Coronavirus: Confusion over new restrictions, and a Christmas promise for students
- Published
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Tuesday evening. We'll have another update for you on Wednesday morning.
1. PM 'misspoke' amid coronavirus rules confusion
Tighter restrictions come into force in parts of north-east England tonight, but there has been much confusion over what exactly the rules are. First, a junior minister told the BBC that she did not know whether the rules extended to outdoor settings such as pubs and beer gardens. The prime minister later attempted to clarify the situation, but struggled to explain them clearly himself. He later tweeted, saying "I misspoke". So what are the rules? We have set them out, nice and clearly, here.
The new restrictions come as the UK recorded 7,143 confirmed coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, a new high since mass testing began. Deaths recorded within 28 days of a positive test also rose to 71, the highest total since 1 July.
2. Christmas promise for university students
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has promised to work with universities to make sure that all students can return home for Christmas if they choose to do so. Thousands are currently self-isolating in college accommodation after localised outbreaks. Mr Williamson also suggested that universities should move to online learning towards the end of term, to give students time to self-isolate before returning to their families. Meanwhile, many students have been left wondering whether they are entitled to a refund on their fees - we can help with that here.
3. PM announces adult education shake-up
Boris Johnson has called for radical change to address Britain's skills shortage in an effort to boost the post-Covid economy. He said coronavirus had "massively accelerated" changes to the world of work - a topic we covered here - as he launched a scheme to allow some adults in England to study at college for free from next April. He said the move could help to end the "bogus distinction" between academic and practical learning.
4. People asked to wait for flu jabs amid high demand
The government is urging those most vulnerable to flu to get a jab to help protect against the "double danger" of flu and coronavirus. But stocks of the vaccine are already running low, and some GPs and pharmacies are asking people to wait until more stock can be delivered. The government says there is no national shortage, and there will be enough to vaccinate the 30 million people it is recommended for.
5. Snowdonia considers visitor tax after summer crowds
Remember those pictures of people flocking to the UK's beauty spots in the summer? The huge increase in visitor numbers to Snowdonia National Park during lockdown saw hundreds of cars parked on narrow mountain roads. Now the park's engagement officer is suggesting taxing visitors as a way of making tourism there more sustainable. The money would be used to invest in staff and deal better with larger visitor numbers.
The summer has seen huge crowds of people flocking to Snowdonia
And don't forget...
Find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page and get all the latest from our live page.
Plus... as global deaths pass the one million mark, have a look at our charts and maps tracking its spread across the world.
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