Yahoo News Coronavirus: The 17 major developments that happened on Thursday
Here’s what you need to know on 11 June. This article was updated at 5pm.
Deaths: The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 41,279 – an increase of 151 over 24 hours. The number of deaths this week is the lowest since the end of March, according to health secretary Matt Hancock. Read more here.
Policy: Scientists advising the government were warned it was necessary to enforce the coronavirus lockdown two weeks before it was announced, a leaked report has suggested. According to Channel 4 News, the paper – written by Professor Sir Steven Riley of Imperial College London – warned that there could be 1.7 million deaths if the government did not shift its strategy in dealing with the pandemic. Read more here.
Test and trace: A third of new COVID-19 cases were not contacted under the government’s coronavirus tracing system in its first week, data has revealed. In total, 8,117 people had their cases transferred. Of these, 5,407 (67%) were reached and asked to provide details of recent contacts, while 2,710 (33%) were not reached. Read more here.
The tracing app will not be ready to use in crowded tower blocks until at least the autumn according to London’s deputy mayor Fiona Twycross. She said the density could mean inaccurate readings. Read more here.
Baronness Dido Harding said the first week of the test and trace service has “got off to a good start” during the government daily briefing, despite one third of people not being reached. She said they would continue to work at it.
Schools: The two-metre social distancing rule could be scrapped by September to allow schools to full reopen. The prime minister is reportedly looking at following World Health Organization advice and cutting the distance people should remain apart from two metres to one. Read more here.
Rawlins Academy in Quorn, Leicestershire, was forced to close its doors after a pupil reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. Parents were emailed on Wednesday evening to inform them that the school is shut for the rest of the week as a precautionary measure, according to Leicestershire Live. Read more here.
Entertainment: Coronation Street producer Iain MacLeod has shared that bringing the coronavirus into the new episodes of the soap will affect continuity. The ITV programme has returned to filming after pausing for two months with the new scenes set to begin airing on the 24 July. Read more here.
Coachella and Stagecoach have been cancelled because of the pandemic. The Californian festivals had already been pushed back from April to October but the organisers say they are concerned about a second wave. Read more here.
Travel: Air passengers are being urged to check in handbags and not walk around planes in new advice from the government aimed at reducing the spread of coronavirus. The guidance, published by the government’s International Aviation Taskforce, includes advice for passengers on how to socially distance at different stages of their journey. Read more here.
Finance: The boss of News UK, which owns The Sun and The Times has warned of job losses because of the pandemic. Rebekah Brooks said the company would need to “reset” and say goodbye to some colleagues. Read more here.
Nearly one in 10, or six million, Brits will avoid shopping on the high street in the future as a result of coronavirus, according to new research. In a survey of 2,000 UK adults by personal finance site Finder, a third (34%) of respondents said they will be willing to return to in-store shopping only when certain requirements are met - for some, that’s a vaccine. Read more here.
Read more about COVID-19
How to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms
What you can and can’t do under lockdown rules
In pictures: How UK school classrooms could look in new normal
How public transport could look after lockdown
How our public spaces will change in the future
Rest of the world
Donald Trump is to hold his first rally since the US states began shutting down because of the pandemic. It comes as the official number of cases in America reached two million. Read more here.
Prince Joachim of Belgium has been fined after breaking lockdown rules when he attended a party in Spain. He was fined €10,400 (£9,322), according to a Spanish government official. Read more here.
Positive news
What appears to be the first pop-up restaurant with social distancing in mind has been designed in Cornwall, in time for the earliest possible opening date of pubs. The St Moritz Hotel & Spa will launch the Anti-Social Club when it re-opens on 4 July. Read more here.
A care home in Scotland has not had a single case of COVID-19 among staff or residents after locking down a week earlier than the government required. Eskgreen care home faced some “grumbling” from council officials, but the strategy seems to have worked. Read more here.
Many Britons have been able to save hundreds, even thousands of pounds, in lockdown, redirecting disposable income to savings accounts. They could cash in on a drop in house prices, as searches for “first time buyers” and “first mortgage” are at the highest level they've been in five years. Read more here.
