Coronavirus news: Northern leaders attack new lockdown plans for lack of clarity amid pub closure fears
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Your support makes all the difference.Leaders in northern England have attacked the government for its much-leaked plan to impose new lockdown restrictions in the region because of a lack of detail.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said Boris Johnson had “lost the dressing room” through his poor communication. Earlier he tweeted he had learned of the plans in the press rather than an official briefing by ministers.
Pubs, restaurants and hairdressers could be ordered to shut again in some parts of the country, according to reports. There could also be a ban on overnight stays away from home in some areas, according to the BBC. It comes as hospitals face being overwhelmed as coronavirus infections continue to soar in places such as Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Dire warnings came thick and fast on Thursday. Matt Hancock said the situation was “perilous", with hospital admissions doubling every fortnight - including among people aged 60 and over. Deaths were also rising, he said.
At the same time, people waiting for routine surgery may see their operations pushed back still further if intensive care units fill up with Covid-19 patients, the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine said as they urged the public to stick with social distancing rules.
Also, worrying news from the Test and Trace service, which failed to reach more than 30 per cent of close contacts of people who tested positive for the coronavirus in England in its latest round of figures - the worst yet.
In the US, there was much wrangling over whether and if another presidential debate would take place between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and whether it would be virtual or in-person.
Mr Trump plans to return to the campaign trail on Friday - but virtually, through the medium of conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh’s programme.
What is a three-tier lockdown system?
The prime minister is expected to launch the three-tier lockdown system next week in an effort to simplify restrictions, but what will it look like? And will it be effective?
What would a three-tier coronavirus lockdown look like?
Leaked documents reveal proposals for new lockdown system with varying degrees of strict restrictions
Robert Jenrick declines to rule out pub closures
The Communities Secretary has declined to rule out shutting pubs and restaurants in a fresh wave of regional restrictions amid rising coronavirus cases in northern England.
Robert Jenrick said on Thursday that ministers are “currently considering what steps we should take” and warned of a “fast and serious situation” in the North.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, and echoing an expression used by Boris Johnson, he said it was “commonsensical” that the longer individuals spend in pubs the more likely they are to transmit the virus.
Mr Jenrick said there was a need to “take action decisively”, but added that he was working with Chancellor Rishi Sunak to consider fresh support for the hospitality sector as businesses could be put in a “really difficult, intolerable position”.
Over 6,200 new coronavirus cases in London in one week, new figures show
London has recorded more than 6,200 new coronavirus cases in the seven days to 4 October, signalling a sharp spike in new infections in the capital.
This was up from 3,965 in the previous week, according to official figures. Ealing, Redbridge and Barney have recorded over 300 cases in the seven-day period, with 320, 317, and 314 cases respectively.
The virus is also spreading to a growing number of boroughs, the figures show, with 16 areas recording more than 200 cases in the week. These include Brent, Enfield, Hackney and the City of London, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Lambeth, Newham, Richmond, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Croydon.
Number of patients waiting over a year for NHS treatment doubles to 100k
The number of people waiting longer than 12 months for treatment on the NHS in England has doubled in just two months to over 100,000 people.
A total of 111,000 patients were waiting longer than a year for treatment by August, new figures from NHS England show.
Our Health Correspondent Shaun Lintern reports:
Number of patients waiting over a year for NHS treatment doubles in just months
Total NHS waiting list now at more than four million people
Only a quarter of people who tested for Covid-19 in England received result within 24 hours
The number of people who received their coronavirus test result within 24 hours has gone down.
Just 25.7 per cent of people who tested for Covid-19 in England in the week ending 30 September at a regional site, local site or mobile testing unit received their result within 24 hours - down from 38.0 per cent in the previous week.
This is the lowest weekly percentage since the week ending 10 June (18.4 per cent).
The failure to get test results back to people within 24 hours has been an ongoing issue, since Boris Johnson promised that this would be the case by the end of June, four months ago.
He told the House of Commons on 3 June that he would get “all tests turned around within 24 hours by the end of June, except for difficulties with postal tests or insuperable problems like that”.
Test and Trace reaches lowest ever proportion of close contacts
The government’s contact-tracing programme failed to reach more than 30 per cent of close contacts of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England, according to the latest figures.
Samuel Lovett reports that in the week between 24 and 30 September, 51,475 people tested positive for coronavirus, but only 34,494 people were transferred to the tracing system in the same week.
Get the full story on the data:
Test and Trace reaches lowest ever proportion of close Covid contacts
Some 68.6 per cent of close contacts reached through Test and Trace in week ending 30 September
Pub closures in Scotland difficult but necessary, says deputy first minister
In Scotland, where Nicola Sturgeon has imposed new restrictions that will force the closure of pubs and licensed restaurants in certain areas from Friday, the Deputy First Minister has conceded that the hospitality sector is facing a “difficult” period.
But John Swinney insisted ministers had to take action as coronavirus cases surge again, particularly in the central belt.
It comes as the Scottish Chambers of Commerce warned the measures will “sound the death knell for businesses across the hospitality sector, especially pubs and bars”.
The Scottish Hospitality Group, which represents several restaurants and bar groups, also weighed in, claiming Ms Sturgeon has “effectively signed a death sentence for many businesses across the Scottish hospitality industry, while the real problem is socialising at home”.
Organiser of illegal rave attended by over 150 people reported for £10,000 fine
The organiser of an unlicensed music event held in a derelict pub last week has been reported for a £10,000 fine.
Metropolitan Police officers responded to reports of anti-social and violent behaviour on Wythes Road in Newham, on 4 October and found more than 150 people “crammed inside a hazardous and unsanitary hall”, with music blaring from large DJ systems.
“When I arrived on scene, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and was shocked by the event organiser’s blatant disregard for the safety of those there,” said Sergeant Simon Biggs.
“This health crisis has claimed thousands of lives and people attending events such as this risk furthering the spread of this deadly virus.”
Angry reactions from Labour MPs in the north of England
Labour MPs in the north of England have expressed anger over leaked plans to close pubs and restaurants next week in the region in a bid to reign in the rising number of coronavirus cases.
While the proposals have not yet been confirmed, opposition politicians have responded with criticism at reports.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said:
Sheffield City Region mayor and Barnsley Central MP, Dan Jarvis, said:
Liverpool City Region metro mayor, Steve Rotheram, added:
Lucy Powell, shadow business minister and MP for Manchester Central, said:
New local lockdown restrictions expected in Nottinghamshire on 14 October - reports
According to local reports, leaked government documents reveal that new local restrictions are expected to be introduced in Nottinghamshire as soon as next week.
Following reports of a three-tier lockdown system expected to be announced next week, the documents state that all of the county and Nottingham city would go straight into ‘Level Two’ of the new system, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
People can still go on holiday outside their residential area but only with people they live with or have formed a support bubble with, according to the new rules which are expected to be announced on Monday 12 October and to come into effect from Wednesday 14 October.
Meeting people from other households in private dwellings will not be allowed, and visiting indoor hospitality, leisure and retail settings will be restricted to one household.
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