The Times - UK (2020-08-01)

8 2GM Saturday August 1 2020 | the times

News

Since May, on every occasion when Bo-
ris Johnson has addressed the country
at a Downing Street press conference it
has been to announce the gradual but
sustained easing of lockdown restric-
tions and the reopening of the economy.
Yesterday the message was very dif-
ferent. That easing, the prime minister
admitted, had started to allow the virus
to take control again, not just in the
northwest, where new restrictions
were announced on Thursday night,
but in other parts of the country too.
As a result most of the planned lock-
down easing that was due to come into
effect today will now be delayed for at
least two weeks. There will also be fur-
ther measures imposed and a new onus
on the police to enforce the rules.
The government’s chief medical offi-
cer went further, warning of explicit
trade-offs that Downing Street would
have to make if it wanted to keep the
virus under control and, for example, re-
open schools and colleges in September.
So what did Mr Johnson announce
and what are the future trade-offs likely
to be?

face coverings

The rules on face coverings will be
tightened. Wearing one will become
mandatory in all indoor public spaces,
including cinemas, museums and
places of worship, from August 8.
The decision comes in response to
mounting evidence that face coverings
help to reduce the risk of transmission
in areas where people come into con-
tact with others whom they do not
know. Face coverings are already man-
datory in shops, supermarkets, banks,
takeaway outlets, and post offices. Offi-
ces, which are deemed private indoor
spaces, will be exempt.
Those who flout the rule face a fine of
up to £100. Mr Johnson said there
would be a “greater police presence” to
enforce the rules around facemasks.

beauty services

Close-contact beauty services, such as
facials, make-up application, eyebrow
shaping and eyelash treatments, have
been banned for another two weeks.
Beauty salons were allowed to open
on July 13 but only for treatments away
from the face, such as manicures and
body massages. Ministers have reversed
plans to go beyond this because of the
concern that the virus could be trans-
mitted during close-contact services.

casinos and bowling alleys

Casinos and bowling alleys, which had
been due to reopen their doors tomor-
row after more than four months, have
been ordered to stay closed for at least
two more weeks. The concern is that it
is difficult to ensure that items such as
bowling balls and playing cards, are
cleaned regularly enough.

weddings

Plans to allow small wedding receptions
with up to 30 people have also been
postponed although services can still go
ahead. Mr Johnson apologised but
added: “We simply cannot take the risk.”
Chris Whitty, the chief medical offi-
cer for England, said the infection data
suggests “we have probably reached
near the limit of what we can do in
terms of opening up society”.

back to work as planned

Despite strengthening restrictions in
parts of England and postponing plans
to unlock the economy further, Mr
Johnson is revising the advice telling
people to work from home. From today
people will no longer be told to work
from home where possible, and are in-

stead being advised to take a decision

jointly with their employers.

The move comes amid concerns over

the impact that remote working is

having on the economy, particularly in

city centres where businesses rely on

trade from office workers.

schools

Reopening schools in September

“should be a national priority”, accord-

ing to the prime minister, even if that

means sacrificing other freedoms.

“That should be something that we aim

to deliver,” Mr Johnson said.

Professor Whitty said that decisions

would have to be made about what to

prioritise: for example, by allowing

schools to reopen in September at the

expense of other things. “The idea that

we can open up everything and keep the

virus under control is clearly wrong,” he

said. “We are at the outer edge of what

we can do and therefore choices will

need to be made.”

shielding paused

Shielding for those who are extremely

clinically vulnerable will be paused

today as planned.

More than two million people who

are particularly at risk from the virus

because of existing health conditions in

England are shielding. They were ad-

vised to stay at home and avoid all con-

tact with others at the height of the pan-

demic, but that guidance is now being

relaxed and they too will be allowed to

return to work.

staycations

Mr Johnson denied he had “cancelled

summer” and encouraged people to

book domestic holidays.

There are concerns the new restric-

tions in the north and the increase in in-

fections in the southwest of England

will scupper people’s holiday plans and

deliver a further blow to Britain’s tour-

ism industry. “I would encourage

people still to think of wonderful stay-

cations here in the UK,” Mr Johnson

said.

winter

The public is being warned there will be

major challenges during the winter

“where everything is against us”.

Professor Whitty said the summer

was being used to “test how fast we can

open up”, with the advantage that people

can gather outside. “There are clearly

big disadvantages to opening things up

in the winter months where everything

is against us,” he added.

James Forsyth, page 25

“Stay at home” was successful and

“stay alert” widely ridiculed but

Boris Johnson is again attempting

to use a snappy slogan to keep the

virus under control.

Several times at yesterday’s

press conference he repeated a

new mantra: “Hands, face, space.”

“The only real utensil we have for

controlling the spread of this new

virus is human behaviour. And the

only way we can encourage people

to behave in one way is through

advice,” Mr Johnson explained.

“And that’s why, in a nutshell, it’s

‘hands face space’: Wash your

hands, cover your face in the

settings we’ve mentioned and keep

your distance from other people.”

Hands, face,

space appeal

Chris Smyth Whitehall Editor

One person in five infected with Covid-

19 in London and the southeast showed

no symptoms, with many who did show

symptoms not having any of the three

core signs of the disease.

An antibody testing study by re-

searchers at King’s College London

found that a quarter of those who fell ill

lacked the symptoms of a persistent

cough, fever and loss of smell. Govern-

ment guidance says that people should

self-isolate and get a test if they have

any one of those three symptoms. The

study, which has yet to go through the

peer review process for publication in a

journal, linked data from the Covid

Quarter of those infected

lacked telltale symptoms

Symptom Study app and antibody test-

ing. Researchers took blood samples

from 432 adults aged 18 to 89 who are

part of the TwinsUK study and live in

London or the southeast. Participants

also logged their health on the app and

were swabbed for Covid-19 infection.

One person in eight was positive for

antibodies. When researchers focused

on the 48 people who had positive anti-

body tests and had regularly logged

their health, they found that 19 per cent

never experienced any symptoms.

Dr Claire Steves, of King’s College,

said: “A significant proportion of

people who get infected with coronavi-

rus don’t have any obvious symptoms

but may still pass the disease on.”

Kat Lay Health Correspondent

News Coronavirus

Country told to make sacrifices

Eleni Courea, Oliver Wright Braced for a second wave

Daily cases in the UK

Infection rates by region

North East

North West

Yorks & the Humber

East Midlands

West Midlands

East of England

London

South East

South West

July 23 Percentage

testing

positive

The national picture

Feb

2

Feb

16

Mar

1

Mar

15

Mar

29

Apr

12

Apr

26

May

10

May

24

Jun

7

Jun

21

Jul

5

Jul

19

0

1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Source: Public Health England

July 4

Major

easing of

lockdown

March 23

Lockdown

Feb 29

First recorded

positive case

caught in UK

Seven-day

average

July 30

Restrictions

re-imposed

in north

Estimated percentage of the population testing

positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) across region,

July 23, 2020, England. Source: ONS

0.05%

0.04%

0.05%

0.06%

0.07%

0.07%

0.05%

0.06%

0.13%

Daily new lab-confirmed UK cases

Daily new UK deaths

*Counting of cases has changed to remove duplication.

Numbers now include those tested in all settings.

Source: Gov.UK

Cases Deaths

Total UK* 303,181 46,

261,

18,

17,

5,

41,

2,

1,

556

England

Scotland

Wales

N Ireland

61

Jul 25

767

Jul 25

14

26

7

27

747

26

685

27

119

28

581

28

83

29

763

29

38

30

846

30

120

31

880

31

Boris Johnson

announced further

measures to keep

the virus at bay,

with a new onus

on police to

enforce the rules