Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

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

Key Announcements

People across England can, from today, enjoy unlimited exercise, drive to beauty spots, shop at garden centres, and meet one person from another household outside as the U.K. lockdown starts to ease.

The ease to the lockdown has been reflected in statute as amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 were laid yesterday

1,460,517 people have been tested for covid-19, of which 226,463 have tested positive. There were 85,293 tests yesterday

As of 5pm on 11 May, of those tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, 32,692 have died, an increase of 627 from the previous 24 hours

However, the number of ‘ excess deaths’ during the coronavirus pandemic rose above 50,000 in the U.K. by 1st May, it has been confirmed.

New Government advice on the safe recommencement of work kicks in today. Business Secretary Alok Sharma highlighted the guidance for eight different employment settings at the Downing Street daily press conference last night.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until the end of October, with workers continuing to receive the same level of support as they do now. Until the end of July there will be no changes. From August through October, employers using the scheme will be able to ring back employees part time, and employees will be asked to share the cost of paying salaries.

The DfT has issued guidance for transport operators and passengers, accompanying the partial economic restart from today. In a statement to the House yesterday, Transport Secretary Grant Schapps urged commuters to wear face masks on public transport and observe social distancing. “The two-meter social distancing rule will only leave effective capacity for 1 in 10 passengers overall”, he confirmed.

Polling from Redfield & Wilton Strategies has found that only 49 percent find the new Government slogan “extremely” or “reasonably” clear, compared with 94 percent for “stay home, protect the NHS, save lives”. More than a third of those polled (36 percent) said they did not understand rules about returning to work, nor whether they should wear a mask in public. The polling also revealed that 65 percent support the idea of a contact-tracing app and would be prepared to download it when it gets rolled out across the U.K.

The ONS have published statistics on the impact of coronavirus on the UK economy, revealing that GDP fell 5.8% in March 2020

Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg yesterday announced that ‘hybrid’ arrangements for Parliament would not be extended beyond the end of next week, with MPs and staff expected to return to work as normal from June. This has provoked fury from many MPs on twitter.

Unpaid volunteers are being recruited to spend 32 hours a week taking swabs in Boots labs as part of the U.K.’s mass testing effort.

International   

The French government has banned drinking by the Seine after large crowds celebrated the partial easing of lockdown restrictions yesterday.

The European Commission will unveil a package of guidelines later today on how it wants Schengen-area countries to reopen their borders.

From today the people of Lebanon will only be allowed outside for “urgent” reasons after the government imposed a complete shutdown following a sharp rise in coronavirus cases.

The World Health Organisation has condemned the “dangerous” concept of herd immunity for managing the coronavirus pandemic.

Canada has begun offering one of payments of between $300 and $500 to senior citizens for pandemic expenses.

Italy will allow bars, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons to open from next week

Stakeholders    

GMB Union has published a survey on staff and children returning to school

The Federation of Small Businesses has published a survey on COVID-19 and its impact

Unconfirmed reports

The Daily Telegraph report the crisis will cost the Treasury £300 billion by the end of the year.

The Guardian has been leaked correspondence between care homes and U.K. health authorities, revealing the difficulties of homes accessing vital testing kits for staff and residents.

Reuters calculates the true number of U.K. care home deaths is now closer to 20,000 , using an analysis of yesterday’s ‘excess death’ stats.

As the housing market begins to restart in England, it is estimated that 450,000 house moves have been frozen by the lockdown. The Times report that a swift restart to sales may limit the depth of the market crash.

A raft of tax hikes, public sector pay freezes and an end to the triple lock on pensions could be deployed to boost beleaguered Treasury coffers after the Coronavirus pandemic, the Independent report .