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UK coronavirus live: too early to reopen schools in Scotland, says Scottish government UK coronavirus live: too early to reopen schools in Scotland, says Scottish government
(32 minutes later)
Deaths in Scotland rise by 44 to 1,620; trial begins for new contact-tracing app, while MPs question government scientists and new Sage papers publishedDeaths in Scotland rise by 44 to 1,620; trial begins for new contact-tracing app, while MPs question government scientists and new Sage papers published
The Rugby Football Union’s chief executive Bill Sweeney has warned it would be a “catastrophe” if next year’s Six Nations is cancelled by the coronavirus, admitting the organisation would need a government bailout if England do not play again until next summer.
Sweeney revealed the union is facing losses of at least £100m if England’s autumn internationals are played behind closed doors – a figure which rises to £122m if they are cancelled – and if next year’s Six Nations is similarly affected, he conceded:
The full story is here.
Damian Collins, the former chair of the Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee, has written to Matt Hancock with 10 questions about the new NHSX contact tracing app.
The letter to the health secretary addresses concerns that have been raised about privacy and how the data collected by the app will be used.
Virgin Atlantic has announced plans to cut 3,150 jobs and end its operation at Gatwick airport as the aviation industry struggles to survive the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
The business said uncertainty over when flying will resume as well as “unprecedented market conditions” as a result of the pandemic had “severely reduced revenues”.
The airline will reduce its workforce by more than a third and flights from Gatwick, closed due to the collapse in demand caused by the pandemic, will not restart. Some routes will be switched to Heathrow.
The Virgin Atlantic chief executive, Shai Weiss, said the carrier must take steps to “reduce our costs, preserve cash and to protect as many jobs as possible”. He said:
He added:
The airline said talks with the government about obtaining additional funding during the coronavirus lockdown “are ongoing”.
Sir Richard Branson recently warned the carrier he founded would collapse unless it received government support.
Rival airline British Airways announced last week it planned to cut 12,000 jobs.
NHS England has announced 366 more deaths of patients who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 21,750.
Of the 366 new deaths announced today:- 66 occurred on 4 May - 127 occurred on 3 May- 54 occurred on 2 May - 29 occurred on 1 May
The figures also show 85 of the new deaths took place in April while the remaining five deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on 19 March.
NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including previously uncounted deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago. This is because of the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as Covid-19 related, for post-mortem examinations to be processed and for data from the tests to be validated.
The figures published today by NHS England show 8 April continues to have the highest number for the most hospital deaths occurring on a single day, with a current total of 871.
A depleted workforce, problems with physical distancing and a lack of confidence among parents about children’s safety will present huge practical difficulties for schools reopening to more pupils, headteachers have warned.
The government has said it plans to reopen schools in phases, potentially starting as early as 1 June, with year 6 primary school children expected to return first, followed by other primary pupils and those in years 10 and 12 who are preparing for GCSEs and A-levels next summer.School leaders, however, say there are likely to be significant staffing problems. One in four who took part in a survey of more than 7,000 members of the NAHT head teachers’ union said fewer than 50% of staff were currently available to attend school, either because they had symptoms, were high risk, or were shielding or caring.Almost three in 10 (29%) said they thought it would be impossible to observe physical distancing in primary schools, and fewer than one in 10 (9%) thought it was feasible to achieve with children aged seven and under.
Ahead of reopening, the NAHT has called on the government for better guidance on physical distancing in schools, more information on how to support staff and pupils who are high risk or live with someone who is high risk and greater clarity on the science behind a return to school, as well as the availability of testing and PPE.
Paul Whiteman, the NAHT’s general secretary, said:
A separate survey of more than 2,000 members of the National Education Union raised similar concerns and revealed that almost a quarter (23%) were currently shielding because of a pre-existing medical condition or pregnancy.
Of those regularly attending school, which is still open to children of key workers and vulnerable pupils, just 11% said their school was conducting temperature checks, almost a quarter (22%) said there was insufficient soap or hand sanitiser and just over three in five said they were concerned about physical distancing measures currently in place to keep the small numbers of children still in school safe. Around half were worried about social distancing measures for staff.
Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
Covid-19 has claimed more than 1,000 lives in Wales, the country’s health minister, Vaughan Gething, has announced.
Gething said:
There have now been 1,023 deaths in Wales – an increase of 26 on the previous 24 hours.
During the Welsh government’s daily press conference, Gething played down a leaked report from Public Health Wales that claimed more than 30,000 tests a day could be needed to track and trace coronavirus.
Gething said it was a draft plan and suggested the final daily number needed could be fewer than 9,000. Its current capacity is around 2,100 a day. Only 892 were actually carried out on Monday.
The health minister said:
The Downing Street lobby briefing has finished. Here are the main points.The Downing Street lobby briefing has finished. Here are the main points.
Ministers are considering easing the coronavirus social distancing restrictions on people meeting outdoors, Downing Street has said. The prime minister’s spokesman said they were looking at a range of possible “easements”, as well some toughening of the rules, ahead of the expected publication on Sunday of the government’s roadmap for easing the lockdown. The spokesman said:Ministers are considering easing the coronavirus social distancing restrictions on people meeting outdoors, Downing Street has said. The prime minister’s spokesman said they were looking at a range of possible “easements”, as well some toughening of the rules, ahead of the expected publication on Sunday of the government’s roadmap for easing the lockdown. The spokesman said:
Asked about a suggestion by Nicola Sturgeon that people in Scotland could be allowed to meet up with “small defined groups” outdoors, the spokesman said:Asked about a suggestion by Nicola Sturgeon that people in Scotland could be allowed to meet up with “small defined groups” outdoors, the spokesman said:
The prime minister’s spokesman did not deny a report saying that the Treasury could scale back the “furlough” scheme after June, so that it would only pay 60% of wages, not 80%. The spokesman did not comment on the report. But he pointed out that yesterday, in an interview, the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said:The prime minister’s spokesman did not deny a report saying that the Treasury could scale back the “furlough” scheme after June, so that it would only pay 60% of wages, not 80%. The spokesman did not comment on the report. But he pointed out that yesterday, in an interview, the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said:
The spokesman did not dispute what Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, told MPs this morning about how it would have been better if testing had been increased sooner. (See 11.19am.) The spokesman said the government accepted that it would have been better to have done more testing earlier. But it did not have the capacity, the spokesman said. He said the government was starting from a lower base.The spokesman did not dispute what Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, told MPs this morning about how it would have been better if testing had been increased sooner. (See 11.19am.) The spokesman said the government accepted that it would have been better to have done more testing earlier. But it did not have the capacity, the spokesman said. He said the government was starting from a lower base.
The spokesman rejected suggestions that what Vallance told MPs about being one metre away from an infected person being much more dangerous than being two metres away (see 10.06am) meant that relaxing the two-metre rule would be reckless. He said it would be important to consider any new government guidance in the round.The spokesman rejected suggestions that what Vallance told MPs about being one metre away from an infected person being much more dangerous than being two metres away (see 10.06am) meant that relaxing the two-metre rule would be reckless. He said it would be important to consider any new government guidance in the round.
The spokesman indicated that, when Boris Johnson gives details of his plans to start relaxing the lockdown, he will also publish a written document setting out his plans.The spokesman indicated that, when Boris Johnson gives details of his plans to start relaxing the lockdown, he will also publish a written document setting out his plans.
The spokesman defended the decision to publish only a selection of the documents produced and considered by Sage, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies. He said some documents were withheld because they were relevant to decisions that were still being considered.The spokesman defended the decision to publish only a selection of the documents produced and considered by Sage, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies. He said some documents were withheld because they were relevant to decisions that were still being considered.
The spokesman said Boris Johnson may not have seen a Sage paper from 3 March that advised against shaking hands. Johnson was still shaking hands beyond that point.The spokesman said Boris Johnson may not have seen a Sage paper from 3 March that advised against shaking hands. Johnson was still shaking hands beyond that point.
The spokesman said that, when Boris Johnson was photographed walking in St James’s Park this morning, he was taking his daily exercise allowed under lockdown rules. (See 12.50am.)The spokesman said that, when Boris Johnson was photographed walking in St James’s Park this morning, he was taking his daily exercise allowed under lockdown rules. (See 12.50am.)
The spokesman said the coronavirus-related absentee rate in the NHS was now 3.2% for doctors and 6.8% for nurses. One month ago those figures were 6.6% and 9.5% respectively, he said.The spokesman said the coronavirus-related absentee rate in the NHS was now 3.2% for doctors and 6.8% for nurses. One month ago those figures were 6.6% and 9.5% respectively, he said.
In the Commons Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said that he could consider a proposal for a national arboretum memorial commemorating those essential workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus. He was responding to a question from the Conservative MP Heather Wheeler, who said such a memorial would be “a fitting way to commemorate the sad loss of essential workers to Covid-19”.In the Commons Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said that he could consider a proposal for a national arboretum memorial commemorating those essential workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus. He was responding to a question from the Conservative MP Heather Wheeler, who said such a memorial would be “a fitting way to commemorate the sad loss of essential workers to Covid-19”.
Q: What options will be available for parents who do not want to send their children back to school?Q: What options will be available for parents who do not want to send their children back to school?
Sturgeon says she has to act in partnership with the public. She suggests there would be no point saying pupils should go back to school if parents did not have confidence in that decision.Sturgeon says she has to act in partnership with the public. She suggests there would be no point saying pupils should go back to school if parents did not have confidence in that decision.
Q: The Irish government’s plan for relaxing lockdown includes specific dates. Yours doesn’t. Has the Irish taoiseach jumped the gun?Q: The Irish government’s plan for relaxing lockdown includes specific dates. Yours doesn’t. Has the Irish taoiseach jumped the gun?
Sturgeon says she does not know what advice the Irish government has had.Sturgeon says she does not know what advice the Irish government has had.
She says the government will have to make choices.She says the government will have to make choices.
Sturgeon says Scotland is “at a critical moment”.
It can either continue making progress. Or else it might get to the point where lockdown measures have to be reimposed, she says.
Q: Could building sites be some of the first places to come out of lockdown?
Sturgeon says this is covered in the document. She will proceed at a pace that is safe.
Q: How do you respond to the Scottish secretary’s criticism of your approach? (See 11.17am.)
Sturgeon says she has sought to avoid partisan politics.
She says both the argument that Scotland has to follow the UK exactly, and the argument that it has to do its own thing, are wrong.
She will do what is right for Scotland, she says.
She says a Sunday paper (the Sunday Telegraph) said schools should open at the start of June.
She does not know what is right for England, she says.
But she says she cannot “hand on heart” say that would be safe for Scotland.
Q: The UK government has not published a document like this. Are they looking at ideas like this?
Sturgeon says she thinks governments around the world are all facing the same problems, and she says she thinks they are all looking at the same possible ways out.
But she says she does not know what Boris Johnson is considering.
She says she wants to come out of lockdown at the right pace. If that means doing it differently from the rest of the UK, that is what it should do. If that means doing it differently in different parts of Scotland, that would be right too.
Q: What advice do you have for businesses where social distancing is not possible?
Sturgeon says it has to be safe.
She says it might be possible to use PPE in some places where social distancing is not possible, like for hairdressers (an example cited by the questioner).
She says it may not be possible to introduce these measures now. But if they do the detailed work now, then relaxing measures later might be possible.
At her briefing Nicola Sturgeon is now taking questions.
Q: For how long do you need sustained evidence that R is below 1 before you can lift the lockdown measures?
Sturgeon says this is for the experts to advise on.
She says, whenever schools get opened, there will be an impact on the R number. But if R is 0.2, that won’t take you into the danger zone. If it is 0.8, it will.
She says in Denmark schools going back has led to the R number going up.
Q: What will the school year look like next year?
Sturgeon says the paper looks at options for different year groups.
There will need to be more social distancing, she says.
She says surfaces will have to be cleaned properly.
As for dates, she cannot say.
But, as soon as evidence develops, she will make that available to the public.
A total of 1,620 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, up by 44 from 1,576 on Monday, Nicola Sturgeon announced.
The first minister said 12,437 people had now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up by 171 from 12,266 the day before.
There were 104 people in intensive care with coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms, an increase of five on yesterday, she added.
There are 1,656 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a decrease of 64.
And since 5 March, 2,847 people who have tested positive for coronavirus have been able to leave hospital.
Here is the text of the new document (pdf) published by the Scottish government about its approach to relaxing the lockdown (or not).
Immediate changes to universal credit are needed ahead of a potential second wave of claims when the government’s protection schemes come to a close next month, Citizens Advice has said.
Data released on Tuesday by the Department for Work and Pensions showed that 1.9 million households have made a claim for universal credit in the last two months. This equates to just under one in 10 working-age households in Great Britain.
While the rate of claims has tapered in recent weeks, the charity warns its frontline advisers are preparing for a potential rise in inquiries this summer. The job retention scheme is currently due to end on 30 June, which could precipitate further job losses.
Frontline advisers at Citizens Advice warn many people they support with universal credit can face hardship as a result of the five-week wait until their first payment, or risk getting into debt by taking out an advance payment.
Dame Gillian Guy, the charity’s chief executive, urged the government to turn advance payments into grants to avoid putting people at risk of debt. She said:
The Scottish government has released a second framework document setting out plans for leaving lockdown, ahead of Nicola Sturgeon’s daily media briefing and emphasising the need for the public to engage with the ideas being considered.
It underlines the need for continuing caution, stating it is “almost certain” that lockdown will be extended on Thursday, the next review date for the regulations, but sets out some “illustrative examples” about how changes could be made.
It is particularly cautious about schools, stating:
Illustrating the dangers of re-opening primary and nursery schools too early, it shares modelling which suggest that, given the current level of infections and reinfection rates, “in the ‘most likely’ scenario, full re-opening [in May] would cause a resurgence in the virus such that hospital capacity in Scotland would be overwhelmed in less than two months”.
Explaining that the R number – the reinfection rate of the virus – remains too high to conclude that the virus has been suppressed in Scotland, the document states:
It adds that there is some evidence that the currently R number in Scotland is slightly above that elsewhere in the UK.
The document also gives examples of some limited changes which could happen after the next review point, at the end of May, including allowing people to leave their home more often, or for longer; allowing people to meet with a small number of others in a self-contained “bubble”; resumption of some NHS screening services and social care support.
It also says the Scottish government is in talks with businesses and trade unions about safe return to work for employees in particular sectors, with the focus on construction, manufacturing and retail as well as outdoor and rural work.