Updates: This guidance has been updated to reflect the announcement by the Prime Minister that the government’s 5 tests have been met and the decision, based on all the evidence, to move forward with wider opening of education and childcare settings Background As a result of the huge efforts everyone has made to adhere to strict social distancing measures, the government’s 5 tests have been met, meaning we can move forward with modifying measures which have been in place. Based on all the evidence, from the week commencing 1 June, we can welcome back more children to early years and primary school settings, and from 15 June to secondary school and further education settings. Schools, colleges and childcare providers have been planning on this basis, and confirmation that this could go ahead was provided by the Prime Minister on 28 May. Education and childcare settings are already open to priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers)1. Now that we have made progress in reducing the transmission of coronavirus we are encouraging all eligible children to attend - it is no longer necessary for parents of eligible children to keep them at home if they can. In particular, as per the existing Supporting vulnerable children and young people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak guidance, vulnerable children of all year groups continue to be expected and encouraged to attend educational provision where it is appropriate for them to do so. From the week commencing 1 June, we are asking primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside priority groups. From 15 June we are asking secondary schools, sixth form and further education colleges to offer some face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of year 10, year 12, and 16 to 19 students who are due to take key exams next year, alongside the full time provision they are offering to priority groups. We are also asking nurseries and other early years providers, including childminders, to begin welcoming back all children. Alternative provision settings should mirror the approach being taken for mainstream schools and also offer some face-to-face support for years 10 and 11 students (as they have no year 12) from 15 June. Special schools, special post-16 institutions and hospital schools will work towards a phased return of more children and young people without a focus on specific year groups. We want to get all children and young people back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers. Children returning to educational and childcare settings in greater numbers will also allow more families to return to work. We are therefore gradually increasing the numbers of children and young people attending schools and colleges. This decision is based on the latest scientific advice. By returning pupils gradually, settings can initially reduce the number of children and young people in classrooms compared to usual and put protective measures in place to reduce risks. In childcare settings, providers can welcome back all children from the week commencing 1 June. Demand for childcare is likely to be lower than usual at first, and existing space requirements and staff to child ratios for these age groups should allow for small group working. Where the physical layout of a setting does not allow small groups of children to be kept at a safe distance apart, we expect practitioners to exercise judgement in ensuring the highest standards of safety are maintained. In some cases, it may be necessary for providers to introduce a temporary cap on numbers to ensure that safety is prioritised. From 1 June, childminders can look after children of all ages, in line with usual limits on the number of children they can care for. This advice seeks to support staff working in schools, colleges and childcare settings, to deliver this approach in the safest way possible, focusing on measures they can put in place to help limit risk of the virus spreading within education and childcare settings. At the point that we think it is appropriate for more children and young people to return to schools and colleges, we will revise this guidance. We have published more detailed guidance on preparing for the wider opening of early years and childcare settings. Settings should read this guidance in conjunction with Actions for schools during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This guidance will be updated as required. Effective infection protection and control There are important actions that children and young people, their parents and those who work with them can take during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, to help prevent the spread of the virus. In all education, childcare and social care settings, preventing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) involves dealing with direct transmission (for instance, when in close contact with those sneezing and coughing) and indirect transmission (via touching contaminated surfaces). A range of approaches and actions should be employed to do this. These can be seen as a hierarchy of controls that, when implemented, creates an inherently safer system, where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. These include: minimising contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend childcare settings, schools or colleges cleaning hands more often than usual - wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with running water and soap and dry them thoroughly or use alcohol hand rub or sanitiser ensuring that all parts of the hands are covered ensuring good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach cleaning frequently touched surfaces often using standard products, such as detergents and bleach minimising contact and mixing by altering, as much as possible, the environment (such as classroom layout) and timetables (such as staggered break times) Personal protective equipment (PPE) including face coverings and face masks Wearing a face covering or face mask in schools or other education settings is not recommended. Face coverings may be beneficial for short periods indoors where there is a risk of close social contact with people you do not usually meet and where social distancing and other measures cannot be maintained, for example on public transport or in some shops. This does not apply to schools or other education settings. Schools and other education or childcare settings should therefore not require staff, children and learners to wear face coverings. Changing habits, cleaning and hygiene are effective measures in controlling the spread of the virus. Face coverings (or any form of medical mask unless instructed to be used for specific clinical reasons) should not be worn in any circumstance by those who may not be able to handle them as directed (for example, young children, or those with special educational needs or disabilities) as it may inadvertently increase the risk of transmission. The majority of staff in education settings will not require PPE beyond what they would normally need for their work, even if they are not always able to maintain a distance of 2 metres from others. PPE is only needed in a very small number of cases including: children, young people and students whose care routinely already involves the use of PPE due to their intimate care needs should continue to receive their care in the same way if a child, young person or other learner becomes unwell with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) while in their setting and needs direct personal care until they can return home. A fluid-resistant surgical face mask should be worn by the supervising adult if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained. If contact with the child or young person is necessary, then disposable gloves, a disposable apron and a fluid-resistant surgical face mask should be worn by the supervising adult. If a risk assessment determines that there is a risk of splashing to the eyes, for example from coughing, spitting, or vomiting, then eye protection should also be worn Education and childcare settings and providers should use their local supply chains to obtain PPE. If education or childcare settings cannot obtain the PPE they need they should approach their local authority (LA). Local authorities should support them to access local PPE markets and available stock locally, including through coordinating the redistribution of available supplies between settings according to priority needs. If the local authority is not able to meet the PPE needs of education and childcare providers, the LA should approach their nearest local resilience forum (LRF) which will allocate stock if it is available once the needs of other vital services locally have been met. If neither the LA or LRF is able to respond to an education or childcare setting’s unmet urgent need for PPE, the setting will need to make their own judgement in line with their risk assessment as to whether it is safe to continue to operate. Read the guidance on safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care for more information about preventing and controlling infection, including the use of PPE. Shielded and clinically vulnerable children and young people For the vast majority of children and young people, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a mild illness. Children and young people (0 to 18 years of age) who have been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable due to pre-existing medical conditions have been advised to shield. We do not expect these children to be attending school or college, and they should continue to be supported at home as much as possible. Clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable) people are those considered to be at a higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19). A small minority of children will fall into this category, and parents should follow medical advice if their child is in this category. Shielded and clinically vulnerable adults Clinically extremely vulnerable individuals are advised not to work outside the home. We are strongly advising people, including education staff, who are clinically extremely vulnerable (those with serious underlying health conditions which put them at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) and have been advised by their clinician or through a letter) to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves safe. Staff in this position are advised not to attend work. Read COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable for more advice. Clinically vulnerable individuals who are at higher risk of severe illness (for example, people with some pre-existing conditions as set out in the Staying at home and away from others (social distancing) guidance) have been advised to take extra care in observing social distancing and should work from home where possible. Education and childcare settings should endeavour to support this, for example by asking staff to support remote education, carry out lesson planning or other roles which can be done from home. If clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable) individuals cannot work from home, they should be offered the safest available on-site roles, staying 2 metres away from others wherever possible, although the individual may choose to take on a role that does not allow for this distance if they prefer to do so. If they have to spend time within 2 metres of other people, settings must carefully assess and discuss with them whether this involves an acceptable level of risk. Living with a shielded or clinically vulnerable person If a child, young person or a member of staff lives with someone who is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable), including those who are pregnant, they can attend their education or childcare setting. If a child, young person or staff member lives in a household with someone who is extremely clinically vulnerable, as set out in the COVID-19: guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable guidance, it is advised they only attend an education or childcare setting if stringent social distancing can be adhered to and, in the case of children, they are able to understand and follow those instructions. This may not be possible for very young children and older children without the capacity to adhere to the instructions on social distancing. If stringent social distancing cannot be adhered to, we do not expect those individuals to attend. They should be supported to learn or work at home. Class or group sizes We know that, unlike older children and adults, early years and primary age children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. In deciding to bring more children back to early years and schools, we are taking this into account. Schools should therefore work through the hierarchy of measures set out above: avoiding contact with anyone with symptoms frequent hand cleaning and good respiratory hygiene practices regular cleaning of settings minimising contact and mixing As well as the measures above, secondary schools and colleges should: ensure that only a quarter of pupils in year 10 and year 12 are in school at any one time aim to practise social distancing in line with the measures the government is asking everyone to adopt in public and in workplaces, including keeping pupils 2 metres apart from each other where possible plan that classes are no more than half their usual size, to allow sufficient distancing between pupils (this may vary due to individual school circumstances) It is still important to reduce contact between people as much as possible, and we can achieve that and reduce transmission risk by ensuring children, young people and staff where possible, only mix in a small, consistent group and that small group stays away from other people and groups. Public Health England (PHE) is clear that if early years settings, schools and colleges do this, and crucially if they are also applying regular hand cleaning, hygiene and cleaning measures and handling potential cases of the virus as per the advice, then the risk of transmission will be lowered. Where settings can keep children and young people in those small groups 2 metres away from each other, they should do so. While in general groups should be kept apart, brief, transitory contact, such as passing in a corridor, is low risk. For pre-school children in early years settings, the staff to child ratios within Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) continue to apply as set out here, and we recommend using these to group children. For primary schools, classes should normally be split in half, with no more than 15 pupils per small group and one teacher (and, if needed, a teaching assistant). If there are any shortages of teachers, then teaching assistants can be allocated to lead a group, working under the direction of a teacher. Vulnerable children and children of critical workers in other year groups should also be split into small groups of no more than 15. Desks should be spaced as far apart as possible. For secondary schools and colleges, the same principle of halving classes will normally apply. We recognise that the range of subjects and courses taught in secondary schools and colleges means that some mixing may be unavoidable to provide pupils with face-to-face support from subject/specialist teachers. We would expect that these groups are still smaller than normal. It is also sensible to rearrange classrooms and workshops with sitting positions 2 metres apart. Where very small classes might result from halving, it would be acceptable to have more than half in a class, provided the space has been rearranged. Again, support staff may be drawn on in the event there are teacher shortages, working under the direction of other teachers in the setting. Each setting’s circumstances will be slightly different. Any setting that cannot achieve these small groups at any point should discuss options with their local authority or trust. This might be because there are not enough classrooms or spaces available in the setting or because they do not have enough available teachers or staff to supervise the groups. Solutions might involve children attending a nearby school. If necessary, settings have the flexibility to focus first on continuing to provide places for priority groups and then, to support children’s early learning, settings should prioritise groups of children as follows: early years settings - 3 and 4 year olds followed by younger age groups infant schools - nursery (where applicable) and reception primary schools - nursery (where applicable), reception and year 1 We will revisit this advice when the science indicates it is safe to invite more children back to schools and colleges. How to implement protective measures in an education setting before wider opening from 1 June Planning and organising Consider the following steps: refresh your risk assessment and other health and safety advice for children, young people and staff in light of recent government advice, identifying protective measures (such as the things listed below). Also ensure that all health and safety compliance checks have been undertaken before opening organise small class groups, as described in the ‘class or group sizes’ section above organise classrooms and other learning environments such as workshops and science labs for those groups, maintaining space between seats and desks where possible refresh the timetable: decide which lessons or activities will be delivered consider which lessons or classroom activities could take place outdoors use the timetable and selection of classroom or other learning environment to reduce movement around the school or building stagger assembly groups stagger break times (including lunch), so that all children are not moving around the school at the same time stagger drop-off and collection times for secondary schools and colleges, consider how best to supplement remote education with some face to face support for students plan parents’ drop-off and pick-up protocols that minimise adult to adult contact in addition, childcare settings or early years groups in school should: consider how to keep small groups of children together throughout the day and to avoid larger groups of children mixing consider how play equipment is used ensuring it is appropriately cleaned between groups of children using it, and that multiple groups do not use it simultaneously remove unnecessary items from classrooms and other learning environments where there is space to store it elsewhere remove soft furnishings, soft toys and toys that are hard to clean (such as those with intricate parts) consider how children and young people arrive at the education or childcare setting, and reduce any unnecessary travel on coaches, buses or public transport where possible. Read the Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers institutions offering residential provision will also need to consider the maximum number of children or young people they can safely accommodate in residences Communicating your plans Consider the following steps: tell children, young people, parents, carers or any visitors, such as suppliers, not to enter the education or childcare setting if they are displaying any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) (following the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection) tell parents that if their child needs to be accompanied to the education or childcare setting, only one parent should attend tell parents and young people their allocated drop off and collection times and the process for doing so, including protocols for minimising adult to adult contact (for example, which entrance to use) make clear to parents that they cannot gather at entrance gates or doors, or enter the site (unless they have a pre-arranged appointment, which should be conducted safely) also think about engaging parents and children in education resources such as e-bug and PHE schools resources ensure parents and young people are aware of recommendations on transport to and from education or childcare setting (including avoiding peak times). Read the Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers talk to staff about the plans (for example, safety measures, timetable changes and staggered arrival and departure times), including discussing whether training would be helpful communicate early with contractors and suppliers that will need to prepare to support your plans for opening for example, cleaning, catering, food supplies, hygiene suppliers discuss with cleaning contractors or staff the additional cleaning requirements and agree additional hours to allow for this When open Keep cohorts together where possible and: ensure that children and young people are in the same small groups at all times each day, and different groups are not mixed during the day, or on subsequent days ensure that the same teacher(s) and other staff are assigned to each group and, as far as possible, these stay the same during the day and on subsequent days, recognising for secondary and college settings there will be some subject specialist rotation of staff ensure that wherever possible children and young people use the same classroom or area of a setting throughout the day, with a thorough cleaning of the rooms at the end of the day. In schools and colleges, you may want to consider seating students at the same desk each day if they attend on consecutive days For cleaning and hygiene: follow the COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings guidance ensure that sufficient handwashing facilities are available. Where a sink is not nearby, provide hand sanitiser in classrooms and other learning environments clean surfaces that children and young people are touching, such as toys, books, desks, chairs, doors, sinks, toilets, light switches, bannisters, more regularly than normal ensure that all adults and children: frequently wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and dry thoroughly. Review the guidance on hand cleaning clean their hands on arrival at the setting, before and after eating, and after sneezing or coughing are encouraged not to touch their mouth, eyes and nose use a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze and use bins for tissue waste (‘catch it, bin it, kill it’) ensure that help is available for children and young people who have trouble cleaning their hands independently consider how to encourage young children to learn and practise these habits through games, songs and repetition ensure that bins for tissues are emptied throughout the day where possible, all spaces should be well ventilated using natural ventilation (opening windows) or ventilation units prop doors open only if they are not fire doors, and where it is safe to do so (bearing in mind fire safety and safeguarding), to limit use of door handles and aid ventilation get in touch with public sector buying organisation partners (for example ESPO, YPO, NEPO) about proportionate supplies of soap, anti-bacterial gel and cleaning products if needed there is no need for anything other than normal personal hygiene and washing of clothes following a day in an educational or childcare setting Reduce mixing within education or childcare setting by: accessing rooms directly from outside where possible considering one-way circulation, or place a divider down the middle of the corridor to keep groups apart as they move through the setting where spaces are accessed by corridors staggering breaks to ensure that any corridors or circulation routes used have a limited number of pupils using them at any time staggering lunch breaks - children and young people should clean their hands beforehand and enter in the groups they are already in, groups should be kept apart as much as possible and tables should be cleaned between each group. If such measures are not possible, children should be brought their lunch in their classrooms ensuring that toilets do not become crowded by limiting the number of children or young people who use the toilet facilities at one time noting that some children and young people will need additional support to follow these measures (for example, routes round school marked in braille or with other meaningful symbols, and social stories to support them in understanding how to follow rules) Use outside space: for exercise and breaks for outdoor education, where possible, as this can limit transmission and more easily allow for distance between children and staff although outdoor equipment should not be used unless the setting is able to ensure that it is appropriately cleaned between groups of children and young people using it, and that multiple groups do not use it simultaneously. Read COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings For shared rooms: use halls, dining areas and internal and external sports facilities for lunch and exercise at half capacity. If class groups take staggered breaks between lessons, these areas can be shared as long as different groups do not mix (and especially do not play sports or games together) and adequate cleaning between groups between groups is in place, following the COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings guidance stagger the use of staff rooms and offices to limit occupancy Reduce the use of shared resources: by limiting the amount of shared resources that are taken home and limit exchange of take-home resources between children, young people and staff by seeking to prevent the sharing of stationery and other equipment where possible. Shared materials and surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected more frequently although practical lessons can go ahead if equipment can be cleaned thoroughly and the classroom or other learning environment is occupied by the same children or young people in one day, or properly cleaned between cohorts Adjust transport arrangements where necessary including: encouraging parents and children and young people to walk or cycle to their education setting where possible making sure schools, parents and young people follow the Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers when planning their travel ensuring that transport arrangements cater for any changes to start and finish times making sure transport providers do not work if they or a member of their household are displaying any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) making sure transport providers, as far as possible, follow hygiene rules and try to keep distance from their passengers taking appropriate actions to reduce risk if hygiene rules and social distancing is not possible, for example when transporting children and young people with complex needs who need support to access the vehicle or fasten seatbelts local authorities or transport providers could consider the following: guidance or training for school transport colleagues substituting smaller vehicles with larger ones, or running 2 vehicles rather than one, where possible, to reduce the number of passengers per vehicle and increase the amount of space between passengers cordoning off seats and eliminating face-to-face seating, where vehicle capacity allows, to help passengers spread out communicating revised travel plans clearly to contractors, local authorities and parents where appropriate (for instance, to agree pick-up and drop-off times) Additional questions Will contact tracing be in place in educational and childcare settings? The government has launched a new national test and trace programme. This will bring together an app, expanded web and phone-based contact tracing, and swab testing for those with potential coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms. This programme will play an important role in helping to minimise the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the future. It will also include more traditional methods of contact tracing if a child, young person or parent tests positive. This could include, for example, direct discussion with parents and schools or colleges on recent contacts. The government is recruiting 18,000 contact tracers to support contact tracing and will recruit more if needed. They will play an important part in tracing the contacts of those with coronavirus (COVID-19), including children. What happens if someone becomes unwell at an educational or childcare setting? If anyone in an education or childcare setting becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, or has a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste of smell (anosmia), they must be sent home and advised to follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection guidance. If a child is awaiting collection, they should be moved, if possible, to a room where they can be isolated behind a closed door, depending on the age of the child and with appropriate adult supervision if required. Ideally, a window should be opened for ventilation. If it is not possible to isolate them, move them to an area which is at least 2 metres away from other people. If they need to go to the bathroom while waiting to be collected, they should use a separate bathroom if possible. The bathroom should be cleaned and disinfected using standard cleaning products before being used by anyone else. PPE should be worn by staff caring for the child while they await collection if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained (such as for a very young child or a child with complex needs). In an emergency, call 999 if they are seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk. Do not visit the GP, pharmacy, urgent care centre or a hospital. If a member of staff has helped someone with symptoms, they do not need to go home unless they develop symptoms themselves (and in which case, a test is available) or the child subsequently tests positive (see ‘What happens if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in a setting?’ below). They should wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds after any contact with someone who is unwell. Cleaning the affected area with normal household disinfectant after someone with symptoms has left will reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people. See the COVID-19: cleaning of non-healthcare settings guidance. What happens if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in a setting? When a child, young person or staff member develops symptoms compatible with coronavirus (COVID-19), they should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 7 days and arrange to have a test to see if they have COVID-19. They can do this by visiting NHS.UK to arrange or contact NHS 119 via telephone if they do not have internet access. Their fellow household members should self-isolate for 14 days. All staff and students who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), and are encouraged to get tested in this scenario. Where the child, young person or staff member tests negative, they can return to their setting and the fellow household members can end their self-isolation. Where the child, young person or staff member tests positive, the rest of their class or group within their childcare or education setting should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days. The other household members of that wider class or group do not need to self-isolate unless the child, young person or staff member they live with in that group subsequently develops symptoms. As part of the national test and trace programme, if other cases are detected within the cohort or in the wider setting, Public Health England’s local health protection teams will conduct a rapid investigation and will advise schools and other settings on the most appropriate action to take. In some cases a larger number of other children, young people may be asked to self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure – perhaps the whole class, site or year group. Where settings are observing guidance on infection prevention and control, which will reduce risk of transmission, closure of the whole setting will not generally be necessary. Should educational settings ask parents to report pupils’ temperatures at the start of each day? Parents, carers and settings do not need to take children’s temperatures every morning. Routine testing of an individual’s temperature is not a reliable method for identifying coronavirus (COVID-19). Educational and childcare settings should reiterate to parents the need to follow the standard national advice on the kind of symptoms to look out for that might be due to coronavirus (COVID-19), and where to get further advice.If anyone in the household develops a fever, or a new continuous cough, or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), they are advised to follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection guidance (which states that the ill person should remain in isolation for 7 days and the rest of the household in isolation for 14 days). Will children and young people be eligible for testing? All children and young people eligible to attend education and childcare settings, and members of their households, will have access to testing if they display symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). This will enable them to get back into childcare or education, and their parents or carers to get back to work, if the test proves to be negative. Parents will have a number of routes to access testing for them and their children. Visit the guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and how to arrange to have a test. Will teachers and other staff be able to get tested if they have symptoms? Access to priority testing is already available to all essential workers. This includes anyone involved in education, childcare or social work – including both public and voluntary sector workers, as well as foster carers. See the full list of essential workers. Education settings as employers can book tests through an online digital portal. There is also an option for employees to book tests directly on the portal. How should special schools and colleges consider and manage risks in supporting children and young people with complex needs? We have published guidance for special schools, specialist colleges, local authorities and any other settings managing children and young people with education, health and care plans, including those with complex needs. This covers recommendations for educational settings, working with local areas and families, on how to assess risks in supporting children and young people. What does implementing protective measures look like in alternative provision (AP)? AP settings should follow the same principles and guidance as mainstream schools. As much as possible, protective measures should be adhered to and class or group sizes should be small. Staff should use simple language to explain safety measures, and reiterate and reinforce key messages. Safe routines for access to toilets, hand-cleaning and break and lunch times should be put in place. Teaching resources can be used to aid understanding. Settings may need to carry out a risk assessment, if it is deemed that a child or young person may not be able to follow instructions, to determine what mitigations need to be put in place and whether, in rare circumstances, they should stay at home. For those children and young people with a social worker, our expectation is that they should attend their educational setting unless a risk assessment concludes they will be safer at home. *[LRF): local resiliance forum Throughout this document there is a distinction made between ‘vulnerable children’ which has a wide definition as described in this link and in the relevant section below; and those who are ‘clinically vulnerable’ to coronavirus (COVID-19). ↩

This guidance has been updated to reflect the announcement by the Prime Minister that the government’s 5 tests have been met and the decision, based on all the evidence, to move forward with wider opening of education and childcare settings. It also includes details on how primary schools can use flexibility to welcome back additional pupils this term, where they have capacity. As part of national social distancing measures to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), we have had to limit the numbers of children and young people attending educational and childcare settings, to ensure that pupils and staff attending could do so safely. That is why, since 23 March 2020, education and childcare settings have only been open to priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers)1. As well as offering face-to-face provision for those able to attend, settings have also done a huge amount to support the remote education of those who have been staying at home. Innovative and fast-paced work has taken place, by committed staff, to develop resources to make this education the best it can be. Throughout this period, the work and dedication of critical workers has been crucial to our country. This of course includes all our critical workers working with children and young people – leaders, teachers, support staff, childcare workers, social workers and others, who have worked tirelessly to support the education and welfare of young people. As a result of the huge efforts everyone has made to adhere to strict social distancing measures, the government’s 5 tests have been met, meaning we can move forward with modifying measures which have been in place. Based on all the evidence, from 1 June 2020 we can welcome back more children to early years and primary school settings, and from 15 June 2020 to secondary school and further education settings. Schools, colleges and childcare providers have been planning on this basis, and confirmation that this could go ahead was provided by the Prime Minister on 28 May. We know that in some primary schools, there will be capacity to welcome more children back, in group sizes of no more than 15, before the summer holidays. This may be because, since 1 June, take-up amongst eligible children is lower than expected, or because there is additional space still available within the school and available staff to teach and supervise. There is no expectation on primary schools to welcome back additional children where they do not have capacity to do so, and they should only do so where they can accommodate more children while still following the approaches set out in this guidance and their own risk assessment. Where schools have capacity, they may choose to welcome back additional pupils. It is up to schools to decide which pupils to prioritise, based on their knowledge of their children and communities. We have worked closely with the sector, and will continue to do so over the coming weeks to support the wider opening of schools, colleges and childcare settings. In this document we are setting out the overarching aims and principles of this next phase, including information about protective measures which will be in place. We have worked with the profession to produce more detailed guidance to support planning. Next steps Education and childcare settings are already open to priority groups. Now that we have made progress in reducing the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) we are encouraging all eligible children to attend – it is no longer necessary for parents of eligible children to keep them at home if they can. In particular, as per the existing guidance on vulnerable children and young people, vulnerable children of all year groups continue to be expected and encouraged to attend educational provision where it is appropriate for them to do so. From the week commencing 1 June 2020, we are asking primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside priority groups. Primary schools that have capacity after making provision available for these groups can invite additional children to return, so long as they can accommodate more children while still following the approaches set out in the protective measures guidance and their own risk assessment. From 15 June, we are asking secondary schools, sixth form and further education colleges to offer some face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of year 10 and year 12 students and 16 to 19 learners in the first year of their course who are due to take key exams next year, alongside the full time provision they are offering to priority groups. We are also asking nurseries and other early years providers, including childminders, to begin welcoming back children of all ages from 1 June. Alternative provision settings should mirror the approach being taken for mainstream schools and also offer some face-to-face support for year 10 and 11 students (as they have no year 12) from 15 June. Special schools, special post-16 institutions and hospital schools will work towards a phased return of more children and young people without a focus on specific year groups. We want to get all children and young people back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers. Children returning to educational and childcare settings in greater numbers will also allow more families to return to work. We are therefore gradually increasing the numbers of children and young people attending schools and colleges. This decision is based on the latest scientific advice. By returning pupils gradually, settings can initially reduce the number of children and young people in classrooms compared to usual and put protective measures in place to reduce risks. Children and young people will need to stay within their new class/group wherever possible and we will ask settings to implement a range of protective measures including increased cleaning, reducing ‘pinch points’ (such as parents dropping children off at the start and end of the day), and utilising outdoor space. Staff and pupils in all settings will be eligible for testing if they become ill with coronavirus symptoms, as will members of their households. A negative test will enable children and young people to get back to childcare or education, and their parents to get back to work. A positive test will ensure rapid action to protect their classmates and staff in their setting. Those who are clinically vulnerable, or are living with someone who is, should follow our protective measures guidance. In childcare settings, providers can welcome back all children from the week commencing 1 June 2020. Demand for childcare is likely to be lower than usual at first, and existing space requirements and staff to child ratios for these age groups should allow for small group working. Where the physical layout of a setting does not allow small groups of children to be kept at a safe distance apart, we expect practitioners to exercise judgement in ensuring the highest standards of safety are maintained. In some cases, it may be necessary for providers to introduce a temporary cap on numbers to ensure that safety is prioritised. From 1 June 2020, childminders can look after children of all ages, in line with usual limits on the number of children they can care for. Year groups in first phase of wider opening The three year groups within mainstream primary have been prioritised because they are key transition years – children in Reception and year 1 are at the very beginning of their school career and are mastering the essential basics, including counting and the fundamentals of reading and writing, and learning to socialise with their peers. We know that attending early education lays the foundation for lifelong learning and supports children’s social and emotional development. Year 6 children are finishing Key Stage 2 and are preparing for the transition to secondary school, and will benefit immensely from time with their friends and teachers to ensure they are ready. We are prioritising younger children in the first phases of wider opening, for several reasons. Firstly, because there is moderately high scientific confidence in evidence suggesting younger children are less likely to become unwell if infected with coronavirus (COVID-19); and secondly because evidence shows the particularly detrimental impact which time spent out of education can have upon them. In addition, older children are more likely to have higher numbers of contacts outside of school so pose a greater transmission risk, and they are typically better able to learn at home. The two year groups in mainstream secondary schools and colleges have been prioritised because they are preparing for key examinations next year, and are most at risk of falling behind due to time out of school or college. From 15 June 2020, secondary schools and colleges will be able to offer some face-to-face contact with year 10 and year 12 pupils or 16 to 19 learners in the first year of a two-year study programme. This will supplement their remote education, which should remain the predominant mode of education during this term. Our assessment, based on the latest scientific and medical advice, is that we need to continue to control the numbers attending school or further education settings to reduce the risk of increasing transmission. Therefore, schools are able to have a quarter of the year 10 and year 12 cohort (for schools with sixth forms) in school at any one time, and should refer to our guidance for advice on minimising risk. Likewise, for colleges and other FE settings, a quarter of 16 to 19 learners in the first year of a two-year study programme may attend at any one time. Schools and colleges should also ensure that the use of public transport for travel to and from school or college is minimised as far as possible. Where it is totally necessary, this should not be during peak times. Schools should introduce staggered start and end times as appropriate to help achieve this. Our approach is in line with other countries across Europe, who have begun to bring pre-school and school-age children back in a phased way and are focusing on primary schools and younger children. Approaches between countries will vary slightly based on different public health circumstances. We expect all mainstream schools and colleges, including independent schools, to follow the same approach. We encourage middle schools to do the same and welcome back children in year 6, to ensure national parity for children in this year group. Any educational or childcare settings which have closed should work towards reopening from the week commencing 1 June 2020 to cater for children in nurseries, Reception, year 1, year 6 and priority groups, and, from 15 June, to provide some face-to-face support to pupils in years 10 and 12, and 16 to 19 learners in the first year of their course. We have provided all educational and childcare settings with further guidance and support to help them to prepare for wider opening and continue to work closely with the sector. What the latest science tells us The above approach is underpinned by our latest understanding of the science, which indicates that we need to take a phased approach to limit the risk of increasing the rate of transmission (often referred to as R) above 1. We have factored in: severity of disease in children – there is high scientific confidence that children of all ages have less severe symptoms than adults if they contract coronavirus (COVID-19) the age of children – there is moderately high scientific confidence that younger children are less likely to become unwell if infected with coronavirus (COVID-19) numbers of children going back – which needs to be limited initially then increased gradually as the science permits systems to reduce the size of the groups coming into contact with each other – such as smaller class sizes spread out across settings Approach: first phase of wider opening of educational and childcare settings From the week commencing 1 June 2020, we are asking nurseries and other early years settings to open to children of all ages, and primary schools to welcome back pupils to nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6 (including in middle schools). On 15 June, we confirmed that primary schools that have capacity, after making provision for these groups, can invite additional pupils to return, so long as they can accommodate more children while still following the approaches set out in our protective measures guidance. From 15 June, we are asking secondary schools and colleges to offer some face-to-face support for children and young people in year 10 and year 12, and 16 to 19 learners in the first year of their course, to supplement their remote education, alternative provision to mirror the approach being taken for mainstream schools and also offer some face-to-face support for year 10 and year 11 students (as they have no year 12), and special schools, special post-16 institutions and hospital schools to welcome back more pupils and students. We will assess the impact of these changes closely, working with medical and scientific advisers as well as sector leaders. When the most up-to-date assessment of the risk posed by the virus indicates that it is appropriate to do so, we will ask more primary year groups to return to school, and issue revised guidance. The following principles will apply to this phase of wider opening by settings: children and young people in eligible year groups are strongly encouraged to attend (where there are no shielding concerns for the child or their household), so that they can gain the educational and wellbeing benefits of attending vulnerable children of all year groups continue to be expected and encouraged to attend educational provision where it is appropriate for them to do so (for children with education health and care (EHC) plans this will be informed by a risk assessment approach) children, young people and staff who have been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable due to pre-existing medical conditions have been advised to shield. We do not expect people in this category to be attending school or college, and they should continue to be supported to learn or work at home as much as possible. Clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable) people are those considered to be at a higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19). Few if any children will fall into this category, but parents should follow medical advice if their child is in this category. Staff in this category should work from home where possible, and refer to the detail in our protective measures guidance a child/young person or a member of staff who lives with someone who is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable), including those who are pregnant, can attend their education or childcare setting if a child/young person or staff member lives in a household with someone who is extremely clinically vulnerable, as set out in the guidance on shielding, it is advised they only attend an education or childcare setting if stringent social distancing can be adhered to and, in the case of children, if they are able to understand and follow those instructions. This may not be possible for very young children and older children without the capacity to adhere to the instructions on social distancing. If stringent social distancing cannot be adhered to, we do not expect those individuals to attend. They should be supported to learn or work at home staff and children or young people should not attend if they have symptoms or are self-isolating due to symptoms in their household protective measures will be put in place for staff and pupils, as far as is possible, to ensure that the risk of transmission is reduced Implementation: managing risk and rate of transmission Scientific advice indicates that a phased return that limits the number of children in education settings and how much they mix with each other will help to control the rate of transmission. This is set out in our guidance. There are a number of immediate issues which educational and childcare settings will need to consider. The following list of issues are the ones we have identified as the top priorities. We recognise that each setting and community is different, and that leaders will need to make their own judgements on the most important issues for them. We have published further advice for early years, primary schools, secondary schools and further education settings to help them prepare. Key issues Risk assessment Every setting should carry out a risk assessment before opening. The assessment should directly address risks associated with coronavirus (COVID-19), so that sensible measures can be put in place to control those risks for children and staff. All employers have a duty to consult employees on health and safety, and they are best placed to understand the risks in individual settings. Class sizes and staff availability One of the protective measures we can take to reduce transmission is to have smaller group and class sizes. We know that, unlike older children and adults, early years and primary age children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. In deciding to bring more children back to early years and schools, we are taking this into account. Schools should therefore work through the hierarchy of measures set out in our guidance: avoiding contact with anyone with symptoms frequent hand cleaning and good hygiene practices regular cleaning of settings and minimising contact and mixing as far as possible As well as the measures above, secondary schools and colleges should: ensure that only a quarter of pupils in year 10 and year 12 are in school at any one time aim to practise social distancing in line with the measures the government is asking everyone to adopt in public and in workplaces, including keeping pupils 2 metres apart from each other where possible plan that classes are no more than half their usual size, to allow sufficient distancing between pupils. However, this may vary due to individual school circumstances It is still important to reduce contact between children and staff as far as possible, and settings can take steps to achieve that and reduce transmission risk by ensuring children, and staff where possible, mix in a small group and keep that small group away from other people and groups. For pre-school children in early years settings, the staff to child ratios within Early Years Foundation Stage continue to apply, and we recommend using these to group children. In mainstream primary schools the basic principle is that classes should be halved. Normally one teacher should be allocated to a group but if there are any teacher shortages then support staff may be used to lead groups, under the direction of a teacher. In mainstream secondary schools and colleges, we recognise that the range of subjects and courses taught means that some mixing may be unavoidable to provide pupils with face-to-face support from subject/specialist teachers. We would expect that these groups are still smaller than normal. More detail is provided in our protective measures guidance. Public Health England are clear that if early years, school and college settings do this, and crucially if they also apply comprehensive infection control measures, such as taking steps to ensure symptomatic individuals do not attend settings, regular hand cleaning, respiratory hygiene and cleaning measures and handling potential cases of the virus as per our advice, then the risk of transmission will be lowered. Where settings can keep children and young people in those small groups 2m away from each other, they should do so. While in general groups should be kept apart, brief, transitory, contact such as passing in a corridor is low risk. Each setting’s circumstances will be slightly different. Any setting that cannot achieve these small groups at any point should discuss options with their local authority or trust. This might be because there are not enough classrooms / spaces available in the setting or because they do not have enough available teachers / staff to supervise the groups. Solutions might involve children attending a nearby school (on a consistent basis). If necessary, settings have the flexibility to focus first on continuing to provide places for priority groups and then, to support children’s early learning, settings should prioritise groups of children as follows: early years settings – 3 and 4 year olds followed by younger age groups infant schools - nursery (where applicable) and reception primary schools – nursery (where applicable), reception and year 1 Protective measures in education and childcare settings The DfE guidance on Implementing Protective Measures in Education and Childcare Settings contains detailed advice for settings on: cleaning, including supplies of cleaning and handwashing products testing and tracing personal protective equipment (PPE) what settings should do in response to a case of coronavirus (COVID-19) being confirmed Attendance No one with symptoms should attend a setting for any reason. Eligible children and young people - including priority groups - are strongly encouraged to attend their education setting, unless they are self-isolating or they are clinically vulnerable (in which case they should follow medical advice). If someone in their household is extremely clinically vulnerable, they should only attend if stringent social distancing can be adhered to, and the child is able to understand and follow those instructions. Families should notify their nursery/school/college as normal if their child is unable to attend so that staff can explore the reason with them and address barriers together. Parents will not be fined for non-attendance at this time, and schools and colleges will not be held to account for attendance levels. Schools and colleges should continue to inform social workers where children with a social worker do not attend. Schools and colleges should resume taking their attendance register and continue to complete the online Educational Setting Status form which gives the Department for Education daily updates on how many children and staff are attending. The Department will continue to monitor attendance at early years settings, via local authorities. This is to ensure that we have up-to-date information on available early years and childcare provision during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which children are accessing it and to monitor sufficiency in particular areas. Vulnerable children and young people There is a continuing expectation that vulnerable children and young people of all year groups will attend educational or childcare provision, where it is safe and appropriate for them do so. As per the current guidance, where these children and young people are currently not attending but attendance is appropriate, we expect providers and local authorities to consider how to encourage their attendance. Vulnerable children and young people in this context include those who: are assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, including children who have a child in need plan, a child protection plan or who are a looked-after child. Attendance is expected, unless their social worker decides that they are at less risk at home or in their placement. The educational provider should notify the social worker in cases where these children or young people do not take up their place at school or college have an education, health and care (EHC) plan and it is determined, following a risk assessment, carried out with educational providers and parents, that their needs can be as safely or more safely met in the educational environment have been assessed as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who are therefore in need of continued education provision - this might include children on the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services, adopted children, those at risk of becoming NEET (‘not in employment, education or training’), those who are young carers and others at the provider and local authority’s discretion Alternative Provision Alternative Provision (AP) settings should follow the same principles and guidance as mainstream schools and welcome back, from 1 June 2020, all children in Reception, year 1 and year 6. AP settings do not have a year 12, so, from 15 June, they they should also offer some face to face support for students in year 10 and year 11 to supplement their remote education, as they are approaching key transition points. In line with the advice above for mainstream provision, settings should limit the numbers in attendance at any one time and aim to keep students in small groups as set out in our guidance. Settings should also consider ways to minimise use of public transport to get to and from school at peak times, in consultation with local authorities. Priority groups of all ages should continue to be offered a place and strongly encouraged to attend. Special schools Special schools, special post-16 institutions and hospital schools should work towards welcoming back as many children and young people as can be safely catered for in their setting. They may want to prioritise attendance based on key transitions and the impact on life chances and development, and to consider creating part-time attendance rotas so that as many children as possible can benefit from attending their setting. Special settings should work with local authorities and families to ensure that decisions about attendance are informed by existing risk assessments for their children and young people, which should be kept up to date. Sixth form and further education (FE) colleges From 15 June, further education settings (including general further education colleges, sixth form colleges, and other providers) can offer face-to-face support to 16 to 19 learners. Remote education should remain the predominant mode of learning during this time. To help reduce the coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission risk, the number of learners attending at any one time will be limited to a quarter of those on the first year of a two-year 16 to 19 study programme. Further guidance is available here. Curriculum The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that schools and childcare settings must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. Early years settings should use reasonable endeavours to deliver the learning and development requirements as far as possible in the current circumstances, as set out here. Schools and colleges continue to be best placed to make decisions about how to support and educate all their pupils during this period, based on the local context and staff capacity. Where year groups are returning to school, we would expect school leaders and teachers to: consider their pupils’ mental health and wellbeing and identify any pupil who may need additional support so they are ready to learn assess where pupils are in their learning, and agree what adjustments may be needed to the school curriculum over the coming weeks identify and plan how best to support the education of high needs groups, including disadvantaged pupils, and SEND and vulnerable pupils support pupils in Year 6, who will need both their primary and secondary schools to work together to support their upcoming transition to Year 7 Schools should use best endeavours to support pupils attending school as well as those remaining at home, making use of the available remote education support. No school will be penalised if they are unable to offer a broad and balanced curriculum to their pupils during this period. Priority groups Settings will need to consider how they integrate children and young people from priority groups who are attending but not in any of the transition year groups into their education offer. Settings have the flexibility to make the right decision for their circumstances on how these pupils are supervised, continue to learn and are supported in school. Assessment and accountability There are no changes to the previously announced expectations on assessment and accountability. No examinations or assessments will take place this term and Ofsted will continue to pause routine inspection. Staff workload and wellbeing Governing boards and senior leaders should be conscious of the wellbeing of all staff, including senior leaders themselves, and the need to implement flexible working practices in a way that promotes good work-life balance and supports teachers and leaders. Workload should be carefully managed and schools and colleges should assess whether staff who are having to stay at home due to health conditions are able to support remote education, while others focus on face-to-face provision. Senior leaders and boards will want to factor this into their resource and curriculum planning, and consider where additional resource could be safely brought in if necessary. Transport Parents and children and young people should be encouraged to walk or cycle where possible, and avoid public transport at peak times. They should refer to guidance on safe travel, particularly on public transport. Home to school transport provided or organised by schools, trusts or local authorities varies widely. Schools, trusts and local authorities should work together and with relevant transport providers to put in place arrangements which fit the local circumstances, including the measures being put in place to reduce contact. Further guidance is available in Guidance on implementing protective measures. Food Schools should provide meals for all children in school, and meals should be available free of charge where pupils meet the free school meal (FSM) eligibility criteria. To ensure food is available for pupils who attend, educational settings are expected to reopen their kitchens and ensure that meals are able to be prepared and served safely. We are also continuing to ask schools to work with their food providers to offer meals or food parcels for benefits-related free school meal pupils not in school. Now that schools are opening more widely, school catering teams will be better placed to do this. The provision of food vouchers for those eligible under the benefits criteria will also continue to be available where needed. Information on supporting those in FE with free meals is in the FE operational guidance. Costs associated with opening for more children and young people As previously confirmed, schools will continue to receive their core funding allocations – as determined by the local authority for maintained schools and through the general annual grant (GAG) for academies. FE colleges continue to receive funding in line with the flexibilities that have been announced in recent weeks including payment on profile for 16 to 19 study programmes without reconciliation. In addition, we have announced a fund for schools to cover specific additional costs as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak – this remains open and should be used by schools as appropriate. Access to the wider business support schemes, including Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), can continue to be used for staff typically paid for through private income, on condition that the principles in Department for Education’s sector specific guidance continue to be met. For early years settings, the dedicated schools grant (DSG) should continue to be paid by local authorities for provision of free entitlements. Where parents are accessing hours beyond the free entitlements they are eligible for, early year providers should continue to charge parents in the normal way. The wider business support packages can continue to be used as appropriate, including the loan schemes and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), on condition that the principles in Department for Education’s sector specific guidance continue to be met. We are continuing to work with the childcare sector to understand how the early years sector can best be supported to ensure that sufficient safe, appropriate and affordable childcare is available for those returning to work now, and for all families who need it in the longer term. Further guidance and support We have published: supporting guidance on protective measures which should be implemented in education settings guidance for parents and carers a planning guide for early years and childcare settings a planning guide for primary schools guidance for secondary school provision guidance for further education providers This complements the existing guidance for schools and educational settings that continues to be relevant (and which will be updated in due course where needed). Throughout this document there is a distinction made between ‘vulnerable children’ which has a wide definition as described in this link and in the relevant section below; and those who are ‘clinically vulnerable’ to coronavirus (COVID-19). ↩

How it works You could get £67.25 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for. You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person. If someone else also cares for the same person as you, only one of you can claim Carer’s Allowance. Carer’s Allowance can affect the other benefits that you and the person you care for get. You have to pay tax on it if your income is over the Personal Allowance. This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg). Claiming Carer’s Allowance if you’re affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) You can claim Carer’s Allowance if you provide care remotely during the coronavirus outbreak. This includes giving emotional support over the phone or online. How you’re paid You can choose to be paid weekly in advance or every 4 weeks. It will be paid into an account, for example your bank account. What else you can get For each week you get Carer’s Allowance you’ll automatically get National Insurance credits. You may also be able to apply for: support from your local council a Council Tax Reduction Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or out of work Pension Credit if you’re over working age grants and bursaries to help pay for courses and training Income Support (if you get the severe disability premium and you’re on a low income) income-based Employment and Support Allowance (if you get the severe disability premium and you cannot work) If you live in Scotland and get Carer’s Allowance, you may also get Carer’s Allowance Supplement. Get help and advice You can get more help and advice from: Carers UK Carers Trust Citizens Advice NHS: Carers Direct helpline

First drug proven to cut Covid-19 deaths is found by a global study Cheap and widely available Dexamethasone effective on seriously ill Further 233 deaths registered in the UK - total to have died now 41,969 There have been more than 8m confirmed virus cases worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University NZ reports two new cases after a month without any, both recent arrivals from the UK More than 600,000 workers lost their jobs in the UK between March and May Hospitals in the Indian capital Delhi are overwhelmed, but officials have ruled out a new lockdown.

Sam Coates of Sky News asks how quickly people in the NHS can expect to get dexamethasone. He also asks why the drug has been put on the export ban list. "I'm not aware of that," says the PM, replying to his second question first. "It sound peculiar to me," he adds, and promises to look in to whether it is on the export ban list and if so why. On the first question, Patrick Vallance says the chief medical officer will issue guidance to say it should be used for medical practice shortly. He reiterates that the drug is inexpensive and widely available.

Matt Hancock told the Downing Street press briefing on 26 May that the launch of the NHS test-and-trace system would allow ‘local lockdowns’. Councils do not have the legal powers to enforce a “local lockdown” across a city, town or neighbourhood to prevent clusters of coronavirus cases spreading widely into the community, local authority leaders have warned. They called on ministers to urgently spell out what a local lockdown might mean in practical terms or risk a local outbreak spreading out of control, at a hearing of a parliamentary committee. Greg Fell, director of public health for Sheffield, said that while councils did have the power to act to control smaller outbreaks “in a school or a workplace or a care home” by, for example ordering them to close, that did not apply for larger areas. “If we get to a scenario whereby we need to close down Fulwood in Sheffield or close down Sheffield, I don’t think we have the powers to do that at local authority level,” Fell told MPs on the communities committee. “But by the time we get to needing to close down Sheffield, we will be in widespread community transmission again, so I think we may well be in national lockdown territory by that time. So I think the government actually needs to answer what does local lockdown mean.” Last month, Matt Hancock, the health secretary said that the launch of the NHS test-and-trace system on 1 June – designed to track coronavirus cases – would allow for “local lockdowns” in an attempt to suppress outbreaks in the future. Ministers hope that by rolling out testing across the country and tracing the contacts of those who turn out positive it will become possible to monitor the emergence of hotspots, but it is unclear if the model can work in practice. Cllr Ian Hudspeth, the Conservative leader of Oxfordshire county council, told the MPs that he believed it would be possible to obtain the legal power to shut down an area or city from Whitehall’s Cobra emergency committee. But by then, Hudspeth added, “that passage of time has not been assisting,” meaning that the contagious disease could easily have spread out of control. “It’d be interesting for [central] government to confirm what is meant by the local lockdown,” he added, including “clear guidance as to those powers and what is expected of us”. Advertisement Several witnesses to the committee also said they had been given no launch date for the NHS contact tracing app, which was intended to be at the heart of the system when it was announced by Hancock several weeks ago. Coronavirus UK map: the latest deaths and confirmed Covid-19 cases It has been repeatedly delayed for technical reasons, while it is tested on the Isle of Wight, and Fell told the committee that in Sheffield “we are building our plans around the app not being available to us” adding that in the past “contact tracing has been done by skilled humans, in a food poisoning outbreak, in a sexual health related outbreaks”. Tom Riordan, chief executive of Leeds city council, who is working with the Department of Health to bring together national and local contact tracing systems, said there was “no specific date at the moment” for the launch of the app “but I think it is in the next few weeks”. The app, he said, would be particularly useful as people returned to work in greater numbers, using public transport. “It will cover those people who you didn’t know you were near,” Riordan added. With those in power failing us … … at this historic moment, we demand better. From the coronavirus pandemic and police brutality to the marginalisation of minority communities around the world, leadership is broken. Devoid of the humility and inclusivity we so desperately need, and given to narcissism, leaders are gambling with public health, safety and the future of younger generations. They unapologetically prioritise serving themselves over the people they were elected to serve. We have to make them raise their game. That’s what the Guardian’s here for. As an open, independent news organisation we investigate, interrogate and expose the incompetence and indifference of those in power, without fear. Our journalism is free from political and commercial bias – this makes us different. We can give a voice to the oppressed and neglected, and stand in solidarity with with those who are calling for a fairer future. With your help we can bring about improvement. Millions are flocking to the Guardian for quality news every day. We believe everyone deserves access to information that is fact-checked, and analysis that has authority and integrity. That’s why, unlike many others, we made a choice: to keep Guardian reporting open for all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. We’re determined to provide journalism that helps each of us better understand the world, and take actions that challenge, unite, and inspire change – in times of crisis and beyond. Our work would not be possible without our readers, who now support our work from 180 countries around the world. But news organisations are facing an existential threat. With advertising revenues plummeting, the Guardian risks losing a major source of its funding. More than ever before, we’re reliant on financial support from readers to fill the gap. Your support keeps us independent, open, and means we can maintain our high quality reporting – investigating, disentangling and interrogating.

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world, with eight million confirmed cases in 188 countries. More than 430,000 people have lost their lives. This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus. How many cases and deaths have there been? The virus, which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19, was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China, in late 2019. It then spread quickly across the globe in the first months of 2020. mapped Zoom to The world Africa North America Latin America & Caribbean Asia Europe Middle East Oceania Show 8,012,881 cases 437,168deaths Senegal 5,247 cases 2,100,000 Circles show number of confirmed coronavirus cases per country. Source: Johns Hopkins University, national public health agencies Figures last updated 16 June 2020, 12:09 BST Note: The map, table and animated bar chart in this page use a different source for figures for France from that used by Johns Hopkins University, which results in a slightly lower overall total. US figures do not include Puerto Rico, Guam or the US Virgin Islands. The US has by far the largest number of cases - now more than two million and about 25% of the global total - according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University. It also has the world's highest death toll, followed by Brazil and the UK. In China, the official death toll is some 4,600 from about 84,000 confirmed cases, although critics have questioned whether the country's official numbers can be trusted. Globally, the true number of cases is thought to be much higher than the reported figures, as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted. data in detail The outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March. This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time. The WHO has warned that the pandemic is a long way from being over and says people should be prepared for new outbreaks, especially in areas where lockdowns are eased. Globally, at least 4.5 billion people - half the world's population - were living under social distancing measures at the height of the pandemic in Europe, according to the AFP news agency's estimates. Those restrictions have had a big impact on the global economy, with the International Monetary Fund warning the world faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The United Nations World Food Programme has also warned that the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger. Where are coronavirus cases and deaths still rising? While some countries are starting to see confirmed cases and deaths fall following strict lockdown restrictions, others are still seeing figures rise. A sharp increase in cases in Latin America in the second half of May led the WHO to say the Americas were the new centre of the pandemic. But there have also been new spikes in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Peru, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador and Brazil are among the Latin America countries which have seen widespread outbreaks. Chile has extended its state of catastrophe orders by a further 90 days, to allow the government to continue to enforce quarantine restrictions, while Peru has announced its economy shrunk by 40% in April when compared with April last year. The health crisis continues in Brazil, which has by far the largest population in Latin America. The country now has the second highest official death toll in the world and is recording an average of about 1,000 deaths per day. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the risks of the virus and prioritised the economy in his decision-making, even criticising state governors for introducing regional quarantine measures. Elsewhere, India and Pakistan have both seen the number of infections and deaths rise in recent weeks and the healthcare systems in both countries appear to be under strain. Authorities in the southern Indian city of Chennai are to reimpose a lockdown on Friday after a surge in cases. In Iran there are fears of a second wave of infections. New cases averaged more than 3,000 a day in the first week of June - a 50% increase on the previous week. China is also dealing with dozens of new cases believed to be connected a Beijing wholesale market, and has imposed lockdown measures on several neighbourhoods. South Africa and Egypt have seen the largest outbreaks so far in Africa. But testing rates are reported to be extremely low in some parts of the continent so this could be distorting understanding of how far the virus has spread. Europe easing lockdown restrictions In Europe, the UK, Italy, Spain and France, along with others, now appear to have passed the peak, with the number of new confirmed cases and deaths falling. The UK has reported more than 41,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest number in Europe. Italy has the second highest death toll with about 34,000, while both France and Spain are just below 30,000. However, differences in population size and how countries report their figures, with some including deaths in care homes, or deaths of those suspected but not confirmed of having the virus, means international comparisons are complicated. Having been on lockdown to control the spread of the virus, European countries are now beginning to ease restrictions. How and when restrictions are lifted varies from country to country, but the WHO has urged all nations to adopt a "slow, steady" approach. The risk of a second wave of infections requiring European countries to re-impose full lockdowns is moderate to high, according to the EU agency that monitors infectious diseases. How European countries are easing lockdowns New York the worst-hit in US outbreak With more than two million cases, the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world. It has also recorded more than 115,000 deaths. The state of New York has been particularly badly affected, with more than 30,000 deaths in total, but the number of daily deaths has remained below 100 since late May - down from 1,000 a day in early April. At one point, more than 90% of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders, but most states have now loosened their stay-at-home restrictions and allowed some businesses to reopen - a move health officials fear could further spread the virus. Nationally, the number of new cases has remained steady at around 20,000 a day for several weeks, but the situation is not the same in every state. In recent days the governors of Oregon and Utah halted plans to ease lockdown restrictions, citing local spikes in infections. More than 44 million people - more than a quarter of the country's workforce - have applied for jobless benefits since the pandemic hit. The economic downturn in the US has now been officially declared a recession.

A cheap and widely available drug can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with coronavirus. The low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus, UK experts say. The drug is part of the world's biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus. It cut the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen, it cut deaths by a fifth. Had the drug had been used to treat patients in the UK from the start of the pandemic, up to 5,000 lives could have been saved, researchers say. And it could be of huge benefit in poorer countries with high numbers of Covid-19 patients. About 19 out of 20 patients with coronavirus recover without being admitted to hospital. Of those who are admitted to hospital, most also recover, but some may need oxygen or mechanical ventilation. These are the high-risk patients whom dexamethasone appears to help. The drug is already used to reduce inflammation in a range of other conditions, and it appears that it helps stop some of the damage that can happen when the body's immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight off coronavirus. The body's over-reaction is called a cytokine storm and it can be deadly. In the trial, led by a team from Oxford University, around 2,000 hospital patients were given dexamethasone and were compared with more than 4,000 who did not receive the drug. For patients on ventilators, it cut the risk of death from 40% to 28%. For patients needing oxygen, it cut the risk of death from 25% to 20%. Chief investigator Prof Peter Horby said: "This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality - and it reduces it significantly. It's a major breakthrough." Lead researcher Prof Martin Landray says the findings suggest that for every eight patients treated on ventilators, you could save one life. For those patients treated with oxygen, you save one life for approximately every 20-25 treated with the drug. "There is a clear, clear benefit. The treatment is up to 10 days of dexamethasone and it costs about £5 per patient. So essentially it costs £35 to save a life. This is a drug that is globally available." Prof Landray said, when appropriate, hospital patients should now be given it without delay, but people should not go out and buy it to take at home. Dexamethasone does not appear to help people with milder symptoms of coronavirus - those who don't need help with their breathing. The Recovery Trial has been running since March. It included the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine which has subsequently been ditched amid concerns that it increases fatalities and heart problems. Another drug called remdesivir, an antiviral treatment that appears to shorten recovery time for people with coronavirus, is already being made available on the NHS. The first drug proven to cut deaths from Covid-19 is not some new, expensive medicine but an old, cheap-as-chips steroid. That is something to celebrate because it means patients across the world could benefit immediately. That's why the top-line results of this trial have been rushed out - because the implications are so huge globally. Dexamethasone has been used since the early 1960s to treat a wide range of conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Half of all Covid patients who require a ventilator do not survive, so cutting that risk by a third would have a huge impact. The drug is given intravenously in intensive care, and in tablet form for less seriously ill patients. So far, the only other drug proven to benefit Covid patients is remdesivir, an antiviral treatment which has been used for Ebola. That has been shown to reduce the duration of coronavirus symptoms from 15 days to 11, but the evidence was not strong enough to show whether it reduced mortality. Unlike dexamethasone, remdesivir is a new drug with limited supplies and a price has yet to be announced.

The government in England has agreed to extend a voucher scheme for children on free school meals during the summer holidays, following a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford and others. It had previously insisted the scheme would finish at the end of the summer term. Scotland and Wales will also continue with the voucher programme. So, who is eligible for free school meals and how do they work? Which children get free school meals? Free school meals have been at least partially funded by the government for more than a century, because of concerns about malnourishment and children being too hungry to concentrate during lessons. Children of all ages living in households on income-related benefits may be eligible, from government-maintained nurseries through to sixth forms. Eligibility varies slightly between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because the nations set their own rules. New claims made from April 2018 in England must come from households earning a maximum income of £7,400 a year after tax, not including any benefits. It's the same in Scotland and Wales, but in Northern Ireland the household income threshold is £14,000 In England and Scotland, all infant state school pupils (those in Reception and in Years 1 and 2) can get free school meals during term time. If a child qualifies for school meals they remain eligible until they finish the phase of school they're in as of 31 March 2022, whether primary or secondary. How many children get free school meals? In England, about 1.3 million children claimed for free school meals in 2019, or about 15% of state-educated pupils. In Manchester, where Marcus Rashford grew up, the figure is 28.1% The take-up was greatest in parts of London, the north of England and the Midlands where between a quarter and a third of all pupils were receiving free school meals.Who gets free school meals? Premier League footballer Marcus Rashford successfully campaigned for school meals vouchers to continue over the summerHow has the scheme changed during coronavirus? The majority of children have not been at school during the coronavirus pandemic. This has prompted concerns that those eligible for free school meals could "fall through the cracks" and go hungry. In recent years, free school meals have been linked to lowering obesity levels, and boosting academic achievement for poorer pupils. During term time, the government in England expects schools to support pupils eligible for free school meals through an alternative scheme, such as: Food parcels for collection or delivery The government's centrally-funded national voucher scheme Alternative vouchers for a local shop or supermarket Many families have been issued with either an electronic voucher or gift card worth £15 each week per pupil, to spend at supermarkets including Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S. But the system has suffered problems including schools struggling to log on, parents being unable to download vouchers and some saying the vouchers failed when they tried to use them. The programme, which has cost more than £129m since lockdown began, also ran throughout the Easter and May half-term holidays. What did Marcus Rashford say? Calling for the government in England to change its decision, Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford said his family had once relied on free school meals. "The system isn't built for families like mine to succeed," he said. Campaigners had also threatened legal action against the government if it didn't extending the food voucher scheme. Reversing the decision, Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed Mr Rashford's "contribution to the debate around poverty". A "Covid summer food fund" will now offer six-week food vouchers to children eligible for free school meals in England during the holidays. What is happening in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland? In Wales, the government will support children on free school meals with food vouchers, meal deliveries or bank transfers until children go back to school The same is true in Scotland In Northern Ireland, free school meal payments will stop over the summer holidays, the education minister has said.

The report examined why black and Asian people faced the greatest risks from coronavirusDoctors have called for the recommendations of a report into the impact of Covid-19 on black, Asian and minority ethnic people to be implemented immediately. The British Medical Association said it was "critical" to carry out risk assessments of vulnerable groups and protect them at work. Racism could contribute to increased risks for BAME groups, the report said. Commissioned by Public Health England, it has seven recommendations. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, who chairs the council of the British Medical Association, said: "It's important we now move forward and deliver those changes because it's the fair and right thing to do for our population." He said more than 90% of doctors who had died during the pandemic were from BAME backgrounds. Doctors from these communities were also three times as likely to say they had felt pressured to work without sufficient protective equipment, he added. Racism 'could play a part in BAME Covid deaths' Virus death risk is higher for ethnic minorities Why are more BAME people dying from coronavirus? Dr Nagpaul said the recommendation for risk assessments would mean workers at the greatest risk - in healthcare and other key worker roles - could be redeployed into safer roles, such as tackling the backlog of non-coronavirus illness in the NHS. The report, the second by PHE on Covid-19 inequalities and previously seen by the BBC in draft, said "historic racism and poorer experiences of healthcare or at work" meant people in BAME groups were less likely to seek care when they needed or speak up if they had concerns about risk in the workplace. It was prompted by data showing that black and Asian groups had the highest death rates from coronavirus. People of Bangladeshi ethnicity had twice the risk of death than people of white British ethnicity, accounting for age and sex. The report said the unequal impact may be explained by social and economic inequalities, racism, discrimination and stigma, differing risks at work and inequalities in the prevalence of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and asthma, which can increase the severity of Covid-19. The report recommends: Better data collection about ethnicity and religion, including having this recorded on death certificates to accurately monitor the impact on these communities Supporting further research with the participation of BAME communities to understand the increased risk and develop programmes to reduce it Improving BAME groups' access to, experiences of and outcomes from NHS and other services - using audits, health impact assessments and better representation of black and minority ethnic communities among staff Developing risk assessments for BAME workers in roles where they are exposed to a large section of the general public or those infected with the virus Producing culturally sensitive education and prevention campaigns to rebuild trust and help communities access services such as contact tracing, antibody testing and a future vaccine Targeting BAME groups with culturally sensitive health messages to address conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma Ensuring that Covid-19 recovery strategies actively address inequalities to create long-term change.

Man Utd's Rashford speaks about mother's sacrifices in his bid to end food poverty About 1.3 million children will get free school meal vouchers during the holidays, following a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford. The Manchester United forward, 22, welcomed the six-week voucher for eligible children, saying: "Look at what we can do when we come together." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the move was a "welcome U-turn". Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Mr Rashford's "contribution to the debate around poverty". All children eligible for free school meals in term time in England will benefit from the "Covid summer food fund", Downing Street said. The support works out as about £15 a week per recipient, and will cost about £120m. BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said he was told this was "additional funding agreed by the Treasury". Who gets free school meals? Live reaction as school meal fund promised In an open letter to MPs posted on Monday, the Manchester United forward drew on his own experience of relying on free school meals and food banks growing up. The footballer had asked others to think about struggling parents who have had their "water turned off" during the coronavirus lockdown, and whose children have gone hungry. Families whose children qualify for free meals have received vouchers or parcels in lockdown. While provision was already arranged to continue through the summer in Scotland and Wales, it was going to end in England at the end of term. Almost 1.3 million school children in England - accounting for 15.4% of state-educated pupils - were eligible for and claiming free school meals, according to the latest available data. Official figures for 2019 showed the need was greatest in parts of London, the north and Midlands where between a quarter and a third of all pupils were getting the free meals. The prime minister's official spokesman said: "Owing to the coronavirus pandemic the prime minister fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer. "To reflect this we will be providing a Covid summer food fund. This will provide food vouchers covering the six-week holiday period." He added the measure was a response to the "unique circumstances of the pandemic" and would not continue beyond the summer. Those eligible will be children who already qualify for free school meals. Referring to Mr Rashford, he added: "The PM welcomes his contribution to the debate around poverty and respects the fact that he has been using his profile as a leading sportsman to highlight important issues." As a striker with a killer instinct in front of goal, Marcus Rashford is used to beating defences. And he's cut straight through a nervous defensive wall of Conservative ministers - leaving them wrong-footed and facing an embarrassing own goal. A number of Tory MPs had already voiced their disquiet - and how many of them really wanted to find themselves up against an England football hero, and the risk of children going hungry? The U-turn means the government will pay the extra £120m to extend free school meal vouchers across the six weeks of the holidays, available to 1.3 million children. It's a one-off deal for the unprecedented pressure caused by the coronavirus - with food banks warning of growing demands. But Rashford, and his 2.7 million Twitter followers, proved a tough target for the government - and he's beaten them with a fast-footed appeal directly to public opinion. MPs had been preparing to debate the issue of free school meals ending, in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. Tory MP Tim Loughton said he was "delighted" the government had "listened to Conservative backbenchers" - and opposition parties also welcomed the move. The children's commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said she was pleased ministers had "seen sense and changed their minds". Ms Longfield, who wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak about the issue last week, added: "Free school meals are the last line of defence against poverty and hunger for many families."

Our dogs love us so much that they’ll remain loyal to us even after we’ve passed on. We’ve seen many stories of pets continuing to stay by their late owner’s death bed or even visit their grave. But one story is even more heartbreaking: a dog was found continuing to wait for his owner… at the scene where he committed suicide. The dog was found on the Yangtze Bridge in Wuhan, China. A man named Xu reportedly discovered the poor dog and shared the photos on social media. Xu tried to pick up the dog himself, hoping to find him a good home. But after learning from nearby workers that a man had jumped off the bridge on May 30, he realized the dog belong to the deceased man and was loyally waiting for him to return. “I wanted to rescue it, but it was too faithful to accept,” Mr. Xu told Chutian Metropolis Daily. The dog didn’t accept food or water, he just stared through the railing, confused to what happened. After Xu shared the story, Du Fan, director of the Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association, went to the bridge and was able to rescue the dog. Surveillance footage confirmed that the dog’s owner jumped off the bridge. The rescuers could only hope to try and give the dog a second chapter. “We still hope to find a new owner for the dog,” Du said, according to the Daily Mail. “We think it’s too sad for such a loyal dog to stray on the streets.” What a heartbreaking story. It shows just how much our dogs love us, and how they stay loyal to us even after we’re gone. We hope this dog finds a good home soon. Share this story! Created with work by: https://www.theanimalclub.net/dogs/dog-is-found-waiting-on-bridge-days-after-owner-committed-suicide/?fbclid=IwAR20ZozztbzJ5K_mPFaXtN57mq6vPwnhEr9bXxZYpNGW5hcnN8UI6Su9tLo MKLN&A-UK3

Young people can feel isolated from friends despite the presence of social mediaThe delay in getting children and adolescents back to schools is a "national disaster" that is putting their mental health at risk, say leading psychologists. In an open letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, they say the isolation of lockdown is harming already vulnerable young people. Highlighting the low risk to children of Covid-19, they call for social distancing measures to be minimised. And for a return to normal life. In the letter, signed by more than 100 specialists in psychology, mental health and neuroscience, and published in The Sunday Times, they write: "As experts working across disciplines, we are united as we urge you to reconsider your decision and to release children and young people from lockdown. "Allow them to play together and continue their education by returning to preschool, school, college and university, and enjoy extra-curricular activities including sport and music as normally, and as soon, as possible." Rising anxiety and loneliness It comes after an opinion piece in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health warned of the damaging long-term consequences of a lack of face-to-face contact among young people and their peers. Prof Ellen Townsend, professor of psychology at the University of Nottingham, who organised the letter, said mental health problems such as anxiety were already rising in young people before lockdown. She told the BBC there was evidence that growing feelings of loneliness and social isolation as a result of school closures during the pandemic could be making that worse, especially among teenagers. And she described hearing some "heart-breaking stories" of children struggling. The letter also points to evidence that children are at low risk from Covid-19. "Suicide is already the leading cause of death in 5-19 year olds in England and the second leading cause of death in young people globally; thankfully, Covid-19 will never claim this many young lives," it says. Impact of lockdown on teenagers' lives How did going back to school lose the plot? Covid 'support bubbles' begin in England and NI The letter goes on to say that children are being "neglected in this crisis" and "their futures must now be given priority". Schools were shut across the UK on 20 March in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus. 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. A small number of primary school children have returned in England, but only in small groups. 'Lifelong consequences' Signatories to the letter include Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, professor of psychology at the University of Cambridge, Prof Rory O'Connor, chair in health psychology at Glasgow University, broadcaster and author Prof Tanya Byron and Prof Uta Frith, from the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. From now on, young people must be included in making decisions involving them, they say. "We need to recognise the sacrifice that children have already made for others and we should not ask for that sacrifice to continue. "When many of this cohort enter adulthood, we will be deep in recession, so they will need mental resilience and educational preparedness. "Instead we are damaging both, with lifelong consequences for them and society," the letter ends.

Some secondary pupils in England have gone back to school - seeing their teachers face-to-face for the first time since the lockdown began in March. But only 25% of pupils in Years 10 and 12 can be in school at any one time. Many will only have a few hours of teaching each week - and not all schools are taking back more pupils. The Department for Education, in updated guidance on Monday, says pupils in other years could return to school for a one-off meeting with teachers. "I want to make sure as many pupils as possible can get back into the classroom and be reunited with their friends and teachers before the summer," said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson. As well as the return of some secondary classes, and pupils in Reception, Years 1 and 6, schools have also been told they can provide a "check-in" meeting for other year groups, before the end of term. The return of the two secondary school year groups, taking their GCSEs and A-levels next summer, is not a return to full-time classes. Many pupils, who have been studying online at home, will be returning for a limited number of hours each week, or for catch-up meetings with teachers. Important to get back, say pupils Macy, a Year 10 pupil in Hartlepool, said that school would be very different from usual - but wanted to catch up as she worried she had "dropped behind". "We won't be in school for as long - and we'll be in bubbles, which is a group of six people. And there are measures put in place - like a one-way system, so it prevents people crossing in corridors," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. But she was keen to get back after being "stuck in the house and and not seeing friends face-to-face". "You lose your focus and your motivation to do anything," she said. "It's important to get back as soon as we can." Scotland might delay next year's exams How one secondary school is bringing back pupils Which schools are reopening for pupils? Gulliver in Tameside, Greater Manchester, said his school would not open until next week - and said there was a lack of information about what would happen next. Another Year 10 pupil in Hartlepool, Isaac, said his school had been in touch about the safety measures - and he said it was "really important" that young people could go back. He said they would benefit from having "routines in place - and we feel like we're finally getting back to normal and feel like we're making progress". Pupils have been studying at home, but they reported different levels of online teaching being made available. Digital deprivation A proposal signed by four former education secretaries, a former head of Ofsted and the Chairman of the Education Select Committee, Robert Halfon, as well as former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is calling for funding for online access to disadvantaged families. Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh is to present a Bill on the issue in Parliament. She said: "This policy isn't a silver bullet and can't replace months of missed education. But it would make an immediate, tangible difference to families right across our country." It is estimated that at least 700,000 disadvantaged children lack access to computers or internet, which are crucial for them to continue their education remotely. Ministers have already set up a scheme to lend 330,000 laptops to England's poorest children, those on the pupil premium, but thus far only 100,000 devices have been distributed to local authorities and academy trusts. A government spokesman said: "The government has already committed £100m to support children to learn at home and pupil premium funding at the highest ever rate continues to be paid to help schools support their disadvantaged pupils." Catch-up plans Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is also due to set out the details of his summer catch-up plans in the coming days. It comes after he scrapped plans for primary schools to bring all pupils back for a month before the summer break. In Monday's updated guidance, the Department for Education confirmed again that if schools had enough space they had the "flexibility" to bring back more pupils. In Scotland, Education Secretary John Swinney has suggested that next year's exams could take place later than usual. If exams were pushed back it would give schools more time to catch up on missed lessons and allow courses to be completed. Summer catch-up plan for schools pledged England's back-to-school plans 'lie in tatters' School still out for most pupils but what do parents think? Many primary pupils not back until September Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said secondary schools in England were working hard to bring students safely back. But he called for a detailed and coherent plan to be agreed as soon as possible for how schools would reopen in the autumn. If social distancing is still in place there will be pressures on school capacity and staffing for any extra classrooms. Liberal Democrat education spokesman Layla Moran has written to the PM and education secretary, calling for a recruitment campaign. She is also calling for local safe space registers to be drawn up to allow schools to use buildings and community spaces that are vacant nearby. And local councils are urging ministers to work with them to find local solutions. Mr Whiteman, however, said relying on finding empty buildings was unlikely to be workable. "Based on government guidelines, we would need roughly double the number of classrooms available. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of spaces," he said.

The attack happened on Greenfield Drive in WishawTwo police officers have been seriously injured following an attack in Wishaw. One of the constables, who is 24, suffered a serious head injury and the other constable, aged 23, suffered a serious injury to his hand - both caused by a bladed weapon. The attack happened in Greenfield Drive just before 23:00 on Sunday. The officers were taken to the University Hospital Wishaw where they are both in a stable condition. A 25-year-old man has been arrested. Police said the officers had been dealing with a separate incident returning a 10-year-old boy to an address on Greenfield Drive when they were approached by the man.

A two-week quarantine period for anyone arriving in the UK is now being enforced. More than 200 travel companies have asked for the new rules to be scrapped and some MPs have also voiced concerns. Home Secretary Priti Patel said the move would protect public health, now that imported coronavirus cases ''pose a more significant threat''. What are the new quarantine rules? Passengers arriving in the UK by plane, ferry or train - including UK nationals - will be asked to provide an address where they will self-isolate for 14 days. Travellers can be fined £100 for failing to fill in a form with these details. Surprise visits will be used to check they are following the rules. Those in England could be fined up to £1,000 if they fail to self-isolate. Passengers should drive their own car to their destination, where possible. If they don't provide an address, the government will arrange accommodation at the traveller's expense. Once at their destination they must not use public transport or taxis. They must not go to work, school, or public areas, or have visitors except for essential support. They are also not allowed to go out to buy food, or other essentials, where they can rely on others. Employers should agree future working arrangements with staff before they travel internationally. Those returning from overseas will not be eligible for statutory sick pay unless they meet the required conditions - for example displaying coronavirus symptoms. Is anywhere exempt from quarantine? Anyone arriving from the Common Travel Area (CTA) - the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man - does not have to enter quarantine. However, you can't avoid self-isolation by heading to these places first on your way back to the UK - a loophole termed by some as the "Dublin dodge". Travellers from these places will only be exempt from quarantine if they have been in the CTA for at least 14 days. The government has also said it is looking into ''international travel corridors'' between the UK and countries with low infection rates and strong healthcare systems. It hopes this could avoid the need for quarantine for travellers between the two. However, the government is currently advising against all non-essential travel, and hasn't given a date for when quarantine will end. The measures will be reviewed in late June, three weeks after their introduction, to check they remain ''effective and necessary''. Who is exempt from quarantine? There are a number of groups who are exempt, including: Road haulage and freight workers Medical and care professionals providing essential healthcare Those arriving for pre-arranged medical treatment Passengers in transit , if they do not pass through border control Seasonal agricultural workers if they self-isolate where they are working UK residents who ordinarily travel overseas at least once a week for work Seasonal agricultural workers are exempt if they self-isolate where they are working Do other countries have quarantine rules? Travellers could find they also have to enter quarantine when they arrive in another country. Fourteen-day quarantine rules apply in destinations including Greece, Canada, the UAE, Australia and New Zealand. Many have introduced screening measures such as temperature checks, and entry restrictions. In Spain, only UK citizens with permanent resident status can enter. From 1 July, Spain will allow some travellers in without quarantining, but this doesn't include the UK. Some arrivals in Italy must carry a form explaining their reason for travel France has announced quarantine plans for UK arrivals The US only has 13 airports open for international flights Canada has barred most foreign nationals, and airlines must carry out health assessments The United Arab Emirates has strict entry rules for foreign residents UK citizens need a special exemption visa to travel to Australia Many airports have taken measures to help enforce social distancing rules. What has the response been? Airlines UK, which represents various airlines, said quarantine "would effectively kill off air travel". The British Ports Association, which represents ferry companies, has also spoken out against the measures - calling them "overzealous". Will airlines still be flying? Virgin Atlantic will restart a handful of routes from 20th July, with more to follow in August. EasyJet will restart a ''small number'' of flights on 15 June, with all passengers and cabin crew told to wear face masks. Ryanair plans to reintroduce 40% of its flights from 1 July, subject to travel restrictions being lifted and safety measures being brought in at airports. British Airways is reviewing its plans to run 50% of its schedule from July, because of the new quarantine rules.

Shoppers keep 2m apart as they queue outside shops in Bristol A review into the 2m social distancing rule, implemented to stop the spread of coronavirus, will be completed "in the coming weeks", No 10 says. But the PM's spokesman could not say if it would be done by the time pubs and restaurants in England are due to reopen on 4 July. The hospitality industry and some MPs have called for the rule to be relaxed. The spokesman said the government was in talks with hospitality but there was a duty to ensure reopening was "safe". Conservative MP, and former party leader, Iain Duncan Smith has called for the 2m limit to be reduced, claiming it "hamstrings us in a whole series of areas". Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the industry body UKHospitality, said that with a 2m rule, outlets would be only able to make about 30% of normal revenues, whereas 1m would increase that to 60-75%. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she said: "We very much welcome the government's decision to conduct a review on this because it is a matter of survival or business failure as far as hospitality is concerned." Dr Michael Tildesley, an infectious disease scientist at the University of Warwick, said studies were "unclear" but that there was "an increase in risk with going down to one metre". "But I have to stress this is purely based upon public health, and the government has to consider economic factors before taking a decision." What shops are open? Hundreds queue as shops reopen in England Is it safe to relax the 2m rule? The announcement comes as some shops in England reopen for the first time since the lockdown was introduced, with long queues reported outside Primark shops in London and Birmingham. Retailers will still have to enforce strict safety measures including implementing one-way systems and abiding by the 2m social distancing rule. Under the rule, the UK government currently advises people to stay 2m (6ft 6in) apart from others to avoid spreading coronavirus. This is further than the World Health Organization's recommendation of at least 1m (just over 3ft), and some other countries like France and Denmark. But the government's scientific advisers say that being 1m apart carries up to 10 times the risk of being 2m apart. However, there are widespread concerns about the impact of the rule on the UK economy, which is already suffering from the pandemic. Some bars, restaurants and pubs say they will be unable to make a profit if the 2m guidance is still in place when they reopen. Relaxing the 2m rule could also allow more children to return to school. Hamid Patel, chief executive of the Star Academy Group, has said that with 2m distancing in place, no more than 50% of secondary pupils could attend, and in some schools it would be lower. 'Margin for manoeuvre' On Sunday, the government announced it would be reviewing the rule, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying there would be "margin for manoeuvre" as the number of coronavirus cases falls. The PM's spokesman said the review would look at transmission of coronavirus in different environments, incidence rates and international comparisons. It is to be chaired by Simon Case, the No 10 permanent secretary and will take evidence from medical experts, economists as well as considering papers from SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies). Speaking to the BBC, Business Minister Paul Scully said the government did not want to be "rushed into decisions as we gradually open up the economy". When will pubs, cafes and restaurants reopen? Screens and sanitiser: The High Street's new normal What will a night out be like after lockdown? 'Safest place to be' So far all the nations of the UK have maintained the 2m rule. On Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was looking at "ongoing evidence" but added that she would not be setting a timescale for easing the rule. "It's really important that it, or any other single aspect of trying to suppress this virus is not looked at in isolation," she said. "If you reduce the distance that are other things you have to consider about like face coverings - and also the amount of time it is then safe for people to be in that kind of proximity." Under the government's roadmap for England, hospitality venues could begin reopening from 4 July, but no date has been given in Scotland, Wales or NI. In Northern Ireland, all shops were allowed to open from Friday. No dates have been set for the reopening of non-essential shops in Scotland and Wales, although each country has set out its planned stages for lifting lockdown.

Drivers could face fines of £130 for minor offences as the Government considers handing local councils new powers to improve roads for cyclists and pedestrians. Motorists straying into cycle lanes or stopped in box junctions could face automatic civil penalties currently enforced by the police. The money generated from the fines will reportedly be used to fund traffic-reducing measures. Junior Transport Minister Baroness Vere revealed that the Government are looking into giving councils enforcement powers under the 2004 Traffic Management Act. Cycling campaigners and council chiefs believe tougher enforcement of traffic laws is needed as commuters shun trains and buses for more hygienic modes of transport. Local councils in London already use cameras to issue more than a million £130 penalty notices every year. Lib Dem peer Lord Bradshaw asked Ministers if they planned to extend powers in the Transport Management Act 2004 (section 6) to authorities outside London, to better enforce moving traffic offences and protect cyclists and pedestrians. Baroness Vere replied: “We are giving thought to the role these powers could play in helping councils to deliver their transport recovery plans.” Section 6 of the Traffic Act covers violations including waiting in box junctions, driving in cycle lanes and driving in the wrong direction on one-way streets. The Local Government Association, which represents councils, says they need the powers because police have “largely ceased to enforce moving traffic offences”. Campaign group Cycling UK urged Ministers to “allow local authorities to take on responsibility for enforcement action against those who infringe mandatory cycle lanes”. The move comes shortly after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a £2 billion package to boost cycling and walking infrastructure. Pop-up cycle lanes and wider pavements are part of the plan to support double the number of people cycling and walking to work by 2025. Fixed Penalty Notices: all you need to know Earlier this month Mr Shapps also set a target of filling 11 million potholes as part of a multi-billion pound investment into the UK’s roads. The £1.7 billion boost aimed at transforming roads and maintaining the cleaner air levels recorded during lockdown includes improved access to electric car chargers. Do you think councils should have the power to automatically fine drivers for these minor offences? Will the changes really improve journeys for cyclists and pedestrians in the long run? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Fixed penalty notices could be issued for a wide range of traffic and motoring offences, including speeding, driving without insurance or failing to wear a seatbelt. In this guide, we’ll explore the conditional offer of fixed penalty in more detail, looking at what it is exactly, when you could receive one and what happens if you do. What is a Fixed Penalty Notice? A Fixed Penalty Notice, or a conditional offer of fixed penalty is an administrative alternative to prosecution before the magistrates’ court which includes a fine and in most cases penalty points too. You will be issued a notice on the spot or through the post from the police.  If you accept guilt, pay the fine or collect the points, you will avoid a court summons, but if you challenge it you will have to appear in court. Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) were introduced during the 1950s and were designed to deal with minor parking offences. The 1988 Road Traffic Act introduced fixed penalty notices for a wider range of minor traffic offences. Today, the role of the Fixed Penalty Notice has been expanded even further and might be used to deal with anything from anti-social behaviour to littering, and fly-tipping to dog control offences. As far as motorists are concerned, here is the list of driving offences which can result in an FPN. What's the difference between a Fixed Penalty Notice, Penalty Charge Notice and Parking Charge Notice? Fixed Penalty Notices differ from Penalty Charge Notices and Parking Charge Notices. What is a Penalty Charge Notice? A Penalty Charge Notice is a council-issued fine that is predominantly issued for parking offences (parking on double yellows etc...) as well as breaking some traffic rules like going against a ‘no right turn’ sign or driving in a bus lane. You can also receive a Penalty Charge Notice for not paying the London Congestion Charge, low emission zone or Dartford Crossing Charge. What is a Parking Charge Notice? A Parking Charge Notice is a parking 'ticket' issued by a private parking company in private car parks, such as a supermarket or restaurant. While they are often referred to as fines, they are little more than an invoice requesting payment as a perceived breach of agreement between the car park operator and the driver. This means they can be disputed, especially in light of a new RAC-backed code of conduct aimed at cracking down on rogue private parking firms. How much is the fine for a Fixed Penalty Notice? A notice will be £50, £100, £200 or £300, depending on the severity, and will be used for a range of offences, including speeding, careless driving and using a mobile phone while driving. How long do FPN penalty points stay on my licence for? Not all offences carry penalty points, but the minimum awarded will be two points, with a maximum of 11. In some cases an immediate disqualification might be recommended. Offence codes and penalty points remain on a driving licence for four or 11 years, depending on the offence. What can I get a Fixed Penalty Notice for? There are two types of fixed penalty notices: endorsable and non-endorsable. An endorsable ticket means points on your licence – normally three points – while a non-endorsable ticket is a fine only. In 2013, the government made changes to the Fixed Penalty Notice system – careless drivers who commit offences such as tailgating or poor lane discipline are likely to face on-the-spot fines. The fines also increased. Here is a list of all of the offences that could result in a Fixed Penalty Notice (you'll notice drink-driving isn't on the list as this is deemed a more serious offence): £50 non-endorsable FPN £50 non-endorsable fixed penalty notice offences include: Neglect of traffic regulations (e.g. failing to conform to traffic signs – give way, roundabout vehicle priority, box junction road markings) Negligent use of motor vehicle (e.g. not in proper control, driver not having full view ahead, opening car door as to cause injury) Vehicle registration and excise licence offences (e.g. registration mark not easily readable) Motorway offences (e.g. stopping vehicle on hard shoulder without a valid reason) Vehicle or part in dangerous or defective condition (e.g. window not clear and unobstructed, no windscreen wipers) Neglect of pedestrian rights (e.g. not driving on the road) Lighting offences (e.g. lamps not showing steady lights, misuse of head/fog lights) Noise offences (e.g. causing unnecessary noise, sounding horn at night) Load offences (e.g. exceeding weight restriction) Cycle and motorcycle offences (e.g. cycling on footpath, motorcyclists not wearing protective headgear) £100 endorsable FPN £100 endorsable fixed penalty notice offences include: Speeding offences Careless driving (e.g. middle lane hogging and tailgating and reckless overtaking) Motorway offences (e.g. reversing on a motorway, driving on hard shoulder/central reservation, using lanes marked with red ‘X’ signs) Neglect of traffic directions (e.g. not stopping at a red traffic light) Neglect of pedestrian rights (e.g. stopping within limits of zebra/pelican/puffin crossing) Load offences (e.g. danger of injury due to number of passengers or manner in which they are carried) Motorcycle offences (e.g. carrying more than one passenger) Unrestrained animals (e.g. distraction from unsecured dogs in the back seat) £100 non-endorsable FPN £100 non-endorsable fixed penalty notice offences include: Failure to wear a seat belt whilst driving Vehicle test offence (using a vehicle without a valid MOT certificate) £200 endorsable FPN £200 endorsable fixed penalty notice offences include: Duty to identify driver Using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving £300 endorsable FPN £300 endorsable fixed penalty offences include: Driving without third party insurance Local authority enforcement officers might also issue fixed penalty notices for other motoring offences, including parking, selling/repairing vehicles at the roadside and abandoned vehicles. And they could soon be authorised to take on more responsibility as MPs are looking to grant more powers to councils to enforce traffic laws, easing the burden on overstretched police forces.    It's worth noting that new car seat laws now mean you could get fined £500 for not having the correct-fitting car seat. Driving offences and their punishments Driving without shoes - is it illegal? Can I appeal a Fixed Penalty Notice? There is no formal appeal process for fixed penalty notices – if you’re not prepared to admit guilt for the alleged offence, the matter will be decided in court. However, this will be a costly and time-consuming process, so you should think carefully before appealing. The fines imposed by a court will be greater than the original fixed penalty notice. If you decide to challenge a fixed penalty notice, you’re advised to seek assistance from a solicitor or the Citizens Advice Bureau. It is typical for speeders to try and appeal offences - but the fines can then become much more severe. Find out more in our guide to speeding fines. How do I pay a FPN? How to pay a fixed penalty notice depends on what type it is and who issued it. You have 28 days in which to pay the fine and payment can be made via the Directgov website. You will need the notice number, date of offence and offence code, along with your email address and telephone number. Alternatively you can pay by cheque or credit/debit card – the details of where to pay will be printed on the back of the ticket. Cash is no longer an acceptable form of payment. If you accept the fine but then fail to pay, the fine is registered with the court and increased by 50%. The court will then enforce the fine and have the option of issuing a warrant for your arrest if you fail to respond. What does the money for FPNs get spent on? There are rules on how different authorities can use revenue from fixed penalty notices. Revenue from speed camera enforcement or fixed penalty notices go to the Consolidated Fund – in effect the government’s general bank account.

1. Parking on the pavement Parking on the pavement is against the law as it means driving onto the pavement and driving onto the pavement except to gain lawful access to property or to attend to an emergency is a criminal offense under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 & Obstruction & Possibily a (TRO) Traffic Regulation Order set in your town by city council. In London it`s also directly an offense to park on the pavement. 2. Sleeping in your car whilst you are over 35 micrograms of alcohol If You are over the drink drive limit rightly you wouldn`t dare drive but you could get a drunk in charge, Charge. Police have prosecuted people for drunk in charge offenses in there own driveways before. 3. Using a hand held device apart from a two way radio whilst the engines running It is an offense to use your hand held device whilst the vehicles engine is running even if the handbrake is applied. 4. Failure to disclose health conditions to the DVLA failure to disclose health conditions is an offense as for example if a condition may affect your driving and you do not disclose you are breaking the law. 5. Beeping your horn within the hours of 11:PM-7:00AM in built up areas Except if another road user poses a danger. 6. Speeding If you have ever gone even 1mph over the speed limit you are still speeding which is a criminal offense. 7. Not worn a seatbelt in your vehicle except most buses. Over 14 years of age If you do not wear a seatbelt under 14 the driver is breaking the law however if your 14 or over you are legally responsible. 8. Driven into your driveway without a dropped kerb If you do not have a dropped kerb it is illegal to gain access to property as the law states except to gain LAWFUL access to property. 9. Cycling on the pavement Cycling on the pavement is a criminal offense as bicycles are legally considered vehicles. 10. Following to close behind another vehicle If you to close behind you are Tailgating which is a criminal offense. Bonus: 11. Driving on the wrong side of the road Except Lawfully overtaking other parked cars and very limited exceptions and parking. MKLN&A-UK3

What is Solar Orbiter and what's it going to do? Europe's Solar Orbiter (SolO) probe makes its first close pass of the Sun on Monday, tracking by at a distance of just over 77 million km. SolO was launched in February and is on a mission to understand what drives our star's dynamic behaviour. The close pass, known as a perihelion, puts the probe between the orbits of Venus and Mercury. In the coming years, SolO will go nearer still, closing to within 43 million km of the Sun on occasions. As it stands today, only five other missions have dived deeper into the inner Solar System: Mariner 10, Helios 1 & 2, Messenger, and Parker Solar Probe. Earth orbits 149 million km (93 million miles) on average from the Sun. SolO is a European Space Agency (Esa) craft that was assembled in the UK by the aerospace company Airbus. Solar Orbiter: Sun mission blasts off Sun's surface seen in remarkable new detail Joint mission blasts skyward to Mercury It has spent the four months since launch undergoing a checkout phase. Engineers have been running the rule over all the probe's systems and commissioning its 10 scientific instruments. Routine operations for the full suite of onboard experiments are still a year away, but SolO's magnetometer is up and running and will remain so. Sitting at the end of a long boom at the back of the spacecraft, the MAG senses the magnetic fields embedded in the solar wind - the stream of charged particles billowing away from the Sun. Already, the instrument is catching the disturbances that result from big explosions on the star called coronal mass ejections - in addition to the everyday waves and turbulence that trace the wind's structure. "We switched on, on 24 February - we've already got over 2 billion magnetic field vectors on the ground. We've got a happy, busy science team working away at the data," said Prof Tim Horbury, the MAG principal investigator at Imperial College London. One of the reasons the British group's instrument got turned on very early was so it could start to characterise the confounding magnetic fields generated by the electronics in the rest of the spacecraft. This signal is small but needs to be subtracted from the Sun measurements to finesse the detail in the data properly. Media captionProf Lucie Green: "You get explosions and eruptions in the atmosphere of our star" The early start also gave the London team the chance to do some tandem study with the magnetometer instrument on Esa's BepiColombo mission. As chance would have it, this probe was making a return visit to Earth in April on its way to Mercury. The two missions were therefore able to do some multi-point sensing of the solar wind in relatively close proximity to each other. The same has been true with the American Parker Solar Probe - but at a much greater separation. This US mission is in the process of making some very deep dives past the Sun (on 7 June it passed just 19 million km from the star). "We're now just one of a constellation of spacecraft flying around the Sun," Prof Horbury told BBC News. The next major event for SolO is a flyby of Venus, which will be conducted to help manage its spiral in towards our star. This occurs at the end of December and will see the probe track about 500,000 km above the planet's surface. The full science phase of the mission is due to start in 2021 when all 10 of SolO's instruments, including its imagers, will begin regular observations. "I was so nervous when we launched," said Prof Horbury. "I guess the more you know about a project, the more you know about the things that can go wrong. But Solar Orbiter is out there, it's working and it's going to be a fantastic success."

Social distancing: what you need to do To stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), you should avoid close contact with anyone you do not live with. This is called social distancing. Information:If you live alone or you’re a single parent who lives alone with your children, you can meet with 1 other household without social distancing. This is called a support bubble. Find out more about meeting people from outside your household on GOV.UK.How to avoid spreading the infection It's very important to do what you can to reduce the risk of you and other people getting ill with coronavirus. You can spread the virus even if you do not have symptoms. Do stay at least 2 metres (3 steps) away from anyone you do not live with (or anyone not in your support bubble) when outside your home wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available wash your hands as soon as you get home cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards if you can, wear something that covers your nose and mouth when it's hard to stay away from people, such as in shops or on public transport Don't do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean Information:For more information about how to avoid getting and spreading coronavirus, see staying safe outside your home on GOV.UK.Things you can and cannot do The government has published guidance on what you can and cannot do outside your home. This includes guidance about when you can leave your home, seeing other people and going to work. GOV.UK: full guidance on social distancing GOV.UK: common questions about what you can and cannot do during the coronavirus outbreak Important There is separate advice: if you're at high risk of getting seriously ill from coronavirus – see what to do if you're at high risk from coronavirus if you have symptoms of coronavirus – see self-isolation and treatment if you have coronavirus symptoms Looking after your health and wellbeing To help yourself stay well while you're at home: stay in touch with family and friends over the phone or on social media try to keep yourself busy – you could try activities like cooking, reading, online learning and watching films do light exercise at home or outside – see NHS fitness studio: exercises you can do at home consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day if you're indoors most of the day – this is to keep your bones and muscles healthy Information:Advice on mental health while you're staying at home: Every Mind Matters: 10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus Every Mind Matters: looking after your mental wellbeing while staying at home GOV.UK: guidance on wellbeing and coronavirus with advice on autism, dementia, learning disabilities, older people, and mental health conditions If you need medical help It's important to get medical help if you need it, especially if you feel very unwell or think there's something seriously wrong. If you have symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste), use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service. If you need to contact a GP, use the GP surgery's website, use an online service or app, or call the surgery. For urgent medical help, use the regular NHS 111 online service, or call 111 if you're unable to get help online. For life-threatening emergencies call 999 for an ambulance. If you're advised to go to hospital, it's important to go. Keep going to any appointments you usually have, unless you're told not to. Read about using the NHS and other health services during coronavirus.Information:Get help and support If you're at a higher risk from coronavirus, you can get help from an NHS volunteer with things like getting food, medicines and other things you need. Call 0808 196 3646 (open 8am to 8pm) to get help from NHS Volunteer Responders.More in Social distancing and changes to everyday life Social distancing: what you need to do Using the NHS and other health services during coronavirus Bereavement advice and support during coronavirus

Social distancing and changes to everyday life Advice about avoiding close contact with other people (social distancing), looking after your wellbeing and using the NHS and other services during coronavirus. Social distancing: what you need to do Using the NHS and other health services Bereavement advice and support

#Coronavirus (COVID-19) Get the latest #NHS information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19). Check if you or your child has symptoms Find out about the main symptoms of coronavirus and what to do if you have them. Self-isolation and treatment if you have symptoms Advice about staying at home (self-isolation) and treatment for you and anyone you live with. Testing and tracing Information about testing for coronavirus and what to do if you're contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service. People at higher risk Advice for people at higher risk from coronavirus, including older people, people with health conditions and pregnant women. Social distancing and changes to everyday life Advice about avoiding close contact with other people (social distancing), looking after your wellbeing and using the NHS and other services. Government information and advice GOV.UK: coronavirus – guidance and support www.gov.uk GOV.UK: coronavirus action plan www.gov.uk GOV.UK: advice for people travelling abroad www.gov.uk GOV.UK: how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK www.gov.uk Information for health professionals NHS England: coronavirus for health professionals www.england.nhs.uk Advice in other parts of the UK Scotland – NHS Inform: coronavirus www.nhsinform.scot Wales – NHS Direct Wales: coronavirus www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk Northern Ireland – nidirect: coronavirus www.nidirect.gov.uk

A review into the 2m (6ft) social distancing rule has been commissioned by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He faces increasing pressure from his own MPs and the hospitality industry to allow people to be closer together, to help businesses after they reopen. However, the government's scientific advisers say that being 1m (just over 3ft) apart carries up to 10 times the risk of being 2m apart. What does the science say? The simple answer is that the nearer you are to someone who is infected, the greater the risk of catching the virus. The World Health Organization recommends keeping a distance of at least 1m. Some countries have adopted this guidance, often because they also insist on people wearing masks. Others, including the UK, have gone further: 1m distancing rule - China, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Singapore 1.4m - South Korea 1.5m - Australia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal 1.8m - US 2m - Canada, Spain, UK Media captionThe UK government is advising us to stay two metres apart - but what does that look like? What's the latest research? In a study published in medical journal The Lancet, scientists looked at research into how coronavirus spreads. They concluded that keeping at least 1m from other people could be the best way to limit the chances of infection. The risk of being infected is estimated to be 13% within 1m, but only 3% beyond that distance. And the study says that for every extra metre of distance up to 3m, the risk is further reduced by half. Where does the distancing rule come from? It can be traced back to research in the 1930s. Scientists found that droplets of liquid released by coughs or sneezes evaporate quickly in the air or fall to the ground. Most of those droplets, they reckoned, would land within 1-2m. That is why it is said the greatest risks come from having the virus coughed at you from close range, or from touching a surface that someone coughed onto, and then touching your face. Can the virus travel further in other ways? Proximity and surface contact are considered the main transmission routes. But some researchers fear coronavirus can also be transported through the air in tiny particles called aerosols. If true, then the flow of wind from someone's breath could carry the virus over longer distances. Prof Lydia Bourouiba from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used high-speed cameras to capture a cough projecting miniature specks as far as 6m. And a study carried out in Chinese hospitals which found traces of coronavirus in Covid-19 wards and intensive care units, estimated that 4m was a better safe distance. But the US Centers for Disease Control says the role of aerosols in spreading the virus is "currently uncertain". And what's still not known is whether any virus that spreads further than 2m can still be infectious. Coronavirus: Can we stay safe as lockdown eases? It's not just about distance Timing is also key. The longer you spend in close proximity with an infected person, the bigger the risk. Scientists advising the UK government say spending six seconds at a distance of 1m from someone is the same as spending one minute at a distance of 2m. Being exposed to someone coughing is riskier. Being 2m away from a cough carries the same risk as someone talking to you for 30 minutes at the same distance. The quality of ventilation also matters A crowded stuffy room is bound to increase the chances of infection. The direction of air flow is also crucial - whether a draught or fan behind someone infected is pushing any virus they breathe out towards you. And a good supply of fresh air can make all the difference. In a restaurant in China, where nine people caught the virus, the air conditioning units mounted on the walls were blamed for recirculating the air rather than refreshing it. Japanese researchers investigated 110 cases of Covid-19 and found the odds of infection were nearly 19 times greater indoors than outside. What else makes a difference? Scientists advising the British government say every workplace or building should assess the risks. And they say where 2m of social distancing is impossible, people should only be closer for short periods of time. Plastic screens are suggested along with moving to shift patterns of work to minimise the numbers in at any one time. Arranging seating so people are not face to face is also judged to help. And in a growing number of many countries, including all parts of the UK, people are being encouraged to wear face coverings on public transport and "enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible". Why don't we have definite answers? It is only a few months since the coronavirus emerged, and in that short time scientists have learned a great deal about it. But we still don't know how much virus can be released by people who are infected and how much someone has to receive to catch the disease. Until that is established, the advice is that the risks are real - and that only when the numbers being infected drop dramatically can the distancing guidance be relaxed. STAY ALERT CONTROL THE VIRUS SAVE LIVES MKLN&A-UK3

STAY ALERT CONTROL THE VIRUS SAVE LIVES BE A HERO! www.gov.scot follow Scotland`s guidance not England`s guidance

The Wendy's drive-through restaurant was set on fire over Mr Brooks' shootingThe shooting of another African-American man during a US arrest has prompted fresh condemnation of the use of deadly force by police. Rayshard Brooks, 27, was shot dead as he fled officers in a restaurant car park in Atlanta late on Friday. The killing sparked protests. A top House Democrat said Mr Brooks' actions "did not call for lethal force" - echoing a statement by Atlanta's mayor. The city's police chief has quit and the officer involved has been fired. Atlanta is one of many US cities where the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police has sparked protests against racism and police brutality. Mr Floyd, also an African American, died after a white officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes late last month. What's changed since George Floyd's death? Why US protests are so powerful this time What happened on Friday night? The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) said the officers were called to a Wendy's fast-food restaurant because Mr Brooks had fallen asleep in his car, which was blocking the drive-through lane. Body camera footage released by the police department shows the officers administering a sobriety test and then a breathalyser test with Mr Brooks' permission. The two officers then try to handcuff him - at which point their body cams fall off. In security camera video, they can be seen struggling with Mr Brooks on the ground. He grabs an officer's Taser and breaks free from the officers, running away. As he is chased by the officers, Mr Brooks is seen turning around and pointing the Taser at them, before continuing to run and then being shot. Protesters gathered at the scene of the shooting on SundayMr Brooks was taken to hospital but later died. What has the reaction been? On Saturday protests were held at the scene and blocked a major road nearby. Crowds set fire to the restaurant and police used tear gas. Lawyers representing Mr Brooks' family said the officer had no right to use deadly force, saying the Taser which Mr Brooks had grabbed was a non-lethal weapon. "You can't shoot somebody unless they are pointing a gun at you," attorney Chris Stewart said. Also on Saturday, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that Atlanta police chief Erika Shields had resigned. "While there may be debate as to whether this was an appropriate use of deadly force, I firmly believe that there is a clear distinction between what you can do and what you should do," Ms Bottoms said. "I do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force." Representative James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat who is House majority whip, told CNN on Sunday. "This did not call for lethal force and I don't know what's in the culture that would make this guy do that." The officer involved in the shooting was identified as Garrett Rolfe, 27. He had been in the police force for seven years. This is the 48th "officer-involved shooting" the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has investigated this year, according to ABC News. Of those cases, 15 were fatal. What is happening in other US cities? Demonstrations have taken place across the US and across the world since Mr Floyd's death. Many in the US are calling for the police to be reformed. In Minneapolis, the city council passed a resolution on Friday to replace its police department with a community-led public safety system. The council said it would begin a year-long process of engaging "with every willing community member in Minneapolis" to come up with a new public safety model. Media captionThe USA's history of racial inequality has paved the way for modern day police brutalityIn New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo said he would stop financing local authorities that failed to adopt reforms addressing excessive use of force and bias in their police departments. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the chokehold method for restraining some suspects should, "generally speaking", be ended. He also postponed his first post-coronavirus lockdown election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma so it does not fall on 19 June, a date commemorating the end of US slavery. Mr Trump moved the rally to the 20th, following criticism. The location was also controversial, as one of the worst massacres of black people in US history took place in Tulsa in 1921.

Police have closed Water Lane in Roydon while investigations continue A man injured in a "drive-by" shooting after a party has died. The victim, who was shot multiple times outside a property in Roydon, Essex, was one of three people hurt in the gun attack on Saturday. He has since died in hospital, Essex Police said. Two women in their 20s who sustained single gunshot wounds were not seriously injured. Detectives have appealed for any information which could assist their murder investigation to come forward. After the shooting at about 05:00 BST, the suspects fled and drove off in the direction of Harlow, the force said. Det Insp Greg Wood, said the investigation was "progressing well" and officers were "beginning to build up a picture of what happened". Police have closed Water Lane in Roydon while investigations continue A man injured in a "drive-by" shooting after a party has died. The victim, who was shot multiple times outside a property in Roydon, Essex, was one of three people hurt in the gun attack on Saturday. He has since died in hospital, Essex Police said. Two women in their 20s who sustained single gunshot wounds were not seriously injured. Detectives have appealed for any information which could assist their murder investigation to come forward. After the shooting at about 05:00 BST, the suspects fled and drove off in the direction of Harlow, the force said. Det Insp Greg Wood, said the investigation was "progressing well" and officers were "beginning to build up a picture of what happened". Essex Police said the car drove off in the direction of Harlow after the shooting

11 June 2020 Technology giant Amazon has banned the police from using its controversial facial recognition software for a year. It comes after civil rights advocates raised concerns about potential racial bias in surveillance technology. This week IBM also said it would stop offering its facial recognition software for "mass surveillance or racial profiling". The decisions follow growing pressure on firms to respond to the death in police custody of George Floyd. Amazon said the suspension of law enforcement use of its Rekognition software was to give US lawmakers the opportunity to enact legislation to regulate how the technology is employed. "We've advocated that governments should put in place stronger regulations to govern the ethical use of facial recognition technology, and in recent days, Congress appears ready to take on this challenge," Amazon said in a statement. "We hope this one-year moratorium might give Congress enough time to implement appropriate rules, and we stand ready to help if requested." However, the company said that it would still allow organisations that deal with human trafficking to use the technology. IBM abandons 'biased' facial recognition tech Twitter to make Juneteenth a company holiday CrossFit CEO quits after George Floyd remarks Like other facial recognition products, Amazon's Rekognition can use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to very quickly compare a picture from, for example, an officer's phone camera and try to match it with mugshots held on police databases that can hold hundreds of thousands of photos. Facial recognition technology has been criticised for some time over potential bias, with studies showing that most algorithms are more likely to wrongly identify the faces of black people and other minorities than those of white people. In the past Amazon has defended Rekognition against charges of bias, while continuing to offer it to law enforcement agencies. The death in police custody of George Floyd, an African American man, reignited those concerns as police tactics and the use of technology for law enforcement have come under intense scrutiny. Earlier this week IBM said it would no longer offer its facial recognition technology because AI systems used in law enforcement need to be tested "for bias". In a letter to Congress, IBM chief executive Arvind Krishna said the "fight against racism is as urgent as ever", and set out three areas where the company wanted to work with Congress: police reform, responsible use of technology, and broadening skills and educational opportunities. Calls for legislation In recent months Congress has been weighing possible legislation of the technology as lawmakers, companies and civil liberties activists have called for stronger regulation of surveillance software. House Democrats introduced a police reform bill on Monday that would prohibit federal law enforcement use of real-time facial recognition, but some activists said the measure didn't go far enough. The American Civil Liberties Union said all use of facial recognition on police body camera footage should be banned, and that federal funding should be restricted for local law enforcement agencies that didn't restrict the technology's use in the same way.

Investigators say the man had taken a Taser from an officer but was running away when he was shot. An Atlanta police officer has been sacked following the fatal shooting of a black man outside a drive-through restaurant who had fallen asleep in his car. Rayshard Brooks - a 27-year-old father - was shot in the car park of a Wendy's in the US city on Friday night and later died in hospital. Garrett Rolfe, a six-year veteran of the Atlanta police department, was dismissed, and a second officer, Devin Bronsan, who was hired in September 2018, was placed on administrative leave for their involvement in the death of Mr Brooks, police spokesperson Sergeant John Chafee said. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields had earlier resigned. Investigators said Mr Brooks had grabbed an officer's Taser during a struggle before being shot. Advertisement The force said officers were called to the scene after receiving reports of a man sleeping in his car and blocking other drivers. Police also released body camera and dash cam footage of the incident which does not show the moment Mr Brooks was shot. More from Atlanta George Floyd death: Six officers charged after dragging students from car during Atlanta protests George Floyd death: Police officers fired for dragging students from car during Atlanta protest James Brown murder claims could be investigated Richard Jewell: New Clint Eastwood film accused of 'maliciously' portraying journalist Finger lickin' plants? KFC trials non-meat nuggets and wings at US restaurant Police officer dragged out of car window during chase The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting, said Mr Brooks had failed a test to assess whether he was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and then resisted officers' attempts to arrest him. The shooting sparked protests in the city and the Wendy's restaurant was set on fire on Saturday night. Wendy's in Atlanta was on fire on Saturday night Image:A protester watched as the restaurant burned in Atlanta Footage showed small fires around the car park before another blaze appeared to start at an entrance to the restaurant, gradually engulfing most of the building. Atlanta's mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said: "I do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force. "Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief so that the city may move forward with urgency in rebuilding the trust desperately needed in our communities." The people of America are saying they've had enough - this time it feels different Ms Shields said: "Out of a deep and abiding love for this city and this department, I offered to step aside as police chief. "I have faith in the mayor, and it is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve." The bureau's director, Vic Reynolds, said Mr Brooks had grabbed a Taser from one officer and pointed it towards him as he ran. After running a short distance, Mr Brooks "turns around and it appears to the eye that he points the Taser at the Atlanta officer", Mr Reynolds is quoted in a report by NBC. "At that point, the Atlanta officer reaches down and retrieves his weapon from his holster, discharges it, strikes Mr Brooks there on the parking lot, and he goes down." Why George Floyd's death could be a tipping point Mr Reynolds said: "In a circumstance like this where an officer is involved in the use of deadly force, the public has a right to know what happened." An investigation into the shooting has also been launched by the county district attorney's office. It comes amid widespread protests in the US and other countries against police brutality and racism. The demonstrations were inspired by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes in Minneapolis on 25 May. Race and Revolution: Is Change Going to Come? Sky News will broadcast a global debate show on Tuesday night at 8pm - looking at the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter protests, and examining institutional racism and how we fix it.

Police said reported offences had risen 91% so far this year More than 30 suspected paedophiles have been arrested as part of a police investigation into a rise in online child sex abuse during the coronavirus lockdown. Thames Valley Police said it raided addresses in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire throughout May. The force said the suspected offences included arranging to meet children for sex and making indecent images. The force said 24 children had been safeguarded. Det Ch Insp Matt Darnell said criminals were trying to exploit lockdownDet Ch Insp Matt Darnell said reports of online child sexual abuse in the Thames Valley were 91% higher in the first five months of 2020 than in the same period last year. He said: "Sadly, we believe that criminals have looked to exploit the fact that more children have been at home and online. "As a result, in May we executed 37 search warrants and seized more than 400 electronic devices." Advice for parents, carers and children The National Crime Agency in the UK has created the "ThinkuKnow" website It has advice for parents and others working with children on how best to protect them online The website includes advice written for children themselves It has received more than 250,000 hits since the pandemic began The BBC also has Own It, a guide to staying safe online. A total of 36 people were arrested by the force and by the South East Regional Organised Crime unit, he said. Most have been bailed while their devices were examined but some have been charged with arranging to meet children for sexual offences, he added. "Often offenders are pretending to be someone they're not," Det Ch Inp Darnell said. "That leads to blackmail or trying to ask the children to do things they're uncomfortable with." He urged parents to look out for warning signs of abuse, including children becoming "secretive, sad or withdrawn".

PM Boris Johnson has commissioned a review into the 2m social distancing rule, the chancellor has confirmed. Mr Johnson said there was "margin for manoeuvre" in the 2m rule as the number of coronavirus cases falls. Rishi Sunak told the BBC the government would "actively" look again at the measure, given its "enormous impact" on the profitability of businesses. It is understood the review will aim to report back by 4 July, when pubs and restaurants could open in England. Mr Johnson said: "As we get the numbers down, so it becomes one in 1,000, one in 1,600, maybe even fewer, your chances of being two metres, or one metre, or even a foot away from somebody who has the virus is obviously going down statistically, so you start to build some more margin for manoeuvre." The chancellor added he would like to see the rule relaxed, if "safe and responsible" to do so. Ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said the evidence "already shows that it is wholly feasible to move to 1m". "If other countries are doing it successfully, we need to move now," he added. The review, which was first reported in the Mail on Sunday, will take evidence from scientists as well as economists, Mr Sunak confirmed. Should we be allowed closer than 2m? When will pubs, cafes and restaurants reopen? Screens and sanitiser: The High Street's new normal Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Mr Sunak said "many other countries" had a rule less than 2m and the review would "look at the issue in the round". "Much as I would like to see it reduced - everyone would like to see that reduced from an economic perspective - we can only do that if it's safe and responsible to do so," he said. He added that scientists had made clear there is a "different degree of risk at different levels," and the decision on relaxing it is "ultimately" for ministers to make. Current advice The UK government currently advises people to stay 2m (6ft 6in) apart from others to avoid spreading coronavirus. This is further than the World Health Organization's recommendation of at least 1m (just over 3ft), and some other countries like France and Denmark. But the UK government's scientific advisers say that being 1m apart carries up to 10 times the risk of being 2m apart. However, there are widespread concerns about the impact of the rule on the UK economy, which is already suffering from the pandemic. Shops in London's Oxford Street are preparing to reopen on Monday with the 2m rule in place Some bars, restaurants and pubs say they will be unable to make a profit if the 2m guidance is still in place when they reopen. Tourism firms have also warned of tens of thousands of job losses unless the distance is shortened. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the industry body UK Hospitality, says that with a 2m rule, outlets would be only able to make about 30% of normal revenues, whereas 1m would increase that to 60-75%. Richard Caring, chairman of Caprice Holdings which runs the Ivy, told the Mail on Sunday the government was "killing the country". "There are estimates saying we could have up to five million unemployed," he said. "It's not going to be five million - it's going to be more. I don't think we've seen anything yet." Mr Johnson is also under pressure from some of his own MPs to reduce the 2m rule over concerns it would made it difficult for firms to turn a profit after they reopen. Sir Iain said the review should be "swift," and called on the prime minister to reduce the rule now "for the good of the economy". "Whether there is a review or not, it will come down to a political judgment for the prime minister to make," he added. 'Slow again' Shadow justice secretary David Lammy said Labour would support a relaxation of the 2m rule if the evidence showed it was "the right time to do it". Also speaking on the Andrew Marr programme, he said the government should "follow the science," and be "frank and honest with the public on balancing risk". He added: "I think the government's been slow, slow on testing, slow on lockdown, slow on PPE [personal protective equipment], and I suspect they'll be slow again on this". The UK government is advising us to stay two metres apart - but what does that look like?The 2m distance has been implemented by all nations of the UK, which have their own powers over restrictions. But so far, political leaders have rejected calls to relax the 2m rule. Earlier this week, Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith said the evidence was "incontrovertible" that the risk of transmitting the virus increased the closer you got to someone. He said it was a "balanced and sensible precaution" to ensure transmission is reduced. And Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster said the medical advice suggested 2m apart was the "safest place to be". While pubs, bars and restaurants could open in England from 4 July, no date has been given in Scotland, Wales or NI. What will a night out be like after lockdown? From Monday, all non-essential shops in England will be allowed to reopen - as long as they enforce the 2m guidance among shoppers and staff. In Northern Ireland, all shops were allowed to open from Friday. No dates have been set for the reopening of non-essential shops in Scotland and Wales, although each country has set out its planned stages for lifting lockdown. The UK government has repeatedly said it is constantly reviewing its coronavirus lockdown guidance.

Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has recorded more than 60% of Gujarat's Covid-19 deaths so far On 20 May, Parveen Bano started to feel slightly breathless. When she told her son, Amir Pathan, he rushed her to the nearest hospital. He says he was worried because his 54-year-old mother had diabetes and a history of cardiac ailments. And worse, their neighbourhood - Gomtipur in the Indian city of Ahmedabad - had recorded a slew of Covid-19 infections recently. The next 30 hours were harrowing for the family. Mr Pathan says they went to three hospitals - two private and one government-run - but none of them had a bed available. So Mr Pathan decided to bring his mother back home. But he says her "discomfort" worsened through the day and the night, so early the next morning, the family took her to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, one of India's biggest government facilities. Coronavirus: 'Our home turned into a hospital overnight' Why is India reopening amid a spike in cases? Trouble ahead for India's fight against infections She was swabbed for a Covid-19 test, and put on oxygen support because doctors found that her blood oxygen levels were low. Mr Pathan says the levels were erratic through the day, so doctors connected her to a ventilator that night. Hours later - at 1:29 AM on 22 May - she died. Her coronavirus test result came the next morning - it was positive. The hospital did not respond to the BBC's queries, but Mr Pathan says he believes his mother may have lived if she had been admitted to a hospital a day earlier. The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has made headlines time and again as it struggles to cope. The high court has referred to it as a "dungeon" and cited the number of Covid-19 deaths - 490 - it has recorded so far. And the court has also rebuked the state government for its handling of the pandemic. But the government has denied any laxity on its part. What is driving Gujarat's high mortality rate? Ahmedabad, home to more than seven million, is the largest city in the western state of Gujarat. It's also the worst-affected by the pandemic, accounting for more than 75% of the state's caseload, and nearly all of its deaths. With more than 21,500 confirmed cases, Gujarat has India's fourth highest caseload. But the state's fatality rate - the proportion of Covid-19 patients who have died - is the highest at 6.2%. This is more than double the national average of 2.8%. When Gujarat's high court expressed "concern at the alarming number of deaths in Ahmedabad hospitals", the state government said that more than 80% of those who had died suffered from comorbidities, or other ailments, which made them more vulnerable. But public health experts say it's hard to pin down a single reason for the mortality rate. While some point to the state's high disease burden, others say that it's not unique to Gujarat - in fact Tamil Nadu has more diabetics than any other state, but its mortality rate is far lower. Questions have been raised over whether India is under counting Covid-19 deaths but, if that were the case, there is no evidence to suggest that Gujarat is an exception. Vijay Rupani, the state's chief minister, has repeatedly blamed international travellers and those who attended a religious congregation in Delhi, which later turned into one of India's biggest clusters so far. But neither of these factors are unique to Gujarat - Kerala saw a greater influx of foreign returnees, and Tamil Nadu traced back far more people to the congregation. And while this may explain the surge in cases, it doesn't explain the disproportionate number of deaths. Low testing, a lack of faith and stigma "People reporting late to hospitals can be one of the major reasons," says Bharat Gadhvi, head of Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association. With private hospitals either refusing or unable to admit Covid-19 patients, many have been reluctant to seek treatment in government hospitals, doctors say. The reasons include poor facilities as well as a lack of trust in the quality of care. Doctors have said stigma could be a reason too. Dr Randeep Guleria, head of India's biggest public hospital, referred to this after meeting doctors at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital staff in May. "One important issue that was discussed is the stigma attached to Covid-19. People still fear coming to hospitals to get tested." May saw a jump in hospital admissions, possibly because of increased screening and testing, which led doctors and officials to identify potential "super spreaders" - such as fruit and vegetable vendors, and shopkeepers. But public health experts say testing was still low in parts of the city, especially in what they call the "old city", parts of which are walled off. "The government showed a lack of focus in dealing with the situation, especially in containment zones," says Kartikeya Bhatt, an economics professor. Gujarat has reopened despite a high number of infections and deaths from Covid-19 He says 10 of 11 zones in Ahmedabad's old city were containment zones, and they all are densely populated. He adds that while these areas were cut off from other parts of the city, officials didn't do enough to check the spread within the zones themselves. "Physical or social distancing is next to impossible as people even wash clothes and utensils outside their homes," says sociologist Gaurang Jani. Experts suspect that the infection spread rapidly in these parts, and due to stigma or poor awareness many people may not have sought hospital admission soon enough, according to an analysis by the Observer Research Foundation. An overwhelmed city But even those who survived the virus say the city's hospitals are not equipped to handle the crisis. "Only after hours of waiting could I get a hospital bed," says Laxmi Parmar, 67, who was treated at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's Covid-19 ward for 10 days. "There was no breakfast in the beginning and I had to complain to a local politician to intervene. We had two toilets to share between 40-50 patients in the ward." Experts say the pandemic has exposed the state's poor health infrastructure. Ahmedabad hospitals are seeing staff shortages amid protests over pay cuts"Otherwise, no-one would have bothered to know the state of hospitals in Gujarat. Now that shortage of doctors and paramedics is out in the open, we saw quick hiring happening even during the lockdown," Professor Bhatt says. Gujarat only has 0.3 beds for every 1,000 people, below the national average of 0.55, according to a recent Brookings study. And the surge in cases has led to a shortage of hospital beds, PPE kits and quarantine facilities. In recent weeks, Gujarat has been overtaken by Tamil Nadu in total number of infections but the situation still appears dire given the steep mortality rate. "I disagree that we have failed in our duties," the state's health minister, Nitinbhai Patel, told the BBC. "We currently have 23,000 hospital beds ready in the state and our medical staff are working around-the-clock in each hospital. We are also providing them with the best medical equipment to handle the situation which is slowly coming under control." But his government has been criticised for what many see as a squandered opportunity because Gujarat recorded its first case as late as 19 March, just days before the country went into lockdown. "Government policies could have been much better. Testing and isolation facilities appeared robust initially but have weakened with time as the administration appears tired," Mr Gadvi says.

UK facing period of hardship as pandemic hits jobs and livelihoods - Chancellor Rishi Sunak UK PM Boris Johnson launches review of the 2m distancing rule, after warnings it could cripple hospitality industry India records 11,929 coronavirus cases in 24 hours – its highest single-day figure to date Concern over virus spread in Latin America as Chile, Argentina, Peru and Colombia all report record number of infections Leading psychologists call the delay in getting UK children back to school a “national disaster” that endangers mental health The Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria plan to ease restrictions at libraries, community centres and nightclubs despite increases in new infections There have now been more than 7.7 million cases worldwide and more than 430,000 deaths, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University People should shop with confidence, says UK PM Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said people should be able to "shop with confidence" when non-essential stores reopen in England on Monday. Speaking during a visit to the Westfield shopping centre in east London, the prime minister said he hoped to see a "gradual" build-up of people returning to the high street - but that shoppers should follow social distancing rules to do so as safely as possible. Boris Johnson: 'People should shop with confidence'

The memorial for PC Keith Palmer was unveiled outside Parliament in 2018 A man has been arrested on suspicion of urinating at the Westminster memorial dedicated to PC Keith Palmer. The incident is believed to have taken place on Saturday afternoon. PC Palmer, 48, was stabbed while on duty during the Westminster terror attack on 22 March 2017. He was one of five people murdered by Khalid Masood. The Met Police said officers had arrested a man on suspicion of outraging public decency. He is currently in custody in Essex after presenting himself at a police station. PC Keith Palmer was unarmed as he was attacked by Khalid MasoodSpeaking on Saturday in response to a photo posted on social media, Commander Bas Javid said: "We are aware of a disgusting and abhorrent image circulating on social media of a man appearing to urinate on a memorial to PC Palmer. "I feel for PC Palmer's family, friends and colleagues. "We have immediately launched an investigation, and will gather all the evidence available to us and take appropriate action." MP Tobias Ellwood, who gave first aid to PC Palmer as he lay dying after being stabbed in the grounds of Parliament, said the image of the urinating man was "abhorrent". The remembrance stone was placed at the Carriage Gates at the Palace of Westminster, where PC Palmer was attacked. The Police Memorial Trust said the stone was a reminder of PC Palmer's sacrifice and heroism. This was a sickening incident I hope all officers can successfully prosecute the suspects MKLN&A-UK3

Police were present as scores of young people made their way to the Carrington area rave A 20-year-old man has died, a woman has been raped and three people have been stabbed during two illegal "quarantine raves" that attracted 7,000 people. Thousands flocked to Daisy Nook Country Park and Carrington in Greater Manchester late on Saturday. The man at the country park died of a suspected drug overdose and the stabbings and the attack on an 18-year-old woman took place in Carrington. Police said the illegal raves have had "tragic consequences". Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes said condemned them as a clear breach of coronavirus legislation, adding officers "were met with violence, resulting in items being thrown and a police car being vandalised". He asked "anyone with footage that could assist our enquiries" to give it to police. Paramedics joined police at Daisy Nook Country Park in OldhamPolice said about 4,000 people were at the Droylsden rave, where there were no reported crimes. There were however three separate stabbings at the Carrington site - one of which left an 18-year-old man with life-threatening injuries. "We are also investigating the rape of an 18-year-old woman... and we have specialist officers supporting her and her family", police said. MKLN&A-UK3

Do not leave home if you or someone you live with has any of the following: a high temperature a new, continuous cough a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste Check the NHS website if you have symptomsFind help if you’re struggling because of coronavirus For example, with paying bills, being out of work, or taking care of your mental health. Find help

Our environment and marine life are under threat and the damage is done but we can all do something by changing your search engine to oceanhero.today it will save our planet and our Seas it`s a small step for you but a large one for the planet and don`t litter, for every 5 searches you do you will recover 1 piece of plastic from the ocean. Our wildlife is under THREAT! it is animal cruelty when people litter so the charge should also include "Animal Abuse" here is the law on littering: Extension of litter offence to all open places In section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43) (offence of leaving litter), for subsections (1) to (4) substitute— “(1)A person is guilty of an offence if he throws down, drops or otherwise deposits any litter in any place to which this section applies and leaves it. (2)This section applies to any place in the area of a principal litter authority which is open to the air, subject to subsection (3) below. (3)This section does not apply to a place which is “open to the air” for the purposes of this Part by virtue of section 86(13) above if the public does not have access to it, with or without payment. (4)It is immaterial for the purposes of this section whether the litter is deposited on land or in water. (4A)No offence is committed under subsection (1) above where the depositing of the litter is— (a)authorised by law; or (b)done by or with the consent of the owner, occupier or other person having control of the place where it is deposited. (4B)A person may only give consent under subsection (4A)(b) above in relation to the depositing of litter in a lake or pond or watercourse if he is the owner, occupier or other person having control of— (a)all the land adjoining that lake or pond or watercourse; and (b)all the land through or into which water in that lake or pond or watercourse directly or indirectly discharges, otherwise than by means of a public sewer. (4C)In subsection (4B) above, “lake or pond”, “watercourse” and “public sewer” have the same meanings as in section 104 of the Water Resources Act 1991.” 19Litter offence: fixed penalty notices (1)Section 88 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43) (fixed penalty notices for leaving litter) is amended as follows. (2)For subsections (6) and (7) (amount of fixed penalty) substitute— “(6)The fixed penalty payable in pursuance of a notice under this section is payable to the litter authority whose authorised officer gave the notice. (6A)The amount of a fixed penalty payable in pursuance of a notice under this section— (a)is the amount specified by a principal litter authority in relation to its area (whether the penalty is payable to that or another authority), or (b)if no amount is so specified, is £75. (6B)The reference in subsection (6A) above to a principal litter authority does not include an English county council for an area for which there is also a district council. (7)The litter authority to which a fixed penalty is payable under this section may make provision for treating it as having been paid if a lesser amount is paid before the end of a period specified by the authority.” (3)After subsection (8) insert— “(8A)If an authorised officer of a litter authority proposes to give a person a notice under this section, the officer may require the person to give him his name and address. (8B)A person commits an offence if— (a)he fails to give his name and address when required to do so under subsection (8A) above, or (b)he gives a false or inaccurate name or address in response to a requirement under that subsection. (8C)A person guilty of an offence under subsection (8B) above is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.” (4)In subsection (9), at the end insert— “(f)a parish or community council.” (5)In subsection (10), for the definition of “authorised officer” substitute— ““authorised officer”, in relation to a litter authority, means— (a)an employee of the authority who is authorised in writing by the authority for the purpose of giving notices under this section; (b)any person who, in pursuance of arrangements made with the authority, has the function of giving such notices and is authorised in writing by the authority to perform that function; and (c)any employee of such a person who is authorised in writing by the authority for the purpose of giving such notices;”. (6)After that subsection insert— “(11)The appropriate person may by regulations prescribe conditions to be satisfied by a person before a parish or community council may authorise him in writing for the purpose of giving notices under this section.” STOP LITTERING CHANGE YOUR SEARCH ENGINE SAVE OUR WILDLIFE AND OUR NATURE MKLN&A-UK3

June 10, 2020 A teenager in Buffalo who spent 10 hours cleaning up after a protest has been rewarded for his efforts by the community. Antonio Gwynn Jr. started at 2 a.m. and did not stop cleaning for the next 10 hours. When an organized group of neighbors arrived later that morning to assess the damage, they found that Gwynn had already done most of the work. Gwynn, an 18-year-old high school senior, said he saw on the local news that Bailey Avenue in Buffalo was covered in glass and garbage, and he knew people needed to use that street to get to work in the morning. Word spread of how Gwynn single-handedly took action and his community rewarded him. Photo credit: Matt Block Gwynn has been offered a full scholarship to Medaille College and a 2004 Ford Mustang convertible. He's even getting a year of free auto insurance, courtesy of local businessman Bob Briceland. "We just need to get together our whole city and show people how there's so many good people here," Briceland said. The car was gifted to Gwynn by Matt Block, who said he saw Gwynn's story on the news and decided to give him his Mustang. Block, 27, told CNN the car is one he wanted since he was a child, but these days he is only using it occasionally. He saw Gwynn ask for some car buying advice on Facebook, and Matt decided to offer up his sports car. It turns out that gift has more meaning than Block ever imagined. Gwynn's mother, who passed away in 2018, also drove a red Mustang. When he realized the coincidence, Gwynn says that he was so shocked he "didn't have any words," and Block says it gave him "goosebumps." Gwynn is thankful for the community response, saying, "I appreciate everything everyone is doing for me."

Stunning Drone Footage Shows The Largest Green Turtle Gathering Ever Seen June 11, 2020 Australian researchers released drone video this week showing at least 64,000 endangered green turtles at Raine Island -- an island situated on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef. The stunning drone footage, shared by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, showed the world's largest green turtle gathering ever seen at Raine Island. "We're seeing the world's largest aggregation of green turtles captured in these extraordinary drone images that are helping to document the largest turtle numbers seen since we began the Raine Island Recovery Project," Anna Marsden, the foundation's managing director, said in a press release. Video Credit: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=949944428774688 The green turtle is endangered and under threat thanks to hunting, over-harvesting their eggs and loss of beach nesting sites, CNN reported. Marsden said the foundation is taking action to improve and rebuild the island's nesting beaches and building fences to prevent turtle deaths, all while working to strengthen the island's resilience and ensure the survival of the northern green turtles and other species. We MUST save the animals! MKLN&A-UK3

( DISCLAIMER THIS INCIDENT WAS IN 2018 THIS IS UPLOADED NOW BECAUSE THIS PAGE IS NEW ) A TEACHER and her assistant have been convicted of assaulting a child who suffered leg bruises and rib injuries when they dragged him from a classroom. Sandra Humphrey, 52, and Sharon Benton, 50, were sacked by a secondary school in Milton Keynes after the incident. A teacher and her assistant have been convicted of assaulting a child who they dragged out of a classroom "Image Credit: Getty - Contributor" Humphrey, of Lincoln, and Benton, of Milton Keynes, used unnecessary force to restrain him. They both got a six-month conditional discharge and £300 fines at the city’s magistrates’ court after a trial. Speaking after sentencing, Investigating officer, Detective Constable Tejinder Sidhu of Thames Valley Police's Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: "Humphrey and Benton acted inappropriately by dragging the pupil from the classroom using unnecessary force. "Thames Valley Police has worked closely with Stephenson Academy which has fully cooperated with the police investigation. "Following the incident, the academy held an internal investigation and both members of staff were found to have committed gross misconduct and were subsequently dismissed. "Thames Valley Police has also supported the victim and his parents throughout the investigation and court proceedings. "Now the defendants have been convicted and sentenced, I hope the pupil and his family can now move on from this extremely distressing incident." MKLN&A-UK3

Coronavirus in Scotland Protect yourself and others: stay at home only go outside for essential food, health and work reasons stay 2 metres (6 feet) away from other people wash your hands regularly and as soon as you get home Scotland is at Phase 1 of the route map for moving out of lockdown.

Some of the protesters in central London were seen attacking police More than 100 people have been arrested following violent protests in London on Saturday, the Met Police has said. Police were attacked by demonstrators, some of whom were far-right activists, after thousands gathered claiming they were protecting statues. PM Boris Johnson said: "Racist thuggery has no place on our streets." An investigation is also under way after a man was seen urinating next to a memorial of PC Keith Palmer, who was killed in the 2017 Westminster attack. Separately on Saturday, a number of peaceful anti-racism protests were held in London and around the country. 'Abhorrent' Home Secretary Priti Patel said the "desecration" of PC Palmer's memorial was "utterly shameful". Met Police Commander Bas Javid added: "We are aware of a disgusting and abhorrent image circulating on social media of a man appearing to urinate on a memorial to PC Palmer. "We have immediately launched an investigation, and will gather all the evidence available to us and take appropriate action." ALAMY LIVE NEWSThe memorial for PC Keith Palmer was unveiled outside Parliament in 2018MP Tobias Ellwood, who gave first aid to PC Palmer as he lay dying after being stabbed in the grounds of Parliament by Khalid Masood in 2017, said the image of the man urinating next to the memorial was "abhorrent". He told the BBC: "He was fully aware of what he was doing, he should step forward and apologise." Protesters clash with police in central London Protests in Atlanta over police shooting of African-American Scotland Yard said they had arrested people for offences including violent disorder, assault on police, possession of an offensive weapon, breach of the peace, being drunk and disorderly and possession of Class A drugs. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "Racist thuggery has no place on our streets. Anyone attacking the police will be met with full force of the law. "These marches and protests have been subverted by violence and breach current guidelines. Racism has no part in the UK and we must work together to make that a reality." Image copyrightPA MEDIAImage captionPolice are confronted by protesters in Whitehall near Parliament SquareVarious groups from around the country, including some far-right activists, said they had come to London to protect statues from anti-racism activists. Hundreds of mostly white men gathered around the Cenotaph war memorial in Whitehall and the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, which was boxed up to protect it from potential damage after protesters wrote "was a racist" on it last weekend. As large groups including right-wing protesters moved across London, there were a number of clashes with police in riot gear. Officers were pelted with missiles, as well as being kicked and punched. Six police officers suffered minor injuries in the clashes. Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionFlares and smoke bombs have been thrown in Trafalgar SquareA statement from the London Ambulance Service said it had treated 15 patients, including two police officers, for injuries at the protests. "Six of these patients - all members of the public - have now been taken to hospital." At the scene in Parliament Square From mid-morning on Saturday, hundreds of men - most of whom were already drinking - headed into Parliament Square. Some were members of football hooligan networks who had put aside their differences for the day. Others were from the far-right. But despite claims that the day was about defending British heritage, it soon became violent. Groups looked for opportunities to attack the police. Bottles and cans were thrown at their lines and horses - smoke bombs and fireworks set off. Journalists who came too close were threatened. One bare-chested man kicked a police officer to the ground and there were repeated attempts by others to storm barriers as the police contained the trouble. By late afternoon, some had left to find more beer - only to find their way back blocked by riot police. Others tried to regroup on nearby streets as the police played cat and mouse - using their numbers to repeatedly contain and block attempts to take violence around the city. Image copyrightEPAImage captionHundreds of protesters gathered outside Parliament on SaturdayLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer said any violence against police was "completely unacceptable", adding "no ifs, no buts". He tweeted that the protests in London were "led by those intent on causing violence and sowing hate for their own ends". The Met Police Federation also described it as "unacceptable", tweeting that its officers "do not come to work to face this level of violence and abuse". Some anti-racism protests also took place in London and across the UK on Saturday. Organisers from the Black Lives Matter movement had urged people not to join any rallies planned for the weekend over fears there could be clashes with far-right groups. Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionA protester carries an injured counter-protester to safety, near Waterloo stationPeaceful demonstrations by anti-racism protesters in support of the Black Lives Matter movement took place at Hyde Park and Marble Arch. In Brighton, thousands formed a mile-long line along the seafront as they staged a silent protest before marching through the city centre. Image copyrightPA MEDIAImage captionProtesters take part in a silent vigil on Brighton PierDemonstrations have been taking place across the world following the death in police custody of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis last month. Other places to hold demonstrations included Liverpool, Chelmsford and Newcastle, where demonstrators supporting the Black Lives Matter movement were heckled by a large counter-protest.

New measures to recruit officers ​A string of new measures are being introduced to support police forces recruiting officers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the College of Policing announced today.The measures come as police forces across England and Wales seek to recruit additional 20,000 officers. Former officers who have left the service and existing student officers can be deployed under guidance issued by the professional body for the police. The College of Policing has said former police officers who wish to re-join the service will undergo an assessment of their knowledge and skills and can undergo emergency training if there are gaps established. Each force can use the options provided for each specific circumstance, whether an officer is re-joining for short-term deployment during the COVID-19 emergency, or as a more long-term member of the service. In addition to re-joiners, forces can also deploy emergency training for student officers - similar to that seen in other professions - to cover the basic operations expected of constables on patrol. These include the use of police powers, ethics and protecting the vulnerable. Biometrics As part of recruiting a new officer, forces carry out biometric vetting to obtain DNA and fingerprints to ensure they have not previously come to adverse police attention, are linked to any outstanding crime scenes and for the purposes of elimination if their fingerprints or DNA is left unwittingly at scenes of crime once in post. The Government has advised biometric testing can go ahead and due to the close contact with new recruits, the College of Policing has issued new guidance for forces to obtain the samples as safely as possible. It includes candidates taking self-samples under supervision of police staff and where staff who would usually carry out the tests are not available, using officers familiar with the techniques used such as those who work in custody. Online assessment In addition to biometric testing, to enable police forces to continue with planned recruitment an online assessment process has been developed, providing an interim solution that enables all forces to continue the recruitment of police constables without the need for face-to-face contact. The online assessment process enables effective assessment of the required competencies and values and meets the current standards for assessing new recruits. The College of Policing has begun the initial roll out to a small number of forces and is working with the National Police Chiefs' Council, to make the process accessible to all forces by the end of June. To ensure consistency and fairness to candidates throughout the period of the pandemic, the online assessment process will remain in place throughout the remainder of 2020. Chief Constable Mike Cunningham, from the College of Policing, said: "All of these new measures will allow forces to continue recruitment and bring in more officers to keep the public safe at this critical time. "Our work means that those joining or returning to policing will have the knowledge and skills they need to do the job. "The pace in which these changes have been delivered cannot be underestimated, and I am pleased that we have been able to play our part in supporting the service at this difficult time. "These measures, and the continued commitment of officers and staff across the country, mean the police service is well prepared to continue to protect the public."

Dr Robina Shah MBE joins College of Policing Board The College of Policing is delighted to announce that Dr Robina Shah MBE has joined the College Board. ​Dr Shah, who joined the Board on 29 April, brings a wealth of experience to the College's governance and will take a lead role as an advisor around the organisation's work on diversity, equality and inclusion. Robina is a consultant chartered psychologist specialising in psycho/social medicine and a proven and highly respected senior leader with more than 20 years' experience in chair and non-executive director roles. Her work has a ranged across various national and international organisations including the Department of Health, NHS, Ministry of Justice, General Medical Council, Health Education England, Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal Society of Medicine. Robina is passionate about football and sits on the Manchester Football Association Board as a non-executive director. She also sits on the Women's Football Board and Disability Football Committee at the Football Association. Dr Shah was the UK's youngest and first Asian chair of an NHS Foundation Trust, the youngest Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester when she was appointed in 2006 and last year became the first female British-Pakistani woman to be personally appointed by the Queen as High Sheriff for Greater Manchester. In September 2018 Robina was one of only 25 women in England and Wales nominated by the public for a living statute that acknowledged her personal and professional achievements. Dr Robina Shah MBE said: "I am excited and honoured to join the College of Policing and I'm passionate about bringing my experience and perspectives to shape its important work. "It is vital that police officers and staff work closely with the communities they serve to ensure everyone recognises the importance of inclusion and plays their part in creating a diverse and equal society. "I particularly welcome the opportunity to support the College at this time, especially in achieving its ambitions for the service." Christine Elliott, interim Chair of the College of Policing Board, said: "Robina is a highly experienced senior leader who has a proven track record of championing diversity, equality and inclusion throughout her career. Her extensive experience of working with international partners as well as public and private sector organisations will be of great value to the College and support our ambitious agenda. "Robina's unique insight and experience will support us in continuing to strengthen our connection with the frontline and ensure the College is best able to support the service."

Officers exams move online from September Officer exams move online from September Police across England and Wales will be able to take exams online from September and reduce the risk to officers and invigilators by removing the need for large gatherings in one room. Future sergeants and inspectors will be able to use the online platform for exams, in addition to those taking the National Investigators' Exam (NIE).  We are now working with forces to introduce measures to ensure the system is fair and standards remain unchanged. The syllabus which officers will be examined on also remains unchanged and they will be given a minimum of three months' notice before an exam.  Chief Constable Mike Cunningham, College of Policing CEO, said: "In a first for policing across England and Wales, officers will now take exams online which will improve their safety and allow police forces to continue offering promotions. "We committed to finding alternative ways for responding to the pandemic and this new system means policing can continue to have the right supervisors in place to protect the public and manage the increase in officers coming into the service." The National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) Sergeants' and Inspectors' Exams will take place this autumn. The Inspectors' Exam will take place between Monday, 12 October and Wednesday, 14 October 2020 and the Sergeants' Exam will take place between Monday, 9 November and Wednesday, 11 November 2020. The NIE scheduled for 2020 will be held, as planned, on Tuesday, 8 September 2020 and Tuesday, 24 November 2020. The Direct Entry Superintendents' Examination will be held, as planned, on Tuesday, 17 November 2020. All exams held in 2020 will be examined against the existing syllabus for 2020, which can be found in the relevant candidate handbook. For date information on events, assessments, recruitment and other information related to the policing response to COVID-19 please visit the College's COVID-19 hub.

In schools when fights break out teachers rightly defend the students who are being attacked but could schools be using unreasonable force? "Yes", if teachers restrain you longer than necessary or prevent you from leaving or grab you or use excessive force when there is no longer a threat the teacher(s) can be arrested or sued for common assault Battery False Imprisonment and gross misconduct "Teachers are not above the law", And if they search you because they believe you have something against the school rules this is illegal under the Education Act 2011 What the law says: What can be searched for? • "Knives or weapons, alcohol, illegal drugs and stolen items; and • Tobacco and cigarette papers, fireworks and pornographic images; and • Any article that the member of staff reasonably suspects has been, or is likely to be, used to commit an offence, or to cause personal injury, or damage to property, no pupil may be searched for items banned by the school rules", This would add false imprisonment battery common assault gross misconduct and policy breaches if the student was searched or imprisoned for example having a phone this would be assault on a massive scale. MKLN&A-UK3

A DAD of four, who was mistakenly arrested on suspicion of stealing a car and misusing its owner’s bank card, is suing South Wales Police, alleging he was forced to have surgery on the injuries he was left with. A DAD of four, who was mistakenly arrested on suspicion of stealing a car and misusing its owner’s bank card, is suing South Wales Police, alleging he was forced to have surgery on the injuries he was left with. John Sultana, 48, who lives in McCale Avenue, Fairwater, Cardiff, with his partner and children, was arrested while on a Sunday afternoon shopping trip to Culverhouse Cross on the outskirts of Cardiff. At the time a police officer and a number of PCSOs were involved in a crime reduction exercise at the shopping centre. The police officer spotted Mr Sultana near a cashpoint and concluded that he may have been involved in an incident three weeks earlier, when a car was stolen and its owner’s bank card used to withdraw money from the same cashpoint. Part of the incident was recorded on a mobile phone. Mr Sultana can be heard protesting – though without using offensive language – that he had done nothing wrong. Police reinforcements were called to the scene. Mr Sultana claims he was forcibly handcuffed and that an officer pressed down with his boot on the handcuffs, causing severe pain and injuries to his arms. He was taken to Barry Police Station and later released without charge. A report from consultant orthopaedic surgeon Andrew Rogers said that injuries to Mr Sultana’s arms “seem to be consistent with having had handcuffs applied to the wrists and this consisted of bruising around the wrists such that initially fractures were suspected of the wrists, but subsequently a CT scan taken of the wrists excluded any fractures”. Mr Rogers’ report continued: “He did, however, appear to have significant pain and discomfort in the wrists and also evidence of an injury to the superficial radial nerve of his right wrist. “This is a sensory nerve that supplies the back and thumb side of the hand and would be prone to injury, particularly when rigid handcuffs are applied to the wrist and twisted or pressure applied.” The report said Mr Sultana’s injuries significantly affected his employment and leisure activities. Mr Sultana said: “After a period of unemployment I was trying at the time of my arrest to work as a scrap metal dealer, but the injuries have made it impossible to carry anything that is heavy. “One of the worst aspects of what has happened is that it can be very painful to play with my young children, even two and a half years after the incident at Culverhouse Cross. They like to climb on me and it is heartbreaking not to be able to play with them properly. “I have been a criminal in the past but in recent years have gone straight. I understand that the police have a duty to check things out, but on this occasion what happened was not right. “I have had to have three operations but my arms still hurt. I was a victim of mistaken identity, which the police have accepted.” Mr Sultana has issued proceedings against South Wales Police for unlawful arrest and assault. South Wales Police director of legal services Gareth Madge said: “We are currently defending civil proceedings in the county court brought by Mr Sultana for alleged unlawful arrest and assault. “The proceedings are ongoing and therefore it would not be appropriate to comment any further at this stage.” MKLN&A-UK3

Police Officer and Police Staff Discipline ​From May 1 2015 Police Regulations were amended to enable police officer gross misconduct hearings to be held in public. Forces publish full details of the outcome of cases and these are available for at least 28 days on their website. This provision applies only to police officers and special constables and does not apply to PCSOs or other members of police staff. From January 1 2016 all gross misconduct panel hearings are chaired by independent Legally Qualified chairs.  The LQC must be chosen from a list of candidates which are maintained by the local policing body. The Home Office Guidance covers the Standards of Professional Behaviour for police officers, including special constables, and sets out the procedures for dealing with misconduct, unsatisfactory performance and attendance and for appeals to the Police Appeals Tribunal. Police Staff Discipline is conducted in line with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. Also see data on misconduct and criminal investigations that is produced by the Home Office annually.