Covid-19 Daily Bulletin
12 May
A series of daily updates for CHO members regarding relevant updates pertaining to Coronavirus from home and abroad.
Key Announcements
- Boris Johnson on Monday night urged the public to “use good, solid British common sense” in interpreting his new lockdown rules after facing a host of questions and confusion over his strategy.
- On Monday evening, the Government published guidance for making workplaces “Covid secure,” including requiring employers to carry out risk assessments before they can reopen.
- People will be able to play sport with a friend or family member from outside their household or socialise with them in the open air for the first time in more than six weeks, Boris Johnson said yesterday.
- All primary school pupils will spend up to a month back in the classroom before the summer holidays under plans announced last night by the government. June 1 has been pencilled in as the return date for children in Reception, and Years One and Six, but ministers say that “if feasible” all primary-aged children should return later in the month. It means primary schools could be fully open as early as June 22.
- Boris Johnson has admitted that there is “No guarantee” of a vaccine, but he added that the UK is heavily involved in the work to develop one.
- Boris Johnson denies reports his senior scientific and medical advisers were not consulted on the new messaging attached to his plan to ease the country’s lockdown as he set out the details in parliament. Amid muddled guidance from ministers on what the new rules actually allow, Johnson insists the public understands his government’s message .
International
- US President Donald Trump was criticised for telling an Asian-American journalist to direct her questions on the US’s epidemic to China, instead of to him.
- French economic activity plunged 27% in April compared with its expected trajectory before the coronavirus pandemic but this was still a slight improvement on March, the Bank of France said.
- Stocks across Asia fell on new concerns over the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in the region, despite signs that other parts of the global economy were preparing to ease lockdowns.
- Spain will require people entering the country to observe a 14-day quarantine, in a decision that follows similar moves by the UK and elsewhere.
- All mosques in Iran will reopen temporarily on Tuesday. The temporary reopening marks a further step in the government’s plans to ease restrictions that aimed to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, the official IRIB news agency reported.
- The World Health Organisation says “extreme vigilance” is needed as countries begin to exit lockdowns imposed to curb the virus’ spread.
Stakeholders
- Telecoms provider Vodafone said that Covid-19 had led to lower revenue from roaming charges, which was offset by a significant increase in data volumes, as the group said that earnings in the next financial year were expected to be flat or slightly down.
- Landsec, a commercial property developer, warned that it did not expect economic recovery to pre-crisis levels before 2022 “at the earliest”, as it planned for more business failures and higher vacancy rates, particularly in the leisure and retail sectors. Usage of its offices was below 10 per cent as employees worked from home, it added.
- Wm Morrison said the precipitous decline in fuel sales at its supermarkets was affecting working capital and debt, as it reported that retail sales excluding fuel were up 5.1 per cent in the first quarter.
Unconfirmed reports