Jumat, 31 Juli 2020

Coronavirus: PM postpones lockdown easing in England - BBC News

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The further easing of coronavirus restrictions in England - due to come in this weekend - has been postponed for at least two weeks, amid concerns over an increase in coronavirus cases.

Casinos and bowling alleys will remain shut, with Boris Johnson saying it was time to "squeeze the brake pedal".

Wedding receptions of up to 30 people were meant to be allowed as part of the changes but cannot yet happen.

Face coverings will be mandatory in more indoor settings, such as cinemas.

And people attending places of worship will also be among those required to wear face coverings, in a change that will be applied from next weekend.

But planned changes to guidance for people who have been shielding during the pandemic, and advice for employers, will still go ahead.

The rethink follows new restrictions for people in parts of northern England, after a spike in virus cases.

At a news conference in Downing Street, the prime minister said progress against coronavirus continues, with the daily and weekly number of deaths falling, but warned that some European countries are "struggling" to control it. The UK must be ready to "react", he said.

Highlighting the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, he added: "The prevalence of the virus in the community, in England, is likely to be rising for the first time since May."

Mr Johnson said planned reopenings for 1 August would be delayed for at least a fortnight.

That means venues such as casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks and remaining close contact services must remain closed until 15 August.

Indoor performances will also not resume, pilots of larger gatherings in sports venues and conference centres will not take place, and the planned expansion of wedding receptions to allow up to 30 people will not be permitted.

Spectators were due to watch the first two days of two county cricket matches, while fans were at the World Snooker Championship when it started on Friday. The tournament will now go ahead without spectators until at least 15 August, which is when the final is schedule to begin.

Beauty salons will also be unable to start offering treatments that involve the face, such as eyelash, eyebrow and threading treatments.

The British Beauty Council said the changes were "very disappointing for a sector that has already seen delay after delay in reopening".

Separately, face coverings will be compulsory in more indoor settings where people are likely to come into contact with people they do not know, such as museums and places of worship, from next weekend. They are already required in shops, banks, airports and other indoor transport hubs.

The prime minister said the rules for face coverings would become enforceable in law from 8 August.

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Also at Friday's news conference, England's chief medical adviser warned that it might not be possible to further ease lockdown.

Asked whether it was safe for England's schools to open fully to all pupils at at times in the autumn, Prof Chris Whitty said it was a "difficult balancing act" but "we have probably reached or neared the limits of what we can do in terms of opening up society".

The "idea that we can open up everything and keep the virus under control" is wrong, he said, but it is clear that "schools are an absolute priority" for society.

However, the plan to pause shielding for the people most vulnerable to the effects of the virus will go ahead as planned from Saturday, according to the prime minister.

That means some 2.2 million people who have been self-isolating in England during the pandemic can return to work, if they cannot work from home, as long as their workplace is Covid-secure.

Guidance for employers will also change as planned from the start of August, giving employers "more discretion over how employees can work safely, whether by continuing to work from home, or attending a Covid-secure workplace", Mr Johnson said.

According to the ONS, there is "now evidence to suggest a slight increase in the number of people in England testing positive on a nose and throat swab in recent weeks".

A sample of households in England, excluding care homes and hospitals, were swabbed to test for current infection.

The ONS said daily cases had risen from an estimated 2,800 to 4,200 since last week.

However there is not enough data to suggest a higher proportion of positive tests in any particular region.

The latest announcement comes within hours of new lockdown rules in parts of England, banning separate households from meeting each other inside their homes and private gardens.

The rules, which came into force at midnight, impact people in Greater Manchester, east Lancashire, parts of West Yorkshire, and in Leicester.

They also ban members of two different households from mixing in pubs and restaurants, although individual households will still be able to visit such hospitality venues.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast that the increase in transmission in the affected regions was due to people visiting friends and relatives, citing fresh data from contact tracing.

The changes come as Muslim communities prepare to celebrate Eid this weekend, and nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England - allowing people to meet indoors for the first time since late March.

Ministers have said police forces and councils will be given powers to enforce the new rules.

Areas included in announcement

Cases per 100,000 people


Are you getting married this weekend? Or were you reopening your business? How will the postponement affect you? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist.

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2020-07-31 12:56:15Z
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Coronavirus: Boris Johnson says fans not allowed at sports pilot events as planned - BBC Sport

England v West Indies at Old Trafford

Fans will not be allowed to attend the pilot sports events scheduled for this weekend in England after a spike in coronavirus cases, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

Spectators were due to watch the first two days of two county cricket matches, while 250 fans were at the start of the World Snooker Championship on Friday.

It was also hoped to permit 4,000 racegoers at Goodwood on Saturday.

The new restrictions on fans will be enforced until at least 15 August.

The announcement comes after general restrictions were reintroduced for people in parts of northern England.

"Pilots of larger crowds at sports venues will not take place," Johnson said at a news conference on Friday.

"I said from May we would not hesitate to put on the brakes at the slightest sign that the numbers were going in the wrong direction."

The Prime Minister had said earlier this month that spectators could be able to return to stadiums in England from October.

The planned pilots - and reaction

Two matches in cricket's Bob Willis Trophy starting on Saturday had been due to welcome spectators - Surrey v Middlesex at the Oval and Warwickshire against Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said: "We understand the reasons the government has made this decision, and remain ready to work with them to ensure supporters can safely return to stadiums when government advice allows.

"We are pleased the Bob Willis Trophy will still begin this weekend behind closed doors, and fans will be able to watch their teams in action through the online streams being provided."

The Oval had been due to host 2,500 fans on Saturday and Sunday, having held the first pilot last weekend of 1,000 fans.

Surrey chief executive Richard Gould said: "A lot of hard work has taken place to ensure that members and fans could return to our ground safely.

"We still hope to welcome members to the ground for future matches this summer, and we will continue to work with the ECB and the government to encourage this to happen."

At the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, it has been confirmed that no spectators will be permitted at the Crucible Theatre from Saturday.

Fans with tickets will be given a refund, or be allowed to use them next year. However, those with tickets for Friday's afternoon and evening sessions were still allowed in.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn told BBC Sport: "There is a chance - I'm forever the optimist - that maybe a return for the final [on 16 August] is the earliest possible opportunity.

"Congratulations to those guys who went today because they will be able to talk about this for the rest of their lives - the ultimate golden ticket."

Hearn said he had hoped the limited number of spectators could still be allowed at the Crucible, with the restrictions that had already been put in place at the venue.

"We went straight to the cabinet but they said: 'No, it applies to you as well,'" he added. "This is not the worst - the worst is the tournament doesn't happen. We'll get through this."

A statement from Goodwood racecourse said: "We are very disappointed for those who were hoping to attend tomorrow's event and for all those who have worked so hard to make it possible for spectators to be present.

"We will engage with public health authorities and the DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) over a rescheduled pilot at the earliest opportunity."

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden posted on social media that it was "very disappointing news".

"I know the huge efforts cricket, snooker and horseracing have made to welcome fans back. We'll keep working together on their safe return ASAP," he added.

Analysis

BBC sports editor Dan Roan

This will be hugely disappointing news for the events involved, and obviously very worrying for the wider sports industry, which is increasingly desperate to get paying fans back through the turnstiles to ease an unprecedented financial crisis - especially for those sports bodies dependent on matchday revenue, like English Football League clubs.

Until now, the effort to get sports back up and running after lockdown had gone relatively smoothly, with the football season resuming and now almost completed, along with other events such as Test cricket, Formula 1 and horse racing.

This then is a first major setback in the wider effort to return sport to some kind of normality.

However, crucially, I am told by Whitehall sources that the government remains keen to work with sports and Public Health England with a view to getting fans back inside venues from 1 October.

Some sports organisations - like the Premier League - would like to see that target date brought forward, but Friday's news will not have helped them win that argument.

Attendances of 20% to 40% capacity - depending on the nature of the venue - is envisaged by officials from October, and more pilots are being planned in the coming weeks.

It is simply too early to tell whether this is now unrealistic. It remains the aim but there are no guarantees.

This is a stark reminder that the nature of the pandemic means it is difficult to plan months in advance, and that officials will need to take decisive action when data shows worrying trends.

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2020-07-31 12:20:06Z
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Coronavirus: PM postpones lockdown easing in England - BBC News

The further easing of coronavirus restrictions in England - due to come in this weekend - has been postponed for at least two weeks, amid concerns over an increase in coronavirus cases.

Casinos and bowling alleys will remain shut, with Boris Johnson saying it was time to "squeeze the brake pedal".

Wedding receptions of up to 30 people were meant to be allowed as part of the changes but cannot yet happen.

Face coverings will be mandatory in more indoor settings, such as cinemas.

And people attending places of worship will also be among those required to wear face coverings, in a change that will be applied from next weekend.

The prime minister said progress against coronavirus continues, with the daily and weekly number of deaths falling, but warned that some European countries are "struggling" to control it. The UK must be ready to "react", he said.

Highlighting the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, he added: "The prevalence of the virus in the community, in England, is likely to be rising for the first time since May."

Mr Johnson said planned reopenings for 1 August would be delayed for at least a fortnight.

That means venues such as casinos, bowling alleys, and skating rinks must remain closed until 15 August.

Indoor performances will also not resume, pilots of larger gatherings in sports venues and conference centres will not take place, and wedding receptions of up to 30 people will not be permitted.

Separately, face coverings will be compulsory in more indoor settings where people are likely to come into contact with people they do not know, such as museums and places of worship, from next weekend. They are already required in shops and indoor transport hubs.

The prime minister said the rules for face coverings would become enforceable in law from 8 August.

The rethink follows new restrictions for people in parts of northern England, after a spike in virus cases.

According to the ONS, there is "now evidence to suggest a slight increase in the number of people in England testing positive on a nose and throat swab in recent weeks".

This is based on the organisation's infection survey - taking swabs from people selected at random in homes in England.

Last week, the ONS estimated that there were 2,800 new infections each day and that one in 2,000 people - 28,000 in total - were infected in homes in England.

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2020-07-31 11:28:34Z
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Coronavirus: Lockdown easing postponed and masks to be mandatory in all public indoor settings - Sky News

The planned easing of lockdown restrictions has been postponed for at least a fortnight- with face masks to become mandatory by law in all public indoor settings on August 8.

Boris Johnson told a Downing Street briefing that the decision to "squeeze that brake pedal" on changes had been taken due to coronavirus infection numbers "creeping up" and "in order to keep the virus under control".

England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, meanwhile, warned the country had "probably reached near the limits, or the limits, of what we can do in terms of opening up society" without causing a further spike in COVID-19 cases.

It means plans due to come in to force on Saturday to reopen casinos, bowling alleys and skating rinks will not now happen until August 15 at the earliest.

In addition, indoor performances will not resume, pilots of larger gatherings in sports venues and conference centres will not take place, and wedding receptions of up to 30 people will not be permitted, as had been planned.

The prime minister also announced that rules around face coverings would be extended to make them mandatory in all public indoor settings, "such as museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship".

He said this measure would become enforceable in law from August 8.

More from Covid-19

"At this stage, we are not changing the rules on social contact nationally," he added, before warning a further tightening of restrictions may be necessary.

"I don't want to tell people to spend less time with their friends," he said.

"But unless people follow the rules and behave safely, we may need to go further."

Mr Whitty said: "We all know that what we have to try and do is to get to the absolute edge of what we can do in terms of opening up society and the economy without getting to the point where the virus starts to take off again.

"We have probably reached near the limits, or the limits, of what we can do in terms of opening up society."

It comes after new rules announced overnight saw separate households banned from meeting indoors from today, in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News those new restrictions were "absolutely necessary", adding: "When you face a pandemic like this, it is important to move quickly if that's what needed."

It followed the UK recording its highest daily total of COVID-19 cases for more than a month.

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2020-07-31 11:48:45Z
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LIVE: PM Johnson says time to squeeze brake pedal on lifting restrictions for at least a fortnight - The Telegraph

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  1. LIVE: PM Johnson says time to squeeze brake pedal on lifting restrictions for at least a fortnight  The Telegraph
  2. UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson postpones relaxing of lockdown rules in England due on 1 August  The Guardian
  3. Boris Johnson confirms coronavirus lockdown changes scrapped with hours to spare  Mirror Online
  4. Editorial: Johnson's claim that lockdown has been a 'massive success' won't hide his failings  The Independent
  5. LIVE: Boris Johnson holds Downing Street news conference as some areas see new restrictions imposed  Sky News
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2020-07-31 11:05:05Z
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LIVE: Boris Johnson holds Downing Street news conference as some areas see new restrictions imposed - Sky News

Which areas are affected?

All of Greater Manchester: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan

East Lancashire: Pendle, Hyndburn, Burnley, Rossendale and Blackburn with Darwen

West Yorkshire: Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees

The city of Leicester, which saw the UK's first local lockdown

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2020-07-31 10:42:58Z
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Met Office weather warning: Lightning storm alert as UK bakes in 35C scorcher- latest maps - Daily Express

And in the south west of England, parts of Cornwall, devon, Dorset and Somerset will see a balmy 24C, cooling off towards the coast again.

The Met Office said south-coast destinations such as Devon, Cornwall will stay "fresher", with temperatures peaking in the mid 20s,.

While sunseekers in Brighton will enjoy a pleasant 28C (82.4F) high today.

A red band of extreme heat makes its from London in a north-westerly direction, baking parts of the midlands up towards Birmingham and on to Manchester wutg temperatures of up to 31C.

While in Scotland, the mercury is expected to reach between 20C at the coast and 24C in the mainland.

The scorching temperatures come as the whole of Europe is bathed in a warm spell, with parts of Spain hitting a baking 41.1C by the same time this evening.

Portugal, France and parts of Italy will also see rising temperatures this evening.

But the good weather in the UK is expected to be short-lived and will not extend into the three-day "heatwave territory",, the MEt Office confirmed.

So far this month, the highest maximum temperature recorded was 28.5C (83.3F) on July 17 at Heathrow Airport.

"We've not seen a temperature anywhere above 30 so far or even with a three in it, that is quite unusual for July," a Met spokesman said.

"In terms of shifting the overall weather stats for the month, it's not going to do much to the average."

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2020-07-31 08:49:00Z
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