, has written to readers about how we aim to cover the coronavirus crisis, emphasising the value of expertise, scientific knowledge and careful judgment in our reporting.
She writes:
Supermarket Lidl has announced plans to recruit 2,500 workers on four-week contracts to help keep up with high demand in stores as customers continue clearing shelves over the coronavirus outbreak.
The grocer said recruits can start immediately and will be paid at least £9.30 an hour, adding “the new hires will be responsible for working together to keep the store clean, tidy and the shelves well stocked so that customers can get the products they need”.
Police chiefs have today asked employers to give workers who volunteer as special constables paid leave during the coronavirus crisis.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council say the move will boost the number of volunteers available, with police ranks expected to be depleted by illness and self-isolation in the coming months.
Special constables have the full powers of a paid officer and there are 10,000 of them in England and Wales. Police expect to be placed under “great strain” during the national crisis caused by the pandemic.
Other measures police chiefs are considering include making it easier for retired officers to rejoin. Martin Hewitt, chair of the NPCC, said:
Forces are considering how to manage up to 25% of officers being absent at any one time, include extending shifts to 12 hours.