Big night flout: Drinkers ignore social distancing as they pack into pubs and clubs despite threat to shut them down after warning that crowded bars are a more dangerous coronavirus risk than planes
Revellers were seen enjoying a drink after thousands crowded on beaches and gathered in parks with friends to soak up temperatures of 95F (35C) on Saturday. Drinkers flouted social distancing rules as they took to the towns including Portsmouth (pictured bottom left) Blackpool (pictured top left and bottom right) and Manchester (pictured top right) on what was the hottest weekend of the year so far, despite the threat that pubs could be shut down once more, and experts warning that a crowded bar is more dangerous than being on a plane. Meanwhile, it was also revealed that half of new coronavirus cases in the newly-locked down city of Preston are under the age of 30, suggesting that the spike in cases in the city is in-part down to young people returning to the bars. Desperate police yesterday turned an influx of staycationers away because of Friday's 'bedlam' - as soaring mercury left officials worried about what today could bring.
The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail lead on the overhaul of the government's test and trace scheme which is variously described as "failing" and "beleaguered". Both highlight that thousands of call centre staff will be sacked, and that local contact tracers will knock on people's doors if they haven't responded to phone calls. The Telegraph editorial says the new track and trace system must inspire confidence, and the consequences of failure would be "calamitous".
The Daily Mirror takes aim at the private firm Serco which it declares "should be axed" from running what it calls the "shambolic" system. It wants the firm's new £300m contract to be cancelled. The paper's editorial is headed "sack Serco, save lives".
UK records highest number of new coronavirus cases in seven weeks with 1,148 infections and a further 102 deaths
The UK today recorded its highest number of new coronavirus cases (top graph) in seven weeks with 1,148 infections and a further 102 deaths (bottom) across the country. The total number of cases today reached 312,789 after the largest rise since June 21, when there were 1,221 new cases. The total number of deaths rose to 46,628 today. The new rise in cases breaches the ceiling that the Government's Joint Biosecurity Centre said was acceptable to avoid 'flare-ups' of Covid-19, according to Sage documents. In recent days thousands of Britons have flocked to beaches and parks to cool off during the sweltering heat, making social-distancing largely impossible. It comes as official figures revealed that the infection rate among all age groups under 65 has been rising since lockdown was eased earlier in the summer.
Chinese cities find virus in Brazilian chicken wings, Ecuadorian shrimp packaging
BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in imported frozen food and on food packaging, local authorities said on Thursday, raising fears that contaminated food shipments might cause new outbreaks.
A sample taken from the surface of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern city of Shenzhen from Brazil, as well as samples of outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp sold in the northwestern Xi'An city, have tested positive for the virus, local authorities said on Thursday.
The discoveries came a day after traces of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 were found on the packaging of frozen shrimp from Ecuador in a city in eastern Anhui province. China has been stepping up screenings at ports amid the concerns over food imports.
Northampton faces coronavirus lockdown after almost 300 workers at sandwich factory that supplies M&S test positive for the disease
The Greencore food facility on the Midlands town's Moulton Park Industrial Estate has revealed 292 staff there have caught Covid-19 and are self-isolating. Northampton is one of Public Health England's 29 areas of concern and is being closely monitored by the Government in case officials decide a local lockdown is necessary. Public health director in the county, Lucy Wightman, said residents have been asked to 'act now' to try and slow the spread of the virus to avert tough restrictions like those imposed on nearby Leicester.
'Grade A Chaos' The Daily Star depicts Boris Johnson and the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, as "A Grade Clowns", in front of a blackboard which has the line "I must do better" written on it several times.
The Metro grades the government "A Big Fat F for Fiasco"; the i newspaper believes Mr Williamson - and his Scottish counterpart, John Swinney - should stand in the corner, wearing a dunce's hat; while the Sun regards the whole affair as "Grade A Chaos".
The Daily Express sympathises with a generation whose "schooling was derailed by the pandemic" and who will "fear their future has now been dealt a mighty blow".
The Daily Mail accuses Gavin Williamson of failing to do his homework - and suggests "expulsion from the cabinet" may be "the least he deserves".
Comments
Revellers were seen enjoying a drink after thousands crowded on beaches and gathered in parks with friends to soak up temperatures of 95F (35C) on Saturday. Drinkers flouted social distancing rules as they took to the towns including Portsmouth (pictured bottom left) Blackpool (pictured top left and bottom right) and Manchester (pictured top right) on what was the hottest weekend of the year so far, despite the threat that pubs could be shut down once more, and experts warning that a crowded bar is more dangerous than being on a plane. Meanwhile, it was also revealed that half of new coronavirus cases in the newly-locked down city of Preston are under the age of 30, suggesting that the spike in cases in the city is in-part down to young people returning to the bars. Desperate police yesterday turned an influx of staycationers away because of Friday's 'bedlam' - as soaring mercury left officials worried about what today could bring.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8608059/Drinkers-pack-pubs-clubs-day-beaches-wheres-social-distancing.html
https://sebastianrushworth.com/2020/08/04/how-bad-is-covid-really-a-swedish-doctors-perspective/
The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail lead on the overhaul of the government's test and trace scheme which is variously described as "failing" and "beleaguered". Both highlight that thousands of call centre staff will be sacked, and that local contact tracers will knock on people's doors if they haven't responded to phone calls. The Telegraph editorial says the new track and trace system must inspire confidence, and the consequences of failure would be "calamitous".
The Daily Mirror takes aim at the private firm Serco which it declares "should be axed" from running what it calls the "shambolic" system. It wants the firm's new £300m contract to be cancelled. The paper's editorial is headed "sack Serco, save lives".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-53731214
The UK today recorded its highest number of new coronavirus cases (top graph) in seven weeks with 1,148 infections and a further 102 deaths (bottom) across the country. The total number of cases today reached 312,789 after the largest rise since June 21, when there were 1,221 new cases. The total number of deaths rose to 46,628 today. The new rise in cases breaches the ceiling that the Government's Joint Biosecurity Centre said was acceptable to avoid 'flare-ups' of Covid-19, according to Sage documents. In recent days thousands of Britons have flocked to beaches and parks to cool off during the sweltering heat, making social-distancing largely impossible. It comes as official figures revealed that the infection rate among all age groups under 65 has been rising since lockdown was eased earlier in the summer.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in imported frozen food and on food packaging, local authorities said on Thursday, raising fears that contaminated food shipments might cause new outbreaks.
A sample taken from the surface of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern city of Shenzhen from Brazil, as well as samples of outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp sold in the northwestern Xi'An city, have tested positive for the virus, local authorities said on Thursday.
The discoveries came a day after traces of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 were found on the packaging of frozen shrimp from Ecuador in a city in eastern Anhui province. China has been stepping up screenings at ports amid the concerns over food imports.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/chinas-shenzhen-says-chicken-imported-011831189.html
The Greencore food facility on the Midlands town's Moulton Park Industrial Estate has revealed 292 staff there have caught Covid-19 and are self-isolating. Northampton is one of Public Health England's 29 areas of concern and is being closely monitored by the Government in case officials decide a local lockdown is necessary. Public health director in the county, Lucy Wightman, said residents have been asked to 'act now' to try and slow the spread of the virus to avert tough restrictions like those imposed on nearby Leicester.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
'Grade A Chaos'
The Daily Star depicts Boris Johnson and the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, as "A Grade Clowns", in front of a blackboard which has the line "I must do better" written on it several times.
The Metro grades the government "A Big Fat F for Fiasco"; the i newspaper believes Mr Williamson - and his Scottish counterpart, John Swinney - should stand in the corner, wearing a dunce's hat; while the Sun regards the whole affair as "Grade A Chaos".
The Daily Express sympathises with a generation whose "schooling was derailed by the pandemic" and who will "fear their future has now been dealt a mighty blow".
The Daily Mail accuses Gavin Williamson of failing to do his homework - and suggests "expulsion from the cabinet" may be "the least he deserves".