UK coronavirus LIVE: Boris Johnson set to unveil new tiered Covid restrictions next week as cases continue to rise
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Boris Johnson will to outline a new three-tiered system of coronavirus restrictions next week as leaders press Downing Street to be consulted on lockdown measures.
The Prime Minister is expected to reveal the full details of the much-anticipated approach in a statement to the House of Commons on Monday, following criticism of the Government for not keeping MPs properly informed of changes.
After a meeting with Government officials, leaders of West Yorkshire councils wrote a joint letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak stating: “We are concerned by rumours in the media that we might be pushed into Level 3 of a new system set to be introduced, without any discussion or consultation, or without adequate economic measures put in place to support affected people and businesses.”
Meanwhile Mr Sunak has said the expansion of the Job Support Scheme will protect jobs and provide “reassurance and a safety net” for people and businesses across the UK in advance of a potentially “difficult winter”.
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France sees record jump in cases
The number of new coronavirus infections in France jumped over 26,000 in one day for the first time since the start of the epidemic, health ministry data showed on Saturday.
The ministry reported 26,896 new infections, taking the cumulative total to 718,873 since the start of the year. The number of deaths from the virus increased by 54 to 32,684.
New trailer for I’m a Celeb released with show set in Wales due to pandemic
Ant and Dec mistake Wales for the Australian outback in the trailer for the forthcoming series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The show has been filmed in Australia since it first aired on ITV in 2002, but this year it will be filmed at Gwrych Castle in Conwy as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sharing the teaser on Twitter, ITV confirmed the show will return in November.
The 40-second clip suggests neither co-host is aware of the show’s change of location.
Seven die at one care home
A total of seven residents have died in a coronavirus outbreak at a care home.
Operators HC-One confirmed the number of deaths at Redmill Care Home in East Whitburn, West Lothian.
In addition to those who died, 32 residents have tested positive along with 25 staff members.
NHS Lothian is leading an investigation into this outbreak and another at Milford House care home in Edinburgh.
Three more Covid deaths in Ireland
Another three people have died with Covid-19, as infections surged above 1,000 in one day in Ireland.
A total of 31 people are in hospital intensive care units.
Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer, said he was very worried about the numbers and how quickly they were deteriorating.
“All of today’s 1,012 cases were notified to the HPSC over a period of 24 hours up to midnight.
“The 14-day incidence rate has increased from 108 per 100,000 last Sunday to 150 per 100,000 today, which represents a 39% increase.
“All of the important indicators of the disease are deteriorating.”
There has been a consistent increase in test positivity over the past week.
Local lockdowns will widen north-south economic divide, northern leaders warn
Leaders across northern England are urging the Government to provide more cash to support areas which face going into further lockdowns or risk “levelling down” the region.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said that accepting Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s financial package would be to “surrender” people to hardship in the run up to Christmas.
Speaking at a press conference with political leaders from Liverpool, Sheffield and Tyneside on Saturday, Mr Burnham said the measures risked “severe redundancies” and business closures.
He added: “To accept the Chancellor’s package as outlined yesterday would be to surrender our residents to hardship in the run up to Christmas and our businesses to potential failure or collapse.
“We are not prepared to do that.
“It will level down the north of England and widen the north-south divide.”
250 prisoners in Scotland isolating after Covid outbreak
More than 250 prisoners are self-isolating at Scotland’s largest prison after an outbreak of coronavirus.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said two prisoners and four members of staff at Barlinnie prison in Glasgow have tested positive for the virus.
All 256 prisoners in A Hall are now having to self isolate, and visitors are banned for these inmates until October 20.
Visits recommenced at jails across Scotland on September 28, subject to a series of restrictions.
An SPS spokesman said the rest of the prison is not affected by the outbreak or visiting ban.
He said contact tracing is being carried out for staff members.
Pelosi dismisses lated Covid aid package offer
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has dismissed the latest White House offer in Covid-19 aid talks as “one step forward, two steps back”, but said she is still hopeful that progress can be made towards a deal.
The White House had boosted its offer before treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and Ms Pelosi spoke on Friday afternoon.
US President Donald Trump is eager for an agreement before election day, even as his most powerful party ally in the Senate said Congress is unlikely to deliver relief by then.
“Covid Relief Negotiations are moving along. Go Big!” Mr Trump tweeted on Friday.
A Republican Party aide familiar with the new offer said it was about 1.8 trillion US dollars, with a key state and local fiscal relief component moving from 250 billion dollars to at least 300 billion dollars. The White House said its most recent offer before that was about 1.6 trillion dollars.
Ms Pelosi’s most recent public offer was about 2.2 trillion dollars, though that included a business tax increase that Republicans will not go for.
Portugal and Spain offer cross border healthcare
Spain and Portugal announced a series of measures on Saturday to strengthen cross-border cooperation, including better access to health and social services for citizens living along their shared 1,200km (750-mile) border.
Following an annual summit in Guarda, Portugal, the prime ministers of both countries said a new identity card would allow people working on the other side of the border to access health services there.
The measures are aimed at helping 1.6 million Portuguese and 3.4 Spanish inhabitants along the border, which comprises some of the poorest districts in both countries.
At a press conference after the summit, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said ambulance services would operate across both countries so that patients could be served by the nearest vehicle, whether from Portugal or Spain.
Far right Vox party threatens legal action against lockdown
Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez appealed for unity on Saturday after the far-right Vox party said it would take legal action against a partial lockdown imposed on Madrid to contain one of Europe’s worst coronavirus outbreaks.
Vox, which is echoing the conservative-led Madrid regional authority’s opposition to the new restrictions implemented via a state of emergency, has also called for protests.
The measures affecting 3.8 million people in the Spanish capital and eight satellite towns include a ban on non-essential travel except for work, school or medical reasons.
Around 7,000 police are deployed to ensure compliance.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal said his party, Spain’s third largest, would appeal in the constitutional court against the “illegal” state of emergency. Opponents say the measures in Madrid are excessive and will crush the economy.
60 more hospital deaths in England
A further 60 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 30,439, NHS England said on Saturday.
Patients were aged between 41 and 93 years old. All but five patients, aged 72 to 86, had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between March 30 and October 9. Most were on or after October 7.
Seven other deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
Government spokesman responds to criticism from mayors of the Job Support Scheme
The Government spokesman said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have worked hard to protect jobs and support the economy, whilst trying to limit the spread of coronavirus.
“This is why we have set out an unprecedented package of financial support. The Job Support Scheme is just one element of this comprehensive package, which includes rental support, mortgage holidays and £9.3 billion of extra funding for the welfare safety net to help those unable to access other forms of support.
“Ministers are continuing to work closely with local leaders on how we can combat coronavirus together.
“We will keep all financial support under review to support businesses who need it most and protect jobs over the coming weeks and months.”
Manager of MOJO bar chain says hospitality industry is perceived as ‘sacrificial lamb’
Commenting on what he would say to the Chancellor if he had the chance, MOJO managing director Martin Greenhow said: “I would tell him that there are over three million people in the hospitality sector and that they are screaming with pain and he needs to listen.
“We are perceived to be an easy sacrificial lamb.”
Asked what his hopes for the near future were, Mr Greenhow said: “The hope is, one of two things happen.
“We want to work, we want to get back to service, but if the absolute state of the situation means we cannot, then we have to be supported.
“The curfew has taken away nearly 60 per cent of our operational time. Help us or let us serve – don’t let us drown.”
MOJO owner Martin Greenhow said his Nottingham bar had been a “rockstar” for him until the pandemic hit
Describing how coronavirus had affected his bar and its staff in the East Midlands city, he told PA: “To see the decimation of the performance and the effect on their mental health – these guys are really stressed about the future.
“We are down 80 per cent on our turnover – even taking into account Rishi Sunak’s latest round of proposed support.
“Let’s just say he’s not understood the problem. We have just seen two weeks of absolute slaughter.”
Martin Greenhow, who owns the five MOJO bars in the UK based in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham and Harrogate, described the words of northern leaders as a “breath of fresh air”
The managing director, who is on the brink of having four of his five bars in local lockdown areas, told the PA news agency: “We’re looking like we’re going to be hit from all angles – I’m beginning to feel like we’re being stalked.
“To hear the northern leaders in that press conference say those things, that was a breath of fresh air and it’s refreshing to hear people are listening.
“A large portion of that is, I think, it is now coming home to people – we are looking at a total collapse of a whole sector.”
Mr Greenhow described local lockdowns as the “metaphorical final nail” – saying the 10pm curfew is “killing us already”.
Latest coronavirus figures for Wales are in:
There have been a further 627 cases of Covid-19 in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 29,654.
Public Health Wales said on Saturday a further 21 deaths had been reported, taking the total number of related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,667.
But it added that the large increase was the result of a delay in incorporating 17 deaths that occurred in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board area between October 3-7.
Another 902 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland
No new deaths were reported. A total of 134 patients are in hospital. Nineteen are in intensive care and 11 of those are ventilated, the Department of Health said.
Almost 5,500 people have tested positive over the last seven days.
It comes as Stormont deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill has tested negative for coronavirus. She will continue to self-isolate and work remotely, after a family member was diagnosed, a spokeswoman said.
Some 1,080 cases were notified by the Department of Health on Friday. Significant limits on household contacts remain in place across Northern Ireland.
Scotland records six deaths of confirmed coronavirus patients in the past 24 hours
This takes the total under this measure – patients who died within 28 days of first testing positive – to 2,550 since the start of the outbreak.
The Scottish Government figures show 1,009 new coronavirus cases were recorded during the same period – down from Friday’s record high of 1,246 new infections.
This represents 14.1 per cent of newly-tested individuals, down from 16.2 per cent on Friday. Of the new cases, 357 are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 204 in Lanarkshire and 160 in Lothian.
A total of 38,042 people have now tested positive for the virus in Scotland, up from 37,033 on Friday.
There are 432 patients in hospital confirmed to have the virus, 35 higher than Friday’s 397 patients. Of these patients, 34 were in intensive care, up by three from the revised figure on Friday.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham calls for better communication from the Government
He told the press conference: “At times it feels like they are running a PR campaign rather than a public health communications campaign.”
He said councils had been given “no good reason” why the financial package was not, in his opinion, good enough. He added: “And the only conclusion you can come to is that at the start, when it was all ‘whatever it takes’, that was when it involved the whole country and, we might say, the South of the country.
“All of a sudden when it involves the North, it’s not whatever it takes anymore, it’s what we are prepared to spend.
“And it’s actually about treating parts of the country as second-class. And it’s about treating some workers as second-class citizens. That’s why you are hearing this response today. We are not having that.”
North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll said: “It’s notable, at the start of this the whole country was placed in lockdown when cases were at their worst in London.
“Now that cases are at their worst in the North we are getting a very different response.”
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