Guidance for British people travelling overseas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 Exceptional Travel Advisory Notice The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. This advice is being kept under constant review. Avoid non-essential international travel You should not travel abroad unless it is essential. We are monitoring the international situation very closely and keeping this advice under continuous review so that it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British people. Find out more about how our travel advice works. If you have travel plans in the immediate future, follow these steps: contact your airline, travel company, cruise line or other transport and accommodation providers get in touch with your insurance provider If you plan to travel in the weeks and months ahead, keep up-to-date with ourtravel advice pages and sign up to email alerts for the latest information. You should also keep updated on information from your airline, accommodation provider or tour operator about your booking. Essential travel If your travel is essential, see our guidance on international travel. International freight transport is an essential activity in the context of travel advice. Read the Department for Transport guidance for the freight transport industry. The FCO was already advising against all but essential travel or all travel to some areas or countries due to risks that do not relate to coronavirus. This advice remains in place. Check FCO travel advice pages for the latest information. Consular help We publish all our Travel Advice on GOV.UK. Our consular officers cannot provide any additional information by phone. Read more about the consular support we provide. If you’re travelling abroad If you’re currently travelling abroad and you would like to return to the UK, you should: contact your airline or travel company now keep up-to-date with our travel advice pages. Our advice on returning to the UK from each country is being updated as information becomes available for real-time updates, follow our embassy or high commission’s social media for the country you’re in Getting flights back to the UK The government is working in partnership with the airline industry to help British people travelling abroad to return to the UK. If you are in a country where UK-bound flights are still available, book or rebook your flight and return home as soon as possible. Airlines are responsible for getting their passengers with pre-booked tickets home from countries where commercial flights are still operating. Where commercial flights are not available, you may be eligible for a special charter flight. You should check the ‘Return to the UK’ section of your country’s travel advice page to see if a flight is available. See also our general guide to the booking process for special charter flights. If there are no commercial or special charter flights for the country you’re in, follow the guidance in the ‘Staying during coronavirus’ section of that country’s travel advice and see our guide to staying where you are if you cannot return home. If you cannot afford the cost of a flight to return, and have exhausted all other funding options, you may be eligible to apply for an emergency loan from the government: to apply for a loan for a commercial flight, find out who to contact about emergency loans you can request a loan to pay for a special charter flights, when you are asked to pay. See the travel advice ‘Return to the UK’ section for the country you are in You should also sign up for Travel Advice email alerts, to get our latest advice if the situation changes. Return travel and your health It is a personal decision whether to travel back to the UK. You should consider your individual circumstances and the range of information available to you, including travel advice, to decide what is right for you. If you are concerned about risks to your health, for example you are following UK or local guidance to shield or self-isolate, you may wish to seek professional health advice locally or from your usual doctor in the UK. Read further advice on avoiding infection during your journey home and preventive measures to take on your return. When you return to the UK: protect yourself and others Read the guidance on safer air travel for advice on how to stay safe before and during a flight. Re-entering the UK When you return, you must follow the rules for entering the UK. You must: provide your journey and contact details up to 48 hours before you’re due to arrive in the UK not leave the place you’re staying for the first 14 days you’re in the UK except in very limited situations (known as ‘self-isolating’). See the guidance for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland See also the list of people who are exempt from the English border rules. Onward travel Only use public transport if you have no other option. These pages may help you plan your onward travel: Safer travel on UK public transport Traveline Scotland Welsh Government transport advice Translink (Northern Ireland) If you start to have symptoms For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness. However if you start to have any of these symptoms: continuous cough high temperature loss of or change in your sense of taste or smell follow the guidance NHS website and arrange to have a test to see if you have coronavirus. Looking after your mental wellbeing Your emotional and mental wellbeing is important. Keep in regular contact with the people who usually support you: family, friends and colleagues, especially if you are self-isolating abroad. Read guidance on how to look after your wellbeing and mental health if you’re abroad during the current coronavirus pandemic. If you are waiting to return to the UK If you cannot return to the UK at this time, you should: follow the advice of local authorities, to help minimise your risk of exposure to coronavirus. Your safety and security is the responsibility of the local authority where you are stay in accommodation that’s suitable for your needs and keep in regular contact with family and friends at home keep up-to-date with our travel advice contact your travel insurance provider: the Association of British Insurers says most providers will look to extend single trip cover for up to 60 days if you are making every effort to return home Read more guidance if you are waiting to return to the UK. If your visa is running out Some countries have set up new processes to help foreign nationals extend their visas, and we have negotiated with local authorities in some countries to automatically extend visas if you cannot return. Check the ‘staying during coronavirus’ section of the travel advice for the country you are in and make sure you comply with the local requirements. If you have immigration enquiries, you need to contact either the local immigration authorities in the country or their UK-based embassy. Quarantine while you are abroad If the local authority where you are proposes to quarantine you for your own protection, you should follow their advice. If there are suspected cases of coronavirus where you are, you may need to remain in your hotel room or accommodation for 14 days, move to quarantine facilities, take tests for coronavirus and, if positive in some cases, be hospitalised abroad. You should also contact your airline or travel company, and your insurance provider as soon as you can. We only organise assisted departure in exceptional circumstances. If you live abroad permanently As a permanent resident overseas, you should consider your own personal circumstances and take into account all of the information available: if you stay, follow the advice of the local authorities where you are. Further information on measures that countries have taken is available in the ‘staying during coronavirus’ sections of our travel advice pages if you wish to return to the UK, you should make arrangements to return now. This includes planning for where you will stay and how you will travel there We are only advising British people travelling overseas to return because it may be more difficult for them if they cannot get back to the UK. If you’re concerned about friends or family overseas If you are concerned about a friend or family member who is currently overseas, you should read our country-specific travel advice and sign up for email alerts. Latest health advice See the latest NHS guidance on coronavirus for the current situation in the UK and abroad, and the latest government guidance on coronavirus. The NaTHNaC provides general advice on preparing for foreign travel and how everyone can reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Published 4 February 2020 Last updated 11 June 2020 + show all updates

Claim for 80% of your employee’s wages plus any employer National Insurance and pension contributions, if you have put them on furlough because of coronavirus (COVID-19). This guidance page was updated on 12 June 2020 to include details on how the scheme will change from 1 July. The first time you will be able to make claims for days in July will be 1 July, you cannot claim for periods in July before this point. 31 July is the last day that you can submit claims for periods ending on or before 30 June. If you’re an employee you cannot claim for yourself, instead you should check if your employer can use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Use this online service to claim for your employees’ wages using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. To use the scheme, the steps you’ll need to take are: Check if you can claim. Check which employees you can put on furlough Steps to take before calculating your claim. Calculate how much you can claim Claim for your employees’ wages Report a payment in PAYE Real Time Information. What you’ll need To make a claim, you will need: to be registered for PAYE online your UK bank account number and sort code (only provide bank account details where a BACS payment can be accepted) the billing address on your bank account (this is the address on your bank statements) your employer PAYE scheme reference number the number of employees being furloughed each employee’s National Insurance number (you will need to search for their number if you do not have it or contact HMRC if your employee does not have a number) each employee’s payroll or employee number (optional) the start date and end date of the claim the full amounts that you’re claiming for including: employee wages employer National Insurance contributions (for claims up to 31 July) employer minimum pension contributions (for claims up to 31 July) your phone number contact name You also need to provide either: your name (or the employer’s name if you’re an agent) your Corporation Tax unique taxpayer reference your Self Assessment unique taxpayer reference your company registration number If you’re claiming for employees who are flexibly furloughed, you’ll need to have agreed the furlough arrangement with the employee (or reached a collective agreement with a trade union) and keep a written agreement that confirms the furlough arrangement. For the claim period you’ll also need: the number of usual hours your employee would work in the claim period the number of hours your employee has or will work in the claim period you will also need to keep a record of the number of furloughed hours your employee has been furloughed in the claim period Using an agent to do PAYE online If you use an agent who is authorised to do PAYE online for you, they will be able to claim on your behalf. If you would like to use an agent, but do not have one authorised to do PAYE online for you, you can do that by accessing your HMRC online services and selecting ‘Manage Account’. You must be enrolled in PAYE online for employers to do this and will need to ask your agent for their agent ID. Your agent can get this from their HMRC online service for agents by selecting ‘authorise client.’ You can also use this service to remove authorisation from your agent if you do not want it to continue after they have submitted your claim(s). If an agent makes a claim on your behalf you will need to tell them which bank account you would like the grant to be paid into. You must only provide bank details where a BACS payment can be accepted. If you’re putting 100 or more employees on furlough If you’re claiming for 100 or more furloughed employees, you’ll need to upload a file containing each employee’s: full name National Insurance number payroll number (optional) furlough start date furlough end date (if known) full amount claimed If you’re flexibly furloughing any of these employees, you’ll also need to include: hours they actually worked in the claim period usual hours worked in the claim period You’ll need to ensure that you: provide only the employee information requested here - if you provide more or less information than required, you may risk delaying your payment and/or be asked to provide the information again submit one line per employee for the whole period do not break up the calculation into multiple periods within the claim do not split data by contract type (for example, those paid weekly and monthly should be claimed for together) upload your file as an .xls, .xlsx, .csv or .ods For claim periods starting on or after 1 July, you can download a template if you’re claiming for 100 or more employees and upload this when you claim. How to claim You’ll need the Government Gateway user ID and password you got when you registered for PAYE online. If you do not finish your claim in one session, you can save a draft. You must complete your claim within 7 days of starting it. Online services may be slow during busy times. Check if there are any problems with this service. Claim now After you’ve claimed Once you’ve claimed, you’ll get a claim reference number. HMRC will then check that your claim is correct and pay the claim amount by BACs into your bank account within 6 working days. You must: keep a copy of all records for 6 years, including: the amount claimed and claim period for each employee the claim reference number for your records your calculations in case HMRC need more information about your claim for employees you flexibly furloughed, usual hours worked including any calculations that were required for employees you flexibly furloughed, actual hours worked tell your employees that you have made a claim and that they do not need to take any more action pay your employee their wages, if you have not already You must pay the full amount you are claiming to your employee and pay the associated employee tax and National Insurance Contributions, even if your company is in administration. If you’re not able to do that, you’ll need to repay the money back to HMRC. The same applies in relation to employer NICs and pension contributions you claim regarding your employee. The full amount you claim in respect of these must be paid or you will need to repay the money back to HMRC. Employers cannot enter into any transaction with the worker which reduces the wages below the amount claimed. This includes any administration charge, fees or other costs in connection with the employment. Where an employee had authorised their employer to make deductions from their salary, these deductions can continue while the employee is furloughed provided that these deductions are not administration charges, fees or other costs in connection with the employment. If you make an error when claiming If you have made an error in a claim that has resulted in an overclaimed amount, you must pay this back to HMRC. You can now tell us about an overclaimed amount as part of your next claim. You will be asked when making your claim whether you need to adjust the amount down to take account of a previous error. Your new claim amount will be reduced to reflect this. You do not need to take further action but should keep a record of this adjustment for 6 years. If you have made an error that has resulted in an underclaimed amount, you should contact HMRC to amend your claim. As you are increasing the amount of your claim, we need to conduct additional checks. If you have made an error in a claim and do not plan to submit further claims, we are working on a process that will allow you to let us know about your error and pay back any amounts that you have overclaimed. We will update this guidance when this is available. When the government ends the scheme When the scheme closes on October 31, you must decide, depending on your circumstances, as to whether employees can return to their normal hours. If not, it may be necessary to consider reducing their hours, or a termination of employment (redundancy). Normal redundancy rules apply to furloughed employees. Tax Treatment of the Coronavirus Job Retention Grant Payments received by a business under the scheme are made to offset these deductible revenue costs. They must therefore be included as income in the business’s calculation of its taxable profits for Income Tax and Corporation Tax purposes, in accordance with normal principles. Businesses can deduct employment costs as normal when calculating taxable profits for Income Tax and Corporation Tax purposes. Individuals with employees that are not employed as part of a business (such as nannies or other domestic staff) are not taxable on grants received under the scheme. Domestic staff are subject to Income Tax and NICs on their wages as normal. How to report grant payments in Real Time Information Find out how to report Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grant payments on Real Time Information submissions. Contacting HMRC We are receiving very high numbers of calls. Contacting HMRC unnecessarily puts our essential public services at risk during these challenging times. Do not contact HMRC unless it has been more than 10 working days since you made the claim and you have not received it in that time. Get help online Use HMRC’s digital assistant to find more information about the coronavirus support schemes. You can also contact HMRC about the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, if you cannot get the help you need online. Published 20 April 2020 Last updated 19 June 2020 + show all updates

It is your responsibility to adopt these principles wherever possible. The government is also using these principles as the basis of discussions with businesses, unions, local government and many other stakeholders, to agree how the principles should apply in different settings to make them safer. All of us, as customers, visitors, employees or employers need to make changes to lower the risk of transmission of the virus. The government has consulted with its scientific advisers to establish the principles that will determine these changes. 1. Keep your distance from people outside your household Whilst recognising this will not always be possible, it is important to be aware that the risk of infection increases the closer you are to another person with the virus, and the amount of time you spend in close contact with them. Therefore, you are unlikely to be infected if you walk past another person in the street. Public Health England recommends trying to keep two metres away from people as a precaution. However, this is not a rule and the science is complex. The key thing is to not be too close to people for more than a short period of time, as much as you can. 2. Keep your hands and face as clean as possible Wash your hands often using soap and water, and dry them thoroughly. Where available, use sanitiser outside your home, especially as you enter a building and after you have had contact with surfaces. Avoid touching your face. 3. Work from home if you can With the proper equipment and adjustments, many people can do most or all of their work from home. Your employer should support you to find reasonable adjustments to do this. However, not all jobs can be done from home. If your workplace is open and you cannot work from home, you can travel to work. 4. Avoid being face-to-face with people if they are outside your household You are at higher risk of being directly exposed to respiratory droplets (released by talking or coughing) when you are within two metres of someone and have face-to-face contact with them. You can lower the risk of infection if you stay side-to-side rather than facing someone. 5. Reduce the number of people you spend time with in a work setting You can lower the risks of transmission in the workplace by reducing the number of people you come into contact with regularly, where you can. Your employer can support with this (where practical) by: changing shift patterns and rotas to match you with the same team each time splitting people into smaller, contained teams 6. Avoid crowds You can lower the risks of transmission by reducing the number of people you come into close contact with. For example, avoid peak travel times on public transport, where possible. Businesses should also take reasonable steps to avoid people being gathered together. For example, by allowing the use of more entrances and exits, and staggering entrance and exit, where possible. 7. If you have to travel (for example, to work or school), think about how and when you travel To reduce demand on the public transport network, you should walk or cycle wherever possible. If you have to use public transport, you should try to avoid peak times. Employers should consider staggering working hours, expanding bicycle storage facilities, providing changing facilities and providing car parking. 8. Wash your clothes regularly There is some evidence that the virus can stay on fabrics for a few days, although usually it is shorter. Therefore, if you are working with people outside your household, wash your clothes regularly. Changing clothes in workplaces should only be considered where there is a high risk of infection or there are highly vulnerable people, such as in a care home. If you need to change your clothes, avoid crowding into a changing room. 9. Keep indoor places well ventilated Evidence suggests that the virus is less likely to be passed on in well-ventilated buildings and outdoors. In good weather, try to leave windows and doors open in areas where people from different households come into contact, or move activity outdoors if you can. Use external extractor fans to keep spaces well ventilated and make sure that ventilation systems are set to maximise the air flow rate. Heating and cooling systems can be used at their normal temperature settings. 10. Face coverings You must wear a face covering at all times on public transport or when attending a hospital as a visitor or outpatient. Hospitals will be able to provide a face covering in emergencies. If you can, you should also wear a face covering in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet. This is most relevant for short periods indoors in crowded areas. You should be prepared to remove your face covering if asked to do so by police officers and staff for the purposes of identification. Evidence suggests that wearing a face covering does not protect you. However, if you are infected but have not yet developed symptoms, it may provide some protection for others you come into close contact with. Face coverings do not replace social distancing. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, and/or high temperature, and/or loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste - anosmia), you and your household must isolate at home: wearing a face covering does not change this. You should arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19. A face covering is not the same as the surgical masks or respirators used by healthcare and other workers as part of personal protective equipment. These should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against risks in their workplace, such as health and care workers, and those in industrial settings, like those exposed to dust hazards. Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of 3 or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly. It is important to use face coverings properly and wash your hands before putting them on and taking them off. You can make face-coverings at home. The key thing is it should cover the mouth and nose. 11. When at work, follow the advice given to you by your employer Employers have a duty to assess and manage risks to your safety in the workplace. The government has issued guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus. This includes guidance on how to make adjustments to your workplace to help you maintain social distancing. It also includes guidance on hygiene, as evidence suggests that the virus can exist for up to 72 hours on surfaces. Therefore, frequent cleaning is particularly important for communal surfaces like: door handles lift buttons communal areas like bathrooms kitchens tea points You can see the guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus on https://www.gov.uk and can ask your employer if you have questions.

The government has set out its plan to return life to as near normal as we can, for as many people as we can, as quickly and fairly as possible in order to safeguard livelihoods, but in a way that is safe and continues to protect our NHS. The government has published guidance on staying safe outside your home and guidance on social distancing rules. This page sets out key FAQs to help you prepare for these changes. This guidance applies in England – people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Irelandshould follow the specific rules in those parts of the UK. 1. Gatherings, public spaces, and outdoor activities 1.1 What can I do that I couldn’t do before? From 13 June, you will be able to: Form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household if you live alone or are a single parent with dependent children - in other words, you are in a household where there is only one adult. All those in a support bubble will be able to act as if they live in the same household - meaning they can spend time together inside each other’s homes and do not need to stay 2 metres apart. Support bubbles should be exclusive - meaning you should not switch the household you are in a bubble with or connect with multiple households Attend your place of worship for the purposes of individual prayer From 15 June: You will be able to visit any type of shop and some additional outdoor attractions - drive-in cinemas, and animal attractions like zoos, farms and safari parks Year 10 and 12 pupils in secondary schools and further education colleges will begin to receive some face to face support You will have to wear a face covering on public transport You will still be able to meet outdoors with groups of up to six people from different households, provided social distancing is observed and you stay 2 metres away from anyone outside your household or support bubble. As before, you cannot: visit friends and family inside their homes (unless you are in a support bubble from 13 June) or for other limited circumstances set out in law stay away from your home or your support bubble household overnight - including holidays - except for in a limited set of circumstances, such as for work purposes exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or go swimming in a public pool use an outdoor gym or playground gather outdoors in a group of more than six (unless exclusively with members of your own household or support bubble or for one of the limited set of circumstances set out in the law) 1.2 I don’t have to stay at home anymore? You should continue to stay alert and limit your contact with others. Staying at home is the easiest way to do this. From 13 June, if you are in a support bubble, you may spend time outdoors or inside either home within the bubble. Everyone may spend time outdoors with groups of up to six people from outside your household or support bubble. You should stay alert and always practise social distancing with people from outside of your household or support bubble, keeping 2 metres apart. The more people you have interactions with, the more chance the virus has to spread. Therefore, try to limit the number of people you see - especially over short periods of time. If you or someone in your household or, from 13 June, your support bubble (if applicable) is showing coronavirus symptoms, everyone in your support bubble should stay home. If you or a member of your support bubble is contacted as part of the test and trace programme, the individual contacted must stay at home. If the individual becomes symptomatic, everyone in the support bubble must then isolate. This is critical to staying safe and saving lives You can find more information on meeting people you don’t live with here. 1.3 How many people am I allowed to meet with outdoors? You are allowed to meet in groups of up to six people who you do not live with or who are not in your support bubble. You are only allowed to meet in groups of more than six people if everyone is a member of the same household or, from 13 June, support bubble. There is more information about the rules you should follow when meeting people you do not live with here. 1.4 So, can I visit people indoors now and invite them into my own home? Only if you are in a support bubble with them. Generally, visiting people in the home or inviting people into your home is not permitted. However, from 13 June, if you are a single adult household – either you live alone or only with dependent children - you can form a support bubble with one other household. This means you can see other members of your support bubble indoors and outside. You will also be able to be less than 2 metres apart and stay overnight as if you were members of the same household. Individuals who form a bubble with one household may not form a bubble with anyone else. It is not yet possible for people who are not in support bubbles to meet inside other people’s homes - that remains against the law unless covered by one of the limited exceptions. This is critical to helping us control the virus and keep people safe. 1.5 What is a criminal offence? It is a criminal offence to: meet indoors with anyone who is not a member of your household or, from 13 June, your support bubble, except for specific exceptions set out in law meet outdoors in a group of more than six with people who are not in your household or support bubble, except for specific exceptions set out in law incite others to break the rules by e.g. inviting people to a party threaten others with infection by coronavirus, for example by coughing or spitting in their direction 1.6 Can I visit a clinically vulnerable person? We know that people 70 and over, those with certain underlying conditions and pregnant women may be more clinically vulnerable, so we have advised them to take particular care to avoid contact with others. That means such individuals can meet people outdoors but should be especially careful. Similarly, clinically vulnerable people can form a support bubble with another household, if one of the households is an adult living alone or with children, but extra care should be taken. For example all members of the support bubble should be especially careful to socially distance from people outside of the household or bubble. You can also visit a clinically vulnerable person inside if you are providing care or assistance to them, following the advice set out here. You should not do so if you have coronavirus symptoms, however mild. Wherever possible, you should stay at least 2 metres away from others, use a tissue when sneezing and dispose of it safely, cough into the crook of your elbow and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser if washing facilities are not easily available. If someone is defined as clinically extremely vulnerable and being asked to shield, you should follow the guidance for a shielded person as this is different to the wider clinically vulnerable group. Shielded people are advised not to form a support bubble due to the heightened risks for this group. 1.7 Are there restrictions on how far I can travel for my exercise or outdoor activity? No. You can travel to outdoor open space irrespective of distance, as long as you can return the same night and do not put others at risk because of services you may need in the time you are away. You should continue to avoid using public transport and should cycle, walk or drive wherever possible. If visiting other parts of the UK – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – you must adhere to the laws and guidance of the devolved administrations at all times. You shouldn’t travel with someone from outside your household or, from 13 June, your support bubble unless you can practise social distancing - for example by cycling. 1.8 Can I use public transport if I’m seeing friends in a park or going to my parents’ garden? You should avoid using public transport if you can. You should cycle, walk or drive wherever possible. Consider all other forms of transport before using public transport. If you need to use public transport, you should follow the safer travel guidance for passengers. 1.9 Can I share a private vehicle with someone from another household? You should avoid sharing a private vehicle with anyone outside of your household or, from 13 June, support bubble as you will not be able to keep to strict social distancing guidelines. The Department for Transport has provided specific guidance on using private vehicles. Please see their guidance on Private cars and other vehicles for more information on car sharing and traveling with people outside your household group. 1.10 Are day trips and holidays ok? Can people stay in second homes? Day trips to outdoor open space are permitted as long as you can return the same night. You should make sure you do not put others at risk because of services you may need in the time you are away. You should practise social distancing from other people outside your household or support bubble (if applicable). You should continue to avoid using public transport if you can. Consider all other forms of transport before using public transport. If you need to use public transport, you should follow the safer travel guidance for passengers. You are not permitted to stay overnight away from the place where you or your support bubble are living - for a holiday or similar purpose - in the UK or overseas. This includes staying overnight in a second home. If your work requires you to stay away from home you can do so but should continue to practise social distancing. You can also stay overnight in an emergency, to escape harm or under other limited circumstances. Premises such as hotels and bed and breakfasts will remain closed, except where providing accommodation for specific reasons set out in law, such as for critical workers where required for a reason relating to their work. Hotels are also available to host those self-isolating after arriving in the UK (where no other accommodation is available). 1.11 I am a critical worker. Can I stay overnight in a hotel or second home? Yes, if you need to for work reasons. You should not stay with family, friends, or colleagues even for work reasons. However, if you have a pre-existing arrangement where you share a second home with another person that you both use for work purposes and where you both need to work away from home, you could both stay at that place at the same time. You should only do this if both of you are critical workers and work together, you need to stay there for work reasons, and there is no reasonable alternative. 1.12 Can students return to their family home if they’ve been in halls all this time? The general rule is that staying overnight somewhere that is not your home - the place you live - is not allowed. If a student is opting to change their primary residence for the purpose of the emergency period to live back at their family home, this is permitted. 1.13 Will public toilets reopen? Councils are responsible for public toilets and this decision is up to them. If you need to use any of these facilities, you should practise social distancing and good hygiene (i.e. washing your hands thoroughly). 1.14 Can I visit outdoor tourist sites? What about indoor ones? Yes, you can still travel to outdoor areas, such as National Parks or beaches. Some venues are not allowed to be open so it is advisable to check ahead to ensure the venue is open to visitors. Indoor sites and some outdoor attractions are still not allowed to re-open. 1.15 Is there a limit on the number of people attending funerals? The guidance on people attending funerals has not changed, except that members of a support bubble would also count as household members from 13 June. 1.16 Can weddings go ahead? No, there’s no change at this time - you cannot gather in sufficient numbers indoors to enable a wedding ceremony. We understand the frustration couples planning a wedding must be feeling at this time. We are keeping these restrictions under review and will ease them as soon as it is safe to do so. We will continue to work closely with faith leaders and local government over the coming weeks to go through the practicalities of doing so. Marriages and civil partnerships under the special procedure for those who are seriously ill and not expected to recover, are taking place in some cases where it is safe to do so in line with PHE guidance. 1.17 Can I pray in a place of worship? Yes, from 13 June, you will be able to independently pray in a church, mosque, synagogue, temple or other place of worship. We will continue to review when it might be safe to ease other restrictions on places of worship, including for communal prayer. 1.18 Can I register the birth of my child? You are permitted to register the birth of your child. You should check whether your local register office is open. The office will also be able to advise you on appointment availability. 2. Vulnerable groups, shielding, 70 year olds and over, and care homes 2.1 Does easing restrictions apply to healthy 70 year olds and over? Yes. However, the advice for those aged 70 and over continues to be that they should take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household. If they do go out more frequently, they should be careful to maintain distance from others. They and everyone should continue to comply with any general social distancing restrictions. We know that those aged 70 and over can be absolutely fit and healthy and it’s not the case that everybody over 70 has a chronic health condition or an underlying disease. But unfortunately, we also know that as you get older, there is a higher risk of coronavirus having a more serious impact with infection. Complications and deaths are more common in the elderly, even those without pre-existing conditions. 2.2 How long will shielding be in place? We’ve advised individuals with very specific medical conditions to shield until the end of June and to do everything they can to stay at home. Those shielding may wish to consider spending time outdoors once a day. This can be with members of their own household or, for those shielding alone, with one person from another household. We can safely give this advice because the risk of transmission is much lower outdoors. However, we do not advise shielding individuals to form a support bubble. If individuals wish to spend time outdoors, they should take extra care to minimise contact with others by keeping 2 metres apart at all times. This is because we believe they are likely to be at the greatest risk of serious complications from coronavirus. We know this is challenging guidance to follow, which is why we have a support scheme in place to provide help with access to food and basic supplies, care, medicines and social support. We are keeping the guidance to shielded people under review. 2.3 What safety standards will need to be put in place in care homes? We have issued detailed guidance about infection control and staff safety in care homesto help admit and care for residents safely and protect care home staff. This includes isolation procedures, PPE and infection control training for all staff, cleaning and how to provide personal care safely. As with all of our advice, this guidance is kept under constant review and updated frequently, in line with the latest scientific evidence. 3. Going to work / Safer spaces 3.1 Who is allowed to go to work? In the first instance, employers should make every effort to support working from home, including by providing suitable IT and equipment as they have been already. This will apply to many different types of businesses, particularly those who typically would have worked in offices or online. Where work can only be done in the workplace, we have set out tailored guidelines for employers to help protect their workforce and customers from coronavirus while still continuing to trade or getting their business back up and running. We have published detailed COVID-19 secure guidelines, which has been developed in consultation with businesses and trades unions. These COVID-19 Secure guidelines apply to those in essential retail like: supermarkets and other retail, like clothing and electronic stores those in construction and manufacturing those working in labs and research facilities those administering takeaways and deliveries at restaurants and cafes tradesmen, cleaners and others who work in people’s homes those who are facilitating trade or transport goods Restaurants, pubs, bars, gyms and leisure centres will remain closed (except for takeaway services where relevant). They will reopen in a phased manner provided it is safe for everyone for them to do so and they are able to meet the COVID-19 Secure guidelines to protect consumers and workers. There are specific guidelines for those who are vulnerable, shielding, or showing symptoms that should be observed when considering whether to go back to work. 3.2 What does it mean to be a critical worker? Critical workers are those working in health and care and other essential services, who can take their children to school or childcare, regardless of year group, and can use hotels and other accommodation services for work related purposes - for example if they can’t get home after a shift or need to isolate from their families. This critical worker definition does not affect whether or not you can travel to work – if you are not a critical worker, you may still travel to work if you cannot reasonably work from home. 3.3 Will you open pubs / restaurants / hairdressers in July? The roadmap sets out that some businesses (like pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and indoor cinemas) will not open until Step 3 is reached. The government’s current planning assumption is that this step will be no earlier than 4 July and subject to further detailed scientific advice, provided closer to the time, on how far we can go. When they do reopen, they should also meet the COVID-19 Secure guidelines. 3.4 What are the ‘COVID-19 Secure’ safety guidelines workplaces have to put in place? We have set out clear, practical steps that businesses should take to ensure their workplaces are COVID-19 Secure and give their staff the confidence to return back to work. These include how to keep as many people as possible safely apart from those they do not live with in various workplace settings. 4. Workers’ rights 4.1 My employer is asking me to come to work but I’m scared. Employers and staff should discuss and agree working arrangements. Employers should make all efforts to help people to work from home where they can. But where work cannot be done at home, employers should take clear, practical steps to help protect workers and create safe places to work, such as by shifting working or staggering processes and by following the “COVID-19 Secure” guidelines. To identify the precautions needed to manage risk, your employer should discuss the workplace risk assessment with you to identify the practical ways of managing those risks. If you remain concerned that your employer is not taking all practical steps to promote social distancing then you can report this to your local authority or the Health and Safety Executive who can take a range of action, including where appropriate requiring your employer to take additional steps. 4.2 What if they try to fire me because I won’t go to work but cannot work at home? We urge employers to take socially responsible decisions and listen to the concerns of their staff. Employers and employees should come to a pragmatic agreement about their working arrangements. If individuals need advice, they should approach ACAS where they can get impartial advice about work disputes. 5. Public Transport 5.1 Who is allowed to travel on public transport? If you need to travel to work or make an essential journey, you should cycle or walk if you can, but you can use public transport if this is not possible. Before you travel on public transport, consider if your journey is necessary and if you can, stay local. Try to reduce your travel. This will help keep the transport network running and allows people who need to make essential journeys to travel safely. We have set out further advice on how to stay safe during your journey. 5.2 Should people wear face coverings on public transport? Yes. From 15 June it will be a legal requirement to wear a face covering on public transport. This will help to ensure that transport is as safe as possible as more people begin to return to work and go shopping. Transport operators will enforce this requirement, and the police will also be able to do so. This will mean you can be refused travel if you don’t comply and could be fined. You should also be prepared to remove your face covering if asked to do so by police officers and staff for the purposes of identification. More generally, if you can, you are advised to wear face coverings in enclosed public space where social distancing is not possible and where you are more likely to come into contact with people you do not normally meet. For example, in some shops. We have published guidance for those making face coverings at home, to help illustrate the process. A face covering is not the same as the surgical masks or respirators used as part of personal protective equipment by healthcare and other workers; these should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against risks in their workplace such as health and care workers and those in industrial settings like those exposed to dust hazards. 5.3 Will a face covering stop me getting COVID-19? The evidence suggests that face coverings can help us protect each other and reduce the spread of the disease if someone is suffering from coronavirus, but not showing symptoms. That is why it is important to wear a face covering on public transport and this will be required by law from the 15 June. To protect yourself, you should also continue to follow social distancing measures and isolation guidance and wash your hands regularly. 5.4 Can I use public transport to get to green spaces? You should still avoid using public transport wherever possible. Consider all other forms of transport before using public transport. If you need to use public transport, you must wear a face covering and you should follow the safer travel guidance for passengers. 6. Schools and Childcare 6.1 Can children go back to early years settings and schools or university? Early years settings are open for all children. Primary schools are open for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 in smaller class sizes, as well as all children of critical workers and vulnerable children. From Monday 15 June, secondary schools and further education colleges will also begin some face to face support with Year 10 and 12 pupils who have key exams next year. Only around a quarter of these pupils will be in school at any one time. 6.2 How will you make sure it is safe? Keeping children and staff safe is our utmost priority. As more children return to school, we require new safety standards to set out how schools and early years settings can be adapted to operate safely. We have published guidance advising schools and early years on reopening to ensure schools can adequately prepare new safety measures to operate safely and minimise the spread of the virus. Protective measures to reduce transmission include regular hand cleaning, hygiene and cleaning measures, and small consistent group and class sizes of no more than 15 pupils. We have asked schools to consider staggering drop-off and arrival times, break times and assemblies, and make use of outdoor space. 7. Borders / international visitors 7.1 Are you isolating people at the border now? The scientific advice shows that when domestic transmission is high, cases from abroad represent a small amount of the overall total and make no significant difference to the epidemic. Now that domestic transmission within the UK is coming under control, and other countries begin to lift lockdown measures, it is the right time to prepare new measures at the border. You can find out more about self-isolation when you travel to the UK here. 8. Enforcement 8.1 How will police enforce the new rules? The police and local authorities have the powers to enforce the requirements set out in law if people do not comply with them. The police will act with discretion and common sense in applying these measures, but if you breach the regulations, they may instruct you to disperse, leave an area, issue you with a fixed penalty notice or arrest you where they believe it necessary. They may also instruct you to take steps to stop your children breaking these legal requirements again if they have already done so. If the police believe that you have broken these laws – or if you refuse to follow their instructions enforcing the law – a police officer may issue you with a fixed penalty notice of £100 (reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days). If you have already received a fixed penalty notice, the amount for further offences will increase in line with the table below. First offence£100Second offence£200Third offence£400Fourth offence£800Fifth offence£1600Maximum penalty£3200 For both individuals and companies, if you do not pay your fine you could be taken to court, with magistrates able to impose unlimited fines. 9. Devolved administrations

Everyone in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms can now get a test. Anyone experiencing a new, continuous cough; high temperature; and now also a loss of or change in your normal sense of smell or taste can book a test by visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus 21,000 contact tracers in England now recruited The government has today announced that anyone with symptoms of coronavirus is now eligible to book a test, ahead of the rollout of the test and trace service. The expansion in testing eligibility comes after all 4 UK Chief Medical Officers confirmed that anosmia has been added as a symptom of COVID-19. Anosmia is the loss of or a change in your normal sense of smell, and it can also affect your sense of taste. This means people should self-isolate immediately if they have: a new, continuous cough a high temperature, or a loss of or change in their normal sense of smell or taste All members of their household must also self-isolate according to current guidelines, unless the symptomatic individual receives a negative test result. Testing The extension in testing eligibility comes ahead of the rollout of the new test and trace service and is possible thanks to increased testing capacity across the country as the government expands total testing capacity towards 200,000 tests a day. The government has more than doubled the capacity of the NHS/Public Health England (PHE) laboratory network, set up 50 regional test centres and 116 mobile testing units, and introduced home testing kits and 3 Lighthouse laboratories. The number of tests available for the general population will increase as capacity continues to expand. Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: Following the massive ramping up of our national testing programme, anybody with symptoms of coronavirus in the United Kingdom is now eligible for a test. This is a huge step forward in our plan to slow the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and give the peace of mind these tests can bring. We will continue to give priority to NHS staff and care home residents and workers in order to protect our most vulnerable. The tracing element of the service in England, due to be launched shortly, will be supported by 21,000 contact tracers who have now been recruited, and will play a vital role working to reach those who have been in close contact with someone who has developed coronavirus. The new workforce in England of more than 21,000 contract tracers will be overseen by experts from Public Health England and local government. PHE Deputy Chief Executive Richard Gleave said: Test and trace will require a huge team effort bringing together PHE and local government leaders, experts in logistics and thousands of new staff to carry out contact tracing. It’s great to see people from a wide range disciplines coming forward to play their part. NHS Professionals’ CEO Nicola McQueen said: We have seen a fantastic response to join the virtual frontline of home-based clinical contact caseworkers for the test and trace service. This service is key to the national response to COVID-19. We know that so many of our bank members, as well as other registered healthcare professionals, are keen to help in any way they can and this unique position will allow them to do just that. Background information Anyone in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland experiencing a new, continuous cough, high temperature or a loss of or change in your normal sense of smell or taste can book a test by visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus. Those unable to access the internet can call 119 in England and Wales or 0300 303 2713 in Scotland and Northern Ireland to book a test. A team of PHE public health professionals, linking with the local government sector and other partners, will oversee the contact tracing workforce as well as continuing to manage complex cases. PHE is working with local government colleagues including the Association of Directors of Public Health, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers, Local Government Association and UK Chief Environmental Health Officers on this part of the test and trace service. NHS Professionals, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS Business Services Authority are key partners in delivery of the model helping with recruitment, logistics and integration of the various elements of the service.

An update from the CMOs for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the alert level in the UK. The Joint Biosecurity Centre has recommended that the COVID-19 alert level should move from Level 4 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high or rising exponentially) to Level 3 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation). The CMOs for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have reviewed the evidence and agree with this recommendation to move to Level 3 across the UK. There has been a steady decrease in cases we have seen in all four nations, and this continues. It does not mean that the pandemic is over. The virus is still in general circulation, and localised outbreaks are likely to occur. We have made progress against the virus thanks to the efforts of the public and we need the public to continue to follow the guidelines carefully to ensure this progress continues. Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Dr Michael McBride Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Dr Gregor Smith Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Chris Jones

Daily Covid-19 death figure for UK The number of deaths among people with a positive Covid-19 test reported on 19 June is 173. This brings the total to 42,461 since the outbreak began in the UK. In total, 5,030 people are currently reported to be in hospital with Covid-19.

Gavin Williamson says in March, the government "did something different from virtually every other nation" by keeping schools open for critical workers and the most vulnerable. He says they did it as they "recognised the important role schools play in keeping those children safe". The education secretary says they "want as many children back in school as possible", and for those who have returned, they are "enjoying being back in the classroom and being back with friends and classmates". He says school is "vital", and as a result, "all children, in all year groups, will go back to school in September".

Gavin Williamson says the government now has a "hugely ambitious catch-up plan" to get children "back to where they should be". He adds: "We will not allow an entire generation to lose out on their education or accept lower expectations for them." The education secretary confirms plans for a £1bn fund to help England's children with catch-up lessons and to get tutoring. He says the crisis "will have affected children in many different ways" so he will allow schools to "tailor" the way they spend the funding to help them. "The pandemic has dealt an unprecedented shock to our education system," says Williamson. "Although we have a clear plan, there will be times we will have to respond quickly to changing circumstances."

Williamson: We'll improve testing for children Answering a question from a member of the public on testing children for coronavirus, Gavin Williamson says the government is taking steps to improve the way this works.

A second question from the public comes from Bryn from Northallerton. He asks when more advice will be made available to those shielding at home, and how businesses will need to adjust. Gavin Williamson says he has family currently shielding, so knows how important it is. "That is why in the coming weeks, very shortly, we will be getting that advice out to [those shielding]," he adds.

Questioned by BBC education editor Branwen Jeffreys, Gavin Willamson says it's "vital" to get children back to school. Coronavirus infection levels are decreasing and this is "incredibly positive", but protective measures will need to stay in place to ensure safety in schools. On social distancing, he adds that the review under way on the two-metre rule will be done quickly, but he can't give an "exact date" for any changes. "We've got to get Britain working again," Mr Williamson says.

The next question from the media is about 2m social distancing, saying teachers need advance warning to prepare if it will be reduced - as it already has been in Northern Ireland. Gavin Williamson says England is "actually much further ahead than Northern Ireland" with the number of year groups back at school. He promises the government will publish further guidance in the next two weeks so "schools have the maximum amount of time to prepare for the next phase of welcoming children back". But the education secretary says over that fortnight, the government will continue to "work with the sector" to ensure children are brought back in the right way.

Gavin Williamson says he's "absolutely signed up" to bringing every child in every year group back to school in the autumn. He promises to consult workers across the education sector. Asked about a lack of interactive learning via video conferencing in state schools during the lockdown, he says some are providing "excellent" lessons in this way. More than 12 million lessons have been downloaded in the last few weeks, he adds. Providing online access and the "Covid catch-up plan" are part of a "long-term project" to improve access, Mr Willamson says. Schools are giving "amazing support" for children, the education secretary adds.

Next up is a question on whether children should be taught more about Britain's involvement in slavery when in school, in light of the Black Lives Matters protests. Gavin Williamson says the national curriculum covers the British Empire, and it is "vitally important that when children are learning... they learn all aspects, both the good and bad". But he says we should be "incredibly proud" of Britain's "rich history", adding: "Time and time and time again, this country has made a difference and changed things for the better right around the world." Asked whether the tutoring plans could become a permanent fixture for those who need them most, the education secretary says the government is "looking at how we support schools and how we can continue to build on evidence-based initiatives".

Asked what will happen to his school plans if there's a second wave of coronavirus infections, Gavin Williamson promises to give "careful consideration" to "every single eventuality". And on possible "air bridges" being established between the UK and other countries, the education secretary advises people to visit "some beautiful seaside" resorts in the UK, including his home town of Scarborough. The transport secretary is continuing to look at the international situation, Williamson adds.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says all pupils will go back to classrooms in England in September The UK lowers its coronavirus alert level from four to three The new level means the epidemic is in "general circulation" and there could be a "gradual relaxation of restrictions" South Asian people are most likely to die from coronavirus in hospital in Great Britain, a major analysis shows Leading US government expert Dr Anthony Fauci tells AFP news agency he doesn't see the country returning to lockdowns Chinese officials say a coronavirus strain in an outbreak in Beijing may have come from Europe The World Health Organization hopes millions of vaccines can be produced this year and 2bn by the end of 2021 Japan allows more businesses back to work and Singapore also lifts some restrictions Globally, there are almost 8.5m cases and more than 453,000 deaths with the coronavirus

Will teachers have to work over the summer? The last question is about whether the education secretary agrees with the PM that teachers should create catch-up plans for every pupil before the summer. Gavin Williamson says he is in "complete agreement" with Boris Johnson that the government must do "everything we can to support children who have suffered as a result of not being in school". Asked if teachers should be expected to go into schools over the summer, he says the government has set out a number of "packages" that English schools could use today's additional funding for. But he repeats his earlier pledge that it is down to each individual place to "tailor their plan to their children". And that concludes today's government briefing.

Gavin Williamson, the education secretary for England, took the government's daily briefing today. He's a summary of his key points: Children from all age groups would return to schools in England in September Further social distancing guidelines would be available "within weeks" Advice for people who are shielding would be given soon Online teaching was improving, with many schools doing an "excellent" job The pattern of Covid infections and deaths was "similar" around the whole UK

At the Downing Street press conference on 10 June, Boris Johnson promised “a massive catch-up operation over the summer and beyond” for children who have missed months of schooling. Just over a week later, the education secretary has announced a £1bn “hugely ambitious catch-up plan”. It includes £350m to fund a National Tutoring Programme for the most disadvantaged pupils and £650m for schools in England to spend how they see fit, with the government hoping it will be “spent on small group tuition for whoever needs it”. But both of those chunks of money are for the next academic year (2020-2021). It’s not clear how and whether schools will be able to access these funds before then. The government is providing advice for schools from the Education Endowment Foundation, which includes the option of running summer schools, while recognising challenges they present such as staffing through the holidays.

The World Health Organization has warned that the Covid-19 pandemic is entering a “new and dangerous” phase. Thursday saw the most cases in a single day reported to the WHO. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the day had seen 150,000 new cases with half of those coming from the Americas and large numbers also from the Middle East and South Asia. He said the virus was still spreading fast and the pandemic accelerating. He acknowledged people might be fed up with self-isolating and countries were eager to open their economies but he said that now was a time for extreme vigilance.

EU leaders disagree over rescue package EU leaders have failed to agree on a €750bn (£676bn; $840bn) recovery fund for the coronavirus crisis but Germany called the talks "constructive". Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "The bridges we still have to build are big, that's true, but it was a discussion in a very constructive atmosphere." Several northern European nations oppose the plan to pay out €500bn in EU grants. They insist on loans instead. Italy and Spain, worst-hit by Covid-19, would get the largest aid packages. It was a video summit, but further talks in July, it is hoped, will be face-to-face.

The prime minister wants all children back in schools by September, but a number have already returned. Around 868,000 pupils attended schools in England last Thursday, the highest since lockdown was introduced, according to the Department for Education. This means just 9% of the student population having returned, but up from the 2.5% average seen over May. It is the second week that entire year groups – Year 1 and Year 6 – were encouraged to return to school, although just a quarter of Year 1 pupils did and a third of Year 6 pupils. Around 40% of the children who were back on Thursday were from “key worker” families. This group has been allowed to attend school throughout the lockdown. Since nursery, Reception and Year 1 and 6 classes restarted for all pupils, the number of teachers in school has increased to 200,000. However, this figure still only represents just over a quarter of the nearly 720,000 teaching staff typically in work across England.

Coronavirus was already in Italy by December, waste water study finds

There's a backlog of court cases due to the coronavirus pandemic in England and Wales, and the UK justice secretary has now warned that work to catch up could last into next year. Some jury trials in England and Wales resumed in May, after almost two months on hold. Robert Buckland said he's going to "use every tool in the book" to help speed up the clearing of the backlog. He suggested juries with fewer members - like what happened in the Second World War - and using public buildings as courtrooms could reduce the caseload. He also said there was "clear merit" for a proposal for judge-only trials in less serious crown court cases.

Dexamethasone 'needs to be prescribed by a doctor'Video content 00:44 Video caption: Dr Jarbas Barbosa explains why dexamethasone should be a presciption drugDr Jarbas Barbosa explains why dexamethasone should be a presciption drug A leading health official in the Americas has told the BBC that taking dexamethasone without a prescription could be dangerous. Dexamethasone is the cheap steroid recently found to reduce the mortality rate of Covid-19 patients who are already severely ill in hospital. Dr Jarbas Barbosa, assistant director of the Pan-American Health Organization, told BBC OS that "in certain circumstances, it can worsen the response of the body to the virus". "If you take it at the beginning of the infection, or if you have another infection that isn't Covid-19, it can worsen the situation," he said. "Unfortunately, in many countries in Latin America, you can buy dexamethasone and other medicine without a prescription, so it's very important for national authorities to state this very clearly." Article share tools more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 15:3315:33 How the R number varies across the UKAs the pandemic progresses, scientists have been closely tracking the R (reproduction) number, which is the average number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to. At the moment the R number for the UK is between 0.7 and 0.9. If R is higher than one, then the number of cases increases exponentially - it snowballs like debt on an unpaid credit card. But if the number is lower, the disease will eventually peter out, as not enough new people are being infected to sustain the outbreak. Read more about the R number and how it is calculated here. Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 15:2015:20 Turkey to impose partial curfew as infections surge Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images Turkey is imposing a partial curfew for Saturday and the following weekend, after a surge of coronavirus infections that followed the general lifting of restrictions two weeks ago. The government says its aim is to safeguard up to four million students taking high school and university entrance exams. Essential shops and some businesses will remain open, but the authorities hope the measures will stop large crowds gathering on the streets. The number of exam centres has been increased, and students must wear new masks when entering. Turkey has introduced other new restrictions over recent days. The authorities say they had been expecting the increase in the number of infections, but Turkey’s medical association says it’s alarmed by the upward trend. Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 15:1015:10 What are Brits buying as shops reopen? Shorts and raincoats have been snapped up as returning shoppers in the UK kept one eye on the unpredictable weather. M&S said nine out of 10 bestselling menswear items were shorts, while it flogged 1,000 raincoats in the first few days of reopening. There's been a huge demand for men's socks ahead of Father's Day. John Lewis said TV sets were also popular perhaps as buyers bagged new sets in time for the football season's kick off. Read the full piece on what people have been buying here. Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 15:0015:00 BREAKINGNumber of UK daily deaths rises by 173 Official figures from the UK government show a daily rise of 173 deaths of people with coronavirus - that's higher than Thursday's figure which was 135. This takes the total to 42,461. The individual nations have also been announcing their own totals. Those figures differ to the UK government's total because of variations in the time-frame used to record deaths. In Wales a further four people have died, while Northern Ireland reported one new death. Scotland announced its daily figures earlier, with a further six deaths. Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 14:5514:55 'Difficult times ahead' for UK economy, says PM ReutersCopyright: Reuters Mr Johnson joins a socially-distanced lesson during a visit to a primary schoolImage caption: Mr Johnson joins a socially-distanced lesson during a visit to a primary schoolEarlier, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was asked about the news that the country's debt was now larger than the size of its economy for the first time since 1963. It comes after government borrowing surged to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Johnson said: "It matters hugely but we will manage our finances as sensibly and prudently as we can. "What I will say is I think the British economy is remarkably resilient, we will come out of this well in the end but there will be some difficult times ahead." He added: "There has been a massive lack of economic activity for a very long time - of course that is going to be a painful and expensive to make up. But we are a very creative and dynamic society, we will come back." Read more on the UK's debt here. Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 14:5114:51 Is Florida the next 'large epicentre'? Florida recorded 3,207 coronavirus cases on Thursday - its highest daily rise, and its fourth record-setting figure in just over a week. The US state is one of the worst affected in the country since an outbreak was first discovered in March. Nearly 86,000 infections and 3,061 deaths have been reported. Despite its rising toll, the state's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has said there are no plans to scale back on measures to reopen in the economy. DeSantis has credited expanded testing for the rise in cases. But a study by the University of Pennsylvania has concluded that Florida has “all the markings of the next large epicentre of coronavirus transmission.” Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 14:4014:40 How many people are being tested daily in the UK? Reality Check UK Foreign Office minister James Cleverly was on the BBC's Question Time programme last night. He said: “We now have a testing system which tests huge numbers of people on a daily basis – hundreds of thousands of people.” But the government has not published daily figures for how many people are being tested for coronavirus in the UK for nearly a month - so we can’t check this. The last figure published on 22 May was 80,297 people tested, which was the largest number of people the government had reported testing in a day – but still some way short of “hundreds of thousands” of people. Remember that the number of people tested is not the same as the number of tests conducted, because some people need more than one test, and some tests, such as the ones carried out for the Office for National Statistics infection survey, do not count as people tested. Read more on testing and the government’s targets here. https://gov.uk Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 14:2714:27 Portuguese doctor's death 'highlights need for healthcare funding' The doctor spent 40 days in this Lisbon hospital before he passed awayImage caption: The doctor spent 40 days in this Lisbon hospital before he passed awayPortugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says the death of a doctor believed to be the country's first to die after contracting Covid-19 highlights the need for adequate funding for healthcare. In a note of condolence to the man's family and friends, he said his death called not only for "words and recognition" for someone who made "the supreme sacrifice", but for "adequate resources" within the health service. The 68-year-old doctor, who reportedly caught the virus from a colleague and had no known associated risk factors, had been in a Lisbon hospital for 40 days before dying on Wednesday in its intensive care unit, the ministry of health said on Friday. He died just hours before PM Antonio Costa hailed the announcement that the country had been chosen to host the final rounds of football's European Champions League as "a deserved prize for health professionals". The president of the National Doctors' Federation, Noel Carrilho, said "health professionals don't want medals nor football games", but "to be recognised in the way that is normal in any profession, with better working conditions". According to the rival Independent Union of Doctors, there arecurrently more than 600 doctors infected with the virus, considerably more than the government is reporting. The most recent official figures, from last Friday, show 3,556 health professionals as infected, including 505 doctors. Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 14:2014:20 Prince William: Kids 'attacking the kitchen' during lockdownVideo content 00:56 Video caption: William and Kate visit Norfolk businesses hit by coronavirus lockdownWilliam and Kate visit Norfolk businesses hit by coronavirus lockdown The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have visited two independent businesses in Norfolk, near the Queen's Sandringham Estate in England, to hear how they have been affected by the coronavirus lockdown. Prince William went to Smiths the Bakers, which reopened its 50-year-old shop in King's Lynn on Monday after being shut for 11 weeks. Staff told him how the restrictions had impacted the family firm, with 80% of its wholesale customers having to close operations. The duke also told staff that he had "done a little bit of baking" during the lockdown. "The children have been attacking the kitchen and it's just been an explosion of flour and chocolate everywhere," he said. "Catherine's been doing quite a bit of baking." Catherine visited Fakenham Garden Centre, which had to close for seven weeks during the lockdown. She heard about the social distancing measures the centre had implemented to make sure shoppers stayed safe. Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Read more about these links. Posted at 14:1214:12 Latest on tutoring fund for England's pupils One of the big stories in the UK today is the government's plans to help children in England catch up on the school they've missed. The government has pledged £1bn to back tutoring for disadvantaged pupils plus extra one-to-one and group tuition in schools. Head teachers have welcomed the funds, but said more details were needed. Labour's shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey also said the plans "lack detail and appear to be a tiny fraction of the support" needed, calling for a "detailed national education plan to get children's education and health back on track". Speaking during a school visit today, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The funds are broken down so some of it is for schools to decide exactly what they want to spend on depending what their priority is. "But the thing that I think really matters is to get some more direct tuition, some one-to-one tuition for pupils, pupils who need some remedial help perhaps who really need help because they have lost time... to learn over the last few months." Read the full story on the plan for schools here. Education guidance gov.uk Article share tools ShareView more share optionsShare this post Copy this link Lockdowns putting children at risk worldwide - UN reportAround one billion children - half of all those in the world - are affected by physical, sexual or psychological violence, which has been "made worse" by lockdown measures during the pandemic, according to the United Nations. In the first study of its kind, the report by the World Health Organization also found that approximately 40,000 children were victims of homicide in 2017. It said the coronavirus pandemic had caused an increase in violence, as stay-at-home policies had cuts sources of support and eroded victims' ability to cope with pressures. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called it a "disturbing" effect of Covid-19,

A protesting Nissan worker in Barcelona: "We demand a real future" EU leaders are holding a video summit focused on an ambitious €750bn (£676bn; $840bn) EU recovery fund to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Several northern European nations oppose part of the EU Commission plan because it means jointly raising €500bn as grants for countries worst hit by the pandemic, notably Italy and Spain. The BBC's Gavin Lee in Brussels says this fund is unprecedented in scale. France and Germany back the EU plan, but no deal is expected on Friday. The Commission, which drafts EU laws, calls the plan Next Generation EU. The idea is to direct the aid especially at promising areas such as digital and green technologies, not propping up ailing old industries. The grants would be funded by allowing the Commission to borrow on the financial markets, with national commitments to the EU budget as a guarantee. How is lockdown being lifted across Europe? Are Italians losing faith in the EU? Macron and Merkel float 'ambitious' EU virus fund Traditionally the EU helps member states through loans, which have to be paid back, though the terms can be generous. A group known as the "frugal four" - Sweden, Denmark, Austria and the Netherlands - have made clear their continued opposition to grants. There are also divisions over the proposed €1.1 trillion EU budget. Media captionCoronavirus leads to food industry crisis in Europe German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged the 27 member states to "act quickly and decisively", to achieve a deal before the autumn. Diplomats say there will be no real compromise until leaders are able to meet face to face, in July. Spain and Italy have seen the highest number of deaths in the EU during the coronavirus crisis and, in the wake of the financial crisis, are particularly keen on grants rather than loans being added to their public debt. The Commission would borrow from financial markets to raise money for the grants, and the money would be paid back in instalments, after boosting EU income from taxes. The payback would be spread over 30 years between 2028 and 2058. The Commission has plans for: A carbon tax based on the Emissions Trading Scheme A digital tax A tax on non-recycled plastics When added to a proposed €1.1 trillion budget for 2021-27, the €750bn recovery fund would bring to €1.85tn the amount that the Commission says will "kick-start our economy and ensure Europe bounces forward". When added to an earlier €540bn initial rescue package, that would amount to a total of €2.4tn, said the Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.

IMAGE CREDIT: NEWS REPORTER: DWAYNE HARDS

An armed officer at the scene of the shooting A police officer has been shot dead during a routine traffic stop in Auckland, New Zealand. Another officer was seriously injured. The shooter fled the scene in a vehicle but it's not known if he's been caught. Around four hours after the shooting, armed police stormed a house and arrested two "persons of interest", and found a firearm. Police in New Zealand do not normally carry guns, and it is rare for officers to be killed in the line of duty. According to the police, the last was in May 2009, when a senior constable was shot at a house in Napier while carrying out a routine search warrant. What happened in the shooting? At 10.28am, police saw a "vehicle of interest" in Massey, west Auckland, and attempted to stop it. "Lights and sirens were activated and police attempted to follow the vehicle," said Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. "However the officers quickly lost sight of it." A short time later, the vehicle was found "crashed into another vehicle". A member of the public suffered serious injuries - police originally said the injuries were not serious. As police approached the vehicle of interest, a man got armed out with a "long-barrelled firearm". An armed officer at the scene of the shooting A police officer has been shot dead during a routine traffic stop in Auckland, New Zealand. Another officer was seriously injured. The shooter fled the scene in a vehicle but it's not known if he's been caught. Around four hours after the shooting, armed police stormed a house and arrested two "persons of interest", and found a firearm. Police in New Zealand do not normally carry guns, and it is rare for officers to be killed in the line of duty. According to the police, the last was in May 2009, when a senior constable was shot at a house in Napier while carrying out a routine search warrant. What happened in the shooting? At 10.28am, police saw a "vehicle of interest" in Massey, west Auckland, and attempted to stop it. "Lights and sirens were activated and police attempted to follow the vehicle," said Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. "However the officers quickly lost sight of it." A short time later, the vehicle was found "crashed into another vehicle". A member of the public suffered serious injuries - police originally said the injuries were not serious. As police approached the vehicle of interest, a man got armed out with a "long-barrelled firearm".

Michael Spavor (L) and Michael Kovrig have been held since December 2018 China has charged two Canadians with spying, more than 18 months after they were detained. Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, and Michael Spavor, a businessman, have been held in China since December 2018. Their arrest came just days after Meng Wanzhou - an executive of the Chinese giant Huawei - was detained in Vancouver, at the request of the US. Canada called the arrests "arbitrary", but China denies they were retaliation for Ms Meng's detention. Both men have been charged with "spying on national secrets" and providing intelligence for "outside entities". China's court system is completely controlled by the Communist Party and has an almost 100% conviction rate once defendants are charged, notes the BBC's Stephen McDonell in Beijing. What is the timeline? Meng Wanzhou - the chief financial officer of Huawei, and daughter of the company's founder - was arrested on 1 December 2018 in Vancouver. Her arrest was requested by the US, who accuse her of breaking Iranian sanctions. She is still fighting extradition to the US. On 10 December, the Canadians were detained. They were formally arrested in May 2019, after which they had 13-and-a-half months to be charged. In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused China of "using arbitrary detention as a tool to achieve political goals". Huawei's Meng Wanzhou has been living in Canada under house arrest How have they been treated? Michael Kovrig's employer, the Crisis Group, says on its website that he has not seen a lawyer or his family since the detention, and that he only has "periodic consular visits". "Michael's work has included meeting...Chinese officials, academics and analysts from multiple Chinese state institutions," the Crisis Group said. "He has attended numerous conferences at the invitation of Chinese organisations. He frequently appears on Chinese television and in other media to comment on regional issues. "Nothing Michael does has harmed China." The Free Michael Spavor website, updated earlier this year, said he was "behind bars, without his family, and without access to lawyers". "Michael is an earnest, genuine, and impossibly fun person, who we believe has been detained in error," the website says. In April 2019, it was reported that both men were being interrogated for between six to eight hours a day, and were sometimes subject to 24-hour artificial lighting. The Chinese government says the men are in "good health". What is the latest with Meng Wanzhou? Last month, a Canadian court ruled that her case could go forward. A judge found the case met the threshold of double criminality - meaning the charges would be crimes in both the US and Canada. Her lead defence lawyer, Richard Peck, argued that Canada is effectively being asked "to enforce US sanctions". Top Huawei executive suffers US extradition blow Canadians held for a year by China are 'resilient' A year after her arrest, Ms Weng released an open letter, detailing her life in detention at her home in Vancouver. "Over the past year, I have learned to face up to and accept my situation," she said. "I'm no longer afraid of the unknown." She also said she finally had time to "read a book cover to cover," or "carefully complete an oil painting"

People demonstrated outside the US Supreme Court in Washington DC ahead of Thursday's decision The US Supreme Court has ruled against President Donald Trump's bid to end a major programme that protects young immigrants from deportation. The justices upheld lower court rulings that found his move to rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) was "unlawful". It protects "Dreamers", about 650,000 young people who entered the US without documents as children. The Trump administration has sought to end the Obama-era policy since 2017. The Supreme Court took up the case after lower courts ruled that the Trump administration did not adequately explain why it was ending the programme, criticising the White House's "capricious" explanations. On Thursday, the justices voted 5-4 to uphold the lower courts' findings that the administration's order violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which says a government action cannot make policy that is "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion or otherwise not in accordance with law" or "unsupported by substantial evidence". Meet the dreamers Gergio Roel came to the US and 1999 and his status in the US is protected by Daca "Daca means continuing to live the American dream." What's the reaction? Mr Trump denounced the decision in a series of tweets. "These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservative," he wrote. He called on voters to re-elect him in November to put more conservative judges in the court, should there be a vacancy. He also suggested that he would renew efforts to end the programme and "start the process all over again". "Do you get the impression that the Supreme Court doesn't like me?" he tweeted. Former President Barack Obama praised the ruling and urged voters to elect a Democratic president and Congress in November to ensure "a system that's truly worthy of this nation of immigrants once and for all". Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, said he would seek to make the programme permanent should he beat Mr Trump. Four reasons why this was a bad week for Trump Tulsa confronts violent past ahead of Trump rally How has Trump fared at the Supreme Court? Chief Justice John Roberts, often described as a conservative, sided with the court's four liberals in Thursday's majority ruling. It marked the second time this week that Chief Justice Roberts has ruled against Mr Trump. On Monday, the court ruled that gay and transgender workers are protected under federal employment law, a major victory for LGBT campaigners. That decision was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee. During his presidency, Mr Trump has appointed one other justice, Brett Kavanaugh. The Supreme Court's bench is widely regarded as the most conservative in modern history. Yet last year Chief Justice Roberts again joined his liberal-leaning counterparts in preventing the Trump administration from adding a question on citizenship to the 2020 census, which opponents had argued would suppress responses from immigrants and racial minorities. The court has, however, sided with the Trump administration in two other major cases. It defended the White House's travel ban affecting mostly Muslim countries, and allowed Mr Trump's ban on transgender people in the military to go into effect. Once again the Supreme Court has ruled that a controversial action by the Trump administration is illegal. And once again the biggest stumbling block for the White House isn't that their officials lacked the power, it's that they went about exercising them in the wrong way. The Justice Department's attempt to rescind Daca was "arbitrary and capricious", the court held, in a way prohibited by federal law. That mirror's the court's conclusion in a decision last year blocking the Trump administration's efforts to include a citizenship question on the decennial US census. Both opinions were written by Chief Justice John Roberts, whose technicality-minded devotion to a federal law is presenting an imposing obstacle to the administration's policy objectives. While the Trump team waged a lengthy court battle to have its Daca order upheld, there may be a few sighs of relief from the president's campaign over this ruling. A Trump win would have pushed hundreds of thousands of Daca recipients into the economic shadows or onto deportation rolls just months before the November election. It would have put a sympathetic human face on the targets of administration's hard-line immigration policies. Instead, the Supreme Court has given Daca recipients a reprieve, leaving their ultimate fate still far from certain. What is Daca? Most of the children protected by the Daca programme are from Mexico and other Latin American countries. A 2012 executive order, created by former President Obama, shields these so-called "Dreamers" from deportation, and provides work and study permits. Mr Obama signed the order following failed negotiations for immigration reform on Capitol Hill. In order to qualify for Daca, applicants under the age of 30 are required to submit personal information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including addresses and phone numbers. Media captionDaca recipients: 'Life in the US is like a rollercoaster' They must go through an FBI background check and have a clean criminal background, and either be in school, recently graduated or have been honourably discharged from the military. In exchange, the US government agrees to "defer" any action on their immigration status for a period of two years. The other 'Dreamers' facing uncertain future It is only available to individuals residing in the US since 2007. Daca recipients told the BBC they were relieved and surprised by the ruling on Thursday, and many said they would continue advocating for immigration reform. Juana Guzman of Texas, 28, said: "It's a very needed win and this is giving us the fuel we needed to continue moving forward and to keep fighting for the rest of our families and the community that does not have Daca". Metzli Sanchez, 23, said: "As big of a victory that this is, we have to keep applying pressure that we have to keep fighting for other people who are just as able and capable but who do not have this protection."

A £1bn fund to help England's children catch up on what they have missed while schools have been closed has been announced by the prime minister. The most disadvantaged pupils will have access to tutors through a £350m programme over the next academic year. Primary and secondary schools will be given a further £650m to spend on one-to-one or group tuition for any pupils they think need it. Head teachers welcomed the funds, but said more details were needed. Labour said ministers should convene a taskforce - involving trade unions and scientific and health experts - to help all pupils return to school safely as soon as possible. Shadow education secretary Rebecca Long Bailey said the plans "lack detail and appear to be a tiny fraction of the support" needed and called for a "detailed national education plan to get children's education and health back on track". However, Boris Johnson said the fund would help head teachers provide what pupils need. He thanked teachers, childcare workers and support staff for their efforts during the pandemic, and said he was "determined to do everything" he could to get all children back in school from September. "We will bring forward plans on how this will happen as soon as possible," he said. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the funding package would bring reform and protect "a generation of children from the effects of this pandemic". Tutoring programme at heart of school catch-up plan Paediatricians seek clear plans on school return A third of pupils 'not engaging with set work' Rashford seeks more change after food voucher win Early years providers and colleges for 16 to 19-year-olds are not included in the plans. Nor was there any mention of summer schemes to help pupils get back on track for the start of the autumn term. Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said it would be "entirely unjustifiable" to exclude sixth form students from the package. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said the government's decision not to include pre-schoolers "beggars belief". Media captionCan children catch and spread coronavirus? Schools were shut across the UK on 20 March. Apart from the children of key workers, most children have not been to school since then and will not enter a classroom until after the summer holidays. Children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 have begun returning to primary schools in England, and some Year 10 and 12 pupils returned to secondary schools and colleges this week. Schools in Wales are reopening at the end of June, with only a third of pupils in class at any time, while in Scotland, schools are preparing to reopen on 11 August. Social distancing in schools has been halved to 1m (just over 3ft) in Northern Ireland, where ministers are aiming for a full reopening of schools on 24 August. Plans for the subsidised National Tutoring Programme have been developed with a group of social mobility organisations and academics led by the Education Endowment Fund (EEF), a charity. The EEF has said that until now, access to tutoring has been the preserve of wealthy families - but this would no longer be the case as schools would be able to seek subsidised tutoring. However, individual schools would be expected to pay 25% of the tutoring costs in the first year, or from their share of the £650m in extra funding being made available to them as part of this package. "Tutoring is the catch-up approach supported by the strongest evidence," said the EEF's chief executive, Prof Becky Francis. She said the programme hoped to reach more than a million pupils, calling it a tremendous opportunity to create long-lasting change. 'Long-term response' Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Geoff Barton welcomed the investment, saying it would help support the work schools are already undertaking on pupil catch-up. But he noted that the investment was expected to be spent on tutoring, rather than being left to head teachers to decide. He was also concerned that there was no investment for sixth forms. "As ever, we suspect the devil will be in the detail and we await further information," he said. David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, criticised the decision not to include colleges for 16 to 19-year-olds in the plans. He said teenage college students deserved as much catch-up support as every other age group and it was "indefensible" to overlook them. National Association of Head Teachers general secretary Paul Whiteman said he was pleased ministers had listened to calls for a longer-term response, rather than short-term quick fixes. "This is a considerable sum of money," said Mr Whiteman - but he also warned there were many details still to be worked through. In other developments: South Asian people are the most likely to die from coronavirus after being admitted to hospital in Great Britain, major analysis shows UK retail sales partly recovered in May after a boost in sales of DIY goods and gardening items, official data suggests Scotland has moved to the second phase of its four-phase "route map" aimed at ending the lockdown, allowing certain people to visit another home indoors without social distancing Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford will promise to review restrictions on travel when he announces changes to Wales' lockdown later The Royal College of Nursing is calling for better risk assessments, working patterns and mental health care for those on the front line.

SEN Schools remain open to those of key workers and vulnerable✌ students [ BAILIFFS ] and as your attendance to school is entirely you the students decision it is VOLUNTARY! But in a schools belief voluntary means mandatory as teachers believe there council ID Card trumps all civil rights 🎫 and yours freedoms and liberty's and anyone who rightly refuses to do as they're told can look forward two being physically assaulted by these teachers of the state who believe them working in a school means you must surrender your civil rights or get restrained or falsely imprisoned in a unit and don't even think about complaining as you'll get the standard brushoff that it was a health and safety matter even though we all know it's NOT it's because they've taken personal offense to you just like when 2 teachers at a Milton Keynes school did because these two teachers heads were probably not unfamiliar to the inside of a urinal so now they took there insecurities out on innocent students. "It is not currently a legal requirement to attend school as this temporary coronavirus arrangement states that fines have stopped for parents who do not send there students to school until the return of pupils is made mandatory by law" Do not surrender your rights to anyone including teachers if your rights are violated you can sue the school. What part of voluntary don't people in authority seem to understand because they can't tell the difference between voluntary and mandatory just like a 1 year old can't tell the difference between a tv and a laptop. They've probably got the same intelligence as each other. If a teacher can't tell the most simplest basics such as the difference between voluntary and mandatory then somebody's got to sit a refreshers course on teaching haven't they! Well and law because they clearly have trouble understanding students civil rights and liberty's or they don't care News Reporter: Dwayne Hards MK Local News And Awareness UK 3

SpeechHealth and Social Care Secretary's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 18 June 2020 Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock gave the 18 June 2020 daily press briefing on the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic. Good afternoon, and welcome to the Downing Street daily coronavirus briefing. I’m joined today by Baroness Dido Harding, the Executive Chair of NHS Test and Trace. Before we start, I want to recognise the sad loss of Dame Vera Lynn. She united us in the worst crisis that this country faced. Ever since, she’s inspired us all with the words she will always be associated with: ‘we will meet again’. We send our condolences to her family and we will all remember her warmly. First things first, I’d like to take you through the latest data, then talk about NHS Test and Trace and vaccines. First slide please. The first slide shows that yesterday there were 136,516 tests, taking the total to 7-and-a-quarter million tests in total. There were 1,218 positive test results. If we go to the next slide, this slide shows the estimated number of people who had COVID-19 in England according to ONS’s (Office for National Statistics) survey. As you can see, the number has been coming down over time. And this same survey implies around 4.5 thousand new cases per day. Data from hospitals also shows that broad downward direction. There 490 admissions with COVID-19 on 15 June and, as we can see, the number of people on mechanical ventilator beds is 360. The number of people in hospital continues to come down in almost every region. You can see a very small up-tick in the east of England. But, as you can see from the charts, there is some movement in the variation in each of the lines. Overall movement continues to be down. Overall, 5,193 down from 5,863 this time last week. Final slide of this group. When it comes to the number of people who have sadly died from coronavirus, yesterday the number of deaths reported was 135, bringing the total to 42,288. Again, we can see the downward trajectory, thankfully, of that number. The number of 135 is lower than this time last week, but there’s still some way to go. There’s one additional report that’s worth looking at. Today’s weekly surveillance report from Public Health England shows that last week, for the first week since mid-March, the number of people who died in this country, in total, from coronavirus or anything else, was no higher than is normal at this time of year. So that demonstrates that the number of deaths is coming right down But the battle against this virus is not over. And it’s a battle with many fronts. And there are 2 areas that I want to update you about today. Vaccines The first is vaccines. Before I talk about coronavirus vaccines, I just want to mention a very important reminder about other routine vaccines that are there to protect you. Throughout the crisis we’ve tried to keep the vaccination programme for children going. That has been largely successful. But if you, or your child, is invited for a vaccination, like MMR, please make sure you attend. It’s very important we don’t fall behind on vaccinations for other diseases because of this crisis. During this pandemic, we have put stringent measures in place to protect people who are getting vaccinations. And, in the long run, the best way to defeat this virus is, of course, the discovery of a vaccine. And, since the start, we have been supporting the most promising projects. As of this week, the Imperial vaccine is now in the first phase of human clinical trials and AstraZeneca has struck a deal for the manufacture of the Oxford vaccine. They’re starting manufacturing now, even ahead of approval, so we can build up a stockpile and be ready, should it be clinically approved. Just like with dexamethasone, the treatment which we stockpiled before we had the proof it was clinically effective. So we are starting the manufacture of the Oxford vaccine now so that it will be ready should the science come off. Today, we have published the way in which we propose to prioritise people for access to a vaccine, as soon as one comes available. Just as we did for testing, we will be guided by the clinical science, prioritising those in most need. I am very grateful to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which has published its interim advice today. They recommend priority vaccination for 2 groups: frontline health and social care workers, and those at increased risk of serious disease and death from coronavirus, including, for example, adults over the age of 50 and those with heart and kidney disease. As we learn more about the virus, we will continue to take into account which groups may be particularly vulnerable, including for example those from ethnic minority backgrounds. So we can protect the most at risk first should a vaccine become available and get this country back on her feet as soon as we possibly can. Test and Trace Our approach on vaccines is to throw everything at it, as fast as we can, and rigorously to test and make sure they are safe before deployment. This is our approach across the board, including for Test and Trace too. That’s the second area I want to focus on today. Baroness Harding will talk through the latest figures from our NHS Test and Trace programme shortly. Today’s data shows a system that is working well and constantly improving. And, remember, each one of the thousands of people who are now isolating because of the NHS Test and Trace programme and all the work of those involved is someone who would have been innocently going about their daily lives not knowing that they were a risk to their community. And, as you may remember, our plan is to complement this human contact tracing with a contact tracing app. Like other governments around the world, we have been working hard on this, and I want to be up-front and open about the challenges that we, and other countries, are facing. Over the past few weeks, we have rigorously tested our prototype app in the Isle of Wight, and in field trials ‒ and I want to thank everyone who has been involved and all the islanders of the Isle of Wight: the council, who have been brilliant, the local NHS, and Bob Seely, the local MP, who has played a real leadership role. Because of this testing, we discovered a technical barrier, that every other country building their own app is also now hitting. We have found that our app works well on Android devices, but Apple’s software prevents iPhones being used effectively for contact tracing, unless you use Apple’s own technology. After we started work on our app, Google and Apple then started work on their own product, and as soon as they did this, we began working on both. We kept our options open, in the same way as we do with other areas And I feel, personally, in this fight, more than any other, we must leave no stone unturned. So I asked Dido and the NHS expert Test and Trace team to make sure they worked on both products. Oof course, we have been testing Google and Apple’s product too. And as we did this, we have found that it does not estimate distance well enough. Measuring distance is mission critical to any contact tracing app. So, as it stands, our app won’t work, because Apple won’t change their system. But it can measure distance. And their app can’t measure distance well enough to a standard we are satisfied with. Throughout this, for me, what matters is what works. Because what works will save lives. And I will work with anyone, public or private sector, here or overseas, to gain any inch of ground against this disease. So we have agreed to join forces with Google and Apple, to bring the best bits of both systems together. We will share our algorithm and the work we have done on distance calculation and combine that with their work, to deliver a new solution. I have always been optimistic about the contribution technology can make in this battle against coronavirus. Coming together in this way will bring together some of the best minds to find a solution to this global challenge and help to save lives. In the meantime, the NHS Test and Trace system, based on good, old fashioned human contact tracing, is working well identifying local outbreaks and helping us to control this virus. And so I want to ask you all once more: if you get a call or message from NHS Test and Trace, the most important thing is please do your bit to protect your community, to protect your loved ones and to protect the NHS by following their instructions. Now I’d like to hand over to Baroness Harding, to take you through the Test and Trace statistics. Published 18 June 2020

General Guidelines Social distancing rules and guidelines for people and businesses in Scotland are set by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government has now announced Phase 2 of its route map through and out of the crisis. Individuals and families Health Any person who has symptoms of COVID-19 - that is a cough, a temperature or loss of taste or smell - should take immediate steps to book a test. If this applies to you, please go straight to nhsinform.scot to get a test or, if you can’t go online, call NHS 24 on 0800 028 2816. Don’t wait to see if you feel better before booking a test, and all people in your household should self-isolate. Read the latest information on COVID-19 from Health Protection Scotland. The Scottish Government has published Vitamin D advice for all age groups. Staying safe and physical distancing Read the Scottish Government’s information on staying safe and protecting others through physical distancing for people in Scotland. Also read advice for people, including children, who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus in Scotland. Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis The Scottish Government have published a coronavirus framework for decision making. It gives an indication of the order in which Scotland will carefully and gradually seek to change current restrictions. Guidance for employees Read all the latest guidance for employees including details about working safely, working from home, childcare, holiday and sick leave, and getting financial help if you are not working or working less. Travel Find out all the latest international travel advice and sign up for travel alertsvia the Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) website. People are advised not to travel abroad unless it is essential. People in Scotland should continue to stay in their local area as much as possible and should not travel more than broadly five miles for leisure or recreation. From 22 June face coverings are mandatory on public transport in Scotland. Parents The Scottish Government has coronavirus advice for parents on its ParentClub website. Community support The Ready Scotland website has advice from the Scottish Government on volunteering and how to support others in your community Read about support for victims of domestic abuse Find out how to protect yourself from fraud and scams during the COVID-19 pandemic via Action Fraud Businesses Businesses in Scotland may be eligible for support from both the UK and Scottish governments. Find coronavirus financial support for your business Physical distancing for businesses The Scottish Government has published guidance for businesses in Scotland on physical distancing. UK Government support for businesses The UK Government has set out a package of measures to protect public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19. Businesses in Scotland could be eligible to benefit from the following schemes and announcements: Support for businesses through deferring VAT and Income Tax payments Support for businesses paying tax The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme businesses receive government grants worth up to 80% of wages to keep workers in jobs, up to £2,500 per worker each month. 31 July is the last day businesses can submit claims for periods ending on or before 30 June. From 1 July 2020, businesses will be given the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back to work part time. From August 2020, the level of UK Government grant provided through the job retention scheme will be slowly tapered to reflect that people will be returning to work. Businesses will be asked to contribute a modest share, but individuals will continue to receive that 80% of salary covering the time they are unable to work. Support for the self-employed: Millions of people across the UK could benefit from the new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, with those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit. If you’re eligible and want to claim the first grant you must make your claim on or before 13 July 2020. Those eligible will be able to claim a second and final grant in August 2020. The grant will be worth 70 percent of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total. The Self- Assessment payment on account, that is ordinarily due to be paid to HMRC by 31 July 2020 may now be deferred until January 2021. Support for small and medium sized businesses: Support for businesses through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme via the British Business Bank. The scheme will deliver loans of up to £5 million for eligible businesses and is interest free for 12 months. The Bounce Back Loan scheme will help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000. The UK Government will guarantee 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months UK-based start-ups and scale-ups can apply for the Future Fund, delivered in partnership with the British Business Bank. Eligible companies can apply for a convertible loan of between £125,000 and £5 million to support their continued growth and innovation and the Fund will be open until September. Small businesses and employers across the UK who have paid statutory sick pay to staff taking coronavirus-related leave can claim back the money Support for larger businesses: The new Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)will provide a government guarantee of 80% to enable banks to make loans of up to £25m to firms with an annual turnover of between £45m and £500m. The Bank of England COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility is designed to support liquidity among larger firms, helping them to bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through the purchase of short-term debt in the form of commercial paper. Scottish Government support for businesses The Scottish Government has a summary of their support available to businesses in Scotland. Scottish Government coronavirus business support and advice is also available at the Find Business Support website. Business support helplines HMRC tax helpline HMRC has set up a helpline for businesses and self-employed people who are concerned about paying their tax due to COVID-19. Call 08000 241222 for help and advice. Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm Find out about call charges. Scottish Government helpline If you run a business in Scotland you can also get advice by calling the Scottish Government’s helpline: 0300 303 0660. It is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. Select option 1 to speak to the COVID-19 team. How you can help Use the UK Government’s service to tell us how your business might be able to help with the response to coronavirus.

Schools have been preparing for the return of children Social distancing of 1m (just over 3ft) as opposed to 2m (6ft) is "safe and appropriate" for children and young people at school, the Northern Ireland Executive has agreed. The measure will allow "full classes to attend" school. That is according to guidance being sent by Education Minister Peter Weir to school principals. Mr Weir also said he has moved the target for full reopening from 17 August to 24 August. The guidance outlined how schools may operate when they fully reopen and is due to be published on Friday. In the letter, Mr Weir said the guidance had undergone "extensive review by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and Chief Medical Officer (CMO)". He said that the guidance has a "day one focus" and that it concentrates on "social distancing and hygiene considerations within schools settings". Plan 'subject to review' The letter said: "The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed that the current social distancing guidance of 2m must continue to be followed between all adults within the education sector, but that a distance of 1m is safe and appropriate between children and young people. "Using 'protective bubbles' has been supported by the Department of Health and PHA, and flexing their use to 1m will allow full classes to attend. "The 1m guidance between children is to be followed as far as possible within the confines of the physical capacity of each classroom and the 2m rule for staff adhered to fully." Mr Weir also said that the term will now start for Primary Seven, Year 12 and Year 14 pupils on 24 August. Children will not have to sit 2m apart, under the fresh guidance "To facilitate these arrangements, schools will be opening in week commencing 17 August for preparation purposes," he said. Mr Weir added that the guidance "will be subject to ongoing review" depending on scientific and medical advice over Covid-19. However, a primary school principal in Belfast has said the advice is "impossible" to implement and had left him "totally confused". 'Totally impossible' guidance "I'm sitting here with a piece of paper in front of me trying to work out how I could possibly place desks in a primary classroom," Paul Bell, from Botanic Primary School, told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra. "A lot of my classrooms are 56m square... I have no idea who has done the mathematics to indicate in any way that you can put a full classroom of 30 pupils in and still have 2m from the teacher." He added: "I'm quite happy to assist a programme whereby we will get the children back into school as quickly as possible, quite happy to talk about bringing children back in August, quite happy to have all of these conversations - but it's impossible to have conversations where advice is issued which is totally impossible to implement." Mr Weir, also speaking on the programme, said that protective bubbles and reduced social distancing will "mean that for many schools you'll be able to get every pupil in". "For others, it will be at least a large percentage of their pupils in each day and we will work with schools where they cannot get everybody in to see if there's any additional action that can be taken. "I think if there's a willingness to do this, I don't think it's a mathematical impossibility. "I think a reduction from two (metres) to one (metre) is a massive game changer in terms of education. This is a very positive step forward." A previous draft document seen by BBC News NI stated that post-primary pupils would attend school every other week and that primary school children would likely be in school for at least 40% of the week. The change in social distancing guidelines would allow more children to attend throughout the week. Draft plan's suggested measures A draft plan of the new guidance previously suggested a range of measures for the full reopening of schools, including that the beginning and end of school days could be staggered to avoid all children arriving and leaving at once. The 'Education Restart' guidance has been drawn up by Department of Education (DE) officials, principals and teaching unions. It will provide detailed guidance to schools and principals about how the school day would operate. Some of the measures in it are understood to include: Staggered starts and ends to the school day so parents are not dropping all children off at once Staggered meal and break times so children are not mixing in the playground with a lot of others at one time School meals may have to be eaten in classrooms or even outside There are likely to be one-way systems in school corridors Schools will be asked to use sports halls or libraries for classes, or even hold some outside if it's possible Children may not be able to bring things like books or stationery home and then back to school Items such as Lego and soft toys that are difficult to clean are likely to disappear from classes There is also expected to be guidance on hygiene measures, cleaning, and the circumstances in which Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) can be used in schools. However, while the guidance is detailed, a lot of decisions on how schools will operate when the new term begins are still going to be left up to principals and teachers.

An anti-inflammatory drug called dexamethasone has been hailed as a ground-breaking treatment for hospital patients seriously ill with Covid-19. A UK trial showed the drug could save lives - the first internationally to do so - and it can be used in the NHS immediately. What is the drug? Dexamethasone is a steroid - a medicine that reduces inflammation by mimicking anti-inflammatory hormones produced by the body. How does it work? This drug works by dampening down the body's immune system. Coronavirus infection triggers inflammation as the body tries to fight it off. But sometimes the immune system goes into overdrive and it's this reaction that can prove fatal - the very reaction designed to attack infection ends up attacking the body's own cells. Life-saving coronavirus drug 'major breakthrough' Dexamethasone calms this effect. It's only suitable for people who are already in hospital and receiving oxygen or mechanical ventilation - the most unwell. The drug does not work on people with milder symptoms, because suppressing their immune system at this point would not be helpful. How effective is it? According to the scientists who carried out the trials, one in three deaths could be prevented among patients on ventilators. For patients on oxygen, it could prevent one death in five. There was no significant benefit for patients who were not receiving respiratory support. What was the trial? The results come from the Recovery (Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 therapy) trial, conducted by the University of Oxford. It's testing whether existing medicines used for other conditions could also be useful in treating Covid-19. About 2,100 patients received a 6mg daily dose of dexamethasone in the trial for 10 days. Their progress was compared with a random sample of just over 4,300 patients who received no additional treatment. Scientists hope dexamethasone could eventually be used as part of a suite of drugs which, together, could reduce deaths even further. It is now recommended for adults, not including those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. How widely available is the drug? Dexamethasone is a low-cost drug which already exists and is in good supply. The UK government says it had already stockpiled enough of the drug to treat 200,000 people, in anticipation of a good result from the trial. The drug costs from £5.40 a day per patient and the treatment on Covid-19 patients lasts for up to 10 days. It was first made in 1957 and became available for use in the UK in the early 1960s. Because it's been around for such a long time, the drug is out of patent. That means lots of different companies can make the drug and it is widely available around the world. The Department of Health and Social Care says the drug has also been added to the government's parallel export list, which bans companies from buying medicines meant for UK patients and selling them on for a higher price in another country What's reaction been worldwide? The World Health Organization has welcomed the trial results, saying more therapies are now needed for milder symptoms. The findings are particularly good news for developing countries too. In many African nations, for example, the drug costs less than two dollars. In South Africa, where the drug is manufactured, the government has already been advised to use it to treat patients on oxygen or ventilation support. Data from the WHO shows that more than 5,000 people have died from Covid-19 in Africa, the majority of whom had underlying health conditions. What other conditions is it used for? The drug can help treat various illnesses involving inflammation or swelling in the body, or conditions where the immune system goes into overdrive - for example, severe asthma which can cause inflammation in the airways and lungs, severe allergic reactions or painful, inflamed joints. Dexamethasone is also useful in autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, which are caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the body. Are there any side-effects? Common side effects of dexamethasone used for non-Covid conditions include anxiety, difficulty sleeping, weight gain and fluid retention. Rarer side effects include eye disorders, blurred vision and haemorrhage. However, coronavirus patients only need a relatively low dose which should limit side effects. The Chief Medical Officer for England said there were "no excess harms identified in using this dose of dexamethasone in this patient population". Do other steroids work? Prof Peter Horby, who led the UK research on dexamethasone, said the use of steroids to treat viral respiratory infections, such as Covid-19, has been controversial. Trials of the drugs during other disease outbreaks, including Sars - another coronavirus- were mixed with some showing a benefit, but others not. "It's been a huge ongoing debate," says Prof Horby. Scientists are trialling other steroids, such as methylprednisolone, in coronavirus patients with some promising early results.

Neomi Bennett: "I was just sitting in a car, minding my own business...it scared the life out of me" A nurse pulled over by police who drove in front of her in a "hard stop" operation, says she was targeted because of her race. Police officers stopped Neomi Bennett in 2019 because, they said, her front windows were tinted too dark. She was convicted of obstructing a police officer, but prosecutors later decided not to challenge her appeal. Ms Bennett, who was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to nursing, is now taking legal action. The Metropolitan Police said it was "assessing a complaint in relation to this incident". 'Some kind of hijack' Ms Bennett said the officers carried out a hard stop, meaning they pulled a car up in front of her to box her in, on the evening of 4 April 2019, and she refused to get out of the vehicle. She said the manner in which she was pulled over "scared the life out of" her and, had they taken a different approach, she she might have got out of her car, but instead opted to stay inside. At first Ms Bennett, from Wandsworth in south-west London, thought it was "some kind of hijack" because she could only see an officer in plain clothing. She told the BBC: "I believe I was racially profiled and certainly don't think this would have happened if I were white." The nurse, who invented the Neo-slip device to help patients with deep vein thrombosis, said she was "locked up" even though nothing illegal was found in her car and she was a "stone's throw away" from her home and family. Ms Bennett was left "traumatised" by her encounter with police Her lawyer Ann Tayo told BBC News the arrest left Ms Bennett traumatised, and her encounter with the police was a "genuine case of a woman being bewildered" before officers made "all manner of allegations". She added this was an example of what a "disproportionate number of black British citizens" have to go through. Ms Bennett was eventually convicted of obstructing a police officer and said the criminal record meant she lost out on some opportunities. The 47-year-old said: "When the police approached me, I think my experience as a black person is very different to that of a white person and the fear it invokes is tremendous. "I can't even describe the fear that I experienced on that night." Ms Bennett said she has since appealed against and overturned her conviction, but added that many people in her community had experienced similar encounters with police. A spokesperson for the Met said: "The South West Basic Command Unit Professional Standards (SWBCU) team is currently assessing a complaint in relation to this incident. "Due to the complaint, we cannot go into any more detail at this time, however, Sally Benatar, SWBCU Commander, has recently been in contact with Neomi Bennett and has put her in touch with the local Independent Advisory Group chair to discuss her experiences with police."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock led the UK government briefing More than one in four people who test positive cannot be reached by the test and trace system in England, data shows In a major U-turn, the UK is shifting its tracing app to a model based on technology provided by Apple and Google Bank of England announces £100bn in fresh stimulus to support the UK economy There are more than 240,000 virus cases in Peru, which puts the total over hard-hit Italy At least 130,000 people more than expected have died during the pandemic, the BBC finds Globally there are 8.3m recorded cases with more than 448,000 deaths.

Employers should let people work from home - Hancock The panel is asked whether the government will make it easier for people to work from home after the lockdown is eased. Matt Hancock says people have learned about the "opportunity" provided by being able to work from home using technology. He says this practice is likely to "stay with us a long time". He says employers should make this available where possible, and he will talk to the Business department about it.

It could still be some time before there is a vaccine against coronavirus but the UK's health secretary is already thinking about which groups of people might get the jab first. Targeting older people and those with particular underlying health conditions makes sense – they are most at risk of becoming ill with Covid-19. Should people from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds also be in line to be vaccinated first? That’s something the government is clearly considering. Meanwhile, a vaccine developed by Oxford researchers is already being tested in humans and many more are in the pipeline around the world. What’s certain is that more than one will be needed to try to protect everyone from this new virus.

The NHS test-and-trace system was officially launched on 28 May. In the first two weeks, 14,045 people who tested positive for coronavirus were referred to the contact-tracing system, according to official government figures. Tracers only managed to make contact with less than three quarters - or 10,192 - of the people referred to the service in the two weeks to 10 June. People with a confirmed case are contacted via text, email or phone call, and are then asked to share the details of their close contacts. A close contact is someone who has been within 2m of an infected individual for more than 15 minutes. Of the 96,746 people identified as having had close contact with those testing positive, 90% - or 87,639 - were reached and asked to self-isolate. And 86% of the recent contacts advised to self-isolate by the NHS service were reached within the first 24 hours. The test-and-trace service does not handle contact tracing for all confirmed cases. Where a significant outbreak has occurred, it is followed up by local public health teams instead.

Dominic Raab: Taking the knee "from the Game of Thrones" Dominic Raab says he has "full respect" for Black Lives Matter campaigners after he was criticised for comments about "taking the knee". The foreign secretary said the gesture "seems to be taken" from TV drama Game of Thrones. He also said it "feels to me like a symbol of subjugation, subordination, rather than one of liberation". Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Raab was "probably already living to regret" his words. "It wasn't a very wise thing to say," he added in an interview with ITV Granada. And Labour's shadow justice secretary David Lammy described his comments as "insulting" and "deeply embarrassing". Taking the knee is a sign of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Players kneeling a 'massive step' - Sterling UK must do 'much more' to tackle racism, says PM Five pieces of context to understand the US protests Speaking to Julia Hartley-Brewer on talkRadio, Mr Raab said he understood the "sense of frustration and restlessness which is driving the Black Lives Matter movement". He said the act didn't feel like a symbol of "emancipation" but added "I understand people feel differently about it so it's a matter of personal choice." Asked if he would take the knee himself Mr Raab replied he would only take the knee for two people, "the Queen and the Mrs when I asked her to marry me". Dominic Raab: Taking the knee "from the Game of Thrones" Dominic Raab says he has "full respect" for Black Lives Matter campaigners after he was criticised for comments about "taking the knee". The foreign secretary said the gesture "seems to be taken" from TV drama Game of Thrones. He also said it "feels to me like a symbol of subjugation, subordination, rather than one of liberation". Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Raab was "probably already living to regret" his words. "It wasn't a very wise thing to say," he added in an interview with ITV Granada. And Labour's shadow justice secretary David Lammy described his comments as "insulting" and "deeply embarrassing". Taking the knee is a sign of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Players kneeling a 'massive step' - Sterling UK must do 'much more' to tackle racism, says PM Five pieces of context to understand the US protests Speaking to Julia Hartley-Brewer on talkRadio, Mr Raab said he understood the "sense of frustration and restlessness which is driving the Black Lives Matter movement". He said the act didn't feel like a symbol of "emancipation" but added "I understand people feel differently about it so it's a matter of personal choice." Asked if he would take the knee himself Mr Raab replied he would only take the knee for two people, "the Queen and the Mrs when I asked her to marry me". Colin Kaepernick (C), Eli Harold (L), and Eric Reid (R) taking the knee during in 2016. NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick first sat on the bench during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism - but this developed into kneeling in September 2016, generating national media attention. Mr Kaepernick said at the time: "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour." Mr Kaepernick's former teammate, Eric Reid, who began the kneeling gesture with him has said: "We chose to kneel because it's a respectful gesture. I remember thinking our posture was like a flag flown at half-mast to mark a tragedy." Mr Kaepernick and Mr Reid were later joined by a number of other players, before the NFL introduced a rule - later repealed - that teams would be fined if players refused to stand for the anthem. The gesture has since spread to other sports and protests around the world and has been frequently adopted during protests following the death of George Floyd. Premier League players and staff knelt at the start of matches last night to show their support for the Black Lives Matter protests. Earlier this month, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was photographed taking the knee with his deputy Angela Rayner. Mr Raab later sought to clarify his remarks tweeting: "To be clear: I have full respect for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the issues driving them. "If people wish to take a knee, that's their choice and I respect it. We all need to come together to tackle any discrimination and social injustice." In addition to being foreign secretary Mr Raab is also the de facto deputy, and stood in for Boris Johnson when the prime minister was ill with coronavirus. A Downing Street spokesperson said Mr Raab was giving a "personal opinion" when he made the comments.

American Airlines requires customers to wear face coverings unless they meet a few exceptions American Airlines has removed a passenger from a flight after he refused to wear a face covering in compliance with its Covid-19 safety policy. Brandon Straka was asked to wear a face mask on Flight 1263 from New York to Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday. When Mr Straka refused, he was asked to leave the flight, the airline said. Mr Straka said there was no law that required him to wear a face covering on the flight. "I was just removed from my flight for not wearing a mask. 1st time this has happened. Not a federal law," Mr Straka tweeted from New York's LaGuardia Airport. Skip Twitter post by @BrandonStrakaBrandon Straka ✔@BrandonStraka I was just removed from my flight for not wearing a mask. 1st time this has happened. Not a federal law. @AmericanAir staff standing over me telling me it’s THE LAW. So much for “please respect those who can not wear a mask”. When I pointed out this wasn’t a law I was removed. 23.5K 5:43 PM - Jun 17, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 15.6K people are talking about this Report End of Twitter post by @BrandonStraka Face masks have been used to mitigate the risk of spreading coronavirus during the pandemic. While there is no federal law mandating masks on US flights, all major US airlines have been enforcing face covering rules for passengers and crew since mid-May. On Monday, American Airlines announced "a stronger policy for customer face coverings". It said customers who refused to wear face coverings would not be allowed to board and could be banned from future travel. Who should wear a face mask or face covering? Air passengers told to wear face masks How air passengers can stay safe Mr Straka is a former actor and hairstylist who has appeared as a guest on Fox News, and founded the #WalkAway Campaign, which urges people to disavow their support for the Democratic Party. The #WalkAway website sells branded merchandise including a $20 (£16) face mask. The conservative activist described American Airlines' mask policy as "absolutely insane" in a video posted to Twitter, declaring, "We don't even have a choice anymore." Skip Twitter post 2 by @BrandonStrakaBrandon Straka ✔@BrandonStraka Brandon Straka @BrandonStraka BrandonStraka was LIVE pscp.tv 2,417 5:53 PM - Jun 17, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 3,016 people are talking about this Report End of Twitter post 2 by @BrandonStraka He said a flight attendant "made a mistake" by telling him "it was the law" to wear a face mask on the plane. "When I pointed out this was not true, they said, 'yes it is, yes it is'. Eventually they changed their story to, 'it's our policy and if you don't do it you can't fly with us'," he said. "I said, no-one has even asked me if I have a condition that prevents me from wearing a mask. The whole staff were standing around me, intimidating me." A New York Times reporter, who was on board the flight, managed to record some of the dispute on his mobile phone. Skip Twitter post by @AsteadWesleySteadman™ ✔@AsteadWesley Replying to @AsteadWesley 22.1K 5:35 PM - Jun 17, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 2,080 people are talking about this Report End of Twitter post by @AsteadWesley In the video, Mr Straka can he heard arguing with a flight attendant. When prompted, she asks him if he has a medical condition, then if he has paperwork to confirm this. After a tense exchange between Mr Straka and the flight attendant, a different woman can be heard shouting: "Sir, can you put it on or get off?" American Airlines said there are exceptions to its mask rules for children, passengers eating and drinking, and those with medical conditions. When asked by CNN if he has a relevant medical condition, Mr Straka declined to comment, saying: "I find it difficult and prohibitive to wear a mask, yes." The airline told the BBC Mr Straka had agreed to "comply with our policies" and was rebooked onto a later flight. "Our team is reviewing this incident, and we are reaching out to Mr Straka to get more information," the airline added. Mr Straka told US media he wore a face mask provided by the airline before boarding the second flight but took it off on the plane.

As national security adviser, John Bolton was a major figure in US foreign policy The Trump administration is making a last-ditch effort to stop the publication of a damaging new book by a former national security adviser. Among several allegations, John Bolton says Donald Trump "pleaded" for help from China to win re-election in 2020. The Justice Department has filed an emergency order seeking to block the release on national security grounds. Constitutional experts say the move is unlikely to succeed and US media have already published extracts. The new work - The Room Where It Happened - is due to go on sale on 23 June. In it, John Bolton paints a picture of a president whose decision-making was dominated by a desire to win the presidency again. As national security adviser, John Bolton was a major figure in US foreign policy The Trump administration is making a last-ditch effort to stop the publication of a damaging new book by a former national security adviser. Among several allegations, John Bolton says Donald Trump "pleaded" for help from China to win re-election in 2020. The Justice Department has filed an emergency order seeking to block the release on national security grounds. Constitutional experts say the move is unlikely to succeed and US media have already published extracts. The new work - The Room Where It Happened - is due to go on sale on 23 June. In it, John Bolton paints a picture of a president whose decision-making was dominated by a desire to win the presidency again.

The Bank of England will pump an extra £100bn into the UK economy to help fight the "unprecedented" coronavirus-induced downturn. Bank policymakers voted 8-1 to increase the size of its bond-buying programme. However, they said there was growing evidence that the hit to the economy would be "less severe" than initially feared. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) also kept interest rates at a record low of 0.1%. The move comes just days after Bank governor Andrew Bailey said policymakers were ready to take action after the economy suffered its biggest monthly contraction on record. The UK economy shrank by 20.4% in April, while official jobs data showed the number of workers on UK payrolls fell by more than 600,000 between March and May. The Bank said more recent indicators suggested the economy was starting to bounce back. Minutes from the MPC's June meeting said: "Payments data are consistent with a recovery in consumer spending in May and June, and housing activity has started to pick up recently." However, Mr Bailey warned that the outlook for the economy remained uncertain. He said: "We don't want to get too carried away by this. Let's be clear, we're still living in very unusual times." The minutes added: "While recent demand and output data had not been quite as negative as expected, other indicators suggested greater risks around the potential for longer-lasting damage to the economy from the pandemic." What is QE and how will it affect you? Job cuts warning as 600,000 roles go in lockdown Back in May, policymakers warned the economy was heading for its sharpest recession on record. Scenarios drawn up by the Bank suggested the economy could shrink by 25% in the three months to June. However, the MPC said more recent evidence suggested the contraction would be less severe. The extra monetary stimulus - known as quantitative easing (QE) - will raise the total size of the Bank's asset purchase programme to £745bn. Policymakers said the injection would help to support financial markets and underpin the recovery. However, Andy Haldane, the Bank's chief economist, voted against the increase. He said the recovery was happening "sooner and materially faster" than the Bank expected in May. Slow recovery Policymakers said the jobs market was likely to remain weak for some time, with a risk of "higher and more persistent unemployment". Millions of workers have already seen their pay packets shrink as a result of lower pay for furloughed employees. A survey by the Bank said other companies had postponed or cancelled pay rises this year. Mr Bailey said: "Even with the relaxation of some Covid-related restrictions on economic activity, a degree of precautionary behaviour by households and businesses is likely to persist. The economy, and especially the labour market, will therefore take some time to recover towards its previous path." Weak inflation Mr Bailey also addressed the recent fall in UK inflation in an open letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), fell to 0.5% in May, from 0.8% in April - well below the Bank of England's 2% target. Mr Bailey said weak inflation had been by driven by falling oil and energy prices, as well as a global drop in economic activity. The Bank expects inflation to return to target within two years. The Bank of England has increased its support for the economy, despite it assessing that the outlook is not quite as awful as its scenario last month. The economy is on course for a hit in the second quarter of about 20% compared with the final three months of 2019. That's still historic, and off the scale, but not quite as extreme as the 27% it predicted in May. The extra £100bn of purchases of government bonds also has the air of an insurance policy. Most of the MPC were concerned about a couple of factors, A less awful outlook does not mean the recovery will be quick. This is for two reasons stretching beyond economics. There is a fear that the "prevalence of the virus" in the UK will mean that Britons will continue to socially distance, voluntarily, holding back the recovery more than other nations (Germany would be an example). Related to that was the idea that more QE now could mitigate the economic impact of "higher rates of Covid-19 infection going forward" - a second wave. So the news is still bad, but less awful. But risks beyond the purely economic led to more billions being injected into the economy.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock could be seen slapping a colleague on the back Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been spotted slapping a colleague on the back in the House of Commons, despite social distancing measures in place to curb the spread of coronavirus. Mr Hancock's moment of apparent forgetfulness happened as he arrived to Prime Minister's Questions. He and other ministers have repeatedly urged the importance of people keeping two metres away from one another. Mr Hancock said he was "so sorry for a human mistake on my part". "Like all of us, I instinctively wanted to reach out to a friend I'd just seen - in this case, for the first time in many weeks. I realised my mistake and corrected myself," the health secretary said. He said it shows how hard social distancing can be, but added it is "so important that we all keep trying to do our bit". In a clip which quickly garnered thousands of views after it was posted on Twitter, the health secretary can be seen putting his arm across a colleague's shoulder as he enters the Commons. A third MP then comes and stands beside both of them, before the man in the middle steps back. Mr Hancock then steps across to fill the gap to speak to the third MP, before moving back again. Skip Twitter post by @scotthortopScott Hortop@scotthortop Social distancing dancing with Matt Hancock just before #PMQs He eventually worked out that he was on camera breaking his own rules... 6,788 12:06 PM - Jun 17, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 3,873 people are talking about this Report End of Twitter post by @scotthortop Mr Hancock announced he had tested positive for coronavirus in March - shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed his own positive test. While Mr Johnson had to spend several days in intensive care, Mr Hancock had mild symptoms. Scientists have said it is likely that people who have already had the virus will have some immunity to it, but that everyone must still stick to social distancing rules. The World Health Organization said in May that there was "currently no evidence" that people who have recovered from the virus are protected from a second infection. Image copyrightUK PARLIAMENTImage captionMr Hancock's back-slapped colleague stepped away when a third MP joined them Speaking in the Commons after the slip-up, Mr Hancock defended why the government has not yet reduced social distancing from two metres to one metre - something many businesses have said will be crucial to their recovery as they reopen. Is it safe to relax the 2m rule? Tory MPs urge change in 2m social distancing rule "It's the sort of thing of course we want to lift and we need to do that in a way that is careful and safe," Mr Hancock said. "The scientists are reviewing it, along with the economists, and we will take forward the further measures on this when it's possible and safe to do so." UK PARLIAMENT The health secretary stepped over yellow-and-black tape - in place to help people to maintain social distancing - to greet another colleague A review into the two-metre rule will be completed "in the coming weeks", No 10 said on Monday. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines suggest a one-metre distance sufficiently reduces the spread of the virus. But the government's scientific advisers say that being one metre away from others carries up to 10 times the risk of being two metres apart.

cut short Nurses took to Facebook and Twitter to express outrage at a decision from NHS England that their paid placements will now finish at the end of July.Credit: PA Thousands of student nurses recruited to work on the front line against Covid-19 have been told their placements will be cut short, plunging some of them into financial despair. Many nurses expressed their outrage at a decision from NHS England that their paid placements will now finish on 31 July instead of running until the end of September. But Health Education England (HEE) – which oversees training – said that it was "made clear to students who opted into paid placements" that the arrangements would need to come to an end at "an appropriate point". One nurse calling herself Becky Jane said nurses had been told by HEE that the NHS can no longer afford to keep the paid placements going until the end of September as originally promised. “Some of us left jobs for this. Many of us have children and families to care for," she wrote on a message on Facebook. She said nurses could graduate with around £30,000 debt already and had signed up for the six-month placements at the start of April despite being “terrified” of contracting Covid-19. “Please do not clap for your NHS. Please in future consider voting to fund it properly,” she added. Surge in applications to work for NHS during pandemic Nearly 15,000 student nurses, midwives and medical students joined frontline NHS teams in April.Credit: PA Another nurse, Sarah Flynn, wrote on Facebook: “We saved your life Boris or have you forgotten?” Health Education England Chief Nurse Mark Radford hit back at the claims: "It was always made clear to students who opted into paid placements the arrangements would need to come to an end at an appropriate point so that students could return to their supernumerary status to complete their registered nursing qualifications as quickly as possible to permanently enter the NHS workforce," he said in a statement. Nursing placements are usually unpaid.Credit: PA Professor Radford said Year 3 students would be paid until July 31, but those with hours to complete will be paid until September Year 2 students remain on placement till July 31 before being transferred on to normal non-paid placements. In mid-April, NHS England reported that nearly 15,000 student nurses, midwives and medical students had joined “frontline NHS teams as part of the nationwide coronavirus fightback”. Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, praised them at the time, saying they were “stepping up to serve in the fight against coronavirus”. He added: “Today we want to say particular thanks to the new generation of NHS staff who are starting their careers early to play their part. “These students are beginning their careers as the NHS faces the greatest global health challenge in the history of the health service. “Their commitment to the NHS and all it stands for is as great as that of any previous generation, and the whole country will be both grateful and proud.” More than 25,000 students across the UK were deployed to the front line on extended and paid clinical placements to assist with the Covid-19 response. Sorry, this content isn't available on your device. Jeremy Hunt ✔@Jeremy_Hunt This would be very concerning if true but I cannot believe govt would let down this brilliant and brave group of people. https://twitter.com/doctor_oxford/status/1273158002690965505 … Rachel Clarke ✔@doctor_oxford It appears as though the NHS student nurses who bravely stepped up, 6 months before graduating, to help staff the pandemic have now been hung out to dry. Surely their contracts haven’t been cancelled? Clarification needed ASAP please, @NHSEmployers @MattHancock @NHS_HealthEdEng 913 10:47 AM - Jun 17, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 1,530 people are talking about this According to the website NursingNotes, one university told its student nurses: “We have now had final confirmation that the 31st of July 2020 will be the end date for all students on paid placements in all placement areas.” On Wednesday, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth asked his Tory counterpart Matt Hancock: “Why are student nurses who joined the front line six months ago as part of the coronavirus effort now seeing their paid placement schemes terminated early, leaving them with no income? Surely this is no way to treat student nursing staff?” Former health secretary and Tory MP Jeremy Hunt tweeted of the reports from student nurses: “This would be very concerning if true but I cannot believe govt would let down this brilliant and brave group of people.” Mike Adams, director for England at the Royal College of Nursing called on Health Education England and the NHS in England to "offer some clarity." “The vital work student nurses have been doing throughout the pandemic has demonstrated the huge contribution nursing undergraduates make to our health and care services," he said. “The commitments they made should be honoured during any transition back to established programme structures.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said it was wrong to suggest student nurses and midwives were being made redundant. The spokesperson said: "All students are required to complete placements during their training, but as the Covid-19 response was an exceptional ask, these hours have been paid for and will be until the end of the summer. “By the end of July most final year students can qualify as registered nurses and start full time work, increasing their pay. Those with hours to complete will be paid until September. Second year students will return to complete their qualifications so they can qualify as quickly as possible, which has always been the plan.”

Outbreaks of infection have been recorded at a number of slaughterhouses in Germany and worldwideImage caption: Outbreaks of infection have been recorded at a number of slaughterhouses in Germany and worldwide Throughout the pandemic, we've seen significant outbreaks of coronavirus in confined workplaces including factories in the US and mines in Poland and South Africa. Now 400 workers at a slaughterhouse in Gütersloh in western Germany have tested positive since Monday. More employees at the Toennies plant are awaiting test results. Germany has had nearly 9,000 deaths from Covid-19, which is significantly less than some other western European countries, including the UK, France and Italy. But it is still dealing with localised outbreaks. Several schools and playgrounds in Magdeburg have closed, as more than 180 people have tested positive, 60 of them since Friday. And in Berlin at least 300 households in Neukölln are in quarantine after an outbreak in a block of flats. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told the House of Commons that efforts to find a coronavirus vaccine are "moving at pace". He told MPs that yesterday the pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca had signed a deal for the manufacture of Oxford University's AZD1222 vaccine, which he described as "the world's most advanced in development". Meanwhile, Imperial College last week began the first phase of its human trials for a possible Covid-19 vaccine, which will involve 300 patients being given dosages. "Should they develop promising results, Imperial will move to a large phase three trial later this year," Hancock said. Prof Robin Shattock, who heads Imperial College London's vaccine team, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme earlier that volunteers were "critically important" to its research. He said researchers were looking for more numbers of healthy participants to take part in the clinical trials - due to begin tomorrow. They hope that a viable vaccine could be ready by next spring. Shattock said they were starting with a very small number of volunteers "so we don't want people to be disappointed if they are not immediately engaged in the clinical trial". Scotland sees further nine coronavirus deaths A total of 2,462 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, up by nine from Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said. The figures are lower than the 4,070 deaths given earlier by the National Records of Scotland as they do not include suspected and probable coronavirus infections. Speaking during First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament, Sturgeon said a further 21 people had tested positive for Covid-19 compared with the previous day. A beach in the popular Algarve. People can visit after the easing of lockdown measuresImage caption: A beach in the popular Algarve. People can visit after the easing of lockdown measures The mayor of Lagos, in Portugal's Algarve region, has called for the prosecution of the organisers of an illegal party on 7 June, after at least 16 people tested positive. The party, in a sports hall in the village of Odiáxere, drew more than 100 people, according to local officials, so flouting the current legal limit of 20. Some 100 tests have been done but tracing all who attended and their contacts has been difficult. Several businesses in Lagos, which is popular with tourists, have closed temporarily for deep cleaning after employees tested positive. Portugal has 37,336 cases and 1,522 deaths. BREAKINGSweden's coronavirus death toll tops 5,000 The number of people with coronavirus who have died in Sweden has now reached 5,041, health officials have announced. With a population of just over 10 million, Sweden has had a heavier toll compared to its neighbours and has been closely watched owing to its controversial decision not to impose a strict lockdown. Early this month, the man behind the policy, Anders Tegnell, acknowledged that the approach had resulted in too many deaths. Standing up in the Commons after questions to the UK Prime Minister, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been updating MPs on the steroid dexamethasone, which has been found to be an effective treatment for patients seriously ill with coronavirus. He says there are 240,000 doses in stock and on order. And that means it's already being used in the NHS. “It is not by any means a cure,” he says, “but it is the best news we've had.” This development is what “good science looks like”, he says, in terms of controlled research, and it means there is “objective proof this drug saves lives”, which will benefit thousands of people across the world. He says seven other drugs are being tested in the "recovery" trial and another nine as part of the ACCORD programme, which is looking at early stage treatments. Hancock thanks everyone involved, including deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van Tam, NHS clinicians, scientific teams and the people who took part in the trial before they even knew it worked. More on that debate over council funding in England. During PMQs Sir Keir Starmer highlighted Conservative council leaders' concerns that local authorities were facing a funding shortfall of £10bn. "The PM must have known about this problem for months," Sir Keir said, asking: "Why has he been so slow to act?" The PM replied that the government had provided £1.6bn to support councils on the front line and £600m to social care, as well as £3.2bn to councils in general. "We want to tackle poverty," the PM said. Local authorities in England have responsibility to provide social care and have seen increased demand for services during the coronavirus crisis. Earlier, London Mayor Sadiq Khan revealed he would take a 10% pay cut as the capital experienced "unprecedented challenges". Just a day after its launch, Germany's coronavirus tracing app has already been downloaded more than 6.5 million times - that's by about 7% of the population. Chief executive Christian Klein told reporters that the Corona Warn app's "big success" was a testament to the collaboration between SAP and Deutsche Telekom, which created it in six weeks. "There are well over six million reasons why the coronavirus has fewer chances in the future," Health Minister Jens Spahn said. Germany's downloads are far higher than other European countries like France with similar apps. Corona Warn uses Bluetooth and alerts users if they've been within two metres of someone who's tested positive, and complements a tracing and tracking system Germany has had in place since February. The app suffered initial setbacks to its development over concerns for data privacy. As a result, the released version only saves data on individual smartphones, not in a central database. National Health Service staff must be routinely tested for coronavirus up to twice a week, says Prof Derek Alderson, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, as the service tries to get fully back up and running. Speaking at a Health Select Committee meeting, he said it was vital to reassure patients but hospital trust bosses say they are still waiting for clarity on plans for regular testing. The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it was focusing on routine testing in care homes but had not committed to routinely testing NHS workers. One study found that as many as 30% of infections could be missed by a single swab test, giving an infected person a negative result. Experts also fear asymptomatic staff who don't know they are infected may potentially spread the virus to others. It was an interesting PMQs. We had the Speaker of the House of Commons referring to Sir Keir Starmer as the prime minister by accident, adding to the sense of chaos. Boris Johnson tried to turn the questions back on Sir Keir about the Labour leader's position on schools. I think it was a bit scrappy over child poverty and a bit of a dispute over the statistics and what Sir Keir was trying to refer to when he was pushing the PM for a response to child poverty. An important point was raised by Sir Keir on the pressure on local councils as a result of the coronavirus, pointing to a figure of £10bn shortfall in council budgets. That could be one for the long term as we emerge from the crisis. But what is Sir Keir's position on schools reopening? We are hoping for a briefing from Labour later on that. Theme parks, museums and leisure centres are working out how they could reopen safely, as lockdown restrictions start to ease in different parts of the UK. Even riding on a rollercoaster is going to require a face mask and social distancing when attractions open up again in England. Blackpool's Pleasure Beach has decided that, on a ride on which people scream, visitors will be more comfortable if they are made to mask up. It is also going to be a less sociable experience - the seats on its Icon ride are only a metre apart so there will be empty rows to allow social distancing. Coronavirus: Blackpool Pleasure Beach prepares to open Boris Johnson has warned of "tough times ahead" for the UK as it emerges from the coronavirus crisis. Answering a question about hard-pressed families from the Scottish National Party's Ian Blackford, Mr Johnson said the government was investing massively in benefits and the furlough scheme. He said the government had done "everything we possibly can" to help families in need, but he acknowledges, "There will be tough times ahead and we do stand by to do more where we can." Sir Keir now turns to the "other U-turn" - the immigration health surcharge. It's a charge for using the NHS which some workers from outside the UK are still having to pay, despite the government saying it would abolish it for health and care staff. "The government announced it would drop this deeply unfair charge," the Labour leader says but adds "nothing has happened". Boris Johnson says "it is vital that NHS workers get the support they need." "NHS or care workers who have paid the surcharge will be refunded," the PM says. "And we are getting on with instituting the new arrangements as fast as we possibly can." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he welcomes the UK government's U-turn on free school meals but that it is "just one step" to reducing child poverty. Mr Johnson replied during PMQs in the Commons: "I can tell him that on free school meals this government is very proud that we set up universal free school meals and I'm very pleased that we are going to be able to deliver a Covid summer food package to some of the poorest families in this country, and that is exactly the right thing to do. "But I must say that he is completely wrong in what he says about poverty. Absolute poverty, relative poverty, have both declined under this government. "There are hundreds of thousands, I think 400,000, fewer families living in poverty now than there were in 2010." Boris Johnson has insisted there has been a reduction in child poverty. The PM was challenged by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who said a UK government report produced last week suggested poverty had risen by 600,000 even before the impact of the coronavirus. But Mr Johnson said the government was "deeply concerned" about Covid-19's impact and that he was trying to minimise the impact on the poorest children. He said "the best way we can do that is making sure kids can go back to school" - and accused the leader of the opposition of dithering on the issue. Non-essential retailers in England are now allowed to reopen as long as they adhere to Covid-19 safety measures but food producers have been hard at it all the way through the crisis. Finnebrogue in Northern Ireland supplies sausages to most major supermarkets in the UK. While the thought of the virus has kept its technical director "up at night", Declan Ferguson says the company has managed to safely keep their absence rate at less than 2%. But how exactly do you do that in the midst of a pandemic? To school in a face mask in Abidjan, Ivory CoastImage caption: To school in a face mask in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the spread of coronavirus was accelerating across Africa. Fast forward to today and the number of confirmed cases across the continent has risen to more than a quarter of a million, according to Johns Hopkins University in the US. Egypt remains the worst affected, with more than 76,000 cases, followed by South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. Combined, all African countries account for about 3% of the global tally of infections. UK PM to face Commons questions UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces questions in the Commons shortly. Mr Johnson will answer Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as well as a selection of cross-party MPs in the weekly PMQs session. He's likely to be asked about job losses, since it's been revealed HSBC will resume a plan to cut around 35,000 jobs. The PM may also be asked about Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United footballer who this week led a successful campaign to keep the funding for free school meals for poorer pupils in England going throughout the summer. Rashford says he wants to do more to help those in need after the government's U-turn on the matter. Use dexamethasone on NHS patients today' The UK's chief medical officers say a steroid treatment shown in a trial to save the lives of some critically-ill Covid-19 patients should be used "with immediate effect". Dexamethasone, which is cheap and widely available, was shown to reduce deaths among patients on ventilators and among patients needing oxygen. In an urgent letter from the UK's four chief medical officers to NHS clinicians, they said dexamethasone had "a clear place in the management of hospitalised patients with Covid-19". And there are no issues with supplies of the medicine in the UK, after the government said it now had enough treatment for more than 200,000 people.

The chance of having a summer holiday seems remote - with many UK tourism businesses still shut and foreign travel difficult because of quarantine rules. What is the latest situation? Can I go on holiday in the UK? No - not until the start of July at the earliest. Lockdown restrictions are being eased slowly across the UK, but the tourist industry does not yet have the green light to reopen fully. You'll probably be able to get an ice cream at the seaside - and some restaurants and bars are doing takeaway food and drink - but hotels remain closed to all guests, except for a small number of specific groups. Government advice in England says businesses providing holiday accommodation - including hotels, campsites, caravan parks and short-term lets - should stay closed for leisure-related trips. No person should stay overnight away from their own home for a holiday or similar purpose, it adds. The Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden says he's keen get the tourism sector going as "rapidly as possible" with the government sticking to what it describes as an "ambitious target" to get England's tourism sector back by 4 July - "as long as it is safe to do so". "Self-contained accommodation has a lower risk than other areas," Mr Dowden told the Commons, "I would hope that that will be at the front of the queue." Hotels in Northern Ireland already have a confirmed date for reopening - Monday 20 July. Tourists are being asked to stay away from beauty spots like the Lake District Zoos and animal parks are shut, as are many national parks. Facilities such as car parks and toilets may not be open either. People are also being urged not to rush to beauty spots such as the Lake District. Visit Cornwall says that people should not travel to the area unless they can return home within 90 minutes. In addition, people who live in England cannot travel for recreation into Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Parts of Brecon Beacons national park to reopen for locals National Trust reopens some gardens and parks Zoo and park lockdown 'financially disastrous' Can I go on a foreign holiday? At the moment, it's difficult. British nationals are still being urged not to take any non-essential foreign travel. This means you are unlikely to get travel insurance, because insurers take their cue from the official advice. But the airlines are hopeful for the summer season. EasyJet plans to resume some flights this month, while Ryanair and British Airways plan to ramp up their services in July, But what if I do go? On 15 June the European Union lifted travel restrictions, leaving it to individual counties to decide if they're ready for tourists. Some, including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal are now welcoming travellers from the UK. Others, including Ireland and the Netherlands will force visitors to quarantine for 14 days upon entry. Greece is open, but tourists will have to be tested for coronavirus upon arrival. Anybody testing positive will have to quarantine for 14 days. British holidaymakers are currently unable to enter Australia, India and the US. They will also have to spend two weeks quarantined in a hotel upon arrival if they wish to visit New Zealand. Most travellers will also have to quarantine for 14 days upon their return to the UK. EasyJet's planes are currently all grounded UK aviation bosses are hoping a large number of so called "air bridges" will be in place by 29 June, when the UK travel quarantine measures are set to be reviewed. These would exempt travellers from quarantine, if they move between countries with low virus levels. Confusion over Spain rules for travellers from UK How is the lockdown being lifted across Europe Katya Adler: EU acts to rescue tourism from lockdown What about going away in the autumn? Again, it's impossible to say at this stage. Travel advice will need to have been updated, but it depends on the disease's progress. What about holidays already booked for this year? If your package holiday or flights have already been cancelled, then you are are entitled to a full cash refund. However, lots of people have been struggling to get their money back, and have been offered vouchers or rebooked trips instead. If you are offered a voucher, or a free rebooking instead of cash, you can accept or refuse it. But if the airline later folds, the voucher may no longer be valid. If your airline or holiday company hasn't cancelled your holiday yet, but you no longer wish to travel, you may not be entitled to a refund. However, some providers are allowing people to rebook trips for a later date at no cost.