BBC Radio Northampton

Another coronavirus testing centre has opened for people who believe they may have symptoms of the disease.

The centre is a mobile unit visiting Kettering in Northamptonshire today and over the weekend as part of the government’s testing programme.

Tests are by appointment and can only be applied for and booked online, external after which the location of the centre will be disclosed.

A testing unit will also be available in Northampton from Sunday to Tuesday.

Two of Norwich's theatres, closed during the coronavirus lockdown, are facing an "perilous" future.

The Theatre Royal (pictured) and the Playhouse, external are run under one umbrella and since they closed on 16 March they have lost 96% of their income, managers said.

If social distancing were to be maintained at the Theatre Royal it would only be able to seat 106 people instead of the usual 1,300.

Chief executive Stephen Crocker said: "We are already losing substantial amounts of money every month and my concern would be trying to open up with social distancing and, with those economics not backing up, it just adds to those losses and further risks our future.

"The theatre sector is among those hardest hit across the whole of the economic landscape.

"We were the first to close down and it's very, very clear to me that we're going to be among the last to get back to full scale operation."

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

A Cambridge-based pharmaceutical company claims it can now supply two billion doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine, which is double the number it announced last month.

AstraZeneca, external has signed two new deals, including one backed by Microsoft, external computer system founder Bill Gates, allowing it to double production of the vaccine being developed by Oxford University.

Pascal Soriot, from AstraZeneca, said the firm should know by September if it works.

"It is still on track but of course what we cannot predict is the speed the disease will [spread] in the UK," he said.

"On the one hand we want to see the disease decline, but on the other it will create an issue because we may not be able to show the efficacy of the vaccine."

Sarah Jenkins
BBC News

The MP for Colchester has written to two government departments to inquire about reopening the town's zoo.

Will Quince said the zoo "is hugely important" to the area. No reopening date has been set for zoos and wildlife parks as lockdown restrictions are eased by the government.

The Conservative MP has written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma and George Eustice, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Mr Quince said he has asked for a "timeline for permission for zoos to reopen" and will share the response he receives.

The zoo released a statement, external yesterday saying that it was "scraping the bottom of the barrel" in regards to its financial situation, as it has been closed to the public since March.

"Whilst furlough has helped zoos with wages, a zoo still requires a huge number of staff to deal with the welfare of the animals, the maintenance to ensure all the systems, including life systems, remain in working order," the statement said.

Hair and beauty salons are making changes, ready for a possible reopening from 4 July.

A temporary mortuary set up to deal with a potentially higher death rate during the Covid-19 pandemic has been taken down as it was never needed.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

Technology aimed at keeping public transport passengers safe from coronavirus is being rolled out across a fleet of Cambridgeshire coaches.

Greys of Ely, external has teamed up with transport operator Zeelo, external to install a system which claims to clean 99% of air particles on vehicles.

Image source, Grey's of Ely

The coach firm's managing director Richard Grey said: "Above your head the vehicle is fitted with an Eco-3 air purifying unit. So that means it increases the oxygen rate in the vehicle and helps sanitise the air within.

"The unit will recirculate the air within three to five minutes so you are constantly supplied with fresh air."

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

Watford will see changes to parking in the light of non-essential shops reopening from the 15 June.

Image source, Watford Council

From that date:

• Parking controls will be reintroduced in local streets to make sure parking spaces are prioritised for local residents. For areas that normally have restrictions until 22:00, these will finish at 18:30 due to late night restaurants and bars still being closed
• Residents will get a three-month extension on their permits to compensate for having reduced parking controls for the last 12 weeks
• Enforcement in council car parks near the town centre (Avenue and Town Hall carparks) will be reintroduced
• Third party-owned car parks (Intu and CitiPark) will also begin enforcement again
• NHS and other key workers will still be able to park for free in pay and display car parks and permit bays free of charge, provided they display a national parking pass issued by their employer

Full details can be found on Watford Borough Council's website, external.

The owners of Whipsnade Zoo, external in Bedfordshire say they cannot understand why the government is not allowing the zoo to reopen.

They are urging supporters to write to their MP ahead of a debate in parliament next week.

Owners ZSL, which also runs London Zoo, said both are ready to open for the first time since lockdown began in March, but there were being put at risk of permanent closure without income generated by visitors.

Image source, PA

Running costs are more than £2m a month and there was also a lack of donations for their conservation projects around the world, ZSL said.

ZSL has made what it described as "substantial alterations" at Whipsnade to accommodate social distancing and questions whether a visit to the zoo would pose more risk than going to a car showroom or furniture store, both of which are being allowed to reopen.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

A drive-through coronavirus testing facility is opening today at Milton Park and Ride, external near Cambridge.

It will initially run on a trial basis, the government said.

A similar facility at the East of England Showground, external in Peterborough opened in April.

The local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group hopes the two centres will make it easier for people who are showing symptoms to get tested in Cambridgeshire.

Unbeaten favourite Pinatubo will face 14 rivals in Saturday's 2,000 Guineas as the Classic season finally gets under way.

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

On Wednesday, we told you how scientists wanted healthcare workers in Cambridgeshire to come forward to take part in a coronavirus vaccine trial developed by the University of Oxford.

Image source, PA Media

They also want those living in the Thames Valley area - including Buckinghamshire , external- to come forward.

The COV002 trial aims to assess how well people across a range of ages could be protected from Covid-19 using a new vaccine. It's hoped it will also provide information on the safety of the vaccine and its ability to generate immunity.

Healthy staff, aged 18 to 55, who have not been infected with coronavirus but have regular face-to-face contact with Covid-19 patients, can take part.

Anyone interested can visit the University of Oxford website, external.

Capt Tom Moore says he is "overwhelmed by the incredible things that keep happening".

Matt Precey
BBC Look East

The latest number of new daily coronavirus deaths, external in the region's hospitals show an increase of 19*, a fall in the rate following the previous day's figure of 29.

The latest reported deaths were at the following NHS trusts:

• Anglian Community Enterprise (CIC, Harwich and Clacton hospitals): 1
• Buckinghamshire Healthcare: 3
• East and North Hertfordshire: 2
• Kettering General Hospital: 2
• Mid Essex Hospital Services: 2
• Norfolk Community Health and Care: 1
• North West Anglia (Peterborough and Hinchingbrooke hospitals): 1
• Northampton General Hospital: 2
• Southend University Hospital: 1

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn: 2
• West Suffolk Hospital: 2

The total number of Covid-19 associated UK deaths now stands at 39,417.

The total number of deaths in the BBC East region is 3,744.

* Earlier we said there was a discrepancy in one hospital trust's figures. This was due to post-mortem tests showing that people previously thought to have died from Covid-19 had actually died from other causes. The figures listed above are correct and do not include any new deaths at the trust in question.

Felix Khor came out of retirement to help and thanked staff who "persevered and saved my life".

We will be bringing you all the latest pandemic news from across the East of England - from the latest statistics to how key workers and our communities are coping.

If you have a story you wish to share - good or bad - please contact BBC News Online (East).

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