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Coronavirus in UK

Significant rate of increase in infections across England

The rate of coronavirus infections has been increasing across the country, Professor Chris Whitty has said.
Cases in over-60s are also "going up across the country", he said, which means more people will need NHS care.
Data shows hospital admissions are rising in every age group over 45 years old, and the number of hospital inpatients with COVID-19 is expected to increase in the coming weeks.
The death rate is still rising, but is still "significantly below the peak" in April, Professor Whitty added.
 
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A five-week 'circuit break' lockdown will start in England on Thursday, Boris Johnson has announced

People will only be allowed to leave their homes for specific reasons, including education, work, food shopping and exercise.

Different households will not be able to mix, but support bubbles and childcare bubbles will remain and children can still move between homes if their parents are separated.

Pubs, bars and restaurants will close - although will still be able to offer takeaway services - and non-essential shops will also be shut.
 
England will enter a month-long lockdown from Thursday, Boris Johnson has announced.

Until 2 December, people in England will only be allowed to leave their homes for specific reasons, such as education, work or food shopping.

Schools, colleges and universities will remain open while those who cannot work from home, such as construction or manufacturing workers, will be encouraged to continue going to their workplaces.

Pubs, bars and restaurants will close across the country, although they will be able to offer takeaway and delivery services.

Non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure and entertainment venues will also be shut.

Different households will be banned from mixing, although support bubbles and childcare bubbles will remain and children will still be able to move between homes if their parents are separated.

Gyms will be shut but people can continue to exercise for unlimited periods outdoors, either with people from their own households or on a one-to-one basis with one person from another household.

People will be able to travel internationally for work, but won't be allowed to go abroad for holidays.

Premier League football and other elite sports will be allowed to continue, due to the testing regimes in place for professional sportspeople, but amateur sports will be put on hold.

The prime minister announced the new nationwide restrictions at a Downing Street news conference, with MPs expected to vote on the fresh measures on Wednesday.

Mr Johnson has taken the action after warnings from the government's scientific advisers that hospitals could run out of beds by early December without new measures.

Until now, the government has been pursuing a localised approach to COVID-19 restrictions, with England divided into three levels of measures, depending on local infection rates.

The government's aim is that, after the month-long period of tougher national measures, different parts of the country will be released back into the existing three tiers, depending on regional transmission rates.

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Johnson's top ministers were briefed by the government's scientists prior to a remote cabinet meeting.

The prime minister also held talks with senior Conservative MPs.
 
England will begin a month-long lockdown on Thursday - with Boris Johnson saying acting now could allow families to spend Christmas together.

Pubs, restaurants, gyms, non-essential shops and places of worship will close, but schools, colleges and universities can stay open.

The announcement has sparked anger from some Tory MPs, and business leaders have warned of a "bleak midwinter".

Mr Johnson is expected to deliver a statement in the Commons on Monday.

MPs will vote on the latest restrictions on Wednesday, and Labour has indicated it will back the lockdown.
 
English lockdown may last beyond 2 Dec, says Gove

Michael Gove says it is his "fervent hope" that England's new lockdown will end on 2 December - but that ministers will be "guided by the facts".

"We do need to get the R rate below 1," the Cabinet Office minister told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

The strict measures are due to come into force from Thursday.

Pubs, restaurants, gyms, non-essential shops and places of worship will close, but schools, colleges and universities can stay open.

The prime minister is expected to deliver a statement in the Commons on Monday before a vote on the latest restrictions on Wednesday. Labour has said it will back the lockdown.

Boris Johnson said he expects the lockdown to last until 2 December, after which England's regional tiered system will be reintroduced.

But Mr Gove told the BBC decisions would "obviously be guided by the facts".

He said ministers believe "on the basis of the evidence that we have that we will be able to [lift restrictions]" by 2 December.

But he stressed that "we do need to get the R rate [the number of people that one infected person will infect] below 1".

Earlier, he told Sky News the lockdown could be extended beyond the December deadline.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54767118
 
Covid 19: Prince William 'tested positive in April'

The Duke of Cambridge contracted Covid-19 earlier this year, palace sources have told the BBC.

It is believed he tested positive in April at a similar time to his father, the Prince of Wales.

According to the Sun newspaper, which first reported the story, Prince William, 38, kept his diagnosis private to avoid alarming the nation.

Kensington Palace, the office and home of Prince William, refused to comment officially.

Prince William, second in line to the throne, did not tell anyone about his positive test result because "there were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone", according to the Sun.

He was treated by palace doctors and followed government guidelines by isolating at the family home Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, the paper added.

BBC royal correspondent, Jonny Dymond, said Prince William's condition may not have been revealed publicly at the time as they may have wanted to avoid further alarm, given the national mood.

"But the palace also tries to preserve some privacy for the Royal Family," our correspondent adds.

Prince William reportedly carried out 14 telephone and video call engagements during April.

Earlier in that month, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge video-called the children of key workers at a primary school in Burnley, Lancashire.

Prince Charles contracted coronavirus in March and spent seven days self-isolating in Scotland after displaying mild symptoms.

The Prince of Wales, 71, later said he "got away with it quite lightly".

In April, Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.

The prime minister was moved to intensive care and later thanked healthcare workers for saving his life, saying it "could have gone either way".

News of Prince William's diagnosis comes days before England is due to enter a second national lockdown, with four-week measures to start on Thursday.

The UK recorded another 23,254 confirmed cases of coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 1,034,914.

Another 162 people were reported to have died within 28 days of a positive test. It brings the total number of UK deaths to 46,717.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54774942.
 
Covid in Scotland: New five-level regional restrictions go live

Scotland's new Covid restrictions come into force on Monday as England prepares for another national lockdown.

The regional system has five levels but each of the country's 32 local authorities has initially been graded between levels 1 and 3.

People under level 3 restrictions have been told to make only essential journeys outside their council area.

The launch comes amid ongoing calls for clarity from the Treasury over the extension to the furlough scheme.

To prevent any confusion around the local levels a postcode tracker has been launched so people can check the regulations - which take effect from 06:00.

Ms Sturgeon said the new system would allow a quick and flexible response, especially in areas where the virus was spreading.

She added: "It's crucial that everyone knows what level their local authority is in and that they stick to the rules in their area.

"The postcode tracker will be a vital tool in helping to ensure this happens."

'Tighter restrictions'
Ms Sturgeon said that while prevalence of the virus was lower in Scotland than in other parts of the UK there could be no room for complacency.

She warned: "No one wants to see tighter restrictions but people can be reassured that, if we need to put in place the protections that come with higher levels, we will not hesitate to do so.

"I also urge everyone to follow two key national restrictions by not mixing with other households inside our homes, and not travelling to or from any part of the country in level 3 unless it is absolutely essential."

Senior school pupils in level 3 areas will also now be required to wear face coverings in class, not just in communal areas.

Latest figures on Sunday revealed there were 1,148 new Covid cases in the previous 24 hours - 7% of those tested - and six further deaths.

A health board breakdown of positive results confirmed NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (443 new cases) , NHS Lanarkshire (253) and NHS Lothian (140) remain the major hotspots.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney told BBC's Politics Scotland household and hospitality restrictions introduced in September have put Scotland in a "stronger position" than England.

But he also said it would be "foolish" to rule out moving to a nationwide lockdown in future if efforts to suppress the virus are unsuccessful.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-54771868.
 
Covid: PM warns of virus deaths 'twice as bad' as spring

Covid-19 deaths could be twice as high over the winter as they were in the first wave of the pandemic, PM Boris Johnson is expected to warn MPs later.

In a Parliamentary statement he will say there is "no alternative" as he seeks to win support for the planned four-week lockdown across England.

But Mr Johnson will explain he was "right to try every possible option" before ordering people to stay at home.

Labour has said it will back the lockdown but criticised the delay.

Mr Johnson announced at a Downing Street news conference on Saturday that strict measures would be imposed across England from Thursday, closing pubs, restaurants, gyms, non-essential shops and places of worship.

Full details of the regulations are expected to be published before MPs vote on the measure on Wednesday.

However, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick confirmed that moving house will still be allowed during the restrictions, adding that removals firms, estate agents and tradespeople can continue to work but must follow Covid safety guidelines.

In his address to MPs, the prime minister is expected to say: "Models of our scientists suggest that unless we act now, we could see deaths over the winter that are twice as bad or more compared with the first wave.

"Faced with these latest figures, there is no alternative but to take further action at a national level."

Mr Johnson is expected to acknowledge that some MPs believe "we should have reached this decision earlier", but will defend his earlier decision to try to control the virus with "strong local action and strong local leadership".

The prime minister is due to tell MPs that the government will "seek to ease restrictions" on 2 December and return to the current three-tier system.

On Sunday, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the lockdown could be extended if it took longer to bring the transmission rate of the virus down.

Mr Johnson faces a rebellion from several senior Tory MPs, including Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers.

Mr Brady told BBC Radio 4's The Westminster Hour: "If these kinds of measures were being taken in any totalitarian country around the world, we would be denouncing it as a form of evil - and here the removal of people's fundamental liberties is going almost without comment."
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The "repetitive cycle" of lockdowns was damaging livelihoods, relationships and mental health, Sir Graham said, adding that it was infringing people's basic rights to freedom of association and family life.

Former cabinet minister Esther McVey said she would vote against the restrictions, adding: "The 'lockdown cure' is causing more harm than Covid.

"The world cannot be put on hold, and the government must stop pressing the pause and stop button for the whole nation on a whim, with all the disastrous effects this brings to our lives, livelihoods, health and relationships."

Former party leader Iain Duncan Smith said the lockdown decision was a "body blow" to people in England and accused the government of "giving in" to scientific advisers.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54773196.
 
The UK has recorded another 18,950 coronavirus cases and a further 136 deaths related to the disease, officials figures show.

This is down from 19,790 positive tests and 151 deaths reported last Monday and fewer than the 23,254 new infections and 162 new deaths yesterday.
 
North West Ambulance Service has declared a major incident due to a high level of calls and says anyone whose call is not life-threatening may be asked to seek an alternative source of care or make their own way to hospital
 
Covid-19 payments 'made in error' will be recovered, says Dodds

All payments made in error through Stormont's emergency Covid grant scheme will be recovered, Economy Minister Diane Dodds has said.

A £10,000 payment was sent automatically to any business in receipt of small business rates relief, but some were found to be ineligible.

Mrs Dodds said of the 452 payments made incorrectly, 74 have been recouped by her department.

Three Sinn Féin offices each mistakenly received £10,000.

They were repaid but the delay in returning the payments has led to the resignations of four party members.

Former Foyle MP and Irish senator Elisha McCallion and West Tyrone MLA Catherine Kelly were among those who stepped down.

No Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians received the payment but a landlord who rents an office to DUP MP Paul Girvan received a grant, however this has now been repaid.

First Minister Arlene Foster has said she supports a call for police to investigate delays in repaying Covid support payments made in error.

Mrs Foster told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme her party could not "deal with a situation where tenants are taking responsibility for their landlords' actions".

"It's not the fact that people received the money in error, it's the fact that the money hadn't been returned after seven months."

n a statement issued on Monday, Cinq Properties Ltd, which rents office space to Mr Girvan, confirmed it did "receive an unsolicited £10,000 small business grant earlier this year".

"However, it has now transpired that the company was not entitled to this grant," the firm said.

"Several attempts were made to repay the funds and the £10,000 was repaid to an account of the Department of Finance on Friday."

Last week, Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said the "incorrect" payments came to the attention of the party's leadership on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October and were repaid on those dates.

Investigation request
On Friday, it emerged Gary Middleton from the DUP had asked police to carry out a criminal investigation into the delayed repayments.

The PSNI said it was considering whether a criminal investigation is required.

"I think Gary is right to report this to the police," Mrs Foster said on Monday.

"The money is not theirs, the money was received in error and therefore it should have been returned."

She added that public representatives have "particular duty" over public funds.

"It's up to the police, of course, whether they decide to instigate a criminal investigation but I absolutely support my party colleague in the complaint he has made."

'Accountability for taxpayers' money'
Payments were also sent to 52 wind turbine owners who were ineligible.

Appearing in the assembly on Monday to face MLAs about the matter, Mrs Dodds defended her department's handling of the scheme.

She said ineligible payments issued amounted to less than 2% of all grants approved by the Department of the Economy back in March.

"I am content my department took the necessary and swift action to support tens of thousands of businesses and jobs under threat caused by Covid-19," she added.

"My department is committed to undertaking a post-scheme evaluation and will put in a place a process."

The small business rates relief grant scheme closed on 20 October.

"Payments made in error will be recovered and we will be writing to everyone that we identify as being ineligible for payment and asking them to return the money," insisted the minister.

"It is important that we have proper accountability for taxpayers' money and indeed particularly important at a time like this when so many businesses and individuals are suffering."

The controversy was first revealed by the BBC's Stephen Nolan Show last week.

Following Ms Kelly's resignation, Sinn Féin's leader said the party's examination of the matter was now complete.

Meanwhile Sinn Féin have seven days to replace Ms Kelly as MLA for West Tyrone once her resignation letter has been handed in.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54776547.
 
Coronavirus lockdown: PM warns UK faces 'medical disaster' without action

The UK faces a "medical and moral disaster" unless tough action is taken now to stop the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

He told MPs there was "no alternative" but to introduce a national lockdown - which is due to begin on Thursday - to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed.

MPs will vote on the plans in the Commons on Wednesday.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the PM of a "catastrophic failure of leadership" over the pandemic.

Sir Keir - who started calling for a short lockdown or circuit-breaker in October - criticised the government's "inaction", saying it meant the lockdown would be "harder, longer and more damaging than it needed to be".

The prime minister was speaking in the Commons two days after announcing the lockdown at a televised press conference.

Outlining the measures again, along with details of further support for businesses and jobs, Mr Johnson told MPs the government would double its support from 40% to 80% of trading profits for the self-employed from next month - as well as extending the furlough scheme.

Following earlier confusion over whether the furlough scheme would apply UK-wide, the PM suggested it would be available for parts of the UK where there is a Covid-19 lockdown in the future.

He said the latest national restrictions would not be a return to the "full-scale lockdown of March and April", but he apologised for the "anguish" the restrictions would cause people and businesses.

Mr Johnson also warned that without action "the sick would be turned away because there was no room in our hospitals," with doctors and nurses potentially "forced to choose which patients to treat, who would live and who would die".

On Monday, the UK recorded 18,950 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 136 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

The PM said the lockdown regulations would end at 00:01 GMT on 2 December, with MPs given a vote on what should replace them.

Mr Johnson insisted he had been right to "try every possible option" to get the virus under control at a local level before imposing a nationwide lockdown - and denied that the UK had been slower to act than other countries in Europe.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54783076.
 
UK cyber-threat agency confronts Covid-19 attacks

More than a quarter of the incidents which the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) responded to were covid-related, according to its latest annual report.

The review covers the period from September 2019 to August 2020, so the pandemic occupied an even higher proportion of the agency's efforts after the first lockdown began.

In total there were 723 incidents of all kinds, marking close to a 10% rise on the previous period.

Of those, 194 were Covid-related.

Some of the incidents related to countering nation-state attacks, but most were criminal in nature, the GCHQ division reported.

It also disclosed that it had thwarted 15,354 campaigns that had used coronavirus themes as a "lure" to fool people into clicking on a link or opening an attachment containing malicious software.

Some involved fake shops selling PPE (personal protective equipment), test kits and even vaccines.

Vaccine hackers
Protecting the NHS and health-related research has been a priority, the report said..

In July, the UK accused Russia of trying to steal vaccine-related information through cyber-espionage.

And officials said they had continued to see an "ongoing threat" of states targeting the vaccine research-and-delivery programme.

The NCSC said it had scanned more than one million NHS IP (internet protocol) addresses to look for vulnerabilities, and had shared 51,000 indicators of compromise.

It has also carried out "threat hunting" to look for security risks on connected devices, and worked on the security of the NHS Covid-19 contact-tracing app.

Aggressive ransomware attacks
The NCSC also warned ransomware attacks had become more common.

Ransomware locks people out of their computers and demands victims make a blackmail payment to restore access - and even then it is not always granted.

The NCSC said it had handled more than three times as many ransomware incidents as in the previous year.

These included an attack against Redcar and Cleveland Council which, the officials said, had "caused considerable damage and disruption".

The report added the NCSC had observed a growing trend for such attacks to be more targeted and aggressive than previously.

Rather than just locking people out of access to their data until a ransom was paid, attackers often warned they would embarrass victims if they refused to comply.

"We have seen the threat of data being leaked," Paul Chichester, director of operations, told the BBC.

Examples included details of staff salaries being published online.

This meant victims were at risk even if they have backed up their data.

However, the NCSC said the UK did not appear to be as heavily targeted as some countries, because British victims were less likely to pay the attackers.

Punch-tape replacement
The NCSC has also been working to increase skills and diversity in the cyber-security industry.

It said almost 12,000 girls had taken part in its 2020 competition. However, an advert for the government's related CyberFirst campaign was widely criticised last month for featuring a ballerina and the slogan "Fatima's next job could be in cyber".

The report also highlighted the agency's role in protecting parliament as it became "virtual" to prevent hacking of debates or votes.

And it revealed that the NCSC had just updated the system for producing cryptographic keys, which encrypt classified government and military systems.

A new electronic system was introduced to replace old-fashioned punch-tape.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54782258.
 
The Department of Health says a further 397 people have died with Covid-19 while a further 20,018 people have tested positive in the past 24 hours.
 
Glitch caused self-isolation orders to be too long

More than 7,200 people in England were told to stop self-isolating on the wrong date by the Test and Trace scheme as a result of a software error.

The Department of Health said most of those affected had subsequently been contacted with the correct information.

People had been told to isolate for too long, rather than being told they could mix with others too soon, it added.

The mistake - which was first reported by Sky News - follows a series of other software-based Covid-19 foul-ups.

Last month, the BBC revealed how an oversight in the use of Microsoft's Excel software led to nearly 16,000 coronavirus cases going unreported in England.

And on the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that a risk-score threshold used by the NHS Covid-19 app to trigger self-isolate alerts had been lowered weeks later than intended. In that case, officials are still carrying out checks to identify the "root cause".

October error
A total of 7,230 individuals were involved in the latest error.

Officials believe it resulted from an internal update to the system used by human contact tracers, who identify people believed to have recently been close to those diagnosed with the coronavirus.

The system is used to calculate how long the original person who tested positive should keep away from others. It also does the isolation calculation for those they had been in close proximity to, who are contacted via follow-up phone calls, emails and/or text messages.

It is completely separate to the automated contact tracing system used by the app.

The update was made on 22 October and affected a total of 7,230 people before the problem was rectified on 27 October.

Of those:

4,775 people still in self-isolation were later contacted with the correct end date
2,455 individuals had already ended their self-isolation
"We have reassessed the self-isolation periods for a number of people who were contact traced, following close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19," a Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54797921.
 
A further 25,177 people have tested positive for #COVID19 in the UK and another 492 have died after contracting the virus, according to the latest government data
 
Lockdown: 'I swing between anger, hope, despair'

Months of worry and sleepless nights has taken its toll on Helen Godbold-Eade. "I swing between anger and depression, hope and despair," she said. "And exhaustion, always exhaustion."

Like millions of the UK's self-employed and owners of small businesses, she suffered a dramatic coronavirus hit to trading. But what has made things so much worse, she says, is not being able to access vital support.

On Monday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that from Thursday the self-employed would get enhanced help for the month of November - 80% of their trading profits instead of 40%.

Not Helen, though. In fact, she is one of an estimated 2.9 million self-employed and freelancers who have never been entitled to the job support package put in place when lockdown was imposed in March.

The injustice, she says, is corrosive. "It's really hard to stay positive when you have so much fear about having enough to live on."

There are several reasons some self-employed cannot access the relief. For some it's because they are newly-self employed and do not have the necessary financial track record. For others, it's because they earned too much in recent years to qualify.

But Helen is disqualified from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) because her property administration company, Like-Clockwork, pays her in dividends - a perfectly legal method used by tens of thousands of directors.

"I pay £48 less tax per year than my sole-trader colleagues. I take £12,000 a year via PAYE, and between £10,000 and £12,000 a year via dividends - but only if I've made enough profit. That's why I do this model.

"The government has said those paid in dividends can't claim any support as they can't tell whether the dividend has come from my business or from investments. Utter tosh. It's on my company accounts and my tax returns."

Savings gone
Working from home means other grants and rates relief are not applicable, and she does not want to risk taking on debt via a Bounce Back Loan because the future of her 15-year-old business looks so uncertain.

She said: "Turnover has halved due to Covid 19, and there's no way of knowing what will happen in the coming months. The stress and worry has been really hard to live with. It's with me 24/7. Sleepless nights are the norm."

Helen says she has exhausted her savings, and relentless job-hunting has so far failed to turn up any work. "But I'm trying to stay positive and support others who are going through worse," she said.

People in a similar position say support groups, such as ExcludedUK, which campaigns on behalf of the left-behind, have been vital in getting them through the last six months.

"We're all part of the same sinking ship, but ExcludedUK has been a lifesaver," said Huw Davies.

Aged 60, he had one eye on a comfortable retirement. Now, with work having dried up and his savings slowly eroding, the IT project manager can only see his financial desperation getting worse.

"If nothing improves, in a few months I'll have to put the company into bankruptcy and move back into my mother's house," he said. "I'm just so very anxious about my future. It looks bad."

Huw said he doesn't qualify for self-employed support because of an "arbitrary" tax deadline. He paid his tax bill on 4 April, but to qualify the Treasury wanted tax paid in March, he said. "They have got seven years' worth of proof about my tax and earnings, but that's not enough.

"I'm too old to get another job; I must have applied for 70-80. I'm surviving on my retirement savings and money that I put aside to pay a tax bill next April."

He gets Universal Credit but says it's not enough to cover the rent. A divorcee, he used to help out his three grown up children financially, but now doesn't even have enough spare cash for a night out.

Like Huw, Julie Headley has survived by eating into personal savings and money set aside for next year's tax bill. She has taken out a £19,000 bounce back loan, but it doesn't come close to meeting her outgoings.

She doesn't qualify for self-employed support because profits for the last three years at her dog day care and boarding business, Coventry-based Out of the Dog House, have been "just over" the £50,000 cut-off.

'Ruin and poverty'
"During the first lockdown, business just ceased. No income. People were either working from home or furloughed, so didn't need our services," she said.

To survive, she cancelled some insurances, took a vehicle off the road, and cut back on purchases. She knows many other people face hardship, but feels her plight is made worse by a seemingly arbitrary rule.

"Why the cut-off of £50,000 for the self-employed? There was no cut-off for PAYE, just a cap on the grant allowed. It's so unfair," she said.

"I keep hearing the chancellor say he's increased support. Yes, but he's not changed the criteria for who can get that support. It's a mess, a shambles."

The end result will be the collapse of otherwise profitable companies, Julie said. "That will mean more expense for the government in benefit payments, a loss of tax revenue, and fewer people able to repay the bounce-back loans.

"And all this is in addition to the stress caused for business owners and their families, and the prospect of ruin and poverty."

The Treasury declined to comment specifically on those excluded from SEISS support, but pointed the BBC to a Commons statement on Tuesday by the Chief Secretary, Stephen Barclay.

He acknowledged that some people are not covered, calling the issue an "area of much debate". However, he added, the government has "offered over £30bn of support to the self-employed, which is generous by international standards".
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54801069.
 
Coronavirus: Which shops will be allowed to open in lockdown?

From Thursday 5 November, England will go into lockdown for a second time as the country battles a surge in coronavirus cases.

Until 2 December there will be strict curbs on socialising and travel, but also on which shops and businesses can remain open.

Which retailers are staying open?
Any retailer selling "essential" goods and services may stay open to the public as long as they follow coronavirus guidelines and make their premises covid-secure.

Those on the list include:

Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres, hardware stores, building merchants and off-licences
Petrol Stations, car repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, and taxi and vehicle hire businesses
Banks, building societies, post offices, loan providers and money transfer businesses
Medical services such as dentists, opticians and pharmacies
Vets and pet shops
Agricultural supplies shops
Other High Street businesses staying open include storage facilities, funeral directors, launderettes, dry cleaners and car parks.

Public toilets and motorway service stations are also on the list.

Which shops will shut?
All "non-essential" retail must close from Thursday but can still offer click-and-collect services - where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises - as well as online delivery.

Those due to shut include:

Clothing shops
Homeware and furniture stores
Electronic goods and mobile phone shops
Vehicle showrooms (other than for rental)
Betting shops
Tailors
Tobacco and vape shops
Market stalls selling non-essential goods
What about hospitality, beauty and leisure?
High Street hospitality businesses such as cafes, restaurants and pubs must shut unless they are providing food and drink for takeaway before 10pm, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery.

Customers will only be able to order alcohol over the phone or online, and won't be able to eat and drink outside the premises unless they are at an airport, for example.

Hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons must also close - along with tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, and body and skin piercing services. It is prohibited to provide these services in other peoples' homes.

In addition, hotels, hostels and guest houses will have to shut except under specific circumstances.

Leisure and entertainment venues must also close, from gyms and swimming pools to theatres, cinemas and museums.

What will be different this time?
Unlike in March, when the first lockdown began, garden centres will be allowed to stay open from day one.

Homeware and furniture shops will also be shutting after being allowed to reopen part way through the last lockdown, in May.

While hotels will close to tourists, people will be able to use them if it is essential to their work - not just if the accommodation is their main residence or they are unable to return home.

In general, businesses are better prepared for this lockdown, in terms of having protective measures in place and access to government support schemes from day one. That should mean fewer retailers choose to shut when there's no legal obligation to.

WH Smith for instance will keep most of its High Street stores open, when last time it only opened shops in hospitals or which contained Post Offices.

Will supermarkets be able to sell non-essential goods?
There was confusion during the first lockdown over whether essential retailers could sell non-essential goods like clothes, toys and homewares.

It is unclear whether the government will ask supermarkets in England to cordon off clothing aisles this time around, as Wales' has done for its current national lockdown.

The government is due to release more guidance for England soon.

What are the rules on shops in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
There are different coronavirus restrictions for the devolved nations.

Scotland is operating a five-tier system, in which non-essential shops must close in the highest risk areas - although nowhere is at this level yet.

Wales is currently under a 17-day "fire break" lockdown which ends on 9 November. Until then all non-essential shops have been made to close.

In Northern Ireland all non-essential shops remain open.

Is non-essential retail classified differently in Wales and Scotland?
On the whole no, but there are differences.

In Wales garden centres, homeware stores and markets have had to shut in its lockdown, along with shopping centres and arcades.

In Scotland, any outdoor retail can remain open in high risk areas, including outdoor markets and car lots.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54816037.
 
More than 10,000 coronavirus patients in hospital in England

Government figures show there are currently 10,377 COVID-19 patients in English hospitals, up from 8,171 a week ago.

Of these, 952 are on ventilation beds.

A total of 1,280 people with confirmed COVID-19 were admitted to hospitals in England on Sunday, the latest figure available, compared with 1,186 a week ago.


22:50
UK reports nearly 400 coronavirus deaths

A further 397 deaths have been reported within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, the highest figure since 27 May.

The UK has also recorded 20,018 new confirmed COVID-19 cases.
 
Rishi Sunak to extend furlough scheme to end of March

The furlough scheme will be extended across the UK until the end of March, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed.

Mr Sunak said the scheme will pay up to 80% of a person's wage up to £2,500 a month. He told the Commons that the government will review the policy in January.

The chancellor said his intention was "to give businesses security through the winter".

"The security we are providing will protect millions of jobs," he added.

The furlough scheme subsidises the wages of people who cannot do their jobs, either because their workplace is closed or because there is no longer enough work for them.

Mr Sunak said it would apply throughout the UK, saying the country had "a Treasury for the whole of the United Kingdom".

As part of the revised scheme, anyone made redundant after 23 September can be rehired and put back on furlough.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54824120
 
Covid: Denmark removed from UK's travel corridor list

Denmark has been taken off the UK's coronavirus travel corridor list, the transport secretary has said.

Passengers arriving in the UK from 04:00 GMT on Friday will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

Grant Shapps said it was an "urgent decision" taken overnight following recent "developments".

It comes after health authorities in Denmark found a mutated form of coronavirus that can pass to humans was present in the country's mink farms.

The announcement was made at around 01:30 GMT - two and a half hours before the changes were due to come into force.

Mr Shapps called it a "swift decision" in a statement published on the government's website.

"I understand that this will be concerning for both people currently in Denmark and the wider UK public, which is why we have moved quickly to protect our country and prevent the spread of the virus to the UK," he said.

He said the "precautionary measure" was introduced at the recommendation of the government's chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty.

The decision to remove Denmark came less than 12 hours after Germany and Sweden were removed from the travel corridor list, which applies to the whole of the UK.

Passengers arriving in the UK from either of those destinations after 04:00 GMT on Saturday will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

Leaving home to go on holiday is currently banned for most people in the UK.

In England, where a new national lockdown came into force on Thursday, people are still allowed to travel overseas for work or education trips.

In Wales, which is in a "firebreak" lockdown until 9 November, the devolved government says people can only go abroad if they have "a reasonable excuse".
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54835538.
 
Covid: Liverpool's city-wide coronavirus testing begins

Liverpool has "absolutely nothing to lose" by taking part in the first trial of whole city coronavirus testing in England, the city's mayor has said.

Everyone living or working in Liverpool will be offered repeat tests, whether or not they have symptoms.

Mayor Joe Anderson said the testing pilot could save lives, stop hospitals being overwhelmed and "get the city out of tier three restrictions".

The pilot will last for approximately two weeks, the government said.

People will be offered a mix of existing swab tests and new lateral flow tests, which could provide a result in 20 minutes without the need to use a lab.

New test sites have been set up across the city, in schools, universities, work places and care homes.

About 2,000 military personnel are helping deliver the tests.

Liverpool City Region was the first area to be put into the very high alert level of England's three-tier system of Covid-19 restrictions, on 14 October. Since then, cases have fallen.

A national lockdown in England began on Thursday.

The latest figures showed Liverpool recorded 330 cases per 100,000 in the week up to 1 November. The average area in England had 156.

Can mass testing save us from another lockdown?
Mr Anderson said Liverpool was involved in tuberculosis screening in 1959 and had always been "pioneers in public health".

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "hugely grateful" to the people of Liverpool for taking part in the pilot.

He said he hoped that "together we can get that great city on top of the virus".

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said the pilot "was planned to last for approximately two weeks".
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-54828634.
 
Covid: London anti-lockdown protest leads to 104 arrests

Police have arrested at least 104 protesters during anti-lockdown demonstrations in central London.

A large police presence remains in place near Trafalgar Square where the protest was dispersed shortly after 19:00 GMT.

Smaller groups of protesters remained on Oxford Street and along the Strand.

The Metropolitan Police said: "This gathering is unlawful and is putting others at risk. We are directing those there to go home."

Officers urged demonstrators to disperse as they took to the streets near Trafalgar Square on Thursday evening, warning those who had gathered that they were breaching coronavirus restrictions.

Protesters began to walk up the Strand soon after 18:00 GMT, chanting "freedom" and "no more lockdown".

Commander Jane Connors said: "Our main priority this evening has been to keep Londoners safe.

"We are eight months into this national pandemic and frankly there can be no excuse for people to dangerously breach regulations which are there to prevent further spread of Coronavirus.

"Tonight, a crowd of people chose to ignore the new regulations, to behave irresponsibly and meet in a dangerous manner. More than 100 of these people have now been arrested and will have to face the consequences of their actions.

"We expect the number of arrests to increase as our policing operation continues into the night.

"I would continue to urge people across the city to keep yourselves safe and stick to the regulations."

The Met said in a statement the majority of arrests were for breaches of coronavirus regulations.

New restrictions mean people should stay at home except for education, work, exercise, medical reasons, shopping for essentials, or to care for others.

Households are not allowed to mix with others indoors, or outdoors.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-54827535.
 
The rate of coronavirus infections across England and Wales appears to be slowing down, new data suggests.

An estimated 618,700 people had coronavirus in community settings in England between October 25 and 31 - equivalent to around one in 90 people, or 1.13% of the population, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

It represents a jump from 568,100 people who were estimated to have COVID-19 in the period October 17 to 23.
 
UK coronavirus infections may be 'stabilising'

The increase in coronavirus infections appears to be slowing around the UK, latest data from the Office for National Statistics show.

Although the number of people with Covid continues to rise, the growth is levelling off.

In the week to 30 October, ONS says new daily infections in England stabilised at around 50,000.

That means around one person in every 90 in England has Covid. In Wales and Scotland the figure is slightly lower.

There, one in 110 people are testing positive for the virus.

In Northern Ireland it is one in 75 - and it is too soon to say if rates are levelling off there, say experts.

The ONS data looks at Covid-19 infections in the community, and does not include cases in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.

It shows:

- There have been increases in infection rates in every region in England apart from the North East over the last two weeks

- The North West and Yorkshire and the Humber continue to have the highest infection rates

With much of the UK in lockdown, experts hope the number of new infections can reduce in coming weeks.

In Liverpool, city-wide mass testing for Covid has begun.

Everyone living or working in the region will be offered repeat tests, whether or not they have symptoms, as part of a two-week pilot.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54841375
 
A further 355 coronavirus deaths have been reported in the UK in the past 24 hours - along with another 23,287 cases.

Friday's daily deaths figure is 23 lower than yesterday's 378.

It is also lower than Wednesday's 492 deaths - which was the highest number of daily deaths since 19 May, when 500 were reported.

Friday's number of daily cases is 854 lower than Thursday, when 24,141 cases were confirmed.
 
A further 355 coronavirus deaths have been reported in the UK in the past 24 hours - along with another 23,287 cases
 
Covid in Scotland: Huge drop in visitors to Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is to remain open despite seeing a huge drop in visitor numbers due to tighter Covid restrictions.

One of the top visitor attractions in Scotland, it usually sees 10,000 people a day through its gate but it had just 148 visitors on Monday.

Edinburgh is currently in level three of Covid restrictions which means only locals can visit the historic site.

Historic Environment Scotland said it would keep an eye on the situation.

It said visitor numbers averaged at almost three-quarters of capacity after it reopened in August.

However there were just 475 visitors last Sunday, ahead of the introduction of the new Covid protection levels in Scotland on Monday.

An Historic Environment Scotland spokesman said: "Clearly, given the current situation across Scotland and the restrictions in place to halt further spread of Covid-19, we are likely to see a temporary drop in visitor numbers to usually hugely popular sites like Edinburgh Castle.

"Since reopening the castle in August after the initial lockdown, visitor numbers have been averaging 72% of the site's current capacity which was capped due to new health and safety measure we put in place.

"However, since restrictions have again tightened under the new tier system, clearly, as is the case with many other businesses and attractions, that is going to have an effect on visitor numbers.

"As the Covid pandemic continues, we will keep an eye on the situation and review matters accordingly.

"For now however, Edinburgh Castle remains open."
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-54840314.
 
Covid: Firebreak lockdown ends as new restrictions begin

Wales' 17-day firebreak lockdown has ended and a new set of nation-wide regulations have come into force.

The "short, sharp" lockdown saw people told to stay home, an end to extended households for most, and pubs, restaurants, hotels, gyms, hairdressers and non-essential shops closed.

From Monday people can travel anywhere within Wales and two households can again form a bubble.

Businesses that shut during the firebreak can now reopen.

First Minister Mark Drakeford urged people to reduce the number of people they see and the time spent with them to reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus.

"We cannot go back to the way we were living our lives and throw away all that hard work," he said.

"Coronavirus is a highly infectious virus - it thrives on contact between people.

"To keep each other safe we need to reduce the number of people we have contact with and the amount of time we spend with them."

Wales' lockdown - which the Welsh Government said would help prevent the health service in Wales becoming "overwhelmed" - ends just a few days after England's four-week lockdown started.

Wales has seen almost 7,000 coronavirus cases in the last seven days and the death toll is now more than 2,000 people since the pandemic began.

The number of patients in Welsh hospitals with coronavirus is now the highest since the height of the pandemic in April - and areas like Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Blaenau Gwent have some of the worst Covid-19 infection rates in the UK.

But Wales' Health Minister Vaughan Gething said on Sunday the country was starting to see a plateauing in the case rate.

He added: "It's still at a high rate which means that there's still a reservoir of coronavirus within our communities."

'On our guard'

Ceredig Davies is a Ceredigion county councillor and runs Aberystwyth gift shop Mona Lisa.

When asked how he felt about people from parts of Wales with higher Covid case rates being able to visit Ceredigion, which has one of the lowest case rates in Wales, he said: "To be honest, that is a worry.

"I look at places like the south Wales Valleys where they've got a high Covid rate and with all due respect I hope they stay there.

"We want to keep this a low Covid area."

He added: "Just because the two-week lockdown is over we shouldn't be complacent, we should be on our guard and follow restrictions."

Mr Davies said concerns over another lockdown before Christmas made it hard to know how much stock to order for his shop.

He also felt the Welsh Government's new restrictions were complicated which meant "some people just don't follow them".

'House hopping'

People in Caerphilly county were the first in Wales to be put into a "local lockdown" after a surge of coronavirus cases - but for the first time since having stricter rules imposed on 8 September, all residents are now able to leave the county

Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) was the second local authority area to be put under tighter Covid restrictions a week later - but now Wales has scrapped local rules for a "simpler" nationwide approach.

Kate Wingfield, a mobile hairdresser from Llanharan in RCT who will be visiting clients in their homes from Monday said: "You've got to be super careful - I'm entering places that family members aren't allowed to enter.

"I am nervous about it but I wear a visor and a mask and use hand sanitiser.

"It's more that I'm crossing houses that concerns me... I'm house hopping basically."

She said despite being able to leave her county again she would restrict herself to Rhondda Cynon Taf and three or four clients a day to reduce the risk.

From a personal perspective she said she was happy to be able to visit the coast again: "I suffer with anxiety and going to the beach is where I feel so relaxed, it's a great outlet and that's a massive benefit."

What are the new Wales-wide regulations?

The new regulations made by the Welsh ministers cover everything from seeing friends and family to travel and visiting pubs and restaurants.

They impose limits on meeting other people, prohibit people from entering or leaving Wales without a reasonable excuse, impose requirements on people who have tested positive for coronavirus, and contain rules for public-facing business and services.

Two families can form a bubble and meet up in each other's homes, as happened prior to the firebreak lockdown.

Up to 15 people can take part in activities indoors and up to 30 outdoors - providing social distancing, hand hygiene and other Covid safety measures are followed.

Groups of four people from different households can meet indoors at pubs, cafes and restaurants - again, providing social distancing, hand hygiene and other Covid safety measures are followed.

People from Wales can again holiday within Wales but international travel should be for essential reasons only so foreign holidays are still not allowed.

People will still be allowed to make visits to another person's home in Wales if they are concerned about their mental well-being, Mr Drakeford said.

Opposition parties have suggested high case rate areas should have stricter local rules and mass testing.

The Welsh Conservatives want "local measures" to help slow down Covid-19 cases in communities to avoid "such draconian measures as a firebreak lockdown or just a straight lockdown".

Plaid Cymru want a "faster and more robust" testing strategy and called for "universal testing" in communities where case rates are high, like what is being trialled in Liverpool.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54843624.
 
Covid in Scotland: Pandemic 'stable' as 1,115 test positive

The Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland is "stable", according to a leading public health expert, as another 1,115 people tested positive for the virus.

Three confirmed Covid deaths were registered on Saturday, a significant fall on the 39 recorded on Friday.

However, the number of deaths recorded at the weekend is usually lower as register offices are generally closed.

Prof Linda Bauld said current restrictions were affecting the growth of the virus.

The latest government statistics show that, of 17,229 new tests that were carried out, 7.3% were positive.

There were 1,245 Covid patients in hospital - the same number as on Saturday - and the number of people in intensive care rose from 106 to 111.

"What we are seeing today and over recent days is the pandemic is stable really in Scotland, Prof Bauld told BBC Scotland.

"We are not seeing huge rises in the number of cases."

She said there was a spike of about 1,500 positive cases reported on Saturday, but numbers were lower in the early part of the week.

"We are definitely not seeing the pandemic growing in the way it might have been doing if we weren't living under the current restrictions," she added.

It is almost a week since the latest regional restrictions came into force across Scotland and they are due to be reviewed on Tuesday.

Prof Bauld said there was evidence showing that the number of contacts people are reporting to Test and Protect is reducing, as they comply with restrictions.

She said people's contacts had reduced by 14% in the last two weeks and by 30% since August.

But she believes it is unlikely that the restrictions will change much when they come under review this week.

"My own personal view is that we need a little bit longer to see the full effects of the current system and so I'd be very surprised if we saw much movement at the moment," she said.

The latest Scottish government statistics also show:

A total of 416 positive cases were reported in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
There were 245 in Lanarkshire, 122 in Lothian and 101 in Ayrshire and Arran.
All the health board areas in the mainland recorded some cases.
No new cases were recorded in Orkney or Shetland. There was one in the Western Isles.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-54865242.
 
Covid: Anti-lockdown Tory MPs to resist 'repeated' restrictions

Conservative MPs who voted against the current lockdown in England have formed a new group aimed at preventing further blanket national restrictions.

The Covid Recovery Group will argue for a different approach when the current curbs end on 2 December to enable the country to "live with the virus".

Its 30-plus members want more analysis of the economic damage being done and to challenge the scientific advice.

The PM has stressed the NHS is at risk of a "medical disaster" without action.

Boris Johnson has insisted the data on hospitalisations and deaths is "irrefutable" and justified the four-week closure of non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants and leisure facilities, which took effect from 4 November.

A further 20,412 coronavirus cases were reported in the UK on Tuesday, with another 532 deaths within 28 days of a positive test recorded.

Although Parliament overwhelmingly backed the restrictions - which include ban on contacts between members of different households outside a support bubble either indoors or in private gardens - in a vote at the start of November, 34 Tory MPs opposed them while 19, including former PM Theresa May, abstained.

The government has said it intends to revert to the previous regionalised system of tiered restrictions when the lockdown period ends.

Ministers have been warned that they face an even bigger rebellion if they try to extend the lockdown over the Christmas and New Year period.

The Covid Recovery Group - whose members include ex-Chief Whip Mark Harper and the chairman of the powerful 1922 committee of backbench Tories Sir Graham Brady - says the "devastating cycle" of repeated restrictions cannot be prolonged.

The group, which includes all those who voted against the lockdown and others who backed it, wants ministers to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of the restrictions to determine whether they are costing more lives than they are saving by stopping cancer and dementia treatments and increasing suicide rates among the under-40.

It is also calling for an end to the "monopoly" it says scientists have on advising the government.

It wants all of the statistical modelling informing decisions to be published, following recent rows over the reliability of data, and for a wider range of multi-disciplinary experts to get "a seat the table".

It says no policies should put before Parliament unless they are backed up by three "independent" expert opinions.

'Sustainable'
Figures published on Tuesday showed redundancies rose to a record high of 314,000 in the three months to the end September, as firms laid off people in anticipation of the furlough scheme ending in November.

Despite the government extending the wage subsidy scheme to March, economists have said the jobs picture remains bleak, with further big rises in unemployment expected in the coming months.

Mr Harper said the country needed to find a "sustainable way" of living with Covid until a vaccine was available for mass use to stop "immense" economic damage.

"Lockdowns cost lives, whether in undiagnosed cancer treatments, deteriorating mental health, and missed A&E appointments - not to mention the impact it has on young people's education, job prospects and our soaring debts," he said.

"The cure we're prescribing runs the risk of being worse than the disease."

The new pressure group, he added, would "play its part in helping the government to deliver an enduring strategy for living with the virus, so that we break the transmission of the disease, command public support, end this devastating cycle of repeated restrictions".

Speaking in Parliament earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was critical people continued to follow the rules to get the R number below one, telling MPs "our plan is working".
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54892107.
 
UK daily cases come in at 22,950 - up from 20,412 on Tuesday

The daily death toll, as we have reported, is 595 - the highest since 614 deaths were reported on 12 May.
 
UK becomes fifth country to pass 50,000 deaths

The number of people who have died with coronavirus in the UK has surpassed 50,000, government figures show.

A further 595 deaths were confirmed on Wednesday, bringing the country's total to 50,365.

The US, India, Brazil and Mexico are the other countries to have passed the unwelcome milestone. The UK is the first in Europe to reach this point.
 
Coronavirus: Stormont in deadlock over NI Covid restrictions

The Stormont executive remains deadlocked over what to do when the coronavirus restrictions in Northern Ireland end, in just over a day's time.

Ministers met on Wednesday night to try to resolve differences, but the meeting was adjourned shortly before 20:30 GMT without any announcement.

The regulations saw much of NI's economy placed under tight measures on 16 October.

Ministers will meet on Thursday morning, hours before the laws expire.

The Department of Health reported eight further coronavirus-related deaths on Wednesday, with 791 more people testing positive for the virus.

Earlier, a proposal from the health minister to extend all measures for one more week was blocked by the DUP.

The DUP supports a partial reopening of hospitality and close contact services from Friday.

It put forward a separate proposal suggesting this, but it was also voted down at the executive.

The Alliance leader, Naomi Long, has suggested a compromise proposal which would have kept the restrictions in place for one more week and this will be discussed by ministers on Thursday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Health Minister Robin Swann warned his ministerial colleagues that doing nothing "needs to be avoided" at all costs, and that some mitigations must be retained.

But the proposal fell after the DUP triggered a cross-community vote, effectively giving them a veto over the plan.

This can be deployed by any three ministers to require cross-community support on a particular matter, effectively giving a party with enough ministers in the power-sharing executive a veto.

Mr Swann's original proposal calling for a two-week extension was blocked by the DUP on Tuesday.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54897748.
 
Covid-19: Three members of one NI family die in past week

Three members of one family in Northern Ireland have died with Covid-19 in the past week, the BBC has learned.

They include a man in his early 50s, who worked for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

Staff at the trust have paid tribute to him, saying he was a dedicated member of the health service.

Belfast Trust senior manager Dr Paul Glover said his colleague, who died on Wednesday, was "a very valued member of staff".

"I'd like to offer my condolences to the family one of our members of staff who sadly passed away with Covid-19 today.

"I am sure all of his colleagues and those who have worked with him will feel this right at this moment in time."

'Unimaginable'
SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly also offered condolences to the family of those who died.

"It is just unimaginable," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme.

"I cannot begin to imagine how the surviving members of the family come to terms with it and I do hope and pray that they get the help and support that they need."

Mrs Kelly appealed to the executive to "take account of the families who are suffering, who have suffered, those that are in hospital and the staff who are trying their best to actually keep people safe and to save their lives".

Eight further deaths
News of the health care worker's death comes as hospitals across Northern Ireland continue to report pressures.

The Department of Health in Northern Ireland reported eight further coronavirus-related deaths on Wednesday, with 791 more people testing positive for the virus.

The number of hospital inpatients with the virus has increased from 420 to 441.

In the Republic of Ireland, there have been two Covid-19 related deaths and 362 new cases of the disease reported in the past 24 hours.

It brings the total number of deaths there to 1,965.

Forty-seven men and women are in ICU in Northern Ireland and 35 of them are on a ventilator.

Dr Glover, who specialises in critical care, said there must be a "sustained and ongoing" decrease in community transmission rates before any relaxation of restrictions is considered.

"Our healthcare system is very much under pressure and is being stretched at this moment," he said.

"What we absolutely need is a sustained and ongoing decrease in transmission rates to stop the hospitals being overwhelmed, to take the pressure off staff and to allow us to be able to treat other conditions.

"We are not at the stage yet where community transmission is at such a low level as is safe to release restrictions."

Dr Glover added that "everyone has a role to play" to ensure that Covid-19 numbers are "stamped down" and "kept down".

"This is not just about government guidelines. It's also about public behaviours," he said.

Health unions are also asking why restrictions would be relaxed, given the number of deaths in recent weeks.

Hospitals 'nearly overwhelmed'
Chair of the BMA in Northern Ireland, Dr Tom Black, said: "You need restrictions to reduce the transmission of the infection, to reduce the demands on hospitals."

Dr Black said demands on NI hospitals "are nearly overwhelming hospital services".

Meanwhile, cases in care homes have also increased, with 143 facilities dealing with outbreaks - over 100 more than this time last month.

Robin Swann told MLAs that staff, through no fault of their own, were carrying the virus - another reason, he said, for maintaining restrictions.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54910278.
 
The number of people waiting more than a year to start non-coronavirus hospital treatment in September was the highest of any month since 2008, new data reveals.

In England there were 139,545 patients left waiting more than 52 weeks to start their hospital treatment - up from just 1,305 in September 2019.
 
Nearly 600 Britons died of COVID yesterday. Close to the peak summer levels.
 
Official figures show the UK has recorded a further 33,470 daily cases of coronavirus compared to 22,950 yesterday
 
Travellers returning to the UK from mainland Greece will have to self-isolate for two weeks from 4am this Saturday.

Only the islands of Corfu, Crete, Rhodes, Zakynthos and Kos maintain their exemption from quarantine requirements.

Several countries have been taken off the UK's quarantine list, so travellers will not have to self-isolate for two weeks upon arrival in the UK as of 4am on Saturday.

They are: UAE, Qatar, Turks and Caicos, Iceland, Laos, Cambodia, Chile and Bahrain.

These nations have also been added to the list of exempt countries for travellers returning to Wales.

International travel from England has been banned since 5 November when the country was placed under a national lockdown, although travel for work is allowed.

Greece has seen a steep rise in coronavirus cases over the past fortnight and was placed under a national lockdown on 7 November, with measures including a ban on travelling between different parts of the country and only a driver and one passenger allowed in all cars and taxis.
 
'We understand the effects of this virus'

Business Secretary Alok Sharma says there is a fight to protect the economy, adding it remains 8.2% below where it was in February, and will keep providing business support.

Mr Sharma references the already extended furlough scheme, as well as other schemes and announces that £2.2bn will go to local councils tomorrow to help them make payments to local businesses.

He also praised companies that have adapted to the pandemic, such as breweries making hand sanitiser or companies providing PPE.

"We're forging a path out of this predicament", he adds, saying "we have secured access to 350 million doses" of vaccine - but wants the public to continue to follow social distancing guidance.
 
Official figures show the UK has recorded a further 563 covid-19 related deaths compared to 595 yesterday
 
Covid-19 restrictions in NI extended for one more week

Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland will be extended for one more week with a partial reopening of some sectors next Friday, in a compromise reached by the executive.

A proposal from DUP Economy Minister Diane Dodds was supported by the Ulster Unionists and Alliance.

Sinn Féin voted against the move and the SDLP abstained.

It means close contact services and unlicensed premises can reopen on Friday, 20 November.

Hair and beauty salons and driving instructors will reopen, by appointment, next Friday.
Hospitality will reopen on a "graduated basis", with unlicensed premises such as cafes and coffee shops also opening on 20 November, but with a closing time of 20:00 GMT.
Alcohol cannot be purchased or consumed on such premises.
Pubs and bars will be permitted to sell sealed off sales on 20 November.
Restaurants, pubs and hotels can reopen on 27 November, as the rest of the Covid-19 restrictions introduced on 16 October will expire at midnight on 26 November.
The current restrictions came into effect on 16 October and were due to expire at midnight on Friday, with ministers under pressure to make a decision.

The latest paper, brought by the DUP after several days of disagreement, was signed off late on Thursday afternoon.

The document agreed also says that support will be provided for mitigations to reduce risk within the hospitality sector, including improved ventilation and requirements for the recording of customer information for contact tracing purposes.

The executive said a vaccination programme will be rolled out from as early as possible in December in line with England, initially targeting priority groups such as health care staff, care homes and those with underlying vulnerabilities.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said she was reconsidering her position in the Northern Ireland Executive over its handling of the Covid restrictions.

Why had ministers been at odds?
Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance initially supported a proposal from Health Minister Robin Swann to extend all Covid-19 restrictions for another two weeks, but it was blocked by the DUP, who put it to a cross-community vote.

It is a mechanism that can be deployed on any issue in the executive, if three or more ministers ask for a vote to be taken on that basis, effectively giving parties with enough ministers a veto.

The NI Executive is made up of five parties that operate in a mandatory coalition, sharing power between unionist and nationalist parties, and the cross-community Alliance Party - tensions had been flaring between ministers throughout the four days of meetings.

A separate proposal put forward by Mr Swann, suggesting a one-week extension, was also blocked on Wednesday.

The DUP had been calling for firm dates to be announced for other sectors to reopen, but other parties argued providing concrete dates to businesses during an unpredictable pandemic would be "unfair".

Talks continued between the parties on Thursday over a hybrid proposal merging the one-week extension with a partial reopening of sectors the DUP had been calling for.

What have the parties said?
Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she could not "in good conscience" support the plan.

She told BBC Newsline that only imposing one more week of restrictions "potentially means we're coming back to this situation before Christmas".

"We had strong advice from the chief medical officer and that should have been adhered to."

Economy Minister Diane Dodds said what the DUP had tried to do in their proposal "is to bring certainty to people in their lives in the run-up to Christmas".

"We have tried to bring forward a proposal that is balanced, that is proportionate and which the health minister supported, because that is the only way forward for an executive of five parties," she said.

Mrs Dodds added: "We cannot have a situation where we simply just open up business, close down business, open up business and we keep that in a perpetual cycle."

She later told BBC One's The View programme that she did not believe the executive had "covered itself in glory".

In a tweet, DUP leader and Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster said a "fair and balanced agreement" had been reached with the support of the health minister.

SDLP Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon abstained on the vote as she said she feared it could lead to more restrictions just before Christmas.

"People were crying out for a decision," she said.

"And I'm being honest, I could support the extension for the one week, I could support additional finances going to businesses, but I couldn't support the partial reopening in the second week, and the best way and most honest way for me to reflect that was by abstaining on the vote."

'Urgent reform needed'
Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken said: "That an agreement that could have been reached over a week ago has finally been achieved this evening is hardly a startling example of good and effective government."

He added: "The lack of leadership from the Executive Office, the leaking and the briefing, as well as the use of cross-community voting within the Executive on matters that are anything but, further reinforces our belief that the system of government here needs urgent reform."

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said it had been "an embarrassing week of misgovernment".

How have businesses reacted?
Chief Executive of Belfast Chamber, Simon Hamilton, described the wrangling at Stormont as an "embarrassing mess".

Janice Gault from the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation told BBC One's The View programme that 35% of hotel rooms in Northern Ireland had been booked this weekend.

She said 3,000 phone calls had to be made on Thursday after the Executive made a decision to keep hotels closed for two more weeks.

She added: "What many people forget is we had brides who are getting married this Saturday on the phone this afternoon asking could they get married."

Colin Neill of Hospitality Ulster said he hoped the announcement would "result in thousands of jobs and businesses being saved".

"While pubs and restaurants may be closed, the bills continue to mount on a daily basis therefore extra financial support is needed now to protect businesses and jobs and we hope that the NI Executive will be swift in getting this money into bank accounts."

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said the package of restrictions was "far from perfect" - but welcomed that a decision had been taken.

"This decision provides a roadmap for the reopening of our high streets for the Christmas period and increased footfall for local retailers," he said.

'Dire position'
However, Bill Wolsey, who owns the Beannchor Group, said the decision came "late in they day" and was "hugely disappointing".

He said the hospitality industry is now "in a dire position", and it was costing his company £30,000 a week in wages to stay closed.

He said being open at Christmas is "hugely important".

"That's not only for my company, but for the whole of our industry - we use that money we make in December to sustain us through January and February, which are very quiet months. That's why we're so concerned about on what basis we'll be allowed to open."

Claire Blackadder, a hairdresser from Newry, told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra the announcement her business could reopen next Friday was "absolutely brilliant".

"At least now the ball is rolling in that regard, we just need finance now and we are good to go," she added.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54924606.
 
Another 27,301 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the last 24 hours - down from Thursday's record high, according to government figures.

A further 376 people have died.

On Thursday, 33,470 people tested positive for the virus in 24 hours - the highest figure recorded since the pandemic began, according to government figures.

There were also 563 deaths - down from Wednesday's figure of 595, which was the highest since mid-May.
 
Official figures show the UK has recorded 26,860 new COVID-19 cases and a further 462 COVID-19 related deaths in the latest 24-hour period.
 
Weekly coronavirus deaths have climbed by 1,937 in England and Wales - marking the second week running that the total has reached four figures.

The Office of National Statistics, which counts death certificates where COVID-19 is mentioned, showed a rise of 558, or 40.5%, on the previous seven days - when the figure stood at 1,379.
 
Coronavirus: UK records 598 more deaths and 20,051 further cases
 
Covid in Scotland: Level 4 lockdown to be imposed in 11 council areas

More than two million people are to be placed under Scotland's toughest Covid lockdown restrictions from Friday.

The move will see level four rules imposed in 11 council areas across western and central Scotland, including Glasgow.

It will mean non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants and gyms will have to close, although schools will still be open.

The level four restrictions will remain in place until 11 December.

They will be imposed in East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire.

North and South Lanarkshire, East and South Ayrshire, Stirling and West Lothian will also move to level four - with about 2.3 million people affected across the 11 local authority areas.

However, East Lothian and Midlothian will move from level three to level two from next Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.

Ms Sturgeon also said the existing advice for people in level three or four not to travel outside their own council area except for "certain essential purposes" will become law from Friday.

This will also mean that people living elsewhere in Scotland must not travel to level three or level four areas, except for essential purposes, and there must be no non-essential travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK.

The first minister said there were grounds for "continued and significant concern" about levels of the virus in all of the council areas that would be moving to the highest tier of restrictions.

She added: "The infection rate in all of these areas remains stubbornly and worryingly high.

"At these levels, we simply do not have the assurance we need that hospital and ICU services will be able to cope as we go deeper into winter."

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What do the level four rules mean?
You must not visit other people's homes, but can still meet outdoors with up to six people from two households
People should stay at or close to home as much as possible
Those who can work from home should do so - although construction and manufacturing workplaces can remain open
Only essential indoor retail premises will remain open
Close contact services, such as hairdressers and beauty salons, visitor attractions, leisure and entertainment settings and indoor gyms will close
With the exception of takeaway services, hospitality premises must also shut
But schools will remain open
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The first minister said people in level four areas should only be going out and about during the three-week period that the restrictions are in place for a limited number of reasons.

These include childcare, caring for someone who is vulnerable, exercise or shopping for essential goods.

In the seven days up to Friday, Scotland as a whole had just over 140 new cases of Covid per 100,000 people.

Ms Sturgeon said all of the areas moving to level four were above that rate - ranging from West Lothian, which saw 158 cases per 100,000, to Glasgow with 277.

She said the "short, sharp" move to level four would allow restrictions in the affected areas to be eased "much more quickly" than they would be if they remained in level three.

All of the country's other council areas will remain in the same level as they currently are, although Ms Sturgeon said she hoped that Argyll and Bute could soon move from level two to level one.

And she said that people from level one areas will be able to meet outdoors with up to eight people from a maximum of three households from Thursday, rather than the current six people from two households.

England is currently in a national lockdown, and ministers are hoping to reintroduce a tiered system of restrictions when that ends on 2 December.

National lockdown restrictions were eased in Wales earlier this month, although there are still curbs on meeting other households and travelling outside the country.

And restrictions, including the closure of pubs, bars and restaurants, are in place across Northern Ireland until 26 November.

What has the reaction been?
Business leaders had warned ahead of Ms Sturgeon's announcement that the highest tier of restrictions would have a "severe" impact on many retailers during the crucial Christmas trading period, and have questioned the scientific evidence for closing many businesses down.

The Scottish Hospitality Group, which represents some of the country's biggest pub and restaurant chains, said the fact that Covid cases in many Level Three areas had not fallen despite licensed premises largely being closed showed that household transmission was the biggest driver of the virus.

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce described the news as "devastating" and called for more emphasis on mass testing to avoid "a miserable cycle of lockdowns" through winter.

The EIS teaching union, which is already surveying its members on whether they would consider striking over safety concerns, called for schools in Level Four areas to now move to either blended or remote learning.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said more than 700 Covid patients are in its hospitals and the number has been "increasing steadily" in recent weeks.

Chief executive Jane Grant said: "Our staff and services are under the same levels of pressure as they were at the peak of the first Covid wave so we hope these new restrictions will help us to continue to provide vital services and support to our staff, patients and their loved ones."

Scottish Conservative group leader Ruth Davidson gave a cautious welcome to the move on the condition that it allowed a more general easing of restrictions over the festive period.

She added: "However, as has happened on several occasions before, it would be deeply regrettable if these restrictions were to be stretched any further, leaving people in limbo before Christmas and businesses unable to plan".

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said there was a "stark difference" between levels three and four, and called on the Scottish government to set out the "hard data" that the decisions had been based on.

And he questioned why areas such as North and South Lanarkshire had been included at a time when their transmission rates were falling.

Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said restrictions were being "ratcheted up in parts of the country where the number of cases is going down" and said the government was "shutting down sectors without clear evidence they are the cause of the spread".
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-54974855.
 
Top UK Headlines:

In the UK, government ministers are looking at how to relax coronavirus restrictions so families can celebrate Christmas together. All four UK nations - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - are trying to work out a common approach to Christmas so families spread across the country can still meet up

Lifting lockdown must be handled better this time around to avoid a surge in Covid that could overwhelm the NHS, doctors in England say

The head of NHS Test and Trace is self-isolating after receiving a notification from the NHS mobile app. Baroness Dido Harding said she's "feeling well" and added: "Nothing like personal experience of your own products"

And the National Audit Office has found companies recommended by MPs, peers and ministers' offices were given priority as the UK government raced to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) to combat Covid earlier in the year
 
The UK has recorded another 529 coronavirus deaths and 19,609 more cases in the latest 24-hour period.

Both figures are a slight dip compared to Tuesday - with the number of new reported fatalities down by 69 and infections by 442.

But they bring the total number of deaths to 53,274 and cases to 1,430,341 since the pandemic began, according to government data.
 
Official figures show the UK has recorded a further 22,915 daily cases of COVID-19 and 501 new COVID-19 related deaths
 
Covid in Scotland: Two million people prepare for strictest Covid rules

More than two million people in Scotland are preparing to move to the country's toughest level of coronavirus restrictions.

The level four rules will come into force at 18:00 in 11 council areas, including Glasgow.

Non-essential shops will close, as will pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, gyms and visitor attractions - but schools will remain open.

The restrictions will remain in place until 11 December.

They will be accompanied by legally-enforceable travel bans, which could see people fined by the police for travelling in or out of council areas in levels three or four of the country's tiered system unless it is essential.

The move is aimed at driving down "stubbornly and worryingly high" levels of the virus in western and central parts of Scotland which have been worst hit by the pandemic's second wave.

It is hoped that doing so will allow some kind of easing over the Christmas period that would potentially allow families to celebrate together without causing the virus to spiral to dangerous levels in January.

The stricter rules will come into force for 2.3 million people across East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, North and South Lanarkshire, East and South Ayrshire, Stirling and West Lothian.

Virus rates in these areas last week ranged from 158 new cases per 100,000 people in West Lothian to 277 in Glasgow - all of which were above the Scotland-wide rate of 140 cases per 100,000.

All of the country's other council areas will remain in their current levels for now, although East Lothian and Midlothian will move from level three to level two from next Tuesday.

Opposition parties have criticised the Scottish government for a "lack of clarity" over why some areas - for example Lanarkshire - are being moved to level four despite seeing cases fall in recent weeks.

There have also been claims that some businesses are being shut down during the crucial festive shopping period without any clear scientific evidence to show they were contributing to the spread of the virus.

Industry leaders have argued that the financial help put in place by the Scottish government is not nearly enough.

Meanwhile, the EIS teaching union is asking its members whether they would be willing to take strike action over safety concerns, and has called for schools in level four areas to move to blended or remote learning.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-55005205.
 
Covid: Infection rates levelling off in England and Scotland

Coronavirus infection rates are levelling off in England and Scotland and decreasing in Wales and Northern Ireland, latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests.

It shows rates in school-age children are still rising while falling in young adults.

The R number for the UK continues to fall and is now between 1 and 1.1.

But that doesn't yet reflect the impact of the second lockdown in England, introduced on 5 November.

The government's scientific advisers, Sage, say the epidemic in the north-west of England is now shrinking, although infection levels in the region still remain high.

The ONS survey, which covers the week to 14 November, tests people in thousands of households across the UK, whether they have symptoms or not. It does not include people in hospitals or care homes.

It estimates that:

1 in 80 people in England have coronavirus
1 in 155 in Scotland
1 in 165 in Wales
1 in 135 in Northern Ireland
This equates to nearly 39,000 infections a day in England, down from 50,000 the previous week.

But the picture across England's regions is mixed - rates of infections are rising in London and the south-east while coming down in the north and Midlands, the ONS says.

The highest levels of infection, meanwhile, are still in Yorkshire and the north-west.

In Wales, infection rates appear to have decreased over the past two weeks after peaking around the end of October.

In Northern Ireland, they have been going down for four weeks. In Scotland, infection rates are now stabilising after rising through most of October.

Among school-age children in England, the percentage testing positive for Covid-19 may be rising slowly while levelling off in older teenagers, young adults and the over-25s - but the ONS says the sample size is small and there is uncertainty over the estimates.

The ONS estimate of infections is usually higher than the daily lab-confirmed cases announced by the government and is thought to provide a more accurate picture of the epidemic.

While the government figures are based on people with symptoms requesting a test, the ONS estimates are based on swab tests on everyone in a household.

On Friday, 20,252 new positive tests were reported in the UK through the government system - down nearly 7,000 on a week ago. There have been more than 500 deaths reported every day - within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19 - for the last four days.

The Covid symptom app offers another estimate. It reports around 34,000 new cases of Covid in the UK in the two weeks up to 15 November, down slightly on the previous week.

This is based on one million people reporting positive swab tests via the app.

The official R number, which estimates how many people on average one infected person passes the virus onto, is edging closer to 1. The current restrictions in place around the UK are aiming to push the R below 1, which would mean the epidemic is shrinking.

After promising results from scientists developing vaccines against Covid-19 recently, the UK nations are preparing to roll-out a vaccine to a small number of people in some priority groups in December with many more receiving a jab next year.

Pfizer, along with its partner BioNTech, has filed for emergency authorisation of its Covid vaccine in the US.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55016893.
 
Official data shows the UK has recorded a further 19,875 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and an additional 341 people have died after testing positive for the virus
 
Covid-19: Strengthened tier system for England after lockdown

A tougher three-tiered system of local restrictions will come into force in England when the lockdown ends on 2 December, Downing Street has said.

Boris Johnson is expected to set out his plan - including details of how families can see different households at Christmas - to MPs on Monday.

More areas are set to be placed into the higher tiers to keep the virus under control, No 10 said.

And some tiers will be strengthened to safeguard lockdown progress.

It is not yet clear exactly how restrictions could change - but it is understood the 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants will be altered.

Mr Johnson is expected to say that, while last orders must be called at 10pm, people will get an extra hour to finish their food and drinks.

Full details of the so-called "Covid winter plan" are expected on Monday, after cabinet discussions on Sunday.

Some local measures will be the same as those in the previous three tier system, used in England to tackle the spread of coronavirus up until the current lockdown began.

But the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) is expected to publish papers on Monday saying that measures in the previous tiers were not strong enough.

The prime minister will acknowledge that the measures are difficult, while making clear they are not to last longer than is absolutely necessary, and that the need to support the economy is being taken into account.

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English tier system - at a glance
Pre-lockdown, there were three tiers of restrictions - medium, high, and very high:

Medium / Tier 1: Rule of six if meeting indoors or outdoors; pubs and restaurants shut at 10pm
High / Tier 2: No household mixing indoors; rule of six applies outdoors; pubs and restaurants shut at 10pm
Very high / Tier 3: No household mixing indoors or in some outdoor spaces; pubs and bars not serving meals are closed
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It comes after newspaper reports suggested families could be allowed to meet for up to a week over Christmas as part of a UK-wide relaxation of coronavirus rules.

According to the Daily Telegraph, several families could be allowed to join in one "bubble" and mix between 22 and 28 December.

The plan will include guidance on how people will be able to celebrate Christmas, but ministers have made clear the festive season will be different to normal - with some restrictions expected to remain in place.

The government will set out what tier each area will be placed into on Thursday and MPs are expected to be given a vote to approve the new tier system in the days before it comes into force.

Earlier this month, Mr Johnson promised MPs would have a say on any restrictions imposed after the current lockdown ended.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: "Everyone's efforts during the current national restrictions have helped bring the virus back under control, slowed its spread and eased pressures on the NHS.

"But the prime minister and his scientific advisers are clear the virus is still present - and without regional restrictions it could quickly run out of control again before vaccines and mass testing have had an effect.

"That would put in jeopardy the progress the country has made, and once again risk intolerable pressure on the NHS."

The PM will be wary of a rebellion from backbench Tory MPs opposed to new restrictions.

During a vote on the current lockdown earlier this month, 32 Conservatives rebelled to oppose the measures and 17 more, including former Prime Minister Theresa May, abstained.

A "Covid recovery group" led by former chief whip Mark Harper and ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker has since formed to resist new measures, with suggestions 50 Tories have enlisted.

It is hoped restrictions can be gradually reduced in the run-up to spring, providing vaccines are approved by regulators, allowing then to start being rolled out next month.

Downing Street will hope this - combined with an easing of restrictions over Christmas, will lessen the scale of the rebellion.

Labour has so far been supportive of the need for restrictions to slow the spread of Covid-19, making a full-scale Commons defeat on the plan unlikely.

But the opposition party has been urging the government to lay out its plan for what will happen when the national restrictions end.

Labour's shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds, in a speech on Saturday, said the nation could not be allowed to return "to the shambles we had before this lockdown".

She called for clarity about what economic support package would accompany different types of restrictions.

Under England's previous three-tiered system, regions were classified as either tier one - "medium", tier two - "high" or tier three - "very high", and each one had different lockdown rules.

There are also different rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

On Saturday, the United Kingdom recorded another 19,875 new coronavirus cases and 341 deaths of people who had tested positive for the virus within 28 days, the latest figures showed.

The number of deaths was down from 511 on Friday, and 462 on Saturday 14 November.
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55029401.
 
BREAKING: The UK has reported another 18,662 coronavirus cases and 398 deaths.

The daily total includes 141 deaths which were omitted from yesterday's government figures in error.
 
Covid-19: Gyms and all shops to open after England lockdown

Gyms and non-essential shops in all parts of England will be allowed to reopen when lockdown ends next month, the prime minister has announced.

Boris Johnson told the Commons that the three-tiered regional measures will return from 2 December, but he added that each tier will be toughened.

Spectators will be allowed to return to some sporting events, and weddings and collective worship will resume.

Regions will not find out which tier they are in until Thursday.

The allocation of tiers will be dependent on a number of factors, including each area's case numbers, the reproduction rate - or R number - and the current and projected pressure on the NHS locally.

Tier allocations will be reviewed every 14 days, and the regional approach will last until March.

The PM, who is self-isolating after meeting an MP who later tested positive for coronavirus, told MPs via video link he expected "more regions will fall - at least temporarily - into higher levels than before" and that he was "very sorry" for the "hardship" that such restrictions would cause business owners.

Speaking later at a Downing Street briefing, Mr Johnson added that "things will look and feel very different" after Easter, with a vaccine and mass testing.

He warned the months ahead "will be hard, they will be cold, they include January and February when the NHS is under its greatest pressure" - but added that with a "favourable wind" the majority of people most in need of a vaccination might be able to get one by Easter.

Describing how the tiers had become tougher, the PM said:

In tier one, people should continue to work from home where possible
In tier two, only pubs serving meals can serve alcohol
In tier three, hospitality will close except for delivery and takeaway, and indoor entertainment venues must also close.
Where pubs and restaurants are allowed to open, last orders will now be at 10pm, with drinkers allowed a further hour to finish their drinks.

Indoor performances - such as the those at the theatre - will also return in the lower two tiers, although with reduced capacity.

In terms of households mixing, in tier one a maximum of six people can meet indoors or outdoors; in tier two, there is no mixing of households indoors, and a maximum of six people can meet outdoors; and in tier three - the toughest tier - household mixing is not allowed indoors, or in most outdoor places.

In all tiers, exceptions apply for support bubbles. From 2 December, parents with babies under the age of one can form a support bubble with another household.

Mr Johnson said the tiers would now be a uniform set of rules, with no negotiations on additional measures for any particular region.

Measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland continue to be decided by the devolved administrations, but a joint approach to Christmas involving all four nations, will be set out later in the week.

The prime minister said: "I can't say that Christmas will be normal this year, but in a period of adversity time spent with loved ones is even more precious for people of all faiths and none.

"We all want some kind of Christmas; we need it; we certainly feel we deserve it.

"But this virus obviously is not going to grant a Christmas truce… and families will need to make a careful judgement about the risks of visiting elderly relatives."

He added: "This will be still a hard winter, Christmas cannot be normal, and there is a long road to spring. But we have turned a corner: and the escape route is in sight."

<a href="https://ibb.co/vBt2nsH"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/8BhFZz0/115613320-covid-tier-alert-system-england-640-v3-nc-1.jpg" alt="115613320-covid-tier-alert-system-england-640-v3-nc-1" border="0"></a>

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55048990
 
Covid rules 'disregarded' as Swale becomes second worst-hit area

Coronavirus rules are being "wilfully disregarded" in the district with one of the highest infection rates in England, the local council leader said.

Swale in Kent has the second highest rate in England, according to figures for the week to 19 November.

Roger Truelove, leader of Swale Borough Council, said it was "frustrating" to see people not wearing face coverings and breaking social distancing rules.

An emergency meeting took place earlier to discuss the issue.

The district, which includes the Isle of Sheppey and towns such as Sittingbourne and Faversham, has a population of about 150,000.

As the meeting took place, nearby Medway Maritime Hospital announced the death of nurse Hannah Jackson, who is understood to have died after developing Covid-19.

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It has been uncommon for an area of the South East to report an infection rate in the top 20 of England's 315 local authorities.

But two areas in Kent are now showing significant increases - Swale, with the second highest infection rate of 565 per 100,000 people and Thanet with the third highest rate of 508.

Swale had earlier overtaken Hull as the worst-hit area in England, with a rate of 631.7 per 100,000 people in the week to 18 November.

Figures for the week to 19 November show Hull once again has the highest rate in England, at 568.6 cases per 100,000. The rate has fallen from 743.4 in the week to 9 November.

Prison Service officials joined the emergency meeting in Kent following suggestions that outbreaks in the area's three jails could be making a "limited contribution" to the high infection rate.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Truelove said it was found that only 12% of cases in the past fortnight were in care homes and prisons.

The virus was being spread in people's homes and at social gatherings, he said.

"It only takes a small number of people to create the clusters of cases that are driving up our figures," he added.

Support would be targeted at people who "might not feel able to follow the rules," including people who "may be unwilling to get a test as they can't afford to have time off work," he said.

Key workers
Andrew Scott-Clark, public health director at Kent County Council, said infections were rising among households with lower incomes.

"They are effectively some of our care workers and key workers who have to go out and are more likely to be exposed by the virus," he said.

Whole families were being infected as the virus spread within a home, he added.

Mr Truelove had earlier: "I know most people and businesses are doing what they should, but it is frustrating to still see people not wearing face coverings or keeping their distance when they should.

"This kind of wilful disregard of the rules means we are more likely to have further restrictions imposed on us in December, which is hugely unfair for people and businesses who have been doing the right thing since March."
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Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-55044408.
 
Travellers who arrive in England from countries with high infection rates will be able to shorten their quarantine from 14 days to five if they test negative for coronavirus on the fifth day, the Department of Transport has said.

Passengers will have to pay for the tests themselves, and will need to book with one of the private providers on the government's list.
 
The UK has recorded another 11,299 coronavirus cases and 608 related deaths in the past 24 hours - the highest daily total for deaths since 12 May.

The number of cases are down on the 15,450 recorded on Monday and the number of deaths are up on 206 recorded on Monday.

The latest statistics come on the day it was also revealed that the number of deaths in England and Wales up to 13 November, was the highest weekly total since the end of May.

On Thursday, people in England will find out which tier they are being placed in once the lockdown ends on December 2.

More regions than before the lockdown are expected to face Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has admitted the rules were not stringent enough first time around.

On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his winter plan for tackling coronavirus in the months leading to spring.

He said it was hoped the rollout of a vaccine would signal that life could go back to "normal" by Easter.
 
Plans to allow a temporary easing of Covid restrictions at Christmas have been announced

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also set out plans for the end of lockdown in England, and a return to a tougher three-tier system of restrictions.

Check the restrictions where you live

What's happening at Christmas?

Between 23 and 27 December, up to three households will be allowed to form a temporary "Christmas bubble" and mix indoors.
Northern Ireland has been granted a longer window of 22 to 28 December, to allow time to travel between the nations.
Bubbles will be allowed to meet each other:

In each other's homes

At a place of worship

In an outdoor public space, or private garden

People are not allowed meet their Christmas bubble in hospitality settings, such as pubs and restaurants, or at entertainment venues.

What are the Covid rules at Christmas?

What will England's new lockdown rules be?

England's current lockdown will end just after midnight on Wednesday 2 December. After that, the following will apply to all areas:

Shops, gyms and personal care services will all reopen

Collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports will resume

People will no longer be limited to seeing one other person outdoors

The rule of six will apply in outdoor public spaces

Non-essential foreign travel allowed, subject to quarantine rules

There will be different rules for pubs and spectator sports in the different tiers.
For pubs:

In tier one, they will be able to open until 23:00 GMT, with last orders at 22:00

In tier two, they can only open if they serve substantial meals. Alcohol can be served with that meal

In tier three, hospitality venues must close apart from delivery and takeaway

Spectator sports:

Can resume in tier one with a maximum crowd of 50% of stadium capacity or 4,000 spectators, whichever is smaller

Can resume in tier two with 50% of capacity or 2,000 spectators, whichever is smaller

Cannot resume in tier three

The government will announce on 26 November which areas are in which tiers. This will be formally reviewed every 14 days.
More details of the plan are here .

Are there any other changes to the three-tier system?

As before, you can only meet people from other households in a group of up to six. Rules about where you can do so apply.
Only those in tier one areas will be able to meet people they don't live with indoors.
People in tier two can't socialise with other households indoors. Those in tier three can't mix with other households indoors, or in private and pub gardens.
There are exceptions for childcare and support bubbles.
People are advised not to travel to and from tier three areas.
 
The UK has recorded another 696 COVID-related deaths and a further 18,213 cases - the highest daily total for fatalities since 5 May.

It is the second six-month high in consecutive days, after the country recorded 11,299 cases and 608 related deaths on Tuesday.
 
Coronavirus: How much will it cost the UK and how will we pay?

With much of the UK under lockdown, many shops, pubs and restaurants are shut, and large parts of the economy are effectively closed.

The government has spent hundreds of billions on measures to support businesses and jobs, and fight the pandemic. But how will it pay for these?

How much will coronavirus cost the UK?
We won't know how big the final bill will be until after the crisis is over. But the government will certainly have to borrow enormous amounts of money because it is spending more than it is taking in from tax.

On 25 November, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which keeps tabs on government spending, estimated that borrowing would be £394bn for the current financial year (April 2020 to April 2021).

That's the highest figure ever seen outside wartime.

To put that into context: before the crisis, the government was expecting to borrow about £55bn for the whole financial year.

Why does the pandemic mean the government has to borrow more?
This year the government is spending a staggering £280bn on measures to fight Covid-19 and its impact on the economy.

That includes £73bn for measures to support jobs such as the furlough scheme, where the government pays most of the wages of employees who cannot work.

The NHS and other public services have been given £127bn extra to combat the pandemic, and £66bn will be spent on grants and loans to support businesses.

The government will also raise £100bn less tax than it hoped because of the crisis. Unemployed or furloughed workers pay less income tax, businesses pay less tax if their profits are lower, and shoppers pay less VAT if they buy fewer things.

With more money going out and less coming in the government has only one option - to borrow.

Even if the pandemic ends quickly, there will still be higher costs and lower tax receipts in future years too, all of which means more borrowing.

Some economists argue that all the costs of the crisis could be covered by borrowing alone, but many disagree.

If the government wants to get borrowing down, it will have to cut spending or raise taxes, or most likely, both.

Raising taxes would be politically awkward, because the Conservative 2019 manifesto promised not to raise the three biggest taxes. These are income tax, national insurance and VAT - and together they bring in more than half of government revenue.

Increasing taxes means people have less money to spend, which could slow the economy down further. However, the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank has warned that tax rises of more than £40bn a year are "all but inevitable".

Cutting spending will also be difficult. There have been big cuts over the past decade, and many of the easy savings have already been made.

Some areas have long been protected, such as the NHS - and it would be difficult to reduce health spending after a big pandemic.

State pensions, another big spending item, are protected by a so-called "triple lock", which guarantees they rise with wages, prices, or 2.5% every year, whichever is highest. The manifesto promised to keep this, too.

In Wednesday's Spending Review the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, did make some cuts such as freezing pay for many public sector workers.

He also cut the amount the UK will spend on overseas aid, despite a manifesto pledge to keep it at 0.7% of national income.

The chancellor could say the pandemic also makes other manifesto promises impossible to keep. But difficult choices will have to be made.

So how will this affect my life?
If taxes go up, people will soon realise they have less money to spend.

Likewise, people will notice if lower public spending results in worse public services, such as longer waiting times in hospitals or fewer police on the streets.

Public sector workers whose wages are frozen will feel that impact very keenly.

And if pensions or benefits are cut, or even just increased less rapidly, that will be felt directly by anyone who depends on them.

How will the money be raised?
At first the government will raise money by borrowing from investors.

They could be individuals, companies, pension funds, or foreign governments who lend money to the UK government by buying bonds.

A bond is a promise to pay the money back in the future, and pay interest on the loan in the meantime.

The Bank of England is buying huge amounts of bonds, to support the economy by encouraging more spending and investment, in a process called "quantitative easing".

This year the Bank is buying £450bn worth of bonds, which makes it much easier for the government to borrow money.

Can the UK afford all this debt?
In recent years, the government has been able to borrow easily at very low interest rates, which makes its debt more affordable.

At the moment it pays just 0.32% interest to borrow for ten years.

There is a limit to how much the government can borrow, before interest payments become so great it can't afford them. No-one knows quite where that limit is.

But those interest payments will still weigh on future generations until the debt is paid off, and will mean there is less money available to spend on public services, or tax cuts.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52663523.
 
London and Liverpool will be placed in Tier 2 of England's new system of COVID-19 restrictions, but Birmingham and Manchester will be in Tier 3.

Matt Hancock is making a statement in the House of Commons on the new COVID-19 tiers, but prior to the announcement the government launched a postcode checker for England's regions.
 
While the previous tiers slowed the spread of the virus, they were never quite enough - PM

Boris Johnson has admitted the previous tiered system was "never quite enough", saying they slowed infections but did not bring the R rate down in areas.

He said the new approach is "designed to reduce R below 1" and will allow areas to move down the tiered system "as soon as the situation improves".
 
Boris Johnson has sought to fight off a growing backlash among Conservative MPs about the new COVID-19 tiers, declaring that the "vast majority" of the British public support the measures.

"I totally understand why people feel frustrated, I get that," the prime minister said.

"But I really, really hope that people also understand that I think the vast majority of the British public want us to work hard, do the right thing and beat the virus together."

According to a tally by Sky News, at least 50 Tory MPs have gone public with their concerns over tiering or have said they are unlikely to support the measures when it comes to a vote.
 
R number for UK below 1 for first time since August

The R number for coronavirus has fallen to between 0.9 and 1 for the first time since mid-August, which means the epidemic is thought to be no longer growing.

'R' is calculated by the government's scientific advisers, and represents how many extra people each infected person passes the virus onto.

The aim is to keep R below 1 until a vaccine is rolled out.

During the first peak in the spring, R was thought to be around 3.

The latest estimate of the growth rate of the virus has also fallen, to between -2% and 0%, which indicates that the number of new infections each day is coming down.

On Friday in the UK, 521 deaths were reported within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.

There were also 16,022 new cases reported - a 25% fall on the previous week.

However cases in some regions of England are still high, particularly the North West, the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber. When lockdown ends on 2 December, Most of England will move into the two toughest tiers of restrictions.

An R or reproduction number of 1 means that, on average, every person with the virus will infect one other person.

So an R number between 0.9 and 1.0 means that on average every 10 people infected will infect between 9 and 10 other people, indicating it is shrinking.

With the four nations of the UK following different policies on restrictions, the government says the estimate for R for the whole of the UK has become "less meaningful in recent weeks".

It says the impact of the second lockdown in England, which began on 5 November, cannot be fully evaluated yet, and adds that R "may be below 1 for all regions already" in England.

R is estimated using a range of data, including testing numbers, hospital admissions, intensive care deaths and estimates of how many people are infected in households across the country.

Scientists from different universities then use this data to estimate the spread of infections.
There is always a slight time lag in the R number of a matter of weeks - the latest estimate is based on data up to 24 November.

The UK government has said in the past that the R number was one of the most important factors in making policy decisions.

From Wednesday in England, more than 32 million people are due to be living under tier two restrictions, banning indoor meetings between households.

A further 23 million people will be placed under the highest - tier three - restrictions, which further limit contact between people outdoors.

Boris Johnson has defended the approach, arguing the country needs "simplicity and clarity" and the restrictions would "drive" Covid down until a vaccine is available.

Prof Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology, from the University of Edinburgh, said the R numbers across the UK "may decrease further as the full impact of lockdown becomes apparent".

"It is worth noting that the falls in R began in the second half of September which may indicate that measures taken during that month did have some impact in some regions of the UK," he said.

However he added that the data raised the question "of whether the earlier implementation of measures short of full lockdown would have been sufficient to keep the epidemic in check and prevent local NHS Trusts from being overwhelmed."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55105285
 
Coronavirus: Menarys to close three stores due to pandemic

Department store Menarys has said it will have to close three branches as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

It operates 20 stores across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Inside Business, managing director Stephen McCammon said there would be job losses.

"We are a business trading for 98 years and never in our history has there been anything quite like this," Mr McCammon said.

"It's been a very sad year and we've recently just entered consultation with staff in three branches which will regrettably have to close in the New Year because of Covid."

Mr McCammon did not confirm which stores would be affected.

"These guys in our teams are extended family and I can't stress how difficult and how sad the year has been," he said.

"There will be quite a number of job losses as a result of that.

"We made this very clear to the executive whenever we were excluded from the multiple retail grant earlier on in the pandemic that that would come at the cost of jobs."

The company said more than 50% of its business in Northern Ireland is closed as a result of current restrictions.

"These two weeks are very significant to us. Based on performance today we will probably take something like 20%, that's a decline of 80%, of what we would normally take," Mr McCammon said.

"The critical thing for now is getting through December with as much trade as we can manage."
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55108461.
 
England's hospitals could be overwhelmed without new tier system - minister

LONDON (Reuters) - Hospitals in England risk being overwhelmed if lawmakers do not support the government’s new plan for restrictions, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said on Saturday.

More than 20 million people across large swathes of England will be forced to live under the toughest category of COVID-19 restrictions when a national lockdown ends on Dec. 2. Lawmakers are due to vote on the restrictions the day before.

But a growing number of lawmakers in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative party have voiced opposition to the tiered restrictions plan.

Some argue that the areas they represent have low infection rates but the toughest rules, while others say the new measures will cause unnecessary economic harm to local businesses.

Defending the government’s plans in an article in The Times newspaper, Gove said “difficult decisions” were necessary to confront the crisis.

The virus “is no respecter of constituency boundaries and the hardships we are facing now are unfortunately necessary to protect every single one of us, no matter where we live,” he wrote.

The level of infection across the country remained “uncomfortably and threateningly high,” Gove said, noting that the number of hospital beds filled with infected patients was not far from its peak earlier in the year.

He said that from the current high base, the National Health Service would be under severe threat if infections started to rise again, and tougher measures were needed to manage the virus when the current lockdown ends.

“These new tiers, alongside the wider deployment of mass testing, have the capacity to prevent our NHS being overwhelmed until vaccines arrive,” Gove said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-tier-system-minister-says-idUSKBN28809I?il=0
 
More than 1,300 people were incorrectly told they had coronavirus after a lab error at NHS Test and Trace
 
Covid in Wales: How many deaths have there been?

A further 29 people have died with coronavirus in Wales, taking the total to 2,523, according to the latest figures.

Public Health Wales data also showed 1,445 more people had tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total to 78,536.

There has now been a total of 1,470,863 tests carried out in Wales since the start of the pandemic.

There were 16,798 tests carried out on Friday.
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-55105307.
 
208 more coronavirus deaths recorded in England hospitals

A further 208 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, NHS England has said.

It brings the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 40,405.

Patients were aged between 39 and 100. All except 13, aged between 56 and 86, had known underlying health conditions.

The deaths were between 25 October and 28 November.

Nine other deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
 
Covid: Risk of third wave 'if we don't get balance right' - Raab

England could face a third wave of coronavirus if ministers do not "get the balance right" with restrictions, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says.

He defended the move to a tiered approach when England's lockdown ends on Wednesday, saying the curbs are needed to "bear down" on the pandemic.

MPs will vote on the system on Tuesday, with Labour undecided on its stance.

The PM has told MPs the restrictions will expire on 3 February in a bid to stop a Commons rebellion.

In a letter to all MPs and peers, Boris Johnson said rules could be eased in December, MPs could vote again in January and the tier system could end in February.

But Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said her party's support was "not unconditional" and they were seeking "clarity" about the tier system.

It comes as a further 12,155 people have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the UK total to 1,617,327.

There have been another 215 deaths of people who had tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days, the total under that measure now being 58,245.

England's new system will see regions placed in one of three tiers: medium, high and very high.

In total, 99% of England will enter the highest two tiers, with tight restrictions on bars and restaurants and a ban on households mixing indoors. Only Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly will be in the lowest tier.

Elsewhere in the UK, Northern Ireland has begun a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown, while in Scotland each area has been placed in one of five tiers.

In Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford said pubs, restaurants and bars will be subject to stricter restrictions - which are not yet finalised - in the run-up to Christmas. They will come into force from Friday, 4 December.

_115613320_covid_tier_alert_system_england_640_v3-nc.jpg

When asked whether there could be a third national lockdown, Mr Raab told the BBC's Andrew Marr the government was "doing everything we can to avoid that".

But he said there was a "risk" of a third wave "if we don't get the balance right".

He told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday the tiers would be downgraded in areas where the virus was in retreat, saying: "We are starting with a more restrictive approach than previously with the localised approach.

"But that allows us to ease up when we are confident the virus is going down and stabilised - there's a review every two weeks."

Asked whether the government was looking at breaking counties into smaller areas for the tiers, given differences in rates of the virus within tier areas, Mr Raab said: "The problem is you've got to get the geographic size sufficiently effective that you don't find the smaller enclaves of lower level virus shooting up because they are not subject to the restrictions in the high levels around them."

Labour's Ms Nandy told the BBC's Andrew Marr her party "will act in the public interest".

"We need to know first of all that these measures are tough enough to get control of the virus, otherwise what we are asking businesses to do is go through significant pain, people laid off, some businesses at risk of collapsing, without being able to show that this is worth it," she said.

She added that there also needed to be "proper support" in place.

Meanwhile, in a bid to answer MPs' concerns, Mr Johnson wrote to them outlining a timeline of when - and how - the tiered approach will end.

In his letter, Mr Johnson said:

  • Regulations have a "sunset" clause - or expiry date - of 3 February
  • Tiers will be reviewed every two weeks, with the first review due on 16 December
  • At the end of January, MPs will have another vote on the tiered approach and decide whether measures stay in place until the end of March
  • The government will publish the circumstances that need to change for an area to move down a tier

In his letter to the public, the prime minister urged people to support the new system and "work together" with tiering, testing and vaccines.

He said: "We can't blow it now. We can't just throw it all away - not when freedom is in sight."
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55122266.
 
Covid in Scotland: Sturgeon defends handling of pandemic

Nicola Sturgeon has defended her government's handling of the pandemic as statistics show Scotland's Covid death rate rose higher than England's in recent weeks.

Figures show there were 50.5 deaths per million in Scotland in the week to 15 November, compared to 40.6 in England.

The first minister said it was too soon to be comparing statistics while "still in the teeth of a pandemic".

She told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show the death toll was unacceptable.

"I have done everything and will continue to do everything I can to try and control the virus to try and keep it as low as possible, to take the tough decisions that have to be taken in order to achieve that and to try to take people of Scotland along in these difficult steps with me as far as I possibly can," she said.

"But nobody underestimates the pain, the grief, the suffering that this global pandemic has brought to us."

While the weekly statistics show that Scotland's death rate has been above England's in the last four weeks, Scotland's overall death rate is lower than England and Wales.

UK government statistics show that Scotland's Covid death rate is 94 per 100,000, compared to England's at 101.5 and Wales at 102.4. Northern Ireland's death rate is 63.4 per 100,000.

The interview came after the SNP leader told her party's virtual conference on Saturday that she had "never been so certain" that Scotland would become independent.

On Sunday the conference backed a plan to pressure the UK government into holding another referendum on the issue - and to explore alternative legal routes if it refuses.

Douglas Ross, the leader of Scottish Conservatives, said the SNP's record was "clear for all to see" but Ms Sturgeon's priority was "dragging Scotland through another divisive referendum".

_115690463_screengrabmarr.jpg

Scotland's death toll surpassed 5,000 earlier this month and the latest National Records of Scotland figures now show 5,380 people have died with the virus in Scotland.

The statistics agency records the number of death certificates that mention the virus.

In England, using the same measure, more than 57,000 people have died with the virus.

Challenged on the death rate in Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said that, over the course of the whole pandemic, it has been "quite significantly lower" than England and Wales, though it was higher than that of Northern Ireland.

"But across the whole of the UK, across much of Europe, far more people have died from this virus than any of us feel comfortable with," she added.

Care home deaths
The SNP leader was also asked about care home deaths after a University of Stirling report found that 47% of Scotland's Covid deaths in the first wave were in care homes, compared to 30% in England.

"If you look at excess deaths overall in care homes across the UK, excess deaths in Scotland have actually been lower than in England but a higher proportion of these excess deaths have been attributed to Covid," she said.

"So in England more of the excess deaths have been attributed to other things, and certainly not to Covid. That simplistic view that the care home death toll is worse in Scotland perhaps doesn't bear that scrutiny.

"The death toll is unacceptable in Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and across much of Europe."

The Scottish government has introduced five levels of restrictions in a bid to suppress the spread of the virus during the second wave.

People in 11 local authorities are currently living under the strictest limits of level four, with restrictions on travel, hospitality and non-essential shopping.

Later a Scottish government spokesman said weekly statistics did not accurately portray trends across the whole pandemic and "can be misleading if looked at in isolation".

"Deaths from Covid-19 in Scotland have been significantly lower over the course of the pandemic than England and Wales, with over 7% few deaths per 100,000 than England."

'Divisive referendum'
Reacting to the interview, the Scottish Conservatives' Douglas Ross said the SNP's record was "clear to see".

"Scandalous number of care home deaths, education tumbling down the international league tables and withholding vital advice from the Salmond inquiry. Nicola Sturgeon's priority? Dragging Scotland through another divisive referendum," he said on Twitter.

Meanwhile Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrat, said Ms Sturgeon was "good at presentation but has repeatedly fallen short on delivery."

He said she "talks a good game" but she "did not use the summer well to to prepare for the second wave of the virus in the autumn".

Labour MP Ian Murray said Ms Sturgeon should be held to account for her "failings in office".

"Amid a child poverty crisis, care homes scandal and utter contempt for Holyrood, the first minister's record is one of broken promises to the people of Scotland," he added.

"Her only priority is to divide Scotland at a time when we need to bring people together for a period of healing and recovery."
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55120734.
 
Hancock: Virus 'back under control'

The health secretary says the effects of the lockdown mean the outbreak is under control again - but cautions that thousands of cases are still being recorded and many people remain in hospital.

Mr Hancock says the R rate is also now below 1 - but only just.

He says we can let up a "little" with restrictions - but not a lot - and that people must keep their resolve over Christmas.
 
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