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UK coronavirus live: black people four times more likely to die, says ONS; Scotland lockdown set to be extended UK coronavirus live: Johnson tells cabinet they will adopt 'maximum caution' as they move to end lockdown
(32 minutes later)
ONS says risk of death significantly higher among some ethnic groups than others; Sturgeon will consider allowing more outdoor exercise; Johnson to give speech on lockdown plans at 7pm on SundayONS says risk of death significantly higher among some ethnic groups than others; Sturgeon will consider allowing more outdoor exercise; Johnson to give speech on lockdown plans at 7pm on Sunday
Six weeks into the UK’s Covid-19 crisis, the latest instalment of Anywhere but Westminster asks how a city keeps going when everything has ground to a halt.
The team virtually visits Plymouth, population 250,000, to see how the services that are vital to a city and its inhabitants are scrabbling to stay afloat. The fishing industry is in meltdown, temporary housing is oversubscribed and nurses facilitate goodbyes over Zoom. Most of all, people are asking: what on earth happens after this?
You can catch up on previous episodes in the series here.
Speculation about how the lockdown in England might be lifted risks sending “mixed messages” across the UK, the Welsh government has said.
The Welsh cabinet met this morning to discuss the lockdown restrictions and will meet again this evening. It has not given details of its next steps but said the message for this weekend remained the same – people should stay at home.
In a statement it said:
The daily Downing Street lobby briefing has just finished. Here is what is probably the top line.
Boris Johnson has told his cabinet that the government will adopt “maximum caution” as it moves to ease the lockdown. Johnson chaired a cabinet meeting this morning and, according to the prime minister’s spokesman, Johnson told his ministers:
Some newspapers this morning splashed on stories suggesting that a major shift away from lockdown will start on Monday. Here’s one example.
No 10 seems worried about the expectations raised by some of these stories, because the spokesman made a point of stressing that anything happening next week would be “very limited”. He told reporters:
I will post more from the briefing shortly.
This is from Heidi Alexander, the deputy mayor of London for transport and deputy chair of TfL.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced the London Streetspace plan yesterday. The initiative will create new cycle lanes and wider pavements to accommodate increased demand for walking and cycling, and to enable members of the public to maintain physical distancing.
Similar measures are to be implemented in Greater Manchester in the next few weeks.
The former Labour leader Gordon Brown and Prof Hugh Pennington, one of Scotland’s leading microbiologists who has advised both the UK and Scottish governments, are calling for mass testing “to become the new normal”.
Launching a new paper from Our Scottish Futures thinktank, they said it was now clear that mass testing across the community was the only way to give people the confidence to return to work, but the Scottish government’s testing target for 15,500 tests a day by the end of May is “wholly inadequate”.
Brown said:
He added that it was “a scandal and a tragedy” that care home residents and workers were not being tested as a matter of routine.
A secret government report that said the UK was not prepared for a pandemic and forewarned of the Covid-19 crisis in care homes has been published in full by the Guardian.
The 2017 report is based on the findings of a government simulation of an influenza pandemic, codenamed Exercise Cygnus. It concluded starkly that Britain was not adequately prepared for a flu-like pandemic’s “extreme demands”.
It is likely to raise questions over whether ministers ever implemented key recommendations pertaining to the care home sector, which has been beset by shortages of PPE to protect staff and vulnerable residents. At least 6,686 people have died in care homes in England and Wales – in some cases single facilities have reported dozens of fatalities.
The report contained 26 key recommendations, including boosting the capacity of care homes and the numbers of staff available to work in them. It also warned of the challenge facing homes asked to take in patients from hospitals.
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed she sees no case for relaxing Scotland’s strict lockdown regulations on Monday because she believes the country’s coronavirus transmission rate is still worryingly high.Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed she sees no case for relaxing Scotland’s strict lockdown regulations on Monday because she believes the country’s coronavirus transmission rate is still worryingly high.
The first minister said she had just been told Boris Johnson planned a teleconference with her and the Welsh and Northern Irish governments this afternoon to discuss his proposals to ease the lockdown in England.The first minister said she had just been told Boris Johnson planned a teleconference with her and the Welsh and Northern Irish governments this afternoon to discuss his proposals to ease the lockdown in England.
She revealed she could agree to relax restrictions on the number of outdoor exercises people were allowed to take, currently limited to one hour outside per day, but only if the scientific evidence justified it.She revealed she could agree to relax restrictions on the number of outdoor exercises people were allowed to take, currently limited to one hour outside per day, but only if the scientific evidence justified it.
The Guardian disclosed yesterday the Scottish and Welsh governments were unhappy at the prime minister’s plan to relax the lockdown without consulting the three devolved governments.The Guardian disclosed yesterday the Scottish and Welsh governments were unhappy at the prime minister’s plan to relax the lockdown without consulting the three devolved governments.
She disclosed that the numbers in Scottish hospitals with Covid-19 had fallen again, with 45 fewer people in hospital overall, leaving a total of 1,587, and the numbers in intensive care down by three, to 86. There were 59 deaths recorded yesterday, taking the total to 1,762.She disclosed that the numbers in Scottish hospitals with Covid-19 had fallen again, with 45 fewer people in hospital overall, leaving a total of 1,587, and the numbers in intensive care down by three, to 86. There were 59 deaths recorded yesterday, taking the total to 1,762.
Sturgeon said the data was welcome, but she feared the Scottish transmission rate was still nearer 1, much higher than was safe for wholesale easing of the restrictions. She said it could be a “potentially catastrophic mistake” to do too soon.Sturgeon said the data was welcome, but she feared the Scottish transmission rate was still nearer 1, much higher than was safe for wholesale easing of the restrictions. She said it could be a “potentially catastrophic mistake” to do too soon.
Hundreds of items of PPE have been donated to a hospital in memory of a woman who died after contracting coronavirus.Hundreds of items of PPE have been donated to a hospital in memory of a woman who died after contracting coronavirus.
Patricia Hughes, 73, was a stalwart of the Morriston Hospital League of Friends and helped raise £2.5m to support care for patients and their families there. She died last month following serious ongoing health problems, and with Covid-19.Patricia Hughes, 73, was a stalwart of the Morriston Hospital League of Friends and helped raise £2.5m to support care for patients and their families there. She died last month following serious ongoing health problems, and with Covid-19.
Colleagues of her husband John, 77, at Tata Steel in Port Talbot have now donated hundreds of items of certified PPE in tribute. His line manager, Mike King, personally delivered 200 face visors and 100 face masks for staff on the frontline at the Swansea hospital. King said:Colleagues of her husband John, 77, at Tata Steel in Port Talbot have now donated hundreds of items of certified PPE in tribute. His line manager, Mike King, personally delivered 200 face visors and 100 face masks for staff on the frontline at the Swansea hospital. King said:
When deciding who to ease lockdown measures, the government needs to know what the likely impact of relaxing each measure is going to have on the rate of infection. Scientists from the University of East Anglia have been looking at this issue and they have concluded that the two safest policies would be lifting stay-at-home orders and letting shops open that are selling non-essential goods.When deciding who to ease lockdown measures, the government needs to know what the likely impact of relaxing each measure is going to have on the rate of infection. Scientists from the University of East Anglia have been looking at this issue and they have concluded that the two safest policies would be lifting stay-at-home orders and letting shops open that are selling non-essential goods.
The UEA press release goes on:The UEA press release goes on:
The press notice is here, and the full academic paper, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, is here (pdf).The press notice is here, and the full academic paper, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, is here (pdf).
The research is based on the impact of various social distancing measures in 30 different countries.The research is based on the impact of various social distancing measures in 30 different countries.
Passengers travelling through Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports will be required to cover their faces and wear gloves from Thursday, owner Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has announced.Passengers travelling through Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports will be required to cover their faces and wear gloves from Thursday, owner Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has announced.
All airport staff serving passengers will wear gloves and face masks, and temperature screening trials will take place over the next few weeks. The airports are also considering requiring passengers to make a health declaration before they are allowed to enter.All airport staff serving passengers will wear gloves and face masks, and temperature screening trials will take place over the next few weeks. The airports are also considering requiring passengers to make a health declaration before they are allowed to enter.
The firm said the move was designed to ensure that the small number of passengers currently making essential journeys through its airports feel safer and more confident about flying, as well as providing a further level of protection to colleagues working at the airport.The firm said the move was designed to ensure that the small number of passengers currently making essential journeys through its airports feel safer and more confident about flying, as well as providing a further level of protection to colleagues working at the airport.
The MAG chief executive, Charlie Cornish, said:The MAG chief executive, Charlie Cornish, said:
Yesterday, Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, announced it will soon begin temperature screening of arriving passengers.Yesterday, Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, announced it will soon begin temperature screening of arriving passengers.
From the BBC’s political editor Laura KuenssbergFrom the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg
Anas Sarwar, a Scottish Labour MSP, has urged the Scottish government to carry out urgent research into the ONS findings that in England and Wales the risk of dying with Covid-19 is significantly higher amongst BAME communities.Anas Sarwar, a Scottish Labour MSP, has urged the Scottish government to carry out urgent research into the ONS findings that in England and Wales the risk of dying with Covid-19 is significantly higher amongst BAME communities.
Sarwar, whose father, Mohammad Sarwar, was the UK’s first Muslim MP, said:Sarwar, whose father, Mohammad Sarwar, was the UK’s first Muslim MP, said:
There are many reasons for thinking that the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis has been, as policy types might put it, “sub-optimal”. But there is no evidence that this is having any impact (yet?) on the government’s standing with the electorate. YouGov has published its latest poll this morning and it shows the Conservatives on 50%, ahead of Labour on 30%.There are many reasons for thinking that the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis has been, as policy types might put it, “sub-optimal”. But there is no evidence that this is having any impact (yet?) on the government’s standing with the electorate. YouGov has published its latest poll this morning and it shows the Conservatives on 50%, ahead of Labour on 30%.
Ethnic minorities’ war and postwar efforts and sacrifices were erased from the national narrative. Today, as our doctors and nurses give their lives, we cannot have a repeat – their stories must be central to how we reshape Britain’s shared future and identity, writes Guardian columnist Afua Hirsch.
Bob Seely, the MP for the Isle of Wight, has just told Sky News that around 30% of people living on the island have already downloaded the government’s contact-tracing app, which is being piloted there. He said that was a remarkable take-up given that ordinary residents are only being invited to download it from today. Earlier in the week key workers were asked to sign up. But Seely said people started downloading it anyway.
Alongside its main report on coronavirus deaths and ethnicity (see 9.41am and 10.33am), the ONS has also published what it calls a technical appendix, explaining in detail how social factors help to explain why BAME people are more at risk of coronavirus deaths.
It gets quite technical, but it is worth reading if you want to understand this in more detail. Here is an extract.
And this is figure 1, showing that more than 10% of Bangladeshi and Pakistani people work as bus or taxi drivers, or in similar transport jobs - a far higher proportion than for other ethnic groups.
Sir Harry Burns, Scotland’s former chief medical officer, has warned against relaxing the lockdown until the community rate of transmission for the coronavirus, known as R, has fallen below 0.5.
Burns, who advised Scottish ministers during the swine flu pandemic in 2009, told MSPs on the Scottish parliament’s new Covid-19 committee he had been told the R rate in Scotland was about 0.7 and said he feared it would rise once the lockdown was eased.
Boris Johnson is expected to announce modest relaxations from next Monday in a statement on Sunday night, including allowing family picnics, more outdoor exercise and potentially authorising outdoor cafes to reopen.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, is resisting a relaxation too early, and has said Scotland’s R rate may be slightly higher than in England.
Burns told the committee:
He said some people were at increased risk of being infected, particularly people who lived in crowded high rises and used shared lifts. Wealthier people in the suburbs with private gardens will be less exposed. That meant the R rate would be higher in crowded urban areas.
Burns added that he was also “leery” about lifting the lockdown too early because there were clear risks transmission rates would surge. As the sole carer for his 96-year-old mother, who was shielding at home, he already avoided shops and public spaces to lower the chance he catches the virus. He said:
The UK economy could shrink by 14% and unemployment could more than double as the pandemic causes the deepest recession in modern history, the Bank of England has warned.
Leaving interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.1% as the economic crisis unfolds, the central bank said economic activity across the country had fallen sharply since the onset of the global health emergency and the lockdown measures to contain its spread.
In a warning over the mounting damage to the economy, the Bank said GDP could plunge by 25% in the second quarter. For 2020 as a whole, the economy could shrink by 14%, marking the deepest recession for more than three centuries.
As Boris Johnson prepares to announce the government’s plan to gradually ease lockdown measures after more than a month of sweeping controls on social and business life, the BoE said it would take a year for the economy to return to normal and there were heightened risks of long-term damage.
For more on this story and for all the latest economic news and analysis, head over to our colleague Graeme Wearden’s business live blog.
This is from David Lammy, the shadow justice secretary, on the ONS report into coronavirus deaths and ethnicity.
This is from Nick Stripe, head of health analysis at the Office for National Statistics, explaining to the BBC what its report on coronavirus deaths and ethnicity (see 9.41am and 10.33am) shows.
The ONS has also published a report this morning on coronavirus and the economy. As PA Media reports, it says almost a quarter of UK firms have halted trading due to the coronavirus lockdown. The PA report goes on:
This is from Helen Barnard, acting director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a social justice thinktank, on today’s ONS report about coronavirus deaths and ethnicity.