Coronavirus UK news LIVE: Preston plunged into lockdown after spike in Covid-19 cases as deaths hit 46,511 – The Sun

August 8, 2020

PRESTON has been plunged into local lockdown, after the council asked residents to follow a number of extra restrictions in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.

Data from Public Health England shows a worrying rise in new Covid-19 cases in the city, leading many to speculate that the official announcement of a local lockdown is inevitable.

The news comes as officials warn Brits holidaying in France may have to face a two-week quarantine when they return to the UK.

France may be bumped off the quarantine-free air bridge list, joining Belgium and Andorra.

Meanwhile, the UK government have announced that the list of settings where face masks are compulsory has expanded to include hairdressers, cinemas, and more. Police can issue £100 fines for those caught breaking the rules.

Deaths in the UK have now reached 46,511, after 98 more fatalities yesterday.

Follow our coronavirus live blog for all the latest news and updates…

£100 FINE FOR BREAKING NEW MASK RULES
Anyone found failing to comply with new measures mandating the use of masks indoors will face a fine of £100, the government has said.
New rules come into force in England and Scotland today to make the use of masks compulsory in a greater range of indoor settings.
The tighter measures were brought in following recent rises in coronavirus cases in both countries.
Settings in which masks will now need to be worn include cinemas, bingo halls, and salons.
The fines will be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
FACE MASKS TO BE COMPULSORY IN SHOPS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Face masks are to become compulsory in shops and other enclosed public spaces in Northern Ireland from Monday.
The measures were announced by first minister Arlene Foster.
The decision came after the Northern Ireland Department of Health said the country's R infection rate is now between 0.8 and 1.8.
It also said that the spread of the virus is estimated to have risen three-fold since early July.
BELGIUM, ANDORRA, AND THE BAHAMAS ADDED TO QUARANTINE LIST
Anyone arriving in England, Scotland, or Northern Ireland from Belgium, Andorra, or the Bahamas will now have to quarantine for two weeks, the UK government has said.
The new measures came into force at 4am this morning.
In Wales they have been in place since midnight on Thursday.
The Foreign Office is also warning Brits against “all but essential travel” to any of the three destinations.
Belgium is currently the only country in the world with a higher number of coronavirus deaths per million people than the UK.
ALMOST AS MANY BRITS KILLED BY LOCKDOWN AS BY CORONAVIRUS, SAYS REPORT
Almost as many Brits have been killed by the coronavirus lockdown as by the virus itself, an official report suggests.
According to figures, for every three Covid-19 dead another two have died because they missed vital medical treatment.
The report was submitted to the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies in July.
It found that between March and May there were 25,000 coronavirus deaths.
At the same time 16,000 others also died, including 6,000 thought to have been too scared to go to A&E.
WHERE MUST MASKS NOW BE WORN?
Here's the full list of setting in which you now need to wear a mask:
- Cinemas
- Theatres
- Bingo halls
- Concert halls
- Museums, galleries, aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms
- Indoor tourist, heritage or cultural sites
- Funeral directors
- Professional, legal or financial services buildings
- Nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers – other than where necessary to remove for treatments
- Massage parlours
- Public areas in hotels and hostels
- Places of worship
- Libraries and public reading rooms
- Community centres
- Social clubs
- Tattoo and piercing parlours
- Indoor entertainment venues (amusement arcades, funfairs, adventure activities such as laser quest, go-karting, escape rooms, heritage sites)
- Storage and distribution facilities
- Veterinary services
- Auction houses
NEW FACE MASKS MEASURES COME INTO FORCE
New rules mandating the use of face masks in a greater range of indoor settings have come into force in England and Scotland.
The tighter measures were brought in following recent rises in coronavirus cases in both countries.
Settings in which masks will now need to be worn include cinemas, bingo halls, and salons.
The coverings were previously mandatory in shops and on public transport.
See the next post for the full list of settings in which they are now required.
DEATH TOLL RISES BY 98
The UK's coronavirus death toll yesterday rose by 98 to 46,511.
New statistics revealed another 871 cases of the deadly bug were recorded, bringing the total number of infections to 309,005.
The number of cases has slightly dropped after 880 were recorded last Friday.
Here's what you need to know.
'DON'T KILL GRANNY', PRESTON'S YOUNG PEOPLE TOLD
Youngsters in Preston are being urged 'not to kill granny' as part of new messaging on the lockdown there.
Adrian Phillips, the chief executive of Preston City Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “I know our director of public health has said, 'Don't kill granny' to young people to try and focus the message.
“Young people are inevitably among the brave and the bold, they want to be adventurous and out and about, but we know that they have the virus, are more likely to at the moment, they often have less symptoms but they do take it back to their household.”
Image: Mirrorpix
FRANCE EDGES CLOSER TO QUARANTINE LIST
Brit officials are considering lifting the 14-day quarantine for Portugal – more on that in the blog post below.
But it's not looking so good for France, and it's understood the Government may impose new rules for returning travellers soon.
There are 1,585 scheduled flights to France from UK airports up until the end of August, with an estimated 264,000 passengers heading there by air.
It is thought more than a million Brits would be affected by any quarantine measures.
Currently, 400,000 people from the UK are in the country, with another 600,000 planning trips this month.
SO FARO, SO GOOD
Brit holidaymakers may be able to enjoy a quarantine-free break in Portugal soon.
Ministers are happy that cases in the holiday hotspot are now at a safe level, it's understood.
But a spike in cases in Europe will delay the green light being given for another two weeks.
Whitehall officials do not want to signal the go-ahead to holidays on the Algarve – only to have to stop them if cases start to rise again.
Image: Alamy
WAS GOVERNMENT'S MESSAGE TOO EFFECTIVE?
It's been reported that lockdown killed almost as many Brits as coronavirus did.
A report made to Sage suggested people felt they should stay at home rather than go to hospital, in part due to the Government's 'stay home, protect the NHS, save lives' message.
And it's thought 10,000 died in care homes after they were discharged early from hospitals.
Here's the story.
LOCKDOWN 'KILLED ALMOST AS MANY BRITS AS VIRUS'
Almost as many Brits have been killed by LOCKDOWN as by coronavirus itself, it's been claimed.
According to figures, for every three Covid-19 dead, another two have died because they missed vital medical treatment.
Between March and May, there were 25,000 coronavirus deaths.
But during the same timeframe, 16,000 others also died – including 6,000 too frightened to go to A&E.
More on this in the next post.
Image: Rex Features
PEOPLE MIXING IN PUBS IS BLAMED FOR PRESTON SPIKE
Good morning.
We'll be bringing you all the latest news on coronavirus throughout the day.
Preston went back into strict lockdown at midnight – after households mixing in pubs and private addresses was blamed for a rise in new cases.
It comes a week after the same measures were brought in for residents in Greater Manchester, parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire, as well as Leicester.
Local leaders in the city said that people mixing with other households in pubs, as well as in their homes, led to a need for increased coronavirus restrictions.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES RELIEF PACKAGE
US president Donald Trump is announcing the details of another coronavirus relief package at a press conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The package includes extending unemployment benefits to the end of the year and deferring student load payments.
Trump told reporters he would suspend payroll tax until the end of 2020, backdated to 1 July, Reuters reports.
He said his administration “continues to work in good faith with democrats to extend unemployment benefits and prevent evictions,” then added that if the Democrats hold the relief package hostage, he will “act under his own authority”.
LEICESTER REVELLERS FLOCK TO PUBS FOR FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT OUT IN 5 MONTHS
Pubs, bars and restaurants were allowed to reopen in the East Midlands city from Monday for the first time since March after local lockdown regulations were eased.
Authorities though had warned locals to remain “responsible” and not to “throw away all the hard work”.
Pubs across England had been allowed to reopen on July 4 but Leicester was kept under a local lockdown after it saw a spike in coronavirus cases.
Leicester was put on lockdown when it had an infection rate of 135 per 100,000 people – in the week up to 1 August this had dropped to 57.4 per 100,000.
Leicestershire Police said so far, most people have been following regulations.
ALMOST AS MANY BRITS KILLED BY LOCKDOWN AS BY VIRUS ITSELF, REPORT SAYS
According to figures, for every three Covid-19 dead another two have died because they missed vital medical treatment.
Between March and May there were 25,000 coronavirus deaths.
At the same time 16,000 others also died, including 6,000 too scared to go to A&E.
People felt that they should stay home because of the Governments 'Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives' message.
And is thought 10,000 died in care homes after they were discharged early from hospitals.
They were not able to access critical care.
But around 2,500 lives were saved by a fall in pollution and accidents and healthier living.
The report was made to the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies in July.
It also suggests 26,000 more deaths by September due to healthcare restrictions still in place.
BRAZILIAN BILLIONAIRE LEADS INITIATIVE TO BUILD VACCINE FACTORY
Brazilian billionaire Jorge Lemann's foundation and other business interests will fund the building of factory to produce the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC, Reuters reports.
The Lemann Foundation said in a statement on Friday that the 100 million reais ($18 million) factory will be donated to Brazil's premier biomedical research and development lab, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, or Fiocruz.
It said the factory will be ready to produce 30 million doses of the vaccine per month as of the beginning of 2021.
Brazil is approaching 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the world's worst coronavirus outbreak after the United States.
The Brazilian government sees the British vaccine as the most promising of the vaccines that are being developed by researchers worldwide.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is being tested on Brazilian volunteers in a study led by the Federal University of Sao Paulo that is also funded by the Lemann Foundation.
Lemann said he hoped the initiative will help Brazil be “better positioned and prepared to face other challenges of this nature that may arise.”
JAPAN CONFIRMS RECORD NUMBER OF NEW INFECTIONS
Japan confirmed a record 1,580 new coronavirus infections on Friday.
Cases continue to mount, particularly in urban areas like Tokyo and Osaka, Japan’s national daily, The Mainichi, reports.
With Japan’s Bon holiday season beginning next week, there's concern that the movement of people will further spread the virus.
The Tokyo metropolitan government on Friday reported 462 new cases of coronavirus infection, just short of the daily record of 472 cases confirmed in the capital late last week.
HALF OF PRESTON CASES AMONG THOSE AGED 30 & YOUNGER
Speaking at a media briefing, director of Public Health for Lancashire Sakthi Karunanithi said almost half of the cases reported in Preston were among people aged 30 and younger.
Mr Karunanithi said the “two main reasons” for the rise in infections were people meeting others in their houses and households coming together in venues such as pubs.
He added: “These two are key behaviours we're trying to protect people from. Don't meet with members of other households in pubs and clubs.”
MIXING IN PUBS LED TO NEW LOCAL LOCKDOWN MEASURES IN PRESTON
Households mixing in pubs and houses has been blamed for a rise in coronavirus cases in Preston as the city became the latest area to have local lockdown restrictions imposed.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced on Friday that households in the city will be banned from mixing indoors or in gardens.
It comes a week after the same measures were brought in for residents in Greater Manchester, parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire, as well as Leicester.
The rules will remain in place for those areas for at least another week.
Local leaders in the city said that people mixing with other households in pubs, as well as in their homes, led to a need for increased coronavirus restrictions.
AUSTRALIA CLOSED FOR INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS UNTIL OCT 24
Australia remains closed to foreign arrivals.
The cap on international arrivals to Australia has been extended to 24 October.
AUSTRALIA SURPASSES 20,000 CASES
Australia has surpassed 20,000 coronavirus cases, with case numbers doubling in less than a month.
Melbourne is back under stage four lockdown conditions, which will remain in place until 13 September.
Changes reducing the output of abattoirs and meat processing plants came into effect at midnight Friday.
Victoria recorded 450 new cases and 11 new deaths on Friday, with most of the deaths linked to aged care. More than 900 healthcare workers have also been diagnosed.
Queensland closed its border to residents from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory overnight.
NSW tightened its border restrictions against Victoria, requiring anyone who travels to NSW from Victoria to undergo 14-days of mandatory supervised quarantine in a hotel – the same conditions imposed on people returning from overseas travel.
NSW recorded 11 new coronavirus cases on Friday – the only state other than Victoria to record any increase – and is yet to trace the origin of two of the cases.
COUNTRIES WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO QUARANTINE ON RETURN TO UK
- Germany
- New Zealand
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Greece
- Norway
- Aruba
- Greenland
- Poland
- Australia
- Grenada
- Réunion
- Austria
- Guadeloupe
- San Marino
- Hong Kong
- Serbia
- Barbados
- Hungary
- Seychelles
- Iceland
- South Korea
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
- Italy
- Croatia
- Jamaica
- St Barthélemy
- Curaçao
- Japan
- St Kitts and Nevis
- Cyprus
- Liechtenstein
- St Lucia
- Czech Republic
- Lithuania
- St Pierre and Miquelon
- Denmark
- Switzerland
- Dominica
- Macau
- Taiwan
- Faroe Islands
- Malta
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Fiji
- Mauritius
- Turkey
- Finland
- Monaco
- Vatican City
- France
- Netherlands
- Vietnam
- French
- Polynesia
- New Caledonia
- Slovenia
- Slovakia
- Latvia
- Estonia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
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