Babak Belurs

Rabu, 24 Februari 2021

Nicola Sturgeon says she can't offer date when lockdown in Scotland will finally end - Daily Record

Nicola Sturgeon has warned Scots she can't yet offer a date for when lockdown restrictions will finally end.

The First Minister revealed Scotland's latest plan to ease restrictions yesterday but it was criticised for not looking beyond the end of April.

The UK Government's routemap out of lockdown for England claimed all social restrictions could end as early as June 21.

But Sturgeon said she would be “making it up” if she gave a specific date for the end of coronavirus restrictions.

Speaking at the coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the SNP leader questioned Johnson's June 21 date.

“If I was to give you a fixed, hard and fast date right now, I would pretty much be making it up and I don’t think that’s the approach I should take with you,” she said.

Under the Scottish plan, council areas will not return to level three of lockdown - when non-essential retail and hairdressers can reopen - until April 26.

Primary schools should have fully reopened by March 15 but high school pupils could be waiting until April before returning to the classroom.

Business leaders have condemned the routemap as lacking clarity.

Sturgeon continued: “I’m not ruling out any specific dates, I want it to be as soon as possible and we have every reason to be hopeful that come the summer life will be much, much, much better than it is just now, but when I stand here and give you what I think the actual date when all or most restrictions will come to an end is going to be, I want to be as sure as I can be that is real and it can be delivered.”

Nicola Sturgeon announces 47 coronavirus deaths and 798 new cases in last 24 hours - Daily Record

47 more Scots have tragically died from coronavirus in the last 24 hours, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

The First Minister announced the latest figures during a speech at St Andrews House in Edinburgh on Wednesday afternoon.

A total of 1,018 people are being treated in hospital for the virus with 93 in intensive care.

798 new cases have been identified overnight across the country.

Nicola Sturgeon announced the daily figures from St Andrews House (Image: Daily Record)

Since the start of the pandemic, 7,053 people have lost their lives to coronavirus in Scotland while 199,637 have tested positive.

Coronavirus in Scotland

Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon announced Scotland's roadmap out of lockdown, setting out key dates for measures to ease at intervals of three weeks until the last week of April when the level system of restrictions will be reintroduced.

Restrictions are set to gradually ease on shops, restaurants, gyms and hairdressers over the coming month.

New research released on Monday also found that Scots in the most deprived parts of the country are more than 10 times more likely to be penalised for a breach of coronavirus rules than those from more wealthy areas.

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2021-02-24 12:17:55Z
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Keir Starmer's Labour leadership crisis deepens as personal rating plummets below Boris Johnson's - Daily Mail

Keir Starmer's Labour leadership crisis deepens as his personal rating plummets below Boris Johnson’s as the PM enjoys a 'vaccine bounce' in the polls as he lays out his lockdown roadmap

Starmer's approval rating with the public now sits at 0, with Boris on 3 per cent
PM's rating has increased from minus territory since the start of the year
Suggests he is reaping a minor 'vaccine' bounce in the polls

By David Wilcock, Whitehall Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 11:17 GMT, 24 February 2021 | Updated: 11:17 GMT, 24 February 2021

Sir Starmer's Labour leadership took a fresh hit today as a new poll revealed he is less popular than Boris Johnson in the eyes of the public for the first time.

The Opposition Leader's approval rating with the public now sits at 0, meaning the public is equally split over whether they approve, disapprove or are indifferent to his efforts.

The findings in the survey by Redfield and Wilton Strategies show Sir Keir's approval rating fell 7 per cent in the past week.

The poll was taken on Monday February 22, the day Mr Johnson unveiled his strategy for taking England out of lockdown during the spring.

His personal rating rose to 3 per cent, having been increasing from minus territory since the start of the year. This suggests he is reaping a minor 'vaccine bounce' in the polls as more and more people get Covid jabs.

However, the poll found that both men lag way behind Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who has a net approval rating of +30 per cent.

The poll also revealed a rise in support for the Tories. Redfield and Wilton put them up 2 per cent on 43 per cent, while Labour slipped 1 per cent to 37 per cent.

The Government's net competency rating also rose to -5 per cent, up from -13 per cent three weeks ago.

The findings chime with a previous poll last week, as Mr Starmer attempts to stamp his authority on a party becoming restless amid his failure to capitalise on Tory failures during the lockdown.

A Savanta ComRes survey put his net favourability at minus four, down two points in the past month, while Mr Johnson’s rose from minus eight to minus two in a month.

The Labour leader also fell further behind on the question of who would make the best prime minister, with 27 per cent choosing him (down from 31) compared with 43 for Mr Johnson (up from 38).

The signs of a vaccine boost for Mr Johnson came as Gavin Williamson claimed coronavirus vaccine supply issues are not to blame for Britain’s roll-out suffering its worst slump in a month.

The Education Secretary insisted today there was 'no problem' with deliveries of doses and said 'there will always be some days' when uptake dips lower.

Figures show just 150,000 Covid vaccines jabs were dished out in the UK on Sunday, the worst daily output since the scheme began to pick up pace last month. And just 210,000 doses were administered on Monday, down by more than a quarter on the previous week.

Despite the concerning trend, Mr Williamson said he had 'every confidence' the mammoth NHS operation would be 'rebounding back very shortly'.

The comments contradicted Matt Hancock who revealed yesterday a European-wide vaccine supply shortage could lead to 'quieter' weeks ahead for Britain's jab drive.

And Jonathan Van Tam also weighed in today, saying the dip has come about as a result of 'supply fluctuations'.

One of the main problems is thought to be lower than expected output at manufacturing sites in AstraZeneca's supply chain on the continent.

The British drugmaker, which manufactures Oxford University's Covid jab, has told the European Union it will only be able to deliver less than half of its contracted supplies before summer, raising fears the UK's orders could also be affected.

Almost 18million Britons have already received a first dose of a Covid vaccine and Boris Johnson has put a successful jab roll-out at the heart of his lockdown-easing plan.

As long as the operation continues successfully, all restrictions could be dropped in England by June 21, but any hiccups along the way could threaten that target.

The Government has pledged to offer first doses to all over-50s by April 15, with all remaining adults set to be reached by the end of July.

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2021-02-24 11:17:10Z
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COVID-19: Daily drop-off in vaccinations is down to 'supply fluctuations' - but will pick up, says Prof Jonathan Van-Tam - Sky News

An apparent fall in the number of Britons being vaccinated against COVID-19 each day is down to "supply fluctuations", England's deputy chief medical officer has told Sky News.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said it "will take a few months" before vaccine manufacturers are able to produce doses in a "steady routine", adding that "global supply restraints" have also hampered the UK's vaccine rollout.

He said: "There are always going to be supply fluctuations. These are new vaccines, by and large the manufacturers have not made them or anything like them before.

Supply would continue to be unpredictable as the manufacturing process is "a bit like beer-making", he said - the end product is not always the same and the yield might be different each time - so "you do get batch-size variations".

Live COVID news from UK and around the world

Other key issues he addressed:

• Side effects - All occur in days, and if not weeks, and are "incredibly rare"

• Infertility - Link not biologically logical and no vaccince has ever affected fertility

• Uptake - There's no "magic number" of uptake required, and the aim isn't herd immunity

• Visiting older relatives - It is safer, but don't assume that you have a sort of "Colgate ring" around you once you've been vaccinated

• Lifting restrictions - Must progress at a steady pace so we don't "blow it"

Nearly 18 million Britons have had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

However, the UK's daily totals have dipped since the total topped 15 million earlier this month.

On Monday 22 February a total of 192,341 doses were administered across the UK - a drop from the 275,956 on the previous Monday (15 February).

Meanwhile, 141,719 doses were administered on Sunday 21 February - a fall from the 237,962 given a week before (on Sunday 14 February).

Answering questions from Sky News viewers, Prof Van-Tam was also asked about the timetable set out in the government's roadmap for easing lockdown - which he said he believed would "get us from where we are now... to where we want to be in the summer".

The route out of lockdown is dependent on coronavirus cases, deaths and hospital admissions continuing to fall.

These will be constantly reviewed with five weeks between each of the four stages and a week's notice will be given before full confirmation of each step.

He said he understood people's frustrations with the pace of the roadmap - but said reacting "too quickly" risks "getting it wrong", and said while the path forward is "pretty careful and pretty painstakingly cautious" he believes it is "appropriate".

"I completely get it, I am desperate for the football to be back, but actually I would rather do this once and get it right and not have to make any U-turns or backtracking, I would rather just go slowly and steadily and get there in one go," he said.

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2021-02-24 10:12:40Z
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Summer catch-up schools planned for pupils in England - BBC News

A teacher in a socially-distanced classroom

Secondary schools in England will be asked to consider delivering face-to-face summer schools as part of efforts to help pupils catch up.

An extra £420m in funding has been announced, along with £300m announced for catch-up projects in January.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the money will help ensure "no child is left behind" due to the pandemic.

Teachers, experts and unions called the money a "good start" - but warned about overwhelming pupils and teachers.

The prime minister confirmed all pupils will return to classrooms from 8 March as part of the first step of a roadmap for easing England's lockdown.

National restrictions since last March have led many pupils to lose around half a school year in face-to-face learning, the government said.

Announcing the catch-up plans, Mr Johnson praised teachers and parents for a "heroic job with home schooling" but said the classroom was "the best place for our children to be".

Schools will have the option to run summer classes for pupils who need it most, potentially starting with those who will be moving up to Year 7 at secondary school this year.

But there are concerns about teachers burning out if they have to work through the holiday.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the average primary school will receive around £6,000 extra funding, with the average secondary school getting around £22,000 extra in recovery premium payments.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said it was up to head teachers to decide how to use the money - it could be used, for example to pay teachers for overtime to do extra teaching.

Review on masks

Mr Williamson also said the policy of secondary school pupils in England having to wear masks in classrooms would be reviewed over Easter.

"We're reviewing that at the Easter holidays to see if that has had a positive impact, and the impact that Public Health England would feel is right, or whether it's going to continue to be necessary."

He did not rule out that the policy could remain in place until 21 June, which is the final date in plans to ease lockdown.

The government's £720m education support package for England includes:

A one-off £302m "recovery premium" for state primary and secondary schools to boost summer schooling, clubs and activities
£200m to fund face-to-face secondary summer schools, with teachers in charge of deciding which pupils benefit
An expanded national tutoring programme for primary and secondary pupils and an extended tuition fund for 16 to 19-year-olds - also worth £200m
£18m funding to support early-years language development

The government considered a variety of options for pupils - including extended school days and shorter summer holidays - but neither of these proposals form part of the plan set out on Wednesday.

Alongside the newly-announced programme, online resources will continue over the summer through Oak National Academy.

Exams this year have already been cancelled in England, but Mr Williamson said more detail on how grades will be calculated is coming in the next few days.

'Teacher burnout'

Kate Green, Labour's shadow education secretary, said the funding was "not adequate and will not make up for the learning and time with friends that children have lost".

"There is no specific mention of supporting children's mental health or wellbeing, which is fundamental to enabling their recovery from this pandemic," she said.

Labour also calculated the new package was worth less than the £840m spent on the Eat Out to Help Out scheme last year, and would be worth 43p per pupil per day, if the money was split across a normal school year.

School leaders' unions welcomed the funding but warned of a long road ahead.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT - which represents head teachers - said summer schools "will be of value for some pupils but it will be important not to overwhelm students".

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the educational charity the Sutton Trust, called the package of measures "a promising start", but said it was "good that schools will have flexibility" to decide how to spend the money.

"However, it's important to recognise the problem of teacher burnout that could be exacerbated by additional workload."

Analysis

By Dan Johnson, BBC News

Just working out how to measure what each child has missed during the pandemic is tricky, let alone agreeing on the best way to address it and make sure they all achieve their potential.

Many teachers are wary of talking about "catching-up" and pupils being "left behind" - they do not want to discourage young people.

But there is widespread recognition that home learning could never fully replace classroom teaching and some pupils will need significant extra support when they get back to classrooms.

The government is backing one-to-one and small group tuition, alongside summer school activities.

Suggestions of a longer school day or a shorter summer holiday have not materialised.

Many teachers feel they can best assess what their pupils need, but after a relentless year, they are tired and need help in some form.

How that help is given and whether it reaches the right pupils will determine the lasting impact on the lives of children who've been through the most difficult school year.

Until children are back in the classroom, schools will not know "the depth of the problem", said head teacher Carl Ward from the City Learning Trust.

He said the government funding was a "good start", but said: "It may well be that more money is needed for more disadvantaged areas of the country".

Meanwhile, social mobility expert Prof Lee Elliot Major estimated it could take a decade to address the impact of the pandemic on children.

"Our research shows a whole generation could be educationally scarred by this pandemic," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Last year, Mr Johnson announced a £1bn catch-up fund for England, and he later appointed Sir Kevan Collins as education recovery commissioner.

In Scotland, the administration has promised £127m in funding to help disadvantaged pupils. Tens of millions of pounds have also been put into catch-up schemes in Wales and Northern Ireland.

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2021-02-24 08:29:18Z
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Covid-19: Summer school for some pupils in England, and Ireland extends restrictions - BBC News

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Wednesday morning. We'll have another update for you this evening.

1. Summer school for some pupils in England

Secondary schools in England will be asked to deliver face-to-face summer schools to help some pupils catch up with lessons lost to Covid. It will be up to schools to decide which pupils get the lessons - they won't be for everyone, and the summer holidays won't be shorter. But the government is providing hundreds of millions of pounds in funding to make sure it happens. Alongside the face-to-face lessons for some secondary pupils, there is also funding for primary and secondary schools to boost summer clubs and activities. The prime minister said the money would ensure "no child is left behind". Schools in England closed to most pupils in March 2020. They reopened to some year groups in the summer term, and to all pupils in September. But they closed again in January, and are not due to reopen until 8 March. Watch our explainer below on the Covid risk to pupils.

2. Republic of Ireland restrictions extended until 5 April

The Republic of Ireland will keep its highest level of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions until at least 5 April. The widely expected decision to maintain Level Five was taken at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, but primary schools will reopen on Monday for younger pupils. The Irish vaccination programme is several weeks behind the UK's and has been hampered by supply issues, and the relatively late authorisation of the AstraZeneca vaccine by the European Medicines Agency.

3. Showaddywaddy singer's 'brutal' Covid experience

The former lead singer of Showaddywaddy has advised people to get a vaccination after his "brutal" experience with Covid-19. Dave Bartram said he tested positive on 20 January, and "for a month it has been debilitating". He said: "It bears no relation to flu whatsoever. It is the most brutal virus I have ever experienced."

4. 'I missed 10 months of my husband's life when he needed me the most'

In May 2019, Lynn Parker's husband of 42 years, Alastair, moved into a care home after he was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis. She visited him almost every day until March 2020, when the pandemic forced her to stop. He died just before Christmas in a Caerphilly nursing home - she had last held his hand 10 months earlier. Mrs Parker thinks at least one family member should be able to make care home visits in Wales. Watch her story here.

5. How one school in England is preparing to return

Our education editor Branwen Jeffreys has visited a school in Shropshire to see how pupils and teachers are preparing for the reopening on 8 March. Measures will include voluntary Covid testing, and mask-wearing inside classrooms. "There's not really much you can do," says one pupil who has already been wearing masks in class. "You just have to try and get used to it."

Get a longer daily news briefing from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning, by signing up here.

And don't forget...

You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page. This page looks at the school reopening plan across the UK.

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2021-02-24 07:16:51Z
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Selasa, 23 Februari 2021

MPs call on Boris to celebrate end of Covid restrictions by giving Brits a bank holiday - The Sun

BORIS Johnson is facing calls to give the nation a bank holiday to celebrate the end of Covid restrictions, which are pencilled in for June 21.

A social media campaign was launched after the Prime Minister’s road map announcement.

🦠 Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates...

A social media campaign for a bank holiday on June 21 was launched after the Prime Minister’s road map announcementCredit: Alamy Live News

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey backed the demands, and called on Boris to use the day to commemorate the efforts of the NHS and carers.

He told The Sun: “The whole country needs a day off — a great British Summer bank holiday.

“That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a bank holiday to commemorate carers on the day legal Covid restrictions disappear.

“Hopefully, it’ll be a day for barbecues and picnics but with restrictions over at least we can all go to the pub if it rains!”

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has backed calls for an extra bank holiday on June 21Credit: Richard Townshend Photography

Tory MP Steve Baker, of the Covid Recovery Group, told The Sun: “I’d be delighted to have a one-off bank holiday to celebrate our freedom.”

A No10 spokesman refused to say whether the PM would support a bank holiday and stressed the Monday June 21 date was not yet set in stone.

He said: “As it says, June 21 is the earliest date for step four. We need to continue to look at the evidence and data.”

Fury at lockdown roadmap as 1,000 allowed at events but only 30 at weddings from May 17

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2021-02-23 23:05:00Z
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Rabu, 24 Februari 2021

Top news stories today

Coronavirus in Scotland

Keir Starmer's Labour leadership crisis deepens as his personal rating plummets below Boris Johnson’s as the PM enjoys a 'vaccine bounce' in the polls as he lays out his lockdown roadmap

More from UK

Review on masks

'Teacher burnout'

Analysis

1. Summer school for some pupils in England

2. Republic of Ireland restrictions extended until 5 April

3. Showaddywaddy singer's 'brutal' Covid experience

4. 'I missed 10 months of my husband's life when he needed me the most'

5. How one school in England is preparing to return

And don't forget...

Selasa, 23 Februari 2021