Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

29 Sep

19 September 2020

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

Key Announcements:

  • On Monday, there were 4,044 new cases and 13 new deaths in the UK, according to the latest figures. However, these figures only include those who died within the first 28-day period of testing positive, thus deaths from complications due to Covid-19 are probably higher.
  • Backlash against the Government’s 10pm curfew continues, as there is no scientific proof to back the rule. However, rumours of a U-turn have been denied by Government confidants according to Radio 4.
  • The Prime Minister will today announce a new Lifetime Skills Guarantee scheme that will see adults without an A-Level or equivalent qualification being offered a free, fully funded college course. It will be available from April in England and will be paid for through the National Skills Fund. A full list of available courses will be set out shortly; Politico state the list will come next month.
  • Higher education loans will also be made more flexible, allowing people to study at different ages across their lifetimes, with a push to massively expand vocational courses. This is all part of the Covid-19 recovery strategy.

Regional/Devolved

  • New measures amount by the Health Secretary will make it illegal for two different households to meet in all public places, such as the pub or a park, in the north-east of England. Those over 18 found to be breaking the law could be fined £200, up to a maximum of £6,400 for repeat offenders. This is building upon previous rules brought in on September 18, that saw individuals unable to mix with any other household in a house or garden. You can find the full list of the areas affected by these new rules here , on the GOV.UK page.
  • In Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull and Wolverhampton, you must not:
  • host people you do not live with in your home or garden, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble;
  • meet people you do not live with in their home or garden, whether inside or outside the affected local areas, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble.
  • In Greater Manchester you must not:
  • host people you do not live with in your home or garden, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble;
  • meet people you do not live with in their home or garden, whether inside or outside the affected local areas, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble.
  • In north west England, you must not:
  • host people you do not live with in your home or garden, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble;
  • meet people you do not live with in their home or garden, whether inside or outside the affected local areas, unless they’re in your support or childcare bubble.
  • You can find the full list of areas effected in the north west by following the link.
  • It remains the case that nightclubs, dance halls, and discotheques and sexual entertainment venues and hostess bars must remain closed nationally.
  • In Scotland, a new study by the Fraser of Allander Institute has highlighted a third of Arran’s economy is reliant on the tourism and hospitality sector. It also suggested the ferry service is worth £170,000 a day to the island, which could see long-term “scarring effects” to Arran, but also other Island communities.

International

  • Covid deaths worldwide have surpassed the one million mark, with the US, India and Brazil accountable for more than half. There have been 32 million confirmed cases across 188 countries.

Stakeholder Reactions

  • Responding to the government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee announcement Kate Green MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary said: “A week ago Labour called for a National Retraining Strategy fit for the crisis Britain faces, but what the government proposes is simply a mix of reheated old policies and funding that won’t be available until April. By then many workers could have been out of work for nearly a year, and the Tories still think that they will need to take out loans to get the training they will need to get back in work. These measures will not reverse the devastating impact of a decade of cuts, and will not give workers the skills and support they need in the months ahead.”
  • There will also be a ministerial Statement on the return of students to universities at 12.30pm. Shadow minister for universities Emma Hardy told Sky News she was worried there would be a huge draft of students dropping out of universities after 1,700 students have been put into tough lockdown. There was already a high rise in unemployment among those under 25 and graduate unemployment of those who graduated this year, she added. Hardy called for the Education secretary to apologise, claiming these student lockdowns happened because testing was not working properly.