news--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: No 'exit' to full lockdown until there's a vaccine says health minister

The government is expected to announce an extension of the UK 's coronavirus restrictions later today , as health minister Nadine Dorries suggested `` full lockdown '' would be required until a vaccine for COVID-19 is found .
The current measures have been in place for more than three weeks , and this morning the cabinet will receive a briefing on the latest scientific and medical advice via video conference , before a COBRA meeting chaired by First Secretary of State Dominic Raab .
Mr Raab , who is deputising for the Prime Minister as he continues his recovery from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reasoning behind the government 's decision at the daily briefing from Downing Street .
However , Health minister Nadine Dorries last night posted on Twitter criticising those asking questions about the issue .
`` Journalists should stop asking about an 'exit strategy ' , '' she wrote .
`` There is only one way we can 'exit ' full lockdown and that is when we have a vaccine .
Until then , we need to find ways we can adapt society and strike a balance between the health of the nation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her comments Ms Dorries , who has herself recovered from coronavirus , attempted to clarify them saying : `` I said society needs to adapt .
It would be more helpful to talk about 'relaxing lockdown ' than constantly demanding an 'exit strategy ' .
`` My point being , some of you guys need to start asking more intelligent questions . ''
On Wednesday England 's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said that while the UK is `` probably '' reaching the peak of the outbreak it is not yet `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increases in the daily death toll were expected this week .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said : `` We can not let up in our efforts .
We can not let go of the hard work that 's been done so far .
This shared sacrifice is starting to work but we will not lift these measures until it is safe to do so '' .
But asked why the government had refused to discuss its `` exit strategy '' , as other European countries such as Germany and Italy have done , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in different stages in this epidemic , and one of the things that I think we have learnt during this crisis is that the clarity of the guidance to the public is incredibly important and hence we repeat it . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker It echoed a comment made by Dominic Raab at Monday 's Downing Street briefing in which he said it was too early to lift restrictions and that there was a need `` keep our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift public focus from the government 's core advice to stay at home .
The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would support an extension of the current social distancing measures and business closures , but argues the government must publish its strategy for lifting the restrictions to ensure `` transparency '' and maintain public confidence .
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said it could take more than a week for advisers to be able to provide clear guidance to ministers on what restrictions could be safely lifted .
Prof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an understanding of where [ the transmission rate ] is , which will happen as we go over the next ten days or so , the more easy it is for us to judge exactly how we can go through to the next phase in a way that is properly evidence-based . ''
While the emergency regulations passed by parliament require a review of restrictions every three weeks , it is understood the government are likely to refrain from putting a specific time frame on the announcement that lockdown measures will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be kept under active review .
Although the devolved administrations in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland have the powers to choose different measures , so far the whole of the UK has acted in the same way .

The government is expected to announce an extension of the UK's coronavirus restrictions later today, as health minister Nadine Dorries suggested "full lockdown" would be required until a vaccine for COVID-19 is found.
The current measures have been in place for more than three weeks, and this morning the cabinet will receive a briefing on the latest scientific and medical advice via video conference, before a COBRA meeting chaired by First Secretary of State Dominic Raab.
Mr Raab, who is deputising for the Prime Minister as he continues his recovery from COVID-19, is expected to set out the reasoning behind the government's decision at the daily briefing from Downing Street.
However, Health minister Nadine Dorries last night posted on Twitter criticising those asking questions about the issue.
"Journalists should stop asking about an 'exit strategy'," she wrote.
"There is only one way we can 'exit' full lockdown and that is when we have a vaccine. Until then, we need to find ways we can adapt society and strike a balance between the health of the nation and our economy."
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When challenged over her comments Ms Dorries, who has herself recovered from coronavirus, attempted to clarify them saying: "I said society needs to adapt. It would be more helpful to talk about 'relaxing lockdown' than constantly demanding an 'exit strategy'.
"My point being, some of you guys need to start asking more intelligent questions."
On Wednesday England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said that while the UK is "probably" reaching the peak of the outbreak it is not yet "past the peak", and warned increases in the daily death toll were expected this week.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "We cannot let up in our efforts. We cannot let go of the hard work that's been done so far. This shared sacrifice is starting to work but we will not lift these measures until it is safe to do so".
But asked why the government had refused to discuss its "exit strategy", as other European countries such as Germany and Italy have done, Mr Hancock said: "Different countries are in different stages in this epidemic, and one of the things that I think we have learnt during this crisis is that the clarity of the guidance to the public is incredibly important and hence we repeat it."
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
It echoed a comment made by Dominic Raab at Monday's Downing Street briefing in which he said it was too early to lift restrictions and that there was a need "keep our eye on the ball" and not shift public focus from the government's core advice to stay at home.
The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would support an extension of the current social distancing measures and business closures, but argues the government must publish its strategy for lifting the restrictions to ensure "transparency" and maintain public confidence.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said it could take more than a week for advisers to be able to provide clear guidance to ministers on what restrictions could be safely lifted.
Prof witty said: "The more we have an understanding of where [the transmission rate] is, which will happen as we go over the next ten days or so, the more easy it is for us to judge exactly how we can go through to the next phase in a way that is properly evidence-based."
While the emergency regulations passed by parliament require a review of restrictions every three weeks, it is understood the government are likely to refrain from putting a specific time frame on the announcement that lockdown measures will be extended and instead will insist all restrictions will be kept under active review.
Although the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have the powers to choose different measures, so far the whole of the UK has acted in the same way.


news--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: What do we know about the care homes affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

The government is under intense scrutiny over the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in care homes after providers said official figures on deaths do not match what they are seeing on the ground .
On Monday , England 's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said 13.5 % of the UK 's care homes had at least one resident with a confirmed case of coronavirus , up from 9 % the previous week .
A total of 92 care homes reported outbreaks of the coronavirus in a 24-hour period this week .
But what do we know about them and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in them ?
Who uses care homes and what services do they provide ?
Care homes provide accommodation and personal care for people who may be struggling to live on their own and need extra support , which might include help with eating , washing , dressing , going to the toilet and taking medication .
Accommodation varies between residential and nursing homes , but same may offer both services .
Care homes may be run by private companies , voluntary or charity organisations , or sometimes by local councils .
What is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This can vary depending on the type of care home and where it is based .
Nursing care homes will usually cost more because of the additional costs of providing qualified nursing staff on site .
According to the NHS website , the average cost of a care home in the UK is around £600 a week for a residential home , and about £800 a week for a nursing home .
What is the age of care home residents ?
The care home resident population is usually made up of those aged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stable since 2001 , according to the Office for National Statistics ' latest report called Changes in the Older Resident Care Home Population based on 2001 and 2011 Census data .
Its analysis showed fewer women but more men aged 65 and over were living as residents of care homes in 2011 compared with 2001 , and that people aged 85 and over represented 59.2 % of the care home population compared with 56.5 % in 2001 .
In 2011 , more than a quarter of a million ( 291,000 ) people aged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes in England and Wales , representing 3.2 % of the total population at this age .
Politicians have been telling people for years that the UK has an ageing population .
Overall , almost a quarter of the UK population is over 60 .
The percentage aged over 60 is higher in Wales ( 26.8 % ) , followed by Scotland ( 25.1 % ) , England ( 23.6 % ) and NI ( 21.8 % ) , according to ONS figures from mid-2018 .
Given this is the case , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be higher now in 2020 than a decade ago .
This varies by home , but they will usually have care workers , a management team , nursing staff , somebody who may organise trips out , specialist staff such as those who may work with residents with dementia , cooks or kitchen assistants , housekeepers , drivers who provide transport ( although maybe not under the current lockdown ) and those who come in to carry out maintenance jobs .
Are residents and staff getting the protection they need ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and staff with symptoms of COVID-19 are to be tested amid growing demands for care home deaths to be included in the daily updates for deaths in hospitals to stop `` potentially thousands '' of fatalities going `` under the radar '' .
The daily figures announced by the UK government only include deaths in hospitals where a patient had tested positive for the virus .
Professor Martin Green , chief executive of Care England , which represents independent social care services , said there have been thousands of cases and deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chief executive of HC-One , Britain 's biggest care home operator , has said two-thirds of its homes are affected and it has seen 311 deaths .
He told Sky News he expects the number of infections to almost double over the next two to four weeks to 4,500. : : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Bosses in the social sector are facing tough decisions on bringing back infected residents and putting them back into a care home because there is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free in hospital .
Sir David said : `` What we 're asking is that those people who are coming out of hospital are tested .
And we can be clear whether those people do have the virus .
`` If they do , the appropriate levels of care and protection can be given to both the staff providing that care and to the individual residents .
This is why testing and personal protective equipment is hugely important . ''

The government is under intense scrutiny over the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in care homes after providers said official figures on deaths do not match what they are seeing on the ground.
On Monday, England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said 13.5% of the UK's care homes had at least one resident with a confirmed case of coronavirus, up from 9% the previous week.
A total of 92 care homes reported outbreaks of the coronavirus in a 24-hour period this week. But what do we know about them and who is affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in them?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:14 Lack of testing puts the 'vulnerable at risk'
Who uses care homes and what services do they provide?
Care homes provide accommodation and personal care for people who may be struggling to live on their own and need extra support, which might include help with eating, washing, dressing, going to the toilet and taking medication.
Accommodation varies between residential and nursing homes, but same may offer both services.
Who runs them?
Care homes may be run by private companies, voluntary or charity organisations, or sometimes by local councils.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:31 Care home staff show 'heroism coming to work'
What is the cost of a care home?
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This can vary depending on the type of care home and where it is based.
Nursing care homes will usually cost more because of the additional costs of providing qualified nursing staff on site.
According to the NHS website, the average cost of a care home in the UK is around £600 a week for a residential home, and about £800 a week for a nursing home.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:31 10% of coronavirus deaths away from hospitals
What is the age of care home residents?
The care home resident population is usually made up of those aged 65 and over and has remained almost stable since 2001, according to the Office for National Statistics' latest report called Changes in the Older Resident Care Home Population based on 2001 and 2011 Census data.
Its analysis showed fewer women but more men aged 65 and over were living as residents of care homes in 2011 compared with 2001, and that people aged 85 and over represented 59.2% of the care home population compared with 56.5% in 2001.
In 2011, more than a quarter of a million (291,000) people aged 65 and over were living in care homes in England and Wales, representing 3.2% of the total population at this age.
Politicians have been telling people for years that the UK has an ageing population.
Overall, almost a quarter of the UK population is over 60. The percentage aged over 60 is higher in Wales (26.8%), followed by Scotland (25.1%), England (23.6%) and NI (21.8%), according to ONS figures from mid-2018.
Given this is the case, the number of people living in care homes could be higher now in 2020 than a decade ago.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:48 Care home staff too scared to work
Who works in care homes?
This varies by home, but they will usually have care workers, a management team, nursing staff, somebody who may organise trips out, specialist staff such as those who may work with residents with dementia, cooks or kitchen assistants, housekeepers, drivers who provide transport (although maybe not under the current lockdown) and those who come in to carry out maintenance jobs.
Are residents and staff getting the protection they need?
The government has said all care home residents and staff with symptoms of COVID-19 are to be tested amid growing demands for care home deaths to be included in the daily updates for deaths in hospitals to stop "potentially thousands" of fatalities going "under the radar".
The daily figures announced by the UK government only include deaths in hospitals where a patient had tested positive for the virus.
Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, which represents independent social care services, said there have been thousands of cases and deaths in care homes, while Sir David Behan, chief executive of HC-One, Britain's biggest care home operator, has said two-thirds of its homes are affected and it has seen 311 deaths.
He told Sky News he expects the number of infections to almost double over the next two to four weeks to 4,500.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Bosses in the social sector are facing tough decisions on bringing back infected residents and putting them back into a care home because there is a general perception that beds need to be free in hospital.
Sir David said: "What we're asking is that those people who are coming out of hospital are tested. And we can be clear whether those people do have the virus.
"If they do, the appropriate levels of care and protection can be given to both the staff providing that care and to the individual residents. This is why testing and personal protective equipment is hugely important."


news--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: Donald Trump's criticism of World Health Organisation response backfires

Donald Trump 's apparent attempt to scapegoat the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) for the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have been rebuffed in a virtual summit of the G7 world 's richest nations .
The day after the US president drew international outrage for suspending funding for the WHO , all other world leaders attending the meeting gave the organisation their support .
Efforts to coordinate international efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic have been jeopardised by the controversy over the Trump administration 's unprecedented move to withdraw funding for the global body tasked with battling the outbreak .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloss on the outcome of the virtual summit claiming that `` much of the conversation centred on the lack of transparency and chronic mismanagement of the pandemic by the WHO .
The leaders called for a thorough review and reform process . ''
But other world leaders stood by the WHO seeing it as an important part of efforts to coordinate an international response .
The Trump Administration says the WHO was too slow to respond to the outbreak in Wuhan and too ready to praise China 's response , kowtowing to Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustration with China and the WHO among other western governments and a recognition the international body needs some measure of reform .
But there has been universal dismay at President Trump 's decision to cut US funding for the WHO .
Allies suspect the president is attempting to distract attention from his administration 's failings in dealing with the virus .
President Trump initially called the coronavirus outbreak a hoax and the number of cases in America is rising more steeply than anywhere else in the world .
Western diplomats concede America 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decision and say it is not at all clear what kind of reforms he would like to see at the WHO to see funding reinstated .
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker The WHO plays a vital role in international efforts to battle a range of diseases and testing vaccines in scores of nations .
President Trump attempted to defend his record at one of the most extraordinary press conferences of his unconventional presidency this week .
He railed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfavourable coverage of his COVID-19 response .
The devastating impact of the virus on the health and lives of Americans and on the US economy may reduce Trump 's chances of re-election in November .

Donald Trump's apparent attempt to scapegoat the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have been rebuffed in a virtual summit of the G7 world's richest nations.
The day after the US president drew international outrage for suspending funding for the WHO, all other world leaders attending the meeting gave the organisation their support.
Efforts to coordinate international efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic have been jeopardised by the controversy over the Trump administration's unprecedented move to withdraw funding for the global body tasked with battling the outbreak.
Image: Donald Trump has criticised the WHO, led by Tedros Adhanom
The White House tried to put its best gloss on the outcome of the virtual summit claiming that "much of the conversation centred on the lack of transparency and chronic mismanagement of the pandemic by the WHO. The leaders called for a thorough review and reform process."
But other world leaders stood by the WHO seeing it as an important part of efforts to coordinate an international response.
The Trump Administration says the WHO was too slow to respond to the outbreak in Wuhan and too ready to praise China's response, kowtowing to Beijing for political reasons.
There has been frustration with China and the WHO among other western governments and a recognition the international body needs some measure of reform. But there has been universal dismay at President Trump's decision to cut US funding for the WHO.
Allies suspect the president is attempting to distract attention from his administration's failings in dealing with the virus.
President Trump initially called the coronavirus outbreak a hoax and the number of cases in America is rising more steeply than anywhere else in the world.
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Western diplomats concede America's allies have been blindsided by the president's decision and say it is not at all clear what kind of reforms he would like to see at the WHO to see funding reinstated.
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The WHO plays a vital role in international efforts to battle a range of diseases and testing vaccines in scores of nations.
President Trump attempted to defend his record at one of the most extraordinary press conferences of his unconventional presidency this week.
He railed at the news media and blamed it for the unfavourable coverage of his COVID-19 response.
The devastating impact of the virus on the health and lives of Americans and on the US economy may reduce Trump's chances of re-election in November.


news--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: Facebook to alert users who have interacted with COVID-19 misinformation

Facebook will show alerts to people who have previously interacted with misinformation about coronavirus - in the social network ’ s latest move to counter the spread of false information about the pandemic .
The message , which will appear as an alert in users ' News Feed , will be shown to anyone who has liked , reacted or commented on `` harmful misinformation about COVID-19 '' , the company announced .
The alert is expected to appear in the next few weeks .
The message neither directly refutes any claims nor tells the user which piece of misinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they `` help friends and family avoid false information '' by sharing a link to a list of common rumours compiled by the World Health Organisation .
In a statement , Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said the alert would cover `` misinformation related to COVID-19 that we 've since removed '' and connect users with `` accurate information '' .
Facebook says it has removed `` hundreds of thousands of pieces of COVID-19-related misinformation that could lead to imminent physical harm '' , thanks to a combination of automated detection and work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include claims that physical distancing does not help prevent the spread of coronavirus and - as of last week - false claims about the role of 5G in causing COVID-19 .
The decision to warn users who have interacted with misinformation comes after a campaign by activist group Avaaz , which has released a report claiming that millions of Facebook 's users continue to be exposed to coronavirus misinformation without any warning from the platform .
Avaaz researchers analysed more than 100 pieces of Facebook coronavirus misinformation which were shared 1.7 million times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite being debunked by independent fact-checkers .
These included false claims that people with black skin are more resistant to the coronavirus and that chlorine dioxide cures the virus .
A Facebook spokesperson praised Avaaz 's work on COVID-19 misinformation , but told Sky News the posts were not representative of the community on Facebook and that the findings `` do n't reflect the work we 've done '' .
In order to combat misinformation , Facebook currently directs people to information from the World Health Organisation , as well as reducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false by fact-checkers and adding warning labels to them .
According to Mr Zuckerberg , in March the company `` displayed warnings on about 40 million posts related to COVID-19 , based on 4,000 articles reviewed by independent fact-checkers '' .
When people saw those warning labels , Mr Zuckerberg said `` 95 % of the time they did not go on to view the original content '' .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Fadi Quran , campaign director at Avaaz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epicentre of the misinformation crisis .
`` But the company is turning a critical corner today to clean up this toxic information ecosystem , becoming the first social media platform to alert all users who have been exposed to coronavirus misinformation and directing them to life-saving facts . ''
Facebook also announced it would be adding a new section debunking coronavirus myths to its COVID-19 Information Centre .
Called Get The Facts , these articles are selected by the social network 's news curation team , but are currently only available in the @ @

Facebook will show alerts to people who have previously interacted with misinformation about coronavirus - in the social network’s latest move to counter the spread of false information about the pandemic.
The message, which will appear as an alert in users' News Feed, will be shown to anyone who has liked, reacted or commented on "harmful misinformation about COVID-19", the company announced.
The alert is expected to appear in the next few weeks.
Image: The social media giant will alert users about 'harmful' misinformation
The message neither directly refutes any claims nor tells the user which piece of misinformation they have seen, but instead suggests they "help friends and family avoid false information" by sharing a link to a list of common rumours compiled by the World Health Organisation.
In a statement, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said the alert would cover "misinformation related to COVID-19 that we've since removed" and connect users with "accurate information".
Facebook says it has removed "hundreds of thousands of pieces of COVID-19-related misinformation that could lead to imminent physical harm", thanks to a combination of automated detection and work by third party fact checkers.
These include claims that physical distancing does not help prevent the spread of coronavirus and - as of last week - false claims about the role of 5G in causing COVID-19.
Image: Facebook is also adding a new section debunking coronavirus myths
The decision to warn users who have interacted with misinformation comes after a campaign by activist group Avaaz, which has released a report claiming that millions of Facebook's users continue to be exposed to coronavirus misinformation without any warning from the platform.
Avaaz researchers analysed more than 100 pieces of Facebook coronavirus misinformation which were shared 1.7 million times and viewed an estimated 117 million times, despite being debunked by independent fact-checkers.
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These included false claims that people with black skin are more resistant to the coronavirus and that chlorine dioxide cures the virus.
A Facebook spokesperson praised Avaaz's work on COVID-19 misinformation, but told Sky News the posts were not representative of the community on Facebook and that the findings "don't reflect the work we've done".
In order to combat misinformation, Facebook currently directs people to information from the World Health Organisation, as well as reducing the reach of posts with information rated false by fact-checkers and adding warning labels to them.
According to Mr Zuckerberg, in March the company "displayed warnings on about 40 million posts related to COVID-19, based on 4,000 articles reviewed by independent fact-checkers".
When people saw those warning labels, Mr Zuckerberg said "95% of the time they did not go on to view the original content".
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Fadi Quran, campaign director at Avaaz said: "Facebook sits at the epicentre of the misinformation crisis.
"But the company is turning a critical corner today to clean up this toxic information ecosystem, becoming the first social media platform to alert all users who have been exposed to coronavirus misinformation and directing them to life-saving facts."
Facebook also announced it would be adding a new section debunking coronavirus myths to its COVID-19 Information Centre.
Called Get The Facts, these articles are selected by the social network's news curation team, but are currently only available in the US.


news--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: Armed Michigan residents protest against stay-at-home order calling it 'tyranny'

Hundreds of people , some openly carrying rifles and handguns , have been protesting against restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus in the US state of Michigan .
The state 's governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered people to stay at home and non-essential businesses to remain closed during the COVID-19 outbreak .
More than 630,000 people in the US have been infected with the virus , which causes only mild symptoms for many but can lead to severe complications or even death for others .
Thousands of people in the US have died , including more than 1,900 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these were in the city of Wayne and another 330 in the township of Macomb , according to data from Johns Hopkins University - which is tracking the outbreak .
Protest organisers had asked people to remain in their cars and cause traffic gridlock while holding signs in their vehicles to make their views known .
But many protesters ignored this , making their way to the state Capitol in Lansing on foot to criticise the stay-at-home order , which has been extended to 30 April .
Among the signs protesters held were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners '' and `` Michigander against Gretchen 's abuses '' .
Others described the order as `` tyranny '' .
Meshawn Maddock , a member of organisers Michigan Conservative Coalition , said : `` This arbitrary blanket spread of shutting down businesses , about putting all of these workers out of business , is just a disaster .
`` It 's an economic disaster for Michigan and people are sick and tired of it . ''
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protesters for putting public health at risk , as they were standing close together without wearing masks .
She told reporters she had seen someone handing sweets to children with their bare hands , adding : `` We know that this rally endangered people .
`` This kind of activity will put more people at risk and , sadly , it could prolong the amount of time we have to be in this posture . ''
She said she was aware of the pain caused by the restrictions but that they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Hundreds of people, some openly carrying rifles and handguns, have been protesting against restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus in the US state of Michigan.
The state's governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered people to stay at home and non-essential businesses to remain closed during the COVID-19 outbreak.
More than 630,000 people in the US have been infected with the virus, which causes only mild symptoms for many but can lead to severe complications or even death for others.
Thousands of people in the US have died, including more than 1,900 people in Michigan. Some 884 of these were in the city of Wayne and another 330 in the township of Macomb, according to data from Johns Hopkins University - which is tracking the outbreak.
Protest organisers had asked people to remain in their cars and cause traffic gridlock while holding signs in their vehicles to make their views known.
But many protesters ignored this, making their way to the state Capitol in Lansing on foot to criticise the stay-at-home order, which has been extended to 30 April.
Among the signs protesters held were those saying: "We are not prisoners" and "Michigander against Gretchen's abuses". Others described the order as "tyranny".
Meshawn Maddock, a member of organisers Michigan Conservative Coalition, said: "This arbitrary blanket spread of shutting down businesses, about putting all of these workers out of business, is just a disaster.
"It's an economic disaster for Michigan and people are sick and tired of it."
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Governor Whitmer, a Democrat, criticised the protesters for putting public health at risk, as they were standing close together without wearing masks.
She told reporters she had seen someone handing sweets to children with their bare hands, adding: "We know that this rally endangered people.
"This kind of activity will put more people at risk and, sadly, it could prolong the amount of time we have to be in this posture."
She said she was aware of the pain caused by the restrictions but that they are necessary to stop the spread of coronavirus.


news--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: Bill Gates condemns Donald Trump for stopping US payments to World Health Organisation

Bill Gates has said Donald Trump 's decision to stop US funding of the World Health Organisation `` during a world health crisis '' is as `` dangerous as it sounds '' .
The Microsoft founder tweeted : '' Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them .
The world needs @ WHO now more than ever . ''
Donald Trump had said that the global health body had `` failed in its basic duty and it must be held accountable '' for its handling of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoting China 's `` disinformation '' about the virus in the days following the initial outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan .
The virus - which has infected almost two million people worldwide - could have been contained at its source if the WHO had been better at investigating the initial reports that came from China , Mr Trump said .
But he added that the US will continue to engage with the organisation to pursue what he described as meaningful reforms .
The US is one of the World Health Organisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr Trump 's administration had called for America 's contribution to be slashed from $ 122.6m ( £99.5m ) to $ 57.9m ( £47m ) .
The WHO has praised China for its transparency on the pandemic , despite the fact there is reason to believe the country 's official tally does not reflect the true number of fatalities .
Beijing is another major financial contributor to the UN health agency , prompting critics to claim that the WHO lacks the independence needed to properly fulfil its role .
Mr Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own handling of the COVID-19 crisis .
Despite his own claims of success , it has emerged that he was warned about the virus and its potential for destruction as early as January .
Among those warnings was one from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 8 January , when the pandemic was seen as just a cluster of pneumonia .
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker On 21 January , the US saw its first case - a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day later , Mr Trump said : `` It 's going to be fine '' .
As late as the middle of March , he was comparing COVID-19 to flu , an illness which he said saw `` nothing shut down , life and the economy go on '' .
Mr Trump 's news conferences have focused on promoting hydroxychloroquine , a drug that has not been scientifically proven to treat the virus , along with dodging blame and attacking reporters and rival politicians .
Mr Trump used a media briefing on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the media , in what one television network described as `` the biggest meltdown from a US president '' they 'd ever seen .
The president had also claimed he - not state governors - had total authority over when states should end their lockdowns .
Among those angered by that assertion was New York 's governor Andrew Cuomo , who said : `` His proclamation is that he would be king , that 's what a king is .
A king has total authority .
That statement can not stand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepped back from his previous stance , saying he would talk to governors and states would decide when and how to end lockdowns .
Last month , Mr Gates and his wife Melinda 's foundation , which funds fights against diseases like malaria and polio , sent 15,000 medicinal molecules to a leading laboratory in Belgium to be tested as a potential cure for coronavirus .

Bill Gates has said Donald Trump's decision to stop US funding of the World Health Organisation "during a world health crisis" is as "dangerous as it sounds".
The Microsoft founder tweeted:"Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever."
Donald Trump had said that the global health body had "failed in its basic duty and it must be held accountable" for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
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He blamed the group for promoting China's "disinformation" about the virus in the days following the initial outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
The virus - which has infected almost two million people worldwide - could have been contained at its source if the WHO had been better at investigating the initial reports that came from China, Mr Trump said.
But he added that the US will continue to engage with the organisation to pursue what he described as meaningful reforms.
The US is one of the World Health Organisation's biggest financial backers. In February, Mr Trump's administration had called for America's contribution to be slashed from $122.6m (£99.5m) to $57.9m (£47m).
The WHO has praised China for its transparency on the pandemic, despite the fact there is reason to believe the country's official tally does not reflect the true number of fatalities.
Beijing is another major financial contributor to the UN health agency, prompting critics to claim that the WHO lacks the independence needed to properly fulfil its role.
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:14 Trump 'spoiling for a fight' over virus
Mr Trump's move comes amid growing criticism of his own handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
Despite his own claims of success, it has emerged that he was warned about the virus and its potential for destruction as early as January.
Among those warnings was one from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 8 January, when the pandemic was seen as just a cluster of pneumonia.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
On 21 January, the US saw its first case - a man in his 30s - but a day later, Mr Trump said: "It's going to be fine".
As late as the middle of March, he was comparing COVID-19 to flu, an illness which he said saw "nothing shut down, life and the economy go on".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:05 Watch Trump's 'fake news' clash with reporter
Mr Trump's news conferences have focused on promoting hydroxychloroquine, a drug that has not been scientifically proven to treat the virus, along with dodging blame and attacking reporters and rival politicians.
Mr Trump used a media briefing on Monday to direct his anger at fellow politicians and the media, in what one television network described as "the biggest meltdown from a US president" they'd ever seen.
The president had also claimed he - not state governors - had total authority over when states should end their lockdowns.
Among those angered by that assertion was New York's governor Andrew Cuomo, who said: "His proclamation is that he would be king, that's what a king is. A king has total authority. That statement cannot stand."
But on Tuesday, Mr Trump stepped back from his previous stance, saying he would talk to governors and states would decide when and how to end lockdowns.
Last month, Mr Gates and his wife Melinda's foundation, which funds fights against diseases like malaria and polio, sent 15,000 medicinal molecules to a leading laboratory in Belgium to be tested as a potential cure for coronavirus.


news--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: This is how it feels to be in intensive care with COVID-19 - a survivor's graphic story

Robin Bowler , a lottery and gaming consultant , feared he 'd never see his kids again after contracting coronavirus and ending up in intensive care - but a voice in his head somehow got him through .
This is a story of hope , his story - a survivor 's story : If you were to write down the classic set of conditions that a single person may have , in which COVID-19 could thrive , you would probably end up with a profile that looked remarkably like me .
I am 58 , I have asthma , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health conditions '' - namely chronic lymphocytic leukaemia ( CLL ) - I am blood group A ( reportedly more susceptible to the more aggressive form of coronavirus , with a high proportional death rate ) , and until recently , drank more than I should .
On the plus side , I happen to have a good level of underlying fitness and spend a lot of time outdoors .
So that 's me .
Well , almost .
I returned from Italy on 7 March and first began to feel some slight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Following a call with 111 I was recommended for a COVID-19 test , which was done on the 13th and I received confirmation from Public Health England by telephone the following Tuesday 17 March .
In the meantime my previously mild condition had turned for the worse into flu-like symptoms , and I could feel an infection growing in my chest .
By the Thursday night I was having serious problems breathing .
So at 5am on Friday 20 March I called 111 again and was hospitalised that morning in an isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Hospital .
Incredibly , at this time I did not feel particularly frightened , although the enormity of my decision to go to Italy was dawning on me - as was the realisation that if this got really serious , I was on my own .
There would be no family to visit , no contact with NHS staff other than that which was essential , an intercom to speak to front-line staff safely .
Just me and the four walls of my room and its contents .
By Sunday 22 March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was receiving from the doctors and nursing staff on Lulworth ward was simply not working .
A second chest X-ray revealed that what had been originally described to me as a `` pneumonia '' had worsened , my temperature spikes were climbing dangerously close to the 40C mark on multiple occasions , and I was weakening by the hour .
At this time , what was really bothering me was the fact that there had been a suggestion that they would send me home within a day , and I knew that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care available within the hospital .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker My concern levels rose to full anxiety and therefore late that afternoon I asked to speak with a doctor and , during a dialogue in which I became very emotional , he calmly reassured me that there was no way I would be sent home against my wishes , and that they would not consider discharge unless they were sure I was safe .
Shortly afterwards , I was visited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced himself as head of critical care at DCH .
He informed me that , having reviewed my situation , the decision had been taken to move me to intensive care as a precautionary measure , warning me in no uncertain terms that this was going to be a long haul .
He then fixed me with a hard look and added : `` You may not survive this . ''
I responded ( equally calmly , I think ) : `` I 'll do what I have to do . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crumbling , my fear rising to hitherto unknown levels , and my mind starting to run amok with self-recrimination , longing to be with my ( adult ) children Natasha ( Tash ) and Luke , and a new sense that I had moved from a virus into a life-threatening situation which my combination of `` underlying health conditions '' just may not be able to cope with .
Within less than half an hour I was in intensive care , isolated in a room that looked like it was normally the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had never felt so alone in all my life .
By midnight , I was busily convincing myself that I could well be dying and it was all my own fault .
The thought of never seeing Tash or Luke again was simply unbearable , but in my mind and in fact , this was a realistic scenario that now existed .
I was being monitored by a team led by a senior consultant anaesthetist , who was asking me if I thought I could continue with the oxygen supply through my nose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , intubation and being placed on a ventilator for an indefinite period of time .
Going onto a ventilator meant replacing my lungs with a mechanical breathing apparatus while disabling all my normal involuntary muscular activity involved with breathing .
After an hour I realised two things : firstly that my mental capacity to make what amounted to life and death decisions was by now seriously impaired and that I was incapable of making good decisions ; and secondly that I was haunted by the fact that the second X-ray had been worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was convinced that the current oxygen treatment was similarly not up to the job .
By 2am the decision was taken to `` put me to sleep '' and in a strange way I welcomed the ability to surrender all decision-making to these cool-headed , professional experts who knew much better than I did the risks I faced and trade-offs that were involved .
The process of being `` put to sleep '' was terrifying .
I was surrounded by medical staff , each with their own responsibility in the process , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior consultant anaesthetist , who was pressing a face mask down on to my face with a force that made me feel that I could no longer breathe , while verbally reassuring me I was safe and would be taken very good care of .
I thought at the time that this could be the last I see of this life , and at the suggestion of the anaesthetist , thought of Tash and Luke for all I was worth , after which I remember nothing more of that night .
As it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilator for approximately 36 hours during which time I remember nothing , but during which time I was kept alive by the skill of the medical teams and their sophisticated machinery .
I was brought out of the anaesthetic late afternoon on Tuesday 24 March and extubated ( taken off the ventilator ) , and I can remember waking up , seeing blue sky through a window , and thinking `` I 'm still alive '' .
I was in the high-dependency unit by this time , and just the presence of natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upon me .
My immediate thought was to get a message to Tash and Luke that I was conscious again and I made that request ( almost certainly in much more garbled form than I credited myself with at the time ) which was duly granted .
The other feeling I had immediately was that I felt less exhausted than I had been that Sunday night , and much more ready for the prolonged fight ahead .
I was on oxygen support for the rest of Tuesday 24th , overnight and into Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was coughing up thick globules of blood and sputum which had accumulated in my bronchus as a result of the intubation .
This was a serious problem , because every time I coughed this horrible stuff up , it made me vomit as well , which was thoroughly interruptive of the oxygen supply which was so essential to my survival at this point ; and for the medical staff because it exposed them to more pure COVID-19 infectious material .
To give an idea of how sick I was at this time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) showed that my reading was 340 , where a non-infected person 's score should be minus 2 .
My temperature was continuing to spike around the 40C mark ( the point at which multiple organ failure can begin to set in ) , my blood saturation levels were poor , my blood pressure was `` through the roof '' ( quote , unquote ) , and just about every other data point was out of whack .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilator , the virus was rampant within my body , particularly my lungs , and it was highly questionable whether I would make it through or not , with all my in-built disadvantages .
During the afternoon of Wednesday 25 March the team of consultants and doctors who were making collaborative decisions every hour made the decision to place me on CPAP support ( continuous positive airway pressure ) for however long may be necessary .
This involved a very tight-fitting face mask , through which a constant stream of pure oxygen is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my case starting at 55 litres per hour .
I had two main concerns at this point : first , to keep breathing , and second , to try to suppress the coughing up of blood and sputum as I had no way of expelling it - the doctors told me I had to swallow it .
This was appalling to me , so we hit upon a compromise where I could use a thin suction tube to slide inside the CPAP mask without interrupting the flow of oxygen .
This was more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I soon found myself forcing myself to swallow the foul stuff , as I had been directed to .
I was reminded of my defiant response `` I 'll do what I have to do '' .
Once the CPAP was started , I was on all sorts of medication .
I had multiple cannulas in both arms , one in an artery , and one in my neck which allowed fluids to be poured down the back of my throat into my stomach - the water was okay , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the medications was to reduce my level of anxiety , and so for the next 48 hours I became quite hallucinogenic as my mind was eased away from the drama of my situation , and so it started to float freely and at times bizarrely in all manner of directions .
During this 48-hour period , I found myself conversing with unknown others in a range of different accents from around the United Kingdom .
Broad Scots , Northern Irish , Welsh , Geordie , Scouse , Cockney , Cornish - it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK and chatting with very amenable strangers who were full of good advice and encouragement .
And at times I would slowly descend into a sunny glade where people were relaxing , and as I got close enough to them to begin to discern their features , they vanished as quickly as they had appeared .
Other times I was floating in a circular motion inside a large natural bowl of thick green vegetation , but try as I might , I could never see the rim of the bowl and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the constant refrain of WHOOSH , HISS , WHOOSH , HISS , WHOOSH , HISS , dominating the weird version of consciousness that I found myself in .
And a clear voice in my head then reminded me that I was fighting for my life .
It said that I was in the Staying Alive Factory , and that if I wanted to survive , I needed to stay on this noisy , uncomfortable , frightening production line ; and that alternatively , if I fell off the production line , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was it .
Then the voice reminded me that I had a lot of explaining to do to Tash and Luke , and so I resolved there and then to remain on the production line - `` I 'll do what I have to do '' .
After approximately 48 hours on the CPAP , the same head of critical care came and asked how my breathing was .
The anti-anxiety medication must have been reduced or stopped by this time , because I clearly remember the conversation .
`` Sorry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
repeated the doctor .
`` Much better , '' I forced out through the oxygen flow , the tight-fitting CPAP mask , and my by now completely dry mouth , throat and tongue .
I also felt instinctively that the industrial strength antibiotics they had been pumping through my body for days had finally got on top of the vicious bacterial infection in my lungs .
I had stayed on the production line , and I suddenly knew I could get past this .
I could breathe to a depth that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually quite the case at the time ) , and during the last few hours on the CPAP , I began to communicate by writing short notes on a clipboard given to me by one of the doctors .
One of the first notes I wrote was the question : when can I eat and drink something ?
Within what seemed like a couple of hours , the CPAP was removed and replaced with a much gentler oxygen supply through my nose .
The instant calm that descended with the removal of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had moved from the main production line of the Staying Alive Factory to the body shop where , instead of destroying bad things and building back up good things , the focus moved to refined monitoring of what my body was able to do for itself again .
It was a beautiful day outside , that I could see from my bed .
And it was a beautiful day inside my head , as I contemplated that I maybe would be seeing Tash and Luke again , and that my time had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they say , is history .
I was moved to Moreton ward , a convalescence ward where I was weaned off the oxygen supplies , given regular meals , and the recovery physio began .
I was declared medically fit for discharge on Wednesday 1 April ( an auspicious day if ever there was one ) , and I was reminded what a fool I 'd been to play fast and loose with my health just to go on a skiing holiday .
A mistake I will never make again .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Staying Alive Factory , which was an invention of my befuddled mind at a time of extreme health crisis .
What there is is the dedicated expertise , courage and commitment of the consultants , doctors , nurses , physios , Ancillary staff , and undoubtedly many , many others , of the NHS who collectively saved my life .
It may feel like a factory when you are undergoing such intensive care , but the key word here is care .
It is to that care that I owe my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grateful .

Robin Bowler, a lottery and gaming consultant, feared he'd never see his kids again after contracting coronavirus and ending up in intensive care - but a voice in his head somehow got him through.
This is a story of hope, his story - a survivor's story:
If you were to write down the classic set of conditions that a single person may have, in which COVID-19 could thrive, you would probably end up with a profile that looked remarkably like me.
I am 58, I have asthma, I have one of those much-mentioned "underlying health conditions" - namely chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) - I am blood group A (reportedly more susceptible to the more aggressive form of coronavirus, with a high proportional death rate), and until recently, drank more than I should.
On the plus side, I happen to have a good level of underlying fitness and spend a lot of time outdoors.
So that's me. Well, almost.
I returned from Italy on 7 March and first began to feel some slight chestiness during the evening of Monday 9th. Following a call with 111 I was recommended for a COVID-19 test, which was done on the 13th and I received confirmation from Public Health England by telephone the following Tuesday 17 March.
In the meantime my previously mild condition had turned for the worse into flu-like symptoms, and I could feel an infection growing in my chest.
By the Thursday night I was having serious problems breathing. So at 5am on Friday 20 March I called 111 again and was hospitalised that morning in an isolation room in the Lulworth ward of Dorset County Hospital.
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Image: Robin was treated at Dorset County Hospital
Incredibly, at this time I did not feel particularly frightened, although the enormity of my decision to go to Italy was dawning on me - as was the realisation that if this got really serious, I was on my own.
There would be no family to visit, no contact with NHS staff other than that which was essential, an intercom to speak to front-line staff safely. Just me and the four walls of my room and its contents.
By Sunday 22 March it was clear that the committed care I was receiving from the doctors and nursing staff on Lulworth ward was simply not working.
A second chest X-ray revealed that what had been originally described to me as a "pneumonia" had worsened, my temperature spikes were climbing dangerously close to the 40C mark on multiple occasions, and I was weakening by the hour.
At this time, what was really bothering me was the fact that there had been a suggestion that they would send me home within a day, and I knew that I would not cope without the specialist care available within the hospital.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
My concern levels rose to full anxiety and therefore late that afternoon I asked to speak with a doctor and, during a dialogue in which I became very emotional, he calmly reassured me that there was no way I would be sent home against my wishes, and that they would not consider discharge unless they were sure I was safe.
Shortly afterwards, I was visited by a senior consultant who I believe introduced himself as head of critical care at DCH.
He informed me that, having reviewed my situation, the decision had been taken to move me to intensive care as a precautionary measure, warning me in no uncertain terms that this was going to be a long haul.
He then fixed me with a hard look and added: "You may not survive this."
I responded (equally calmly, I think): "I'll do what I have to do."
But inside, I could feel my confidence crumbling, my fear rising to hitherto unknown levels, and my mind starting to run amok with self-recrimination, longing to be with my (adult) children Natasha (Tash) and Luke, and a new sense that I had moved from a virus into a life-threatening situation which my combination of "underlying health conditions" just may not be able to cope with.
Within less than half an hour I was in intensive care, isolated in a room that looked like it was normally the area where staff monitored patients from. I had never felt so alone in all my life.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:30 Inside one of London's worst-hit hospitals
By midnight, I was busily convincing myself that I could well be dying and it was all my own fault. The thought of never seeing Tash or Luke again was simply unbearable, but in my mind and in fact, this was a realistic scenario that now existed.
I was being monitored by a team led by a senior consultant anaesthetist, who was asking me if I thought I could continue with the oxygen supply through my nose as a preferable alternative to full anaesthesia, intubation and being placed on a ventilator for an indefinite period of time.
Going onto a ventilator meant replacing my lungs with a mechanical breathing apparatus while disabling all my normal involuntary muscular activity involved with breathing.
After an hour I realised two things: firstly that my mental capacity to make what amounted to life and death decisions was by now seriously impaired and that I was incapable of making good decisions; and secondly that I was haunted by the fact that the second X-ray had been worse than the first, and so I was convinced that the current oxygen treatment was similarly not up to the job.
By 2am the decision was taken to "put me to sleep" and in a strange way I welcomed the ability to surrender all decision-making to these cool-headed, professional experts who knew much better than I did the risks I faced and trade-offs that were involved.
The process of being "put to sleep" was terrifying.
I was surrounded by medical staff, each with their own responsibility in the process, and all calmly and clearly directed by the senior consultant anaesthetist, who was pressing a face mask down on to my face with a force that made me feel that I could no longer breathe, while verbally reassuring me I was safe and would be taken very good care of.
I thought at the time that this could be the last I see of this life, and at the suggestion of the anaesthetist, thought of Tash and Luke for all I was worth, after which I remember nothing more of that night.
As it turned out, I was on the ventilator for approximately 36 hours during which time I remember nothing, but during which time I was kept alive by the skill of the medical teams and their sophisticated machinery.
I was brought out of the anaesthetic late afternoon on Tuesday 24 March and extubated (taken off the ventilator), and I can remember waking up, seeing blue sky through a window, and thinking "I'm still alive". I was in the high-dependency unit by this time, and just the presence of natural daylight had the most profoundly positive effect upon me.
My immediate thought was to get a message to Tash and Luke that I was conscious again and I made that request (almost certainly in much more garbled form than I credited myself with at the time) which was duly granted.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:41 Meet the 103-year-old COVID-19 survivor
The other feeling I had immediately was that I felt less exhausted than I had been that Sunday night, and much more ready for the prolonged fight ahead.
I was on oxygen support for the rest of Tuesday 24th, overnight and into Wednesday 25 March.
By this time I was coughing up thick globules of blood and sputum which had accumulated in my bronchus as a result of the intubation.
This was a serious problem, because every time I coughed this horrible stuff up, it made me vomit as well, which was thoroughly interruptive of the oxygen supply which was so essential to my survival at this point; and for the medical staff because it exposed them to more pure COVID-19 infectious material.
To give an idea of how sick I was at this time, one indicator called CRP (C-reactive Protein) showed that my reading was 340, where a non-infected person's score should be minus 2.
My temperature was continuing to spike around the 40C mark (the point at which multiple organ failure can begin to set in), my blood saturation levels were poor, my blood pressure was "through the roof" (quote, unquote), and just about every other data point was out of whack.
Podcast Podcast , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Podcast cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the This content is provided by, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Podcast cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Podcast cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Despite 36 hours on the ventilator, the virus was rampant within my body, particularly my lungs, and it was highly questionable whether I would make it through or not, with all my in-built disadvantages.
During the afternoon of Wednesday 25 March the team of consultants and doctors who were making collaborative decisions every hour made the decision to place me on CPAP support (continuous positive airway pressure) for however long may be necessary.
This involved a very tight-fitting face mask, through which a constant stream of pure oxygen is pumped directly into the lungs - in my case starting at 55 litres per hour.
I had two main concerns at this point: first, to keep breathing, and second, to try to suppress the coughing up of blood and sputum as I had no way of expelling it - the doctors told me I had to swallow it.
This was appalling to me, so we hit upon a compromise where I could use a thin suction tube to slide inside the CPAP mask without interrupting the flow of oxygen. This was more difficult and less practical than it sounds, and I soon found myself forcing myself to swallow the foul stuff, as I had been directed to. I was reminded of my defiant response "I'll do what I have to do".
Once the CPAP was started, I was on all sorts of medication. I had multiple cannulas in both arms, one in an artery, and one in my neck which allowed fluids to be poured down the back of my throat into my stomach - the water was okay, but the potassium was horrible.
But one of the medications was to reduce my level of anxiety, and so for the next 48 hours I became quite hallucinogenic as my mind was eased away from the drama of my situation, and so it started to float freely and at times bizarrely in all manner of directions.
During this 48-hour period, I found myself conversing with unknown others in a range of different accents from around the United Kingdom. Broad Scots, Northern Irish, Welsh, Geordie, Scouse, Cockney, Cornish - it was like taking a virtual tour of the UK and chatting with very amenable strangers who were full of good advice and encouragement.
And at times I would slowly descend into a sunny glade where people were relaxing, and as I got close enough to them to begin to discern their features, they vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
Other times I was floating in a circular motion inside a large natural bowl of thick green vegetation, but try as I might, I could never see the rim of the bowl and the sky above.
And all this time, the constant refrain of WHOOSH, HISS, WHOOSH, HISS, WHOOSH, HISS, dominating the weird version of consciousness that I found myself in. And a clear voice in my head then reminded me that I was fighting for my life.
It said that I was in the Staying Alive Factory, and that if I wanted to survive, I needed to stay on this noisy, uncomfortable, frightening production line; and that alternatively, if I fell off the production line, I would not make it through. So that was it.
Then the voice reminded me that I had a lot of explaining to do to Tash and Luke, and so I resolved there and then to remain on the production line - "I'll do what I have to do".
After approximately 48 hours on the CPAP, the same head of critical care came and asked how my breathing was.
The anti-anxiety medication must have been reduced or stopped by this time, because I clearly remember the conversation.
"Mmmch bttr," came my reply.
"Sorry, did you say your breathing feels better?" repeated the doctor.
"Much better," I forced out through the oxygen flow, the tight-fitting CPAP mask, and my by now completely dry mouth, throat and tongue.
I also felt instinctively that the industrial strength antibiotics they had been pumping through my body for days had finally got on top of the vicious bacterial infection in my lungs.
Image: Robin says the staff at the hospital 'collectively saved my life'
I had stayed on the production line, and I suddenly knew I could get past this. I could breathe to a depth that felt like it was self-sustaining (not actually quite the case at the time), and during the last few hours on the CPAP, I began to communicate by writing short notes on a clipboard given to me by one of the doctors.
One of the first notes I wrote was the question: when can I eat and drink something?
Within what seemed like a couple of hours, the CPAP was removed and replaced with a much gentler oxygen supply through my nose.
The instant calm that descended with the removal of the WHOOSH, HISS tyranny made me think I had moved from the main production line of the Staying Alive Factory to the body shop where, instead of destroying bad things and building back up good things, the focus moved to refined monitoring of what my body was able to do for itself again.
It was a beautiful day outside, that I could see from my bed. And it was a beautiful day inside my head, as I contemplated that I maybe would be seeing Tash and Luke again, and that my time had not yet come.
The rest, as they say, is history.
I was moved to Moreton ward, a convalescence ward where I was weaned off the oxygen supplies, given regular meals, and the recovery physio began. I was declared medically fit for discharge on Wednesday 1 April (an auspicious day if ever there was one), and I was reminded what a fool I'd been to play fast and loose with my health just to go on a skiing holiday. A mistake I will never make again.
Of course, there is no such thing as the Staying Alive Factory, which was an invention of my befuddled mind at a time of extreme health crisis.
What there is is the dedicated expertise, courage and commitment of the consultants, doctors, nurses, physios, Ancillary staff, and undoubtedly many, many others, of the NHS who collectively saved my life.
It may feel like a factory when you are undergoing such intensive care, but the key word here is care. It is to that care that I owe my life, and I will be forever grateful.


news--2020-05-13--Coronavirus: EY defers partner promotions amid pandemic

EY , the big four accountancy firm , is delaying partner promotions by three months as part of a response to the coronavirus pandemic which has seen it commit to retaining its entire 17,000-strong UK workforce .
Sky News understands that EY told partnership candidates this week that their potential elevation would not take place as planned in July , but would be deferred until early October .
The decision is understood to have been made in alignment with its global firm , and is the latest in a series of measures taken by the big beasts of the accountancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial impact on some areas of their business .
EY , which is also preparing for a change at the top of its firm in the UK and Ireland , said in mid-April that it `` would continue with a number of critical internal promotions to partner as usual in July '' .
That position is understood to have been superseded in recent days with the notification to prospective equity partners and associate partners .
They are also said to have been informed that fewer people than originally anticipated would reach the partnership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks after the firm vowed that it would make no redundancies , would not use the government-subsidised furloughing scheme and would retain employees on their current salaries - although partner profit distributions will be cut by 20 % to save money .
EY also said that it would press ahead with its annual apprenticeship and internship programmes .
The firm has been drafted in to advise the government on its 'return to work ' strategy - a key plank of helping the UK economy back to its feet .
Like other members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces a challenging period across parts of its business such as transaction services .
Rival KPMG has told partners that they face pay cuts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds as it seeks to conserve cash .
PwC has said it would delay partner promotions and bonuses , while Sky News revealed last week that Deloitte was consulting on reducing the contributions it makes to UK-based employees ' pension pots .

EY, the big four accountancy firm, is delaying partner promotions by three months as part of a response to the coronavirus pandemic which has seen it commit to retaining its entire 17,000-strong UK workforce.
Sky News understands that EY told partnership candidates this week that their potential elevation would not take place as planned in July, but would be deferred until early October.
The decision is understood to have been made in alignment with its global firm, and is the latest in a series of measures taken by the big beasts of the accountancy profession as they grapple with COVID-19's financial impact on some areas of their business.
EY, which is also preparing for a change at the top of its firm in the UK and Ireland, said in mid-April that it "would continue with a number of critical internal promotions to partner as usual in July".
That position is understood to have been superseded in recent days with the notification to prospective equity partners and associate partners.
They are also said to have been informed that fewer people than originally anticipated would reach the partnership this year.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:43 HMRC gives update on grants for self-employed
In 2019, EY promoted 57 people to partner status.
The disclosure comes four weeks after the firm vowed that it would make no redundancies, would not use the government-subsidised furloughing scheme and would retain employees on their current salaries - although partner profit distributions will be cut by 20% to save money.
EY also said that it would press ahead with its annual apprenticeship and internship programmes.
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The firm has been drafted in to advise the government on its 'return to work' strategy - a key plank of helping the UK economy back to its feet.
Like other members of the big four, however, it faces a challenging period across parts of its business such as transaction services.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:23 Chancellor warns of a 'significant recession'
Rival KPMG has told partners that they face pay cuts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds as it seeks to conserve cash.
PwC has said it would delay partner promotions and bonuses, while Sky News revealed last week that Deloitte was consulting on reducing the contributions it makes to UK-based employees' pension pots.
EY declined to comment.


news--2020-05-13--Coronavirus: UK might use sewage to track coronavirus hotspots

Scientists are hoping sewage could help them track coronavirus hotspots in the event of a second wave of the pandemic .
Experts in waste water from around the world are researching techniques that could help gauge the level of coronavirus infection in a certain community - without the need for testing .
Identifying the virus in used water could provide an accurate picture of how the virus has spread , according to the researchers .
The international group was assembled by the Water Research Foundation and includes engineers from the University of Sheffield .
The team is developing a range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the collection and storage of waste water samples and the use of molecular genetic tools to discover levels of the virus in them .
Professor Vanessa Speight , from the University of Sheffield 's department of civil and structural engineering , is looking at techniques to reliably interpret the data collected from samples .
She said : `` There is great potential for waste water to provide valuable information about the occurrence of COVID-19 across communities . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that the virus spreads through sewage systems , but a study in the Netherlands discovered viral genetic material in waste samples weeks before the first coronavirus case was detected .
A spokesman from the Department for Environment , Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra ) said : `` We are actively engaging with the research community and government scientific advisers to investigate whether monitoring waste water could be used as a way of tracking the prevalence of the virus . ''

Scientists are hoping sewage could help them track coronavirus hotspots in the event of a second wave of the pandemic.
Experts in waste water from around the world are researching techniques that could help gauge the level of coronavirus infection in a certain community - without the need for testing.
Identifying the virus in used water could provide an accurate picture of how the virus has spread, according to the researchers.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:20 PM pressed over 10,000 'unexplained deaths'
The international group was assembled by the Water Research Foundation and includes engineers from the University of Sheffield.
The team is developing a range of ways to look at sewage, including the collection and storage of waste water samples and the use of molecular genetic tools to discover levels of the virus in them.
Professor Vanessa Speight, from the University of Sheffield's department of civil and structural engineering, is looking at techniques to reliably interpret the data collected from samples.
She said: "There is great potential for waste water to provide valuable information about the occurrence of COVID-19 across communities."
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There is no current evidence that the virus spreads through sewage systems, but a study in the Netherlands discovered viral genetic material in waste samples weeks before the first coronavirus case was detected.
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A spokesman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "We are actively engaging with the research community and government scientific advisers to investigate whether monitoring waste water could be used as a way of tracking the prevalence of the virus."


news--2020-05-13--Coronavirus: Tui Group to cut 8,000 jobs due to pandemic impact

Tui Group is to cut 8,000 jobs worldwide due to COVID-19 , which it describes as `` the greatest crisis '' the travel industry has faced .
The Anglo-German company said : `` We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30 % across the entire group .
`` This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced . ''
As the coronavirus pandemic took hold , governments brought in travel restrictions which grounded flights and cancelled holidays .
Some airline bosses have warned that international travel might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another three years .
On Wednesday , Tui posted losses of €845.8m ( £747m ) in the first half of 2020 , saying : `` The tourism industry has weathered a number of macroeconomic shocks throughout the most recent decades ; however , the COVID-19 pandemic is unquestionably the greatest crisis the industry and Tui has ever faced . ''
The firm 's balance sheet has been propped up by a €1.8bn ( £1.6bn ) loan from the German government but this must be paid back in 2022 , increasing pressure on Tui @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joussen said it was burning through cash at a rate of €250m ( £220m ) a month , despite recently cutting costs by 70 % .
He added : `` We must change Tui - make it leaner , faster and less capital-intensive . ''
The grounding of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft around the world , following two fatal crashes , has also impacted Tui 's financial results .
Julie Palmer , partner at corporate restructuring firm Begbies Traynor , said : `` Tui will have experienced a radical drop in revenue since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions will be lifted , the road ahead is looking bleak .
`` The travel operator 's recent announcement of a 10-point plan on how it will run post-pandemic shows the company 's intent to get itself back on its feet , but with consumer sentiment likely to remain cautious for the foreseeable future and the government 's announcement that people are unlikely to be able to go on foreign holidays this summer , it 's likely to fall short of the impact needed .
`` When people are allowed to travel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be a great sales tool .
However , Tui will have to survive in a state where it can provide the right service and handle the capacity necessary at that moment when people are ready to holiday again . ''

Tui Group is to cut 8,000 jobs worldwide due to COVID-19, which it describes as "the greatest crisis" the travel industry has faced.
The Anglo-German company said: "We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30% across the entire group.
"This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced."
As the coronavirus pandemic took hold, governments brought in travel restrictions which grounded flights and cancelled holidays.
Some airline bosses have warned that international travel might not be back to pre-pandemic levels for another three years.
On Wednesday, Tui posted losses of €845.8m (£747m) in the first half of 2020, saying: "The tourism industry has weathered a number of macroeconomic shocks throughout the most recent decades; however, the COVID-19 pandemic is unquestionably the greatest crisis the industry and Tui has ever faced."
The firm's balance sheet has been propped up by a €1.8bn (£1.6bn) loan from the German government but this must be paid back in 2022, increasing pressure on Tui to reduce debt.
Chief executive Friedrich Joussen said it was burning through cash at a rate of €250m (£220m) a month, despite recently cutting costs by 70%.
He added: "We must change Tui - make it leaner, faster and less capital-intensive."
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Shares fell more than 2%.
The grounding of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft around the world, following two fatal crashes, has also impacted Tui's financial results.
Julie Palmer, partner at corporate restructuring firm Begbies Traynor, said: "Tui will have experienced a radical drop in revenue since mid-March and with no certainty on when restrictions will be lifted, the road ahead is looking bleak.
"The travel operator's recent announcement of a 10-point plan on how it will run post-pandemic shows the company's intent to get itself back on its feet, but with consumer sentiment likely to remain cautious for the foreseeable future and the government's announcement that people are unlikely to be able to go on foreign holidays this summer, it's likely to fall short of the impact needed.
"When people are allowed to travel, there is a chance that cabin fever will be a great sales tool. However, Tui will have to survive in a state where it can provide the right service and handle the capacity necessary at that moment when people are ready to holiday again."


news--2020-05-13--Coronavirus deaths in the UK rise by 494, taking the total in the UK to 33,186

Another 494 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the UK have died , taking the total to 33,186 .
The latest daily figure released by the Department of Health is for coronavirus-related fatalities in hospitals , care homes and the community , reported in a 24-hour period up to 5pm on Tuesday .
A total of 87,063 tests for COVID-19 took place on 12 May - substantially below the government 's 100,000 target - with 3,242 people testing positive for the disease .
This means 229,705 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK so far .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a £600m package for coronavirus infection control would be made available for English care homes .
The prime minister admitted the number of deaths among care home residents has been `` too high '' .
However , Mr Johnson also insisted the number of outbreaks and fatalities in care homes is now `` well down '' as he sought to defend his handling of the crisis .
Figures released on Tuesday suggested that care home deaths accounted for some 40 % of coronavirus-related fatalities registered in England and Wales in the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been accused of misleading the House of Commons about government advice that people in care homes were `` very unlikely '' to contract coronavirus .
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has written to Mr Johnson urging him to `` recognise '' that this had been government advice earlier this year .
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said on Wednesday that all teachers and pupils will be able to be tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms when they return to school .
Mr Williamson said this would enable a `` track-and-trace approach '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as schools plan to begin a phased reopening from 1 June .
Lockdown measures were eased on Wednesday after the government said people should return to work if they can not carry out their role from home .

Another 494 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the UK have died, taking the total to 33,186.
The latest daily figure released by the Department of Health is for coronavirus-related fatalities in hospitals, care homes and the community, reported in a 24-hour period up to 5pm on Tuesday.
A total of 87,063 tests for COVID-19 took place on 12 May - substantially below the government's 100,000 target - with 3,242 people testing positive for the disease.
This means 229,705 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK so far.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:20 PM pressed over 10,000 'unexplained deaths'
The numbers were announced after Boris Johnson said a £600m package for coronavirus infection control would be made available for English care homes.
The prime minister admitted the number of deaths among care home residents has been "too high".
However, Mr Johnson also insisted the number of outbreaks and fatalities in care homes is now "well down" as he sought to defend his handling of the crisis.
Figures released on Tuesday suggested that care home deaths accounted for some 40% of coronavirus-related fatalities registered in England and Wales in the week ending 1 May.
The prime minister has been accused of misleading the House of Commons about government advice that people in care homes were "very unlikely" to contract coronavirus.
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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has written to Mr Johnson urging him to "recognise" that this had been government advice earlier this year.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:03 'Very likely UK facing significant recession'
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said on Wednesday that all teachers and pupils will be able to be tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms when they return to school.
Mr Williamson said this would enable a "track-and-trace approach" to be taken with any confirmed cases, as schools plan to begin a phased reopening from 1 June.
Lockdown measures were eased on Wednesday after the government said people should return to work if they cannot carry out their role from home.


news--2020-05-13--Coronavirus: CBI pushes EU over bailout rules for cash-starved firms

Britain 's most influential business group is calling on Brussels for an urgent relaxation of state aid rules amid signs that many companies remain prohibited from accessing emergency funding schemes .
Sky News has learnt that the CBI and counterparts including BusinessEurope are pressing the European Commission to loosen restrictions which mean that companies that were not profitable at the end of last year are not eligible for taxpayer-backed bank loans .
Sources said the CBI was intensifying its lobbying efforts in the wake of data suggesting that the take-up of some government aid programmes - such as the Coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) - had been lower than anticipated .
Figures published by the Treasury on Tuesday showed that just 59 companies had had a total of £359m in state-subsidised loans approved by banks under CLBILS in the weeks since the scheme was launched .
Sources suggested that the latest round of figures , which will be released on Thursday , were likely to indicate that state aid rules were continuing to play a role in curbing the amounts being lent under the initiative .
A CBI spokesperson said : `` The EU General Block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses can access temporary state aid .
`` These were put in place to avoid governments bailing out failing companies , but those rules were established in normal times .
`` The scale of the COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented , so business groups across Europe are looking for flexibility from the Commission to ensure otherwise healthy firms do not fall foul of the rules . ''
CLBILS provides a government guarantee on 80 % of the value of loans of up to £50m made to companies with a turnover of more than £45m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodies representing private equity investors across Europe were lobbying Brussels to amend rules relating to so-called `` undertakings in difficulty '' , which threaten to stop banks lending to thousands of large companies .
The BVCA , the UK-based lobbying group has written to the European Commission to seek amendments to EU laws mean that companies deemed to be in financial trouble should not access such programmes , owing to the potential risk of distorting competition .
One definition of an undertaking-in-difficulty applied by the EU captures companies which have accumulated losses equal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their subscribed share capital .
The commission is said to be examining the issues raised by the various lobbying groups .
Efforts to relax the state aid rules come as two of the leading UK fintech companies join forces to provide £300m of funding to companies under the government scheme to smaller businesses .
Sources said that Starling , the digital bank , and Funding Circle , the UK 's largest small business loan platform , would announce on Wednesday a strategic partnership to channel the money to thousands of SMEs through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .

Britain's most influential business group is calling on Brussels for an urgent relaxation of state aid rules amid signs that many companies remain prohibited from accessing emergency funding schemes.
Sky News has learnt that the CBI and counterparts including BusinessEurope are pressing the European Commission to loosen restrictions which mean that companies that were not profitable at the end of last year are not eligible for taxpayer-backed bank loans.
Sources said the CBI was intensifying its lobbying efforts in the wake of data suggesting that the take-up of some government aid programmes - such as the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) - had been lower than anticipated.
Figures published by the Treasury on Tuesday showed that just 59 companies had had a total of £359m in state-subsidised loans approved by banks under CLBILS in the weeks since the scheme was launched.
Sources suggested that the latest round of figures, which will be released on Thursday, were likely to indicate that state aid rules were continuing to play a role in curbing the amounts being lent under the initiative.
A CBI spokesperson said: "The EU General Block Exemption Regulation underpins the rules by which businesses can access temporary state aid.
"These were put in place to avoid governments bailing out failing companies, but those rules were established in normal times.
"The scale of the COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented, so business groups across Europe are looking for flexibility from the Commission to ensure otherwise healthy firms do not fall foul of the rules."
CLBILS provides a government guarantee on 80% of the value of loans of up to £50m made to companies with a turnover of more than £45m.
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Sky News revealed last month that bodies representing private equity investors across Europe were lobbying Brussels to amend rules relating to so-called "undertakings in difficulty", which threaten to stop banks lending to thousands of large companies.
The BVCA, the UK-based lobbying group has written to the European Commission to seek amendments to EU laws mean that companies deemed to be in financial trouble should not access such programmes, owing to the potential risk of distorting competition.
One definition of an undertaking-in-difficulty applied by the EU captures companies which have accumulated losses equal to or greater than 50% of their subscribed share capital.
The commission is said to be examining the issues raised by the various lobbying groups.
Efforts to relax the state aid rules come as two of the leading UK fintech companies join forces to provide £300m of funding to companies under the government scheme to smaller businesses.
Sources said that Starling, the digital bank, and Funding Circle, the UK's largest small business loan platform, would announce on Wednesday a strategic partnership to channel the money to thousands of SMEs through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).