Coronavirus: Lockdown tightens for parts of northern England, and eases in Wales

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Friday morning. We’ll have another update for you at 18:00 BST.

1. Home visits banned in parts of northern England

People from separate households have been banned from meeting each other at homes in Greater Manchester and parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire, following a spike in coronavirus cases. Health Secretary Matt Hancock says it’s “largely due to households meeting and not abiding to social distancing”.

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2. Meanwhile, elsewhere…

While the ban on mixing at homes will also apply in Leicester, pubs, cafes and restaurants in the city can reopen from Monday. The Oadby and Wigston borough is moving completely out of local lockdown. And in Wales, restrictions are being eased from Monday to allow groups of up to 30 to meet, children aged under 11 to mix and bowling alleys, auction houses and bingo halls to reopen.

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3. Care home visits ‘delayed’ over lack of testing

Some care homes in England are delaying the resumption of visits because of a lack of virus testing for staff and residents, after one brand of home-test kit was withdrawn over safety concerns. Home provider MHA says it’s “disappointed and frustrated”. The government says it’s doing everything to keep staff and residents protected and that affected homes will get replacements “as soon as possible”.

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4. You finally got abroad, but was it worth it?

“I’d say I feel safer here than home definitely. The same rules are applied but everyone actually follows them here,” says Grace Wilding from her hotel in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife. The BBC’s Alice Evans catches up with Britons who have headed overseas – to find out what foreign holidays are like this summer.

5. Celebrities lighten lockdown for teen cancer patient

Matty, 15, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016, was finding shielding during lockdown a struggle. So his aunt contacted celebrities for help cheering him up. He’s since received 800 letters, postcards and messages, including from footballer Jamie Vardy, astronaut Tim Peake and TV presenters Ant and Dec.

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