News
Kids will have to take Covid tests twice a week when they return to school
Thoughts?
Boris Johnson laid out his ‘roadmap out of lockdown’ yesterday, which will see the gradual reopening of our country over four key stages.
The first of these begins on March 8th, with the full reopening of schools across England.
As part of this reopening, the government has confirmed that secondary school and college students will have to take two Covid tests a week.
Addressing the House of Commons yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister announced that the return of face-to-face teaching in schools would be ‘supported by twice weekly tests in secondary schools’.
Andy Falconer/Unsplash
Pupils’ families will also be encouraged to take regular tests, as well as anyone in a support of childcare bubble, although it’s unclear at this stage how that will work.
The official roadmap out of lockdown document says: “In addition to the already established rapid testing regime and regular testing of staff, there will be twice-weekly testing of secondary school and college pupils, initially with on-site testing and then home testing.
“All households with school children, members of their support and childcare bubbles, and those in related occupations will also be encouraged to get tested regularly.”
According to the Department for Education, school children will be tested as they return on March 8th, with the guidance stating: “After an initial programme of three tests in school/college, students will be provided with two rapid tests to use each week at home.
“Staff in secondary schools will also be supplied with test kits to self swab and test themselves twice a week at home.”
Taylor Wilcox/Unsplash
However, there have been some concerns over implementing a testing programme like this, including doubts over the reliability of results.
Glyn Potts, headteacher at Newman RC College in Oldham, told the MEN: “Schools have spent a great deal of time and money planning for mass testing.
“If we are to continue to be asked to offer tests to students in school, then the logistical demands, extra staffing and disruption need to be weighed against the benefits of what is widely reported as an inaccurate test.”
In regards to asking families to do the tests at home, he added that it ‘would call into question the validity and expectation of such tests thus making the goal questionable’.
This follows the news that secondary school pupils will have to wear masks in classrooms and corridors when they return.
The face covering rule will be in place for a ‘limited period’, which will include at least the ‘initial weeks’ when kids return to schools.
News
Wayne Rooney breaks silence after hotel photos leak online
The photos quickly went viral on social media
Wayne Rooney has broken his silence after he was pictured with several young women in a hotel in Manchester.
The former Manchester United captain apologised to his family and to the club he currently manages, Derby County.
Rooney spoke to Sky Sports after Derby’s friendly against Real Betis on Wednesday, saying: “I made a mistake.
“I went to a private party with two of my friends and from me, I’d like to apologise to my family and the club for the images which were going round and I want to move forward on this.
“I’m grateful to Derby County for giving me this opportunity to get this club back to where it belongs, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure I do that.”
He added: “It’s dealt with. I’m looking forward to moving forward and preparing for another game on Sunday.”
Rooney was photographed asleep in a hotel bedroom on the weekend, with the images quickly going viral.
The photos show a fully clothed Rooney passed out in a chair after a night out in Manchester, after he went to the hotel with three women.
Yesterday we reported that the former Manchester United captain was asked for £10,000 to keep the photos hidden from his wife Coleen.
According to reports, the police launched a blackmail probe over a message sent to Rooney on Instagram that included a photo from the hotel and the comment: “Morning Wayne 10 grand please mate or Coleen sees this.”
However, officers have now dropped the investigation after concluding that no offence had been committed.
Станислав Ведмидь / Wikimedia
A Cheshire Police spokesman said: “On Monday July 26th Cheshire Constabulary received reports of a possible blackmail relating to a number of images circulating online.
“Officers have spoken to the person involved and are satisfied that no offences have taken place.
“The person involved has also stated that they do not wish to take the matter any further.”
It’s not been suggested that the women from the photos, Tayler Ryan, Elise Melvin and Brooke Morgan, all aged 21, were knowingly involved in any criminal activity.
As the photos went viral on social media, Rooney’s legal team contacted Greater Manchester Police, before the case was passed to Cheshire Police.
News
Tesco offers lorry drivers £1,000 joining bonus amid HGV crisis
There is a chronic shortage of drivers in the industry at the moment
The ongoing shortage of HGV drivers has seen supermarket shelves empty across the country, with Tesco recently revealing the shortage in drivers is resulting in forty-eight tonnes of food waste each week as fresh goods are being left to rot.
Now the supermarket has stepped up in its bid to entice more drivers to come forward, with a £1,000 joining bonus up for grabs.
Tesco will be offering the £1,000 incentive to recruits who join before September 30th.
@MyUsernameWasTaken / TripAdvisor
Similar recruitment incentives are also being offered by other companies for HGV drivers, it’s understood, with Morrisons saying it was working on training staff to become lorry drivers.
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimates there is currently a shortfall of up to 100,000 lorry drivers in the UK – and as well as this issue, the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit are also being blamed for shortages, The Mirror reports.
The Covid pandemic has seen travel become extremely restricted, with haulage companies saying their European drivers have simply decided not to return to the UK due to the virus and Brexit.
As well as food deliveries, there have also been issues with some council services, and several councils have been forced to halt services like garden waste collection, according to the chair of the Local Government Association, James Jamieson.
The environment spokesperson for the LGA, Darren Rodwell, said: “While most councils have been able to keep services running, some are having to reduce services such as green waste collection.
“These issues are partly due to the increase in ‘pinged’ staff but also a larger problem with a shortage of HGV drivers.
“The announcement that waste collection staff can apply for exemption is pleasing, but we are awaiting details on how quick the application process will be and whether it includes all waste collection staff.”
News
Empty shelves ‘crisis’ in supermarkets to get worse in ‘next three weeks’, haulage boss warns
‘In the next two to three weeks we are facing a collapse of the supply chain’
Shoppers have been urged not to start panic buying amid empty shelves and supply shortages in Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Lidl stores across the country.
In scenes reminiscent of the start of the Covid pandemic in March 2020, shelves across countless supermarkets up and down the country have been sparse, leaving frustrated customers speculating what could possibly be the cause of the issue.
Now shoppers have been warned by industry bosses there could be further more empty shelves because of a collapse in the supply chain.
Jivee Blau / Wikimedia
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said: “In the next two to three weeks we are facing a collapse of the supply chain meaning even bigger gaps on supermarket shelves.
“We already have hauliers unable to move goods on a daily basis and we’re now facing a perfect storm.
“This is a crisis on a scale we have never seen before in this industry and the government is burying its head in the sand.
“It is not recognising the seriousness.”
A Morrisons spokeswoman told the BBC: “As per the whole of the UK, we are experiencing a rise in cases and close contact notifications.
“We provide guidance and support for colleagues who may need to self-isolate including sick pay and have covid secure controls in place in all our stores to ensure we can continue to operate and keep them open.
“Throughout the whole of the pandemic, we have not been required to close a store.”
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has acknowledged industry-wide problems but said stores are working closely with suppliers so customers can still buy what they need.
But what’s actually causing these shortages?
Rept0n1x / Wikimedia
Well, a large part of the problem can be credited to the ongoing lack of HGV drivers – Tesco recently revealed that the shortage in drivers is resulting in forty-eight tonnes of food waste each week as fresh goods destined for its stores are being left to rot.
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimates there is currently a shortfall of up to 100,000 lorry drivers in the UK – and as well as this issue, the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit are also being blamed for shortages, The Mirror reports.
The Covid pandemic has seen travel become extremely restricted, with haulage companies saying their European drivers have simply decided not to return to the UK due to the virus and Brexit.
The recent reopening of all shops and hospitality establishments such as nightclubs also means there’s been a sudden demand for certain goods.
Amid all of these issues, the RHA has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to take action on the HGV driver shortage.
In response, the government says it has ramped up testing for lorry drivers, is paying for more apprentices and is allowing current drivers to increase their working hours. But, even before Covid, the estimated shortage of drivers was around 60,000.
Other circumstances that have been blamed on causing delays include the earlier blockage of the Suez Canal.
Despite all the issues with supply, customers are being warned not to panic buy.
UK named one of the best places to survive a cataclysmic event by new research
Morrisons is selling this huge Lay-Z Spa hot tub for just £275
Wayne Rooney breaks silence after hotel photos leak online
McDonald’s is now doing cheesy garlic bites and you can get a sharebox of them
ITV confirms The X Factor has been scrapped after 17 years
