Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

26 June 2020

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

Key Announcements   

• 167,023 tests for covid-19  have been conducted on the 25 June, bringing to total number of tests to  8,710,292 . There were 1,118 confirmed cases as of 25 June, bringing the total number to 307,980. On 25 June there were 149 deaths confirmed with a positive test of coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths to 43,230.
• Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned the public  to “respect the rules” over social distancing. This comes after thousands flocked to beaches yesterday during the hot weather. Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said “COVID-19 has gone down due to the efforts of everyone but is still in general circulation.   If we do not follow social distancing guidance then cases will rise again. Naturally people will want to enjoy the sun but we need to do so in a way that is safe for all.”
• The Business and Planning Bill  had its first reading in the House of Commons yesterday.  The bill would help businesses during the next stage of the pandemic by introducing a simpler licensing process for outdoor seating for pubs, restaurants and cafes . It has its second reading on Monday.
• Research suggests that a third of people in the UK have enjoyed their time spent under the coronavirus lockdown .  Adults aged 30-59, those with higher incomes and those living with others have enjoyed the period the most, according to the University College London (UCL) Covid-19 social study.
• The Department of Health and Social Care has announced  that t wo billion items of personal protective equipment (PPE) have now been delivered to the frontline since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced  that s ix new ‘walk through’ local testing sites are now offering appointments to people in England, with the capacity to test hundreds of people each day.
• Health Committee Chair Jeremy Hunt has said  that the UK  should have locked down, started wearing masks and set up tracing system earlier .  The South West Surrey MP also said Europe should have “paid more attention to what was happening in Asia” due to the continent’s experience with similar viruses, such as SARS and MERS.

Regional /Devolved  

• It has been reported  that three Scottish council areas are top of the list of the places hard hit financially by the pandemic.  Highland Council is the UK’s financially worst-hit area per resident following the pandemic. This is followed by Aberdeen and then by Perth and Kinross.
• More than 450 food factory workers  have testing positive for the coronavirus  across England and Wales.  Health officials are closely monitoring clusters of new cases linked to food processing plants amid concerns about potential outbreaks similar to those seen in France and the US.
• The Stormont Executive has agreed  to reduce social distancing in Northern Ireland from 2m (6ft) to 1m with restrictions from Monday, Arlene Foster has confirmed.   It comes days after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said England would move to “1m plus” on 4 July, as its lockdown is eased.

International      

• The World Health Organisation has said  that a  “significant resurgence” in COVID-19 cases in nearly a dozen European countries risk pushing the continent’s health systems to the brink once more.
• The World Health Organisation has warned  that  global cases could reach 10 million next week .
• The Mail are reporting  that a data map reveals the 23% of US counties that are currently seeing an uncontrollable growth in COVID-19 – as new model predicts Phoenix alone could see 28,000 new infections a DAY by July 18 .

Stakeholders       

• The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER)  has  said  that three in every five teachers reported that vulnerable pupils were less engaged than their classmates , according to new research.  NFER chief executive Carole Willis said there was a need for more community-based initiatives to support the most disadvantaged families.
• It is being reported that the police fear disorder as the lockdown begins to ease. According to the BBC , chief constables are understood to have expressed private concern to the Home Office that plans to ease the coronavirus restrictions might lead to a rise in public disorder.   The head of the Police Federation in England and Wales, John Apter, fears the reopening of pubs and bars in England on 4 July will put his members at risk. “Easing lockdown on a Saturday has created almost a countdown to carnival and I am deeply concerned that we’re going to see big problems on that day”. “It’s only through fortune my colleagues are not being more seriously injured – or in fact killed. That’s how bad it’s getting, and something has to be done”.
• The Royal College of Surgeons has said  that with more than one million people waiting over 18 weeks for hospital treatment,  a new survey of 1,741 UK surgeons  finds one third have been unable to re-start surgery.  Among those surgeons who are unable to re-start elective procedures, one third (33.4%) say lack of access to fast COVID tests for patients remains a barrier .

Unconfirmed reports   

• It has been reported  that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to approve ‘air bridges’ on Monday 29 June.