Coronavirus: Morning update as Premier League returns after 100 days

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

1. Premier League returns to a new world

The seats were covered up and the crowd noise was artificial, but those were only two of the changes that marked the return of England's top flight football league after a 100-day hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. While Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-0 behind the closed doors of the Etihad Stadium, and Aston Villa and Sheffield United played out a 0-0 draw, the Premier League now occupies a different world, according to BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty.

Image source, AFP

2. Thousands of employers 'defrauding furlough scheme'

The BBC has been told that HM Revenue Customs has received 3,000 reports of furlough fraud during the coronavirus outbreak. Under the government's scheme to protect the jobs of those people who work for businesses that have had to close, 80% of an employee's salary is covered by the state. But the BBC has found that a third of furloughed staff have been asked to carry on doing their job.

Image source, Getty Images

3. Is social media a risk to our health?

One of the features of the coronavirus pandemic has been the constant battle to prevent the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories. Now, a study published in the journal Psychological Medicine has found that unregulated social media platforms are a risk to health in the UK.

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Phone masts have been attacked due to conspiracy theories

4. What happens to pets when their owners go back to work?

Many people brought pets into their lives during lockdown. A pet behaviourist explains how animals will react to their owners' return to work and how promoting distance in the home now can be beneficial in the long run.

Media caption,

Coronavirus: What will happen to pets after lockdown?

5. Lockdown sees Scotland's 'wedding capital' become a ghost town

Gretna Green has been Scotland's wedding capital for centuries - thanks in part to it historically being the destination of choice for English couples wanting to get married without their parents' consent. While it would normally carry out 3,000 ceremonies a year, generating £37m for the local economy, lockdown has dramatically affected the town's wedding businesses.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Gretna Green usually hosts thousands of weddings each year

And don't forget...

...you can find out how many coronavirus cases there are in your area by clicking here.

There's more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page and you can get the latest updates on our live page.

Image source, BBC

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