Follow the latest coronavirus news in Ireland and across the world on the Independent.ie live blog.
Follow the latest coronavirus news in Ireland and across the world on the Independent.ie live blog.
18:20 11/06/2020
Shopping centres and all other retailers will be able to reopen in a significant relaxation of lockdown restrictions, Northern Ireland’s economy minister said.
Smaller traders with entrances from the street had already been due to lift their shutters on Friday.
Larger premises like home furniture giant Ikea have been trading with social distancing in place since June 1.
Diane Dodds said: “All of retail will be open.”
18:05 11/06/2020
Latest data from the HPSC, as of midnight on Tuesday 9 (25,230 cases), reveals:
Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said: “The reproductive number has remained stable, between 0.4 and 0.8 over a number of weeks.
« The next two weeks are now critical in limiting transmission, keeping the r-number low and suppressing the virus. It is how we interact, as we go about our daily lives more freely, that will determine whether the r-number increases. »
17:50 11/06/2020
Dr Tony Holohan has announced that eight further cases of Covid-19 have been registered in Ireland.
This brings the total number of cases here to 25,238.
The death toll of the virus has also risen to 1,703 after eight more Covid-19-related deaths were reported today.
Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said: “NPHET has recommended the development and implementation of a national communications campaign to increase compliance with current recommendations on the use of face-coverings.
« The campaign will outline best practice for use of face coverings in retail outlets, on public transport and in other public locations, where it may be difficult to maintain social distancing. »
17:35 11/06/2020
Nearly 18,000 fines have been handed out to people in the UK for alleged breaches of coronavirus lockdown rules, with the numbers falling as restrictions are eased.
A total of 17,997 fixed penalty notices (FPNs), including 15,715 in England and 2,282 in Wales, were recorded by forces up to June 8, according to provisional data released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) on Thursday.
Some 1,526 tickets were issued in England since Covid-19 restrictions were first eased on May 13 with just 161 handed out from June 1, when groups of six people were allowed to meet outdoors.
There were 523 fines in the latest two-week period between May 26 and June 8 – although the figure could be revised upwards as more fines are reported – compared to 1,171 in the previous fortnight and 4,796 in the two weeks before that.
The NPCC said fines have been handed to people for driving with others who are not members of their household, house parties, large gatherings and camping.
15:15 11/06/2020
Tom Brady
A decontamination wipe conceived by ordnance officers in the Defence Forces has received funding worth almost €2m from the European Commission to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.
It follows approval for the wipe last week from the United States Food and Drug Administration.
The ground-breaking Anti-Bioagent Wipe (ABwipe) is one of 36 products selected by the European Innovation Council from over 1,400 relevant applications to receive accelerator funding totalling €166m.
It was designed by Irish company, Aquila Bioscience, in collaboration with the Ordnance Corps, whose members have been involved in the concept and product trials.
16:55 11/06/2020
Facebook has scaled back some of its advertising rules in relation to coronavirus, allowing non-medical masks to appear once more.
The social network temporarily tightened controls over ads in March, banning listings for masks to help protect users against scams, misleading medical claims, medical supply shortages, inflated prices and hoarding.
In light of guidance on the need to wear face coverings by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the company has decided to permit third-party businesses to advertise non-medical face coverings again.
It comes as face coverings are set to be made compulsory for people wanting to travel on public transport in England to limit the spread of Covid-19 from June 15, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are recommending their use.
The revision of Facebook’s rules means businesses can advertise non-medical masks “including those that are homemade or handmade, in organic posts, ads and commerce listings on Facebook and Instagram”, the firm said.
But medical masks, such as surgical or N95 masks, would remain banned in a bid to “prevent people from exploiting the pandemic for financial gain”.
16:35 11/06/2020
Fewer university students think they are getting their money’s worth because of the Covid-19 pandemic and industrial action, a survey suggests.
The proportion of undergraduate students reporting that their course is good or very good value for money has dropped to 39pc from 41pc last year, new research has found.
Students, who pay up to £9,250 (€10,278) in tuition fees, say strikes and Covid-19 have had a negative impact on their experience due to a loss of contact hours.
Third-year students had lectures and seminars cancelled in their freshers year and have been hit twice by strikes this academic year. The disruption has prompted demands for tuition fee refunds.
The study, based on a poll of more than 10,000 undergraduates, found students who completed the survey after March 16 – around the time face-to-face teaching was reduced – were less positive in their perceptions of value for money than those surveyed earlier on.
16:15 11/06/2020
Catherine Fegan
Hundreds of patients were transferred from hospitals into nursing homes as the coronavirus loomed on the horizon in March.
The HSE increased the number of patients it approved for transfer between acute hospitals into private nursing homes by almost 70pc that month, compared to the same period last year, despite Covid-19 risks.
However, there remain several unanswered questions about the transfer of hospital patients into nursing homes.
Full story here:
15:55 11/06/2020
Despite the stresses and strains, 80pc of families have enjoyed spending extra time together as a result of lockdown, according to a survey.
