Covid-19: England lockdown and Capt Tom's new challenge

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday morning. We'll have another update for you at 18:00 GMT.

1. England enters new four-week lockdown

People are being told to stay at home and households are banned from mixing indoors or in private gardens, unless in a support bubble. Non-essential shops, pubs and gyms have also been ordered to close - although some stores can remain open. Police have warned of stiff fines for those who commit the most "egregious" breaches. Schools, universities and childcare providers won't shut down - here are some other ways this lockdown is different from the first. And look up the rules in your area wherever you are in the UK.

Boris Johnson: 'These measures will expire on 2 December'

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2. Bank injects £150bn into economy

The Bank of England will pump an extra £150bn into the UK economy to help it weather the coronavirus second wave. The move will give the government more scope to borrow to support households and businesses. The Bank believes unemployment will rise sharply in the coming months when government support schemes wind down, but thinks the country will avoid a second recession. Policymakers also kept interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.1%. Chancellor Rishi Sunak will give an update on his economic plans later this morning. Meanwhile, Sainsbury's has announced 3,500 job cuts, mainly from the Argos chain it bought in 2016.

A high streetGetty Images
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3. Racial inequality probe

The UK's human rights watchdog is launching an inquiry into why lower-paid health and social care workers from ethnic minorities are at greater risk from coronavirus. The Equality and Human Rights Commission said the inquiry would examine "long-standing entrenched racial inequalities". People from black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups are twice as likely as white people to be infected, and more likely to need intensive care and to die from Covid-19.

Risk factors identified for ethnic minorities. Minorities make up some 14% of all key workers, who cannot work from home. They are more likely to live in urban areas where transmission rates of Covid-19 are higher. Ethnic minorities are more likely to have less living space. Some 34% of all critically-ill Covid-19 patients were from an ethnic minority in August 2020.
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4. Minister defends care homes advice

Care homes in England were told shortly before the new lockdown began they must provide a Covid-secure environment for visits - floor-to-ceiling screens or visiting "pods", for example - from now on. Minister Helen Whately said it would give people "more opportunities to see loved ones in a safe way", but Labour argued the measures weren't practical. The Alzheimer's Society says the guidance "completely misses the point" and relatives must have the opportunity for safe, face-to-face contact. The government also issued new guidance for schools and the clinically extremely vulnerable at the eleventh hour.

Elderly man sitting in a chairSPL
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5. #WalkWithTom

Captain Sir Tom Moore has launched a new campaign to get people walking to help support those who feel lonely and frightened during lockdown. In the spring, the veteran raised more than £33m for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday. His latest challenge encourages people to log their walking on social media using the hashtag #WalkWithTom over the next week.

Capt Sir Tom MooreAFP

Capt Sir Tom was knighted by the Queen and his life is being made into a movie

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Government statistics show 47,742 people have died of coronavirus, up 492 in the past 24 hours, while the total number of confirmed cases is now 1,099,059, up 25,177, and hospital admissions are now 174,920, up 1,421

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And don't forget...

Find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

Plus, with gyms closed now across much of the UK, BBC Newsbeat has some advice on how to exercise safely outdoors at this time of year.

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