The Brick Castle: COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News update 18th June 2020.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News update 18th June 2020.

The UK added 1,218 cases today and now has reported a total of 300,469 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 136,516 tests yesterday. 5,193 people are in hospital, down from 5,863 this time last week. East of England has very slightly risen. 360 people are on a mechanical ventilator.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we lost another 135 people who have tested positive to COVID-19. We now very sadly have a total of 42,288 losses of life in all settings.

England 158,078 / 37,812

Northern Ireland 4,863 / 543

Scotland 15,718 / 2,462

Wales 14,970 / 1,471

Rep. Of Ireland 25,355 (+14) cases and 1,714 (+4) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 8,513,585 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 453,485. Already 4,487,325 people have recovered.

1 bed 3 fridges UK Govt advice for how far to be apart

Public Health England data shows that during the last week, the number of people who died in the UK was no higher than the average, for the first time since the epidemic began.

Today's UK briefing was with the face of the UK Covid response, Matt Hancock, and Baroness Dido Harding, Test and Trace person.

Yesterday there were rumours that the UK's contract tracing app. wouldn't be ready until Winter because of problems locating iPhones. Matt Hancock confirmed that they've dropped it in favour of a Google/Apple collaboration. The Google/Apple system does have a flaw, it's a little generous with distance and not as precise as we'd like. The UK system is incredibly accurate on location. We will give the best parts of our app to them, and then we should all have the best of all worlds.

The UK app isn't expected to be ready until the Autumn, and may never be as important as human contact tracing, which is already ongoing.

The Imperial Vaccine is in the 1st phase of human clinical trials (and asking for volunteers!). AstraZeneca have started manufacturing the Oxford Vaccine (so fingers crossed it works!). We are reminded we have already stockpiled Dexamethasone - which has been found to reduce risk of death in very ill patients.

From 4th - 10th June 5,949 cases were added to the contact tracing system. 73% provided contacts, 78% of those within 24 hours. Swift response is really important. 44,895 contacts were traced. 91% of those were contacted and agreed to self-isolate.

Testing is changing. Results are now connected to your GP records. Shifts have been changed so that people in labs can work 24 hours. (Actual speed - you can tell they've put a woman in charge of this bit.)

Public asked if laws will change so that people who want to, can continue to work from home? Matt Hancock reminds us that in the UK, as in a lot of the world, if you can work from home, you should. He said he will look and see if any legal changes might be helpful in facilitating this.

Press asked about shielded people, will it come to an end at the end of July? Matt Hancock refused to give any more details, but said every shielded person will have a personalised letter explaining the next steps for them.

The UK govt. advisors have decided on who will get access to a vaccine in the UK first, based on need. The priority groups are:

1. Frontline health and social care workers

2. Those at increased risk of serious disease and death from coronavirus - including, for example, adults over the age of 50, and those with heart and kidney disease. As we learn more, we'll keep updating this, including looking at risks to BAME etc.

(Adults over 50 is a bit of a surprise, as I've never heard the UK refer to age 50 in relation to COVID before.)

Scotland has moved to Phase Two. Wherever possible people should remain in their local area and social distancing must be followed. The following applies only to Scotland:

From tomorrow (Friday 19th) shielded people can leave their home for exercise and permitted non-contact sports, and meet with 1 other household (max 8 people).

Those not shielding can meet with 2 other households (max 8 people), and use the toilet indoors.

From Monday (22nd June) face coverings mandatory on public transport. Places of worship, dentists, professional sport, college and uni staff can reopen/return.

From Monday (29th June) indoor workplaces excluding non-essential offices and call centres can reopen. Street access retail and outdoor markets can reopen. Outdoor sport and playgrounds can resume, zoos and gardens reopen for local visitors, outdoor weddings allowed.

I actually love the focus on staying local that Scotland have. It is how you prevent Covid-19 being spread everywhere, and makes it far easier to lockdown an affected area and stamp it out.

The 2m rule has been reduced to 1m in Northern Ireland's schools. Schools reopen at the end of August.

Hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons reopen in Northern Ireland from 6th July, and there will be a pause in shielding from July 31st. All shielded people will receive a letter with more details.

Florida has reported a record 3.207 cases today and lost another 43 people. There are worries it is about to have an explosion of cases.

According to the UN, before Coronavirus only 2.9% of the world's employees worked from home. In the UK around half of employees have changed to working from home, in Argentina 93% of large firms have moved to telephone working where possible.

In just 2 weeks India moved from 19% of companies having some workers at home, to 96%.

Lost their fight:

Paulinho Payakan, Brazilian Kayapó tribal chief

190620 percentage of population with covid at any time

The Google/Apple contact tracing ability was launched back in May. It needs a simple 'control panel' app to work, but the technology is already built into your phone. It doesn't eat battery and works by Bluetooth, and doesn't use all of your data up either. It's the model of choice by such big names as Finland, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and Denmark.

Several countries started with plans for their own centralised app. and made the switch to the Google/Apple model, including Austria and Germany.

A centralised app means that someone somewhere holds all the data collected in a central location. Worldwide it isn't very popular, as it would have information on exactly where you had been and who you were with - which some people object strongly to. The UK government wanted to hold the data for 20 years.

A decentralised app holds information on your phone. Every time your phone meets another, it sends a random 'hiya' code. When a person reports to the app that they have tested positive for COVID, it send a note to other phones it has logged "hi, remember me? I've got some news...". All data is deleted after 14 days, the usual incubation period for Covid-19.

79% of COVID patients in Atlanta, Georgia, US are black. 54% of Atlanta's whole population are black.

On February 17th there were 2,003 new cases of COVID reported worldwide.

On March 17th there were 15,784 as COVID began to hit Italy.

On April 17th there were 85,332 and COVID was widespread through Europe, and particularly bad in New York, USA.

On May 17th there were 82,644 as COVID continued in Europe and more widely in the USA.

On June 17th (yesterday) there were 145,194. COVID is now worldwide and cases are rising throughout Russia, Africa, Asia and South America.

AstraZeneca has reached an agreement with Europe’s Inclusive Vaccines Alliance (IVA), which is led by Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, to supply up to 400 million doses of the Oxford vaccine at no profit, with deliveries starting by the end of 2020.

They already have agreements with the UK, the US, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) for 700 million doses, and have agreed a licence with the Serum Institute of India for an additional one billion doses, mainly for low and middle income countries.

Some people. Every single one shown as a number, but the number is no indicator of the people their life has touched:

Countries / Cases / Losses of life (some states /provinces yet to report):

USA 2,246,939 (+12,468) 120,239 (+298)

Brazil 965,512 (+5,203) 46,842 (+177)

Russia 561,091 (+7,790) 7,660 (+182)

India 378,171 (+10,907) 12,539 (+277)

UK 300,469 (+1,218) 42,288 (+135)

Spain 292,348 (+585) 27,136

Peru 240,908 not yet reported today 7,257

Italy 238,159 (+331) 34,514 (+66)

Chile 225,103 (+4,475) 3,841 (+226)

Iran 197,647 (+2,596) 9,272 (+87)