More Flowers

I think you'll know my garden better than me by the time we get a vaccine and things return to normal! A nice day today weather wise so I did the front garden, mowed the lawn and then sat out reading. So lovely to see the photos of Capt. Sir Tom Moore being knighted by the Queen in a special open air and socially distanced ceremony at Windsor Castle - just fab!

Day 124 / Full Day 116 of Lockdown / Day 14 of Step 3 (for my record only)
UK deaths up 114 to 45,233 with new daily cases up by 687. Cases to date in India pass 1m, in Brazil pass 2m and globally pass 14m  which is up 1m in only 4 days (from 5) this time, with cases in the US yesterday up an astonishing 73,388. The R rate in Brittany has risen sharply. The Health Secretary calls for an urgent review of the CV death data in England produced by Public Health England as they count everyone who dies after a positive Covid death if they have ever tested positive, so even say if they die in a car accident months later. The other UK nations only include those who die within 28 days of a positive test. Both methods sound wrong to me, but it does perhaps explain an anomaly I spotted a week ago where excess deaths in Scotland are 1.95 times the official CV deaths, but in England are 1.4 times (Wales 1.33 times & Northern Ireland 1.75 times). 

Nightingales to remain open until next Mar. NHS England to get extra £3bn to prepare for 2nd wave and for Winter. Update on Test & Trace shows since started 2m tested, 34k positive, 180k contacts traced and each week over 100 local outbreaks are dealt with. Testing kits by Randox laboratories have been withdrawn as they fail to meet safety standards. 4,210 people were discharged from hospital into care homes without being tested around the peak of the pandemic per Sky News. A study led by Kings College London has identified 6 different types of Covid-19 each with its own symptoms and risk severity. The work uses data from the Covid Symptom Study App and can be used to help select appropriate treatments. 

PM gave a briefing this morning on an updated roadmap for coming out of lockdown in England, also confirming the R rate remains at 0.7-0.9 and that infections are shrinking by between 1-5% a day. Anyone may now use public transport. From 1st Aug new work advice to be issued and employers will have more discretion on whether they are happy for staff to continue to work from home or can safely have them in the office and prefer that (including getting there safely).  1st Aug will also see bowling alleys, skating rinks, casinos, beauticians and remaining leisure centres re-open. Theatres can open subject to a successful pilot and socially distanced audience, and wedding receptions for up to 30 can go ahead. Nightclubs and softplay areas to remain closed. Schools, nurseries and universities to re-open from Sept and conferences, and sports in stadiums with audiences are planned to start from October (s.t. pilots). More contact between people will be announced when appropriate. All is conditional on rules being followed and infections continuing to go down. Nov at earliest to stop social distancing. Councils are to get local lockdown powers to enable them to act swiftly.