Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 11:39

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Post n°1

Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 11:39

Summary for Sunday, 30th May

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi tells the BBC's Andrew Marr it would be irresponsible not to consider compulsory jabs for NHS staff
But Labour's Thangam Debbonaire says we should work with health and care staff - not threaten them with mandatory vaccinations
Zahawi also says the governments hopes to give all over-50s a second vaccination by 21 June
NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens says people over 50 should bring forward their second jab if contacted
More than half of 30-39-year-olds have had their first dose in the past two weeks
Maros Sefcovic, European Commission vice president, tells Andrew Marr the EU is working with the UK over foreign holiday plans
The head of NHS Providers says very few Covid patients in hospital in England have received two jabs
Chris Hopson says this shows vaccines provide "very high" levels of protection

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of coronavirus developments this Sunday.
We’ll bring you all the latest as it happens throughout the day.

Main headlines

People aged over 50 who have had a first coronavirus jab should take up the offer of their second dose sooner if they are contacted by the NHS.
That’s the message from the health service’s chief executive in England Sir Simon Stevens, who has championed the vaccine rollout.
Sir Simon confirms more than half of people in their 30s in England have received a coronavirus vaccination in a period of little over two weeks.
Meanwhile:

"Very, very few" Covid patients in hospital in England have received two coronavirus jabs, the head of an NHS agency has said
Patients now tend to be younger than earlier in the pandemic - meaning there was a lower need for critical care, NHS Providers’ Chris Hopson says
But he warned it was "incredibly striking" how busy hospitals are, as they deal with non-Covid backlogs
Vietnam has detected a Covid variant that appears to be a combination of the Indian and UK variants and can spread quickly by air, officials say
The number of people sticking rigidly to Covid rules in Wales has dropped by up to a third, research suggests
Thousands of people angry at the slow rollout of vaccines in Brazil have taken to the streets in cities across the country - with many blaming President Jair Bolsonaro

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 11:54

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 11:54

The Papers: Wuhan lab leak 'feasible'

Let's review the main coronavirus stories in today's newspapers. The main story in the Sunday Times focuses on the origins of the pandemic, reporting that British spies now believe it is "feasible" the coronavirus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, rather than being transmitted to humans from a natural source.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has written in the Observer to warn the 21 June date to lift the remaining Covid-19 restrictions is at risk because of what he calls serial incompetence and "civil war" inside Boris Johnson's government.

"Hancock must go now over care deaths" is the headline for the Sunday People, which says bereaved relatives and care home bosses joined a "chorus of fury" at Health Secretary Matt Hancock for allowing patients with Covid-19 to be sent back to care homes without being tested.

Read more in our review of Sunday’s papers here.

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 11:59

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 11:59

Protests in Brazil over Covid crisis

Protesters in Brasilia carried a huge puppet of President Jair Bolsonaro

Protests have taken place across Brazil over the management of the Covid-19 crisis by the government of President Jair Bolsonaro.
In the capital, Brasilia, thousands gathered in front of Congress on Saturday, calling for the president's impeachment, and demanding more vaccines.
Demonstrations took place in other major cities, including Rio de Janeiro.
Bolsonaro's popularity has plummeted over his response to the pandemic.
Brazil has registered nearly 460,000 deaths - the second-highest toll in the world after the US. It also has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases at more than 16 million.
The protests piled further pressure on President Bolsonaro as Brazil's Senate holds an inquiry into his government's handling of the pandemic and the slow roll-out of the vaccine programme.
Read more

There was a large anti-government rally in Rio de Janeiro

Opponents of Jair Bolsonaro blame him for the slow response to the Covid crisis

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 12:08

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 12:08

Mixed message fears as fewer stick to rules in Wales

The number of people sticking rigidly to Covid rules in Wales has dropped by up to a third, research suggests.
One expert who has analysed the results says there is concern "mixed messages" on the virus may have led to confusion.
One study by University College London suggests complete compliance with Covid rules fell from 60% in February to 40% in May.
Another ongoing study by Public Health Wales suggests complete compliance with rules has dropped from 76% in March to 65% in May.
The Welsh government said the emergence of new variants made it clear the pandemic was not over.
Read more here.

More than 1,000 coronavirus-related attacks on police in Scotland

More than 1,000 assaults on police in Scotland in the past year involved spitting or coughing or were otherwise linked to coronavirus, analysis suggests.
Police Scotland says assaults increased overall by 6.3% in 2020-21 compared with the previous year, with 6,942 attacks recorded on officers and staff.
Of these, 1,087 were Covid-related after analysts searched for case keywords such as "spit" and "cough".
However, the figure could be higher with no data available from four areas - the Borders, Edinburgh, Highland or Tayside divisions.
The largest number of coronavirus-related incidents were recorded in the Greater Glasgow area, which had 336. Lanarkshire recorded the next highest at 228 incidents.
Read more

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 12:52

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 12:52

Care homes 'forgotten' for decades and in pandemic - sector leader

Care homes were "forgotten" during the "dreadful" early stages of the Covid pandemic, a sector leader has said.
Mike Padgham, chairman of the Independent Care Group, which represents providers in York and North Yorkshire, tells Sky News it had been a "frightening" time for staff and residents.
"I don't believe myself there was a ring of protection thrown round us," Padgham says. "In those very early days it was difficult. We were forgotten. We've been forgotten over decades. That's the only issue in social care."
He adds: "I've lost faith in all politicians really, because going through Labour, the coalition, now Conservatives, everyone's promised something and it's never happened.
"I'm at a loss to know what we can do in the future. All I would say, if something positive came out of this pandemic, it's got to be reform of social care."

Continued uncertainty over 21 June release, warns expert

There is still "an awful lot of uncertainty" over whether the government can decide to progress with its planned relaxation of Covid restrictions in England on 21 June, an expert says.
Appearing on LBC, Dr Mike Tildesley, from the University of Warwick and a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) Government advisory panel, says cases are rising but hospital admissions, and deaths, remain low.
He highlights there can be a delay of a week or two between case increases and hospital admissions possibly rising, but says the country is in "a very different place" to where it was in January.
Dr Tildesley says scientists have "an awful lot of work to do" to analyse data on the link between cases and hospital admissions, while bearing in mind the situation with the Indian variant, to give evidence to ministers.
Speaking earlier, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said the government expected to have the data by 14 June.

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 12:55

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 12:55

'Difficult to hold the waters back' on Indian variant in Wales

Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan says "it's going to be very difficult to hold the waters back" on the variant first identified in India from spreading from England to Wales.
She says there are no people in hospital as a result of the variant in Wales and no community spread - but she expects this to change.
"We're likely to see that change in future weeks," she tells BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement programme. "We've got to be ready for this."
The Welsh government says there are fewer than 100 cases of the variant of concern, with a cluster in Conwy.
Read more on this story here.

What are the rules for weddings in the UK?

We've had the news today that Prime Minister Boris Johnson married his fiancee Carrie Symonds in a secretly-planned ceremony at Westminster Cathedral yesterday. The couple plan to celebrate again with family and friends next summer.
But what are the rules for weddings at the moment?
In England, couples can have up to 30 people - including children - at a wedding ceremony or reception. Anyone working is not counted in the limit.
The government has previously said it hoped to lift all restrictions on weddings on 21 June - we expect to hear more on this on 14 June.
In Scotland, as many as 50 people (including the couple and witnesses) can attend weddings and receptions - provided venues can allow 2m (6ft) physical distancing. Face coverings must be worn indoors, not including the couple or the person officiating.
It's hoped wedding rules will change again on 7 June, when up to 100 people should be allowed to meet, but rules on social distancing and face coverings will remain in place.
In Wales, weddings and civil partnerships can take place in "approved premises", up to the capacity of the venue given social distancing requirements.
Wedding receptions can be arranged in regulated venues for up to 30 people indoors and 50 people outdoors, not including children under 11. They cannot take place in private homes or gardens.
In Northern Ireland, there is no limit on the number of people allowed to attend a wedding, but venues must assess how many they can safely accommodate. Receptions can take place but a number of rules remain in place.
Asked earlier on Sky News if the PM's decision to marry before the proposed 21 June change of guest numbers for weddings in England was a hint couples would not see the changes they are hoping for, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said "I wouldn't extrapolate anything from that".
Read more on the rules in the UK here.

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 13:04

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 13:04

Passengers upset by lack of social distancing on trains

Rail passengers say they have been travelling on "very full" trains with no social distancing over the weekend.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) users say passengers have been standing in the aisles, with too few carriages available to accommodate them spread out.
One passenger tells the BBC: "It seems a bit farcical. It's a bank holiday - they knew it was going to be busy."
EMR has apologised for "the discomfort and inconvenience that some of our customers have experienced".
Current government guidance says although close contact with friends and family is now a personal choice, it advises people to "maintain social distancing" on public transport, as well as in the workplace, in businesses and at public venues.
Read more here.

Italy extends travel ban for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Italy has extended an entry ban for people coming from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as a continued precaution against the more transmissible Indian variant. The ban, which does not apply to Italian citizens, was introduced in late April and was due to expire on Sunday. It was prolonged until June 21, a spokesman for Italian health minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement.

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 13:11

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 13:11

Covid investigators must interview Wuhan stall owners, says virologist

Michael Standaert - The Guardian
A leading scientist has called for stallholders at the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan to be interviewed in any further investigation of the Covid-19 epidemic.
Dr Eddie Holmes has joined a growing chorus of voices calling for further investigation into the source of the pandemic. The US president, Joe Biden, has ordered the US intelligence community to intensify its efforts to study the origins of coronavirus, as the theory that the virus might have come from a lab in Wuhan gains traction.
He revealed that two of the 18 intelligence agencies are leaning towards the animal link and one leans more toward the lab theory.
It is still thought by many that the market in Wuhan is at the centre of the Covid-19 breakout and that the virus jumped from an animal species to humans. On 31 January 2021, a team of scientists led by the World Health Organization visited the market. However, according to their report only two stall operators were interviewed, and neither was engaged in trading wildlife.
Edward Holmes, an expert in the evolution and emergence of infectious diseases at the University of Sydney, who saw live wildlife being traded at the Huanan market in 2014, said: “As wildlife present the greatest risk, this should have been the priority in the WHO’s investigation of the market.
“However, I’m not sure who controlled the WHO’s schedule so it may have been out of their hands,” he added. “At the very least these stallholders need to be reinterviewed in any additional investigation into the virus origins.”
Read more

Police officers injured in clashes with crowds in Germany

Five officers were injured overnight in Stuttgart in clashes with crowds of mainly young people who were contravening coronavirus restrictions, German police say.
Police tried to disperse a crowd of about 600 people who had gathered in the city centre, flouting social distancing rules and a ban on drinking alcohol in public.
Some threw bottles at police, who responded with pepper spray.
Six people were detained but later released.
The city saw similar trouble the night before, but on a smaller scale. It recently lifted a 22:00 curfew.

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 14:13

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 14:13

Lab-leak theory not off the table, says WHO investigator

BBC Radio 4

Prof Dale Fisher, a member of the first World Health Organization (WHO) team to visit China last year, has said the theory the coronavirus leaked from a Wuhan lab is "not off the table" but lacks credibility so far.
He tells BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend he does not give claims the virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology "any credibility until it's validated".
Fisher says the WHO has asked countries for any evidence they have and he says it is disappointing to read reports the US and now others may have intelligence to suggest a lab leak occurred.
It follows a Wall Street Journal report saying several Insititute of Virology workers were hospitalised with virus symptoms in November 2019.
"The only evidence in my mind for there being a lab leak is that there was a lab... but really the lab-leak theory is not off the table and there is more work to be done," Fisher says.

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 14:21

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 14:21

Champions League final showed 'hope and light' says Uefa boss

Most of this year's Premier and Champions League games have been played in empty stadiums due to coronavirus restrictions.
But last night's gripping Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea reminded fans of the thrill of live sport - with 6,000 followers of each team in attendance in Porto, Portugal.
Aleksander Ceferin, the Uefa president, says the event "was a great success".
He adds: "The organisation and co-operation of the Portuguese FA and the local and national authorities was exemplary but the whole occasion was made so much more special because at last we had fans back, cheering their teams on and giving us the reminder of what a beautiful occasion it is.
“This game, watched by millions all around the world, has given everyone hope and a glimpse of light at the end of this very dark tunnel that has dictated our lives for so long. Normality is slowly returning and we can all celebrate that.
“Chelsea were worthy winners.“

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 21:10

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 21:10

Almost half of Thailand's new Covid cases are inside prisons

The rapid spread of Covid-19 within Thailand's overcrowded prisons is continuing to drive a surge in confirmed cases in the country.
The authorities have today recorded more than 4,500 new cases of the virus, with almost half of them inside prisons.
At least 22,000 prisoners have tested positive for coronavirus since the government first began releasing figures a month ago.
Thailand's justice minister says each prisoner is allocated less room than the inside of a coffin, and he says he is exploring ways to release convicts if they have underlying medical conditions.

French ban on non-essential travel from UK begins tomorrow

A French ban on non-essential travel from the UK due to the spread of the so-called Indian coronavirus variant begins tomorrow.
France is already on England's "amber" list, meaning the UK government advises against travel there and passengers must quarantine upon return.
But now France says travel should only be allowed, for example, for bereavement or childcare, and that includes seven days of self-isolation.
Read more about the rules for foreign travel from England here.

Bristol's homeless more than triples during pandemic

The number of single people in Bristol requiring temporary housing more than tripled during the pandemic, the city's head of housing options says.
Paul Sylvester describes the 330% increase during the past year as "absolutely massive".
Families with children in temporary accommodation went up by 11%, but the number of rough sleepers fell.
Sylvester says homelessness surged after each lockdown, with the biggest rise after the third, as coronavirus took its toll on families and relationships.
The number of people made homeless because they were told to leave by family or friends doubled during the past 12 months, he says.
Read more

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 21:19

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 21:19

How to organise a trip to a holiday hotspot this year

Foreign holidays are back, but organising a trip isn't straightforward.
Popular destinations including Portugal, Spain, Greece and Turkey all have different rules at the moment.
England's traffic light list classes destinations as green, amber or red. Similar rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The government says you should not holiday in amber and red countries. Quarantine rules apply and there are extra tests.
Read more here.

Third wave of Covid may be under way in UK, scientists say

Scientists have warned ministers that a third wave of coronavirus may have already begun in Britain, casting doubt on plans in England to lift all lockdown restrictions in three weeks’ time.
Experts cautioned that any rise in coronavirus hospital admissions could leave the NHS struggling to cope as it battles to clear the huge backlog in non-Covid cases.
Downing Street insisted it was too soon for speculation about whether the plan to lift all lockdown rules in England on 21 June could go ahead, prompting calls from the hospitality industry for the government to ensure it provided “advance notice” for struggling businesses of any “lingering” measures.
The vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, refused to deny that some restrictions such as mask wearing and working from home might remain in place to reduce the spread of the virus. Senior scientific advisers believe that, where possible, working from home makes sense beyond June because it would cut the number of people who come into contact with each other.
Ministers are grappling with whether a rise in cases and further spread of the Covid variant first discovered in India could throw Boris Johnson’s roadmap off track. Despite the progress of the vaccination programme, advisers are unsure to what extent the new infections – which are at levels last seen at the end of March – will translate into hospitalisations and deaths.
Outbreak modellers advising Sage expected a resurgence of infections even before the new variant, called B.1.617.2, was found in the UK. That is because, as restrictions ease, the virus can spread more easily among millions of people who have not been protected by vaccines. Research by Public Health England that suggests the new variant is highly transmissible and partially resistant to vaccines has heightened concerns that a third wave could overwhelm the NHS.
Read more

by **Kitkat** Sun 30 May 2021, 21:40

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Re: Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Post by Kitkat Sun 30 May 2021, 21:40

What’s happened today?

We're about the bring our coverage to a close for another day. But before we go, here’s a round-up of the main coronavirus headlines this afternoon:

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi says it would be irresponsible not to consider compulsory jabs for NHS staff
NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens says people over 50 should bring forward their second jab if contacted
The head of NHS Providers says "very, very few" Covid patients in hospital in England have received two coronavirus jabs - showing the vaccines provide "very high" levels of protection
The number of people to have received both doses of a vaccine in Scotland has passed two million
Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney says he is "optimistic" lockdown restrictions will be eased in Glasgow next week
Five officers were injured overnight in Stuttgart in clashes with crowds of mainly young people who were contravening coronavirus restrictions, German police say
Prof Dale Fisher, a member of the first World Health Organization (WHO) team to visit China last year, has said the theory the coronavirus leaked from a Wuhan lab is "not off the table" but lacks credibility so far
A French ban on non-essential travel from the UK due to the spread of the so-called Indian coronavirus variant begins tomorrow.

That’s all for now

Thank you for joining us today on our coronavirus live page.

It was written by George Bowden and Emma Harrison and edited by James Clarke and Julian Joyce.

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Coronavirus - 30th May 2021

Main headlines

The Papers: Wuhan lab leak 'feasible'

Protests in Brazil over Covid crisis

Mixed message fears as fewer stick to rules in Wales

More than 1,000 coronavirus-related attacks on police in Scotland

Care homes 'forgotten' for decades and in pandemic - sector leader

Continued uncertainty over 21 June release, warns expert

'Difficult to hold the waters back' on Indian variant in Wales

What are the rules for weddings in the UK?

Passengers upset by lack of social distancing on trains

Italy extends travel ban for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Covid investigators must interview Wuhan stall owners, says virologist

Police officers injured in clashes with crowds in Germany

Lab-leak theory not off the table, says WHO investigator

Champions League final showed 'hope and light' says Uefa boss

Almost half of Thailand's new Covid cases are inside prisons

French ban on non-essential travel from UK begins tomorrow

Bristol's homeless more than triples during pandemic

How to organise a trip to a holiday hotspot this year

Third wave of Covid may be under way in UK, scientists say

What’s happened today?

That’s all for now

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