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Pictures of rainbows started springing up across the world in response to the coronavirus outbreak, with children initially encouraged to put them up to "spread hope" during the pandemic.

Computer magic has seen the Guernsey Retro Festival brighten up an image of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital in this tweet.

Image source, GSPCA

Two rescued seal pups at the GSPCA have expanded their "household bubble" by meeting for the first time, the charity said.

Both Pebbles, who was rescued in Guernsey waters, and Andrew, who came from Jersey in November 2018, were said to be doing "extremely well".

Geoff George, from the GSPCA, said they had previously seen each other at a "social distance", but were now being introduced for the first time in the hope they could be released together

Mr George said: "After a little bit of splashing they soon calmed down and it looks like they will be good friends, which will mean hopefully we can release them together very soon."

Image source, GSPCA

GSPCA mananger Steve Byrne said it was a "special moment" as it was bringing a Jersey and Guernsey seal together for the "first time at the GSPCA".

He said: "We would normally return Jersey seal pups back to their waters. But, with the social distancing rules, this is extremely unlikely and getting them to become friends gives them a better chance when they are released together."

Mr Byrne also issued an appeal for help to support the charity care for its 300 animals through these "difficult times".

Members of the Vale Douzaine voted to reduce this year's parish rates on Monday, in order to try to ease the financial pressure being felt by many parishioners as a result of the lockdown.

Savings have been found in the main parish budget, the rector's and churchwardens' accounts and the Vale Cemetery Committee, the douzaine said.

Just over £60,000 has been saved, which will now be presented to the Royal Court for approval, they added.

The revised total for 2020 stands at £522,62, the full detail of which is available on their website, external.

Senior Constable Richard Leale thanked his colleagues for their efforts in finding the savings and acknowledged the support he had received during a remote meeting of the douzaine.

Mr Leale said the "financial implications for parishioners created by the lockdown" meant it was "right and proper" for the douzaine to reduce the "burden" on those affected.

He added: "People still expect the parochial infrastructure to remain in place and working.

"Therefore, household rubbish needs to continue being collected and street lights remain on, along with the cemetery able to accept burials."

Islanders are being reminded to abide by the lockdown measures during Liberation Day celebrations on the weekend.

Ruari Hardy, Guernsey's head of law enforcement, said: "Liberation Day to us all is about freedom. It's about the fact that we live in a society that respects difference, and we enjoy the rights and entitlements that many around the world simply don't have".

However, he said 2020 was "going to be different" as the island was "fighting a threat" to public health.

He urged islanders to stay within their household bubbles and not to "lose the gains we have made".

"We want you to enjoy the day, but it has to be done safely," he said.

"It would be a terrible irony for a few hours of fun on Liberation Day for us to end up having to go back," Deputy Gavin St Pier warned.

One Guernsey Police officer became symptomatic about 10 days ago and "an entire team" had to be quarantined, head of law enforcement Ruari Hardy has revealed.

The officers were "taken out of their front-line duties" to protect them and "ensure" they did not pass on the virus.

Mr Hardy added the force had been in a "position of strength", with a "limited amount of sickness in the organisation", before the incident.

He said: "On the advice of public health, we're suddenly facing a situation where a particular team was down to about 20, 30 percent of its ordinary strength.

"I think that shows how quickly this can actually impact on businesses, services and what we're doing in front-line blue light services."

Mr Hardy clarified "quick testing" of officers had allowed them to return to work and the force had "control of the situation".

"But that could happen across the Bailiwick and it could happen very quickly if we're not in control," he added.

The restriction of "household bubble" activities to within people's homes is to help "managing volumes" of activity around the Bailiwick, Dr Nicola Brink said.

She said: "It's simply about the number of people moving around the community."

Dr Brink emphasised their approach was about finding a balanced and gradual increase to people's social, economic and recreational activity.

"What we don't want to do is simply open everything, and then we'll have huge amounts of activity around the Bailiwick.

"It's really just managing volumes outside of the house and preventing those contacts occurring," Dr Brink added.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby has said increased testing will be vital to understanding if current data about coronavirus in Guernsey is accurate.

"We don't know what will happen as we ease out of the lockdown," she said.

"There might be cases of coronavirus that we don't know about, but the more we start bringing in business as normal, and improve the social bubbles, we'll then find out if that seeding is in the community or not.

"We can only test what is presented to us, that's why the testing will be so important to know if we are right."

Dr Nicola Brink added that whilst the island was "not yet virus-free", it was "certainly possible" Guernsey could "move faster" through the phases if it continued in the same way.

An expansion in Guernsey's testing facilities will lead the capacity to carry out about 400 a day, Deputy Gavin St Pier revealed.

This programme is expected to be up and running in about eight weeks time.

Mr St Pier said a piece of vital equipment for the increased testing volume had been "significantly" funded by the States Coronavirus appeal, currently at £88,000.

He thanked the community for enabling that decision to be "taken so much more quickly" than normal.

Mr St Pier added: "We've also absolutely cut through all the normal red tape and process that would happen with the kind of procurement we're talking about here because we regard this as being so critical to the next stage."

Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said the "significantly" increased testing would be initially targeted at "higher risk " groups, including care homes, carers going into homes and front-line health workers.

People who are "shielding" during the coronavirus pandemic should speak to their GP before expanding their household bubble, Dr Nicola Brink said.

"The people who are shielding are at the most risk of the serious consequences of Covid-19," she said.

Individuals should draw up a risk assessment with their doctor before allowing others to enter their household.

Households that do not contain people who are shielding must only socialise in each other's homes.

"It's really about managing volumes outside of the house, and preventing those contacts from occurring," Dr Brink said.

Guernsey's chief executive said the island has developed "e-sensors" to help target high-risk areas for testing.

The "island-unique" equipment will identify multi-occupancy accommodation, which tend to have more people in each 'household', Paul Whitefield said.

This would mean these groups of people could be called for testing, "rather than monitoring the whole community", Mr Whitfield added.

High-risk groups could also include care workers and frontline healthcare staff, which would increase the island's testing needs to between 300 and 400 a day, Dr Nicola Brink said.

Something that a new piece of equipment ordered on Monday would enable the island to do.

The chief executive added the government was also considering the use of an app to help with testing.

Mr Whitfield said the online community monitoring tool, external had been "invaluable" in providing the States with information about the symptoms of islanders, and encouraged people to continue to sign up.

Crime is "may increase" as lockdown restrictions are lifted, Guernsey's senior police officer has said.

Ruari Hardy called on the public to report any breaches.

Mr Hardy said people could report crimes to their confidential drugline on 0800 318 318 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously, external.

Mr Hardy said: "You the public are our eyes and ears.

"So if you see it, please say it, report it and allow us to sort it."

The sixth and final phase of easing lockdown is the "return to the global community", the States has outlined.

Detail of the "post-pandemic era" will be looked at soon, but is likely to only occur when there is a vaccine available.

It could also begin if public health risk assessment indicates that coronavirus "no longer poses a significant threat to the health and wellbeing of islanders", the States clarified.

The latter case would be based on the status of the Bailiwick's neighbours, Dr Nicola Brink said.

She said: "Obviously we'd like to get a vaccine as soon as we can and we are engaging with the UK with regard to that.

"But if the risk profile goes down in the surrounding areas, we may well look at that," Dr Brink added.

Phase five would be effectively a "return to a normal level of activity within the Bailiwick", with bars and nightclubs allowed to operate and team sports reintroduced.

This stage of lockdown easing has been nicknamed the "Bailiwick bubble", by the States

These final venues allowed to open must have additional hygiene requirements in place and there may be cap on numbers, including staff.

Public venues will be permitted to open, with some restrictions on the size, nature and duration of activities.

Team sports, such as football, rugby and netball, will begin again and children’s playgrounds will reopen.

However, restrictions on travel outside of the Bailiwick will remain in place.

Deputy Gavin St Pier says there will be more detail to follow on Guernsey's exit strategy, including plans for education.

He said more detailed information would be developed as the island approaches each stage, and said islanders should "not be surprised" if some sections were still missing for the later phases.

Mr St Pier said the island had not only flattened, but "squashed" the curve.

"It would be very easy to become complacent, and we need to constantly address that question of complacency."

An increased testing system will allow the island to transition from 48 tests in three hours to 96 tests in 90 minutes, he added.

This would allow the pathology department to cope with up to 400 tests a day.

Deputy St Pier thanked those who has contributed to the Covid-19 response appeal, which has been used to "significantly fund" a piece of kit ordered on Monday to allow this increased testing.

The fourth phase of the releasing of lockdown restrictions could see the return of shops, restaurants and hairdressers, the States has announced.

Businesses that will be permitted to open include, retail shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs serving food and gums and leisure facilities.

Public venues, including sports venues, churches and community centres, museums, theatres and cinemas.

Some public gatherings, including social, cultural and sporting events may resume.

All the above will still be subject to a variety of social distancing and hygiene rules once they reopen.

The phase is currently expected to last for eight weeks, but this could be reduced if it appears safe to do so.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby has said Guernsey could enter phase three of its exit strategy in about two and a half weeks, "or sooner".

She said phase three would allow takeaways to start operating again as business activities increase.

The third phase would also allow places of worship to open for private prayer, and increase the number of people permitted to attend a funeral.

As part of the change, Dr Nicola Brink said the States was considering how many households could be added to the "bubble" strategy.

Households in Guernsey are currently allowed to socialise with one other household in either home, without social distancing rules.

Phase three is expected to last for eight weeks, but this can include the four weeks spent in phase two.

Public Health has revealed that 27% of identified patients had been contact traced from known cases, a "positive sign" for the efficacy of their strategy Dr Nicola Brink said.

The director of Public Health said: "These are people that we have identified as being at risk, we've put them into quarantine and we test them when they become symptomatic."

She said residents and staff of Guernsey care homes make up 42% of coronavirus cases.

Dr Brink said just 12% of cases were of an "unknown community source", the group that "worry" her the most.

She added that it was "really positive" that the last case of undetermined origin had been identified on the 21 April.

There have been no new positive cases of coronavirus in Guernsey for five consecutive days, the director of Public Health has said.

Dr Nicola Brink said it was "really encouraging" to see the island was progressing "in the right direction".

She said there were 16 active cases in the island, with 222 people having recovered from the virus so far.

There has been a total of 252 positive cases, and 13 deaths as a result of the virus.