Government confirms national events pilot to take place in Liverpool

THE UK Government has announced details of the pilot events to be held in Liverpool, as the City follows in the footsteps of Amsterdam and Barcelona by participating in a science led research programme to reopen the cultural and business sectors.

The Events Research Programme (ERP) will be used to provide key scientific data into how events for a range of audiences could be permitted to safely reopen as part of Step 4 of the roadmap out of lockdown, commencing no earlier than 21 June 2021.

The review will be crucial to how venues; from major sport stadiums to comedy clubs, theatres to live music spaces, wedding venues to conference centres; could operate this summer.

The Liverpool pilots:- a comedy gig, an outdoor cinema, a club night and a business event; will gather evidence associated with different settings and approaches to managing and mitigating transmission risk.

Liverpool's Director of Culture, Claire McColgan MBE, said:- "We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Government and the University of Liverpool on this vitally important research programme. Events are part of the DNA of Liverpool and a critical part of our culture and community. More than that, they represent more than half of our economy, so also play a major role in the success of the City. This is a show of confidence by the Government in the City and everyone who takes part, from the venues to the attendees, will be playing a role in influencing the reopening of these sectors across the rest of the country."

The pilots will explore how different approaches to social distancing, ventilation and test on entry protocols could ease opening and maximise participation, including the use of lateral flow tests, but there will be no use of so called:- 'vaccine passports.'

Matthew Ashton, Liverpool's Director of Public Health, said:- "Our experience as the pilot City for mass symptom free testing means we have the knowledge and infrastructure in place to deliver complicated projects safely. We really hope we can help provide the scientific evidence needed to ensure the wider sector is able to open across the country in the coming months. This is a continuation of the City's long standing tradition of carrying out pioneering public health work that not only has an impact here, but also across the rest of the country and the wider world."

The Government is working closely with the University of Liverpool and Culture Liverpool on the project, which follows on from the City's successful pilot Covid19 testing programme for people without symptoms held last November.

Iain Buchan, Executive Dean of the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool, said:- "Liverpool is uniquely placed to research safer reopening of events with the right mix of public health research and services and a remarkable community spirit for helping society recover from Covid19, with care and togetherness. This work will follow in the footsteps of a successful pilot of community testing for people without symptoms of Covid19, which is an increasingly important tool, among other public health measures, for resisting and recovering from the pandemic in many parts of the world. Events are an important part of the wellbeing, social fabric and economies of communities, and stopping them creates harms as well as Covid19. Testing, questioning about symptoms, good ventilation, using outdoor venues where possible, being careful on public transport and continued attention to hands, face, space as much as possible are all important parts of securing the reopening of events. Liverpool will take a first step in researching how these measures can work over the coming months."

Liverpool events:-

► Hot Water Comedy Club at M&S Bank Arena Auditorium.

► The Luna Cinema on the Waterfront (3 shows)

► The Good Business Festival Presents - Change Business for Good,at ACC Liverpool.

► Circus Club.

The programme is being overseen by the Government's ERP Science Board with inputs from the University of Liverpool who are leading independent evaluation of the public health measures to secure the Liverpool events.

The aims are to:-

► Develop and pilot the logistics of event ticketing and testing, venue admittance and post event follow up.

► Assess the adequacy of data collected around events and venues for responding to potential outbreaks, and for adapting protection measures according to the background levels and patterns of spread of the virus.

► Measure the uptake of tickets and explore attitudes to, and acceptability of the overall ticketing, questioning and testing regime.

Venues participating in the programme will test specific settings to collect evidence and best practice. The final decision over whether each event can take place will be made by local officials. The evidence from the events will be shared across the event economy nationwide, so that venues can prepare to accommodate fuller audiences. Decisions of the ticketing arrangements will be announced in the near future, at which point people from across Liverpool City Region will be able to apply. If an event does not take place, ticketholders will get a full refund and the cost will be covered by the Government.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:- "Our sports stars and great performers need us to find ways to get bums back on seats safely. This science led pilot programme will be the springboard in getting the buzz back of live performance. We've supported the sports and arts with unprecedented sums, but it's now time to make that Great British Summer of live events a reality."

Other events elsewhere:-

► FA Cup Semi Final at Wembley.

► Snooker World Championships, at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre.

► 3 10k runs, at Hatfield House, in Hertfordshire.

► League Cup Final, at Wembley.

► FA Cup Final, at Wembley.

Easter Egg and Hot Cross Bun shortage!

IF you left it late to get your Chocolate Easter Egg, well you might have discovered empty shelves! No, the Grinch has not taken to spoiling Easter, well, not as far as we are aware, but it appears that lockdown restrictions triggered a rush for Easter Eggs and also a rush on hot cross buns! For the few shops who can sell them, it has been a good year for them, with sales of Easter products rocketing. But just as with toilet paper last year, it leads to some reports of price increases as many parents took to the web to express their outrage after many failed attempts to secure those special chocolate Easter Eggs. Some of the many shoppers who have been left disappointed have come up with creative ways to get around the issues. So did you join the UK's National Easter Egg hunt? If you did, did you get any and if not, what did you do? Please do email us your thoughts on this very British Easter issue... We are also interested to hear if you are 1 of our many international readers if you also had problems this year? Please do email us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com to eggspress your feelings!

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (Covid19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by:- 2,297 cases and the total number now stand at:- 4,359,388 that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The total number of Covid19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:- 10 within 28 days of positive test, according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is:- 126,836, within 28 days of positive test. Deaths with Covid19 on the death certificate:- 149,168.

The number of Covid19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 3,536. The current number of Covid19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 517 Daily number of Covid19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 273.

In England, there are a total of:- 3,812,188 confirmed cases. North West - total of:- 600,702 confirmed cases.

The latest R number is estimated at:- 0.7 to 0.9, with a daily infection growth rate range of:- -5% to -2%, as of 26 March 2021.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

Area and number of confirmed cases:- Risen by:-

Liverpool City Region

Nation Lockdown

National UK Restrictions.

► Liverpool, 48,421 confirmed cases.
16

► Halton, 11,910 - ERROR - confirmed cases. ? Error ?

► Knowsley, 17,332 confirmed cases. 3

► Sefton, 23,800 confirmed cases.
6

► St. Helens, 16,994 - ERROR - confirmed cases.
? Error ?

► Wirral, 24,264 confirmed cases.

7

Colour Key:- 0 1 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to 100 100 to 199 200 & over

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test. Daily and cumulative numbers of Covid19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected Covid19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.

Total UK people who have received vaccination

1st Dose 2nd Dose

31,523,010 5,381,745

Jab Stats correct as of:- 3 April 2021

The vaccination programme began on 8 December 2020 with people receiving the Vaccine developed by Pfizer / BioNTech, and people began receiving the Oxford University / AstraZeneca Vaccine from 4 January 2021. Both Vaccine s are given as 2 doses, at least 21 days apart, for a full vaccination course.