Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

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

Key Announcements  

• At mid-day,  Boris Johnson is  expected  to announce further easings with cinemas and museum, galleries, pubs, hotels and restaurants allowed to open from 4 July.
• In an   interview  with Sky’s Ed Conway and former chancellor Sajid Javid, Governor Andrew Bailey said he was not so confident there would be a full recovery , with consumer behaviour changes having occurred with the pandemic.    He said the Government may need to consider finding a vehicle to resolve the many bad debts left by companies that fail over the COVID-19 period.
• Bailey revealed that the Government could have run out of the funds in March had it not been for the Bank’s intervention.
• In the press conference yesterday, Matt Hancock noted that  for the first time since the peak, the number of positive cases of  Covid -19   was  under 1,000 at 958 patients
• From 6 July, those shielding  will  be allowed to  meet in groups of up to 6 people outdoors, including those outside their household. ‘ Support bubble’ arrangements could also be used by those shielding.  From 1 August, shielding will be paused, and people could leave their home whilst practicing social distancing.
• The Government has  tabled  two new statutory instruments  on Monday  to  make it more difficult  for foreign buyers to acquire any assets related to the nation’s healthcare self-sufficiency ,  artificial intelligence and other high tech.
• Downing Street  has said  it will keep plans to relax Sunday trading rules “under review” after  discontent from Tory MPs.

• The Scottish  Education Secretary John Swinney is to make a statement at Holyrood on the next steps towards reopening schools ,  with pupils due to return from 11 August.
• A  economic review  commissioned  by the Scottish Government has called for a jobs guarantee for 16 to  25 year  olds.
• A Holyrood committee investigating the Scottish Government’s handling of complaints against Alex Salmond has held its first public meeting.
• Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster  announced  that groups of six can meet indoors starting from today if social distancing is followed.

International     

• South Korea has confirmed a second wave of infections, with the pandemic expected to continue for months.  The Mayor of Seoul warned that the capital may have to return to strict social distancing.
• International visitors will not be allowed to make the annual pilgrimage known as Haji in July
• Activity in Germany’s and France’s service sector and manufacturing rose in June, pointing to nascent recovery.
• The French drug maker, Sanofi SA, says it expects to get approval for the potential Covid-19 vaccine it is developing with Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline Plc by the first half of next year.
• With global coronavirus infections topping nine million on Monday, the World Health Organisation warned the pandemic was accelerating and  called for global solidarity.

• Six select committee chairs  have urged  the PM to use the recovery plans as a chance to cut carbon emissions.  Their call comes after members of the UK’s Climate Assembly overwhelmingly backed a motion saying ministers should put green initiatives at the heart of their plans to rebuild the economy.
• The Recruitment and Employment Confederation  has published  a report showing that employer confidence has grown from  net   -62  in May to  net -46  in the first half of June.
• The Institute of Directors has  published  a report calling on the Treasury  to  increase in the employment allowance and the threshold for employers’ national insurance contributions , to widen the scope of R&D tax reliefs and extend grants to businesses that have not received support during the crisis.
• In a report by the Centre for Policy Studies, f ormer chancellor Sajid Javid has  warned against a return to austerity as the UK economy struggles with the effects of the coronavirus crisis .  The report also notes a quick recovery is not likely and coronavirus emergency measures should be stopped if possible by April 2021.
• The number of children needing foster care has increased by 44 percent during the pandemic, charity Barnardo’s has warned. 
• Ian Blatchford, director of the Science Museum,  warns  not to expect  a  sudden rush of museum opening s  early next month.
• The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said that  emergency funding, permanent  short-time  working, business rate holidays, and VAT cuts are needed to stem the flow of redundancies , FT reports.
• The Work and Pensions Committee warned that the Pensions Regulator should be alert to the risk of unscrumptious employers taking pension payment holiday when they are not facing financial pressure due to the coronavirus crisis. It also urged the Government to bring forward the Employment Bill at the earliest opportunity, to allow Parliament to address those issues.