LiveUpdated
Wednesday 19 August 2020 17:43
Scotland‘s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said it is not yet safe to lift coronavirus restrictions in Aberdeen after two weeks of local lockdown following the discovery of a cluster of infections in the area.
Ms Sturgeon insisted that the country was not experiencing a second wave of Covid-19 despite the recent rise in daily cases and argued that Scotland was simply seeing “a spike in the first wave” of cases.
It came as Matt Hancock, the UK’s health secretary, said there were no plans in place to make face coverings compulsory at work after France ruled that coverings must be worn in most workplaces.
Please allow the live blog a moment to load…
More than 600 Covid-19 cases linked to South Korean church
More than 600 coronavirus infections have been linked to a Seoul church led by a vocal opponent of South Korea’s president, health workers in the country have said.
Kim Gang-lip, vice health minister, said health authorities were seeking location data provided by mobile phone carriers while trying to track thousands who participated in an anti-government protest on Saturday.
The march was attended by members of the Sarang Jeil Church and its ultra-right pastor, Jun Kwang-hun, who had been admitted to hospital since Monday after testing positive.
It came as officials began restricting gatherings in the greater capital area amid fears that transmission of the virus was getting out of control.
Kwon Jun-wook, the director of South Korea’s National Health Institute, said 623 cases have been linked to church members after the completion of some 3,000 tests.
Police are pursuing around 600 church members who remain out of contact.
Germany to give people £1,000 a month in universal basic income experiment
Researchers in Germany are set to give a group of people about £1,000 a month, no strings attached, as part of a radical experiment into the potential benefits of universal basic income (UBI).
The idea, which advocates claim could help to tackle poverty and improve wellbeing, has attracted a growing amount of interest during the coronavirus pandemic as a way to help support people through the crisis.
Our reporter,
Adam Forrest, has the full story below:
Our reporter, Rory Sullivan, has more details below on Matt Hancock’s comments on not making face coverings compulsory in workplaces:
Daily UK Covid-19 cases up by 812, with 16 new deaths
The UK has reported 812 new coronavirus cases and 16 new deaths from Covid-19, bringing the government’s confirmed death toll to 41,396.
The 812 positive cases included 88 recorded in labs and NHS hospitals (pillar 1) and 724 recorded in the wider population (pillar 2).
A full breakdown of today’s figures can be found below:
During lockdown, millions of women lose access to contraception and abortion
A new study has found that millions of women and girls globally have been unable to access contraception and abortions as the coronavirus crisis raged.
Marie Stopes International, which provides abortion and contraception services worldwide, released a report warning that 1.9 million women and girls lost their usual access to its services in the first half of 2020.
The organisation is now preparing for 900,000 additional unintended pregnancies, 1.5 million extra unsafe abortions, and 3,100 additional pregnancy-related deaths after the disruption to services.
Maya Oppenheim, The Independent’s women’s correspondent, reports on the alarming report:
Masks will not be made mandatory in workplaces
There are no plans to make the wearing of face masks compulsory in workplaces, Matt Hancock has said.
Face coverings are currently required in a number of indoor settings, including in shops, but are not mandatory for employees working in indoor settings.
In France, officials have made face masks compulsory in all indoor work environments following a rise in cases.
But Mr Hancock told BBC News: “We constantly look at the scientific advice and the answer here is we’re not currently considering doing that.
“The reason is the evidence from NHS Test and Trace for where people catch the disease is that very largely they catch it from one household meeting another household, usually in one of their homes.
“So it is that household transmission that is the core root of passing on this virus in this country. The amount of people who have caught it in workplaces is relatively low, from the evidence we’ve got.”
Harry Potter fans urged to celebrate Back To Hogwarts day at home
Fans of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter are being asked not to gather at King’s Cross station on 1 September for the annual Back To Hogwarts celebration.
Instead, a virtual celebration will be held online, with live-streamed appearances from stars of the films including James and Oliver Phelps, Jason Isaacs and Bonnie Wright.
Organisers will also hold trivia games that fans can join and there will be an appearance from the cast of West End play, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.
Every year, fans usually congregate at the station in London and raise their wands at 11am to mark the Hogwarts Express departing from the fictional Platform Nine and 3/4. But this year’s celebrations will be different due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Scotland not in second wave of coronavirus, insists Nicola Sturgeon
The First Minister has insisted a second wave of coronavirus is not hitting Scotland despite a recent surge in daily cases.
Nicola Sturgeon said during the Scottish government’s Wednesday press briefing that the increase is a “spike in the first wave”.
The number of daily infections have risen from just two in early July to 50 in the most recent figures available.
Ms Sturgeon added it is not clear if there will be a second wave of the virus, and attributed the increase in cases to the easing of lockdown restrictions.
Interim chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith agreed with her and explained the increase in numbers could be caused by localised clusters in Aberdeen and other parts of the country.
Dr Smith said: “We’re not experiencing a second wave at this time, in fact there’s many epidemiologists and public health experts who don’t even agree with the terminology that’s used there.
“We do need to understand why the numbers have risen and certainly the evidence suggests that just now the increase in the numbers that we’ve seen over the last week or so is particularly driven by a number of clusters across the country.
“What we don’t have any evidence for just now is of sustained community transmission across Scotland that would signify we could be at risk of moving into another rapidly increasing phase of cases,” he added.
Top doctor condemns government’s decision to scrap PHE during pandemic
The UK’s leading doctor has criticised the timing of the government’s decision to dismantle Public Health England.
Professor Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, told the All-party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus that it was not a good idea to carry out the reorganisation during a pandemic.
“I think the timing though is not good. We’re still in the middle of this pandemic and to think about a reorganisation of the systems right now is probably not right,” Prof Goddard said.
“We risk losing some very, very talented people if we’re not careful. So it needs to be managed very carefully,” he added.
Professor Jo Martin, president of the Royal College of Pathologists, echoed his comments, saying: “This is difficult timing, I would agree entirely.”
However, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said on Wednesday that the move was “the best thing to do right now” and claimed it would not cause disruption.
The Independent’s Jon Stone has more on the story here:
Aberdeen local lockdown to continue
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that the local lockdown in Aberdeen will remain in force for a third week.
Pubs and restaurants were closed as part of the restrictions that were introduced in the city earlier this month, following a large Covid-19 outbreak there.
Speaking at a coronavirus press briefing on Wednesday, Scotland’s first minister said that the situation is “undoubtedly improving”, adding that another review will take place on Sunday.
There have been 398 coronavirus infections detected in the Grampian area since 26 July, 226 of which are from the Aberdeen cluster, according to Ms Sturgeon.
What does the spread of coronavirus look like across the UK?
The UK continues to report new cases and deaths involving Covid-19 on a daily basis, writes Samuel Lovett.
Find out what the latest figures and statistics are:
Coronavirus vaccines for Germany could start in early 2021
Germany’s vaccine regulator chief has said some groups of people living in the country could receive Covid-19 vaccinations early next year.
Klaus Cichutek, head of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, told the Funke group of newspapers that data from Phase I and Phase II trials of vaccines showed some set off an immune response against the coronavirus.
“If data from Phase III trials shows the vaccines are effective and safe, the first vaccines could be approved at the beginning of the year, possibly with conditions attached,” he said.
“Based on assurances from manufacturers, the first doses for people in Germany will be available at that time, in accordance with the priorities set by the Standing Committee on Vaccination,” he added, referring to the group that makes recommendations for the use of licensed vaccines in the country.
There are over half a dozen drugmakers worldwide conducting advanced clinical trials, with some testing on humans already with tens of thousands of participants. Several expect to find out if their vaccines work and are safe by the end of the year.
Party island Mykonos hit by extra coronavirus restrictions
Greek authorities are imposing additional restrictions in the popular island of Mykonos and northern resort region of Halkidiki.
It comes after an increase in the number of Covid-19 infections were traced back to those areas.
The Civil Protection Authority said that from 31 August, all events such as live parties, religious processions and open-air markets will be banned. Gatherings will be limited to a maximum of nine people, both in public and private settings.
A maximum of four people are allowed per table at restaurants, or six people per table in cases of immediate family members.
Face masks are already compulsory in all indoor and outdoor areas on Mykonos and throughout the Halkidiki province.
Brittany Ferries cuts routes after 35,000 passengers cancel or delay travel plans
Brittany Ferries announced deep cuts to its network after tens of thousands of passengers cancelled or delayed travel plans, as France was put back on the UK’s travel quarantine list.
Long-standing routes from Portsmouth to both St-Malo in France and Bilbao in Spain have been axed, and on other links there will be fewer sailings.
Travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:
Massive pool parties in Wuhan as people celebrate end of lockdown
Scores of party-goers attended late-night pool parties in Wuhan as residents let loose after a strict lockdown was imposed on them for over two months to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The Wuhan Maya Beach Water Park is just one of the many outdoor attractions and tourist sites that have gradually reopened across the country.
Wuhan was the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in China and saw the highest number of Covid-related deaths.
Not safe to list Covid-19 restrictions in Aberdeen, says Nicola Sturgeon
The First Minister has said it is not yet safe to lift coronavirus restrictions in Aberdeen, but reassured residents the situation in the city was improving.
Nicole Sturgeon said during today’s coronavirus briefing that the city is “not yet in a position to say that this outbreak is over, or completely under control”.
She added she hoped some of the additional restrictions imposed on the city could begin being lifted next Wednesday.
Scotland officially in recession
Scotland has officially entered a recession as GDP falls almost a fifth from what it was before the country entered the coronavirus lockdown.
The latest economic data from the Scottish government shows the country has now experienced two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, with performance down 2.5 per cent in the first three months of the year and 19.7 per cent in the second quarter.
While provisional monthly figures show some improvement in June, GDP “remains 17.6 per cent below the level in February, prior to the lockdown measures which were introduces in March”.
GDP increased by 5.7 per cent in June compared to the previous month. The report noted a “stronger and more widespread pick-up” in economic activity than in May, with output now said to be increasing “in all the main industry sectors”.
Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said Scotland’s and the UK’s economies are “among the worst performing in Europe”.
She called on chancellor Rishi Sunak to “make an immediate reduction in employers’ national insurance contributions”.
“Without rapid intervention in the form of fiscal stimulus packages as well as cost cutting efforts such as rates holidays, we fear that the Scotland’s economic landscape may never recover to previous levels,” she added.
Care home in Skye will not face court case after improvements
A care home in Skye where 10 residents died of a coronavirus outbreak in March will not face a court case after it made “considerable improvements”.
The Care Inspectorate carried out an unannounced inspection at Home Farm Care Home in Portree in May, which raised “serious concerns” about the quality of care residents were receiving.
It announced at the time it would seek a cancellation of the care home’s registration.
But a spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said in a statement it made the decision not to proceed with the court case.
“The Care Inspectorate initiated court proceedings seeking the cancellation of the registration of the care provider at Home Farm care home in May,” said the spokesperson.
“We did this following an inspection which raised serious concerns. We have monitored the home carefully and we are satisfied that there has been considerable improvement in the quality of care experienced by residents and the issues that were putting them at serious risk have been addressed.”
Ireland: Community transmission of Covid-19 doubles in 10 days
A public health expert in Ireland has said the level of community transmission of coronavirus there has doubled in the last 10 days.
Yesterday, the government tightened its restrictions to try and curb a surge in the number of infections.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) have been issuing warnings over the spike in cases with the country’s rate of growth the fourth highest in Europe.
Professor Philip Nolan, chairman of NPHET’s Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, defended advice provided to the government saying there had been a slow but very particular rise in the level of disease.
He told RTE’s Morning Ireland programme the virus has spread from workplaces to households, and then on into the community. He added that although the rate of growth is significantly slower than in February and March, it is still “too fast”.
“We need to move quickly now to prevent further transmission between households and from households into the community, that’s the core message behind these interventions, to limit our social contacts and to limit those social contacts to small groups,” said Prof Nolan.
“Unless we move now collectively and firmly to prevent further transmission of the virus, we will see case numbers rising to a level that are unsustainable.”
A rethink of how to protect jobs is needed as more job losses loom
With companies announcing cuts to thousands of jobs every other day, the government must rethink how it can help people in the UK in the jobs sector.
Hamish McRae asks as city centres become ghost towns, what should governments do in the face of such uncertainties?
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
