Around 30,000 NHS staff either off sick with Covid-19 or in isolation, chief warns
Jordan Kelly-Linden
·81 min read
A mural depicting NHS nurse Debra Williams in Manchester - PETER POWELL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Around 30,000 NHS staff are either off with Covid-19 or having to self-isolate, the health service's chief executive Sir Simon Stevens told a Downing Street press conference on Thursday.
Sir Simon said that the risk of the second wave was "real and serious" and that while the NHS had caught up and built capacity, the service's ability to deal with the virus - and other illnesses - was dependent on people following the new lockdown rules.
Referring to the growing number of staff struck down by Covid-19, he added that the slogan - stay home to protect the NHS and save lives - meant "help us to help you".
Earlier on Thursday medical experts also warned that Nightingale hospitals were not the solution to easing the burden on the NHS's intensive care units as cases continue to rise.
Two senior intensive care specialists said opening field hospitals to help the health service during the second peak of coronavirus put pressure on the system and risked poaching staff from already over-burdened hospitals.
That's all from us this evening. Here are Thursday's top headlines:
In UK news...
It's the first day of the second lockdown and a further 236 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England. The daily case count has yet to be released after reported technical difficulties.
Boris Johnson has claimed that people will be able to have “as normal a Christmas as possible” if they comply with the lockdown rules.
Around 30,000 NHS staff are either off with Covid-19 or having to self-isolate, impacting the level of care, the health service's chief executive Sir Simon Stevens told a Downing Street press conference.
Rishi Sunak has announced the government will extend furlough until the end of March as the second coronavirus wave and renewed lockdown measures threaten to drive up unemployment.
England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has warned that coronavirus "will benefit" from winter and the country should brace itself for higher infection rates over the next few months.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, has responded to the allegations that the data used to inform lockdown was outdated, saying: "These are projections not forecasts." She added that it would be "irresponsible" to not show these models and impose a lockdown.
Further afield...
Denmark's prime minister announced special restrictions for more than 280,000 people in the north-east of the country on Thursday after a mutated version of the new coronavirus linked to mink farms was found in humans.
Italy has registered 34,505 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, its highest ever daily tally and up from 30,550 on Wednesday.
Sweden, whose pandemic strategy of avoiding lockdowns has gained international attention, registered 4,034 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic, Health Agency statistics showed.
The presidential election count continues to tick on, but so does the country's coronavirus crisis. The USreported a record number of new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, topping 100,000 for the first time.
China on Thursday defended a ban on non-Chinese arrivals from a growing list of countries, including the UK, Belgium and India, as "reasonable and fair" as it guards against a resurgence of the coronavirus.
06:42 PM
Denmark imposes regional lockdown after spread of mink coronavirus mutation
Denmark's prime minister announced special restrictions for more than 280,000 people in the north-east of the country on Thursday after a mutated version of the new coronavirus linked to mink farms was found in humans.
Copenhagen warned that the mutation could threaten the effectiveness of any future vaccine.
"From tonight, citizens in seven areas of north Jutland are strongly encouraged to stay in their area to prevent the spread of infection," Mette Frederiksen told a news conference, adding that people were being ordered not to travel there, while bars and restaurants would also shut.
"We are asking you in north Jutland to do something completely extraordinary," Frederiksen said, talking of a "real closure" of the region.
"The eyes of the world are on us," she added.
Hans Kluge, WHO European regional director said Denmark showed "determination and courage" in the face of a decision to cull its mink population of 17 million animals, which has a "huge economic impact".
The organization also said that mink appear to be good reservoirs for the new SARS-CoV-2 virus and that "it could contribute in some way to the transmission of the virus from minks into humans, and then onwards from humans to humans."
06:37 PM
Boris Johnson has 'every confidence' of 'as normal a Christmas as possible'
06:30 PM
Government warned over use of 'confusing' statistics that 'undermine confidence'
The official statistics watchdog has issued a warning to ministers and government advisers over the use of coronavirus data in ways which can "confuse" the public.
The UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) said there was a danger that confidence in official figures will be undermined if they are issued without "appropriate explanations of context and sources".
The warning follows controversy over modelling used at Saturday's Downing Street press conference to announce the latest lockdown in England suggesting deaths could reach 4,000 a day unless action was taken.
Appearing before MPs on Tuesday, the Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance expressed "regret" if the figures - representing one "reasonable worst case scenario" - had caused alarm.
He did concede that, because there is a lag in key indicators, the models were not able to factor in all of the data about the new tiered system, which came into effect on October 14.
06:13 PM
A day in the life of Loophole Lockdown
So, Lockdown 2. You wake up, fall out of bed, boil the kettle (don’t read the news – oh boy), and think: for the next four weeks or so, what can and can I not do?
Well, like last time, certain things are entirely off-limits, like restaurant meals and trips to the gym – but unlike Lockdown 1, other joys remain permitted.
With little else in the diary, you could squint at the government’s catchily named Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No 4) Regulations 2020 document, read between the lines, then employ a cunning of which Edmund Blackadder would be proud, and end up finding enough loopholes to have a relatively ‘unlocked’ lockdown day.
It’s all in the small print (if not the spirit)…
Between pints on park benches, but not in botanical gardens, Guy Kelly takes us on a tour of some things we can do this time around that we couldn't get away with in the spring.
Second wave risks being more severe than first: French health minister
The second wave of coronavirus infections tearing across France will be more severe than the first experienced in the spring if it is allowed to continue spreading at the current rate, the country's health minister said on Thursday
France would see the number of Covid sufferers in intensive care peak at 6,000 if the public complied with the new lockdown, or as many as 7,000 if the virus continued spreading as it is now with not everyone respecting the confinement rules, Health Minister Olivier Veran said.
It reported more than 4,000 Covid patients in ICU on Wednesday.
"The next days and weeks will be difficult," Veran told a news conference.
France is scrambling to train more health workers. Student medics could be called on once again for reinforcements, he added.
06:04 PM
Nationwide curfew enforced across Italy as cases surge
On the eve of a new raft of restrictive measures that sets a nationwide curfew and divides the country into three rule-differentiated risk zones, Italy registered 34,505 new infections Thursday, as well as 445 deaths in the last 24 hours.
"It is not a good signal," said prevention director Gianni Rezza a ministry of health press conference.
Despite protests from city and regional leaders and residents, a strict lockdown with broad closures of shops, services and mobility restrictions goes into effect tomorrow in Lombardy, Piedmont, Calabria and Valle d'Aosta, the four declared "red zones" determined by health ministry officials to have the most serious coronavirus risk parameters.
Two other regions, Apulia and Sicily, were declared orange regions, with elevated risk and some closures, while the rest of Italy was determined to be in a yellow phase, with only limited restrictions.
All of Italy will be under a night curfew as of Friday, with travel prohibited between the hours of 22:00 and 05:00.
Andrea Vogt reports from central Italy
05:58 PM
Covid-19 threatens to 'exacerbate gulf' between rich and poor
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy earlier today warned that Covid-19 threatens to "exacerbate the gulf" between rich and poor around the world.
She told the Commons this afternoon:
"This pandemic is a truly global crisis. It has reached every corner of the earth. More than 1.2 million people have died with millions more suffering ill-health, often for months on end.
"Just as here in Britain, the virus has highlighted longstanding socio-economic and racial inequalities. Covid-19 threatens to exacerbate the gulf between rich and poor around the world.
"It risks undoing decades of work reducing poverty and tackling inequality globally and exposes many of the world's vulnerable - refugees and the displaced, those in conflict settings and those without access to adequate health care - to the worst effects of this virus. We cannot stand for this."
Foreign minister Wendy Morton said: "If we are to defeat Covid-19, if we are to achieve a global recovery and avoid a future pandemic, then we must work together across borders.
"Covid-19 is a virus that has no respect for borders, it has no respect for barriers and that is why the UK is promoting multilateral solutions to end the pandemic, working with international organisations, our partners in the G7 and the G20 and industry."
05:55 PM
There has 'never been greater investment' in the NHS: PM
The last question is about the growing waiting list for non-Covid health issues. Boris Johnson is asked if he will give the financial support required to deal with the backlog.
NHS boss Sir Simon Stevens jokes that the question has come from "my brother".
The Prime Minister says Covid has "put all sorts of pressures" on the NHS, but says there has "never been greater investment" in the health service.
Sir Simon says the summer predictions that the waiting list would reach 10m is "definitely not the case", with hospitals using the "window of opportunity" in the summer to get numbers down.
He notes the "key constraint" is staffing, but the one "small silver lining" of the last nine months is that a new generation of people have been inspired to be the doctors and nurses of the future. He says there will be the biggest intake in a decade this autumn.
"That doesn't provide an instant answer, but it does provide some reassurance about the future," he adds.
The Prime Minister concludes by saying "alas" we must "once again" stay home, protect the NHS and save lives. And that is it - the press conference is over.
05:47 PM
Boris Johnson: Test and Trace hasn't had as much impact as we would have wanted
Boris Johnson is then asked about the new-low in contacts reached through Test and Trace.
He says he understands people's "frustrations" but insists "they are improving" - pointing to the turnaround times and daily capacity.
"Yes it hasn't had as much impact as we would have wanted, but identifying where people have the disease... we have been able to get the R-rate down in a way I don't think we could have done," he adds.
The rapid tests that are being rolled out can be used to identify asymptomatic people in the NHS and care homes "and perhaps in other settings", the Prime Minister says.
The lateral flow tests, which are being used in the Liverpool pilot from tomorrow, "offer a real way forward for this country, through this crisis," he adds.
Mr Johnson says he accepts there is a problem in getting people to self-isolate, but "when we move, as we will, to ever more immediate test results.... you are gradually able to remove the need for that quarantine."
Stevens adds there are three lines of defence: social distancing; test and trace; and what happens in hospitals.
Having tests that pick up asymptomatic cases, as mass-testing should, should make a difference, he says.
05:42 PM
Boris Johnson: Death tallies are 'irrefutable fact'
Boris Johnson is then asked about the UK Statistics Authority's letter complaining about the official use of data.
He says the data varies "widely" and that is why "you have to add the political judgement", saying it is "very very tough to make exactly the right call".
He says he is "happy to share" what data they have, but points to Sir Simon Stevens' sole slide showing the number of people in hospitals right now, as well as the number of deaths yesterday.
"That is an irrefutable fact - we haven't seen those numbers since May," he says.
05:42 PM
Boris Johnson: Technical advances will change life after lockdown
Sir Simon Stevens is asked if he believes lockdown will be lifted before Christmas and the New Year.
He says it depends on people following the rules, and notes that if it "takes off in a community" often NHS staff will be affected too. "That has an impact... on our care," he says.
He reveals that 30,000 NHS staff are currently off work with Covid or having to self isolate.
Boris Johnson says he has "complete confidence" that measures will work and provide the NHS "with the protection they need".
He reiterates that the regulations will expire on Dec 2 and "people across this country will have as normal a Christmas as possible".
He adds he was "very very grateful" to MPs for voting through measures yesterday and "it was good that this was a measure that was supported by people of all parties".
Thanks to the "technical advances we are talking about, we will go into a different period," he adds.
05:36 PM
'Normal as Christmas as possible'
Will we be able to celebrate Christmas normally?
The PM says: "I perfectly understand why people feel frustrated by the measures... but I also know the overwhelming majority of people will work together to get the R down."
He says it can be done by 2 December, adding: "I have every confidence we will be able to [get infections down] if we follow this package of measures.
"I [have] no doubt people will be able to have as normal a Christmas as possible and things can open before Christmas as well."
Sir Simon Stevens echoes that, saying we have "done it before int he past, we need to do it again", stressing it is "completely shared endeavour".
05:36 PM
'There isn't a virus that has threatened humanity that we haven't beaten': PM
In the second question from the public, the PM is asked what consideration has been given to limited vaccine success and how we live with Covid going forward if they don't work.
Johnson says there is a "tripod we are resting our programme on the way ahead", starting with therapeutics and medicines, moving to the testing regime, and then the vaccines.
"That's the way forward, but if you talk to the scientists they believe things will start naturally to improve in the spring for other reasons", such as the improvement in weather conditions.
The PM adds: "I think the real progress we are going to see is with science.
"There isn't a virus that has threatened humanity that we haven't beaten."
Sir Simon says there are six "front runner" vaccines and the ones coming first are the "cleverest", so he remains positive.
05:34 PM
Boris Johnson dodges question about furlough delay
Boris Johnson is then questioned by journalists, with the first question about the delay in extending the furlough.
He says it has been "one of the most generous and imaginative schemes" and has been running continuously since March. It is now being extended "to give people the certainty you describe".
He doesn't really engage with the nub of the question - which is that some people have lost their jobs because it was expected that the furlough would be ending.
"Now as we face this autumn surge... it is right that we go to furlough," the Prime Minister says.
05:32 PM
Boris Johnson: No football as lockdown package must be 'complete'
Boris Johnson then turns to questions from the public, including one about playing football during lockdown.
There is no good news though, with the Prime Minister saying he is very sorry but there are many activities that people want to do which must be stopped for the lockdown.
"It is just about 28 days, but we have to do this package complete," he says.
The next question is about the vaccine, which Mr Johnson says is part of the "tripod" they are resting on.
Treatments and testing are the other part of that strategy, he adds.
05:28 PM
NHS boss: We need your help
Sir Simon Stevens says the NHS is doing well because "preparation has been substantial".
But he says "we do need your help".
The chief executive of the NHS says the slogan - stay home to protect the NHS and save lives - means "help us to help you".
He adds it has been "an incredibly stressful time" for the people working in the health services.
He quotes a colleague saying "in the here and now" they cannot stop people having strokes or getting cancer, but they can stop people catching coronavirus - and that is by people following the rules.
05:28 PM
Covid-19: the infection journey
At the briefing, a short animation is played to explain the timescale of coronavirus.
It says it takes five days for a person to become symptomatic, and another two to five days before someone needs to go into hospital.
The number of days before a patient dies or is discharged then ranges from between nine and 19.
Average time it takes for the different stages of a coronavirus infection to progress
05:22 PM
NHS boss says his chart shows 'just facts'
Sir Simon Stevens says he has seen a "big increase" in coronavirus cases in hospitals.
He says he just has one chart, noting that the many others used can be hard to follow.
Here it is
Hospital patients today
He says "those are facts" - not projections. He adds: "Today's infections is tomorrow's order book for intensive care."
The way the virus works is "there are these lags" between hospitalisations and either cures or deaths.
05:19 PM
NHS boss: Second wave is 'real and serious'
Sir Simon Stevens, the chief executive of the NHS, says he is communicating three points from his colleagues.
He says that the risk of the second wave is "real and serious" and that while they have caught up and built capacity, the service's ability to deal with the virus - and other illnesses - is dependent on people following the new lockdown.
"Left unchecked it will disrupt care," he says.
NHS Chief Executive, Sir Simon Stevens during a media briefing in Downing Street - PA Video
05:14 PM
Boris Johnson promises lockdown is 'time limited'
Boris Johnson says he knows people are "weary" of the lockdown, but says it is different to the spring.
He points to the fact that schools, universities and measures are still open, and stresses that the restriction is "time limited".
The advice he has had is that four weeks are enough and from Dec 2, "we plan to move back into a tiered approach," the Prime Minister adds.
"There is light at the end of the tunnel," he adds, pointing to the breakthroughs in mass testing, treatments and the "very real chance" of a "safe and effective vaccine".
05:11 PM
'Huge joint effort to put coronavirus back in its box': PM
People across the country are engaged in a “huge joint effort to put the coronavirus back in its box”, Boris Johnson has said.
The prime minister added that an "unprecedented" effort is also under way to protect jobs, and there is a "shared goal" across the UK to protect the NHS.
He highlights the old economic package, the new test capacity and the increased number of ventilators and PPE for the NHS.
The UK Government and Devolved Administrations are "working on a joint approach to Christmas" so everyone can "come together" wherever they live, he says.
But the Prime Minister lists the rising number of cases, hospitalisations and intensive care admissions, and confirms 492 deaths were reported across the UK yesterday.
05:10 PM
Briefing begins
Boris Johnson has begun his address to the nation on the first day of England's second national lockdown.
He is joined by the chief executive of NHS England, Sir Simon Stevens.
We'll bring you updates here.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a statement - Leon Neal / Getty
05:09 PM
Belgium's chocolate shops remain open during coronavirus lockdown
Belgium’s chocolate shops have stayed open during the country’s second coronavirus lockdown.
The country has the European Union’s worst coronavirus infection rate but access to Belgium's national heritage of world-class chocs has been judged as too important to forego.
All non-essential shops must close, along with contact professions such as hairdressers, although they can operate online delivery services and “click and collect” services.
Chocolate shops are on the list of essential shops that the Belgium government has allowed to stay open during the restrictions that last until mid December.
Fresh lockdowns, curfews and mistrust – the view from across Europe
England has followed France and Belgium into a second lockdown, and Greece is to begin a national shutdown from Sunday.
Elsewhere, Spain is under a six-month state of emergency, while Sweden has issued sweeping (but penalty-free) advice to slow the growing number of cases.
Here, our writers offer snapshots from across the continent.
Germany has imposed a lockdown 'light' in a bid to squash the spread of Covid-19 - Maja Hitij / Getty
04:54 PM
Coming up: Boris Johnson provides Covid update on first day of new national lockdown
Boris Johnson is updating the nation on the government's coronavirus response on the first day of a new national lockdown at 5pm today.
The Prime Minister will be flanked by NHS boss Simon Stevens.
We'll bring you updates here.
04:50 PM
'We are part of the solution': the gyms refusing to shut during lockdown
Businesses across the UK have refused to close their doors on the first day of the second lockdown.
Non-essential services, which currently includes gyms and hairdressers, are supposed to shut until December 2 under the new restrictions, but some have vowed not to do so.
Among them is Gainz Fitness and Strength, a gym in Bedford, which earlier this week said it would be staying open to support the health and wellbeing of its members. It is not taking on new members during the lockdown period.
In a Facebook post earlier today, the gym said: “Exercise in a gym is an offence - November 2020. It’s unbelievable but it’s true.”
The post said that the gym “won’t stop campaigning” for the sector to be recognised as essential and that it would be operating reduced opening hours.
Alex Lowndes, owner of Gainz Fitness and Strength in Bedford, as they stay open and defy lockdown rules as the second national lockdown for England comes into effect today - Joe Giddens / PA
04:42 PM
Police continue to break up gatherings
Northumbria Polce officers arrive en masse to clear people away from the Old Eldon Square area of Newcastle this afternoon, on day one of Lockdown II which came into effect this morning across England.
Northumbria Polce officers arrive en masse to clear people away from the Old Eldon Square area of Newcastle this afternoon, on day one of Lockdown II which came into effect this morning across England. - Raoul Dixon / NNP
04:40 PM
Italy posts daily record of 34,505 new coronavirus cases as deaths surge
Italy has registered 34,505 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, its highest ever daily tally and up from 30,550 on Wednesday.
The ministry also reported 445 Covid-related deaths, up from 352 the day before and the first toll above 400 since May 2.
A total of 40,192 people have now died because of Covid-19 in Italy, which becomes the sixth country in the world to report more than 40,000 deaths.
It has registered some 824,879 coronavirus infections since the start of its outbreak.
The northern region of Lombardy, centred on Italy's financial capital Milan, remained the hardest hit area, reporting 8,822 new cases on Thursday against 7,758 on Wednesday.
The southern Campania region was the second-worst affected, chalking up 3,888 cases.
04:33 PM
Care home deaths could be held across all four nations
The Scottish Government is exploring whether a public inquiry into care home deaths during the coronavirus pandemic could cover all four nations of the UK, Nicola Sturgeon has revealed.
Scotland's First Minister said her Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has written to counterparts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the issue.
It comes after MSPs at Holyrood voted in favour of ministers holding an immediate public inquiry into care home deaths.
The Scottish Government has previously said such deaths will be examined in a fuller public inquiry into its handling of the pandemic and the impact of this - adding this should only be held when the second wave of coronavirus is over.
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government has "long been clear we would be instigating a public inquiry into all aspects of the response to and impact of Covid, and that includes care homes".
But she said ministers will "take note of the views of Parliament" after the Holyrood vote.
04:23 PM
Teacher apologises after telling parents 'Bangladeshi community' weren't sticking to Covid-19 rules
A primary school headteacher has been forced to apologise after sending a letter to parents blaming a “small element” of the Bangladeshi community for failing to stick to coronavirus regulations.
Karen Todd, head of the Richard Avenue Primary School in Sunderland, said in her letter on Tuesday that she was aware of a "number of families" who were putting not only themselves and their families at risk of the virus, but also other pupils and their relatives.
Mrs Todd listed activities that were "against the law", including weddings in homes, families visiting people at their house, people sharing cars and not wearing masks, and families who were awaiting the results of a coronavirus test yet still sending their children to school.
The letter sparked a strong response from parents and a series of complaints.
The United States reported a record number of new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, topping 100,000 for the first time, Jennifer Rigby reports.
The country reported 102,831 cases and 1,097 Covid-19 deaths in just 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University case tracker.
In total, more than 9.4m people have been infected with the virus and 233,000 have died in the US so far during the pandemic, by far the worst tolls in absolute terms globally.
And the virus appears to be reaching a peak again as the country is caught up in choosing its new president.
Twenty-three states have recorded more cases in the past seven days than in any other week, according to the New York Times. Five states - Colorado, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota and Nebraska - all set new single-day case records on Wednesday.
The number of daily deaths is still considerably lower than in April, but has increased by 21 per cent in the last fortnight, according to the paper.
04:04 PM
Your ultimate lockdown 2 survival guide
So, here we go again. We become the last of the four home nations to be cast back into lockdown, to last at least four weeks.
We all now face an unwelcome re-run of the dark days of spring, when our lives were suddenly restricted in a way we’d never imagined. This time, we at least know what’s coming – though the days will truly be dark, and not just metaphorically.
Here’s how to survive (and perhaps even thrive…) during Lockdown 2.
We are wiser today, and hopefully better prepared. Here's how to manage the lockdown 2
03:53 PM
Bank of England fires £150bn bullet at Covid-19 second wave
The Bank of England stepped up emergency efforts against a resurgent pandemic at the dawn of England’s second national lockdown as it pumped £150bn into the economy and said it was ready to do even more to fight the virus if needed.
The bigger than expected move came as Threadneedle Street slashed its growth forecasts for this year and next in response to the latest restrictions, and warned that the economy would not now recover to pre-Covid 19 levels until early 2022.
The Bank is now braced for a deeper 11pc slump in growth this year and a much slower bounce back of 7.25pc in 2021. GDP will only get back to its pre-Covid size in early 2022, the Bank predicts, not in late 2021 as previously hoped.
Nightingale hospitals are 'not the answer' to over burdened ICUs
Nightingale hospitals are not the solution to easing the burden on the NHS's intensive care units, medical experts have warned.
Two senior intensive care specialists said opening field hospitals to help the health service during the second peak of coronavirus risks poaching staff from already over-burdened hospitals.
Speaking at a Royal Society of Medicine webinar on Thursday, Dr Gary Masterson, a consultant at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, said Nightingale hospitals had been a good idea in principle, but added: "I think perhaps the thinking was done before we had any understanding of this disease process."
He said they were likely to be of little value because it is already hard to find the numbers of multi-disciplinary staff needed for regular hospitals.
"There was an impression that if you stick a ventilator by a bed you get an intensive care bed space - that's simply not true," Dr Masterson said.
"Once you ventilate a patient these patients are often very, very sick and require advanced therapies.
"We are struggling to staff our normal NHS hospitals with self-isolation, with staff sickness and so forth - how are we going to staff Nightingale hospitals? I really don't understand that."
General view of the Exeter Nightingale Hospital - Finnbarr Webster / Getty
03:31 PM
Will we be in lockdown for Christmas?
It may be too early to put up the tree, but that doesn't mean Christmas isn't on the minds of many Britons.
While the second national lockdown voted for in parliament on November 4 is expected to be lifted on December 2, the 2020 festive season is bound to look very different in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
In hope to reduce the spread of the virus, the Government have asked for people to stay at home, avoid meeting people you do not live with, and closed certain businesses and venues.
Santa Claus greets Jaythan Corbacho with an elbow bump during the Selfridges 2020 Christmas Shop - Eamonn M. McCormack / Getty
03:16 PM
Women fear for safety as new exercise lockdown rules kick in
New lockdown restrictions which limit people to exercising with one other person from outside their own household have raised concerns among women for their safety.
Exercise levels among women declined at a much faster rate than men during the first lockdown and there are fears women will once again be hit disproportionately - not only by the reclosure of gyms and leisure centres but because of their anxiety about exercising in open spaces.
A survey of 1,000 UK women conducted by Runner’s World in September this year found nearly half of women had experienced harassment on a run, compared with just 9.2 per cent of men. A further 13 per cent of women said they had been propositioned while out running.
England became the latest European country to enter a second coronavirus lockdown on Thursday as neighbouring Europe emerged as the region with the most infections.
European governments have imposed tough new restrictions in an attempt to contain a fresh wave of the pandemic across the continent that has once again become the epicentre of the health crisis.
The latest data shows more than half of the some 500,000 fresh cases recorded globally each day last week were in Europe, and on Thursday the continent's 11.6 infections surpassed Latin America and the Caribbean's 11.4 million.
The World Health Organization's regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said there had been a Covid-19 "explosion" in Europe.
"We do see an explosion... in the sense it only takes a couple of days to have over the European region an increase of one million cases," he told AFP news agency, adding: "We see little by little the mortality increasing as well."
02:54 PM
English death toll climbs by 236
A further 236 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals to 33,873, NHS England said on Thursday.
Patients were aged between 27 and 99. All except 18, aged between 48 and 96, had known underlying health conditions.
The deaths were between October 23 and November 4.
Twelve other deaths were reported with no positive Covid-19 test result.
02:49 PM
Yes, Lockdown 2 is a nightmare – but here’s how we’re going to get through it
Forget the loo roll – I’ve been creating a glittering grotto of assorted booze and planning a birthday picnic on the living room rug, writes Micheal Deacon:
Before we begin, let’s get one thing straight. During the first lockdown, this country made a glaring mistake. We all know what it was. And we’ve got to make sure we don’t make it again.
This time round, in the name of all that’s holy, let’s not stockpile any more loo rolls. I’ve seen one or two reports that this bizarre mania is returning. Sorry, but no. We’ve got to nip it in the bud. Not just because it’s embarrassing, but because it’s illogical.
None of this is to say, however, that I’m against stockpiling full stop. All I’m saying is that a grown-up, mature, sensible country should not be stockpiling loo rolls. What a grown-up, mature, sensible country should instead be stockpiling, in my view, is booze.
Let me explain. The pandemic has not driven me to alcoholism. Nor am I advocating a month of 24/7 bacchanalian anarchy. What I mean is this. Dreadful though Lockdown 2 may be, we’ve got to get through it. And focusing on how dreadful it is will only make it feel more dreadful still. So we’ve got to find ways to lift ourselves.
Dr Gabriel Scally, a public health physician and member of Independent Sage, has set the record straight for those still touting rumours that Covid-19 is no worse than influenza.
Take a look at his tweets below:
And it is not just 2020. There have been more #COVID19 deaths than deaths from 'flu and pneumonia in any year since 1959, when monthly records began. The excellent Office for National Statistics report on the subject is at: https://t.co/ih68Fv3q3I@IndependentSage 2/2 pic.twitter.com/rNgp8Kqfpq
Take a look at last night's Covid-safe drive-in fireworks show in Peterborough
Peterborough's first Covid safe Drive In Fireworks Show, - Terry Harris / PA
02:25 PM
Brussels predicts UK economy will slowly recover from coronavirus even if there is a no deal Brexit
Britain's economy will still recover after the devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic even if there is a no deal Brexit, the European Commission has predicted.
The commission’s Autumn Forecast is the first based on assumption that trade talks with Brussels will fail and the UK will leave the transition period on WTO terms on January 1.
The IMF and World Bank postponed the annual meetings set to take place in Morocco next year until 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the institutions announced Thursday.
The global development lenders hold their annual gathering of finance officials every year in October and every third year it takes place in one of the member countries, after two consecutive years in Washington.
With travel curtailed due to the ongoing risks of Covid-19, the 2020 meeting last month was held virtually.
The event takes place over a week and draws thousands of officials, bankers, activists and journalists to the dozens of conferences, seminars and discussions that occur on the sidelines of the official business.
02:13 PM
UAE jails two over 'fake news' Covid-19 deaths story
A UAE court has sentenced two people, including a television journalist, to two years imprisonment over a "fabricated" report on the Covid-19 deaths of five members of one family, state media said Thursday.
An investigation into the report, aired on the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, quickly determined that it was false, authorities said in August.
"This incident negatively affected society, afflicted members of the community and left them in a state of confusion and fear of the outbreak," prosecutors said at the time.
According to official news agency WAM, "the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal sentenced two defendants to two years in prison after convicting them of broadcasting a fabricated story about the death of five members of the same family from Covid-19."
The channel's correspondent, who is a resident in the United Arab Emirates, will be "expelled" at the end of his sentence, it added, without specifying his nationality.
The other defendant was not named, but newspaper reports said he was the interviewee in the story, which was widely shared on social media. His nationality was not specified either.
The United Arab Emirates, of which Abu Dhabi is the capital, has recorded more than 138,000 novel coronavirus infections, including some 508 deaths due to the disease.
The country, which prides itself on having managed the crisis decisively and effectively, regularly calls on the media to rely on official information and not spread "fake news" about the pandemic.
02:09 PM
Lockdown leaks labelled 'deeply distasteful' by MPs
Jacob Rees-Mogg said there is "something deeply distasteful" about the culture of leaks from meetings.
Tory MP Peter Bone said: "Last weekend the details of the national lockdown were leaked to the media and instead of the Prime Minister being able to announce it first in the Commons, it was announced in newspapers.
"I know the Prime Minister was furious about this and has started a leak inquiry. Could we have a statement next week about how the leak inquiry is progressing, who is in charge of it, and whether the mobile phones of the people at the meetings have been checked?
"Or is this leak inquiry like the one in Yes Minister where there is no intention of finding out who actually leaked it?"
Mr Rees-Mogg replied: "This is a leak inquiry that wants to find out what happened. I know that the Prime Minister was far from gruntled over what happened last week. He had intended that the announcement should come to the House first.
"It needs to be looked into thoroughly. But I would say there is something deeply distasteful about this culture of leaking and we want this House to hear first, we want a proper process and that is what was intended and it then came to the House and we had a vote yesterday."
02:05 PM
Paris bans delivery and takeaway food and alcohol at night
Paris will ban delivery and takeaway services for prepared food and alcohol between 10pm and 6am from Friday to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the police prefecture said in a statement on Thursday.
It added said that the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks in public spaces would also be banned between these hours from November 6.
Parisians wearing protective face masks queue up for takeaway meals - Chesnot / Getty
02:01 PM
Airbnb restricts English bookings again
Home rental firm Airbnb said it would restrict bookings in England as the country entered its second national lockdown on Thursday, adding only those with legal exemptions could use the platform to book long-term stays.
Government guidance says that overnight stays and holidays away from a person's primary residence are not allowed under the new lockdown, with limited exceptions.
The lockdown is scheduled to end on December. 2, but ministers have suggested it could be extended.
Airbnb blocked British bookings on its platform for the vast majority of customers in April, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson had introduced a national lockdown to contain the first wave of infections, and on Thursday the company said it was re-introducing restrictions.
"We've heard from hosts who want to help everyone follow the rules and stay safe. That is why we are again introducing temporary booking restrictions on Airbnb," said Patrick Robinson, Director of Public Policy at Airbnb.
"We will closely monitor government guidance and keep the policy under review and we look forward to when hosts can safely reopen their doors to guests."
Under the policy, guests booking legally exempt stays will still be allowed. There are legal exemptions for work trips, or temporary accommodation for those who are homeless, vulnerable, moving house or attending a funeral.
01:53 PM
China bars travellers from Britain, Belgium, India
China on Thursday defended a ban on non-Chinese arrivals from a growing list of countries as "reasonable and fair" as it guards against a resurgence of the coronavirus.
Covid-19 first emerged in central China late last year, but Beijing has largely brought its outbreak under control through tight travel restrictions and stringent health measures for anyone entering the country.
In March, as the virus ripped across the world, China shut its borders to all foreign nationals.
It gradually eased restrictions to allow those stranded overseas to return with special permission from its embassies, negative Covid-19 tests and a two-week quarantine on arrival.
But in a sharp reversal, as the outbreak once more billows out across Europe, the Chinese embassy in the UK on Wednesday said Beijing had decided to "temporarily suspend" entry from Britain by non-Chinese nationals.
Embassies in Belgium, the Philippines, India, Ukraine and Bangladesh have since put out similar notices.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Thursday it was a "reasonable and fair" measure to tackle the pandemic.
Medical staff members check the temperature of people as they enter at Capital Airport, Beijing, China - THOMAS PETER / REUTERS
01:35 PM
Coronavirus knock-on effect hitting vital health services in Africa
The coronavirus pandemic is having a knock-on effect on other vital health services in Africa as countries are forced to redirect already stretched resources, a regional head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
The continent of more than a billion people has been spared the worst consequences of Covid-19, with relatively lower death rates and infections than seen elsewhere.
Africa has recorded at least 1.8 million cases, with 43,700 deaths, according to the WHO.
“A preliminary analysis by WHO indicates Covid-19 is hitting other health services really hard,” said Matshidiso Moeti, Africa director for the WHO.
Lockdowns imposed by countries to halt the spread of the virus in May, June and July contributed to a more than 50 per cent drop in services monitored by WHO.
From January to August, an extra 1.3 million children aged under one missed their first doses of the measles vaccine, compared with the same period last year, Moeti said.
"While Covid-19 is not overwhelming African health facilities in the way ... first predicted ... it is really stretching already resourced-limited health systems,” Moeti said.
01:33 PM
Downing Street says it is aware of Test and Trace flaws
Downing Street said the Prime Minister was aware there were improvements to make to NHS Test and Trace after the latest figures showed the system had reached a new low in the proportion of contacts it had traced of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters:
"You heard the PM talk about this yesterday. He said he was perfectly willing to accept where there were failings in relation to NHS Test and Trace.
"You can see some progress in the figures this week - the number of in-person tests that were received the next day increased to 61.8 per cent compared with 46.5 per cent in the previous week.
"But there is much more improvement that is needed and I think there is a lot of work going on to continue to improve the Test and Trace network."
The spokesman said Boris Johnson continues to have confidence in Baroness Dido Harding as head of the Test and Trace operation.
01:30 PM
The nation locks down, sort of
The M5 motorway near junction 8 was eerily quiet at 8:45am this morning, as the nation marks the start of a four week national lockdown for England.
The M5 motorway near junction 8 at 0845 at the start of a four week national lockdown for England. - David Davies / PA
Public transport in London told a different story this morning. Here's a picture from Waterloo Statio:
London, United Kingdom. Waterloo Station in London on the first day of Lockdown Two - Stephen Lock / i-Images
01:19 PM
Sweden registers record 4,034 new Covid-19 cases
Sweden, whose pandemic strategy of avoiding lockdowns has gained international attention, registered 4,034 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic, Health Agency statistics showed.
The increase compared with a high of 3,254 daily cases reported on Oct. 29. Sweden has repeatedly set new daily records in recent weeks while hospitalisation and deaths among those stricken by the disease have also begun increasing.
Sweden registered 5 new deaths, taking the total to 6,002 deaths. Sweden's death rate per capita has been several times higher than Nordic neighbours but lower than some larger European countries, such as Spain and Britain.
A sign requesting people in Stockholm to maintain social distancing in Stockholm, Sweden - ANDERS WIKLUND/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
01:00 PM
Conspiracies of pandemics past: the history of disease and denial
Infectious diseases and myth-making have long gone hand in hand - from the Black Death to Covid-19, Sarah Newey explains:
Since Covid-19 burst onto the global stage in January, it has triggered a wave of conspiracy theories - from the idea that the virus is linked to the roll-out of 5G mobile technology, to the insistence that Sars-Cov-2 escaped from a lab in Wuhan.
This should be no surprise, says Michael Butter, a professor at the University of Tübingen in Germany and author of “American conspiracy theories from the puritans to the present”.
“Conspiracy theories usually thrive among people who feel powerless, those who feel that they are losing control, and also among people who are really bad at dealing with uncertainty,” he says. “And of course a pandemic is a time of profound uncertainty and profound loss of control.”
But, despite the advent of social media and the dissemination of misinformation online, this trend is not unique to the modern era. Throughout history disease has been accompanied by extreme accusations, denialism and mistrust as people attempt to make sense of chaos.
People praying for relief from the Bubonic Plague in around 1350 - HULTON ARCHIVE
12:50 PM
Kenya reimposes Covid restrictions
Kenyan officials have reimposed Covid-19 restrictions as the country continues to record a surge in infection numbers, Shola Lawal reports.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday banned public gatherings and moved up a nightly curfew that will be in place till January. He also ordered local authorities to strictly enforce hand washing, masking and distancing guidelines.
“The national government and county government have to be resolved going forward, services will not be rendered to anyone who does not abide by the Ministry of Health protocols,” President Kenyatta said.
Health officials have warned of a second wave in Africa. Kenya appears to be the worst-hit with 500 cases recorded daily. Covid-19 positivity rate jumped from 4 per cent in September to 16 per cent in October, after restrictions were lifted.
Many countries will likely avoid national lockdowns. In Kenya, President Kenyatta said lockdowns will be localized, based on the transmission rate in each county.
A pupil wearing a facemask uses a Braille machine during a lesson at the Thika school for the blind in Thika town of Kiambu county in Kenya - MONICAH MWANGI / REUTERS
12:42 PM
Rishi Sunak says he has changed plans because he lives 'in the real world'
Rishi Sunak, with Boris Johnson sitting alongside him, then explains "how and why" things have had to change yet again.
He said they knew there was likely to be a resurgence of the virus, but they believed they could "stay ahead" of cases with the additional capacity in the NHS.
That enabled them to deploy initiatives such as Eat Out to Help Out. "The virus, however, continued to spread," he says. The three-tiered system was then rolled out but as restrictions increased, it was necessary to resort to further support.
"Then again the virus continued to spread - but more quickly," Mr Sunak says, taking the Commons up to the data published at the weekend.
"The only viable solution left to protect our NHS was the re-imposition of temporary, significant, enhanced restrictions in England, in addition to those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland," he said. As a result it was "best" to extend the scheme rather than transition to another.
He says opposition MPs will attack him for changing tack but in the "real world" that is what has to be done.
12:39 PM
Rishi Sunak boosts self-employment support
Rishi Sunak says employers will just have to pay NICs and pension contributions until March, with a review in January to see if economic circumstances are improving to ask them to do more.
The jobs retention bonus has been scrapped and will be redeployed at a more appropriate time, he adds.
For self-employed people they will now get support worth 80 per cent of profits, up to £7,500, for November to January.
And he moves to "reassure people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland" noting that support is "for all the people of the United Kingdom" until March.
12:39 PM
Chancellor extends furlough until March
Rishi Sunak starts his statement today by telling MPs he is giving "significant extra support" to help people through the next lockdown, which started this morning.
The Chancellor notes the Bank of England's decisions this morning "meaning all economic and monetary institutions are playing their part". He says the responses are "carefully designed to complement each other", and notes the IMF's support for the package so far.
Mr Sunak says his highest priority "remains the same" - and that people want to know "what comes next" after the December extension ends.
He says while the Government's intentions is for restrictions to remain for just one month, the economic effects "are much longer lasting" and recovery has slowed while "risks are skewed to the downside".
As a result, he says it is right to go further and extends furlough - paying 80 per cent of salaries - until March.
12:36 PM
Bangladesh signs deal with India for 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine
Bangladesh signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India on Thursday to buy 30 million doses of potential coronavirus vaccine being developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca.
AstraZeneca’s experimental Covid-19 vaccine is seen as one of the most advanced candidates in the race against the novel coronavirus.
"Whenever the vaccine is ready, the Serum Institute will give us 30 million doses in the first phase," health minister Zahid Maleque told reporters after the deal was signed in Dhaka.
He said five million doses of vaccine per month would be purchased through Bangladesh's drug maker, Beximco Pharmaceuticals.
"We'll be able to vaccinate 15 million people as two shots of vaccine are required for each person 28 days apart," Maleque said.
Bangladesh was in talks with development partners, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, to secure funds for the vaccine, government officials said.
12:21 PM
Rishi Sunak extends furlough until March - watch live
Rishi Sunak comes under pressure from all sides today, as the Chancellor sets out plans to extend the furlough scheme to all businesses forced to remain shut after December 2.
Boris Johnson yesterday told MPs they would not lose out after the second lockdown ends, hinting that Mr Sunak's statement on Thursday would enable Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to have access to the furlough scheme should they follow England in imposing new national restrictions.
We'll bring you updates as they come, but you can watch his address below:
12:20 PM
Santa is coming to town (and he's bringing his mask)
Selfridges unveils its Christmas windows and debuts a new look Santa, on the first day of a national four week lockdown for England.
Selfridges unveils its Christmas windows and debuts a new look Santa, on the first day of a national four week lockdown for England. - Jonathan Brady / PA
12:14 PM
NHS faces a challenge 'unlike any in recent memory', warns chief medical officer
England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has warned that coronavirus "will benefit" from winter and the country should brace itself for higher infection rates over the next few months.
As England went into lockdown on Thursday, Prof Whitty said the NHS faces a challenge "unlike any we've seen in recent memory" as the usual seasonal demands collide with the pandemic.
Speaking to the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in an interview published on Wednesday, Prof Whitty stressed that the virus would kill more people both directly and indirectly over the next few months.
"I think we have to assume that this virus will benefit from the winter season, just as most other respiratory viruses like flu and adenovirus, that we come across every winter in the NHS do," he said.
"So my expectation is that, even if we do exactly the same things as we did two or three months ago, rates of infection will be higher."
Britain's Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty - JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
12:01 PM
Doctor's self-funded test lab leads way in Somalia's Covid fight
Having scraped money together following medical studies abroad, Somali doctor Abdullahi Sheikdon Dini opened Mogadishu's first advanced diagnostic laboratory in January.
Its arrival could hardly have been better timed because, just two months later, the coronavirus epidemic reached the Horn of Africa country.
Since then Medipark Diagnostics, which Mr Dini runs with five other doctors who pooled $1 million to buy equipment, has become a linchpin of the country's creaking, donor-supported health infrastructure.
Medipark has arranged import pipelines of reagents needed for tests, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test used for Covid-19. It employs staff from Kenya, Lebanon and India to operate and maintain equipment imported from Europe, Asia and the United States.
Laboratory technician Abdilelah Elnour Omer works inside the Medipark Diagnostics Lab that runs tests for Covid-19, in Mogadishu, Somalia - FEISAL OMAR / REUTERS
Somalia has been plagued by conflict since 1991, and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera are common.
More than 2 million people do not have enough food. Many live in crowded, unsanitary camps, creating fears Covid-19 could scythe through a vulnerable population.
So far, that hasn't happened. The health ministry has recorded 4,229 infections and 107 deaths in the pandemic though, with large swathes of the country are off limits due to the fighting, that is likely to be an undercount.
But, as the Somali government has acknowledged, it is in the fight against Covid-19 that Medipark has made its most visible mark.
Until July, Medipark was the only private lab in the city testing for the virus, but since then its technicians have trained government health workers to conduct tests. "We were needed ... and we were appreciated," he said.
11:53 AM
US recorded record 102,831 new coronavirus cases yesterday
The presidential election count continues to tick on, but so does the country's coronavirus crisis.
According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, yesterday the US recorded 102,831 new cases of coronavirus, and saw 1,097 new Covid deaths.
The New York Times reports that 23 states have recorded more cases in the past week than in any other seven-day stretch. And five states — Colorado, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota and Nebraska — all set new single-day case records yesterday.
Deaths related to the coronavirus, say the NYT, have increased 21 percent across the country in the last two weeks.
While the Associated Press report that the surge was most pronounced in the Midwest and Southwest.
11:42 AM
People allowed to travel abroad for assisted dying under new lockdown rules, Hancock confirms
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people are allowed to leave their homes for the purposes of travelling abroad for assisted dying during the second lockdown in England.
Conservative former minister Andrew Mitchell asked an urgent question in the Commons on the subject and said he was worried the lockdown "could deter" people from making such a journey.
Mr Hancock told MPs: "The new coronavirus regulations which come into force today place restrictions on leaving the home without a reasonable excuse.
"Travelling abroad for the purpose of assisted dying is a reasonable excuse and so anyone doing so would not be breaking the law."
Just 59.9 per cent of close contacts of people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England were reached through the Test and Trace system in the week ending October 28, according to the latest figures.
This is the lowest weekly percentage since Test and Trace began.
The figure is down from 60.6 per cent for the previous week.
For cases managed by local health protection teams, 97.9 per cent of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate in the week to October 28.
For cases managed either online or by call centres, 58.5 per cent of close contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate.
11:16 AM
Army drafted in to kick off Operation Moonshot
Soldiers have begun to arrive in Liverpool, ahead of the country's first mass Covid-19 testing programme.
Operation Moonshot is underway. The military will be helping run the programme and have set up base in Pontin's in Southport.
Army personnel were pictured manning checkpoints on Thursday morning
Soldiers have begun to arrive in Liverpool, ahead of the country's first mass Covid-19 testing programme. Operation Moonshot is underway. The military will be helping run the programme have set up base in Pontin's in Southport. Army personnel were pictured manning checkpoints on Thursday morning - CHRISNEILL/MAVERICK PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED
11:06 AM
Greece returns to lockdown
Greece ordered a nationwide lockdown on Thursday for three weeks to help contain a resurgence of Covid-19 cases.
"I've chosen to take drastic measures sooner rather than later," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
Under the new countrywide restrictions to take effect from Saturday, retail businesses will be shut with the exception of supermarkets and pharmacies. Civilians will need a time-slot permit to venture outdoors.
Primary schools will stay open, but high schools will shut.
The country has reported fewer cases than most in Europe, mainly due to an early nationwide lockdown that it imposed when the pandemic broke out in February. It started unwinding those restrictions in May.
Since early October it has seen a surge in infections and has been reimposing curbs. The resurgence was "particularly aggressive", chief government scientific adviser Sotiris Tsiodras said, speaking alongside Mitsotakis.
Greece registered 2,646 infections on Wednesday, the highest daily tally since its first case surfaced, bringing the total number of cases to 46,892. So far, 673 people have died of the disease.
A cat sits among stacked chairs outside a closed restaurant in Athens, Greece - PANTELIS SAITAS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
10:53 AM
Three £10,000 fines issued following Wirral bonfire
Police have handed out three £10,000 fines after a bonfire was held in Wirral which resulted in violence.
Police were called at 8:50pm on Wednesday night to reports of large crowds gathered around a bonfire on Meadow Crescent, Woodchurch.
When Merseyside Police and Fire and Rescue Service attended a number of youths threw fireworks towards them, Police said.
Two 36 year-old men and a 43 year-old woman, all from the Wirral area, have now each been issued with with a fixed penalty notice to pay a £10,000 fine.
Chief Inspector Matthew Moscrop said: “There was a blatant disregard for Covid-19 restrictions, with hundreds of people in attendance drinking alcohol, mixing with other households and ignoring social distancing.
"We have consistently encouraged people to comply with guidance and explained why it is so important. But when someone so brazenly flouts legislation it leaves us with no option but to take strong enforcement action.
“We are continuing to encourage people to continue to follow the restrictions and avoid bonfires on public land tonight but where necessary we will not hesitate to take the same action because the safety of vulnerable people in Merseyside and our key healthcare workers depends on it.
“We have now entered a month of further national restrictions and it is more important than ever that we all play our role in stopping the spread of coronavirus.”
10:20 AM
US records highest daily cases
The United States on Wednesday recorded 100,000 Covid-19 cases in a single day for the first time since the pandemic began, Ben Farmer reports.
The country's autumn wave of infections continues to tear through Mid-Western states, putting pressure on hospital wards.
The USA also saw another 1,097 deaths on Wednesday, taking the overall death toll to more than 233,000.
An epidemiological model regularly updated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle last week forecast daily deaths in America reaching 2,250 by mid-January and the cumulative death toll hitting 399,000 by February 1.
London sees signs of infections slowing, Mayor says
There are "initial signs" the increase in Covid-19 infections may be slowing down, the mayor of London has said.
Cases are falling in 19 out of 32 boroughs, according to the latest data, with Kingston seeing the biggest drop by 28.3 per cent (or 104 cases) to 264 in the week to October 30, compared to the previous seven days.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Thanks to the efforts of Londoners we are seeing initial signs that the increase in infections across the capital has started to slow down, however cases remain high and the number of patients in hospital and on ventilators continues to rise.
“That’s why it’s crucial that all Londoners play their part and follow the Government’s latest restrictions. We must follow the public health guidance if we are to bring R below 1 again, reduce case numbers and protect the NHS."
09:51 AM
Religious leaders expect U-turn on services ban
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, said he believes the Government will do a U-turn on its decision to ban religious services during the lockdown.
The Archbishop of Westminster told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think it will be changed.
"I think the evidence we've seen over the last couple of days is that this particular aspect of the decision by the Government is not supported by any scientific evidence and clearly shows a misunderstanding of the importance of religious faith.
"I think those things will lead to change. As soon as possible, I hope to see places of worship opened again (for services)."
He said churches are "well-managed, very well cleansed and among the safest places people go to", adding: "Going to church is not a social gathering, it is a very significant, fundamental part of people's lives."
09:39 AM
Reports of mental distress up 8pc, PHE says
Prof Doyle, director of health protection at Public Health England, said the spring lockdown caused a rise in mental distress, with reports up 8 per cent compared with the same period in previous years.
It came as the health body announced its Every Mind Matters campaign to highlight the mental health support available for people after England entered a second national lockdown.
According to the campaign, more than 30 per cent of adults reported mental distress which suggested they might need treatment.
Prof Doyle told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "These are common mental disorders that may come and go and there are things people can do about it themselves - there is a lot of help available.
"I think it is important to stress that these symptoms of anxiety, they are almost normal in a situation where everybody is out of their routine and it is very difficult for everybody.
"So the important thing is to acknowledge that people will feel anxious, that the feelings will pass and that there is help available and that quite a lot of that will be helpful for people to access themselves."
The pandemic has recorded its deadliest day yet, with daily coronavirus deaths worldwide setting a new record of more than 10,000, while global infections passed 600,000 in a day, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Check out The Telegraph's global tracker below.
09:11 AM
Worldwide summary
Here's a roundup of the latest Covid-19 news from around the world this morning:
Indonesia reported 4,065 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking the total to 425,796, data from its Covid-19 task force showed. It also added 89 new deaths, taking total fatalities to 14,348.
Paris will be placed under more restrictions including a requirement for more shops to close in the evening, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told BFM TV today. Ms Hidalgo said this would entail shutting down certain shops selling takeaway food and drink at 10 pm.
An Indian government-backed Covid-19 vaccine could be launched as early as February - months earlier than expected - as last-stage trials begin this month and studies have so far showed it is safe and effective, a senior government scientist told Reuters.
Germany's daily new coronavirus infections hit a record high today. Confirmed cases increased by 19,990 to 596,583, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.
The Czech Republic reported 15,729 new coronavirus cases for November 4, its highest daily tally since the pandemic started, Health Ministry data showed on Thursday. Total cases rose to 378,716 in the country of 10.7 million.
09:02 AM
Models are 'projections not forecasts', says PHE medical director
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, has responded to the allegations that the data used to inform lockdown was outdated, after former-Prime Minister Theresa May called one chart "dodgy data".
"These are models, they're not forecasts, they're models and a variety of models are used and they use a variety of data and it's important to use all of the information available to state what could be the situation but they are not forecasts, but they are scenarios of what could happen," she said.
"It's very important to understand why those scenarios are presented. It's in order to prepare well so that for those who really need the treatment that... those facilities are available to them.
"These are projections not forecasts."
Dr Doyle dismissed the claim that the data was chosen to support the policy of lockdown.
She saids: "This is not why these models are presented, they are presented to aid planning...
"The NHS is under significant pressure in parts of the country, the R rate is reproducing fast, it's doubling, not reducing at the moment, so more people are becoming infected and will do so."
She adds it would be "irresponsible" to not show these models and impose a lockdown.
A member of staff is seen behind a screen at the checkout in a Sainsbury's supermarket in Harpenden, after the retailer announced it will cut up to 3,500 jobs - REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
Sainsbury’s said it will axe up to 3,500 jobs as it scraps its meat, fish and deli counters and closes 420 Argos stores as part of wider a restructuring of the business.
The retailer is the latest to suffer losses following the impact of the pandemic.
Follow all the latest business news on our markets live blog, here.
08:32 AM
Greater Manchester situation 'very worrying' says health chief
There are "very, very worrying" signs about Greater Manchester's NHS, the region’s health chief has warned.
His comments come as NHS England moved into the highest state of alert as hospitals battle to manage the rising numbers of Covid-19 patients needing care.
Sir Richard Leese, Manchester City council leader - who leads on health for Greater Manchester - told a press conference on Wednesday that he was confident the NHS "will not collapse".
But he added pressures were "ramping up" across the system.
He said: “I’m very concerned. When I talk to people from the hospital cell (the Greater Manchester taskforce overseeing Covid hospital planning) certainly their level of concern has increased significantly over the last seven days and it appears to have been a particularly bad weekend.
"The signs are certainly very, very worrying.
“I think we ought to share that worry and share that concern and it ought to inform our behaviour.”
08:22 AM
Lockdown will be used to boost Test and Trace
The Justice Secretary has said the month-long lockdown that begins today would be used to "redouble our efforts" to expand the NHS Test and Trace programme.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Robert Buckland said it was also vital to increase the speed at which test results are returned.
"Lots of people are receiving them the next day which is good but there are still too many people who are having to wait for days and we are going to continue to work to speed that up," he said.
"We've got to use this time not only to deal with Test and Trace but also to prepare for when we get a vaccine."
He said any future vaccination programme would prioritise those in greatest need "so we can avoid a stop and start scenario where we're having to go in and out of lockdowns".
Daughter arrested for trying to 'rescue' mother from care home
A retired nurse was arrested by police after attempting to 'rescue' her 97-year-old mother from a care home so she could be looked after by her family, Bill Gardner reports.
Ylenia Angeli, 73, wheeled her elderly mother out of her care home on an impulse after hugging her for the first time in nine months.
However, police pursued Ms Angeli to a local garden centre where officers arrested her on suspicion of assault, before driving her mother back to the facility.
Distressing footage posted on social media showed Ms Angeli’s mother, Tina Thornborough, a retired seamstress suffering from advanced dementia, looking confused as her daughter was placed in the back of a squad car on Tuesday afternoon.
The Justice Secretary has said it has been "a huge challenge" to get people to comply with quarantine requirements.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Robert Buckland said: "That's one of the reasons we are having to take the (lockdown) measures we are today.
"Sadly it's been difficult frankly regarding the compliance of some people with regard to the quarantine restrictions.
"I think it would be very ambitious of me to suggest that somehow we will be able to use the enforcement authorities to intervene in every case I think sadly that's not possible."
Mr Buckland said that the latest lockdown measures should help reinforce the message to those asked to self-isolate that compliance is vital.
08:05 AM
'Policing by consent' will be used for enforcing lockdown
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland - BEN STANSALL/AFP
The Justice Secretary has said law enforcement will continue the approach of "policing by consent" to try and get the public to comply with the new, month-long lockdown.
Robert Buckland MP said that an expansion of the number of Covid-19 marshals in local communities would also represent a "twin-track" approach to getting people to obey the regulations.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: "Where a more intense intervention is needed then the police will be involved and of course the fine structure is still in force."
Currently there is a £200 fine for every breach which doubles on every offence up to a maximum of £6,400, as well as £10,000 for large gatherings.
"Because we have sensibly calibrated these regulations to adjust for the experience we had last time the public can expect where there are egregious breaches the police will intervene and the law will take its course," he said.
07:55 AM
Care providers still not seen updated guidance on visits
Sam Monaghan, chief executive of charity care provider MHA, has also lamented the lack of detail available on care home visits, and stated routine testing for regular visitors would be the best way to facilitate face-to-face contact.
He told the Today programme: "The challenge we've got is we are seeing and experiencing every day the toll of the separation between residents and their families.
"We haven't seen the guidance, what we've got is the press release.
"What we know is the best way to secure safe visits is through routine testing of at least one relative for each resident, which would overcome a huge number of the issues here."
He added they are trying to balance the "emotional and mental health wellbeing" of residents with the need to protect them from "the ravages of Covid-19".
"We need the Government to really take hold of that testing agenda," he said.
07:47 AM
Covid cluster identified in Scottish care home
Up to 25 members of staff and residents have tested positive for Covid-19 at a Scottish care home.
NHS Fife said the cluster had been identified at Craigie House Care Home, Crossgates.
Visits to the home are currently suspended.
"It is extremely important that those intending to visit residents in any care home refrain from doing so if they feel unwell or have any of the known symptoms of COVID-19, such as a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or a loss or change to the sense of smell or taste," NHS Fife said in a statement.
07:37 AM
Police attacked as revellers celebrate before lockdown
Police were attacked in Merseyside as revellers made the most of their final opportunity to go out to before England's four-week lockdown took effect.
From Thursday, pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops will again be forced to close their doors after the Commons voted by 516 to 38 - a Government majority of 478 - for the new restrictions.
Merseyside Police said in a statement hundreds of people gathered at a bonfire on Meadow Crescent, Woodchurch, where officers had fireworks thrown at them after being called just before 9pm.
Chief inspector Gary O'Rourke said: ""Not only did police and fire patrols come under attack on their arrival, which could've had catastrophic results, but there was a blatant disregard for Covid-19 restrictions, with hundreds of people in attendance drinking alcohol, mixing with other households and ignoring social distancing.
"We will not tolerate this behaviour and are now looking at a number of lines of enquiry, including examining footage and speaking to witnesses, to ensure robust enforcement action is taken."
Meanwhile, Sussex Police have arrested two men and appealed for witnesses after another man suffered serious injuries in a fight involving around 20 people.
Revellers react in the street as the pubs close in the soho area of central London on November 4 - HOLLIE ADAMS/AFP A man reacts (C) during scuffles with police officers trying to disperse revellers after the pubs closed in the soho area of central London on November 4 - HOLLIE ADAMS/AFP
07:32 AM
Charities slam guidance around care homes as 'pathetic'
Kevin Atkin waits to see his 87 year old mother Terese in a small summer house in a nursing home car park in Scarborough - Simon Townsley
Campaigners have criticised the decision to only allow families to visit loved ones in care homes from behind glass screens.
Julia Jones, of the dementia campaign group John's Campaign, said she is "rather sceptical" of the Government guidance around homes because it often "seems to make things more confusing and makes matters worse".
Ms Jones said they were yet to see the official guidance and have only seen a press release setting out the details about visiting relatives during the second lockdown.
She told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "If they're actually going to tell some of the care homes, which haven't opened up since March, that it's about time they actually understood their legal and human obligations that would be a very good thing.
"And I think it's terribly sad that some people in this country will be pathetically grateful for the chance to go and look at the person they love through a window... I hesitate to call this a visit".
She added it was "outrageous" that many care homes are not allowing families to look at their loved ones through windows.
"At the top of this press release there is a picture of a mother and daughter trying to touch their hands through a Perspex screen, it's pathetic," she said.
"When people are in the later stages of dementia, when people love each other, when people are approaching the end of their lives, they need to hold hands, they don't need to be in a Perspex bubble."
07:16 AM
NHS moves in highest alert measures
The NHS has been moved to its highest state of alert on Thursday as hospitals battle to manage the rising numbers of Covid-19 patients needing care.
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts and foundation trusts in England, warned "this is no longer normal business for the NHS".
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: "This number of patients we are seeing and the level of national co-ordination means that we really need to step up a gear to make sure this is all being managed effectively."
But he added: "This is more an NHS behind-the-scenes administrative measure, so patients won't perceive any difference"
Mr Hopson urged those in need of care still to come forward, saying: "We cant help you unless you come forward, so help us to help you."
07:05 AM
Today's top stories
Good morning from Telegraph HQ, here are the main coronavirus stories this Thursday.
Moscow's schools extend online learning as cases surge
Moscow's secondary school children from classes 6-11 will continue to learn remotely for two more weeks until November 22 due to the pandemic, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Thursday.
Russia's coronavirus cases have surged in recent weeks and authorities on Wednesday reported a record high of 19,768 cases and a record number of 389 deaths overnight.
"The coronavirus situation in Moscow began to get worse again at the start of this week, as we can see from the number of patients and hospitalisations," Mr Sobyanin said on his website.
Moscow's secondary schools first switched to remote learning three weeks ago.
06:18 AM
Cambodia's PM in quarantine after Hungarian minister tests positive
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and four Cabinet ministers are in quarantine after they met with Hungary's foreign minister the same day he tested positive for coronavirus.
Hun Sen on his Facebook page said he had tested negative and would abide by the country's coronavirus guidelines and stay quarantined for 14 days, during which he would not meet with family members or attend public events.
He said his wife and 16 of his staff - bodyguards and drivers - also tested negative.
The Cambodian Health Ministry said all 628 people who were part of the visit had tested negative and it urged everyone who had contact with the Hungarian delegation to be tested and to quarantine for two weeks.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto tested negative before leaving Hungary on Monday and tested negative in Cambodia as well, the Cambodian foreign ministry said.
On Tuesday, he paid a courtesy call on Hun Sen and held separate meetings with Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and the ministers of commerce and agriculture.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, greets Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto during a meeting at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia - STRINGER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Photos showed Szijjarto did not wear a mask when meeting with Hun Sen and Prak Sokhonn, although other Hungarians did. Prak Sokhonn did not wear a mask and greeted his visitor with a handshake.
Later that day, Szijjarto travelled to Thailand, where he tested positive on arrival. He was placed in quarantine before leaving for Hungary on Wednesday, and all his meetings in Bangkok were cancelled. The rest of his entourage tested negative.
Hun Sen, 68, has ruled Cambodia for 35 years.
Cambodia has reported about 300 cases of coronavirus in total and reopened schools on Monday for the first time since March, with class sizes and hours limited by anti-virus precautions.
06:00 AM
Former PM: Lockdown based on flawed data
Theresa May refused to back the second national lockdown on Wednesday after accusing Boris Johnson of relying on inaccurate data to impose blanket restrictions on the country.
The former Prime Minister was among 21 Tories who abstained on a vote on the month-long measures, with a further 34 Tories voting against the plans. The restrictions were voted through by 516 votes to 38.
On Wednesday night Tory sources made clear there would be no disciplinary action against the rebels. A party source said: "The PM understands the points they are making."
During a heated Commons debate, Conservative MPs from all wings of the party lined up to condemn Mr Johnson's decision to put England under a second national lockdown until the beginning of December.
Mrs May led the charge by criticising Mr Johnson's Government
There were audible gasps in the chamber as Mr Johnson walked out just as his predecessor started her speech just a few feet behind him.
Watch the video below:
05:50 AM
Italians given a little more time to prepare for lockdown
Italy's latest measures to try to curb its coronavirus epidemic will come into force from Friday instead of Thursday as previously announced, the prime minister's office said.
The delay "will allow everyone to have enough time to organise their activities".
The new restrictions include the division of the country's 20 regions into red (high risk), orange (medium risk) and green (low risk) zones, depending on various factors, including infection rates and hospital occupancy.
Nationwide limits will also be imposed, such as a night curfew, closure of museums and exhibitions, the shutting of shopping centres on weekends, curbs on capacity of public transport and moving high school classes online.
A restaurant in Rome - Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images
05:47 AM
China has other rules for US travellers
Meanwhile, China may be barring British travellers - but that's not the case with those flying in from the United States.
From Friday, all passengers from the US, France and Germany bound for mainland China must take both a nucleic acid test and a blood test for coronavirus antibodies.
The tests must be done no more than 48 hours before boarding.
Similar requirements were imposed on travellers from countries such as Australia, Singapore and Japan, effective from November 8.
05:34 AM
China's new border restrictions ban Britons
China has imposed fresh travel bans on non-Chinese arrivals from Britain and Belgium, as it guards against a resurgence of coronavirus by refusing entry to people from two of Europe's worst-hit nations.
Covid-19 first emerged in central China late last year, but Beijing has largely brought its own outbreak under control through tight travel restrictions and stringent health measures for anyone entering the country.
In March, as the virus ripped across the world, China shut its borders to all foreign nationals.
It gradually eased those restrictions to allow those stranded overseas to return with special permission from its embassies, negative Covid-19 tests and a two-week quarantine on arrival.
But in a sharp reversal as the outbreak once more billows out across Europe, the Chinese embassy in the UK said Beijing had "decided to temporarily suspend entry into China by non-Chinese nationals".
"The suspension is a temporary response necessitated by the current situation of Covid-19," it said.
The Chinese embassy website in Belgium announced a similar ban on travellers as a "last resort in response to the current pandemic".
Belgium, which has the most Covid-19 cases per capita in the world, has been in lockdown since last week.
The websites of Chinese embassies in other European countries were not carrying similar notices on Thursday morning, and citizens of these countries with visas are able to travel to China, subject to conditions.
05:28 AM
Coronavirus mutation forces Denmark to kill about 17 million minks
Denmark will cull its mink population of up to 17 million after a mutation of coronavirus found in the animals spread to humans, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
Health authorities found virus strains in humans and in mink that showed decreased sensitivity against antibodies, potentially lowering the efficacy of any vaccines, Ms Frederiksen said.
The head of the World Health Organisation's emergencies programme, Mike Ryan, called on Friday for full-scale scientific investigations of the complex issue of humans - outside China - infecting mink, which in turn transmitted the virus back to humans.
Minks in a fur farm in Gjoel in North Jutland, Denmark - Mads Claus Rasmussen/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Outbreaks at mink farms have persisted in the Nordic country, the world's largest producer of mink furs, despite repeated efforts to cull infected animals since June.
Minks have also been culled in the Netherlands and Spain after infections were discovered.
05:15 AM
Record 99,660 new infections in US in 24 hours
As Americans - and the rest of the world - await to see who will be elected the next President of the United States, the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the country.
More than 99,000 coronavirus cases were recorded in the US in 24 hours - a new daily record - according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
The country reported 99,660 new infections between 8.30pm on Tuesday and 8.30pm on Wednesday (1.30am GMT), and 1,112 deaths, the tally by the Baltimore-based school showed one day after Americans voted to choose their president.
More than 9.4 million people have been infected and 233,000 have died in the US during the pandemic, by far the worst tolls in absolute terms globally.
Cases have been surging to record highs across the country since mid-October, especially in the north and the Midwest.
Health officials in some states have already sounded warnings about their ability to handle an influx in hospitalisations as the winter flu season looms.
The pandemic has also slammed the US economy, fuelling a historic contraction in growth and tens of millions of job losses.
It also impacted the US election, with more than 100 million voters casting their ballot by mail or in person before Election Day on Tuesday - the highest number of early voters ever.
Aspirin could be key in helping Covid-19 patients recover
Coronavirus patients in British hospitals will be given aspirin in a new trial to find out whether the cheap drug could prevent deadly blood clotting in the lungs.
Some studies have shown that nearly 80 per cent of people who die of Covid-19 have thrombosis – or blood clotting – in the lungs, which prevents oxygen from moving through the body and can be fatal.
It is thought the virus triggers a massive boost of cytokines, a type of protein which signals to the liver that more clotting is needed, causing "sticky blood".
Scientists are hopeful that blood thinners, like aspirin, may help avoid the devastating clotting that can lead to death.
Police were attacked in Merseyside as revellers made the most of their final opportunity to go out before England's four-week lockdown took effect.
Merseyside Police said hundreds of people gathered at a bonfire in Woodchurch, where officers had fireworks thrown at them after being called just before 9pm.
Chief inspector Gary O'Rourke said: "Not only did police and fire patrols come under attack on their arrival, which could've had catastrophic results, but there was a blatant disregard for Covid-19 restrictions, with hundreds of people in attendance drinking alcohol, mixing with other households and ignoring social distancing.
"We will not tolerate this behaviour and are now looking at a number of lines of inquiry, including examining footage and speaking to witnesses, to ensure robust enforcement action is taken."
Meanwhile, Sussex Police have arrested two men and appealed for witnesses after another man suffered serious injuries in a fight involving around 20 people.
Archbishops have called on the public not to hoard food during the second national lockdown.
As England starts a four-week lockdown from Thursday, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell urged “calm, courage and compassion” in response to the pandemic.
In an open letter published on Wednesday, they reiterated the “deeply challenging and difficult” times facing the country.
Their warning about hoarding food comes after supermarkets faced shortages of essential items during the first lockdown earlier this year as people began panic buying items including toilet paper.
03:36 AM
First responders face unique challenge during pandemic: Prince
The heir to the throne made no mention of his own experience of the disease as he delivered a pre-recorded video message to open The Fire Fighters Charity's Spirit of Fire Awards ceremony.
In his message to The Fire Fighters Charity, which was aired just hours before England went into a second national lockdown, the Duke spoke of the "unique challenge" facing emergency responders during the pandemic.
He stressed how it was more important than ever for frontline workers to receive mental health support.
"This year, the outbreak of Covid-19 has presented a unique challenge for all emergency responders, who have had to adapt to new ways of working whilst continuing to save lives and help those in need, day-in day-out," he said.
03:06 AM
Australia aims to complete mass vaccine within months
Australia has agreed to purchase another 50 million doses of two more Covid-19 vaccines, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.
It comes as Canberra aims to complete a mass inoculation programme within months.
Australia in September said it had agreed to spend A$1.7 billion (nearly £1 billion) to buy 85 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca and CSL should their trials prove successful.
But seeking to maximise access to potential vaccines, Australia said on Thursday it had also agreed to purchase two other inoculations; 40 million doses from Novavax and 10 million from Pfizer and BioNTech.
"We aren’t putting all our eggs in one basket," Mr Morrison said.
The deals with Novavax, Pfizer and BioNTech are worth about A$1.5 billion.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine along with AstraZeneca's and Novavax's are among the leading candidates in the race to be the first to get regulatory approval in the United States and Europe.
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