Thread by @IndependentSage

Independent SAGE - live via Restream.io pscp.tv/w/ckXD3jFNV0V3…

Welcome we are live. Professor Christina Pagel is about to present the week's figures

There are almost two epidemics: the north of England and the rest of the country

We would expect ONS death numbers to go up again next week

The highest prevalence is in 17 - 24 year-olds. Estimates show that around 1 in 100 in this age group is infected

We are finally seeing a slow down in growth. King's College symptom tracker app estimates 'R' rate as 1.2

People are going out less and they are socialising less

Infections are increasing so you'd expect to see higher demand for tests but we're not seeing that happening

It looks like they are prioritising testing in areas on the watch list

Test and trace: fewer cases are being reached in the north west of England.

Test results are coming quicker but capacity has not increased and fewer new referred cases are being reached and it's working least well in the areas which most need it

Professor Christina Pagel: we've bought ourselves some time but we need to do something with that time

Joe Anderson, mayor of Liverpool asks what a local response to the virus should look like. Should government be looking at supporting local businesses and livelihoods with a furlough scheme

Professor Susan Michie: Where there are restrictions, there does need to be adequate financial support in the form of a furlough

Larissa Kennedy, president of the NUS, asks how do we meet the needs of students who don't have recourse to alternative accommodation or can't return home to study and what level of on-campus activity is safe

Professor Deenan Pillay: We need a proper risk assessment for all students and universities need to reassure staff and students about testing

Prof Christina Pagel: there is unhelpful framing from some parts of media that somehow students are to blame, when surveys show young people are just as worried about Covid and no more likely to break the rules

Professor Karl Friston: we may need a very much lower herd immunity threshold than we might expect if we factor in heterogeneity of transmission

Are Independent SAGE and SAGE in unison in their current thinking? Sir David King: we are much more prepared to be critical of the way the government is handling this

Sir David King: 8 months in we still don't have an operative Test and Trace system. It's still not too late. We are saying to the government, time to hand over to the public health sector

It's a wrap! Thank you for joining us. Same time next week