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| UK coronavirus live: anti-racism protesters urged to be 'very careful' to prevent spread of infection - latest updates | UK coronavirus live: anti-racism protesters urged to be 'very careful' to prevent spread of infection - latest updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| News updates on Covid-19 in the UK as NHS bosses complain they were left ‘completely in the dark’ over the updated rules | News updates on Covid-19 in the UK as NHS bosses complain they were left ‘completely in the dark’ over the updated rules |
| This is from the Times’ Steven Swinford. | |
| He reports that the summer recess*, and possibly conference recess, could be cut back to make up for lost time in getting Brexit and coronavirus legislation through parliament before the end of the transition period (31 December). | |
| *It’s worth noting that parliamentary recess is not a “holiday” for MPs; they continue working for most of it back in their constituencies, particularly on casework. | |
| Schools are being “strongly advised” not to admit more pupils after new data suggested coronavirus could still be spreading in the north west of England. | |
| Headteachers in Tameside, east of Manchester, have been told to delay the wider reopening of schools beyond key workers’ and vulnerable children, planned for Monday, “until there is further assurance,” the council’s director of public health, Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy said in a letter to schools. | |
| The north west has the highest rate of Covid-19 infections in England according to Public Health England (PHE), and data has suggested the reproductive rate, known as the R value, is higher than 1 in the region, a crucial marker for public health. | |
| The R value refers to the average number of people that will contract coronavirus from an infected person. If it is 1 or higher, the virus will spread exponentially through the population, while a value less than 1 indicates the virus is in decline. | |
| Data from PHE released on Friday gave an R value of 1.01 for the north west and 1.0 for the south west, with all other regions below 1. | |
| Other local councils in the region are understood to be monitoring the situation with Tameside postponing the reopening of schools until 22 June. | |
| The government has suggested a strategy of “local lockdown” measures being introduced to fight any flare-up of the virus in particular areas. | |
| But Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has questioned whether such measures are workable, calling them a “recipe for chaos”. | |
| Both he and the Liverpool city region metro mayor Steve Rotheram have questioned whether lockdown relaxation was being lifted too soon, driven from London, with the regions and the North not being listened to. | |
| Council bosses in Liverpool and Gateshead led a northern backlash against the government announcement last month advising schools to reopen for Years 1 and 6 from 1 June. | |
| Many councils have instead only partially reopened to pupils other than vulnerable children or those of key workers. | |
| The health secretary Matt Hancock, speaking at the Downing Street briefing on Friday, said experts on Sage believe the UK’s overall R number is below 1, but added that local lockdowns would be used when outbreaks are spotted. | |
| He said the PHE data needed to be looked at “in the round” with other data. | |
| Hancock added: | |
| The home secretary, Priti Patel, tweeted last night that people should not attend protests this weekend as coronavirus remains “a real threat” as lockdown measures as eased. | |
| Her words echo those of Matt Hancock when he used the Downing Street news briefing to implore people to avoid large gatherings “for the safety of your loved ones”. | |
| Protests have been organised across the UK for Saturday and Sunday, following a week of huge, impassioned demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in police custody in the US. | |
| Police have been on alert all week and so far have largely handled the protests with a light touch, knowing any missteps could trigger a stronger reaction, making no effort to police physical distancing rules as crowds crammed together in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. | |
| On Friday, Laurence Taylor, the deputy assistant commissioner at the Met, warned that this weekend’s demonstrations would be unlawful unless protesters respected physical distancing, but it remains unclear what this will mean in practice. | |
| People attending anti-racism protests planned across the UK this weekend should be “very careful”, wear face masks and observe social distancing rules, an infectious diseases expert has said. | People attending anti-racism protests planned across the UK this weekend should be “very careful”, wear face masks and observe social distancing rules, an infectious diseases expert has said. |
| Prof John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) supporting the government, told Today: | Prof John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) supporting the government, told Today: |
| He said people can transmit coronavirus before displaying symptoms, and added: | He said people can transmit coronavirus before displaying symptoms, and added: |
| It’s a different tone to that of the health secretary, who urged the public on Friday to avoid large gatherings of more than six people, including protests, over the weekend “for the safety of your loved ones”. | |
| Matt Hancock said he understood why people are appalled at the death of George Floyd but warned that coronavirus remains a “real threat” in the UK as lockdown easing measures come into effect. | Matt Hancock said he understood why people are appalled at the death of George Floyd but warned that coronavirus remains a “real threat” in the UK as lockdown easing measures come into effect. |
| This is a really useful thread from Nick Stripe, the head of health analysis at the Office for National Statistics, on “non-Covid excess deaths”. | This is a really useful thread from Nick Stripe, the head of health analysis at the Office for National Statistics, on “non-Covid excess deaths”. |
| One tweet reads: | One tweet reads: |
| Stripe also highlights that the data shows very significant increases in deaths due to dementia and Alzheimer’s and for deaths due to old age and frailty. He writes: | Stripe also highlights that the data shows very significant increases in deaths due to dementia and Alzheimer’s and for deaths due to old age and frailty. He writes: |
| I’m grateful to Andrew on Twitter for flagging this to me. | I’m grateful to Andrew on Twitter for flagging this to me. |
| The government is under pressure to bring in tougher local lockdowns in some areas, as a new study showed the R value was rising across England and had tipped above 1 in the north-west for the first time since the peak of the pandemic. | The government is under pressure to bring in tougher local lockdowns in some areas, as a new study showed the R value was rising across England and had tipped above 1 in the north-west for the first time since the peak of the pandemic. |
| The model, from scientists at Public Health England and the University of Cambridge, puts the R value at 1.01 for the north-west and 1 for the south-west. The north-west – including Liverpool and Manchester – is viewed as particularly concerning due to higher numbers of infections there, which would be projected to continue at the current rate. | The model, from scientists at Public Health England and the University of Cambridge, puts the R value at 1.01 for the north-west and 1 for the south-west. The north-west – including Liverpool and Manchester – is viewed as particularly concerning due to higher numbers of infections there, which would be projected to continue at the current rate. |
| Regional leaders said they feared the prospect of a second spike in deaths and that the decision to ease lockdown based on the national picture – ignoring regional hotspots – had been a mistake. | Regional leaders said they feared the prospect of a second spike in deaths and that the decision to ease lockdown based on the national picture – ignoring regional hotspots – had been a mistake. |
| Care home residents are being asked to pay a steep and unexpected “coronavirus bill” on top of existing fees to help social care providers stay afloat, Amelia Hill reports. | Care home residents are being asked to pay a steep and unexpected “coronavirus bill” on top of existing fees to help social care providers stay afloat, Amelia Hill reports. |
| Some older people and their families who fund their own care home fees are being forced to pay more than £100 a week, on top of their usual care home fees, with homes saying the cost of PPE and staff absences could push their finances into the red, threatening their sustainability. | Some older people and their families who fund their own care home fees are being forced to pay more than £100 a week, on top of their usual care home fees, with homes saying the cost of PPE and staff absences could push their finances into the red, threatening their sustainability. |
| “Older people living in care homes and their families have been through the mill these last few months,” said Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK. | “Older people living in care homes and their families have been through the mill these last few months,” said Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK. |
| Abrahams said that central government should meet care homes’ extra costs. “Otherwise there’s a risk that some homes could fold, leaving their residents homeless,” she warned. | Abrahams said that central government should meet care homes’ extra costs. “Otherwise there’s a risk that some homes could fold, leaving their residents homeless,” she warned. |
| Good morning. NHS trusts were not consulted or given notice on government plans for all hospital visitors and outpatients in England to be required to wear face coverings from 15 June and all hospital staff to need to wear surgical masks, the chief executive of NHS Providers has said. | Good morning. NHS trusts were not consulted or given notice on government plans for all hospital visitors and outpatients in England to be required to wear face coverings from 15 June and all hospital staff to need to wear surgical masks, the chief executive of NHS Providers has said. |
| Chris Hopson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme they had been “left completely in the dark”. He said: | Chris Hopson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme they had been “left completely in the dark”. He said: |
| Hopson said trust leaders were worried there was not enough strategy or planning and that it feels like “last-minute decisions are being made on the hoof that seem overly influenced by politics and also the need to fill the space at the Downing Street press conferences”. | Hopson said trust leaders were worried there was not enough strategy or planning and that it feels like “last-minute decisions are being made on the hoof that seem overly influenced by politics and also the need to fill the space at the Downing Street press conferences”. |
| He added: | He added: |
| Elsewhere, Sunday trading laws could be suspended for a year under government plans to stimulate the economy as lockdown measures are eased. The Times (paywall) reports that cafes and pubs could also be given fast-tracked approval to serve food and drink outside. | Elsewhere, Sunday trading laws could be suspended for a year under government plans to stimulate the economy as lockdown measures are eased. The Times (paywall) reports that cafes and pubs could also be given fast-tracked approval to serve food and drink outside. |
| Please do feel free to get in touch throughout the day as I bring you all the latest coronavirus-related developments from the UK. | Please do feel free to get in touch throughout the day as I bring you all the latest coronavirus-related developments from the UK. |
| Email: lucy.campbell@theguardian.comTwitter: @lucy_campbell_ | Email: lucy.campbell@theguardian.comTwitter: @lucy_campbell_ |