Covid-19: Nottingham in tier 3 and Tesco 'sorry' over period product ban
- Published
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Monday evening. We'll have another update for you on Tuesday morning.
1. Nottingham to move into tier 3
Nottingham and parts of the surrounding county will move into the highest level of coronavirus restrictions from 00:01 on Thursday. Under the rules, pubs and bars not serving substantial meals have to close, while household mixing is banned indoors and outdoors in hospitality settings and private gardens. Nottinghamshire joins Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, South Yorkshire and Warrington in the highest tier.
Nottingham has consistently recorded one of the highest infection rates in England
2. Tesco 'sorry' for period products sale confusion
Tesco has apologised after telling a customer she could not buy period products during lockdown in Wales. The woman says she was left "raging and in tears" after finding the aisle where they were sold was blocked off at a store in Cardiff. The Welsh Government has banned the sale of non-essential items in supermarkets during its 17-day lockdown. Tesco initially said it had been told not to sell the items due to the restriction, but later admitted this was a "mistake". Health Minister Vaughan Gething told the Welsh Government briefing on Monday that supermarkets would now be able to use their "discretion".
Tesco had blocked off the aisle after a "break-in" at the store in St Mellons, Cardiff
3. Students in Scotland may not be allowed home for Christmas
Students could be told not to return home during the festive period if the spread of the coronavirus has not been controlled, according to Scotland's deputy first minister. But Glasgow University student Nell Manson, from Lancaster, has said she does not believe many students will stay over Christmas even if asked to by the government. The National Union of Students said the uncertainty "does nothing for students' mental health and wellbeing" and a clear and coherent plan was required urgently.
John Swinney said there were risks associated with large groups of people moving around the country at the same time
4. Scotland's toughest restrictions considered for Lanarkshire
North and South Lanarkshire could be the first places to have level four restrictions imposed in Scotland, bringing them closer to the rules in place for the full lockdown at the end of March, a leaked letter suggests. Under level four - the highest in Scotland's five level system, which starts at zero - non-essential shops and leisure venues are forced to close and non-essential travel is not allowed. Schools would remain open, however. The Scottish government has said level four will only be used if "absolutely necessary" and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there were signs the situation in Lanarkshire is "starting to stabilise".
5. Toymakers optimistic for Christmas sales
Toymakers are expecting strong sales in the run-up to the festive season after seeing a surge in demand for items such as Barbies and board games during the pandemic. Hasbro, maker of Monopoly and Jenga, told investors it was predicting a "good holiday season". It followed rival Mattel's report last week of its biggest sales jump in a decade, which saw its Barbie dolls hit their highest quarterly sales since 2003.
And don't forget...
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page. As the nights get longer and the weather gets colder, why not check out our summary of the different symptoms you can experience when you have a cold, the flu or coronavirus.
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