Coronavirus: Haircuts and pints as England’s lockdown eases

Australia’s Victoria state reported 108 new infections in the past 24 hours.

This is the second-highest daily total recorded in the state since the outbreak began.

Although the country has largely managed to contain the virus – with only about 8,200 cases and 104 deaths across Australia so far – Melbourne has seen a spike in recent weeks.

In addition to 36 suburbs of the city already in lockdown, a further nine tower blocks of public housing are also being quarantined.

A barber-hairdresser salon in the Western English town of Portishead opened its doors at 07: 00. The phone has not stopped ringing and it’s fully booked for the next week.

Barbers at the Bosscut Barbers and Hair Salon have also been trained by the Lions Barber Collective which aims to support men with mental health issues.

Owner Muz Brittain said: “We have split our team in two to avoid cross
contamination, and to allow our salon and barbers to remain open even at 50%
capacity if someone in a team comes into contact with a virus carrier.

“Today has been really good, we are focusing on
keeping all our clients calm and reassured they are in safe hands.

“Feedback has been positive. We started very early this
morning but already I have had a client who struggled over the lockdown with
his anxiety.

“He has left after a good chat with a smile on his
face and with a clean and fresh fade.”

Although
you can get a pint in a pub in England from today, each UK nation’s lockdown
differs.

In Northern Ireland, pubs and restaurants reopened on Friday.

In
Scotland, beer gardens and outdoor restaurants will be allowed to reopen from 6
July, and indoor areas can be used from 15 July.

The Welsh
government has promised talks with the hospitality sector about a
“potential phased” reopening, but no dates have yet been given.

James Gallagher

Health and science correspondent, BBC News

“Super Saturday”
feels like a moment, a stride back to normality.

Of course,
whether you’re after a pint, a movie or a haircut everything will be different.

Coronavirus
may be at low levels, but it has not gone away and measures – from booking your
slot in the pub to socially distant dining – will be needed.

The virus thrives on close contact and opening up
society makes it easier for it to
spread. The government’s scientific advisers say outbreaks – such as those already
seen in Leicester, Weston-super-Mare and Kirklees – are to be expected.

Whether we
diligently follow the guidance or, to borrow a phrase, “tear the pants out of it”,
will dictate how common they become.

The hope is
that lockdown-for-all can be replaced with targeted, regional lockdowns when
these outbreaks appear.

The pressure will be on
health officials to rapidly spot and contain outbreaks before they become a
national problem.

A court has launched an inquiry into the French government’s handling of the coronavirus response.

The Law Court of the Republic – which deals with claims of ministerial misconduct – is focusing on three senior figures, including former PM Édouard Philippe, following complaints from unions and doctors.

The government has faced criticism over shortages of medical equipment during the pandemic.

France has reported 202,673 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 29,875 deaths.

Read our full story

Epidemiologist Professor Robert West, from University College London, has told the BBC that the coronavirus “is with us” and infection rates are still not coming down very fast – even as pubs are able to fully reopen in England.

“We are looking at around 20,000 new infections a week and around 1,000 deaths a week and the rates aren’t coming down very fast so people have to be tremendously cautious here,” he said in an interview with BBC Breakfast.

Despite the hospitality sector doing “everything” it can to reopen safely, he added, “as we open up these businesses you will get more contact… and that means you will get more infections and unfortunately it means you will get more deaths.”

“The key here is do everything you possibly can to minimise the risk,” he urged.

England’s pubs can now fully reopen to customers – but not every publican is keen to do so.

The Tollington pub in north London tweeted to say it hopes to welcome customers in the near future – but only “when it is safe to do so”.

“We care too much about our staff and our customers to risk rushing back, thus contributing to a second wave of this pandemic,” the pub said.

Read more here.

US President Donald Trump has used a used a speech celebrating Independence Day to rail against the “cancel culture” and activists who toppled monuments during recent anti-racism protests.

He was speaking on Friday under the giant sculptures of former presidents at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

Mr Trump – who has been heavily criticised for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic – made little reference to the disease that has now claimed almost 130,000 American lives.

The US recorded 57,000 infections on Friday – the largest single-day rise so far. That brought the overall number to 2.5 million – the most of any country.

Read our full story here

Unruly locks, discoloured roots and split ends are some of
the side effects of spending three months in lockdown.

But now hairdressers can finally reopen again in England, and Sandra Jacobs was
one of the first people through the door at her local hairdressers in Camden,
north London, on Friday night.

She described it as “such a relief” to be back in
the salon chair and said the haircut made her feel “normal again”.

Hairdresser Carole Rickaby, wearing an apron and a
facemask, said it was great to pick up the scissors again.

Hello and welcome back to our rolling coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s a big day in England, where pubs, restaurants,
hairdressers and cinemas can reopen for the first time since the UK went into
lockdown three months ago.

Restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas were allowed to reopen just after
midnight, but pubs had to wait until 06: 00 BST after the government expressed concerns of early morning partying.

As they reopen, businesses must observe strict social distancing
rules, and people have been urged to act responsibly.

Read more here.