Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

14 Sep

14 September 2020

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

Key Announcements:

  • New rules come into force today, meaning that social gatherings are limited to a maximum of six people in England, Scotland and Wales. There are exemptions and the rules differ slightly between devolved nations. The police can fine those flouting the rules by imposing a £100 fine, doubling with each offence to a maximum of £3,200.
  • The latest survey from Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI show the virus is now doubling every 7 to 8 days. Prevalence of infection was highest in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West at 0.17 per cent followed by 0.16 per cent in the North East. At the start of lockdown in March the rate of infection was doubling every 3 to 4 days.
  • The NHS Test and Trace Covid app will be available nationally in England and Wales from 24th
  • A poll for the British Medical Association of more than 8,000 doctors and medical students in England shows that 86 percent of those surveyed think that a second peak of the virus in the next six months is “quite likely” or “very likely”.
  • NHS England have sent a letter to all GP practices stating they must make sure face to face appointments are offered if necessary. The Royal College of GPs said any implication GPs had not been doing their job properly was “an insult”.
  • Figures seen by the BBC show that employers are planning more than twice as many redundancies as they did during the peak of the last recession. The figures were obtained by an Institute for Employment Studies (IES) Freedom of Information request.

Regional/Devolved

  • From today new restrictions in Scotland and Wales will come into force.
  • Households in Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell will not be allowed to mix from tomorrow following a spike in cases.
  • Restrictions in Bolton also come into force.

International

  • The World Health Organization reported a record single-day increase in infections yesterday, with 307,930 reported infections in 24 hours.
  • Israel has become the first country to reimpose a second nationwide lockdown. The lockdown will come into force later this week. Israel has reported around 3,000 new cases per day in recent weeks.
  • US President Donald Trump held an indoor campaign rally in Nevada campaign on Sunday despite officials warning against the move, stating it violated Covid restrictions.

Stakeholders

  • The Trussell Trust forecast a 61 percent increase in food parcels needed across the UK from October to December, due to potential mass unemployment. The charity is urging the Government to acknowledge this potential for increased destitution in the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review and Budget.
  • The General Secretary of the TUC, Frances O’Grady, is set to urge the Chancellor to extend the furlough scheme in an annual congress speech today. She is expected to tell Sunak: “stand by working families – don’t walk away.”