Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

3 September 2020

A series of daily updates for CHO members regarding relevant updates pertaining to Coronavirus from home and abroad.  

Key Announcements   

• As of  Wednesday 2 September , the daily number of people testing positive for Covid-19 was 1,508. 338,676  have tested positive during the pandemic in total. Yesterday 10 people sadly died, bringing the total number of deaths to 41,514 .  
• Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced  a  new £500 million funding package which  will be  used to  invest in next generation testing technology and increased testing capacity.   A new, community-wide trial in Salford will launch imminently to assess the benefits of repeat population testing. Existing, promising trials in Southampton and Hampshire, using a saliva test and a rapid 20-minute test, will also be expanded using the new funding.  
• It is being  reported  that a decision shall be made by the Government today on whether to add Portugal to the quarantine list.   
• Reports have  shown  that there is a shortage of coronavirus tests at certain testing centres. This is because some tests are being prioritised in more high-risk areas.   
• Leading figures in the aviation industry have  accused  ministers of “overseeing the demise of UK aviation.”  Many in the industry have called on the Government to do more on testing at airports.
    

Regional /Devolved  

• Covid-19 restrictions were  due to be lifted  in Bolton and Trafford overnight. However, the Government have now confirmed that they shall remain under existing circumstances due to a recent rise in the infection rate over the last few days.   
• First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has  announced  that Scotland shall get its own proximity testing app to combat the spread of the coronavirus. She encouraged people to download the app as soon as it becomes available.   

International       

• Andrea Ammon , head of the European Centre for Disease Prevention has  said  that the number of coronavirus cases in Europe is now nearly back to the levels they were in March. The agency added that schools reopening did not necessarily pose new risks.   
• New research from  Amnesty International  has found that at least 7,000 health workers have had died around the world after contracting the coronavirus.   

Stakeholders       

• Chair of the Health and Social Committee Jeremy Hunt has  said  that a ramped-up testing strategy for the UK could the route to a more normal life.    
• Commenting on the return of Ofsted Autumn inspections,  Nick Brook, deputy general secretary of school leaders’ union,  NAHT , said: “The government has misjudged exams and now they’ve misjudged inspection. Ofsted’s autumn visits to schools will satisfy no-one. Frankly the timing of this announcement could not have been worse.  Ofsted’s planned visits will be a distraction from the important business of returning all pupils successfully to full-time education. The government had already concluded that, in the current circumstances, it would do more harm than good for schools to face inspection this term as they should be focused entirely on reopening for all pupils, not arranging a visit for inspectors. Yet that appears precisely where we have ended up. “  
• The Labour Party has demanded assurances that the Government Kickstart Scheme will lead to meaningful job opportunities for younger people across the whole country. Jonathan Reynolds MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said “Billions of pounds of public money are being poured into Kickstart so we must ensure it creates meaningful job opportunities for young people across the country. Once again, this Government has been forthcoming with announcements but sparse on details. Ministers must come to the House and confirm crucial details about how this scheme will actually work.   The Government has had two months to get this scheme up and running but it is clear they have made little progress. Young people and businesses can’t afford any more delay and incompetence from this Government.”  

Unconfirmed reports   

• It is being  reported  that Boris Johnson told MPs yesterday that ‘Operation Moon Shot’ could  allow social distancing measures to come to an end before any potential vaccine is found. If testing could be rolled out so that everyone in an office can be tested weekly, then it can give people the confidence to return to work.