Coronavirus news: Pubs reportedly face closure in new regional England lockdown
See how we covered Wednesday’s events live
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ministers are reportedly considering closing pubs and restaurants in regions of England, as part of moves to simplify lockdown rules with a three-tier system. The Independent previously reported on leaked documents revealing the plans in the works.
The reports by the Financial Times and BBC follow Nicola Sturgeon’s ban on pubs and restaurants in much of Scotland selling alcohol indoors for more than two weeks.
Scotland’s first minister insisted that the new measures were not a return to lockdown but she acknowledged the restrictions would “feel like a backward step” for many people.
The potential for drastic action to contain a second wave comes as Sir Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, warned of a “disturbing” rise in hospital admissions of Covid-19 patients.
He told a virtual conference of NHS leaders: “Speaking frankly there are disturbing signs that infection rates from coronavirus are, again, rising. They are clearly headed in the wrong direction, not just nationally, but particularly in some regions and local areas across the country.
“At the start of September, we had under 500 coronavirus inpatients in hospitals across England. That is now nearly 3000. And we know that hospital admissions lag community infection by several weeks.”
Brussels to close all bars and ban drinking alcohol in public places
Brussels is set to close all bars and coffee shops, and ban the consumption of alcohol in public places in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus, according to Euronews.
The measures in the Belgian capital are expected to apply for at least a month.
Iran hits record number of daily coronavirus deaths
Iranian state TV says the country has hit a record number of daily deaths from the coronavirus, with 239 new fatalities.
Coronavirus infections rising in London, Boris Johnson says
Boris Johnson has said Covid-19 infections were rising in London and elsewhere, but his government's approach to controlling the spread of the virus was still the right one.
"The local and regional approach combined with the national measures remains correct," the prime minister told parliament during prime minister’s questions, when asked why infections continued to rise in areas where local lockdown measures have been put in place.
Keir Starmer demands government publish science behind 10pm curfew ahead of vote
Keir Starmer has demanded that the government publish the scientific basis for the 10pm pub curfew or review the policy, in the clearest hint yet that Labour may not back its continuation in a vote next week.
Political editor Andrew Woodcock has the full story:
Keir Starmer demands government publish science behind 10pm curfew ahead of vote
The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.
Transport minister to make announcement on coronavirus testing at airports
The transport minister, Grant Shapps, has said he will make an announcement later today regarding Covid-19 testing at airports which could lead to the UK's 14-day quarantine period for travellers being shortened.
“I will be making the announcement later today to parliament but it involves a task force,” he said. “So looking at the systems which would enable us to have testing.”
‘A disaster from start to finish’: Exasperation reigns in England’s new coronavirus capital
Colin Drury speaks to residents of Fallowfield in Manchester, country’s worst-hit area in country after arrival of thousands of students:
Anger and gallows humour on the streets of England’s new coronavirus capital
Colin Drury speaks to residents of Fallowfield in Manchester, country’s worst-hit area in country after arrival of thousands of students
Johnson warned over lengthy wait for testing facility in university town
Boris Johnson has been warned about the long wait for a university town’s testing facility, which is not expected to open until the end of the month despite students returning in September.
Labour's Matt Western, MP for Warwick and Leamington, told the Commons: “Across the UK our universities are struggling to contain the coronavirus with some 5,000 cases reported in recent weeks.
“Our communities deserve better and more local and immediate access to testing facilities, but in Leamington I'm told Deloitte will not deliver on their testing facility until the end of this month - some four weeks after 7,000 students will have arrived back in the town of Leamington.
“Was the government not expecting students to return to university?”
Mr Johnson replied by thanking the “overwhelming majority” of students for complying with Covid-19 guidance and rules, adding: “Clearly there are particular problems in some parts of the country which we've discussed at length already, and we'll be pursuing the measures we've outlined to bring them down in those areas.”
Second wave of infections rising ‘quite sharply’ among over-60s, Hancock warns
The second wave of coronavirus infections is spreading “quite sharply” into the over-60 group where the risk of serious illness or death is higher, Matt Hancock has warned.
The health secretary said he believed that the mortality rate of coronavirus patients this winter would be lower than in the first wave in the spring, because of better treatments, but warned against relaxing or removing restrictions.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:
Second wave of Covid infections rising ‘quite sharply’ among over-60s, Matt Hancock warns
Health secretary warns that letting disease rip would lead to ‘really very terrible’ death rates
Nearly one in five state secondary schools not fully open, government figures show
Nearly one in five state secondary schools were not fully open last week, with many closed due to coronavirus-related reasons, according to the Department for Education.
Geoff Barton from the Association for School and College Leaders (ASCL) said the figures reflected “the extremely tough circumstances in which schools are operating due to the impact of Covid”.
Our reporter, Zoe Tidman, has the full story below:
Nearly one in five state secondary schools not fully open, figures show
Increase from week before amid ‘extremely tough circumstances’
Government buys one million antibody tests despite ‘lack of evidence’ of accuracy
The government is to buy one million home antibody tests from a group of British companies, despite concerns over “a lack of evidence” for their accuracy.
Ministers have been accused of “jumping the gun” by purchasing the finger-prick kits, developed by the UK Rapid Test Consortium, which will be rolled out across the UK to help understand how far Covid-19 has spread.
Our reporter, Chris Baynes, has the full story below:
Government buys one million coronavirus antibody tests despite warnings over accuracy
Ministers accused of ‘jumping the gun’ by spending millions on home-use kits without reliable evidence being published
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments