news--2020-05-13--Coronavirus: Donald Trump warned 'America first' strategy will cripple vaccine efforts

Donald Trump has been warned that an `` America first '' approach to finding a coronavirus vaccine is a `` huge mistake '' that will cripple the world 's ability to recover from the pandemic .
The US president , who initially dismissed the seriousness of COVID-19 , has faced criticism for his response to the disease , notably around his apparent lack of interest in helping co-ordinate a global strategy .
While Barack Obama 's White House took a leading role in tackling the Ebola epidemic back in 2009 , the Trump administration has been absent from international efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director for global health security on the US National Security Council ( NSC ) has accused the administration of a `` confusing '' strategy that risks exacerbating the worldwide impact of coronavirus .
: : Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker Speaking on the Sky News Daily podcast , Beth Cameron - who led the NSC 's strategy regarding the response to potential pandemics between 2014 and 2017 - said Mr Trump needed to change course .
`` One of the biggest challenges the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , clear and consistent messaging to states and the world about the response and what should happen , and that clarity is really missing , '' she said .
`` Most frustrating to me is that the US is n't helping to be the leader in the global response .
`` We are one of a number of countries that can and should lead during a crisis like this because we have a lot of expertise and the ability to work collaboratively with countries around the world .
`` During the Ebola epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with partners like the UK , France , Germany and others , but right now it seems we have really ceded some of that leadership role and are not really at the table . ''
There was no US representative at a virtual meeting of world leaders last week , which aims to raise funds to find a vaccine and clear the way for mass production and distribution .
Suspicions have been growing that if a vaccine for coronavirus was developed within the US , the president may be unwilling to immediately share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms Cameron , whose office was dissolved by the Trump administration a year after she left , said such an attitude to finding any vaccine would be a `` huge mistake '' .
`` It would be predicated on the idea that if we were to vaccinate everyone in the US , that somehow there would be no impact on the US if the rest of the world did n't have quick access to a vaccine , '' she said .
`` Scientific co-operation is a global endeavour .
We 're going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that will be a huge effort that the US will have to lead in order to be successful . ''
Ms Cameron also echoed warnings from America 's top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci that rushing to reopen the economy could have grave consequences for the country .
Some states are already starting to ease lockdown measures , despite the US leading the world on confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths with more than 1.3 million and 82,000 respectively .
Mr Trump has repeatedly advocated for reopening the US economy in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cure can not be worse than the disease '' .

Donald Trump has been warned that an "America first" approach to finding a coronavirus vaccine is a "huge mistake" that will cripple the world's ability to recover from the pandemic.
The US president, who initially dismissed the seriousness of COVID-19, has faced criticism for his response to the disease, notably around his apparent lack of interest in helping co-ordinate a global strategy.
While Barack Obama's White House took a leading role in tackling the Ebola epidemic back in 2009, the Trump administration has been absent from international efforts to co-operate.
Now a former senior director for global health security on the US National Security Council (NSC) has accused the administration of a "confusing" strategy that risks exacerbating the worldwide impact of coronavirus.
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Image: Barack Obama led the global response to Ebola
Speaking on the Sky News Daily podcast, Beth Cameron - who led the NSC's strategy regarding the response to potential pandemics between 2014 and 2017 - said Mr Trump needed to change course.
"One of the biggest challenges the US government has had is providing regular, clear and consistent messaging to states and the world about the response and what should happen, and that clarity is really missing," she said.
"Most frustrating to me is that the US isn't helping to be the leader in the global response.
"We are one of a number of countries that can and should lead during a crisis like this because we have a lot of expertise and the ability to work collaboratively with countries around the world.
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"During the Ebola epidemic we really led on that, working with partners like the UK, France, Germany and others, but right now it seems we have really ceded some of that leadership role and are not really at the table."
Image: Scientists around the world are working to find a vaccine
There was no US representative at a virtual meeting of world leaders last week, which aims to raise funds to find a vaccine and clear the way for mass production and distribution.
Suspicions have been growing that if a vaccine for coronavirus was developed within the US, the president may be unwilling to immediately share it with the rest of the world.
Ms Cameron, whose office was dissolved by the Trump administration a year after she left, said such an attitude to finding any vaccine would be a "huge mistake".
"It would be predicated on the idea that if we were to vaccinate everyone in the US, that somehow there would be no impact on the US if the rest of the world didn't have quick access to a vaccine," she said.
"Scientific co-operation is a global endeavour. We're going to have to vaccinate seven billion people and that will be a huge effort that the US will have to lead in order to be successful."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:47 PM urges countries to pull together
Ms Cameron also echoed warnings from America's top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci that rushing to reopen the economy could have grave consequences for the country.
Some states are already starting to ease lockdown measures, despite the US leading the world on confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths with more than 1.3 million and 82,000 respectively.
Mr Trump has repeatedly advocated for reopening the US economy in recent weeks, including claiming that "the cure cannot be worse than the disease".


news--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Williamson attempts to break deadlock with unions over schools reopening post-virus

Gavin Williamson , the education secretary , is attempting to break the deadlock between the government and teaching unions over children returning to school next month .
Boris Johnson 's plans to reopen schools from 1 June as part of easing the coronavirus lockdown are facing a revolt from unions , headteachers , local government leaders and city mayors .
Backed by teaching unions , council leaders are demanding powers to close schools if testing reveals new COVID-19 cases and some mayors are threatening to refuse to allow them to reopen .
So Mr Williamson has announced that he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England 's chief medical officer , Professor Chris Whitty , and other experts for a briefing on his scientific advice .
Earlier this week , the education secretary accused unions of `` scaremongering '' over his plans for a phased return of pupils , claiming class sizes of 15 , extra cleaning and other safeguards would help make schools safe .
But writing in the Daily Mail , he has struck a much more conciliatory tone , insisting safety comes first and the 1 June return to school - for primary school pupils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a controlled and careful return to school .
`` If , based on the latest scientific advice , we can get a limited number of children back to school , then I believe it 's my duty to do all I can to get them back there , because being in school with a teacher is the best way to learn , '' he writes .
`` Of course safety comes first , but we must also be aware of the potential damage to a child 's education from not getting them back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now over seven weeks since schools were restricted to all but a very small number of children and until the rate of infection from coronavirus starts to come down , we can not bring more students back .
`` In that time I 've been constantly talking to heads and teachers ' unions about how best to open schools in a phased and careful way .
`` Later today I have arranged for union leaders to meet the chief medical officer and other experts so they can be briefed on the scientific advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says he agrees with the former Labour education secretary , David Blunkett , who this week said it was important to get the most disadvantaged children back into schools as soon as possible .
He says younger children are at the head of the queue to go back to school , along with pupils who will be moving up to secondary school and those older pupils who are going to be sitting their GCSEs and A Levels next year .
`` This is the first phase of a controlled and careful return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's not happening overnight and it is n't going to happen without schools putting in place a range of protective measures to reduce transmission .
`` The safety of children and their teachers is my number one priority .
`` I know some teaching unions still have concerns , just as I know parents and teachers have some worries .
I intend to carry on talking to all of them and working with them on any issues they may have .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All of us in education have a duty to work together to get children back to school .
`` Let me reassure families that we are giving schools all the guidance and support they will need to welcome pupils back .
`` This includes keeping class sizes small , making sure children stay within small groups , and being rigorous about hygiene , cleaning and staggering break and mealtimes . ''
But the revolt by what Conservative ministers have in the past called `` The Blob '' - unions and political opponents campaigning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Demanding powers to close schools , Judith Blake of the Local Government Association , said : `` We know parents are anxious about sending their children back to school or nursery .
`` Plans to reopen schools and early years settings must focus on reassuring parents that it will be safe for children to return to school .
Publication of the scientific advice is vital to help provide that reassurance .
`` The safety of staff , parents and families is absolutely paramount .
`` Councils need to be able to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 cases and it is vital that schools have the resources to provide staff with necessary protective equipment , as well as soap and hand sanitiser for cleaning . ''
Backing the LGA , NAS/UWT general secretary Patrick Roach has claimed teachers can legally refuse to return to work unless they receive the same protection as other frontline staff .
And on school closures , he said : `` Taking the step to close a school where testing indicates a cluster will be a vital part of controlling the spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relies on an effective and widespread testing and tracing programme to be in place , something which to date is still woefully lacking and which the government has failed to get a grip on .
`` We have challenged the government to publish the scientific advice which underpins its decision to try to start to reopen schools from 1 June and to explain how it can demonstrate to school staff and parents that the decisions it is making are the right ones to protect public health .
`` The NASUWT remains clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrate that it is safe to do so . ''
Earlier this week , Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson declared that he would not allow the city 's schools to readmit pupils if he felt the safety of staff and youngsters would be put at risk .
And Greater Manchester 's mayor Andy Burnham urged ministers to work with trade unions before ploughing ahead with proposals to open primary schools to all pupils before the summer break .

Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, is attempting to break the deadlock between the government and teaching unions over children returning to school next month.
Boris Johnson's plans to reopen schools from 1 June as part of easing the coronavirus lockdown are facing a revolt from unions, headteachers, local government leaders and city mayors.
Backed by teaching unions, council leaders are demanding powers to close schools if testing reveals new COVID-19 cases and some mayors are threatening to refuse to allow them to reopen.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:24 Schools prepare for phased return of pupils
So Mr Williamson has announced that he has arranged for teaching union leaders to meet England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, and other experts for a briefing on his scientific advice.
Earlier this week, the education secretary accused unions of "scaremongering" over his plans for a phased return of pupils, claiming class sizes of 15, extra cleaning and other safeguards would help make schools safe.
But writing in the Daily Mail, he has struck a much more conciliatory tone, insisting safety comes first and the 1 June return to school - for primary school pupils - is just the first phase of a controlled and careful return to school.
"If, based on the latest scientific advice, we can get a limited number of children back to school, then I believe it's my duty to do all I can to get them back there, because being in school with a teacher is the best way to learn," he writes.
"Of course safety comes first, but we must also be aware of the potential damage to a child's education from not getting them back in the classroom.
"It is now over seven weeks since schools were restricted to all but a very small number of children and until the rate of infection from coronavirus starts to come down, we cannot bring more students back.
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"In that time I've been constantly talking to heads and teachers' unions about how best to open schools in a phased and careful way.
"Later today I have arranged for union leaders to meet the chief medical officer and other experts so they can be briefed on the scientific advice underpinning our approach."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:38 'Normality' of school important for children
Mr Williamson says he agrees with the former Labour education secretary, David Blunkett, who this week said it was important to get the most disadvantaged children back into schools as soon as possible.
He says younger children are at the head of the queue to go back to school, along with pupils who will be moving up to secondary school and those older pupils who are going to be sitting their GCSEs and A Levels next year.
"This is the first phase of a controlled and careful return to school," he writes. "It's not happening overnight and it isn't going to happen without schools putting in place a range of protective measures to reduce transmission.
"The safety of children and their teachers is my number one priority.
"I know some teaching unions still have concerns, just as I know parents and teachers have some worries. I intend to carry on talking to all of them and working with them on any issues they may have.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
"All of us in education have a duty to work together to get children back to school.
"Let me reassure families that we are giving schools all the guidance and support they will need to welcome pupils back.
"This includes keeping class sizes small, making sure children stay within small groups, and being rigorous about hygiene, cleaning and staggering break and mealtimes."
But the revolt by what Conservative ministers have in the past called "The Blob" - unions and political opponents campaigning against Tory education policy - is growing.
Demanding powers to close schools, Judith Blake of the Local Government Association, said: "We know parents are anxious about sending their children back to school or nursery.
"Plans to reopen schools and early years settings must focus on reassuring parents that it will be safe for children to return to school. Publication of the scientific advice is vital to help provide that reassurance.
"The safety of staff, parents and families is absolutely paramount.
"Councils need to be able to close provision where testing indicates clusters of new COVID-19 cases and it is vital that schools have the resources to provide staff with necessary protective equipment, as well as soap and hand sanitiser for cleaning."
Backing the LGA, NAS/UWT general secretary Patrick Roach has claimed teachers can legally refuse to return to work unless they receive the same protection as other frontline staff.
And on school closures, he said: "Taking the step to close a school where testing indicates a cluster will be a vital part of controlling the spread of the virus.
"However, such a mechanism relies on an effective and widespread testing and tracing programme to be in place, something which to date is still woefully lacking and which the government has failed to get a grip on.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:38 How will schools enforce social distancing?
"We have challenged the government to publish the scientific advice which underpins its decision to try to start to reopen schools from 1 June and to explain how it can demonstrate to school staff and parents that the decisions it is making are the right ones to protect public health.
"The NASUWT remains clear that no school should reopen until it can demonstrate that it is safe to do so."
Earlier this week, Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson declared that he would not allow the city's schools to readmit pupils if he felt the safety of staff and youngsters would be put at risk.
And Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham urged ministers to work with trade unions before ploughing ahead with proposals to open primary schools to all pupils before the summer break.


news--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Men less likely to wear face masks because it is 'a sign of weakness,' study suggests

Men are less likely to wear face masks in public to protect against COVID-19 because it is a `` sign of weakness '' , new research suggests .
Researchers at Middlesex University found that more men than women believe that wearing a face mask is `` shameful '' and not `` cool '' in the survey of 2,459 people living in the US .
`` Our results also revealed that men are more likely to express negative emotions and stigma when wearing a face covering mask , '' co-leader of the study , Dr Valerio Capraro , said .
Participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a face mask outside the home , engaging in social activities and with people from another household .
The findings revealed that men were less inclined to wear a face mask outside the home compared with women .
Women were found to be more likely to wear face masks during essential activities than men .
The research also found that more men disagreed with the statement `` wearing a face covering is cool '' than women , but were more likely to believe `` wearing a face covering is shameful '' and `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weakness '' .
Dr Capraro said : `` Our results found that men have less intentions to wear a face covering than women , particularly in countries where face covering is not mandatory . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker However the research did suggest that men and women were more inclined to wear masks if they lived in countries where the law stated they had to .
He added : `` The fact that men are less inclined to wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the fact that men are more likely to believe that they will be relatively unaffected by the disease compared to women .
`` This is particularly ironic because official statistics show that actually coronavirus impacts men more seriously than women . ''
The survey included 1,266 men and 1,183 women , while 10 people did not disclose gender .
More than 60 % of the people surveyed were aged between 25 and 44 , while 77.63 % lived in an urban or suburban area .

Men are less likely to wear face masks in public to protect against COVID-19 because it is a "sign of weakness", new research suggests.
Researchers at Middlesex University found that more men than women believe that wearing a face mask is "shameful" and not "cool" in the survey of 2,459 people living in the US.
"Our results also revealed that men are more likely to express negative emotions and stigma when wearing a face covering mask," co-leader of the study, Dr Valerio Capraro, said.
Image: The research did suggest men and women were more inclined to wear masks if they lived in countries where the law stated they had to
Participants were asked about their intentions to wear a face mask outside the home, engaging in social activities and with people from another household.
The findings revealed that men were less inclined to wear a face mask outside the home compared with women.
Women were found to be more likely to wear face masks during essential activities than men.
The research also found that more men disagreed with the statement "wearing a face covering is cool" than women, but were more likely to believe "wearing a face covering is shameful" and "wearing a face covering is sign of weakness".
Dr Capraro said: "Our results found that men have less intentions to wear a face covering than women, particularly in countries where face covering is not mandatory."
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
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However the research did suggest that men and women were more inclined to wear masks if they lived in countries where the law stated they had to.
He added: "The fact that men are less inclined to wear a face covering can be partly explained by the fact that men are more likely to believe that they will be relatively unaffected by the disease compared to women.
"This is particularly ironic because official statistics show that actually coronavirus impacts men more seriously than women."
The survey included 1,266 men and 1,183 women, while 10 people did not disclose gender.
More than 60% of the people surveyed were aged between 25 and 44, while 77.63% lived in an urban or suburban area.


news--2020-05-14--Coronavirus: Pandemic effects will last for up to two years, warns doctor who treated first UK patie

Coronavirus: Pandemic effects will last for up to two years, warns doctor who treated first UK patients

The doctor who led the team that treated the UK 's first COVID-19 patients has told Sky News we will be living with the effects of the pandemic for `` the next one to two years '' .
The stark warning comes just 105 days since the first two patients that tested positive for the virus were admitted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle .
The unnamed members of the same family were taken ill while staying at an apartment hotel in York and admitted to the specialist centre in Newcastle on 31 January .
The consultant who received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head of the department of infection and tropical medicine .
He told Sky News the way the pandemic has unfolded so quickly means that their first cases now seem a distant memory .
`` It seems an eternity , I have to think back quite a bit but it feels like a year .
It 's only been three months , '' he said .
`` I received the patients , I was the on-call clinician , and at that time it was a novel coronavirus and we did n't know much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from China .
Our first patients ... they were actually quite well . ''
The first cases did n't require intensive care treatment and like the majority of COVID-19 patients that have passed through the doors of the Royal Victoria Infirmary they eventually made a good recovery .
The wave of cases that followed though , and the growing death toll , has shocked every frontline medic .
Dr Ashley Price , another consultant who helped treat the first patients , explained : `` It has been astounding and I think about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had .
I remember the weekend when it really changed for me .
We suddenly had a lot more sick patients and a number of patients suddenly passed away on one of those early weekends .
`` It was really hard because we suddenly had to change everything we were doing .
`` We went from a really well cohort of patients who had a cough and very little else - one or two of them were a bit more poorly - to having people who had very serious pneumonia . ''
Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have fundamentally changed what they do to cope with the unprecedented strain , but the number of people admitted to COVID-19 wards in Newcastle is now falling .
Critical care consultant at Newcastle Dr Sarah Platt has dealt with many of the most serious cases that have followed since the first patients .
Just as their teams have adjusted to the new way of working to care for COVID-19 patients , the start of the loosening of the lockdown in England brings with it the risk of a second peak of cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves in a situation where we ca n't offer the standard of care that we wish to and we train to is horrifying to everyone , '' she said .
`` That is how important it is - that we do n't do anything that might risk a second surge because if it is worse than the first one then all the good work would be undone , everything that we have sacrificed , everybody over the last few weeks , would be undone by a second surge if it is worse .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Dr Schmid believes what happens next depends on clear messaging from the authorities and social responsibility from every citizen .
`` I do n't think we will be able to eradicate this disease over the next year or two years .
We have to live with it .
So our hospital is making plans to live with this for the next year to two years and therefore everybody else has to do that .
`` We are in a 'reset , restore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't think we know exactly where we are , '' he said .
`` We are certainly seeing fewer patients now and have reduced our in-patient cohort quite dramatically , and we have hardly anyone on intensive care now so all of this is very good news but it all depends on where we are going to be in the next four weeks and what is happening - are people adhering to social distancing and staying safe ?
`` There is no fast reset button , it has to be a gradual restart @ @ @ @ @ @

The doctor who led the team that treated the UK's first COVID-19 patients has told Sky News we will be living with the effects of the pandemic for "the next one to two years".
The stark warning comes just 105 days since the first two patients that tested positive for the virus were admitted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
The unnamed members of the same family were taken ill while staying at an apartment hotel in York and admitted to the specialist centre in Newcastle on 31 January.
Image: The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle is where the first COVID-19 patients identified in the UK were treated
The consultant who received the patients was Dr Matthias Schmid, the head of the department of infection and tropical medicine.
He told Sky News the way the pandemic has unfolded so quickly means that their first cases now seem a distant memory.
Image: Dr Matthias Schmid says 'there is no fast reset button, it has to be a gradual restart'
"It seems an eternity, I have to think back quite a bit but it feels like a year. It's only been three months," he said.
"I received the patients, I was the on-call clinician, and at that time it was a novel coronavirus and we didn't know much about it other than it was coming from China. Our first patients... they were actually quite well."
The first cases didn't require intensive care treatment and like the majority of COVID-19 patients that have passed through the doors of the Royal Victoria Infirmary they eventually made a good recovery.
The wave of cases that followed though, and the growing death toll, has shocked every frontline medic.
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Dr Ashley Price, another consultant who helped treat the first patients, explained: "It has been astounding and I think about the transition between those first few cases we had. I remember the weekend when it really changed for me. We suddenly had a lot more sick patients and a number of patients suddenly passed away on one of those early weekends.
"It was really hard because we suddenly had to change everything we were doing.
"We went from a really well cohort of patients who had a cough and very little else - one or two of them were a bit more poorly - to having people who had very serious pneumonia."
Image: The number of people being admitted to COVID-19 wards in Newcastle is now falling
Like every part of the NHS frontline they have fundamentally changed what they do to cope with the unprecedented strain, but the number of people admitted to COVID-19 wards in Newcastle is now falling.
Critical care consultant at Newcastle Dr Sarah Platt has dealt with many of the most serious cases that have followed since the first patients.
Just as their teams have adjusted to the new way of working to care for COVID-19 patients, the start of the loosening of the lockdown in England brings with it the risk of a second peak of cases.
"The prospect that we might put ourselves in a situation where we can't offer the standard of care that we wish to and we train to is horrifying to everyone," she said.
"That is how important it is - that we don't do anything that might risk a second surge because if it is worse than the first one then all the good work would be undone, everything that we have sacrificed, everybody over the last few weeks, would be undone by a second surge if it is worse."
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
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Dr Schmid believes what happens next depends on clear messaging from the authorities and social responsibility from every citizen.
"I don't think we will be able to eradicate this disease over the next year or two years. We have to live with it. So our hospital is making plans to live with this for the next year to two years and therefore everybody else has to do that.
"We are in a 'reset, restore' recovery - but ultimately I don't think we know exactly where we are," he said.
"We are certainly seeing fewer patients now and have reduced our in-patient cohort quite dramatically, and we have hardly anyone on intensive care now so all of this is very good news but it all depends on where we are going to be in the next four weeks and what is happening - are people adhering to social distancing and staying safe?
"There is no fast reset button, it has to be a gradual restart now," he added.


news--2020-05-15--Coronavirus could be 'wiped out in London in weeks' - but what's the picture in the rest of England?

The number of people becoming infected with coronavirus each day in London may have fallen to 24 , while the North East of England sees around 4,000 new infections daily , research suggests .
The rate of infections in England also appears to be slowing , according to modelling by Public Health England and the University of Cambridge 's MRC Biostatistics Unit .
Data shows that the R value across England is 0.75 , firmly under 1.0 - which the prime minister specified as a requirement for the continued easing of lockdown measures in the coming months .
But that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are understood to be sceptical that the number of new infections is so low in the capital , and estimate the R number has risen to between 0.7 and 1 nationally .
There were 49 patients admitted to hospitals in London yesterday .
For every admission there are likely to be 20 other cases in the community - bringing the total number of new infections closer to 1,000 .
The R value represents how many people on average an infected person goes on to infect If the R is 1 , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other person .
If it is 3 - which Boris Johnson said seemed to be the `` natural rate '' for coronavirus - then one person will infect three .
If R drops below 1 then the virus is n't being spread to enough people to sustain an outbreak , so it gradually peters out .
The closer it is to zero , the faster cases drop .
In the North East and Yorkshire the R rate is 0.8 , in the South West it 's 0.76 , in the North West it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and East of England it 's 0.71 and in the Midlands it 's 0.68 , according to the research .
London 's average rate has fallen to 0.4 , meaning that for every 10 people who are infected , they are likely to pass it onto four people .
The figure also means the capital has gone from being the epicentre of the UK outbreak to having the lowest rate of infection in England .
When the lockdown was announced on 23 March , London was seeing more than 200,000 new cases daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are now fewer than 24 daily infections in the capital and , with this number halving every 3.5 days , the virus could be wiped out there within just a few weeks .
The study will raise pressure on the government to consider lifting the lockdown at different speeds in different parts of the country .
Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick alluded to the idea of different rules for different areas at the weekend , when he told Sky 's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme : `` ... if we see there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools , towns , then we may be able to take particular measures in those places as we build up a more sophisticated and longer-term response to controlling the virus '' .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has previously said the government was `` looking at '' the possibility .
Speaking to Sky News , Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said : `` We 've all got a part to play in that by following the guidelines , including in London .
`` If their analysis is correct and London is that much lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do n't allow that to rise again , whether it 's London , whether it 's the North East or any other part of the UK .
`` Continuing to follow the guidelines that are set out is important in terms of keeping that R level within some control . ''
It comes as a new study suggests more than 25 % of the UK is likely to have had coronavirus already .
Researchers from the University of Manchester , Salford Royal and Res Consortium used local authority data to calculate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected by one person with COVID-19 - for each area .
The data from the 144 local authorities analysed by the team now gives an R value of well below 1 .
The value was above 3 in the middle of March .
Dr Adrian Heald , one of the researchers on the study - published this week in the International Journal of Clinical Practice - said : `` COVID-19 is a highly infectious condition and very dangerous for a small group of people .
However a much larger group seem to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unreported .
`` This study tries to provide an estimate of the number of historic infections - and gives us all a glimmer of hope that there may be light at the end of the tunnel .
`` We show how effective social distancing and lockdown has been .
Though this is a tragedy , it could have been far worse '' .
On Monday , Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham told Sky News that the changes to the lockdown regulations announced by the prime minister on Sunday night were `` premature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes too soon for the North West and could cause confusion , '' he said .
`` My message to the people and businesses of Greater Manchester is this : please be cautious and take time before making any changes to your routine . ''
Meanwhile , leaders of local authorities and unions chiefs have also accused ministers of going too fast on plans to reopen schools and want more local control over their return .
The Local Government Association ( LGA ) has said schools should be allowed to make their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Councillor Judith Blake , chairwoman of the LGA 's children and young people board , said parents were `` anxious '' about sending their children back to school and said more needed to be done to reassure families .
Mr Johnson when announcing his plans for taking England out of lockdown , said Reception , Year one and Year 6 pupils could go back as soon as next month .
The Cambridge study raises a number of questions for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ease the lockdown .
It models deaths data produced by Public Health England up to 10 May .
This includes only people who have tested positive for COVID-19 .
The regional variations suggested are wide , with the prevalence of the virus and the crucial R value said to be much lower in London than other parts of England , particularly the North East & Yorkshire .
This confirms what we have seen in other recent data , including the reduction in the level of hospital patients with COVID-19 .
The number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London .
Over the last week the increase in that region has been just one third of that in the North East & Yorkshire .
However , the median estimate of just 24 daily infections for the capital appears optimistic .
In the most recent days , the number of new cases there has ranged from 44 to 95 and these are just those people able to access a test .
It is also worth pointing out the variation within regions , with some local authorities more affected than others .
For example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has an infection rate of 825 cases per 100,000 population , whereas the corresponding figure for Eden is just 178 .

The number of people becoming infected with coronavirus each day in London may have fallen to 24, while the North East of England sees around 4,000 new infections daily, research suggests.
The rate of infections in England also appears to be slowing, according to modelling by Public Health England and the University of Cambridge's MRC Biostatistics Unit.
Data shows that the R value across England is 0.75, firmly under 1.0 - which the prime minister specified as a requirement for the continued easing of lockdown measures in the coming months.
But that is at odds with government scientists, who are understood to be sceptical that the number of new infections is so low in the capital, and estimate the R number has risen to between 0.7 and 1 nationally.
There were 49 patients admitted to hospitals in London yesterday.
For every admission there are likely to be 20 other cases in the community - bringing the total number of new infections closer to 1,000.
The R value represents how many people on average an infected person goes on to infect
If the R is 1, then one person with the disease infects one other person. If it is 3 - which Boris Johnson said seemed to be the "natural rate" for coronavirus - then one person will infect three.
If R drops below 1 then the virus isn't being spread to enough people to sustain an outbreak, so it gradually peters out. The closer it is to zero, the faster cases drop.
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In the North East and Yorkshire the R rate is 0.8, in the South West it's 0.76, in the North West it's 0.73, in the South East and East of England it's 0.71 and in the Midlands it's 0.68, according to the research.
Image: A graph showing the R rate by region
London's average rate has fallen to 0.4, meaning that for every 10 people who are infected, they are likely to pass it onto four people.
The figure also means the capital has gone from being the epicentre of the UK outbreak to having the lowest rate of infection in England.
When the lockdown was announced on 23 March, London was seeing more than 200,000 new cases daily, according to the research.
But there are now fewer than 24 daily infections in the capital and, with this number halving every 3.5 days, the virus could be wiped out there within just a few weeks.
The study will raise pressure on the government to consider lifting the lockdown at different speeds in different parts of the country.
Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick alluded to the idea of different rules for different areas at the weekend, when he told Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: "... if we see there are outbreaks in particular localities, neighbourhoods, schools, towns, then we may be able to take particular measures in those places as we build up a more sophisticated and longer-term response to controlling the virus".
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has previously said the government was "looking at" the possibility.
Speaking to Sky News, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said: "We've all got a part to play in that by following the guidelines, including in London.
"If their analysis is correct and London is that much lower than elsewhere, it's important that we don't allow that to rise again, whether it's London, whether it's the North East or any other part of the UK.
"Continuing to follow the guidelines that are set out is important in terms of keeping that R level within some control."
It comes as a new study suggests more than 25% of the UK is likely to have had coronavirus already.
Researchers from the University of Manchester, Salford Royal and Res Consortium used local authority data to calculate the R value - the number of people infected by one person with COVID-19 - for each area.
The data from the 144 local authorities analysed by the team now gives an R value of well below 1. The value was above 3 in the middle of March.
Dr Adrian Heald, one of the researchers on the study - published this week in the International Journal of Clinical Practice - said: "COVID-19 is a highly infectious condition and very dangerous for a small group of people. However a much larger group seem to have low or no symptoms and have been unreported.
"This study tries to provide an estimate of the number of historic infections - and gives us all a glimmer of hope that there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
"We show how effective social distancing and lockdown has been. Though this is a tragedy, it could have been far worse".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:22 Easing of lockdown 'feels premature' - Burnham
On Monday, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham told Sky News that the changes to the lockdown regulations announced by the prime minister on Sunday night were "premature".
"The PM's statement comes too soon for the North West and could cause confusion," he said.
"My message to the people and businesses of Greater Manchester is this: please be cautious and take time before making any changes to your routine."
Meanwhile, leaders of local authorities and unions chiefs have also accused ministers of going too fast on plans to reopen schools and want more local control over their return.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has said schools should be allowed to make their own decisions about reopening.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Councillor Judith Blake, chairwoman of the LGA's children and young people board, said parents were "anxious" about sending their children back to school and said more needed to be done to reassure families.
Mr Johnson when announcing his plans for taking England out of lockdown, said Reception, Year one and Year 6 pupils could go back as soon as next month.
Analysis: Study raises a number of lockdown questions for government
By Isla Glaister, data journalist
The Cambridge study raises a number of questions for ministers when considering how and when to ease the lockdown. It models deaths data produced by Public Health England up to 10 May. This includes only people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The regional variations suggested are wide, with the prevalence of the virus and the crucial R value said to be much lower in London than other parts of England, particularly the North East & Yorkshire. This confirms what we have seen in other recent data, including the reduction in the level of hospital patients with COVID-19.
The number of newly confirmed cases is also smaller in London. Over the last week the increase in that region has been just one third of that in the North East & Yorkshire. However, the median estimate of just 24 daily infections for the capital appears optimistic. In the most recent days, the number of new cases there has ranged from 44 to 95 and these are just those people able to access a test.
It is also worth pointing out the variation within regions, with some local authorities more affected than others. For example, in the North West, Barrow has an infection rate of 825 cases per 100,000 population, whereas the corresponding figure for Eden is just 178.


news--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Doctor treats 'profoundly ill' surgeon who saved his life 20 years ago

A London doctor has treated a surgeon who saved his life 20 years ago after the man was admitted to hospital with coronavirus .
Dr Shakil Rahman , a respiratory consultant , cared for Venkatachalam Chandrasekaran , known as Mr Chandra , when he was admitted to Epsom General hospital with COVID-19 .
Twenty years ago Mr Chandra , a cardiothoracic surgeon at St George 's Hospital in Tooting , performed a cardiac bypass on Dr Rahman when he had a heart attack in his late 30s .
The pair stayed in touch and were shocked to be reunited when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was treated at the hospital for 10 days before he was discharged , with staff lining the corridor to clap his recovery .
Dr Rahman said : `` He was admitted by me , quite profoundly ill with COVID-19 pneumonia , to the Epsom General Hospital .
`` An extremely kind doctor , a very well-known man , a heart surgeon with incredibly gifted hands .
I have known him for 20-plus years .
`` He was [ one of ] a handful of surgeons who started the innovative and unique procedure called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedure which is off pump , minimally invasive surgery and on a beating heart , with incredible recovery times .
`` It was really joyful for me and the whole respiratory team to be to able treat him in his hour of need , getting him well and seeing him leaving hospital with his family encouraged by all the clapping and laughter . ''
Mr Chandra said : `` My family and I are grateful for your care in getting me through a difficult time .
I am making slow but steady progress @ @

A London doctor has treated a surgeon who saved his life 20 years ago after the man was admitted to hospital with coronavirus.
Dr Shakil Rahman, a respiratory consultant, cared for Venkatachalam Chandrasekaran, known as Mr Chandra, when he was admitted to Epsom General hospital with COVID-19.
Twenty years ago Mr Chandra, a cardiothoracic surgeon at St George's Hospital in Tooting, performed a cardiac bypass on Dr Rahman when he had a heart attack in his late 30s.
The pair stayed in touch and were shocked to be reunited when Mr Chandra was taken ill.
He was treated at the hospital for 10 days before he was discharged, with staff lining the corridor to clap his recovery.
Dr Rahman said: "He was admitted by me, quite profoundly ill with COVID-19 pneumonia, to the Epsom General Hospital.
"An extremely kind doctor, a very well-known man, a heart surgeon with incredibly gifted hands. I have known him for 20-plus years.
"He was [one of] a handful of surgeons who started the innovative and unique procedure called 'mid-cab', ie a cardiac bypass procedure which is off pump, minimally invasive surgery and on a beating heart, with incredible recovery times.
"It was really joyful for me and the whole respiratory team to be to able treat him in his hour of need, getting him well and seeing him leaving hospital with his family encouraged by all the clapping and laughter."
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Mr Chandra said: "My family and I are grateful for your care in getting me through a difficult time. I am making slow but steady progress."


news--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: Another 674 people with COVID-19 die in UK

Another 674 people in the UK have died after contracting coronavirus , Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said .
A total of 26,771 people in the UK have now died after testing positive for COVID-19 , government figures show .
Appearing at the daily Downing Street briefing for the first time since his recovery from coronavirus , Mr Johnson said the UK was `` now past the peak and on the downward slope '' in the pandemic .
`` Across this country , families are continuing to lose their loved ones before their time , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But as we grieve we are strengthened in our resolve to defeat this virus , to get this whole country back to health , back on its feet . ''
: : Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker It is the second day that the UK 's death total includes fatalities in care homes and the wider community as well as in hospitals .
There are now more than 171,000 known cases of coronavirus in the UK - an increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government 's chief scientific adviser , Sir Patrick Vallance , said there had been a fall in the number of new cases , as well as a decrease in the number of COVID-19 deaths .
He said : `` The number of new cases is down , that 's turning into fewer admissions , fewer people in hospital , fewer people in intensive care and we 're beginning to see that decrease in deaths . ''
Sir Patrick added that the R rate - the number of people an infected person is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now below 1 across the country and generally between 0.6 and 0.9 .
The UK now has the second highest number of recorded COVID-19 deaths in Europe and the third highest in the world .
Italy has registered more than 27,600 coronavirus deaths , the highest tally in Europe , while more than 60,000 people have died in the US after being diagnosed with COVID-19 .
However countries record their coronavirus deaths in different ways so it is difficult to compare them like-for-like .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Spreaker Asked about international comparisons to the UK 's response to the virus , Mr Johnson said he believes the government did the `` right thing at the right time '' .
He said : `` I think it was completely right to make our period of lockdown coincide as far as we possibly could with the peak of the epidemic .
`` That peak , as I said just now , has passed .
I do think that broadly speaking , and we 're learning lessons every day , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did the right thing at the right time . ''
According to the latest data for the UK : • In England , coronavirus deaths in hospitals increased by 391 to 20,137 • COVID-19 deaths in Scotland rose by 60 to 1,475 • In Wales , another 22 people died with COVID-19 , taking its total to 908 • Northern Ireland recorded nine more coronavirus deaths , with its total now at 347 Health authorities in the four UK nations record their own daily figures , which may not tally with the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their numbers at different times throughout the day .

Another 674 people in the UK have died after contracting coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
A total of 26,771 people in the UK have now died after testing positive for COVID-19, government figures show.
Appearing at the daily Downing Street briefing for the first time since his recovery from coronavirus, Mr Johnson said the UK was "now past the peak and on the downward slope" in the pandemic.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:22 PM thanks NHS for 'getting me back here'
"Across this country, families are continuing to lose their loved ones before their time," he said.
"We grieve for them and with them.
"But as we grieve we are strengthened in our resolve to defeat this virus, to get this whole country back to health, back on its feet."
The latest deaths announced on Thursday included a 15-year-old patient.
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It is the second day that the UK's death total includes fatalities in care homes and the wider community as well as in hospitals.
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There are now more than 171,000 known cases of coronavirus in the UK - an increase of more than 6,000 since Wednesday.
The government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said there had been a fall in the number of new cases, as well as a decrease in the number of COVID-19 deaths.
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He said: "The number of new cases is down, that's turning into fewer admissions, fewer people in hospital, fewer people in intensive care and we're beginning to see that decrease in deaths."
Sir Patrick added that the R rate - the number of people an infected person is likely to pass the virus onto - is now below 1 across the country and generally between 0.6 and 0.9.
The UK now has the second highest number of recorded COVID-19 deaths in Europe and the third highest in the world.
Italy has registered more than 27,600 coronavirus deaths, the highest tally in Europe, while more than 60,000 people have died in the US after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
However countries record their coronavirus deaths in different ways so it is difficult to compare them like-for-like.
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
Asked about international comparisons to the UK's response to the virus, Mr Johnson said he believes the government did the "right thing at the right time".
He said: "I think it was completely right to make our period of lockdown coincide as far as we possibly could with the peak of the epidemic.
"That peak, as I said just now, has passed. I do think that broadly speaking, and we're learning lessons every day, but I do think that broadly speaking, we did the right thing at the right time."
According to the latest data for the UK:
In England, coronavirus deaths in hospitals increased by 391 to 20,137
COVID-19 deaths in Scotland rose by 60 to 1,475
In Wales, another 22 people died with COVID-19, taking its total to 908
Northern Ireland recorded nine more coronavirus deaths, with its total now at 347
Health authorities in the four UK nations record their own daily figures, which may not tally with the government's overall UK total because they collate their numbers at different times throughout the day.


news--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: Paris Saint-Germain awarded league title after French football season ends early

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned champions after the French football season ended early due to the coronavirus crisis - in a potential boost for Liverpool in their quest for a first league title in 30 years .
PSG had a 12-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 with 11 games left to play when it was suspended as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 .
The Premier League is yet to reveal how it plans to finish its season after being halted due to coronavirus , with Liverpool sitting 25 points clear at the top with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the league title after France 's prime minister Edouard Philippe announced that no sporting events will take place in the country until at least September .
A points-per-game system was used to determine the final standings in the Ligue 1 table .
Marseille , in second place , have qualified directly for the Champions League while third-place Rennes will enter the qualifying rounds .
Toulouse and Amiens have been relegated from the top flight .
Lorient have been crowned champions of Ligue 2 and Lens will also be promoted .
: : Listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Didier Quillot , chief executive of the French League , said : `` We have decided there would be two promotions and two relegations .
`` There might be appeals but our decisions are solid . ''
In Spain , the government has approved La Liga 's plans for clubs to test their players for the coronavirus before they return to training as the league looks to restart the season in June .
La Liga president Javier Tebas said not finishing the season would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one billion euros .
Last week the Dutch league ended with immediate effect without a club being declared champions and with no promotions or relegations .
Ajax were top of the Eredivisie table , ahead of AZ Alkmaar on goal difference , with nine rounds of matches to play when the season was suspended .
England 's top-flight clubs will hold further talks on how the season can be restarted at their next shareholders ' meeting on Friday .
Part of the `` Project Restart '' discussions will centre around the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing on neutral grounds and immediately throws up questions over competition integrity .
Even if the season is restarted , Liverpool could be denied the opportunity to seal the Premier League title at Anfield if public health concerns are factored into where the final matches are played .
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts , the UK 's national football policing lead , said playing all the remaining matches at their original venues would `` present challenges '' to the emergency services already stretched by the COVID-19 outbreak .
: : Listen to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Meanwhile , Liverpool have criticised comments made by the city 's mayor over the potential restart of the Premier League season .
Joe Anderson told the BBC that plans to resume the league were a `` non-starter '' , fearing a `` farcical '' situation with fans congregating outside Anfield - even if Liverpool win the title at a neutral venue .

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned champions after the French football season ended early due to the coronavirus crisis - in a potential boost for Liverpool in their quest for a first league title in 30 years.
PSG had a 12-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 with 11 games left to play when it was suspended as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The Premier League is yet to reveal how it plans to finish its season after being halted due to coronavirus, with Liverpool sitting 25 points clear at the top with nine games remaining.
Image: Liverpool, managed by Jurgen Klopp, are hoping for their first league title in 30 years
PSG were awarded the league title after France's prime minister Edouard Philippe announced that no sporting events will take place in the country until at least September.
A points-per-game system was used to determine the final standings in the Ligue 1 table.
Marseille, in second place, have qualified directly for the Champions League while third-place Rennes will enter the qualifying rounds.
Toulouse and Amiens have been relegated from the top flight. Lorient have been crowned champions of Ligue 2 and Lens will also be promoted.
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
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Didier Quillot, chief executive of the French League, said: "We have decided there would be two promotions and two relegations.
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"There might be appeals but our decisions are solid."
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In Spain, the government has approved La Liga's plans for clubs to test their players for the coronavirus before they return to training as the league looks to restart the season in June.
La Liga president Javier Tebas said not finishing the season would lead to collective losses of up to one billion euros.
Last week the Dutch league ended with immediate effect without a club being declared champions and with no promotions or relegations.
Ajax were top of the Eredivisie table, ahead of AZ Alkmaar on goal difference, with nine rounds of matches to play when the season was suspended.
Image: Liverpool are 25 points clear of their nearest rival Manchester City
England's top-flight clubs will hold further talks on how the season can be restarted at their next shareholders' meeting on Friday.
Part of the "Project Restart" discussions will centre around the use of approved venues, which may mean teams playing on neutral grounds and immediately throws up questions over competition integrity.
Even if the season is restarted, Liverpool could be denied the opportunity to seal the Premier League title at Anfield if public health concerns are factored into where the final matches are played.
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the UK's national football policing lead, said playing all the remaining matches at their original venues would "present challenges" to the emergency services already stretched by the COVID-19 outbreak.
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
Meanwhile, Liverpool have criticised comments made by the city's mayor over the potential restart of the Premier League season.
Joe Anderson told the BBC that plans to resume the league were a "non-starter", fearing a "farcical" situation with fans congregating outside Anfield - even if Liverpool win the title at a neutral venue.
Liverpool called the mayor's comments "disappointing".


news--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: The true impact on UK's BAME community may never be known

Figures released by NHS England today show the continuing trend of the BAME community being disproportionately affected by COVID-19 .
Out of the 19,740 people who tested positive for the virus and died in English hospitals , 18 % are from a black , Asian or minority ethnic background .
This is 3 % higher than the BAME population in England .
But this is only part of the picture .
Health authorities in Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland do n't record ethnicity , or as they told us , their systems are n't robust enough to publish the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside of hospitals , there is no mention of ethnicity on death certificates .
So we may never know the true proportion of deaths from these communities .
In mid-April , the Department for Health and Social Care announced they would launch an inquiry into this issue to establish why so many people from BAME backgrounds are dying .
Early reports suggest a number of factors , including underlying health conditions , like type 2 diabetes or increased heart conditions .
The disproportionate number of deaths have also been clear in our health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 62 % of all those who 've died in the NHS since the start of this outbreak are from a BAME background .
They include cleaners , hospital porters , nurses and intensive care doctors - all of whom are now known to be at a `` potentially greater risk '' by NHS England .
In reaction to a letter that was sent to all hospitals by NHS bosses , which recommended BAME staff should be risk assessed , one former CEO of a hospital said mitigating the risk is a big challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Taking BAME colleagues out of front lines and COVID wards may just not be possible .
`` We depend on them so much - certainly in huge hospitals like in London and Birmingham . ''
: : Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker He added that the NHS `` just does n't have the luxury of staff , its rotas currently are very thin , so moving staff around is not easy even when looking at the safety of its staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHS has been slow to react to this issue , which we 've known about for a few weeks .
`` The movement from the centre in particular has been slow and now this is a difficult problem to resolve , '' he said .
`` The logic of it is , the moment we found out that BAME colleagues were at risk we should have taken some action .
`` These lessons have been learnt , but for some of our colleagues , may have come too late . ''
Speaking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treating COVID-19 patients in the North West said : `` I 'm not afraid of dying myself because that 's the only certainty about life .
`` But what I am concerned about is I 've got two young children .
I do n't want them to be without a parent for something that 's potentially avoidable . ''
`` I could be removed from that COVID area , there are ways around this , so we can avoid further deaths from my colleagues .
`` I 've had some frank discussions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ background and a lot of them are concerned , and they do n't feel they 're in a position to put their hand up and say ' I 'm worried about this ' . ''

Figures released by NHS England today show the continuing trend of the BAME community being disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Out of the 19,740 people who tested positive for the virus and died in English hospitals, 18% are from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background. This is 3% higher than the BAME population in England.
But this is only part of the picture. Health authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland don't record ethnicity, or as they told us, their systems aren't robust enough to publish the data.
And in the UK, outside of hospitals, there is no mention of ethnicity on death certificates. So we may never know the true proportion of deaths from these communities.
Image: Some say the NHS has been too slow in dealing with the issue
In mid-April, the Department for Health and Social Care announced they would launch an inquiry into this issue to establish why so many people from BAME backgrounds are dying.
Early reports suggest a number of factors, including underlying health conditions, like type 2 diabetes or increased heart conditions.
The disproportionate number of deaths have also been clear in our health service.
Sky News analysis suggests that 62% of all those who've died in the NHS since the start of this outbreak are from a BAME background.
They include cleaners, hospital porters, nurses and intensive care doctors - all of whom are now known to be at a "potentially greater risk" by NHS England.
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In reaction to a letter that was sent to all hospitals by NHS bosses, which recommended BAME staff should be risk assessed, one former CEO of a hospital said mitigating the risk is a big challenge.
Roy Lilley told Sky News: "Taking BAME colleagues out of front lines and COVID wards may just not be possible.
"We depend on them so much - certainly in huge hospitals like in London and Birmingham."
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He added that the NHS "just doesn't have the luxury of staff, its rotas currently are very thin, so moving staff around is not easy even when looking at the safety of its staff".
Mr Lilley also said the NHS has been slow to react to this issue, which we've known about for a few weeks.
"The movement from the centre in particular has been slow and now this is a difficult problem to resolve," he said.
"The logic of it is, the moment we found out that BAME colleagues were at risk we should have taken some action.
"These lessons have been learnt, but for some of our colleagues, may have come too late."
Speaking to Sky News, one doctor who is treating COVID-19 patients in the North West said: "I'm not afraid of dying myself because that's the only certainty about life.
"But what I am concerned about is I've got two young children. I don't want them to be without a parent for something that's potentially avoidable."
"I could be removed from that COVID area, there are ways around this, so we can avoid further deaths from my colleagues.
"I've had some frank discussions with my colleagues who are from a BAME background and a lot of them are concerned, and they don't feel they're in a position to put their hand up and say 'I'm worried about this'."


news--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: No child known to have passed COVID-19 to adults, global study finds

No child is known to have passed COVID-19 on to an adult , a review of evidence from around the world has found .
The review into paediatric coronavirus studies found it is likely children `` do not play a significant role '' in transmitting the coronavirus and are significantly less likely to become infected than adults .
It also found there has not been a single case of a child under 10 transmitting COVID-19 , even through contact tracing carried out by the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) .
Collated by paediatric blog Do n't Forget The Bubbles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Paediatrics and Child Health ( RCPCH ) , researchers looked at 78 studies from around the world , with most from China where the disease originated .
The findings come as the Swiss government said grandparents are now allowed to hug their grandchildren because they concluded that `` young children do n't transmit the virus '' .
Led by Alasdair Munro , a clinical research fellow in paediatric infectious diseases , the new study concluded : `` COVID-19 appears to affect children less often , and with less severity , including frequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is evidence of critical illness , but it is rare .
The role of children in transmission is unclear , but it seems likely they do not play a significant role . ''
They used an example of a nine-year-old boy in the French Alps who tested positive , with symptoms .
Despite attending three schools during this time , exposing 112 different people , the child did not transmit COVID-19 to anybody else .
Professor Russell Viner , president of the RCPCH , told the Daily Telegraph : `` From around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that children are involved in spreading or transmitting the virus , but we do not have enough evidence . ''
He added that it was too soon to say children could hug their grandparents .
The review also found that looking at both confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 in children aged six to 10 , 32 % were asymptomatic .
When children did have symptoms they tended to be `` more mild '' , with the most common features a cough and fever , followed by upper respiratory tract symptoms such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 10 % had diarrhoea and/or vomiting , with some only having those symptoms .
The researchers found that children were `` significantly less affected '' than adults , with only 0.6 % of younger children diagnosed with the disease having become critically ill .
They added : `` To date , deaths remain extremely rare in children from COVID-19 , with only a handful of reported cases . ''
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker When it comes to newborns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases reported and said the majority of newborns whose mothers have tested positive for COVID-19 have not contracted it .
Of the few cases of newborns testing positive - one at 36 hours of age - none have suffered any complications and needed minimal respiratory support , it added .

No child is known to have passed COVID-19 on to an adult, a review of evidence from around the world has found.
The review into paediatric coronavirus studies found it is likely children "do not play a significant role" in transmitting the coronavirus and are significantly less likely to become infected than adults.
It also found there has not been a single case of a child under 10 transmitting COVID-19, even through contact tracing carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Collated by paediatric blog Don't Forget The Bubbles, in partnership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), researchers looked at 78 studies from around the world, with most from China where the disease originated.
The findings come as the Swiss government said grandparents are now allowed to hug their grandchildren because they concluded that "young children don't transmit the virus".
Image: A child who had COVID-19 in the French ski resort of Les Contamines-Montjoie did not transmit it to anyone
Led by Alasdair Munro, a clinical research fellow in paediatric infectious diseases, the new study concluded: "COVID-19 appears to affect children less often, and with less severity, including frequent asymptomatic or subclinical infection.
"There is evidence of critical illness, but it is rare. The role of children in transmission is unclear, but it seems likely they do not play a significant role."
They used an example of a nine-year-old boy in the French Alps who tested positive, with symptoms.
Despite attending three schools during this time, exposing 112 different people, the child did not transmit COVID-19 to anybody else.
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Professor Russell Viner, president of the RCPCH, told the Daily Telegraph: "From around the world, we are not seeing evidence that children are involved in spreading or transmitting the virus, but we do not have enough evidence."
He added that it was too soon to say children could hug their grandparents.
The review also found that looking at both confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 in children aged six to 10, 32% were asymptomatic.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:28 How are children coping under lockdown?
When children did have symptoms they tended to be "more mild", with the most common features a cough and fever, followed by upper respiratory tract symptoms such as a runny nose and sore throat.
About 10% had diarrhoea and/or vomiting, with some only having those symptoms.
The researchers found that children were "significantly less affected" than adults, with only 0.6% of younger children diagnosed with the disease having become critically ill.
They added: "To date, deaths remain extremely rare in children from COVID-19, with only a handful of reported cases."
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When it comes to newborns, the review looked at the nearly 50 cases reported and said the majority of newborns whose mothers have tested positive for COVID-19 have not contracted it.
Of the few cases of newborns testing positive - one at 36 hours of age - none have suffered any complications and needed minimal respiratory support, it added.


news--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Scientists scour back catalogue of experimental drugs to boost search for cure

Scientists are screening a vast back catalogue of potential drugs in the hope of accelerating the hunt for a coronavirus cure .
The team at Oxford-based Exscientia is scanning 12,000 compounds that have been investigated as treatments in other diseases and have passed early stage safety trials .
They believe the experimental drugs may , by chance , have a chemical structure that could stop the virus entering human cells and making copies of itself .
And by re-purposing them to target SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 , the treatment could be fast-tracked into clinical trials within a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific coordinator at the company , told Sky News that the strategy could shave several years off the usual decade-long development time for a new medicine .
`` We are in the context of a new disease ; SARS-Cov-2 is a new virus .
There is a lot to learn .
`` The faster we can target different proteins , and try which is the right one to target to develop a new treatment against COVID-19 , the better . ''
The catalogue contains almost every drug that has been tested in clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed to treat conditions completely unrelated to infectious disease .
Any activity against the coronavirus will be an accident of design .
The scientists are using artificial intelligence to rapidly screen the compounds for a likely match with vulnerable areas of the virus .
They have already had several hits , which are now being confirmed in further tests .
`` Drug discovery is a needle in a haystack , '' said Dr Echalier .
`` We are trying to rationalise this hunt as much as we can to put all the chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The main collection of compounds is held by Scripps Research in California and is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation .
Samples were sent to Exscientia a month ago .
The use of artificial intelligence , with computer algorithms learning what molecular features make for effective drugs , has already resulted in a potential treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder starting clinical trials just 12 months after being discovered .
Normally the process would take at least four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running Diamond Light Source , the UK 's most powerful microscope , to visualise how individual atoms that make up the virus interact with a potential drug .
It will allow them to tweak the chemical structure of the compounds to make them even more effective .
Diamond Light Source uses a beam of light ten billion times brighter than the sun and is 10,000 times more powerful than a traditional microscope .
The extraordinary detail is also enabling scientists at the facility to work with chemists around the world to design the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atom .
It 's called the COVID Moonshot and it has already found one serious candidate .
Professor Frank von Delft , a senior scientist at Diamond , said : `` For the immediate need finding a compound that is safe and clinically available would make a massive difference , but in the long term you want to whack the virus very quickly and very hard to be as effective as possible .
`` And that 's when you go back to the drawing board and design from the bottom up . ''

Scientists are screening a vast back catalogue of potential drugs in the hope of accelerating the hunt for a coronavirus cure.
The team at Oxford-based Exscientia is scanning 12,000 compounds that have been investigated as treatments in other diseases and have passed early stage safety trials.
They believe the experimental drugs may, by chance, have a chemical structure that could stop the virus entering human cells and making copies of itself.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 5:03 Former top health official: Vaccine hopes should be tempered
And by re-purposing them to target SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the treatment could be fast-tracked into clinical trials within a few months.
Dr Aude Echalier, scientific coordinator at the company, told Sky News that the strategy could shave several years off the usual decade-long development time for a new medicine.
"We are in the context of a new disease; SARS-Cov-2 is a new virus. There is a lot to learn.
"The faster we can target different proteins, and try which is the right one to target to develop a new treatment against COVID-19, the better."
The catalogue contains almost every drug that has been tested in clinical and pre-clinical trials.
Most have been developed to treat conditions completely unrelated to infectious disease. Any activity against the coronavirus will be an accident of design.
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The scientists are using artificial intelligence to rapidly screen the compounds for a likely match with vulnerable areas of the virus.
They have already had several hits, which are now being confirmed in further tests.
"Drug discovery is a needle in a haystack," said Dr Echalier.
"We are trying to rationalise this hunt as much as we can to put all the chance on our side."
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The main collection of compounds is held by Scripps Research in California and is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Samples were sent to Exscientia a month ago.
The use of artificial intelligence, with computer algorithms learning what molecular features make for effective drugs, has already resulted in a potential treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder starting clinical trials just 12 months after being discovered. Normally the process would take at least four years.
Exscientia is collaborating with scientists running Diamond Light Source, the UK's most powerful microscope, to visualise how individual atoms that make up the virus interact with a potential drug.
It will allow them to tweak the chemical structure of the compounds to make them even more effective.
Diamond Light Source uses a beam of light ten billion times brighter than the sun and is 10,000 times more powerful than a traditional microscope.
The extraordinary detail is also enabling scientists at the facility to work with chemists around the world to design the 'perfect' anti-viral drug, atom by atom. It's called the COVID Moonshot and it has already found one serious candidate.
Professor Frank von Delft, a senior scientist at Diamond, said: "For the immediate need finding a compound that is safe and clinically available would make a massive difference, but in the long term you want to whack the virus very quickly and very hard to be as effective as possible.
"And that's when you go back to the drawing board and design from the bottom up."


news--2020-02-26--Gunman kills five people at Milwaukee brewery

A brewery employee has killed five of his co-workers in the US city of Milwaukee before turning the gun on himself .
The shooting was at the Molson Coors Brewing Co at about 2pm local time on Wednesday .
The campus has more than 20 buildings - a mixture of brewing facilities and corporate offices , with more than 1,000 workers .
Milwaukee 's mayor Tom Barrett said : `` There were five individuals who went to work today , just like everybody goes to work , and they thought they were going to go to work , finish their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They did n't - and tragically they never will . ''
Police did not discuss the motive of the 51-year-old male gunman .
Police chief Alfonso Morales said after the shooting : `` There is no threat at this time , and we will continue to investigate throughout the night . ''
Mr Morales said the bloodshed was confined to the Molson Coors facility , and that `` no members of the general public were involved '' .
US President Donald Trump spoke briefly about the shooting ahead of a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our hearts break for ( the shooting victims ) and their loved ones .
`` We send our condolences .
We 'll be with them , and it 's a terrible thing , a terrible thing . ''
Mr Trump described the gunman as a `` wicked murderer '' .
Earlier , on Twitter , the brewery wrote : `` There is an active situation at our Milwaukee facility and we are working closely with the Milwaukee Police Department .
`` Our top priority is our employees and we 'll provide updates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able . ''

A brewery employee has killed five of his co-workers in the US city of Milwaukee before turning the gun on himself.
The shooting was at the Molson Coors Brewing Co at about 2pm local time on Wednesday.
The campus has more than 20 buildings - a mixture of brewing facilities and corporate offices, with more than 1,000 workers.
Milwaukee's mayor Tom Barrett said: "There were five individuals who went to work today, just like everybody goes to work, and they thought they were going to go to work, finish their day and return to their families.
"They didn't - and tragically they never will."
Image: The US president said the gunman was a "wicked murderer"
Police did not discuss the motive of the 51-year-old male gunman.
Police chief Alfonso Morales said after the shooting: "There is no threat at this time, and we will continue to investigate throughout the night."
Mr Morales said the bloodshed was confined to the Molson Coors facility, and that "no members of the general public were involved".
US President Donald Trump spoke briefly about the shooting ahead of a news conference about the coronavirus, saying: "Our hearts break for (the shooting victims) and their loved ones.
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"We send our condolences. We'll be with them, and it's a terrible thing, a terrible thing."
Mr Trump described the gunman as a "wicked murderer".
Image: Milwaukee police said that there is no longer a threat following the shooting
Earlier, on Twitter, the brewery wrote: "There is an active situation at our Milwaukee facility and we are working closely with the Milwaukee Police Department.
"Our top priority is our employees and we'll provide updates in conjunction with the police as we are able."


news--2020-02-27--Pope Francis cancels Rome mass due to illness, Vatican says

Pope Francis has cancelled a mass at a Rome basilica because he is ill , the Vatican has said .
The 83-year-old pontiff `` preferred to stay inside the Santa Marta , '' the Vatican hotel he lives in , `` because of a slight disposition '' , said spokesman Matteo Bruni .
`` All other commitments will go ahead regularly '' .
The cancellation came a day after the Pope was seen touching masked members of a crowd at St Peter 's Square on Ash Wednesday .
Some Lent Ash Wednesday services were cancelled or limited in areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
In Rome , there have been three cases , and all three have been cured .
Francis coughed and spoke with a slightly hoarse voice at public appearances throughout the day .
But there is no suggestion the Pope has caught the COVID-19 coronavirus , and the Vatican has not disclosed the nature of his sickness .
Francis is known to have underlying health conditions , including having part of a lung removed when he was in his early 20s due to tuberculosis .
He also receives physiotherapy for leg pain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficulty climbing steps .
But he is in generally good health and rarely cancels events , having taken four international trips each year since he became head of the Catholic Church in 2013. : : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The Vatican released a picture of the pope meeting a Cardinal and an international environmental group on Thursday morning , in a building mere steps from his home .
The pope was due to go to the Basilica of St John 's in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Roman priests .
Italy has been struck with Europe 's largest coronavirus outbreak , with more than 400 cases and 12 deaths recorded in the country .

Pope Francis has cancelled a mass at a Rome basilica because he is ill, the Vatican has said.
The 83-year-old pontiff "preferred to stay inside the Santa Marta," the Vatican hotel he lives in, "because of a slight disposition", said spokesman Matteo Bruni.
"All other commitments will go ahead regularly".
Image: Pope Francis was seen touching masked members of the crowd at the service
The cancellation came a day after the Pope was seen touching masked members of a crowd at St Peter's Square on Ash Wednesday.
Some Lent Ash Wednesday services were cancelled or limited in areas of northern Italy hit by the spread of coronavirus. In Rome, there have been three cases, and all three have been cured.
Francis coughed and spoke with a slightly hoarse voice at public appearances throughout the day.
But there is no suggestion the Pope has caught the COVID-19 coronavirus, and the Vatican has not disclosed the nature of his sickness.
Francis is known to have underlying health conditions, including having part of a lung removed when he was in his early 20s due to tuberculosis.
He also receives physiotherapy for leg pain due to sciatica, which causes occasional difficulty climbing steps.
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But he is in generally good health and rarely cancels events, having taken four international trips each year since he became head of the Catholic Church in 2013.
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The Vatican released a picture of the pope meeting a Cardinal and an international environmental group on Thursday morning, in a building mere steps from his home.
The pope was due to go to the Basilica of St John's in Lateran that morning for a Lenten service with Roman priests.
Italy has been struck with Europe's largest coronavirus outbreak, with more than 400 cases and 12 deaths recorded in the country.