General
The Meaning of Life ….
People will give different answers to that and at times I really struggle with this – usually when my mood is very low. I am still having problems with sleeping so that isn’t helping either.
When I was young I thought my life would pan out like my parents and friends families but I was so wrong. I won’t blame anyone, it’s a case of circumstances that led me not having the life I thought I would have. Not understanding that I was already suffering with depression from a young age was an added problem. There was no reason for me to be depressed and I felt ashamed for feeling so low as a teenager. Maybe if I had known my life would have been much simpler.
One of the hardest parts has been not having a family of my own to raise. I was deprived the right to raise my son due to the lies I was told so I am also missing out on seeing my grandson. It hurts and I wish my son would come to terms to his issues but he is in denial. I am glad that my sister and I started talking after years of not talking but a subjuct that needs raising here. She was blessed with three beautiful girls and equally special grandchildren.
Struggling
My mood has been worse over the past few weeks and I’m so tired all of the time. Sleep is a problem as well and I’m stuck for ideas to help me sleep.
One happy bit of news is we have a new great nephew called Alex who arrived two weeks early weighing 8lbs 3oz so a very good weight. I am looking forward to when we can visit family.
The not so good news is one of my cousins is seriously ill in hospital with 1% chance of survival. I haven’t since much of him and his brothers or my other two cousins since my 20’s apart from funerals and special occasions. Yet it been great to see them. It makes me think more about my mortality as the cousin in hospital is the same age as me.
Why us?
I am so fed up of a neighbour from hell and it feels like he will continually get away with his appalling behaviour. He’s back to his usual of keeping an eye for when we go out so he can get to his gate and stare. We know he will keep checking so he can do the same when we return. If we go out into the garden he will stay out in his garden until he is certain we are unlikely to stay out there.
Today we went out for a couple of hours and when we got back a wheelie bin full of rubbish had been chucked over into our garden. We believe it’s got everything to do with the neighbour from hell but we can’t prove it. The wheelie bin had been chucked over the fence from the empty bungalow next door and close to the external wall of the bungalow. We also believe it was because we have replaced our security camera which had been snapped of the wall.
It’s now 8 months that the neighbour from hell as made our lives a misery and we still don’t know why. On Monday he started his abuse again after giving it a rest for a short time. It hasn’t stopped his appalling parking because he believes it annoys us. What he doesn’t seem to understand is we can keep a better eye on our car where we park now.
On Monday I hung laundry out in the garden as it was a nice, Rick cleaned up outside and our friend was with us helping out. The neighbour from hell came out and started on the usual abuse and that dog poop was being washed outside. I went out with my phone as I had it on to record but there was only water and disinfectant running under the gate. He was still shouting abuse then started chucking stones from his garden over our fence and aiming at all three of us. A couple hit Rick but we can’t proof it so Rick turned our hose onto him which didn’t stop him immediately then he did the same with his hose.
I rang the police while this was going on but of course by the time the police came out it was too late for them to see the stone throwing. The stupid person told the police as they were walking over to us to watch where they walked due to dog poop in our garden and we have a vicious dog. The police could see there wasn’t any dog poop and our dog is so vicious he licked their hands which made them smile.
The neighbour from hell told his usual lies so we all got the usual advice about ignoring each but as I kept pointing out he ignores the advice. He is good at trying different ways of annoying us then he starts on the abuse again. The sooner the security camera is working the better as it’s an audio one and will pick up all his abuse. He was shouting at someone that we’re putting up another camera and we know he isn’t happy. Our housing enforcement officer knows we’ve put up a new camera – we had to get permission for the first one to go up – and the police know now as well. It’s just a shame it’s not on until the app for it on my phone till Rick’s managed to scan it. More the reason for believing it is the stupid neighbout trying to cause damage.
Boredom, tiredness, lack of interest ….
Now we are on our third lockdown which is stricter and at risk of fines. I do believe the police are going too far in some areas. Two women got fined just for travelling five miles for exercise and got fined for not staying local but what defines as local?
We, under normal circumstances, will travel to places such Hartlepool, Redcar and Seaton Carew just to walk the dog. That’s out of the question as we don’t want to get fined. The most stupid reason I’ve heard of so far for being fined has been for drinking cups of tea on a walk as it’s classed as a picnic even though the people were walking. I haven’t got a problem with people being fined for a good reason such as travelling well out a local area or being in a crowd but not just drinking tea on a walk.
On the other side of the coin where were the police when we went out to walk our dog?
We went to one of our favourite parks and it was so bad for parking there was a queue. There was a queue for the cafe and plenty of people were walking around a small area of the park. We decided not to stay and went on to do some shopping and collect medication. We went to our favourite butcher’s and Rick walked the dog while I went in. Normally I wouldn’t wear a proper face mask but it was horrendous in the shop and social distancing was non-existent. I am face mask exempt but will find another way to cover my mouth and nose. After reading and hearing of people being fined for stupid reasons yet today I wondered why the police couldn’t go to the park.
After the past ten months it is getting very monotonous not going far except for ten when we got away for ten days. My concentration is beginning to worsen and I am finding it hard to do one hobby for long.
2020 almost over
It’s been a strange year and I do believe we will have to get used to a new normal. We have COVID-19 to thank for this and all the idiots who didn’t abide by the rules. I am wondering how many of the idiots get the virus and potentially died as they believed they were young and healthy so didn’t think they would get it.
During the first lockdown our latest great niece was born but at the time we didn’t know when we would be able to see her. I had a chat with my sister a couple of months later on Facebook and I was able to see the angel then. My niece’s middle daughter was also there although she is very shy.
It was my sister and brother in law’s 40th wedding anniversary in May but we couldn’t go down to see them. It was tough for all the family as there were restrictions on meeting up. They look after their grandson when their daughter and son in law’s shift class so they were able to form a bubble.
We did manage to get away for ten days even though we feared a second lockdown. It was lovely to get away though and we did quite a bit of walking as the dog went with us. I was relieved we were able to spend a few days with family which included seeing the latest edition.
Since then we have had a second lockdown which hasn’t really made much difference to us and now in tier 3. Our families are in tier 4 so the rules are much stricter for them. Tier 4 may be put in place for all of the UK yet due to COVID and a new strain of it.
What ever happens 20212 can’t be much worse than our lives in 2020.
More blows for mental health
Well now we can’t go out for our Christmas meal so it’s just as well we hadn’t paid it. Not that the money matters it’s missing out on a relaxing meal in pleasant surroundings, and friendly staff being there. Fortunately we have managed to get a fresh turkey and three joints at a butcher’s at a cheaper price than the supermarkets.
It’s going to be a difficult Christmas for my sister and brother in law as they won’t be able to have a family Christmas this year with tougher restrictions there. Their youngest grandchild is coming up for 7 months old so it’s her first Christmas. We have it better than them as at least we can go out and our bubble is with our friend who lives across the road to us.
All we can hope for is next year is better than this year. My sister and brother in law couldn’t celebrate their 40th Wedding Anniversary they wanted to. We couldn’t meet our latest great niece until she was 5 1/2 months when we were able to go away for a holiday. She is adorable like all the others.
Next year one of her sisters is due to give birth to her third child which is actually a scary time for them. Their second child had Edward’s Syndrome and only lived a day which was sad for them and I am just relieved the family (including us) will never forget her. The hospital is looking after our niece due to what happened with her last pregnancy.,
I’m just struggling with severe depression and anxiety so am finding it hard to look forward to anything.
Sleep Paralysis
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sleep-paralysis/
Sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is when you cannot move or speak as you are waking up or falling asleep. It can be scary but it’s harmless and most people will only get it once or twice in their life.
What happens during sleep paralysis
During sleep paralysis you may feel:
- awake but cannot move, speak or open your eyes
- like someone is in your room
- like something is pushing you down
- frightened
These feelings can last up to several minutes.
Causes of sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis happens when you cannot move your muscles as you are waking up or falling asleep. This is because you are in sleep mode but your brain is active.
It’s not clear why sleep paralysis can happen but it has been linked with:
- insomnia
- disrupted sleeping patterns – for example, because of shift work or jet lag
- narcolepsy – a long-term condition that causes a person to suddenly fall asleep
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- general anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- a family history of sleep paralysis
Things you can do to help prevent sleep paralysis
Do
- try to regularly get 6 to 8 hours of sleep a day go to bed at roughly the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning
- get regular exercise, but not in the 4 hours before going to bed
Don’t
- do not eat a big meal, smoke, or drink alcohol or caffeine shortly before going to bed do not sleep on your back – this can make sleep paralysis more likely to happen
See a GP if:
You often have sleep paralysis and you feel:
- very anxious or scared to go to sleep
- tired all the time due to lack of sleep
Treating sleep paralysis
A GP may be able to treat an underlying condition that could be triggering sleep paralysis such as insomnia or post-traumatic stress disorder.
If this does not help they might refer you to a doctor who specialises in sleep conditions.
Treatment from a specialist
You might be given medicine usually used to treat depression. Taking this type of medicine at a lower dose can also help with sleep paralysis.
You might also be referred for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Page last reviewed: 3 December 2019
Next review due: 3 December 2022
The second lockdown
Lockdown for the second time today, my birthday, so apart from not being able to go out for a meal it’s not bothering me much. Depression is a great park of it and having an idiot neighbour whose started being verbal again doesn’t help. My anti depressant has been put up on dosage.
I believe we will never get back to our normal and will have to lear to live with a new normal. Even though I do go out because I have to I don’t like going out anywhere now. I get stressed out too quickly particularly when there are crowds.
Why does life have to be so hard?
Having a break
Finally we are having a break from the norm which is a relief. Bandit is enjoying being able to have a run off the lead on the beach and sea, He is such a daft dog as he doesn’t like rain or having a shower but likes going into the sea and rivers.
I needed a break as it has been emotionally difficult through COVID-19 and the selfish idiots haven’t helped either. They do whatever they want then complain about restrictions but they don’t think of others. It’s still stressful but I’m glad we have been able to get away to relax so I’m feeling generally better.
The next hurdle is whether we will be able to see family. It’s been a horrible year as we wanted to see them earlier in the year but lockdown stopped that. I have really missed them since lockdown probably because we couldn’t go and see them. Not being able to see the latest edition has been tough but I have seen her on facetime through Facebook which is better than nothing.
At least 15,000 anti-lockdown protesters cram into Trafalgar Square as a QUARTER of Britain’s population is put under some form of lockdown and virus conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn addresses crowd
Why oh why do we have to put up with very selfish people?
At least 15,000 anti-lockdown protesters cram into Trafalgar Square as a QUARTER of Britain’s population is put under some form of lockdown and virus conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn addresses crowd
- Attendees of the ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally gathered in Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park, London, earlier today
- Crowds have been urged to abide by coronavirus restrictions and warned that violence will not be tolerated
- Virus conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, attending
Published: 12:55, 26 September 2020 | Updated: 14:55, 26 September 2020
At least 15,000 protesters have today descended on Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park in London as part of an anti-lockdown demonstration.
Attendees of the ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally ditched their masks as they crammed into the public square this afternoon, despite Metropolitan Police pleading with people to stick to coronavirus restrictions.
Crowds, who were also warned that violence would not be tolerated at the gathering, carried placards reading ‘is this freedom?’ and ‘end the crazy rules’ as they flocked to central London for the demonstration.
Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, was among the crowd alongside conspiracy theorist David Icke, who has made a series of false claims about Covid-19.
Demonstrators did not appear to wear face masks or abide by social distancing measures as they shouted ‘we will win’ and waved flags in the tourist attraction.
It is understood police had searched a man and confiscated a makeshift riot shield earlier in the day.
The demonstration comes as almost 18million Britons – a quarter of the population – will be living under tighter coronavirus restrictions by 6pm tomorrow, after the UK announced a record 6,874 new cases in the last 24 hours.
Those in Leeds were banned from mixing with other households at home or in pubs, bars, restaurants and parks from midnight, as Wigan, Stockport and Blackpool also saw draconian measures brought into force.
Households in the Welsh town of Llanelli are set to be banned from entering each other’s homes and gardens from 6pm today, with the nation’s two biggest cities of Cardiff and Swansea to follow suit in the next 24 hours. Residents will also be banned from entering or leaving the areas without a ‘reasonable excuse’.
In other coronavirus developments today:
- Scientists are considering a plan to ask everyone over the age of 45 to shield to stop the spread of Covid-19
- Britain has been warned to expect 100 coronavirus deaths a day within the next three to four weeks
- Government sources claimed Boris Johnson’s 10pm pubs curfew was based on ‘back of a fag packet calculations’ and ‘NOT advocated by SAGE’
- Close to 3,000 students across seven British universities have been confined to their flats amid outbreaks
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- At least 15,000 protesters have descended on Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park in London as part of an anti-lockdown demonstration
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- Attendees of the ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally gathered earlier today after a quarter of Britain’s population was put under some form of lockdown
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- Virus conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, was spotted among the crowds
Today’s ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally comes just a week after a similar protest, which saw more than a dozen officers injured when a ‘small minority’ targeted police and more than 32 arrests were made.
The Metropolitan Police said it has been engaging with organisers throughout the week to remind them of their legal obligations and explaining the events could be in breach of coronavirus regulations.
While protests are exempt from the rule of six, which is in force in England, organisers must submit a risk assessment and comply with social distancing.
Police said same organisers had done so but where this had not happened the Met will ‘increase their engagement and encourage attendees to disperse’.
They added that enforcement ‘remains a last resort but will be undertaken if required’.
Commander Ade Adelekan, who is leading the Met operation, said while there is ‘great frustration’ at the regulations, a large midday protest could put the health of protesters and their contacts at risk.
He said: ‘I know there is great frustration to these regulations but they have been designed to keep everyone safe from what is a lethal virus.
‘By flagrantly gathering in large numbers and ignoring social distancing, you are putting your health and the health of your loved ones at risk.’ 
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- The crowds have been urged to abide by coronavirus restrictions and warned that violence will not be tolerated at the event
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- British conspiracy theorist David Icke (right) is also at the ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally at Trafalgar Square in London, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions
He added: ‘Last weekend it was highly disappointing to see that a small minority of demonstrators targeted officers with violence.
‘Some 15 officers were injured during this protest, with more than 32 arrests being made during the course of the day. I will not tolerate a repeat of this behaviour this weekend and officers will respond quickly to any scenes of violence.’
It is estimated close to 15,000 protesters have gathered inside Trafalgar Square today, as photographs show the space at around half its 30,000-person capacity.
The rally, which protests the government’s coronavirus lockdown measures in London, comes as close to 18million Britons will be living under tighter coronavirus restrictions by 6pm tomorrow, after the UK announced a record 6,874 new cases in the last 24 hours.
Those in Leeds, Wigan, Stockport and Blackpool were banned from mixing with other households at midnight yesterday, while households in the in the Welsh town of Llanelli are set to be banned from entering each other’s homes and gardens from 6pm today.
The nation’s two largest cities, Cardiff and Swansea, will follow suit in the next 24 hours. Residents will also be banned from entering or leaving the areas without a ‘reasonable excuse’.
It comes after lockdowns were already imposed in large swathes of the North East and North West of England.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there had been an ‘acceleration of Covid-19 cases across the country, especially in the North West and the North East’.
‘Working alongside our scientific and public health experts and local leaders, we are prepared to take swift and decisive action to reduce transmission of the virus and protect communities,’ he said. ‘I recognise the burden and impact these additional measures have on our daily lives but we must act collectively and quickly to bring down infections.’ 
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The crowds (pictured) have been urged by police to abide by coronavirus restrictions and warned that violence will not be tolerated at the event
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The protest (pictured) comes after it was announced almost 18million Britons will be living under tighter coronavirus restrictions after the UK announced a record 6,874 new cases in the last 24 hours 
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Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square with placards as they protested against the coronavirus lockdown
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It is thought that there are 15,000 protestors gathered at the event today. Trafalgar Square can hold 30,000 people at full capacity
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At least 15,000 anti-lockdown protesters have crammed into Trafalgar Square as a quarter of Britain’s population is put under some form of lockdown
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Attendees of the ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally gathered earlier today after a quarter of Britain’s population was put under some form of lockdown +24
Virus conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn, the brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, was spotted among the crowds 
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Crowds, who were also warned that violence would not be tolerated at the gathering, carried placards reading ‘is this freedom?’ and ‘end the crazy rules’ as they flocked to central London for the demonstration
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People dressed as Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock take part in a ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally at Trafalgar Square in London, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restriction
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Britain recorded 24 deaths today in a preliminary count as the UK’s fatality number continues to creep upwards. Pictured: Protesters in Trafalgar Square
Today’s ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally comes just a week after a protest against mass coronavirus vaccinations, which saw more than a dozen officers injured when a ‘small minority’ targeted police. More than 32 arrests were made.
The Metropolitan Police today said it has been engaging with organisers throughout the week to remind them of their legal obligations and explaining the events could be in breach of coronavirus regulations.
While protests are exempt from the rule of six, which is in force in England, organisers must submit a risk assessment and comply with social distancing.
Police said same organisers had done so but where this had not happened the Met will ‘increase their engagement and encourage attendees to disperse’.
They added that enforcement ‘remains a last resort but will be undertaken if required’.
Commander Ade Adelekan, who is leading the Met operation, said while there is ‘great frustration’ at the regulations, a large midday protest could put the health of protesters and their contacts at risk.
He said: ‘I know there is great frustration to these regulations but they have been designed to keep everyone safe from what is a lethal virus.
‘By flagrantly gathering in large numbers and ignoring social distancing, you are putting your health and the health of your loved ones at risk.’ +24
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The crowds have been urged to abide by coronavirus restrictions and warned that violence will not be tolerated at the event
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British conspiracy theorist David Icke (right) is also at the ‘We Do Not Consent’ rally at Trafalgar Square in London, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions
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Crowds, who were also warned that violence would not be tolerated at the gathering, carried placards reading ‘is this freedom?’ and ‘end the crazy rules’ as they flocked to central London for the demonstration Protesters gather in London in opposition to Covid restrictions.
He added: ‘Last weekend it was highly disappointing to see that a small minority of demonstrators targeted officers with violence.
‘Some 15 officers were injured during this protest, with more than 32 arrests being made during the course of the day. I will not tolerate a repeat of this behaviour this weekend and officers will respond quickly to any scenes of violence.’
It is estimated close to 15,000 protesters have gathered inside Trafalgar Square today, as photographs show the space nearing its 19,999-person capacity.
The rally, which protests the government’s coronavirus lockdown measures in London, comes as close to 18million Britons will be living under tighter coronavirus restrictions by 6pm tomorrow, after the UK announced a record 6,874 new cases in the last 24 hours.
Those in Leeds, Wigan, Stockport and Blackpool were banned from mixing with other households at midnight yesterday, while households in the in the Welsh town of Llanelli are set to be banned from entering each other’s homes and gardens from 6pm today.
The nation’s two largest cities, Cardiff and Swansea, will follow suit in the next 24 hours. Residents will also be banned from entering or leaving the areas without a ‘reasonable excuse’.
It comes after lockdowns were already imposed in large swathes of the North East and North West of England.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there had been an ‘acceleration of Covid-19 cases across the country, especially in the North West and the North East’.
‘Working alongside our scientific and public health experts and local leaders, we are prepared to take swift and decisive action to reduce transmission of the virus and protect communities,’ he said. ‘I recognise the burden and impact these additional measures have on our daily lives but we must act collectively and quickly to bring down infections.’
It was also revealed today that top scientists advising the Government on coronavirus measures have considered a plan to ask everyone over the age of 45 to shield.
It was suggested those over 45 were at greater risk from the virus, and more likely to die from it, so could be ‘segmented’ from the rest of the population. The suggestion, revealed in papers from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), was eventually advised against, as it was considered unlikely to be successful. +24
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The crowds (pictured) have been urged by police to abide by coronavirus restrictions and warned that violence will not be tolerated at the event+24
The protest (pictured) comes after it was announced almost 18million Britons will be living under tighter coronavirus restrictions after the UK announced a record 6,874 new cases in the last 24 hours +24
Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square with placards as they protested against the coronavirus lockdown+24
It is thought that there are 15,000 protestors gathered at the event today. Trafalgar Square can hold 30,000 people at full capacity+24
At least 15,000 anti-lockdown protesters have crammed into Trafalgar Square as a quarter of Britain’s population is put under some form of lockdown 
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The demonstrators, who did not wear face masks, shouted ‘we will win’ as they waved flags and placards carrying various slogans
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The crowds have been urged to abide by coronavirus restrictions and warned that violence will not be tolerated at the event. It is thought that earlier in the day police searched a man and confiscated a makeshift riot shield that he was carrying
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Friday saw another 6,874 Covid-19 cases recorded, meaning the seven-day rolling average is 54 per cent higher than it was a week ago. MailOnline analysis shows this is the sixth consecutive day the average compared to the week before has risen
However, it is being kept under review, and news of it follows a similar option drawn up by officials to potentially target over-50s with another lockdown.
The minutes of the 48th meeting of the Sage scientists, held on July 23, state: ‘Although under-45s are at less risk from Covid-19, including lower risk of death, they are nonetheless at some risk and long-term sequelae (consequences) are not well understood.’
Who is David Icke? The conspiracy theorist who once claimed he was the son of God
David Icke is the notorious conspiracy theorist who often makes headlines for his controversial comments.
Born in 1952, the 68-year-old former professional footballer has written more than 20 books and once tried his hand at punditry and sports reporting.
In 1991, he appeared on Sir Terry Wogan’s TV chat show where he declared himself as the son of God in a now-infamous clip which he describes as a ‘defining moment’.
It was from here that he began writing his books and making bold predictions including that the world would end in 1997.
Other bizarre claims he have made include that the royal family are lizards.
Icke also believes that an inter-dimensional race of reptilian beings called the Archons has hijacked the earth and is stopping humanity from realising its true potential.
The 68-year-old has said that the universe is made up of ‘vibrational’ energy, and consists of an infinite number of dimensions that share the same space, just like television and radio frequencies, and that some people can tune their consciousness to other wavelengths.
Most recently, he has suggested the coronavirus is linked to the 5G mobile network, a claim which has never been backed up by science.
The document adds: ‘Around two-thirds of people in the UK live in a household which includes one or more individuals aged 45 and above. Any segmentation based on this age threshold would therefore affect most households.’
The ‘segmentation’ looked at would have involved those over 45 shielding, which early in the pandemic meant staying at home, and avoiding unnecessary contact with others.
Minutes from July 16 note there is likely to be ‘merit’ in segmenting society by age, particularly ‘to vulnerable people and those likely to have more contact with vulnerable people’.
It continues: ‘Data shows that people tend to have more contacts with others around their own age, but also have a significant number of contacts with those 20-30 years older and younger than themselves (likely to mainly be contacts between parents and children).
‘There are also significant levels of contact between grandparents and children.’
Figures reveal that children and those aged below 45 are at far lower risk of dying from coronavirus than those aged over 75.
Office for National Statistics data reveals only four Covid-19 deaths were recorded in children aged one to 14 years old in England and Wales, or less than 0.01 per cent of the total. And 574 have been recorded in those aged 15 to 44, or 0.96 per cent of the total.
In comparison, 39,058 people aged 75 and over have died from the virus, or 65 per cent of the total.
The difference led a scientific paper published in Nature in July to conclude that those aged 80 and over are more than a hundred times more likely to die from the virus than patients aged 40 and below.
Despite the gap in risk of death, however, there have been warnings over long Covid, or where symptoms persist after the disease subsides, which could already affect more than 60,000 people in the UK.
Also today, Professor Graham Medley, who sits on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), warned Britain could be struck with 100 deaths a day in three to four weeks.
He arrived at the figure assuming a virus death rate of one per cent and 10,000 new infections being reported every day, adding the triple-figure toll was ‘inevitable’ as the virus remains dangerous to the community.
‘Even if (the death rate) is 0.8 per cent, which I think would be a great success in terms of treatment, it still means that we are going to see deaths increase,’ he told BBC Radio 4.
At the height of the pandemic between April 2 and 18 Britain was recording in excess of 800 deaths a day, while recording around 4,000 positive cases a day.
But testing capacity was far behind demand, meaning the vast majority of cases were missed. The Covid Symptom Study app, which has 4.2million contributors, has suggested that at this time there were as many as 100,000 new infections a day – pointing to a death rate of 0.8 per cent.
The World Health Organisation says the death rate from coronavirus stands between 0.5 and one per cent, based on available data.
Health chiefs are reportedly mulling over plans to make facemasks compulsory in most places of work, in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. Office workers are expected to be exempt from the measures when sitting, but will be required to wear a mask when in corridors, lifts or communal areas. 
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The demonstrators, who did not wear face masks, shouted ‘we will win’ as they waved flags and placards carrying various slogans
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One protestor spotted among the crowd held a cardboard placard that read: ‘The Ultimate Fight Against Injustice’
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At least 15,000 protesters have descended on Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park in London as part of an anti-lockdown demonstration
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Britain’s coronavirus R rate could now be as high as 1.5, government scientific advisers warned on Friday after rises in all regions of the country
As cases continue to mount London has been placed on the national lockdown watchlist because of a spike in cases and hospital admissions, as the capital’s R rate ticks up to between 1.2 and 1.5 – the same level seen in the North West, North East and the Midlands, which have all been stung by additional Covid-19 measures.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has already called for a ban on people mixing in each other’s households, claiming in a conversation with the Prime Minister that ‘if you go too late, we will be in a North East, North West, Birmingham-type situation’.
What are the new restrictions and when do they come into force?
England: Leeds, Stockport, Wigan and Blackpool were subject to the following additional restrictions from midnight.
- Household’s banned from mixing with other household’s in private homes or gardens
Wales: Llanelli will be subject to these restrictions from 6pm today. Cardiff and Swansea will have the same measures imposed at 6pm tomorrow.
- People cannot enter or leave the lockdown areas without a ‘reasonable excuse’
- Residents cannot visit each other’s private homes or gardens
- They will also be banned from mixing with other households in pubs, bars or restaurants
Around 1,700 students in Manchester have been ordered into isolation after 127 tested positive for the virus at the Birley campus and Cambridge Halls at Manchester Metropolitan University, as the rate of spread in the city climbs to 185.6 per 100,000 from 93.2 a week ago.
Number 10‘s expert panel SAGE also warned the reproductive rate of the virus may be as high as that for the UK overall. It is the advisory body’s highest projection since it began tracking how quickly the disease was growing back in June and is slightly up on last week’s estimate of 1.1 – 1.4.
If the R rate – the number of people each infected patient passes the disease on to – remains above one, then the outbreak will continue to grow and cases will keep surging, running the risk that local Covid-19 outbreaks spiral out of control into regional and even national problems.
Mr Hancock said the strict lockdown measures are in line with those seen in Leicester, where they have successfully quelled a surge in cases, and the West Midlands.
‘This will be difficult news for the people living in these areas, profoundly affecting their daily lives,’ he said. ‘These decisions are not taken lightly, and such measures will be kept under review and in place no longer than they are necessary.’
The tightened restrictions come after a surge in cases in the areas. The latest seven-day Covid-19 rate in Leeds was found to be 113.3 per 100,000 people, according to Government figures, while Leeds director of public health Victoria Eaton said there was an 8.4 per cent positive test rate.
The seven-day rolling average in Blackpool has risen from 48.8 per 100,000 a week ago to 69.6 per 100,000 on Friday, the Government’s coronavirus dashboard shows. The rate in Wigan has risen to 122.6 per 100,000 people, while in Stockport it is up to 77.4 per 100,000 people.
On Thursday, Cardiff Council leader Huw Thomas said the capital had seen 38.2 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people over the past five days. Swansea’s rate is 49.8.
Over the past seven days Cardiff’s positivity rate has hit 3.8 per cent, exceeding the Welsh Government’s ‘amber’ threshold of 2.5 per cent part of its ‘traffic light road map’ strategy for managing the pandemic.