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    Coronavirus - 17th May 2021

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    • Post n°1

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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 10:41

    Summary for Monday, 17th May

    • Pubs, cafes and restaurants in England reopen indoors today under the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown
    • "We must take this next step with a heavy dose of caution," Prime Minister Boris Johnson warns, urging people to be tested regularly
    • Holiday flights abroad, to a small number of countries, are restarting - we'll see how passengers and airports cope with new requirements
    • Galleries, theatres, sports stadiums, cinemas and soft play centres in England are also due to reopen
    • Hugging is also back, with government guidance changing on close contact between people
    • People will also be able to meet inside and stay overnight in groups of six, or two households
    • In Scotland, most areas will move from level three to level two restrictions, while most islands will move to level one
    • Indoor hospitality also reopens in Wales today, with up to six people from different households allowed to meet inside
    • Restrictions in Northern Ireland are set to be eased from 24 May, with the reopening of indoor hospitality, libraries and museums


    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
    We will be bringing you updates from across the world throughout the day but much of our focus will be on the UK as England, Scotland and Wales welcome an easing of restrictions.

    What’s happening today?

    For much of the UK today brings an easing of restrictions and a further step towards a return to normality.
    But that comes amid concerns about the Indian variant of Covid-19 which is suspected of being more transmissible.
    Here are some of the headlines:


    The latest from Europe


    • Portugal's Algarve region is preparing for the return of UK travellers on Monday. The country is on the UK's "green" list for unrestricted travel from today and Portuguese authorities have said that UK tourists with a negative test will be allowed to enter
    • Restrictions in Turkey are easing after a 17-day lockdown, during which people were only allowed outside for essential reasons. Now, residents will be allowed to leave their homes during the day, although curfews will remain in place overnight and during weekends
    • Italy, meanwhile, has recorded fewer than 100 fatalities within 24 hours for the first time since October. Ninety-three coronavirus-related deaths were recorded on Sunday. Italy has recorded almost 125,000 deaths since the pandemic began – the second-highest number in Europe
    • But there was some bad news for Eurovision fans this weekend, as the acts representing Malta and Romania were forced to pull out of the Sunday's opening ceremony due to a coronavirus outbreak at their hotel. Iceland was also absent after a member of its delegation tested positive. Click here to find out about how Eurovision is keeping performers and audiences in Rotterdam safe after last year's contest was cancelled


    Summary so far today from The Guardian

    People should ignore Monday’s easing of lockdown in parts of the UK and avoid socialising indoors in pubs and restaurants to prevent the new Covid-19 variant first detected in India sparking a third wave of the disease, health experts say.
    Meanwhile more than 80% of Japanese oppose hosting the Olympics this year, a new poll published on Monday showed, with just under 10 weeks until the Tokyo Games.
    Here are the other key recent developments:

    • Health experts in the UK have said people should ignore Monday’s easing of lockdown and avoid socialising indoors in pubs and restaurants to prevent the new Covid-19 variant first detected in India sparking a third wave of the disease.
    • A public inquiry must examine whether Boris Johnson’s decision to delay adding India to the travel “red list” of countries was influenced by his desire to start trade talks with Delhi, the chair of a cross-party Covid inquiry group has said.
    • Saudi Arabia has announced that travellers flying from most countries will no longer need to quarantine if they have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
    • Italy’s daily death toll fell below 100 for the first time since October, with 93 Covid-related deaths reported on Sunday.
    • A decision on whether all legal restrictions can be ended in England next month will be made on 14 June, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, said.
    • More than 20 million adults in the UK have had both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. More than two-thirds (69.4%) of adults have had a first dose while and 38.2% have had both.
    • Dr Anthony Fauci has said that “the undeniable effects of racism” have led to severe health disparities that especially impacted African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.
    • A top Indian virologist has resigned from the government’s panel of advisers on coronavirus variants, he told Reuters on Sunday, weeks after questioning the authorities’ handling of the pandemic.
    • The number of Covid-19 patients in France’s intensive care units has dropped for the 13th consecutive day, with 4,255 reported on Sunday.
    • Algeria will reopen its air and land borders on 1 June, but strict measures will be imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the presidency announced on Sunday.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 15:44

    What do the papers say?

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    • With the headline, "Don't blow it, Britain," the Daily Mail sums up the celebratory but guarded tone taken by many of the front pages as they mark the latest easing of lockdown restrictions.
    • "Enjoy freedom with a heavy dose of caution," says the Daily Express,
    • while The Daily Telegraph reports the prime minister has called on everyone to "play their part", amid concern the spread of the Indian variant is being fuelled by people who refuse to be vaccinated.
    • "Get the shots in," says the Sun - which claims the vaccine rollout is set to "go into overdrive" as pubs reopen for indoor drinking.

    Read more here.


    Airlines welcome return of international travel

    The return of international travel is one of the major changes in the UK today with people able to go abroad to see loved ones or simply catch some early summer sun.
    Sean Doyle, chief executive of British Airways, says the airline is "very excited" to be launching again.
    He says the most important thing has been to "prepare well" with the airline having to check extra documentation proving passengers have had a negative test.
    “We’re cautiously optimistic and we would like to see more countries added to the green list,” he says.
    He says BA is seeing demand recover, mainly to green list destinations but also to other countries over the summer.
    Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, says the past 12 months has been very difficult for the industry with 80% of traffic disappearing with government restrictions but says the budget carrier is "very optimistic for the coming couple of months".
    He tells BBC Breakfast European countries are recognising the success of the UK’s vaccination programme and are lifting restrictions on inbound British passengers.
    He says he is hopeful Italy and Greece will be able to welcome UK tourists soon, with the case numbers going in the right direction for them to be added to the UK’s green list.
    O’Leary says Ryanair’s bookings have trebled "from half a million at the start of April to 1.5 million last week" as British families make plans for the summer.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 15:50

    What’s changing in England, Scotland and Wales today?

    Coronavirus restrictions are being eased today in England, Scotland and Wales.
    Here's what has changed:

    England

    • Pubs, cafes and restaurants can serve customers indoors
    • Indoor leisure venues such as galleries, museums, theatres, cinemas, sports stadiums and children’s soft play areas can also reopen
    • Under updated government guidance on close contact, people can choose whether to hug friends and family, but are advised to consider the vulnerabilities of their loved ones
    • People can meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, and up to six people or two households can mix indoors and stay overnight
    • People will be able to travel abroad to green list countries without having to quarantine on their return

    Scotland
    Most of mainland Scotland – with the exceptions of Glasgow and Moray - is moving to level two restrictions today. Under level two rules:

    • Up to six people from a maximum of three households can mix indoors inside a private home, without the need to physically distance from each other
    • Pubs and restaurants can serve alcohol indoors until 22.30
    • Indoor leisure venues will reopen
    • Foreign travel can resume – in line with rules in England

    Wales

    • Pubs, cafes and restaurants can reopen indoors, with customers allowed to meet in groups of up to six people from six households
    • All holiday accommodation can reopen fully
    • Indoor leisure venues can reopen
    • Foreign travel can resume although the Welsh government advises against non-essential trips abroad this year

    You can read our full explainer on how the rules are changing here.

    Lockdown easing 'the most difficult policy decision' - Sage scientist

    Today Programme - BBC Radio 4
    Today’s easing of lockdown restrictions in England is “the most difficult policy decision of the last 15 months”, one of the UK government’s scientific advisers says.
    Wellcome Trust director Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), says it is “reasonable” to lift restrictions today but “all of us need to be really, really careful”.
    “It is very, very finely balanced," he tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
    He says the Covid variant first identified in India, which is believed to be more transmissible, "is becoming dominant in parts of the UK, and yet vaccination across the country has been extraordinary successful".
    "I think we will see an increase of cases and infections over the coming weeks as some of the restrictions are lifted,” he says. “But the key question is whether we have decoupled increased transmission in the number of people who do get infected from the number of people who get ill and need to go to hospital."
    He adds he personally would not meet indoors “for the moment”, which is where transmission is occurring.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 15:55

    Vaccine push to combat India variant

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    While people are enjoying the return of freedoms across many parts of the country there has also been a note of caution with the variant first found in India spreading in some areas.
    Bolton is one area which is a hotspot for the variant, known as B.1.617.2, and people in the town are being urged to come forward for vaccinations.
    Dr Helen Wall, who is leading the vaccination effort there, says over the weekend more than 6,200 vaccines were administered in the area.
    Long queues of people were seen waiting for vaccines in the region, with temporary vaccination centres being set up using buses.
    "We're seeing people coming forward that clearly had the option to have the jab for some time - older people, disabled people - and they've chosen to come forward now," Dr Wall tells BBC Breakfast.
    Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme he does not want to "stigmatise people" over vaccine hesitancy and says the government is trying to encourage people to take up the offer.
    "We're not exactly where we want to be among certain communities but I think the take-up has been much greater in the last few months and more and more people are convinced that this is the way to keep themselves and their families safe," he says.

    Analysis: A day for people to enjoy - but sensibly

    Adam Fleming - Chief political correspondent
    This isn’t “a throw open the doors!” moment and we won’t see a photo-op of the prime minister enjoying an indoor pizza or pint today. Ministers want people to enjoy themselves, but to do it sensibly.
    Boris Johnson has always said the roadmap out of the lockdown in England is irreversible but in a video on social media this morning he says it’s only irreversible if “we all follow rules” – an added note of caution.
    And there’s a difference in tone between ministers when they talk about the next step in England, due on 21 June.
    The PM says the Indian variant might make it “more difficult” but the business secretary says he’s “hopeful” and “confident” that it’ll happen.
    There are also growing tensions between national authorities and areas with higher rates of the Indian variant over vaccines. The mayor of London is the latest local leader to ask for permission to start jabbing younger people and some places are doing it anyway.
    That goes against government policy which is to prioritise first doses for the over-38’s and second doses for the over-50s.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 16:00

    Tread 'carefully and cautiously' as restrictions ease - Scotland's deputy first minister

    As we reported, all mainland council areas in Scotland - with the exception of Glasgow and Moray - have moved from level three to level two Covid restrictions today.
    The easing allows limited numbers of people to socialise indoors and lets pubs and restaurants serve alcohol inside until 22:30.
    Deputy First Minister John Swinney tells BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland there are grounds for optimism, but the rising infection rates in Glasgow and Moray show any progress is "fragile".
    People should tread "carefully and cautiously and warily" as restrictions are relaxed, he says.
    "As we enjoy some of the restrictions we now have, we have to treat them with a great deal of care."
    First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also said it is "vital to be cautious".
    You can read more here.

    Strong demand but 'bewildering' rules for Welsh businesses

    Conwy's Castle Hotel general manager Joe Lavin says phones have been "melting" due to very strong demand ahead of welcoming customers back from today.
    "We're looking at a full weekend from this weekend and beyond," he says.
    Mr Lavin says the "biggest change" to the business has been adopting track-and-trace technology and an online booking system.
    Meanwhile, Sian Shepphard, owner of the Horse and Jockey pub in Pontypool, says advance bookings for inside dining have been "brilliant", although the business has remained busy in its beer garden prior to the rules being eased further.
    "We've got lots of measures in place just to make sure that everyone's safe but primarily has a good time and actually is able to come out and eat inside a restaurant," she says.
    But Anna Redfern, who owns Cinema and Co in Swansea, called the Welsh government's rules for the hospitality and tourism trade "bewildering".
    "The government is telling us what direction to walk in, what doors to use and they're just impractical," she tells BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.
    "Trying to navigate through this rule book which is supposed to be guidance is really stressful."
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 16:13

    Trunks and tests: Holidays in 2021

    Simon Browning - Business Reporter
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    For those who’ve made the decision to head to Portugal today, I imagine it’s been a stressful few days like it has for us.
    Gone are the days of chucking some trunks and a small sun cream into a bag with your passport to jet off to the south of Europe. Travel now involves a huge amount of planning. Not just the beaches you want to visit, but your Covid tests to get in and out of the country you’re visiting, as well as all the local Covid protocols and then those in the UK when we get back.
    To get into Portugal today we did a PCR test on Friday. It wasn’t that easy to sort and cost £129 for a courier to drop off, wait for us to test and then take away.
    A negative result (which I got) is needed for entry to Portugal. Once I got the result, I had to log into to our airline website and log the certificate. This was complicated.
    Issues with the testing site meant I couldn’t get the certificate to download. After a whole load of faff, it worked. Then you need to fill in a Portugal Passenger Locator form with all your details of your stay in Portugal and your UK home details.
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    A courier for the test cost £129

    You need to download this and add to the site too. You’re also advised to print all these certificates for border inspection. I don’t have a printer at home – and I don’t go to the office, so this involved sorting that as well.
    You also need to take an antigen test which you need to buy, take with you and use as a pre-departure test for when we’re leaving Portugal. This £40 test has to be done in front of a clinician before flying back to the UK.
    I’m doing a video call with a clinic in the UK 24 hours before I travel back so they can see me do it and the result. When I get back to the UK, I must do a PCR test within two days of my arrival and this has to be organised in advance of departure. This was another £99.
    Choosing to travel in these circumstances takes real commitment and perseverance. One other passenger mentioned to us she felt like a guinea pig with all the tests. As summer progresses, industry and government want prices to come down to make it easier for passengers.

    Health secretary to update parliament on Covid

    Matt Hancock will give an update to parliament on Covid-19 later.
    The Office for the Leader of the House of Commons says the health secretary will be giving an oral statement and we're expecting it at about 16:30 BST.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 16:18

    How long has England been under restrictions for?

    Coronavirus restrictions have been in place in England for more than a year.
    The UK’s devolved nations have worked to their own timeframes in easing measures.
    England officially entered its third coronavirus lockdown on 6 January after a new variant first discovered in south-east England sparked a surge in infections and hospital admissions, which pushed the NHS to the brink.
    People were told to stay at home except for certain reasons – such as medical needs, food shopping, exercise and work for those who could not work from home.
    Schools and colleges closed to most pupils, while all non-essential retail and hospitality, except for takeaways, had to close along with leisure venues.
    At the end of February, Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled his four-stage roadmap for a "cautious but irreversible" easing of restrictions.
    On 8 March, England’s primary schools reopened, with most secondary schools returning in phases to allow time for Covid testing.
    Since 29 March, two households or groups of up to six people have been allowed to meet outside - including in private gardens – while outdoor sports facilities including tennis courts and golf courses reopened.
    On 12 April, non-essential retail, hairdressers, gyms, zoos, theme parks and outdoor hospitality reopened.

    Khan urges vaccines for young adults in Indian variant areas

    We have already mentioned concern over the spread of the variant first identified in India.
    Now London Mayor Sadiq Khan is calling for young people in areas of London where there are cases of the B.1.617.2 Indian variant of Covid to be vaccinated earlier than planned.
    Khan says about 400 people have tested positive for the variant across the capital.
    Khan is asking for "flexibility" from health officials so that young people in the five boroughs where the bulk of the cases were found can be vaccinated ahead of other parts of the city.
    Early evidence suggests vaccines do work against this variant.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 16:32

    .
    Breaking News

    Five more deaths recorded in UK

    There have been another five deaths reported in the UK, of people who had tested positive for coronavirus within the previous 28 days.
    It brings the total number of deaths, using that measure, to 127,684.
    And there have been another 1,979 positive tests recorded, meaning the total is now 4,452,756.

    Malaysia records highest daily Covid-19 death toll

    Malaysia has reported 45 new Covid-19 deaths, its highest daily number so far.
    The health ministry also recorded 4,446 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of infections to 474,556 with 1,947 deaths, Reuters reports.
    Malaysia has recorded the third highest number of infections in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia and the Philippines.

    Roadblocks in Indonesia to screen for coronavirus

    Indonesia set up roadblocks on Monday to screen for Covid-19 among travellers returning from Muslim holidays, as fears rose that mass gatherings and virus variants could trigger a surge of new cases in the world’s fourth most populous nation.
    Each year millions of Indonesians fan out across the sprawling archipelago after Ramadan to celebrate Eid al-Fitr and visit extended families, in a tradition known as “mudik”, Reuters reports.
    To try and avoid mass transmission of the virus, the authorities banned travel between May 6 and 17, during the Eid period, but government data suggests that at least 1.5 million people left their homes ahead of the ban.
    Police are stopping cars at checkpoints around Jakarta in an attempt to identify and isolate positive cases. They were asking people about their travels, requesting to see test results and instructing some people to undergo tests.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 20:05

    India's Covid crisis hits Covax vaccine-sharing scheme

    Tulip Mazumdar - Global Health Correspondent
    The international project to ensure equal access to Covid-19 vaccines is 140 million doses short because of India's continuing Covid crisis.
    The Serum Institute of India (SII), the largest single supplier to the Covax scheme, has made none of its planned shipments since exports were suspended in March.
    The UN children's agency Unicef buys and distributes vaccines for Covax.
    Unicef is calling on the G7 countries - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, as well as the EU, to donate their surplus supplies urgently.
    Some countries have ordered enough to vaccinate their population many times over, including the UK, US and Canada.
    They are due to meet in the UK next month.
    Unicef says data it has commissioned suggests that together this group of countries could donate around 153 million doses, while still meeting their commitments to vaccinate their own populations.
    Read more

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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 20:19

    Slimmed-down version of Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead in the Netherlands

    The Dutch port city of Rotterdam is preparing for a slimmed down version of the Eurovision song contest this weekend with a limited live audience, amid falling but still significant Covid-19 infection rates in the Netherlands.
    “When we made the decision to try and unite everyone here in Rotterdam we knew the pandemic unfortunately would still be around. We’re doing everything we can to minimise the impact of it,” Martin Osterdahl, the contest’s executive supervisor, told Reuters on Monday.
    All 39 participating countries and their delegations are tested before they can enter the venue. Some 3,000 fans can attend through the Dutch trial scheme for events during the pandemic. They will also have to show a negative coronavirus test.
    This past weekend the organisers announced there had been infections found in members of the delegations from Poland and Iceland. Both delegations are in quarantine and waiting for more tests.
    “If an artist tests positive we will go to the back-up tape,” Osterdahl said, stressing that no one gets in the Eurovision venue without a negative test.
    The Netherlands is hosting the 65th edition of the event, which draws a television audience of about 200 million, this weekend after Dutch singer-songwriter Duncan Laurence won the 2019 contest with the song Arcade. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
    Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have dropped by more than a quarter this month, after climbing to their highest levels of the year in April.
    The Dutch health minister on Monday announced the country will go ahead with easing Covid-19 curbs, which will result in amusement parks, zoos, gyms and outdoor swimming pools reopening on Wednesday.
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    Germany’s Jendrik Sigwart (C) poses for a picture for fans in front of the test pavilion, on the eve of the first semi-final of the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam. Photograph: Marco de Swart/ANP/AFP/Getty Images
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 20:22

    A summary of today's developments


    • Germany will scrap its Covid vaccine priority list and start offering jabs to all adults from June 7, the country’s health minister Jens Spahn said. The move means anyone aged 16 and up will be eligible for a vaccine in Germany, scrapping the existing priority criteria based on age, jobs and pre-existing medical conditions, AFP reports


    • Italy’s ruling parties have agreed to put back a nationwide nightly curfew to 11 pm from 10 pm with immediate effect, government sources told Reuters. Speaking after a meeting of medical advisers to Mario Draghi’s government and coalition representatives, the sources said the curfew will begin at midnight from June 7, and be abolished altogether from June 21. Italy reported 140 coronavirus-related deaths on Monday against 93 the day before, the country’s health ministry said.


    • France reported there were 4,186 people in intensive care units with Covid-19 on Monday, a fall of 69 and the 14th consecutive decline. Health ministry data also showed that the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 fell again, by 214 to 22,749, after rising on Sunday for the first time in nearly two weeks, Reuters reports.


    • The World Economic Forum has cancelled a summit planned to take place in August in Singapore, saying it was impossible to convene an in-person meeting because of the uncertainties of the Covid pandemic.


    • Malaysia has reported 45 new Covid-19 deaths, its highest daily number so far. The health ministry also recorded 4,446 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of infections to 474,556 with 1,947 deaths, Reuters reports.


    • The Netherlands will ease its coronavirus lockdown measures this week as the rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations has eased pressure on hospitals, health minister Hugo de Jonge said. Amusement parks and zoos will be allowed to reopen as of Wednesday, while outdoor service at bars and restaurants will be extended by two hours until 8pm.


    • The long-awaited Hong Kong-Singapore “travel bubble” has been deferred again, amid the surge in Covid cases in Singapore, the two governments have said.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 20:31

    Italy 'puts back nightly curfew to 11pm'

    Italy’s ruling parties have agreed to put back a nationwide nightly curfew to 11 pm from 10 pm with immediate effect, government sources told Reuters.
    Speaking after a meeting of medical advisers to Mario Draghi’s government and coalition representatives, the sources said the curfew will begin at midnight from June 7, and be abolished altogether from June 21.
    Italy - which has the second-highest Covid-19 death toll in Europe after Britain - is gradually loosening curbs on business and people’s freedom of movement as daily deaths and cases decline and more people are vaccinated.

    Italy reported 140 coronavirus-related deaths on Monday against 93 the day before, the country’s health ministry said.
    The daily tally of new infections fell to 3,455 from 5,753, Reuters reports. Italy has registered 124,296 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world. The country has reported 4.16 million cases to date. Patients in hospital with COVID-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 12,024 on Monday, down from 12,134 a day earlier. There were 69 new admissions to intensive care units, slightly up from 60 on Sunday. The total number of intensive care patients fell to 1,754 from a previous 1,779.

    Singapore 'Davos' set for August is cancelled

    The World Economic Forum has cancelled a summit planned to take place in August in Singapore, saying it was impossible to convene an in-person meeting because of the uncertainties of the Covid pandemic.
    Global political, economic and business leaders are traditionally brought together by the WEF for an annual summit each January in Davos, a village in the Swiss Alps. But it has already been shifted around and pushed back several times due to the coronavirus crisis.
    The latest postponement was down to “the tragic circumstances unfolding across geographies, an uncertain travel outlook, differing speeds of vaccination rollout and the uncertainty around new variants” the WEF said in a statement.
    In a statement posted to the WEF website, Klaus Schwab, the WEF’s founder and executive chairman, said:
    It was a difficult decision, particularly in view of the great interest of our partners to come together not just virtually but in person, and to contribute to a more resilient, more inclusive and more sustainable world. But ultimately the health and safety of everyone concerned is our highest priority.
    The meeting will now take place in the first half of 2022, the WEF said.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 20:52

    So many changes, here's what you can do now

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    Much has changed across the UK today with the easing of restrictions bringing a further step towards a return to normality. Here's a round-up of what you can do now, and how to do it safely:
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 21:32

    Fans return to England’s sports grounds

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    Around 4,500 supporters were admitted for Barnsley's play-off match against Swansea this evening

    There are big changes happening in spectator sport today as up to 10,000 fans will be allowed to return to England’s outdoor sports venues.
    The latest easing of Covid rules means home fans will able to watch the final two rounds of this season’s Premier League from the stands as stadiums reopen with reduced capacity.
    The final two rounds of matches will be played on 18-19 May and 23 May.
    Up to 2,000 fans were allowed at a number of Premier League matches in December, the last time fans were in attendance at top-flight games, before the country went back into lockdown.
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    Fans also returned for Newcastle's rugby union match with Northampton

    Up to 10,000 fans or 25% capacity, whichever figure is lower, will be allowed at larger outdoor venues, while at smaller outdoor venues, the limit will be capped at 4,000 or 50% capacity.
    At indoor venues, the cap will be 1,000 or 50%, whichever is lowest.
    Fans returned for today’s rugby union fixtures between Newcastle Falcons and Northampton Saints as well as Bristol v Gloucester; while spectators will be allowed back into cricket grounds for the round of County Championship matches that begins on 19 and 20 May.
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    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 21:42

    Anger as Glasgow and Moray remain in level three

    Euphoria at the return of indoor hospitality and hugging has not reached every part of Scotland.
    While most of the country went into level two and most islands skipped to level one, Glasgow and Moray remain under tighter restrictions.
    It means bars and restaurants in those two areas will not be able to serve alcohol indoors and they will have to close their doors to indoor diners at 20:00.
    The latest figures show that Covid infections are continuing to rise in Glasgow, with weekly case rates now at 100.3 per 100,000 people, with indications they may rise further.
    The number of weekly cases per 100,000 people is a key indicator for the Scottish government when judging what level of restrictions an area should be under. Moray's rate for the 14 May was 55.2, but that now appears to be falling.
    Donald Macleod, convenor of the Glasgow Licensing Forum, believes hospitality is being "treated with contempt".
    "I am happy for those who can open but I feel desperately sad and sorry for all those in Glasgow on what should have been a happy Monday, which has become a very blue, dank, dreary Monday," he says.
    "Cases go up but mortality rates don't, hospital admissions don't and yet we are locked down. There is no run on the NHS. We should not be shutting down an economy, a whole city.
    "Many are going to go out of business."
    Read more

    Record number of Covid cases in Thailand as prison clusters grow

    Thailand has seen its highest number of daily Covid cases, with the majority of the new infections stemming from the country's overcrowded prisons.
    Some 6,853 prisoners make up for 9,635 of Monday's new cases - more than double the previous daily record.
    Thailand admitted there were growing clusters in jails after several prominent activists tested positive.
    The country has managed to keep coronavirus numbers low for the last year, but saw a huge spike last month.
    A total of 111,082 cases have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic. The previous highest daily total was 4,887 on 13 May, according to Johns Hopkins University.
    It also reported 25 new deaths on Monday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 614.
    Read more
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    • Post n°16

    Coronavirus - 17th May 2021 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 17th May 2021

    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 22:50

    Cyclone Tauktae makes landfall in Covid-battered India

    A cyclone, classified as "extremely severe", has made landfall in India's western state of Gujarat with wind speeds of up to 160km/h (100mph).
    Cyclone Tauktae travelled along India's western coast, narrowly missing the city of Mumbai. At 12 people were killed and 150,000 evacuated.
    The navy has sent three warships to try to rescue hundreds of people stranded off the coast in two barges.
    The cyclone comes amid a Covid-19 wave that has overwhelmed Indian hospitals.
    Tauktae is the strongest cyclone to strike the region since 1998 and both Gujarat and neighbouring Maharashtra have been on high alert.
    Although Covid cases are declining in both states, the devastating effects of India's second wave are still being felt.
    Read more here.

    India variant will be dominant UK Covid strain ‘in next few days’

    The Guardian
    The Covid variant first detected in India is set to be become the dominant strain in the UK within days, experts have said, with the government and health teams struggling to contain cases which have risen by more than 75% since Thursday.
    With the rapid spread of the more transmissible B.1.617.2 variant threatening to reverse moves to ease lockdown, the government faced intense pressure to more fully explain the delay in adding India to the so-called red list of countries.
    The prime minister Boris Johnson is now set to delay plans to announce an end to social-distancing rules, postponing the conclusion of a review expected by the end of the month, casting significant doubt over the wider plan to relax most lockdown rules on 21 June.
    Read more here
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    • Post n°17

    Coronavirus - 17th May 2021 Empty Re: Coronavirus - 17th May 2021

    Post by Kitkat Mon 17 May 2021, 23:00

    What's happened today?

    We’ll shortly be bringing the live page to a close. Here’s a round-up of the main headlines today:


    Goodnight and join us again tomorrow

    Thanks for joining us today.
    Updates were brought to you by Katie Wright, Lauren Turner, Claire Heald, Emma Harrison, Doug Faulkner, Rob Corp and James Clarke.
    Join us again tomorrow.
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