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| UK coronavirus live: Covid-19 death toll passes 60,000 | UK coronavirus live: Covid-19 death toll passes 60,000 |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Total number of deaths from Covid-19 across UK reaches 61,116; 55 MPs sign letter to PM expressing fears that government’s ‘levelling up’ for the north is being abandoned | Total number of deaths from Covid-19 across UK reaches 61,116; 55 MPs sign letter to PM expressing fears that government’s ‘levelling up’ for the north is being abandoned |
| A peer told of the “mounting panic” his family had faced ahead of school holidays when he was a child as he shared his experiences of receiving free meals. | |
| Labour’s Lord Griffiths of Burry Port told the House of Lords: “I was in receipt of free meals throughout my entire school career. My mother, a single woman, her only income was the contributions of the National Assistance, we lived in one room. | |
| “I remember very clearly, I can still taste and smell it, the mounting panic ahead of school holidays because the income we had could not stretch to feeding two boys and a mother in that day. | |
| “Marcus Rashford and I have this, and probably only this, in common. We remember not in our heads but in our whole bodies. An old Etonian, of course, can’t be expected to have had the same experience.” | |
| Lord Griffiths said children faced a “postcode lottery” given different councils and communities would act in different ways, to which education minister Baroness Berridge replied: “Many noble lords of all parties and none can recall circumstances in which their own needs - whether that be housing or food - were not met through the circumstances of their family. | |
| “It’s not a postcode lottery - 1.4 million children in England are entitled to free school meals, saving their families over 400 a year, and in addition to that, particularly through the soft drinks levy, the Government has in nearly 2,500 schools been funding breakfast clubs to provide children with healthy food. | |
| Hi everyone. I am a news reporter from the Guardian, taking over the live feed for the UK coronavirus blog. Please do get in touch to share any thoughts, comments or news tips with me as I work. Thanks so much. | |
| Twitter: @sloumarshInstagram: sarah_marsh_journalistEmail: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com | |
| Supermarkets have issued a statement calling on the Welsh government to relax a ban on selling non-essential items during the 17-day firebreak lockdown. | |
| Groups representing supermarkets made a series of recommendations to Welsh ministers on Tuesday following confusion over what can and cannot be sold during the 17-day firebreak period. | |
| The joint statement by CBI Wales, the Welsh Retail Consortium, and the Association of Convenience Stores called on the Welsh government to “resolve the confusion”. | |
| Here’s part of the statement: | |
| I’m handing over to my colleague Sarah Marsh now. | |
| On a day when the UK Covid death toll passed 60,000, there is a glimmer of good news. The chance of surviving the virus for those admitted to critical care units rose during the first wave of the pandemic, researchers have revealed. | |
| Writing in the journal Critical Care Medicine, researchers at the University of Exeter report how they analysed the outcomes for over 21,000 adults with Covid-19 admitted to 108 critical care units in England from March to the end of June this year. | |
| The results, based on survival at 30 days after admission, reveal that at the end of March 72% of patients in high dependency units survived, compared with 58% for those in intensive care. By the end of June there had been a “substantial improvement”, with survival at 93% and 80% respectively. | |
| Crucially, the team said, the improvement in survival was still seen even when the team took into account factors such as age, ethnicity and sex of the patients, suggesting the change is not simply down to a shift in the demographics of people being admitted to critical care units as the months have gone by. | |
| Indeed even taking such factors into account, the team found that compared with the situation at the end of March, survival improved by almost 13% per week for those in high dependency units and 9% in intensive care by the end of June. That said, there was no clear improvement in survival in some particular groups, including black people in intensive care. | |
| Among other reasons for the overall improvements, the team suggest growing experience of the disease among healthcare professionals could play a role, as could a reduction in the numbers of people being admitted to critical care units, reducing the number of patients being cared for. However, they also suggest other reasons, including the use of drugs such as dexamethasone to tackle Covid. | |
| “Temporal changes in Covid-19 disease severity at admission, patient selection for critical care management, critical care treatment, hospital capacity, and Covid-19 testing all offer potential explanations for our findings,” the team write. | |
| Lady Doreen Lawrence, author of a Labour-commissioned review of the impact of coronavirus on minority groups, has been speaking to the BBC about her findings. She says that the government has acted “too late” to mitigate those impacts. | |
| “From the time the government knew about Covid, nothing was done,” she said. “When the deaths started going up around black and ethnic minorities, even then I don’t think anyone took much notice of that, and so for us to actually hear these voices and hear people and from their families and people within professions whose colleagues have died … to me that’s quite important.” | |
| One nurse told the review: “I don’t come to work to die.” Lawrence said: “That was such a telling thing for me, that sort of choked me … nothing’s changed. How on earth have they prepared [for the second wave]? They have not prepared.” | |
| My colleague Mark Sweney reports on one of the economic winners of the pandemic: publishing. | My colleague Mark Sweney reports on one of the economic winners of the pandemic: publishing. |
| Bloomsbury has reported its most profitable first half since 2008, he writes, with profits surging 60% to £4m in the six months to the end of August. Revenues grew 10% to £78.3m. The better-than-expected performance sent Bloomsbury shares 15% higher, to 242p, at midday on Tuesday. | Bloomsbury has reported its most profitable first half since 2008, he writes, with profits surging 60% to £4m in the six months to the end of August. Revenues grew 10% to £78.3m. The better-than-expected performance sent Bloomsbury shares 15% higher, to 242p, at midday on Tuesday. |
| Nigel Newton, the company’s chief executive, said: | Nigel Newton, the company’s chief executive, said: |
| You can read Mark’s story here: | You can read Mark’s story here: |
| This is Archie Bland, covering UK coronavirus live until 1.30pm. | This is Archie Bland, covering UK coronavirus live until 1.30pm. |
| The latest ONS data reveals an interesting detail on infection rates: people who have been on holiday appear to contract the virus at a similar frequency to those who have not. | The latest ONS data reveals an interesting detail on infection rates: people who have been on holiday appear to contract the virus at a similar frequency to those who have not. |
| A major long-term study to track Covid-19 in the population had previously found that there were higher positivity rates among people who had travelled abroad. But the new figures, covering September 25 - October 8, show there is “no longer a difference”. | A major long-term study to track Covid-19 in the population had previously found that there were higher positivity rates among people who had travelled abroad. But the new figures, covering September 25 - October 8, show there is “no longer a difference”. |
| Just 3% of participants had travelled abroad. Of those who said they had not travelled abroad in the last 30 days, 0.49% tested positive for the virus, compared with 0.58% who had travelled. | Just 3% of participants had travelled abroad. Of those who said they had not travelled abroad in the last 30 days, 0.49% tested positive for the virus, compared with 0.58% who had travelled. |
| Other key findings in the latest data set: | Other key findings in the latest data set: |
| • Urban areas in England have higher positivity rates than rural areas.• 34% of those who tested positive had no symptoms when they were tested.• 32% of those who tested positive had a cough, fever or anosmia (a loss of their sense of smell) at the time of their test.• Those aged 17 to 24 had higher rates of positive Covid-19 swabs both in areas where there were high levels of infection and in areas with low levels of infection. | • Urban areas in England have higher positivity rates than rural areas.• 34% of those who tested positive had no symptoms when they were tested.• 32% of those who tested positive had a cough, fever or anosmia (a loss of their sense of smell) at the time of their test.• Those aged 17 to 24 had higher rates of positive Covid-19 swabs both in areas where there were high levels of infection and in areas with low levels of infection. |
| This morning David Mellen, the leader of Nottingham city council, said it was “difficult to tell” whether the city had the government support it needed for tier 3, adding that all areas had been given a “flat rate”. | This morning David Mellen, the leader of Nottingham city council, said it was “difficult to tell” whether the city had the government support it needed for tier 3, adding that all areas had been given a “flat rate”. |
| He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: |
| Mellen said costs and lost income from the first wave of Covid-19 “were not fully met as was promised”, meaning that budgets were “strained and stretched”. | Mellen said costs and lost income from the first wave of Covid-19 “were not fully met as was promised”, meaning that budgets were “strained and stretched”. |
| Visitors to Nottingham city centre have been reacting to the announcement of forthcoming tier 3 measures on Thursday. | Visitors to Nottingham city centre have been reacting to the announcement of forthcoming tier 3 measures on Thursday. |
| Carl Bellamy, who is retired, told PA he believed the “necessary” measures would be effective “if people obey the bloody rules”. | Carl Bellamy, who is retired, told PA he believed the “necessary” measures would be effective “if people obey the bloody rules”. |
| On the possibility of a four-week review of the measures, Bellamy said: | On the possibility of a four-week review of the measures, Bellamy said: |
| Nottingham resident Carl Green said the tier 3 restrictions were the right move for the city at present: | Nottingham resident Carl Green said the tier 3 restrictions were the right move for the city at present: |
| Jason Weliczko, who has run the popular Robin Hood baked potato shack in the city centre for 29 years, said he fears the R number will simply rise again after the restrictions lift. | Jason Weliczko, who has run the popular Robin Hood baked potato shack in the city centre for 29 years, said he fears the R number will simply rise again after the restrictions lift. |
| The majority of secondary schools in England sent home at least one student because of coronavirus last week, UK government figures show. | The majority of secondary schools in England sent home at least one student because of coronavirus last week, UK government figures show. |
| Around 6-7% of state school pupils - excluding schools on half term - did not attend class for Covid-19-related reasons on 22 October, the Department for Education statistics suggest. | Around 6-7% of state school pupils - excluding schools on half term - did not attend class for Covid-19-related reasons on 22 October, the Department for Education statistics suggest. |
| More than a quarter (26%) of schools said they had one or more pupils self-isolating due to potential contact with a case of coronavirus inside the school. This equates to 55% of secondary schools and 20% of primary schools. | More than a quarter (26%) of schools said they had one or more pupils self-isolating due to potential contact with a case of coronavirus inside the school. This equates to 55% of secondary schools and 20% of primary schools. |
| Overall, approximately 86% of students on the roll in state schools, excluding schools on half-term breaks, were in attendance on 22 October. | Overall, approximately 86% of students on the roll in state schools, excluding schools on half-term breaks, were in attendance on 22 October. |
| Around 82% of secondary school pupils and 90% of primary school pupils were in school last week, the figures show. | Around 82% of secondary school pupils and 90% of primary school pupils were in school last week, the figures show. |
| This is from Wythenshawe, Manchester. | This is from Wythenshawe, Manchester. |
| A health watchdog has raised concerns about patients who were sent home from hospital before they got the result of their Covid-19 test, PA Media reports. | A health watchdog has raised concerns about patients who were sent home from hospital before they got the result of their Covid-19 test, PA Media reports. |
| A new investigation by Healthwatch England and the British Red Cross found that 30% of those who were tested for Covid-19 while in hospital did not receive their test results before they left, according to a poll of 500 patients and carers. | A new investigation by Healthwatch England and the British Red Cross found that 30% of those who were tested for Covid-19 while in hospital did not receive their test results before they left, according to a poll of 500 patients and carers. |
| Experts said more must be done to improve hospital discharges as the second wave of Covid-19 hits alongside traditional winter pressures. | Experts said more must be done to improve hospital discharges as the second wave of Covid-19 hits alongside traditional winter pressures. |
| The poll also found that 82% of respondents did not receive a follow-up visit and assessment at home after being discharged. Of these, 18% had some form of unmet need. Some told researchers they did not feel ready to leave hospital and 35% said they did not get a contact for further advice. | The poll also found that 82% of respondents did not receive a follow-up visit and assessment at home after being discharged. Of these, 18% had some form of unmet need. Some told researchers they did not feel ready to leave hospital and 35% said they did not get a contact for further advice. |
| Healthwatch England and the British Red Cross have made a number of recommendations to help manage hospital discharges during a second peak of the crisis. These include: post-discharge check-ins and assessments, discharge checklists and giving patients a single point of contact for further support. | Healthwatch England and the British Red Cross have made a number of recommendations to help manage hospital discharges during a second peak of the crisis. These include: post-discharge check-ins and assessments, discharge checklists and giving patients a single point of contact for further support. |
| Sir Robert Francis, chairman of Healthwatch England, said it was essential to learn the lessons from March, “when hospitals were asked to discharge patients with little or no notice and the speed with which this took place was important but led to mistakes”. | Sir Robert Francis, chairman of Healthwatch England, said it was essential to learn the lessons from March, “when hospitals were asked to discharge patients with little or no notice and the speed with which this took place was important but led to mistakes”. |
| The British Red Cross chief executive, Mike Adamson, said simple interventions, such as getting equipment and medicine delivered, or follow-up visits “can make the difference between good recovery or someone regressing to the point of readmission - precisely at the time we want people to stay well and stay at home”. | The British Red Cross chief executive, Mike Adamson, said simple interventions, such as getting equipment and medicine delivered, or follow-up visits “can make the difference between good recovery or someone regressing to the point of readmission - precisely at the time we want people to stay well and stay at home”. |
| Prof Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, said: | Prof Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, said: |
| A hospital in Northern Ireland has run out of beds and is asking patients to not attend its emergency department, in the latest sign that Covid-19 may overwhelm the region’s health system. | A hospital in Northern Ireland has run out of beds and is asking patients to not attend its emergency department, in the latest sign that Covid-19 may overwhelm the region’s health system. |
| On Tuesday, 33 patients were awaiting a bed in Antrim Area hospital, which said it was operating “beyond capacity”. | On Tuesday, 33 patients were awaiting a bed in Antrim Area hospital, which said it was operating “beyond capacity”. |
| The Northern Health Trust said 180 to 200 staff were self-isolating across the trust, leaving gaps that further strained the system. On Monday, Northern Ireland reported 342 inpatients with Covid-19, exceeding the previous daily peak of 322 recorded on 8 April. | The Northern Health Trust said 180 to 200 staff were self-isolating across the trust, leaving gaps that further strained the system. On Monday, Northern Ireland reported 342 inpatients with Covid-19, exceeding the previous daily peak of 322 recorded on 8 April. |
| Tom Black, the chair of the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland, said a Nightingale hospital could supply more intensive care beds but that the system was experiencing a “triple whammy” of rising cases, staff shortages and threat of further winter pressures. | Tom Black, the chair of the British Medical Association in Northern Ireland, said a Nightingale hospital could supply more intensive care beds but that the system was experiencing a “triple whammy” of rising cases, staff shortages and threat of further winter pressures. |
| “This second wave seems to be much worse than the first wave,” he told BBC Radio Foyle. | “This second wave seems to be much worse than the first wave,” he told BBC Radio Foyle. |
| GPs had experienced a lot of pressure over the last two months, now it was the turn of emergency departments, said Black. | GPs had experienced a lot of pressure over the last two months, now it was the turn of emergency departments, said Black. |