Coronavirus: Evening update as PM urges people to act 'safely' in lockdown easing

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Friday evening. We'll have another update for you on Saturday morning.

1. England lockdown easing 'biggest step yet', says PM

Boris Johnson has urged people to act "safely" as businesses - including restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas - reopen their doors on Saturday, with pubs allowed to open from 06:00 BST. The PM described the easing of England's lockdown as the "biggest step yet on the road to recovery", but warned the public that "we are not out of the woods yet".

2. England's quarantine-free countries list published

The government has published its full list of countries for which quarantine will not apply to people arriving back in England. From 10 July, people returning from countries such as Greece, Spain, France will not need to self-isolate for 14 days, but those from the US, Sweden and Portugal will. If you're booking a post-lockdown holiday, read our guide to Europe's most popular warm weather destinations.

Reuters

3. Leicester left behind in England's lockdown easing

While the rest of England will be able to go to the pub or have a haircut from Saturday, some people in Leicester continue to live under a local lockdown, following a spike in cases. Leicestershire Police has said there will be more officers on patrol than during a typical New Year's Eve. Meanwhile, we spoke to some of the residents living on the borderline.

Sue Smith gets a good view of Leicester's local lockdown boundary - it extends to the bottom of her garden.

4. Almost 30,000 more care home deaths than last year

New Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that almost 30,000 more care home residents in England and Wales died during the pandemic than during the same period in 2019. Of these 29,000 'excess deaths', nearly 20,000 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate. In the week to 12 June, the number of deaths fell below last year's figures for the first time since early March.

5. 'We'll be cutting hair from midnight'

After more than 100 days in lockdown, many of us are in dire need of a visit to the hairdressers. For some, it might be a more straightforward trim, but for those who have attempted a DIY haircut, a more serious intervention may be needed. So it's no surprise that hairdressers like Carole Rickaby will be opening her doors at the stroke of midnight, when salons reopen in England on Saturday.

Carole Rickaby

Carole Rickaby says some of her clients have had "horrific" DIY jobs during lockdown

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And don't forget...

...mandatory MOTs for vehicles in England, Scotland and Wales are being reintroduced from 1 August. We have five tips to get your car out of lockdown.

Find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page and get the latest in our live page.

BBC

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