Covid: CO2 monitors for schools and Euro 2020 a 'significant risk' - BBC News

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

1. CO2 monitors for schools

Around 300,000 carbon dioxide monitors will be made available to schools in England to help improve ventilation and lessen the spread of Covid. The Department for Education says the portable monitors could be used to identify where more air-flow is needed. Teaching unions have been calling for urgent extra ventilation measures with masks and social distancing rules scrapped for the coming term.

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2. Euro 2020 'generated significant risk'

More than 9,000 cases of Covid were linked to people who attended Euro 2020 football matches, according to a paper published by Public Health England. Euro 2020 and England's progress to the final "generated a significant risk to public health across the UK", PHE concluded. But other mass events, including Wimbledon and the British Grand Prix, saw lower numbers of cases connected to them and the government says the data shows mass participation events can be conducted safely.

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3. Does catching Covid give better protection than a jab?

Is it better to get infected with Covid than get a booster jab? It might seem a strange question after months of trying to stop the virus from spreading but there are differences in a person's immune system after natural infection or a jab. Now that the majority of people have some immunity to the virus some experts think it may be better not to "over-vaccinate" and let the virus top up immunity over time. But there are also worries about the long-term effects of Covid on the body. Our health correspondent James Gallagher guides you through the discussion.

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4. India approves first DNA Covid vaccine

India's drug regulator has approved the world's first DNA vaccine against Covid-19 for emergency use. The three-dose vaccine, called ZyCoV-D, prevented symptomatic disease in 66% of those vaccinated, according to an interim study by its maker Cadila Healthcare. The firm plans to make up to 120 million doses. Previous DNA vaccines have worked well in animals but not humans.

zydus cadilla

5. The West End star who worked as a carer in lockdown

As theatres reopen actors will be swapping their lockdown jobs to get back on the stage once more. One of those who found alternative employment during the pandemic was Stephen Beckett. He plays one of the dads in the long-running Abba musical Mamma Mia. But during lockdown he worked with a care agency looking after elderly people. He says it is "really emotional" to be back on stage 16 months on.

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And there's more...

This time last year the UK was taking its first steps into what was the second wave of Covid. You can see how the figures compare with our current situation here.

Find further information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

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2021-08-21 06:43:50Z
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London: Police search for 49-year-old man after two bodies found in Westminster - Sky News

Police are searching for a 49-year-old man as part of a murder investigation after two bodies were found within hours of each other at separate London addresses.

Officers are trying to locate Lee Peacock and have asked people to contact the police immediately if they know of his whereabouts.

It follows emergency services being called to Ashbridge Street in Westminister just after 9.30pm on Thursday after concerns were raised for the wellbeing of people inside the property.

A 45-year-old woman was found with a knife injury and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

At 2.15am on Friday, police were alerted to reports of a man with a knife injury at a property in Jerome Crescent, about half a mile away.

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Paramedics confirmed a 59-year-old man had died.

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Inquiries are under way to trace the woman's next of kin, while the man's next of kin have been notified and are being supported by specialist officers.

No arrests have been made.

Lead investigator Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said: "I would urge anybody that knows the whereabouts of Lee Peacock to contact police immediately by calling 999.

"If seen, we would urge the public not to approach him, but contact police as soon as possible.

"At this early stage we are retaining an open mind concerning motive, but at this stage we are treating these crimes as linked.

"We are very keen to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious around Ashbridge Street or Jerome Crescent overnight. No matter how small or insignificant you think your information might be, please do get in touch."

Police cordons continue to be in place and additional police resources and patrols have been deployed throughout the area to provide local reassurance.

People witnessing anything suspicious are asked to call 101, quoting reference 7227/19AUG

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2021-08-21 08:05:00Z
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Covid: CO2 monitors pledged to aid school ventilation - BBC News

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Around 300,000 carbon dioxide monitors are to be made available to schools in England next term to help improve ventilation and lessen Covid outbreaks.

The Department for Education said the portable monitors could be used to identify areas where more air-flow is needed.

Teaching unions have been calling for urgent extra ventilation measures.

They welcomed the pledge, but added any ventilation needs picked up by the monitors must be acted upon.

Most Covid safety restrictions have been relaxed in England's schools. Neither masks, bubble groups nor socially distancing rules are required this coming term.

• Urgent call for Covid-safe ventilation in schools

• Air purifier pilot to combat school Covid spread

Many schools have been opening windows and doors to keep air moving around classrooms to lessen the likelihood of Covid outbreaks, but this is easier in warmer weather.

Pupils will be offered twice weekly Covid testing and two tests at school when the autumn term starts to lessen the amount of infection coming into school.

However, those who have come into contact with a confirmed case will no longer have to isolate.

The removal of restrictions has left teachers and some parents concerned that the mass-mixing of pupils may lead to a spike in Covid cases.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Providing all schools with CO2 monitors will help them make sure they have the right balance of measures in place, minimising any potential disruption to education and allowing them to focus on world class lessons and catch up for the children who need it.

"By keeping up simple measures such as ventilation and testing, young people can now enjoy more freedom at school and college," he added.

Last minute

The DfE says it is prioritising special schools and alternative provision for the delivery of CO2 monitors, as they are likely to have higher rates of vulnerable pupils.

But a statement on Friday made clear that this £25m batch of CO2 monitors has yet to be fully procured, less than two weeks before many schools return.

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However, it said: "All schools and colleges are expected to receive at least partial allocations during the autumn term, enabling all settings to monitor areas where they believe airflow may be weakest."

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "In truth, this equipment should have been in place ready for the start of the autumn term, and arguably a lot earlier in the crisis, but it is a case of better late than never.

"Government guidance to schools and colleges on reducing the risk of coronavirus transmission highlights the importance of keeping spaces well ventilated, but doesn't go much further than recommending that windows should be opened to improve natural ventilation.

"This is challenging in the depths of a British winter and does not make for an environment which is conducive to learning. Our understanding is that carbon dioxide monitors will indicate when spaces need ventilating thereby reducing the need to keep windows open all the time."

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: "This is a really welcome first step in accepting our argument that funding is needed for good ventilation.

"It follows examples set by administrations in New York City, Scotland and Ireland.

"Sadly, Gavin Williamson failed to get on the front-foot over the summer but the initial investment of £25m in CO2 monitors is welcome now and will start to make a difference. It is vital, though, that government must also commit to supporting schools to address any ventilation problems identified by these monitors."

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2021-08-20 23:32:24Z
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Brexit trade war looming as crunch talks with EU risk boiling over -UK rejects hated rules - Daily Express

The threat of a “sausage war” will loom over the discussions as officials work to thrash out a solution to end trade disruptions in the region. Wrangling will likely focus on an EU ban on British chilled meats, such as sausages and burgers, being sold in Northern Ireland. A grace period from the EU’s red tape is set to expire at the end of next month, meaning the sale of British bangers must be stopped in the area’s supermarkets unless an agreement is found.

Ministers are privately planning whether to override the Brexit treaty and unilaterally extend the grace period to protect supplies.

Brussels chief Maros Sefcovic has previously threatened to react “swiftly, firmly and resolutely” if Britain unilaterally extends the grace period in the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Any such action would likely prompt further legal action that could ultimately lead to punitive tariffs on British exports and the suspension of parts of the post-Brexit trade agreement.

Mr Sefcovic, the EU’s Brexit negotiator, has vowed to be “flexible” in finding solutions that protect Northern Ireland’s place within the UK.

But this is not a position shared by some member states and the EU Parliament, who are pushing for a hardline interpretation of the rules to avoid a hard border.

In order to keep the frontier open, Northern Ireland essentially has remained within the single market, with a number of checks on goods shipped from mainland Britain.

Brexit minister Lord Frost has argued that these have had a significant impact on the region, including a chilling effect to trade.

Unionists are furious and have argued the measures have driven a wedge between them and the rest of the UK.

Downing Street has tabled a series of proposals that would see the legal text of the protocol renegotiated to remove most of customs controls in the Irish Sea and strip the European Court of Justice’s powers to enforce the rules.

But Brussels has rejected any such any bid to rewrite the treaty and has instead pushed to use “flexibilities” within the agreement to relieve the burden on the people of Northern Ireland.

Sources on both sides have confirmed “technical talks” over the UK’s Command Paper have been ongoing since its publication.

A British official told Express.co.uk: “We received a constructive reply from the Commission in response to our request for a standstill on existing arrangements.

MUST READ: Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nigel Farage slam Brussels

While not wanting to issue the EU with an ultimatum, the Brexit minister has previously stressed that “all options remain on the table” in regards to the Protocol.

This could include triggering the Article 16 clause to override the EU-ordered customs controls for Northern Ireland.

Mr Sefcovic is also expected to travel to London for further talks, which are likely to be frantic because of looming deadlines.

The grace period on chilled meats will expire on September 30, meaning sausages and mince produced in England could be banned in the province.

Separate waivers on the movement of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is due to expire in January.

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2021-08-20 23:01:00Z
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Mehmet Altun: 13-year-old Bournemouth boy dies of suspected drugs overdose - Sky News

A teenage boy has been arrested after a 13-year-old died from a suspected drugs overdose.

Mehmet Altun was admitted to hospital on Thursday after falling ill in Bournemouth.

He was taken to hospital for treatment but later died.

Dorset Police said officers are awaiting results of a post-mortem examination but believe he died of a drugs overdose.

A 14-year-old boy from Bournemouth has been arrested on suspicion of supplying a Class A controlled drug and is helping officers with inquiries.

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Detective Inspector Neil Third, who is leading the investigation, has appealed for anyone with information that could help their investigation to come forward.

He said: "We believe that Mehmet went out with his bike for a while between approximately 12.10pm and 1.45pm. The bike is described as an orange/red mountain bike with two different types of wheels.

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"I am hoping that somebody saw him during that time and can help us establish where he went and whether he met up with anyone.

"Anyone with information that might help our investigation is urged to contact us."

He stressed that it has not been confirmed yet why Mehmet died, but urged people to "please think again" before taking illegal substances.

"You can never be sure what you are taking when you use illegal substances and the side-effects are unpredictable and potentially may have tragic consequences," he added.

Class A drugs are considered by law to be the most harmful, with penalties for supplying them including up to life in prison.

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2021-08-21 00:44:43Z
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Bournemouth boy, 13, dies of suspected drug overdose - BBC News

Family handout via Dorset Police

A 13-year-old boy has died following what police believe was a suspected drugs overdose.

Mehmet Altun, from Bournemouth, died after emergency services were called to Columbia Road on Thursday at about 17:00 BST and he was taken to hospital.

A 14-year-old boy from Bournemouth has been arrested on suspicion of supplying a class A drug, Dorset Police said.

Investigating officers have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Det Insp Neil Third said: "This is a very tragic incident with such a young life being lost and my thoughts go out to Mehmet's family and friends.

"A post-mortem examination has not yet taken place, but we currently suspect that he died of a drugs overdose."

'Please think again'

Officers believe Mehmet went out with his bike between approximately 12:10 and 13:45 BST.

Det Insp Third added the bike was an orange and red mountain bike with two different types of wheels, and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

"I would like to stress that it has not been confirmed yet why Mehmet died," he said, but appealed to people considering taking drugs to "please think again".

"You can never be sure what you are taking when you use illegal substances and the side-effects are unpredictable and potentially may have tragic consequences," he said.

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2021-08-20 20:06:55Z
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Afghanistan: PM 'absolutely' has confidence in Raab and government working 'virtually around the clock' - Sky News

Boris Johnson says he "absolutely" has confidence in Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab - and insisted the government is working "virtually around the clock" to help evacuate people from Afghanistan.

Speaking after a meeting of the government's emergency COBRA committee on Friday afternoon, Mr Johnson dismissed criticism of Mr Raab's summer holiday as Afghanistan's capital Kabul fell to the Taliban.

The foreign secretary, who is reported to have spent time on the beach in Crete as Afghanistan was captured by the extremist group, has been accused of failing to call the country's foreign minister as part of a bid to rescue interpreters who worked with UK forces.

Image: Dominic Raab has faced calls to resign over his handling of the Afghanistan crisis

The prime minister said the current situation in Kabul was "getting slightly better" and there had been a "stabilisation" at the city's airport.

However, Sky News' chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay on Friday described "simply horrendous" scenes as he reported from outside Kabul's airport.

"Yesterday we were able to get out about 1,000 people, today another 1,000 people," Mr Johnson said of the ongoing British evacuation effort.

"A lot of those are obviously UK eligible persons coming back to this country and a lot of them are people coming under the Afghanistan resettlement assistance programme, the ARAP (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy).

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"Those are the people, the interpreters and others, to whom we owe debts of gratitude and honour.

"We'll continue to work as fast as we can over the next few days."

The prime minister said he was "not going to pretend" that the evacuation effort was "easy", adding: "As you can imagine, the logistical challenges are formidable."

Mr Johnson admitted the situation in Kabul was "precarious" with "crowd management issues" around the city's airport.

But he denied that Mr Raab's failure to make a call to the Afghan foreign minister last week had made the current evacuation effort harder.

"I can tell you that the whole of the government has been working virtually around the clock, hitting the phones, to do what we can to sort it out; to deal with a situation that has been long in gestation and to make sure that we get as many people back as possible," Mr Johnson said.

The prime minister acknowledged that, in order to find a longer-term solution in Afghanistan, the UK might work with the Taliban "if necessary" as part of a "lasting" commitment to the country.

He also expressed his hope that the Taliban "mean what they say" in their commitments on not allowing the country to become a base for international terrorism.

"I think it's very important that we take people at face value," he said.

And Mr Johnson stressed, despite its fall into Taliban control, the UK had a "huge record to be proud of in Afghanistan" after its 20-year engagement in the country.

"It bears repeating that the UK Armed Forces, UK diplomats, aid workers, did help to change the lives of literally millions of people in Afghanistan, to help educate millions of women and young girls who would otherwise not have been educated, and to stop terrorism from coming to this country," the prime minister added.

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'We're not going to be here forever'

Mr Johnson said US President Joe Biden's decision to proceed with the pull-out of American troops from Afghanistan meant "this was never going to be an easy moment".

"We went into Afghanistan to support and to help protect the US, so when the US decides emphatically to withdraw in the way that they have, clearly we're going to have to manage the consequences," he said.

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Earlier on Friday, Mr Johnson welcomed to Downing Street some of the former Afghan staff who were employed by the UK in their country and who have since been resettled in Britain under the ARAP scheme.

The prime minister described the evacuation of British nationals, eligible persons and those who qualify under the ARAP scheme over the coming days as the "first phase" of the UK's response to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

The UK has also committed to taking up to 5,000 Afghan refugees in the first year of a new and separate resettlement scheme, and up to 20,000 in the longer-term.

Image: The PM met with those Afghans who have relocated to the UK through the ARAP scheme Pic: Simon Dawson/Downing St

Mr Johnson said there was an "important distinction" between the two commitments.

"Some people want to come out and so we have the ARAP scheme, we've got the eligible persons scheme, and we'll be doing that over the next few days and weeks," he added.

"But then the longer-term ambition to help people resettle from Afghanistan, that's a longer-term thing.

"People listening to this, maybe even in Kabul or who are in Afghanistan, should understand that they don't need to make use of, to apply for that scheme, they don't need to do it in the next few days up until the end of August.

"They'll be time for that. We want to make sure that we're ready, that we have housing that people need and we're able to accommodate them over the next years."

Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy told Sky News it was "simply unacceptable" that the UK was "scrambling to get people out" of Afghanistan after having had 18 months to prepare for the planned withdrawal of US troops.

"I've had an email from a major in the Afghan army who's been targeted by the Taliban," she said.

"He has three young children, he can't get through on the hotlines, the MP for the area where there are many soldiers who served with him cannot get a response from the foreign office.

"This is just simply unacceptable - after 18 months we should not be in a situation where we're scrambling to get people out and the defence secretary (Ben Wallace) is saying 'we're just simply not going to manage it' and some people are going to be left to die."

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2021-08-20 18:11:15Z
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