Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Saturday.
Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Saturday morning. We’ll have another update for you tomorrow.
The UK now has one of the highest rates of Covid infection in Europe. But why is this and does it matter? Vaccination rates, variants and the timing on lifting Covid restrictions are just some of the considerations. As we head into winter, just how worried should we be? Meanwhile, what’s the ‘Winter Plan’ and what are the rules across the UK?
GP appointments largely moved online in lockdown and although restrictions have eased, many are still being conducted remotely. In parts of the West, face-to-face appointments are still only possible for just over half of all patients. Yet for some GPs, their workload is busier than ever. Dr Lucy Pocock, from South Gloucestershire, said: “I got home at the end of a 12-hour day and I shed a few tears.”
“I couldn’t even walk into a supermarket, within a few seconds it was like a barrier had come down,” Colin Stubbings said. “I felt like I had lost a part of myself, like I didn’t know who I was or where I fitted in society.” The 53-year-old from Nottingham says a mix of severe mental health problems, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, left him unable to leave his house. People living with a severe mental illness are very likely to be out of work – the employment rate for the group is thought to be as low as 7%. Although a pioneering approach is meant to change that, the NHS rollout has been slower than planned – partly because of Covid.
Energy bills, grocery bills and other household costs are rising, putting the pinch on people’s day-to-day spending. There are a number of reasons why prices are rising. It’s partly because the government is unwinding the support it gave businesses during the pandemic. For example, tax breaks for pubs and restaurants are being withdrawn in stages, meaning a rise in prices.
Image source, Getty Images
Covid has thwarted many events in the past few months, and the band Genesis’ tour is another casualty. The group has postponed a final four UK dates “due to positive Covid-19 tests within the band”. They did not say who had tested positive. The band said they would reschedule gigs due in Glasgow on Friday, and at the O2 in London on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Image source, Getty Images
You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.
To see how the vaccine rollout is going in the UK, check out our visual guide here.
Image source, BBC
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