Middlesbrough Mayor prepared to defy Government lockdown restrictions
Global Health Security Team
·88-min read
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter ..
The Mayor of Middlesbrough, Andy Preston, says he is prepared to defy new tighter lockdown restrictions announced by the Government.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock this morning announced a ban on all social mixing between people in different households in the Liverpool city region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. He also recommended that people only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances, and guided against all but essential travel.
In a video statement following the announcement, Mr Preston said: "I have to tell you I think this measure has been introduced based on factual inaccuracies and a monstrous and frightening lack of communication, and ignorance.
"I do not accept the statement at all. I do not accept these measures.
"We need to talk to Government, they need to understand our local knowledge, expertise and ability to get things done, and preserve jobs and well-being.
He continued: "As things stand, we defy the Government and we do not accept these measures.
"We need to get Covid under control and we need to work with people to find a way of preserving jobs and mental health."
It comes as city leaders in Liverpool have questioned whether the new measures go far enough, with Liverpool's mayor Steve Rotheram and the leaders of the city region's six authorities releasing a joint statement requesting access to further scientific evidence, as well as greater financial support to keep businesses afloat.
06:06 PM
Today's top stories
Good evening. Here's a summary of some of the key developments from around the world today:
Tighter restrictions on social mixing - including a legal ban on different households meeting each other - will be imposed in the Liverpool city region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. The new rules come into place at one minute past midnight on Saturday 3 October.
There have been a further 6,914 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, and 59 further deaths.
Margaret Ferrier MP (SNP) has apologised after she traveled to Parliament with Covid-19 symptoms and then traveled by train back to Scotland after receiving a positive test for the virus.
A coronavirus vaccine could take a year to distribute and Covid restrictions will need to be in place until herd immunity has been achieved, experts have warned.
Three in 10 people testing positive for Covid-19 and identified by NHS Test and Trace could not be contacted, latest data shows.
Paris faces drastic Covid restrictions as early Monday, the health minister warned today, after indicators hit “maximum alert” levels that the government has warned could trigger a fresh clampdown.
Italy has recorded more than 2,000 daily cases for the first time since April. The country registered 2,548 new Covid-19 infections today, the first time it has exceeded 2,000 cases in a single day since the end of April. It comes as Italy’s prime minister is seeking to extend the country’s state of emergency until January.
Sweden has registered its highest daily Covid caseload since June, with 752 new infections recorded today, though no new related deaths have been recorded.
Analysis: how the latest infection data suggest that most of us are quietly following the rules
Anyone watching footage of tightly-packed and unmasked lockdown protesters in Trafalgar Square at the weekend or videos of Coventry University students holding raucous parties would be forgiven for thinking the whole country was railing against the new coronavirus restrictions the government imposed in recent weeks.
But pub curfews at 10pm, the derided rule of six and the more targeted local control measures may actually be having an impact, the latest infection data suggests.
Research from Imperial College shows that while the numbers of people infected are going up the rate of increase may actually be slowing down.
The latest round of Imperial’s React study, which looked at samples taken from 84,000 people chosen at random from across England between September 18 and 26, shows that one in 200 people were infected with the virus in late September, compared with one in 800 in August.
While this is obviously a big increase in prevalence the R number - that shows how many people each infected individual transmits the virus to - has fallen from 1.47 to around 1.06.
Paris faces drastic Covid restrictions as early Monday, the health minister warned on Thursday, after indicators hit “maximum alert” levels that the government has warned could trigger a fresh clampdown.
Health minister Olivier Veran said if the maximum alert level was declared, inhabitants of the Paris area would have to “restrict social interactions in drastic manner, or at least more than at present - no more family gatherings, soirées and the closure of bars”.
The threat of a fresh clampdown, which could see bars and restaurants shut, came as Mr Véran also announced "very worrying" indicators in Lille, Lyon, Grenoble, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse. Without a drop in infections, all of these cities could also hit "maximum alert level", he warned.
However, he said that thanks to social distancing measures, testing and tracing, there were encouraging "improvements" in Nice and Bordeaux and Marseille, which "a certain number of indicators suggest we may be on the right track".
Watch: 'It's frightening' - Liverpool heads back into lockdown
05:49 PM
Margaret Ferrier had called on Dominic Cummings to resign
SNP MP Margaret Ferrier, who admitted today that she traveled from Scotland to London with Covid symptoms and then traveled by train back to Scotland after receiving a positive test, had previously criticised Boris Johnson's senior adviser Dominic Cummings for his conduct during the pandemic.
Speaking during Cabinet Office questions on June 11, Ms Ferrier told the Commons: "Public health experts have voiced concerns that Dominic Cummings did undermine public trust in lockdown rules, going against the principle of integrity that is in the code of conduct.
"Will the Cabinet Office conduct an investigation into potential breaches of the code of conduct by Mr Cummings, or have ministers yet again decided that they have had enough of experts?"
The subject of the questions at that point in the session was the code of conduct of special advisers.
Ms Ferrier had also called on Cummings to resign, saying: “Dominic Cummings’ actions have undermined the sacrifices that we have all been making in lockdown to protect each other from coronavirus. His position is untenable and he must be removed from his post now."
05:45 PM
Ministers secretly preparing for 4m unemployed due to economic effects of the pandemic
Ministers are secretly preparing for four million people to join the ranks of the unemployed because of the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Therese Coffey, said her department was now preparing to support that level of unemployed people, but said she "genuinely hopes" that we do not reach that figure.
The prospect of four million unemployed far outstrips the three million unemployment rate last seen in the 1980s.
Ms Coffey said her officials were planning around forecasts set out by the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR), that said in July the unemployment rate could hit 13.2 per cent – equivalent to four million people – by early next year in its most pessimistic forecast.
Ms Coffey told Sky News: "I think we're in a number similar in terms of being ready to help people and trying to help them get back to work as quickly as possible."
House of Commons releases statement on Margaret Ferrier's apparent rules breach
A House of Commons spokesperson said: "An MP has confirmed that they have been diagnosed with coronavirus. The House's priority is to ensure that those on the estate are safe while business is facilitated.
"We have closely followed public health guidance on the action to take following a confirmed case of Covid on site. Parliament has a dedicated team to support the test and trace teams across the UK, acting as a central point of contact in the event of any suspected or confirmed cases, where an individual has been working on the estate.
"We are also implementing a number of cleaning measures to ensure those working on the estate can maintain a clean and hygienic working environment and ensuring Parliament adheres to the Government's 'working safely during coronavirus' guidance.
"Our risk assessment outlines the measures we have already put in place to reduce the risk of transmission in Parliament. The Speakers and political leadership of both Houses are keeping the situation under constant review."
The SNP MP gave a speech in the Commons on the same day that she tested positive for the virus.
At 7.15pm on Monday night, the same night Margaret Ferrier MP got her positive Covid-19 test result, she stood up in the Commons and paid tribute to the hard work of NHS and care workers during the pandemic.
Ferrier must face disciplinary action, says shadow Scotland Secretary
Ian Murray MP, the shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, has called on Nicola Sturgeon to condemn Margaret Ferrier's actions and announce what disciplinary action will be taken.
He said in a statement: "Through her irresponsible actions, she very possibly has passed on the virus to a vulnerable person, who may now have Covid-19 and be in danger. She has put passengers, rail staff, fellow MPs, Commons staff and many others at unacceptable risk.
"To breach the rules twice is simply unforgivable, and has undermined all the sacrifices made by her constituents.
"Nicola Sturgeon must come out and condemn her MP's actions and tell the Scottish people what disciplinary action she will be taking. There cannot be one rule for Margaret Ferrier, another for everybody else."
05:35 PM
Margaret Ferrier's Covid rules breach 'unforgiveable', says Tory MP
Tory MP Alicia Kearns said it was "unforgivable" Ms Ferrier waited three days to tell MPs she had tested positive for the virus (see post at 6.11pm).
She tweeted: "The number of people who have been put at risk, MPs and staff in Parliament and their families, and all those on public transport, and those who everyone has since engaged with. It's utterly shameful, and to wait three more days to tell anyone is unforgivable."
The number of people who have been put at risk, MPs and staff in Parliament and their families, and all those on public transport, and those who everyone has since engaged with.
It’s utterly shameful, and to wait three more days to tell anyone is unforgivable. https://t.co/cZftSPEs4B
— Alicia Kearns MP for Rutland and Melton (@aliciakearns) October 1, 2020
05:28 PM
No need for people to have flu jabs before December, says Matt Hancock
The public does not need to get its flu jabs until December, Matt Hancock has said as health officials played down fears over shortages of vaccines.
The NHS roll-out of flu jabs is now under way, with priority given to pensioners and others with health conditions. Further roll-outs are promised for other groups in the coming months.
Today health officials said they were confident that there are sufficient vaccines for all those eligible, adding that there is little flu before December in four of five winters.
Mr Hancock, the Health Secretary, assured MPs that there are enough jabs for people in need of them.
Earlier this week, GPs urged those eligible for vaccinations to "sit tight" as they warned of "significant problems" in obtaining sufficient supplies.
Schools operating rotas cannot order free laptops for disadvantaged pupils
Secondary schools and colleges limiting attendance by operating a rota model will not be allowed to order laptops or tablets for disadvantaged pupils, the Department for Education (DfE) has said.
The Government has announced that it will provide an additional 100,000 laptops for children most in need if they are required to learn at home as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The extra devices will be available to disadvantaged children in years three to 11 who do not have already access to a device, as well as clinically extremely vulnerable pupils in all year groups who are shielding.
But a school that has fewer than 15 children self-isolating with Covid-19 will not be able to order free devices for disadvantaged pupils, nor will a secondary school which is operating a rota model, according to the updated guidance.
Devices can be ordered for disadvantaged students if a local health protection team has advised a group of children in years three to 11 (such as a bubble or year group) not to attend school.
It also extends to when a school is only open to vulnerable children and children of key workers.
05:17 PM
Turkey condemned for underreporting cases by top medical assocation
Turkey’s top medical association and the main opposition party have criticised a decision by president Erdogan’s government to only publicly disclose new coronavirus cases if the patient is showing symptoms.
Members of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) said the policy, acknowledged late on Wednesday by the health minister, hides the true scale of the pandemic and was meant to keep the economy moving.
In a Wednesday press conference, health minister Fahrettin Koca appeared to acknowledge the government did not publish the full number of daily positive Covid-19 cases when he said it only tallies those who are symptomatic.
The TTB, which has warned of government underreporting for months, said its doubts were confirmed. “You have not led a transparent process. You hid the truth. You did not prevent the pandemic from spreading,” it said on Twitter.
After a summer dip, Turkey’s official daily coronavirus cases rose in recent months to more than 1,700, matching levels in May when a partial lockdown was in place. The tally shows cases fell in recent days to roughly 1,400, with 60-70 deaths.
Beginning on July 29, the health ministry began publishing the number of new daily “patients” - which Minister Koca defined as symptomatic - rather than “cases” that he said shows the total number of new positive tests.
05:11 PM
SNP MP apologises for travelling with Covid symptoms
SNP MP Margaret Ferrier has said she is "very sorry" for travelling to and from London to attend Parliament after experiencing Covid-19 symptoms and later testing positive for the virus.
Ms Ferrier confirmed that, after "experiencing mild symptoms", she requested a test which she "took that day". However, rather than self-isolating due to her symptoms she chose to travel to London by train two days later after "feeling much better".
That evening she received a positive test result for the virus, and traveled home the next morning "without seeking advice".
She has released a statement of apology to her Twitter account, which you can read below:
The rate of positive Covid-19 tests in 20 New York “hot spot” ZIP codes rose to 6.5 per cent from 5.5 per cent the day before, governor Andrew Cuomo told reporters today.
The overall rate in the state was 1.27 per cent, or 1,382 positive tests out of the 109,218 reported on Wednesday, Cuomo said.
He also encouraged New Yorkers to download a new contact-tracing app created by the state’s health department and called COVID Alert NY on their smartphones.
The app will alert users if they have recently been near someone who goes on to test positive for coronavirus.
Many of the 20 hot spots include Orthodox Jewish communities, and Cuomo said he had had productive conversations with community leaders about enforcing social distancing measures.
“A cluster today can become community spread tomorrow,” Cuomo said. “These ZIP codes are not hermetically sealed.”
04:54 PM
Coronavirus vaccine 'for all' unlikely before 2022, says leading figure
The coronavirus vaccine development effort still needs around $800m (£623m) to get the leading candidates "over the line", according to one of its central figures.
Dr Richard Hatchett, chief executive of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), said the sums involved were huge, but paled in comparison to what the coronavirus pandemic costs the world on a daily basis.
In an interview with The Telegraph, he also warned that demand is likely to outstrip supply for a successful vaccine - if one can be produced - until at least 2022, although he expects the first doses to be available from the first half of 2021. But major challenges around scaling up the manufacture and distribution of the vaccine remain, he said.
"This will be the single largest global vaccine delivery programme in world history," he said. "It is an extraordinary challenge."
Iran reported a new record number of Covid-19 cases today, with 3,825 infections confirmed in the past 24 hours, according to official statistics.
The figure surpasses the previous record single-day case tally of 3,712, reported on September 22.
The number of deaths per day linked to the disease has remained stable, according to Iranian authorities.
“We have unfortunately lost 211 of our dear compatriots to the Covid-19 illness over the past 24 hours,” health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said in a press briefing.
The new fatalities bring the total number of deaths to 26,380, out of 461,044 cases recorded in the Islamic republic, which has been battling the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak of the virus since February.
04:40 PM
Several areas in England added to 'areas of concern' list
Changes to the official coronavirus watchlist in the North West have seen Barrow-in-Furness, Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East added as areas of concern.
In West Yorkshire, Wakefield is now an area of concern, while in South Yorkshire Sheffield has been escalated to an area of enhanced support and Rotherham is now an area of concern.
In East England, Luton has become an area of concern, but Hertsmere has been removed from the watchlist.
In East Midlands Blaby has moved down a level to become an area of concern.
In the South East, Spelthorne has been removed from the watchlist.
Areas of concern are the focus of targeted actions to reduce the prevalence of coronavirus, for example receiving additional testing in care homes and increased community engagement with high-risk groups.
Areas for enhanced support are those at a medium-high risk of intervention where there is a more detailed plan, agreed with the national authorities.
04:35 PM
Turkey and Poland removed from travel quarantine exemption list
Turkey, Poland and three Caribbean islands have been removed from the UK's quarantine exemption list, the Transport Secretary has said.
Grant Shapps announced on Thursday that travellers arriving from all five destinations after 4am on Saturday October 3 will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Along with Turkey and Poland, the islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba have been removed from the Government's list of safe travel corridors.
A seven-day rate of 20 new cases per 100,000 people is the threshold above which the UK Government considers triggering quarantine conditions.
Despite Italy's weekly rate increasing to 20.4 cases, up from 18.4, it was not mentioned in the announcement.
You MUST self-isolate if you enter the UK from a non-exempt country - from tomorrow, we’re increasing the penalties for people who refuse to do so to a maximum of £10,000 for repeat offenders.
Study: the earlier plasma can be collected for Covid treatment, the better
The earlier plasma is collected after the donor's recovery from Covid-19 the better, as antibodies start to disappear after three months of symptom onset, researchers have said.
Although trials are still ongoing to analyse the clinical benefits and role of convalescent plasma to treat coronavirus, a new study suggests it may be more effective the earlier it is collected.
Convalescent plasma treatment involves people who are newly ill - in this case with Covid-19 - receiving plasma from a person who has recovered.
It is hoped that receiving the plasma will help bolster their own ability to fight off the virus and limit its severity.
Study author Renee Bazin, of the Hema-Quebec blood centre in Canada, said: "While many clinical trials are under way to better understand whether convalescent plasma is clinically beneficial for treating Covid-19, a key question is at what time point is it most effective to collect donor plasma based on the presence of antibodies that help fight the virus.
"Based on our findings, antibodies against the new coronavirus are not eternal."
04:13 PM
Restrictions for England to be standardised into three tiers
The Government is to push ahead with a new "three-tier" approach to coronavirus restrictions in local areas of England, the BBC has reported.
The Department of Health confirmed last month the system was being considered - but it has now been signed off by Government officials and politicians. An announcement is expected next week, with the roll-out of the new tiers expected in mid-October.
Areas that fall into tier one will have fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 of population and will need to adhere to national restrictions - such as the "rule of six" and social distancing.
Tier two would kick in where cases are above 100 per 100,000. Restrictions for these areas would be similar to those currently in place in large parts of northern England, such as bans on household meetings.
And tier three areas would have significantly higher rates and would face full lockdowns - excluding schools and essential businesses, like supermarkets, as well as places of worship.
University opens lab offering first end-to-end coronavirus testing in UK
A university campus has become the first in the UK to offer on-site end-to-end Covid-19 testing after opening a new lab.
The University of Birmingham said its facility would boost capacity for the NHS Test and Trace system and will be able to process up to 3,500 pillar 2 tests a day over the coming months.
The lab's work will complement that of the recently launched on-site Southgate walk-in testing site, which is open to residents, students and staff with symptoms.
It means the university now offers both swab tests and the lab capacity to process those tests in the same place.
Tough restrictions were recently imposed on Birmingham and neighbouring local authority areas after a concerning rise in Covid-19 infection rates.
03:57 PM
More than 63 million Indians may have been exposed to Covid-19, according to new study
More than 63 million Indians may have already contracted Covid-19, according to a new sero-survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), ten times higher than official figures.
Between mid-August and mid-September, the ICMR took blood samples from over 29,000 Indians in 700 districts across the vast country.
One in 15 people over the age of 10 were found to have developed Covid-19 antibodies, which are produced after the body has successfully fought off the infection.
If this prevalence rate is then applied to the 966 million Indians over the age of ten, it would equate to 63.78 million citizens having already been exposed to the virus.
Relatives mourn the death of a man due to the coronavirus at a crematorium in New Delhi - Reuters
03:48 PM
UK cases up by 6,914 and deaths by 59
The Government said that, as of 9am on this morning, there had been a further 6,914 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK. It brings the total number of cases in the UK to 460,178.
Experts have previously warned that describing the daily figure as a record could be "misleading" as it is not clear how many people were actually infected during the height of the first wave due to a lack of community testing at the time.
The Government also said a further 59 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Thursday. This brings the UK total to 42,202.
Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have now been nearly 57,900 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
The Government said there were 332 Covid-19 patients in mechanical ventilator beds as of Wednesday, up from 312 on Tuesday, and 2,276 Covid-19 patients currently in hospital, as reported on Tuesday, up from 2,252 reported on Monday.
03:45 PM
Northern Ireland records 259 more cases
Northern Ireland has recorded two more coronavirus deaths and 259 more cases, according to the dashboard update from the Department of Health.
03:41 PM
Sir Keir Starmer calls for 'rapid review' of local lockdown strategy
The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a "rapid review" of the local lockdown strategy.
"We have supported these restrictions, but we have now got - after this morning's announcement - over 50 areas in local restrictions and over the weeks and months only one area has come out of these restrictions," he said.
"So we need a strategy, a road map, people need to have hope that this is going to work."
He told reporters at Westminster that the Government needed to "massively improve" the way it communicated and provide economic support for areas at the same time restrictions were imposed.
"I think we need a rapid review of the local lockdowns because what we are seeing is that in some areas in lockdown the infection rates are going up, not down.
"That's worrying and there needs to be a review into that. In other areas they have been in local lockdown for months and so there needs to be a rapid review - what's working, what isn't working, what does the science tell us about that."
03:33 PM
Peru to conduct nationwide antibody test
Peru will conduct a nationwide study in an effort to determine national levels of immunity to Covid-19, Marcus Parekh reports.
The Latin American nation has the world’s highest death rate per capita. 32,000 have died to date in a country of 33 million.
Cabinet Chief Walter Martos said that the current estimate is that 30 to 35 per cent of the population have already been exposed to the virus, suggesting that a potential second wave would be less destructive. Several studies from July suggested the prevalence of antibodies in the capital Lima stood at 25 per cent.
Mr Martos told the local TV station Canal-N that the Government’s more cautious approach to reopening would yield better results than their European counterparts: “Unlike Europe, we’re reactivating economic activities gradually.”
Peru imposed one of the earliest and strictest lockdowns in the world, but this has not prevented it suffering more deaths per person than any country in the world, higher than Brazil, Belgium and Spain.
Peru's President, Martín Vizcarra, said in June that things were improving but the results of the lockdown "haven't been exactly what we expected".
03:24 PM
Dangers of blocking university fire exits highlighted by unions
Firefighters and education staff have warned universities about the danger of blocking fire exits if students have to self-isolate.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and University and College Union (UCU) have written a joint letter to all UK universities after pictures emerged of a locked fire exit at a student accommodation block in Leeds.
Obstructing fire exits "can, and has, cost lives in the past", said the union leaders, adding that the safety of students and staff should be paramount in the current crisis.
The unions were reacting to an image on social media earlier this week showing cable ties sealing closed the fire exit in a student accommodation block at Leeds Beckett University run by private student housing supplier iQ Student Accommodation.
The cable ties were removed but a video posted online later showed tables and chairs blocking the exit instead, said the unions.
03:17 PM
Despite relaxing Covid rules, Putin has insisted on strict personal bubble since April
Four months after Russia relaxed most of its coronavirus restrictions, President Vladimir Putin effectively remains in lockdown, with his staff and the few people he meets placed under an obligatory two week-quarantine before getting anywhere near him, it was revealed this week.
The 67-year-old Russian leader, who has always been health-conscious, initially downplayed the threat of Covid-19.
However, when the city of Moscow imposed a strict lockdown at the end of March he retreated to his out-of-town residence and stopped receiving visitors.
Mr Putin declared a tentative victory over coronavirus in June, anxious to hold a nationwide vote on constitutional amendments that allowed him to stay in power for at least two more terms.
While most Russians resumed socialising and travelling over the summer, Mr Putin, who typically has a busy travel schedule, remains a recluse, holding all but a few of his meetings via conference calls.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the government via a teleconference call at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence - AFP
03:06 PM
US airlines start to lay off 32,000 staff
Two of America’s biggest airlines have started to make more than 32,000 workers redundant as hopes of a last-ditch government rescue deal faded on Thursday.
American Airlines and United Airlines told staff that they were ready to reverse the decision, which will affect around 13pc of their workforces, if a deal can still be reached.
The latest round of redundancies will take the total number of jobs lost at America’s four largest US airlines to 150,000. Many employees have taken unpaid leave or left voluntarily.
The global aviation industry has been left in tatters as the pandemic has brought international travel to a standstill, decimating demand for airline tickets.
Pantomime dames make their way to Parliament Square on Wednesday to join other creative workers for a rally to highlight the impact of the pandemic on pantomime and live theatre - PA A boy walks past a mural depicting Covid-19 in Surabaya, East Java - AFP The 'Knittingdale', a model hospital created by great-great-grandmother Margaret Seaman, 91, to raise money for the NHS, at a photocall at the Forum in Norwich - PA According to reports, the land at Pondok Ranggon Cemetery in Indonesia designated for the burial of people who died with Covid-19 is running low and is expected to run out within two months - Shutterstock
02:54 PM
Three in 10 people with Covid-19 'cannot be reached by NHS Test and Trace'
Three in 10 people testing positive for Covid-19 and identified by NHS Test and Trace could not be contacted, data shows.
New figures from NHS Test and Trace show a 10 per cent drop in one week in the percentage of people transferred to the contact tracing system who are then reached.
Between September 17 and 23, 71.3 per cent were reached and asked to provide information about their contacts.
This is a fall from 80.8 per cent in the previous week.
02:47 PM
Sir Keir Starmer questions whether curfew should stay in place
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for the Government to consider whether the 10pm curfew should remain in place, following concerns raised by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and others.
Sir Keir said: "We are supporting the package the Government has put in. But I think Andy Burnham in particular has questioned whether the 10pm curfew is working as intended.
"He has pointed, understandably, to lots of people coming out of venues at the same time.
"I suggest it might be a good idea for the Government to reflect on what Andy Burnham is saying and ask themselves the question whether that should stay in place."
The curfew has faced fierce backlash from MPs across the political divide as well as the hospitality sector.
02:36 PM
Students need more mental health support during Covid outbreak, says Starmer
There needs to be more mental health aid for students caught up in the Covid-19 outbreak, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said, as thousands of students across the country are confined to their halls of residence.
Speaking during a "Call Keir" Zoom question and answer session with selected students and parents, Sir Keir said that he is "very struck" by the fact that at least two students came on and said that everybody in their flat has now got the virus.
He said: "And they have got no alternative but to share facilities. And a few days or weeks into university life, that's a very lonely place to be. And a very unusual place.
"Mental health is a real issue, I think it is going to be more of an issue this autumn because of the added anxiety. And we need to be open about that and say to people - do get the support you need. And that is why we have called on the Government to put in place a support package because signposting is hugely important."
"If you're in a flat or accommodation and you are not able to go out and see the other signs, and leaflets, etc, that normally would help you signpost, we need another way of doing that. And that needs to be targeted."
02:29 PM
The politics of Covid-19: Four reasons why Boris Johnson is struggling right now
Nine months on from winning the largest majority win since Margaret Thatcher, Boris Johnson is now struggling with his premiership, according to The Telegraph's Camilla Tominey.
Amid the most trying times of any peacetime government, the once-popular Prime Minister has now found himself in a sea of uncertainty, and the politics of coronavirus is just one of the challenges he's facing.
Watch the video below for Camilla Tominey's analysis of the four reasons why Mr Johnson appears to be floundering right now.
02:21 PM
Edinburgh Christmas festivals cancelled
Edinburgh's Christmas festivals for 2020 have been cancelled because of the Covid-19 outbreak, the BBC reports.
City of Edinburgh Council and event producers Underbelly said the decision followed the "latest advice" from public health experts.
Any event which could attract a gathering or crowd - including market stalls and rides - will now not happen.
The council said the focus would move to celebrating Edinburgh's Christmas online this year.
It comes after Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party was called off in July because of the pandemic, but organisers had hoped that other events could take place with access controlled to ensure social distancing.
02:14 PM
'Everybody should follow the rules', Starmer says, after Corbyn's apparent rules breach
Responding to Jeremy Corbyn's apparent breach of the 'rule of six', his successor as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "All of us should obey the rules, Jeremy knows that, I know that, all of us have to comply with the rules.
"I have said throughout that whatever the Government rules are, we should all follow them. We have got a duty to so."
Asked whether Mr Corbyn should be fined, he told reporters at Westminster: "It's not for me to decide who should be fined, but it is for me to say that everybody should follow the rules."
Sir Elton John faces fine after being photographed on Capri not wearing a face mask
Sir Elton John faces a possible fine of up to €1,000 after reportedly failing to wear a face mask while on holiday with his family on the island of Capri in southern Italy.
The British celebrity was photographed without a mask during a stay at the historic, five-star Grand Hotel Quisisana on the island.
Capri is in the region of Campania, where it was recently decreed that face masks must be worn in outdoor public areas as well as inside shops, bars and restaurants.
An official complaint has been made by Codacons, Italy’s national consumer affairs association.
The association sent its complaint to the chief of police of nearby Naples, the town council of Capri and to the regional government of Campania. It said the singer “had broken the rules”.
Northern Ireland police issued almost 1,000 penalty notices over Covid rules
PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said his officers have issued almost 1,000 penalty notices in response to the coronavirus regulations.
Appearing before the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Mr Byrne said the policing of coronavirus restriction was a "matter of almost daily concern and scrutiny".
"The matter of the moment seems to be the policing of the wearing of face masks. I think it's important to recognise that from what we see from both the retail sector and from Translink, there's about 90% compliance with the restrictions and desire for people to behave in that social-distanced space in which face masks is a part," he said.
"We don't necessarily see this as a place for policing to be interrupting people's lives. We have an 'e's approach' and on occasions the three e's - encourage, explain, should be sufficient (to avoid enforcing) if officers come across people not wearing a face mask and obviously on occasions there will be legitimate reasons, medical reason etc why people won't.
"I know it's a live issue but actually we're here to follow the health regulations and direction set in that context rather than turn it into a police enforcement issue."
He added that officers have issued nearly 1,000 penalty notices, and over the weekend visited more than 350 licensed premises
02:01 PM
Poland reports record number of new infections
Poland has reported a record number of new daily coronavirus infections today, with the health ministry announcing 1,967 new cases.
It comes as neighbouring Ukraine also reported a record new high in infections, with authorities there registering 4,069 new cases in the past 24 hours.
For the past week, Poland has seen more than 1,000 new cases per day. The authorities announced a previous record 1,587 new infections on Friday.
Since the start of the pandemic, Poland has recorded 93,481 coronavirus infections with 2,543 deaths in total.
01:58 PM
University students should be allowed to return home from campus now, unions say
Students should be allowed to return home from university and study online if they wish to do so, unions representing academics and students say.
The National Union of Students (NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU) have called for urgent action from the Government as coronavirus outbreaks have hit university campuses across the UK.
Larissa Kennedy, NUS president, said students have been left "trapped in halls" and are struggling to access food and wellbeing resources, which she warned is needlessly risking lives.
It comes after Boris Johnson said students will be able to go home for Christmas - despite Covid-19 cases rising "quite rapidly" among young people.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Gavin Williamson suggested a shift to online learning could be applied in "specific cases" to enable students to safely return home at the end of term to be with their families over the festive period.
But the education unions are calling for a move to online learning wherever possible - and they say students should be given a safe way to leave campus now if they want to.
01:40 PM
Cases in Wales up by almost 400
There have been a further 398 cases of Covid-19 in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 24,383.
Public Health Wales said six further deaths had been reported, with the total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic increasing to 1,622.
01:35 PM
Hospital deaths in England up by 44
A further 44 people who tested positive for Covid-19 have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 30,049, NHS England said today.
Patients were aged between 60 and 99 years old and all had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between September 18 and September 30.
Five other deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
01:30 PM
Italy, Greece, Sweden and Poland face the chop as quarantine decision looms
Four more countries look set to lose their travel corridors with England later today, bringing down the number of quarantine-free destinations open to English holidaymakers to just 15.
Italy and Greece have both seen infection rates rise above 20 per 100,000 people in the last seven days, taking them above the Government’s "safe" travel threshold.
Some regional travel corridors could remain in place however, allowing Britons to holiday on Greek and Italian islands where the infection rate is lower – for instance, Sicily could escape restrictions after posting a case rate of 16 per 100,000.
Sweden also looks likely to be removed from the "green list" just three weeks after it was first added, with infections now standing at almost 30 per 100,000, while Poland (with 24) could be struck off too.
Meanwhile pressure is mounting for the travel corridor with the Republic of Ireland to be removed, with infections now approaching 50 per 100,000 people.
Follow all the latest on our travel live blog here.
01:19 PM
Coronavirus vaccine could take a year to distribute
A coronavirus vaccine could take a year to distribute and Covid restrictions will need to be in place until herd immunity has been achieved, experts have warned.
A report from the Royal Society’s Delve group has looked into the hurdles of a mass roll-out of a vaccine.
In a briefing ahead of publication, they warned that even if a vaccine is ready by next spring it would take many months to vaccinate enough people for life to return to normal.
They estimate that even in a best case scenario, where each five year age group could be vaccinated every 10 days, it would still take six months to get through most of the population.
Report author Prof Nilay Shah, head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, at Imperial College London, said even if a vaccine is available and approved it would not immediately make a difference on a national scale.
Early clinical trials of a second Russian coronavirus vaccine have proved successful, its developer said today after Russia boasted of approving the world's first vaccine.
Russia's Vektor - a top-secret state virology research centre in Siberia - said that early-stage trials were successful for its own experimental vaccine, named EpiVacCorona.
"The first two phases of clinical trials demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of the EpiVacCorona vaccine," Vektor's press department told the Interfax news agency.
Russia announced in August that it had developed the world's first registered vaccine - named "Sputnik V" after the world's first satellite.
It raised concerns among Western scientists by announcing that the vaccine - developed by Moscow's Gamaleya research centre - had received approval before full clinical trials have been completed.
Vektor said it would be possible to make the final conclusions about the efficacy of its vaccine, based on peptides that trigger an immune response, after post-approval clinical trials have been completed.
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko told President Vladimir Putin this week that Vektor's vaccine could be approved by the ministry in three weeks.
01:07 PM
Madrid relents and imposes city-wide lockdown amid political squabble
Madrid has reluctantly agreed to come under a city-wide perimeter lockdown after arguing with the national Government over measures to control the spread of Covid-19.
The row has been widely criticised by medics and politicians, who say it has hindered attempts to save lives in Europe's worst-hit city.
Minutes after Spain’s Government published an order this morning imposing restrictions on Madrid that would see it cordoned off from the rest of the country, the region’s leader threatened to defy the new rules.
“This plan destroys Madrid without any scientific criteria,” Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Madrid region, said in an early-morning radio interview.
Sweden has registered its highest daily Covid caseload since June, with 752 new infections recorded today, though no new related deaths have been recorded.
The Scandinavian country has shunned lockdowns, leaving most schools, restaurants and businesses open throughout the pandemic. Today’s rise was the highest since June 30, when the health agency recorded just over 800 new cases.
Sweden’s total Covid-19 death toll is 5,893. Its death rate per capita is several times higher than its Nordic neighbours but lower than countries like Spain, Italy and the UK that opted for lockdowns.
01:01 PM
Cases in Moscow rising sharply
The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin has said infections in Russia’s capital are rising by around 2,000 a day, and ordered employers to transfer at least 30 per cent of staff to remote work.
Writing on his blog, Sobyanin said the rate of Covid-19 hospitalisations was also rising by around 5,000 per week.
12:57 PM
Greater use of robot technology should speed up testing process, says Downing St
Downing Street defended the performance of NHS Test and Trace but said the increased use of robots in labs would help speed up the process.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We have seen demand grow for tests. What we need to do is to work hard to turn test results round as quickly as possible.
"What we are doing to achieve that is getting more labs joining the network, investing in new technology to process results faster.
"We are automating parts of the testing process and we are hiring more permanent staff."
The measures include "the greater use of robot technology in order to allow us to process tests as quickly as we can".
12:50 PM
'Up to police' to decide over action against Jeremy Corbyn for rules breach, says Downing St
Downing Street has said it is up to the police to decide whether action should be taken against Jeremy Corbyn following reports that he broke social-distancing rules.
The former Labour leader attended a dinner with eight other people in breach of the "rule of six" - which forbids social gatherings of more than six people - according to The Sun.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "In relation to individuals, it is up to the police to determine what action to take.
"What the Prime Minister is clear on is that the rules apply to everyone and everyone should follow them."
12:43 PM
Coronavirus around the world, in pictures
A protester holds a burning flare during a demonstation over the risks of coronavirus in schools in Athens - AFP People wearing face masks pray during a Catholic Mass broadcast by radio in honor of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, on her feast day in Havana, Cuba - AP A man disinfects a statue of The Beatles in Liverpool - Reuters A Covid patient lies on a bed in an intensive care unit at Na Bulovce hospital in Prague, Czech Republic, as the country sees a surge in the number of patients hospitalised - AP
12:34 PM
Boris Johnson believes his father should have followed face covering rules, says Downing St
Boris Johnson believes his father should have followed the rules on social distancing, Downing Street has said.
Stanley Johnson issued an apology after he was pictured shopping without a face covering in an apparent breach of Government regulations.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "You have heard the Prime Minister's father apologise for his mistake.
"He recognises his error and fully understands that it is vital for everyone to abide by the rules on face coverings and social-distancing.
"The PM is certainly clear that the rules apply to everyone and everybody should follow them."
Leader of Knowsley Council questions whether measures go far enough
The leader of Knowsley Council in Merseyside has questioned whether the new measures in the region go far enough.
Graham Morgan tweeted: "I'm still concerned that these new COVID-19 restrictions won't be enough to stop the spread of the virus here.
"We're at a critical point & need swift, effective solutions to protect our residents. Our conversations with Government will continue."
I'm still concerned that these new COVID-19 restrictions won't be enough to stop the spread of the virus here. We're at a critical point & need swift, effective solutions to protect our residents. Our conversations with Government will continue. https://t.co/Z5DZ8azYDl
— Leader of Knowsley Council (@Knowsley_Leader) October 1, 2020
12:25 PM
Health Secretary urged not to impose tighter restrictions on Midlands
Health Secretary Matt Hancock was urged not to impose tighter Covid-19 controls on the Midlands ahead of his announcement of new rules for the North West and North East.
The West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said he had advised Mr Hancock to allow existing measures time to "bed in", after a meeting earlier this week.
Mr Street said it had been the agreed view of council leaders from across the political spectrum in Birmingham, Solihull, Wolverhampton and the four other remaining local authorities.
Mr Street said that although rates remained high, particularly in Birmingham, the advice to Mr Hancock was "there should be no new measures for our region this week".
The Conservative mayor said the reasons were two-fold: "Firstly our figures, although high, are not at the level seen elsewhere in the North where stricter actions are being taken.
"Secondly I also believe we must avoid confusing the public by introducing too many measures too close together."
12:19 PM
'Confusion and inconsistency': How the world is reporting the UK Government's response to Covid-19
With the fifth highest death toll, the worst GDP contraction of any G7 nation and a series of communication mix-ups, it is hard to point to truly-world beating aspect of the British Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In fact, the global view of British leadership has been almost universal - an indecisive Prime Minister who has confused the population with inconsistent policy choices and a failed testing regime.
This week, the New York Times wrote: "[Britain] ran up the largest death toll of any country in Europe, delayed in taking preventive steps, [and] failed to organise an effective testing and contact tracing programme."
Aside from the vaccine under development at Oxford University, which is seen as a private endeavour, it is Boris Johnson's struggles that have attracted the most attention abroad.
Marcus Parekh has all you need to know about what the world thinks of the UK's Covid-19 response here.
12:14 PM
Germany adds Wales and Northern Ireland to list of high risk areas
Germany has today added Wales and Northern Ireland to its list of high-risk areas for the coronavirus, Justin Huggler reports from Berlin.
The move means travellers from Wales and Northern Ireland will soon face mandatory quarantine in Germany, and they are the first regions of the UK to be designated high-risk by the German authorities. Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, was added to the list in August.
Under new rules set to be introduced this month, anyone arriving in Germany from high-risk areas will be obliged to self-isolate for at least five days. They will then be allowed to move freely if they obtain a negative coronavirus test. Anyone who does not take a test will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Travellers from Wales and Northern Ireland still have a small window of opportunity to travel to Germany without self-isolating. Under current rules anyone who can produce a negative test taken within the last 48 hours is exempt from isolating. But the rules are set to change within weeks because of concerns even tests on arrival cannot detect new infections caught while travelling.
The new travel advice also means Germans can cancel planned holidays in Wales or Northern Ireland and claim back the costs on their travel insurance.
12:06 PM
Archbishop of Canterbury calls for extension of free school meals provision
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Durham have urged the Government to extend free school meals, highlighting the "harrowing" number of families it is thought could be destitute by Christmas.
The Most Rev Justin Welby and the Rt Revd Paul Butler called on the Government to provide free school meals to every child whose family was on universal credit, and expand holiday provision to all children on free school meals.
Their pleas come after Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford forced the Government into a U-turn over its free school meals policy during lockdown, ensuring children did not go hungry over the summer period.
The food bank charity the Trussell Trust said that 46,000 food parcels would need to be provided to people in crisis between October and December this winter - an increase of 61 per cent on last year.
They estimated that an additional 670,000 people would be destitute by the end of 2020, a prediction that Mr Welby and Bishop Butler described as "harrowing".
11:56 AM
Liverpool city leaders question whether measures go far enough
In a joint statement, Liverpool metro mayor Steve Rotheram and the leaders of the city region's six authorities said: "The measures announced today are a step in the right direction but we need to understand whether they are enough to really address the escalating cases in our city region.
"Therefore, we are requesting that the Government provide us with the scientific evidence so we can understand if these measures will be sufficient to prevent the spread of the virus.
"In addition, we are also aware that without appropriate financial support from the Government restrictions will damage business and industries - in many cases irretrievably - when in normal times they are perfectly viable."
They said the new restrictions meant an urgent need for a package of economic support from the Government.
11:50 AM
Middlesbrough Mayor prepared to defy Government lockdown restrictions
The Mayor of Middlesbrough, Andy Preston, has said he was prepared to defy the new tighter restrictions announced by the Government.
In a video statement, Mr Preston said: "I have to tell you I think this measure has been introduced based on factual inaccuracies and a monstrous and frightening lack of communication, and ignorance.
"I do not accept the statement at all. I do not accept these measures.
"We need to talk to Government, they need to understand our local knowledge, expertise and ability to get things done, and preserve jobs and well-being.
He continued: "As things stand, we defy the Government and we do not accept these measures.
"We need to get Covid under control and we need to work with people to find a way of preserving jobs and mental health."
He had previously called for a ban on households mixing in private, but he fell short of asking for the same measures in public venues such as pubs and restaurants.
One in five people drank four nights a week during lockdown, study reveals
One in five people drank four nights a week during lockdown with binge drinking rising the most for women and for those with a university degree, a nationwide study has found.
Binge drinking, defined as six or more drinks during a single setting on a weekly basis, has nearly doubled during the pandemic among those with a university degree, figures from the University of Glasgow revealed.
Similarly, cases of binge drinking among women rose from eight per cent in 2019 to 14 per cent during the peak of lockdown in April.
Author of the study, Dr Claire Niedzwiedz said that lockdown may have come more as a “shock” to those from a university background as they are less likely to have faced such a level of social instability and upheaval before the lockdown.
Dr Niedzwiedz told the Telegraph: “It does make sense if people who have higher levels of education, who are relatively well off, are not used to this level of disruption to their lives compared to people who are more disadvantaged.”
UAE records highest daily case rise for second day in a row
The United Arab Emirates has recorded its highest daily total of coronavirus infections since the start of the outbreak, with 1,158 new cases today.
The Gulf Arab state had also registered a record 1,100 cases in 24 hours on Wednesday.
Daily infection numbers have surged over the past two months from 164 on 3 August. Authorities have blamed people’s poor adherence to social distancing measures.
The UAE has a high per capita rate of Covid-19 tests. The country of around 9.9 million people has carried out 9,798,960 tests so far, the government statistics authority says.
The UAE’s nationwide tally stands at 95,348 infections and 421 deaths. The government does not disclose where in the seven emirates they occur.
11:16 AM
Allow different parts of the country to set their own curfews, senior Tory says
Curfew powers should be devolved to different parts of the country to help incentivise pub-goers to behave "sensibly and properly", ministers have been told.
Conservative former minister Sir Desmond Swayne raised concerns about the 10pm national curfew on the hospitality sector, suggesting different pubs could be subjected to different closing times under his proposal.
Speaking in the Commons, Sir Desmond said: "A national curfew in the New Forest is rather unfair given our very low infection rate and restauranteurs and landlords have invested a great deal in Covid-secure measures and reduced capacity.
"The loss of the extra hour reduces the throughput, particularly if you want a second sitting to come through for dinner. It makes it very uneconomic.
"So will he consider this as a possibility - devolving the power to impose curfew locally, even to particular establishments. That would provide a powerful incentive on landlords to ensure that their patrons behaved sensibly and properly."
Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed Sir Desmond's "constructive suggestion", adding: "As we constantly have these policies under review, it's that sort of working together that will help us improve the response."
11:10 AM
What are the latest local lockdown rules?
With new local restrictions announced in Liverpool and Teesside, keeping track of what restrictions are in place where can be a little confusing.
Luckily, our reporters have all the latest on the different measures in place across the UK to curb the coronavirus.
Hancock doesn't accept link between Cummings controversy and greater rule-breaking
In the Commons, the SNP MP Steven Bonnar asked Matt Hancock if he accepted that the decision by Dominic Cummings to ignore lockdown rules earlier this year - in his infamous trip to Barnard Castle - was encouraging more people to break the rules now, with the result that more people were at risk.
Mr Hancock said he did not accept that there was a link.
11:00 AM
Survey: Older people worry less and Americans want priority access to vaccine
Older people worry less during the pandemic despite having a higher health risk while people in the USA think their country should have special access to a vaccine, a new global survey has revealed.
The "Life with Corona" survey, of 12,000 people in over 130 countries, found that overall people think a vaccine should be shared globally, and only in the USA do more people think their county should have special access to it.
It also found that stress in families during the pandemic falls disproportionately on women, and younger people are more willing to pay to stop the spread of the disease than older people.
"Our lives are changing rapidly, fundamentally and permanently. New lines of conflicts within families, between generations and between countries are emerging. Even if we defeat the virus soon, its legacy will shape our societies for a long time, in complex ways. We document these changes in real time," said Dr Wolfgang Stojetz, from ISDC – International Security and Development Center and head of data & analysis of the survey.
10:52 AM
Extra measures were 'inevitable', says Middlesbrough Labour MP
Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough, said the extra measures in his constituency were "inevitable" and household mixing was the "root" cause of a rise in cases.
He said: "The further restrictions for Middlesbrough and Hartlepool announced today are sadly inevitable. I've said before that no one welcomes further restrictions, but we on Teesside sit next to seven neighbouring North East local authorities where tighter restrictions have been imposed for some time now because of worryingly high rates of Covid-19.
"It's only 13 miles from Middlesbrough to Sedgefield in County Durham and the virus is clearly in circulation right across the NE region at levels that are concerning and the virus pays no heed to the local authority borders between County Durham and the Tees Valley local authority areas.
He added: "Of course, I am worried about how long these restrictions might go on for. But the sooner we take action to suppress the virus in our area, the better chance we have of seeing the rates drop and consequently an earlier relaxation of the restrictions.
"People are understandably concerned about the availability of tests and the system is sadly still far from running fully and efficiently which only serves to reinforce the need for us all to do everything in our power to stop the further spread of the virus."
10:42 AM
£7 million for local authorities is a 'drop in the ocean', says mayor of Liverpool, as he admits he's 'deeply worried' for businesses
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson told BBC Merseyside he was "deeply worried" there was no financial support for businesses and the £7 million for local authorities was a "drop in the ocean".
He said he recognised the infection rate was "basically out of control" but said hotels, bars and restaurants were at danger of closing.
He said: "It's nowhere near enough, £7 million wouldn't be enough for Liverpool alone, let alone across the city region.
"It's got to be in the hundreds of millions that we need to support businesses to survive just for a matter of weeks.
"A local lockdown is fine if it helps curtail the virus but there has to be a local furlough financial scheme for local businesses to survive.
"The city and the city region are in a desperate position financially and we need that financial support and we need it now."
10:31 AM
Hancock deflects question on testing woes
Matt Hancock opted to focus on successes of the Covid-19 response when challenged to take personal responsibility for testing woes in parts of the country.
Labour's Karl Turner said there is "no sign of the world-beating" test and trace programme in his Kingston upon Hull East constituency, adding: "Does the Secretary of State feel any personal responsibility for the utter chaos that is putting lives and livelihoods at risk in my constituency and across the country?"
The Health Secretary replied: "I feel personal responsibility for the record number of tests that are being done in this country.
"I feel personal responsibility for the fact that the vast majority of people in Hull and across the country can get a test within six miles of where they live, and get the test results back - the majority of them - the next day.
"I feel personal responsibility for the biggest contact tracing programme that this country has ever seen with the support of the armed forces, the NHS, brilliant civil servants and the private sector working together.
"I think it's that sort of coming together we need to get through this virus."
10:30 AM
Just 2.9 per cent of people in England who used home test kit received results within 24 hours
Just 2.9 per cent of people in England who used a home test kit for Covid-19 received their result within 24 hours in the week to September 23.
This is up slightly from 1.8 per cent in the previous week, which was the lowest weekly percentage since Test and Trace was launched at the end of May.
Some 30.4 per cent of people received the result of a home test within 48 hours, up from 11.3% in the previous week.
10:26 AM
'Outside is safer' says Hancock as he defends crowds leaving pubs at 10pm
Matt Hancock said it is "safer" for people to be outside than inside when challenged over the curfew resulting in crowds on the streets at 10pm.
Conservative former cabinet minister Greg Clark said: "It does seem strange to think that concentrating trade in a smaller number of hours and making everyone leave a pub or a restaurant at the same time rather than spacing them out over the course of the evening should suppress rather than spread the virus.
"So would the Secretary of State summarise the scientific advice he has had on this point?"
Mr Hancock replied: "The scientific advice is that the people who are closer together are more likely to spread the virus, and later at night social distancing becomes harder.
"We've all seen the pictures of people leaving pubs at 10 o'clock but otherwise they would have been inside the establishments and we all know that outside is safer, or they'd be leaving later.
"Of course, we keep this under review and of course we're constantly looking at how we can improve these policies, but I think we've got to look at both sides of the evidence to try to get this right."
10:25 AM
38.1 per cent of people tested at regional site, local site or mobile testing unit received results within 24 hours
Some 38.1 per cent of people who were tested for Covid-19 in England in the week ending September 23 at a regional site, local site or mobile testing unit - a so-called "in-person" test - received their result within 24 hours.
This is up from 28.2 per cent in the previous week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had pledged that, by the end of June, the results of all in-person tests would be back within 24 hours.
He told the House of Commons on June 3 he would get "all tests turned around within 24 hours by the end of June, except for difficulties with postal tests or insuperable problems like that".
10:21 AM
Hotel bars should be allowed to remain open beyond 10pm, argues Jeremy Wright
Conservative MP Jeremy Wright (Kenilworth and Southam) asked whether an "imaginative approach" could be taken towards restrictions, such as allowing hotel bars to stay open beyond the 10pm curfew.
He said: "I recognise, of course, the value of simplicity on issues such as the curfew for the hospitality industry. But would (Matt Hancock) accept that we should allow economic activity where it does not cut across public health objectives and will he therefore apply an imaginative approach to doing that?
"For example, looking at how we might be able to allow hotel guests to stay in hotel bars where they are resident in the hotel for longer than 10 O'clock, recognising that for some hotels, they depend very substantially on that income."
Matt Hancock responded: "I'm always happy to look at, as he calls it, imaginative ideas like that. He will know that there's a tension between the clarity of the rules and bringing in additional nuances into the rules.
"He'll see how as a society we have struggled with that balance all the way through this."
10:19 AM
Contacts reached by Test and Trace system down to 71.6 per cent
Some 71.6 per cent of close contacts of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England were reached through the Test and Trace system in the week ending September 23, according to the latest figures.
This is down from 76.3 per cent in the previous week, but above the 69.9 per cent for the week to September 2, which is the lowest weekly figure to date.
For cases handled by local health protection teams, 97.6 per cent of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate in the week to September 23.
For cases handled either online or by call centres, 64.3 per cent of close contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate.
10:17 AM
'Lives and livelihoods' are being put at risk by the 10pm curfew, says Daisy Cooper
Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper (St Albans) said "lives and livelihoods" were being put at risk by the 10pm curfew as she urged ministers to scrap the new measure.
She told the Commons: "The evidence is clear the 10pm pubs curfew has been a hammer-blow to hospitality and turfing crowds of people out of Covid-secure venues on to the streets is putting lives and livelihoods at risk."
She added: "This Government is making thousands upon thousands of hospitality jobs unviable, undermining public health and killing our high streets."
Health Secretary Matt Hancock replied: "The virus spreads most outside of households when other households meet together, including in hospitality venues."
10:14 AM
Philip Davies accuses Matt Hancock of presiding over a 'nanny state'
Tory Philip Davies (Shipley) accused Matt Hancock of presiding over a "nanny state" with the imposed 10pm curfew policy and called on him to "start acting like a Conservative".
Mr Davies said: "Is the Secretary of State aware of the damage the arbitrary 10pm curfew is doing to pubs, restaurants, bowling alleys and casinos? Is he aware of the jobs that are being lost, all just to see people congregating on the streets instead and shop staff getting more abuse?
"When will the Secretary of State start acting like a Conservative with a belief in individual responsibility and abandon this arbitrary, nanny state, socialist approach which is serving no purpose at all apart from the further collapse of the economy and erode our freedoms?"
Matt Hancock said that he "profoundly" disagrees with Mr Davies as he believes in "individual responsibility and the promotion of freedom, subject to not harming others".
He added: "So it is perfectly reasonable to make the argument that we should just let the virus rip, I just think that the hundreds of thousands of deaths that would follow is not a price that anyone should pay."
10:13 AM
Test and Trace figures show 31,373 new people test positive for Covid-19 in England
A total of 31,373 new people tested positive for Covid-19 in England in the week to September 23, according to the latest Test and Trace figures.
This is an increase of 61 per cent in positive cases on the previous week and is the highest weekly number since Test and Trace was launched at the end of May.
10:10 AM
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle says newspapers were 'mischief-making' over reports Parliament's bars were exempt from rules
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle accused the newspapers of "mischief-making" over reports that Parliament's bars were exempt from the 10pm curfew.
SNP MP Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) said: "What message does it send that Parliament's bars are exempt from the curfew?"
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "I haven't been to the bar recently but I do not think that Parliament's bars are exempt from these measures, and I think it's wrong to say so, and I'd be very grateful if you could confirm that Mr Speaker?"
Sir Lindsay told the Commons: "I will confirm because I think if the honourable member (Mr Day) had been in the House he would have realised, or if he'd spoken to his colleagues. The decision was taken last week.
"Unfortunately newspapers were mischief-making. Those bars were not open after 10pm, let's get that clear and I think we ought not to believe sometimes what newspapers say."
10:08 AM
Jonathan Ashworth questions why interventions are not working
Jonathan Ashworth questioned why areas with greater restrictions have not come out of local lockdowns.
Mr Ashworth told MPs: "Also, some of the heaviest increase in infections appear to be taking place in areas where restrictions are in place.
"So why are the interventions not working? Why are the moles not getting whacked?"
Matt Hancock replied: "It is true that some parts of the country have come through a local lockdown.
"In fact, we've lifted many of the measures, for instance, that were in place in Leicester.
"We weren't able to lift all of the measures and the case rate there did go back up again, although it has now appears to have stabilised."
10:06 AM
'There are enough flu jabs for everybody who needs them', says Hancock
Matt Hancock assured MPs that there are enough flu jabs for people in need of them.
Asked by Mr Ashworth about the level of supplies, Mr Hancock said: "It is absolutely true as he says that there is a record roll-out of flu jabs.
"There are enough flu jabs for everybody who needs them in a priority group.
"I would stress that this is a roll-out, nobody needs to have a flu jab before the start of December, you can have it in September or October, it will then cover you for the winter, and so we are rolling it out and more appointments will become available in good time.
"We've got 30 million jabs in total, that is more than we've ever had before, it is almost double what we have typically had in the past and those are available."
10:05 AM
Labour MP for Wallasey Angela Eagle reacts to new restrictions for Liverpool City Region
Reacting to the news of further restrictions for the Liverpool City Region, Labour MP for Wallasey Angela Eagle said: "We have asked for the Government to urgently provide the evidence and data behind these decisions to introduce stricter measures.
"The Government are using local lockdowns as a first response to a rise in cases without putting in place any increased testing.
"The test and trace programme so far has been woefully inadequate and is not sufficient to deal with localised outbreaks.
"The £7 million announced today for local councils to deal with the increased restrictions is simply not enough and Labour MPs have called for a far more substantial financial package to be introduced for the area, especially with the ending of the furlough scheme.
"I completely understand the need for additional measures to be brought in, but the Government's chaotic approach risks people's livelihoods and their lives."
10:03 AM
Matt Hancock defends Deloitte selling contact tracing services to local UK health officials
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "Today we've learnt that Deloitte, who are contracted by the Government to help run Test and Trace, are now trying to sell contract tracing services to local councils.
"So the Government's own contractor, one of the very firms responsible for the failing system in the first place, now sees a business opportunity in selling information and services to local authorities. They should be getting this anyway, and this is in the middle of the biggest public health crisis for 100 years.
"Isn't this an utter scandal? How can it be allowed?"
Mr Hancock replied: "Deloitte have done an incredible job in helping us to put together the contact tracing and the backward contact tracing that we have, and of course they should offer their services to local councils too.
"On the one hand he says local councils should have more impetus and more involvement in the contact tracing and then when a company with great experience in contact tracing comes forward to offer their services he criticises them. He can't have it both ways."
10:00 AM
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth asks about plans to prevent people 'piling out' of pubs
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth asked Matt Hancock what he plans to do to avoid people "piling out" of pubs at the same time and causing crowds.
Mr Ashworth told MPs: "We know that sustained contact, especially in crowded, poorly ventilated spaces is a driver of infection and pubs and bars an obvious risk.
"So I heard what he said about the 10pm rule, but my concerns relate to everybody leaving the pub at the same time. What action will he take so we don't see a repeat this weekend of people piling out into city centres, packing out public transport, sometimes all piling in to a supermarket to buy more drink?
"Now we on this side completely understand the need for local restrictions, including in Merseyside, as he has just announced.
"I think it was probably too late for colleagues from Merseyside to get on the call list this morning, but I think if they were here, they would be keen to press the Secretary of State further on the financial support for Merseyside."
09:55 AM
Matt Hancock said that he would not allow the virus to 'let rip' across the country
He said: "It is critical that the whole country acts together now to control the spread of this virus, so please for your loved ones, for your community, and for your country - follow the rules and do your bit to keep this virus under control.
"By its nature, this virus spreads through social contact and so it's had a terrible impact on the hospitality sector, who in good times exist to encourage that very social contact that we all enjoy.
"We've had to take difficult but necessary decisions to suppress the virus. The only alternative to suppressing the virus is to let it rip and I will not do that."
He added: "So, while I know that many of the individual rules are challenging, they are necessary and there are those early signs that they're working."
09:54 AM
'The more people follow the rules, the quicker Liverpool and the North East can get back on their feet'
Matt Hancock said that the more people follow the rules, the quicker Liverpool and the North East can get back on their feet.
He told the Commons: "I understand how much of an imposition this is. I want rules like this to stay in place for as short a time as possible, I'm sure we all do.
"The study published today shows us hope that together we can crack this and the more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact, the quicker we can get Liverpool and the North East back on their feet."
He added: "We're also aligning the measures in Bolton with the rest of Greater Manchester and I'd like to pay tribute to David Greenhalgh, the leader of Bolton Council, for his constructive support and the Bolton MPs for all they've done in support of Bolton.
"There are no changes to measures in West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Leicester, Lancashire or the rest of Greater Manchester."
09:53 AM
Measures are 'beginning to work', says Hancock
Matt Hancock said there was evidence that the Government's restrictive measures "were beginning to work".
Earlier, he told the Commons: "There are also early signs that the actions that we've collectively taken over the past month are starting to have a positive impact.
"Today's REACT (Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission) study from Imperial College suggests that whilst the R-number remains above one, there are early signs that it may be falling.
"We must not let up, but people everywhere can take some small hope that our efforts together may be beginning to work.
"I put it stronger than that. Cases are still rising."
09:48 AM
Rules will be the same as the North East
Matt Hancock said the rules would be the same as those announced earlier in the week for the North East.
He told the Commons: "We recommend against all social-mixing between people in different households.
"We will bring in regulations, as we have in the North East, to prevent in law social mixing between people in different households in all settings except outdoor public spaces like parks and outdoor hospitality.
"We also recommend that people should not attend professional or amateur sporting events as spectators in the areas that are affected.
"We recommend that people only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances and there will be guidance against all but essential travel. Essential travel, of course, includes going to work or school."
09:43 AM
'Together we need to act', says Hancock as he extends measures to Liverpool City region
In a statement, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons: "Earlier this week we brought in further measures in the North-East, however in parts of Teesside and the North-West of England cases continue to rise fast.
"In Liverpool, the number of cases is 268 per 100,000 population, so together we need to act. Working with council leaders and the mayors, I'm today extending these measures that have been in the North East since the start of this week to the Liverpool City Region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.
"We will provide £7 million to local authorities in these areas to support them with their vital work."
09:40 AM
Liverpool to be put under lockdown, Hancock announces
Tighter restrictions on social mixing will be imposed in the Liverpool city region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced.
09:06 AM
Rolls-Royce taps shareholders for £2bn
Technicians work on a Rolls-Royce engine prior to it being installed in a car on the production line of the Rolls-Royce Goodwood factory, near Chichester
Rolls-Royce has tapped shareholders for £2bn in a rights issue and up to £3bn more in loans as it looks to bolster its finances after a choppy year.
The jet engine maker also said it would soon complete a bond offering to raise at least £1bn.
Shares fell another 6pc in early trading to 122p after falling about the same amount on Wednesday. The stock has sunk about 80pc this year.
Banks including BNP Paribas and HSBC are understood to have participated in the cash call, while Goldman Sachs is advising Rolls-Royce’s board, which is chaired by Sir Ian Davis.
Measures likely to be 'more draconian', says mayor of the Liverpool City
Steve Rotheram, Labour mayor of the Liverpool City region, said the new Covid measures being prepared for Merseyside were likely to be "more draconian than we already have".
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "We know what the Government are contemplating but we don't know the final prescriptive menu that they are going to come up with.
"But we do know that there is a need for further restrictions and that they are going to be much more draconian that we already have."
He confirmed restrictions on who and how people could be served alcohol in pubs was "one of" the regulations expected to be included.
"That's one of them, but there are other ones, things that have been mooted that will have an emotional impact on people, such as around weddings and funerals," the former MP continued.
"We do know and understand the Government has to do something - all of our figures are going badly in the wrong direction."
Mr Rotheram said chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, had not outlined a full lockdown for the city as one of the options under consideration, calling such a move "unlikely".
08:11 AM
Restrictions across the north of England may be pushing down the growth of the coronavirus epidemic
Restrictions across the north of England may be pushing down the growth of the coronavirus epidemic, the leader of a large-scale Covid-19 study has said.
Professor Paul Elliott, director of the React study - the largest research of its kind in England - said new rules appeared to be taking effect but warned that all age groups were contracting the virus.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We've seen a seven-fold increase in the number of people carrying the virus at the age of 65 and over.
"So clearly this is happening across the whole population, not just in the younger people.
"In the very recent data, and we're talking about people who did swabs last Saturday, it does seem that the rate of increase of the infection may have slowed a bit.
"So that does suggest that perhaps some of the recent announcements and the biggest focus again on people paying attention to the public health message, which is social distancing, handwashing, face covers and getting tested if they have symptoms and then isolation, seems to be beginning to work."
Prof Elliott said the numbers of people who now have the virus has "grown substantially" but the growth appeared to be slowing.
"We've seen the doubling time - from the last time we did the survey to now - has reduced to about 10 days ... from seven to eight days, so that has been slowing," he said.
"In the very recent data, it does seem to be that increases seems to be turning down, but from high levels of the virus.
"So we really need to get the virus turning down and the R value going below one and we haven't yet seen that.
07:46 AM
Covid-19 places half a million more girls at risk of child marriage this year, warns Save the Children
New analysis by Save the Children has revealed that a further 2.5 million girls are at risk of marriage by 2025 because of pandemic, in the greatest surge in child marriage rates in 25 years.
The charity said that as many as one million more girls are also at risk of becoming pregnant this year alone—with childbirth the leading cause of death among 15-19-year olds.
The risk of adolescent pregnancy in 2020 is highest for girls in East and Southern Africa (282,000), followed by West and Central Africa (260,000) and Latin America and the Caribbean (181,000).
“The pandemic means more families are being pushed into poverty, forcing many girls to work to support their families, to go without food, to become the main caregivers for sick family members, and to drop out of school—with far less of a chance than boys of ever returning,” said Kevin Watkins, CEO of Save the Children UK.
“A growing risk of violence and sexual exploitation combined with growing food and economic insecurity—especially in humanitarian emergencies—also means many parents feel they have little alternative but to force their girls to marry men who are often much older. These marriages violate girls’ rights and leave them at increased risk of depression, lifelong violence, disabilities, and even death from childbirth.
“Every year, around 12 million girls are married, two million before their 15th birthday. Half a million more girls are now at risk of this gender-based violence this year alone—and these only are the ones we know about. We believe this is the tip of the iceberg.”
07:28 AM
Nine out of ten Covid-19 patients in South Korea have reported long term side effects
South Korean tourist police officers wearing face masks hold up social distancing signs at the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. - Ahn Young-joon
The Telegraph's Asia Correspondent Nicola Smith reports:
Nine out of ten Covid-19 patients in South Korea have reported long term side effects from the disease, including fatigue, brain fog and a loss of taste and smell, according to a survey by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The results were based on an online survey of 965 recovered coronavirus patients where 879, or 91.1 per cent, said they still experienced symptoms, said KDCA official Kwon Jun-wook.
He said tiredness was the most common side effect at 26.2 per cent, followed by difficulty in concentration at 24.6 per cent, reported Channel News Asia.
South Korea, which has been widely praised for its robust response to the pandemic, is also conducting a separate study with 16 medical organisations on potential Covid-19 complications by analysing the CT scans of recovered patients, he added.
06:53 AM
Merseyside announcement on further restrictions expected, says Mayor of Liverpool
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson told BBC Breakfast he was expecting an announcement on further restrictions for Merseyside on Thursday morning following a Covid co-ordinating meeting chaired by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
He said he expected households to be banned from mixing in public venues, as they have been in the North East of England.
He said: "We've already been told there will be restrictions and regulations put in place similar to Newcastle and the North East, so we expect that, but potentially also the Government might introduce even stricter measures so we've just got to wait now and see what they announce."
06:48 AM
Local lockdowns may have prevented second wave from taking hold across the country, says Jeremy Hunt
Ex-cabinet minister Jeremy Hunt said the local lockdowns may have prevented the current second wave of infections from taking hold across the country.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think the evidence from what happened earlier in the year, not just in this country but all over the world, is that acting early, decisively, quickly, is actually the best way to contain the spread of the virus and that's what I think Chris Whitty and the Prime Minister are saying.
"One of the things that is often not noted about Italy was the successful way in which they managed to contain the outbreak of the virus in northern Italy, in Lombardy, and avoid it spreading to the rest of the country.
"Now, we didn't manage to do that first time round but it just may be that these local lockdowns, although we haven't seen a big reduction in transmission within those areas, they may just have contained it and stopped it from becoming the national outbreak that we had before."
06:39 AM
Jeremy Hunt 'puzzled' as to why more frontline testing is not happening
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said, as a starting measure, all NHS staff in hotspot areas for Covid-19 infections should be tested on a weekly basis.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the Commons Health Committee chairman said ideally all NHS staff across the country should be regularly tested.
Asked if he was confused about why more frontline testing was not being carried out, he said: "I am puzzled and I know there are some capacity issues.
"(Professor) Chris Whitty actually moved towards this position somewhat when he said in July that he did agree with routine testing of asymptomatic NHS staff in hotspot areas - I would like it to be everywhere, but he accepted it was the right thing to do in areas where there is growth.
"But that is not happening.
"Some of those hospitals are trying really hard to test all their staff using their own laboratories but to do that on a weekly basis, they need support from NHS Test and Trace, they need additional reagents and what we really need is for the Government to say, 'You need to make this happen at least in areas where there is high prevalence and we will help you if you can't do it yourself'."
06:36 AM
Funding crisis threatens zoos' conservation work as they are unable to access Government bailout fund
Biaza, the trade body that represents Britain's zoos and aquariums, told the BBC that the way the Government's bailout fund is structured has made it near impossible for the majority of its members to claim.
Zoos are required to be 12 weeks from bankruptcy to qualify but the association has said that by the time a responsible animal park has reached that point it would have re-homed its animals.
As a result, it says that many international breeding programmes working to save rare species, may be cancelled and some zoos may close entirely without Government support.
The Government says its rescue package was designed to provide a safety net if zoos got into really serious financial difficulties.
06:06 AM
Figure Skating's Grand Prix Final postponed
Hessa al-Saraawi of Kuwait performs during the Kuwait Winter Game - YASSER AL-ZAYYAT
Figure Skating's Grand Prix Final, scheduled to take place on December 10-13 in Beijing, has been postponed because of the pandemic, the International Skating Union (ISU) said.
No new date was announced for the competition, which was one of the designated test events for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The ISU also announced the cancellation of another Olympic test event, the World Cup Short Track, which was to be held on Dec. 18-20.
In a statement the sport's governing body said that it "is evaluating the continuation of the 2020-21 season, in particular the re-scheduling possibilities for the important Olympic test events."
"The ISU will communicate the conclusions at a later date."
The ISU also confirmed that World Cup Speed Skating Competitions in Poland, Norway, United States and Canada have been cancelled.
The six-fixture Grand Prix Series is still on the calendar and will take place in October and November, but as events targeted at domestic skaters.
05:39 AM
Italy considers extending Covid-19 emergency until end of January
Italy is considering extending until Jan. 31 next year its state of emergency over the Covid-19 crisis, two national newspapers said on Thursday.
The emergency, set to expire in mid-October, gives the government greater powers, allowing officials to more easily bypass the bureaucracy that smothers much decision-making in Italy.
Dailies Il Messagero and Corriere della Sera said a cabinet meeting discussed the issue late on Wednesday.
"It is not official yet.. while at first (the government) talked about pushing it back to Dec. 31, during the meeting (the government) considered going beyond the end of the year, given that the cohabitation with the virus is destined to go on for a long time still," Il Messaggero said.
A pink flamingo mannequin at a restaurant is seen with a protective mask at Campo de Fiori in Rome - Corbis News
04:58 AM
September was India's worst month of pandemic
India on Thursday reported 86,821 new cases and another 1,181 fatalities, making September its worst month of the pandemic.
The Health Ministry's update for the past 24 hours raised India's total to more than 6.3 million people infected and 98,678 dead. India added 41 per cent of its confirmed cases and 34 per cent of fatalities in September alone.
The government announced further easing of restrictions to start Oct. 15. Cinemas, theatres and multiplexes can open with up to 50 per cent of seating capacity, and swimming pools can also be used by athletes in training.
An Indian health worker arranges test kits as students are tested for coronavirus after classes started at a college in Jhargaon village, outskirts of Gauhati, India - AP
04:34 AM
UAE records highest daily tally since outbreak
The United Arab Emirates saw on Wednesday its highest daily total of coronavirus infections since the start of the outbreak, with 1,100 new cases.
Infections in the Gulf Arab state have surged over the past two months from 164 on Aug. 3, which authorities have blamed on people's poor adherence to social distancing measures.
The UAE's nationwide tally stands at 94,190 infections and 419 deaths, although the government does not disclose where in the seven emirates they happened.
03:57 AM
No link between schools re-opening and infection rates, analysis finds
There is no link between schools reopening and rising Covid-19 cases, according to an analysis of data from 191 countries.
Evidence from around the world has shown there is no correlation between pupils returning to education after coronavirus lockdowns and a rise - or fall - in new infections, the report from Insights for Education found.
Chief executive Dr Randa Grob-Zakhary, said: "It's essential to study the evidence to avoid making false assumptions about the impact of opening and closing schools on virus transmission."It’s been assumed that opening schools will drive infections, and that closing schools will reduce transmission, but the reality is much more complex. The key now is to learn from those countries that are reopening effectively against a backdrop of rising infections.”
A teacher sprays disinfectant on the shoes of a child wearing a facemask and gloves at the entrance of a junior campus school upon arrival in Islamabad - AFP
02:25 AM
Singapore to allow travellers from Vietnam and Australia entry
Singapore will allow entry to travellers from Vietnam and Australia, excluding its coronavirus hot spot Victoria state, beginning next week.
The tiny city-state last month welcomed visitors from Brunei and New Zealand, and is cautiously reopening its borders after a virus closure to help revive its airport, a key regional aviation hub.
The aviation authority has said there is a low risk of virus importation from the two countries. Travellers must undergo a virus swab test upon arrival, travel on direct flights without transit and download a mobile app for contact tracing.
The Vietnam and Australia changes start from Oct. 8.
Singapore's move is unilateral and not reciprocated by the other four countries.
A man pushes a stroller through the Supertree Grove at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore - WALLACE WOON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
01:36 AM
Germany lifts blanket world travel warning
Germany lifted its blanket warning against travelling to all countries outside the European Union early on Thursday, although little is likely to change for most travellers under the new regulation.
The cautious reopening, agreed by the German cabinet three weeks ago, comes as Europe faces an uptick in cases, with many warning the continent is on the cusp of a second wave of the pandemic.
Germany imposed a global travel warning in March, when the virus was raging in northern Italy, but lifted it for most European countries in June. In September, Berlin began reissuing warnings for regions within Europe when infections rose above the level of 50 cases per 100,000 people over a week.
Covid-19 patients with a snippet of Neanderthal DNA that crossed into the human genome some 60,000 years ago run a higher risk of severe complications from the disease, researchers have reported.
People infected, for example, who carry the genetic coding bequeathed by our early human cousins are three times more likely to need mechanical ventilation, according to a study published on Wednesday in Nature.
There are many reasons why some people with Covid-19 wind up in intensive care and other have only light symptoms, or none at all.
Advanced age, being a man, and pre-existing medical problems can all increase the odds of a serious outcome.
But genetic factors can also play a role, as the new findings makes clear.
"It is striking that the genetic heritage from Neanderthals has such tragic consequences during the current pandemic," said co-author Svante Paabo, director of the department of genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
11:45 PM
Outbreak at meat processing plant in Cornwall
More than 170 people have tested positive for coronavirus at a meat processing plant in Cornwall.
Most of the cases at the Pilgrim's Pride food factory in Pool, near Redruth, were asymptomatic, the local public health team said.
An alert to the national test and trace service from a single member of staff led to 500 colleagues at the plant being tested.
The company says it has introduced additional measures and checks its compliance with Covid-19 controls on a daily basis.
11:38 PM
Prevalence of virus high but signs growth rate is slowing, study finds
The prevalence of Covid-19 infections in England is much higher than it was at the end of August but there are signs that growth in infection rate is slowing, a study by Imperial College said on Thursday.
The findings come after Prime Minister Boris Johnson pleaded with Britons to obey the rules imposed to tackle a rapidly accelerating second wave, with more than 7,000 new cases reported in each of the last two days.
The Imperial study showed 1 in 200 people were infected, but also that the reproduction R rate dropped from 1.7 to 1.1, meaning that on average, 10 infected people will go on to infect another 11 people rather than 17 people.
"While our latest findings show some early evidence that the growth of new cases may have slowed, suggesting efforts to control the infection are working, the prevalence of infection is the highest that we have recorded to date," Imperial's Professor Paul Elliott said.
The study, the largest of its kind in Britain, tested 84,610 volunteers between Sept. 18 and 26.
A Number 10 ally has called on Boris Johnson's Government to change its coronavirus strategy and focus more on the economic impact of the pandemic, amid mounting criticism over the Government's handling of the crisis.
Madrid has been handed the unwanted accolade of European capital of the second wave, and the historic centre of the city is in danger of turning into a museum of itself as the absence of tourists shows up the fact that locals no longer live there.
A 39-year-old Singaporean woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds after going missing in Spain, and a Singaporean man has been arrested. Read on.
Many Malaysians have questioned the leniency shown to former PM Najib Razak after having his sentenced reduced. Here is A.Kathirasen's take on the matter.
While Western eyes are fixed on Tehran and Tel Aviv, Ukraine’s frontlines are showing clear signs of crumbling. There is a very real possibility they could crumble this summer if we do not throw the kitchen sink at Russia. Even if we do, it may already be too late for the weapons and munitions long promised by the West to save the day.
What is the point of retaliation? Not revenge, for that is no way to conduct serious foreign policy. Not domestic politics, for drumming up popular support is not a reason to send a nation’s sons into action. No, the point is security. The point is to create a deterrent.
"Are you serious? Those are the words I used?" Clarkson chides herself The post Kelly Clarkson Has to Walk It Off After Unintentionally Making Dirty ‘Meat’ Joke to Henry Golding | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Reuters/Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANAIran warned on Thursday that it might review its nuclear “doctrine,” threatening a potential break from the publicly stated “peaceful” objectives of its nuclear program.“The threats of the Zionist regime [Israel] against Iran's nuclear facilities make it possible to review our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations,” said Ahmad Haghtalab, a top Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander, according to Tasnim. “If the Zionist regi
The United Arab Emirates witnessed the heaviest rainfall in 75 years this week, triggering massive flooding that swept away cars, caused flights to be canceled and left multiple people dead.
Two-time world champion Kento Momota said Thursday he is retiring from international badminton aged 29, admitting he had never been the same since a serious car crash four years ago.- 'A lot of hardship' -
Smiling broadly throughout his 45-minute press conference but pausing often to choose the right words, Momota said he had no regrets about retiring from top-level badminton.
Chaos ensued in the United Arab Emirates after the country witnessed the heaviest rainfall in 75 years, with some areas recording more than 250 mm of precipitation in fewer than 24 hours, the state’s media office said in a statement Wednesday.
