by Summary for Saturday, 29th May 2021
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of coronavirus developments in the UK and across the world this Saturday.
We’ll bring you all the latest as it happens throughout the day.
The country recorded 173,790 new cases on Saturday, continuing the downward trend of the past two weeks. A further 3,617 deaths were recorded.
The nation has been hit by a devastating second wave, with more than 320,000 deaths, according to the health ministry - the third highest in the world, behind the US and Brazil.
Restrictions in Delhi are to ease from Monday as cases fall.
Sir Tim Gowers, professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge, has been telling the Guardian the downside of being "a bit more cautious" was a lot smaller than the downside of getting it wrong.
Asked about the next step in lockdown easing in England, due on 21 June, Prof Gowers said he did not believe the plans were necessarily at risk, but urged caution.
"Because Boris Johnson has made a big thing about all the steps being irreversible, I think he's put himself in a position where once he takes a step, he'll be extremely reluctant to reverse because that would be a big U-turn, an embarrassing climbdown," he says.
It comes as cases in the UK rise slightly, and as daily cases top 4,000 for the first time since April.
Geoffrey Cox, the managing director of the Southern Healthcare group of care homes in Devon, says “elements” of what the PM’s former aide Dominic Cummings said this week about care homes did “ring true”.
“The guidance did, as Cummings said, ‘flip flop around like a shopping trolley’,” Cox tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
And the guidance in February 2020 that masks do not need to be worn “set us on the wrong path”, he adds.
He says at the beginning of the pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) was in “desperately short supply” and “supplies were woefully inadequate”.
Cox says the “biggest factor” was the prevalence of the virus in the community and care homes “were overwhelmed”.
Read more: The seven most explosive claims from Dominic Cummings
- India reports its lowest single-day rise of coronavirus cases in 45 days
- A further 173,790 Covid-19 cases are reported there on Saturday
- Restrictions in the capital Delhi are to ease from Monday as cases reduce
- A leading professor urges caution over the next step in England's lockdown easing
- Sir Tim Gowers says things could turn bad "very, very quickly" if limits are entirely lifted prematurely from 21 June
- Confirmed Covid cases in the UK are rising, with the latest daily figure above 4,000 for the first time since April
- Meanwhile, countries across the world introduce "vaccine lotteries" giving cash incentives for people to get jabs
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of coronavirus developments in the UK and across the world this Saturday.
We’ll bring you all the latest as it happens throughout the day.
What's happening in the UK and around the world?
If you want a quick recap of today's coronavirus news, here are some of the main headlines so far:- India has reported its lowest single-day rise in coronavirus cases in 45 days, the country's health ministry says
- A refusal by the government to provide a financial safety net for live events means music festivals face another lost summer, a committee of MPs says
- A surge in travel is expected in the UK over the weekend - the first bank holiday since hospitality and tourism restrictions were eased
- A restaurant industry battered by the UK's lockdowns is calling for plans to add calorie counts to menus to be delayed, saying they need more time to recover from the pandemic
- A teenager who has shielded for nearly 450 days has received a rousing welcome after being able to return to school
India records lowest number of daily cases in 45 days
India has reported its lowest single-day rise in coronavirus cases in 45 days, the health ministry has said.The country recorded 173,790 new cases on Saturday, continuing the downward trend of the past two weeks. A further 3,617 deaths were recorded.
The nation has been hit by a devastating second wave, with more than 320,000 deaths, according to the health ministry - the third highest in the world, behind the US and Brazil.
Restrictions in Delhi are to ease from Monday as cases fall.
Ending curbs in England on 21 June could turn bad ‘very quickly’ - expert
A professor said to have helped trigger England's first lockdown has warned caution is needed over the next easing of restrictions or the situation could turn bad "very, very quickly",Sir Tim Gowers, professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge, has been telling the Guardian the downside of being "a bit more cautious" was a lot smaller than the downside of getting it wrong.
Asked about the next step in lockdown easing in England, due on 21 June, Prof Gowers said he did not believe the plans were necessarily at risk, but urged caution.
"Because Boris Johnson has made a big thing about all the steps being irreversible, I think he's put himself in a position where once he takes a step, he'll be extremely reluctant to reverse because that would be a big U-turn, an embarrassing climbdown," he says.
It comes as cases in the UK rise slightly, and as daily cases top 4,000 for the first time since April.
Care home boss criticises early Covid guidance
Today Programme - BBC Radio 4Geoffrey Cox, the managing director of the Southern Healthcare group of care homes in Devon, says “elements” of what the PM’s former aide Dominic Cummings said this week about care homes did “ring true”.
“The guidance did, as Cummings said, ‘flip flop around like a shopping trolley’,” Cox tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
And the guidance in February 2020 that masks do not need to be worn “set us on the wrong path”, he adds.
He says at the beginning of the pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) was in “desperately short supply” and “supplies were woefully inadequate”.
Cox says the “biggest factor” was the prevalence of the virus in the community and care homes “were overwhelmed”.
Read more: The seven most explosive claims from Dominic Cummings
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