news--2020-06-01--Coronavirus: Questions over Gilead trades that made millions on possible treatment

Questions are being asked about the trading in shares of a US pharmaceutical company ahead of good news about a possible coronavirus treatment .
US based Gilead Sciences has been developing former Ebola drug remdesivir for patients with COVID-19 , a disease that has killed more than 370,000 people worldwide .
It announced promising results in early stages of its trials on 17 April , sending its share price up by nearly 10 % .
But the previous day , when shares hovered around $ 75 , four large blocks of options were purchased for about $ 1.5m each , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In one of the trades , 3,143 calls betting Gilead 's shares would rise above $ 85 by 21 August were purchased for $ 1.6m .
During 17 April , the value of those contracts jumped to $ 3.02m .
The other three trades also did well .
A few weeks later , the US Food and Drug Administration gave remdesivir authorisation for emergency use to treat COVID-19 patients .
Henry Schwartz , president of options analytics firm Trade Alert , described the trades as `` pretty big '' , adding that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It does look like somebody had some sort of reason to pick that time of day to put a lot of capital to work on Gilead , '' said Mr Schwartz .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Howard Fischer , a partner with law firm Moses & Singer and former senior trial counsel at the US Securities and Exchange Commission , said the trades `` look problematic '' .
He added : `` When there is a specific spike in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a finding is announced - it can become a red flag to regulators . ''
Gilead spokesman Chris Ridley said the company has not heard from regulators about the trades and he declined to comment further .
The US Securities and Exchange Commission routinely examines trading data looking for anything unusual ahead of company announcements , but the commission declined to comment .
Meanwhile , on Monday , Gilead reported that the latest study showed remdesivir provided modest benefits for patients with moderate COVID-19 over five days .
However , those who received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do as well .
Shares fell about 3 % on the news .
This week from today to Thursday , Dermot Murnaghan will be hosting After The Pandemic : Our New World - a series of special live programmes about what our world will be like once the pandemic is over .
We 'll be joined by some of the biggest names from the worlds of culture , politics , economics , science and technology .
And you can take part too .
If you 'd like to be in our virtual audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put questions to the experts , email afterthepandemic @ sky.uk

Questions are being asked about the trading in shares of a US pharmaceutical company ahead of good news about a possible coronavirus treatment.
US based Gilead Sciences has been developing former Ebola drug remdesivir for patients with COVID-19, a disease that has killed more than 370,000 people worldwide.
It announced promising results in early stages of its trials on 17 April, sending its share price up by nearly 10%.
Image: Ebola drug Remdesivir has won UK approval for testing on coronavirus
But the previous day, when shares hovered around $75, four large blocks of options were purchased for about $1.5m each, according to a report by Reuters.
In one of the trades, 3,143 calls betting Gilead's shares would rise above $85 by 21 August were purchased for $1.6m.
During 17 April, the value of those contracts jumped to $3.02m. The other three trades also did well.
A few weeks later, the US Food and Drug Administration gave remdesivir authorisation for emergency use to treat COVID-19 patients.
Henry Schwartz, president of options analytics firm Trade Alert, described the trades as "pretty big", adding that the timing "stands out".
"It does look like somebody had some sort of reason to pick that time of day to put a lot of capital to work on Gilead," said Mr Schwartz.
Advertisement
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Howard Fischer, a partner with law firm Moses & Singer and former senior trial counsel at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, said the trades "look problematic".
He added: "When there is a specific spike in the firm's trading activity - right before a finding is announced - it can become a red flag to regulators."
Gilead spokesman Chris Ridley said the company has not heard from regulators about the trades and he declined to comment further.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission routinely examines trading data looking for anything unusual ahead of company announcements, but the commission declined to comment.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Gilead reported that the latest study showed remdesivir provided modest benefits for patients with moderate COVID-19 over five days.
However, those who received the drug for 10 days did not do as well.
Shares fell about 3% on the news.
This week from today to Thursday, Dermot Murnaghan will be hosting After The Pandemic: Our New World - a series of special live programmes about what our world will be like once the pandemic is over.
We'll be joined by some of the biggest names from the worlds of culture, politics, economics, science and technology. And you can take part too.
If you'd like to be in our virtual audience - from your own home - and put questions to the experts, email afterthepandemic@sky.uk


news--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: The objects that help spread COVID-19

Door handles , escalator handrails and self-service checkouts are all objects we touch often that could become key to containing the spread of the coronavirus .
But what about the belonging many of us barely put down ?
While the precise lifespan of COVID-19 on hard objects and surfaces has not been determined , some experts have suggested that it could survive for upwards of 24 hours .
The World Health Organisation ( WHO ) recently warned that banknotes may become a public health risk because of the rate at which they change hands , picking up all manner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So could our mobile phones pose a similar risk ?
Your phone would have to be passed around to many people for this to be the case .
Dr Michael Head , a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton , said there was little evidence on whether phones could spread viruses .
`` Phones are difficult to clean , and transmission is clearly theoretically possible , but not likely to be an extensive route for new cases , '' Dr Head said .
`` Viruses do n't appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they [ phones ] are typically not passed around too much from person to person . ''
Professor Robert Dingwall , a public health expert at Nottingham Trent University , agreed - but said certain factors such as personal hygiene could increase the risk of phones spreading the infection .
For instance , it would be `` pointless '' to bring your phone into the toilet , wash your hands and touch your phone again .
He said it was also important to keep your phone to yourself and wipe it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - as some types of wipes can damage phone screens ) .
Dr Simon Clarke , associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading , said it was widely known that phones were extremely dirty , but that they would unlikely pass on a virus by being placed on a surface that someone else would later touch - such as a Tube pole or office desk .
`` What you 'd need to look out for is if you put it down on your desk and someone coughed on it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus find a home ?
Dr Ben Killingley , consultant in acute medicine and infection at University College London , said studies of how flu survives outside the human body could be crucial to understanding the new coronavirus .
Scientists have been studying the transmission of flu for years , including going into homes and schools , swabbing remote controls , door knobs and other hard objects to examine how the illness sustains itself .
It tends to survive best on hard metal and plastic surfaces , and COVID-19 is thought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like escalator handrails , self-service checkouts , door handles , touch screens at fast food restaurants and cinemas , and vending machines .
`` The definite message from when we go into living rooms and schools ( for our flu studies ) is that we can recover virus from everyday touched objects , '' said Dr Killingley .
`` There might not always be a lot of virus , but we can certainly find it . ''
How long could the coronavirus survive on such objects ?
Key to the virus ' lifespan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperature and remains quite moist .
`` It is really variable how long it might survive on a surface for , '' Dr Killingley told Sky News .
`` It can depend on the nature of the surface , the temperature , the humidity .
It could be hours , certainly enough time for people to touch it and potentially become infected .
`` Flu survives less well on your hands , because it actually dries from your hands quite quickly , but because of how often people touch their face - some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be enough to potentially infect yourself . ''
How likely is it that you could be infected from an object ?
Some schools and businesses that have reported cases of the coronavirus have undergone a deep clean to limit the potential risk of contamination .
Dr Killingley said it could be a `` lottery '' as to how people become infected with COVID-19 , but that your chances of getting infected from an object could be limited by your own personal hygiene .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The chance of touching one thing and getting infected is pretty low , '' he told Sky News .
`` It would be pretty unlucky , ( but ) it 's a bit of a lottery .
It 's really the cumulative risk of touching lots of things , and then it comes down to how much you touch your face .
`` That 's where the hand hygiene message comes in .
If you 're touching things and then only washing your hands every hour or so , that might not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should not rely on to protect you is a mask .
`` You can understand why people are doing it - every picture you see you see people are wearing face masks - but masks do n't protect you from infection , '' said Dr Killingley .
`` They are useful for healthcare workers because we change them regularly .
We would n't wear a mask for any longer than 30 minutes .
`` But someone wearing the same mask all day and still touching their face ... the best bet is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the easy thing , which is to wash your hands . ''

Door handles, escalator handrails and self-service checkouts are all objects we touch often that could become key to containing the spread of the coronavirus. But what about the belonging many of us barely put down?
While the precise lifespan of COVID-19 on hard objects and surfaces has not been determined, some experts have suggested that it could survive for upwards of 24 hours.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently warned that banknotes may become a public health risk because of the rate at which they change hands, picking up all manner of bacteria and viruses along the way.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 13:31 Coronavirus: How worried should we be?
So could our mobile phones pose a similar risk?
Your phone would have to be passed around to many people for this to be the case.
Dr Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, said there was little evidence on whether phones could spread viruses.
"Phones are difficult to clean, and transmission is clearly theoretically possible, but not likely to be an extensive route for new cases," Dr Head said.
"Viruses don't appear to survive very long on phone surfaces, and they [phones] are typically not passed around too much from person to person."
Professor Robert Dingwall, a public health expert at Nottingham Trent University, agreed - but said certain factors such as personal hygiene could increase the risk of phones spreading the infection.
Advertisement
For instance, it would be "pointless" to bring your phone into the toilet, wash your hands and touch your phone again. He said it was also important to keep your phone to yourself and wipe it down regularly (though do your research - as some types of wipes can damage phone screens).
Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said it was widely known that phones were extremely dirty, but that they would unlikely pass on a virus by being placed on a surface that someone else would later touch - such as a Tube pole or office desk.
"What you'd need to look out for is if you put it down on your desk and someone coughed on it," he said.
Where else could the coronavirus find a home?
Dr Ben Killingley, consultant in acute medicine and infection at University College London, said studies of how flu survives outside the human body could be crucial to understanding the new coronavirus.
Scientists have been studying the transmission of flu for years, including going into homes and schools, swabbing remote controls, door knobs and other hard objects to examine how the illness sustains itself.
It tends to survive best on hard metal and plastic surfaces, and COVID-19 is thought to behave similarly.
That could mean things like escalator handrails, self-service checkouts, door handles, touch screens at fast food restaurants and cinemas, and vending machines.
"The definite message from when we go into living rooms and schools (for our flu studies) is that we can recover virus from everyday touched objects," said Dr Killingley.
"There might not always be a lot of virus, but we can certainly find it."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:16 How to contain a global pandemic
How long could the coronavirus survive on such objects?
Key to the virus' lifespan is that it stays at a reasonable temperature and remains quite moist.
"It is really variable how long it might survive on a surface for," Dr Killingley told Sky News.
"It can depend on the nature of the surface, the temperature, the humidity. It could be hours, certainly enough time for people to touch it and potentially become infected.
"Flu survives less well on your hands, because it actually dries from your hands quite quickly, but because of how often people touch their face - some 15 times an hour - that would be enough to potentially infect yourself."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:39 Coronavirus quarantine: What happens now?
How likely is it that you could be infected from an object?
Some schools and businesses that have reported cases of the coronavirus have undergone a deep clean to limit the potential risk of contamination.
Dr Killingley said it could be a "lottery" as to how people become infected with COVID-19, but that your chances of getting infected from an object could be limited by your own personal hygiene.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
"The chance of touching one thing and getting infected is pretty low," he told Sky News.
"It would be pretty unlucky, (but) it's a bit of a lottery. It's really the cumulative risk of touching lots of things, and then it comes down to how much you touch your face.
"That's where the hand hygiene message comes in. If you're touching things and then only washing your hands every hour or so, that might not be enough."
Image: A woman in a mask at Green Park station in central London
One thing you should not rely on to protect you is a mask.
"You can understand why people are doing it - every picture you see you see people are wearing face masks - but masks don't protect you from infection," said Dr Killingley.
"They are useful for healthcare workers because we change them regularly. We wouldn't wear a mask for any longer than 30 minutes.
"But someone wearing the same mask all day and still touching their face... the best bet is to follow the public health campaign and do the easy thing, which is to wash your hands."


news--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: Italy struggles to cope as China's cases slow

Italy is struggling to cope with the increasingly demanding outbreak of COVID-19 , the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus .
Meanwhile , China - where the disease originated - is reporting a long-awaited slowdown in the number of new cases .
Why has Italy struggled so much with the epidemic ?
Italy is the hardest hit country in Europe , and has the second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak outside of China , where the disease originated .
On Wednesday , the Italian government said it was closing schools and universities until 15 March .
It has imposed quarantines , suspended football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A draft decree said the government will even ask people not to shake hands or hug .
But so far Italy has not been able to curb the spread of the disease .
It has reported 107 deaths from 3,089 confirmed cases .
Most patients who died were either old or had other conditions .
Sky News science correspondent Thomas Moore said : `` One explanation is that Italy has the second-oldest population in the world after Japan , and it 's the elderly , particularly those with underlying health conditions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness from the coronavirus .
`` The alternative explanation favoured by scientists at Imperial College London is that lots of people with mild symptoms , or possibly none at all , are going undetected . ''
The outbreak struck at the heart of Italy 's wealthy north .
Lombardy , the region around Italy 's financial capital , Milan , is one of the richest and most productive in Europe .
Along with neighbouring Veneto , the other main area hit by the coronavirus outbreak , it generates around a third of Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare system was better equipped to cope ( for now at least ) .
On the other hand , it also means the economic toll on the country will be heavier .
So what is the true scale of the epidemic ?
Italy has a fatality rate of around 3.16 % .
Sky 's Thomas Moore said there is suspicion that the number of deaths reported in Italy do not reflect the true scale of the epidemic .
He said researchers from Imperial College London have found that the real number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 in Italy but many with symptoms so mild they do n't realise they have the virus .
Is Italy testing more people than other countries ?
Data from Italy 's ministry of health shows that , as of 2 March , there had been 23,345 tests done - or 386 per million people .
As a comparison , the UK has seen 13,525 tests - 199 per million .
Comparisons with Austria ( 235 tests per million ) and Switzerland ( 214 per million ) could show that perhaps the scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Italy before many other countries .
What has Italy done to try to control the disease 's spread ?
Flights from China were banned from an early stage in the outbreak - but only direct ones , not those with a stopover .
Questions have also been asked about whether an early case was mishandled by a hospital in Codogno , a small town in the north that is the epicentre of Italy 's outbreak and has since been quarantined .
On 21 February , Lombardy announced that the 38-year-old from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tested positive for the virus .
But when he first went to hospital on 18 February , no alarm was raised about his symptoms because he had not been to China .
By the time the nature of his illness was realised , he had infected five health workers and at least one other patient , as well as his pregnant wife and a friend .
Massimo Galli , head of the infectious diseases department at Milan 's Sacco hospital , said he thought the epidemic had probably started well before Mattia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of cases in China really slowing ?
Yes .
The country reported 119 new confirmed cases on 3 March , the lowest number since late January .
China still has , by far , the highest number of cases , with more than 80,000 of the 93,000 reported worldwide .
Some 2,980 of China 's confirmed cases have resulted in death , a rate of 3.71 % .
WHO outbreak expert Maria Van Kerkhove said : `` We scrutinised this data and we believe this decline is real . ''
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be falling , attention is turning to stopping new cases from being brought into China from overseas .
Beijing and Shanghai have said travellers arriving from South Korea , Japan , Iran and Italy - the countries with the worst outbreaks - will have to be in quarantine for 14 days .
Why does China seem to be stemming the spread of the virus ?
A report following a joint WHO-China mission pinpointed three main ways China had started to turn the tide : the speed at which experts isolated the causative virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parameters - such as the route of spread and incubation period .
Dr Bruce Aylward , a Canadian WHO epidemiologist who led the mission , said China had used `` probably the most ambitious and , I would say , agile and aggressive disease containment effort in history '' .
He said China 's approach had been `` turbo-charged with modern science and modern technology in a way that was unimaginable even a few years ago '' .
Two specialist hospitals were built in Wuhan in just over a week , many routine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a 5G platform was rolled out allowing real-time contact and support for investigators in the field - even in remote areas .
But the technology also included surveillance through phone apps such as WeChat to trace contacts of confirmed cases as well as making sure travel restrictions were obeyed .
Events were cancelled , leisure facilities were closed and business in the world 's second-largest economy stopped .
The mission 's report said the Chinese people had reacted to the outbreak `` with courage and conviction '' , accepting and adhering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Mr Aylward added : `` What they 've done has only been possible because of tremendous collective commitment and will of the Chinese people from the most bottom-level community leaders we met and talked to , to the governors at the top . ''
He said China 's approach had `` definitely reverted and probably prevented at least tens of thousands - but probably hundreds of thousands - of cases of COVID-19 in China '' .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or any other country - react the same way ?
As the WHO report says , reacting in the same way as China would require extremely proactive surveillance to immediately detect cases , very rapid diagnoses and immediate case isolation , rigorous tracking and quarantine of close contact and `` an exceptionally high degree of population understanding and acceptance of these measures '' .
Such widespread lockdowns and intrusive surveillance by an authoritarian government would cause problems in any country where citizens valued their rights and their privacy .
Sky 's Thomas Moore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by without the World Health Organisation praising the efforts of China in containing the coronavirus .
`` Hubei province was sealed off , with factories closed and travel banned , in an effort to stop the virus spreading .
`` And if you look at the official figures the strategy seems to have worked , with new cases declining since they peaked at 3,887 on 5 February .
Now there are just over 100 being reported each day .
`` Italy also tried to quarantine the areas affected by COVID-19 , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sealed off 11 towns in the north . ''

Italy is struggling to cope with the increasingly demanding outbreak of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, China - where the disease originated - is reporting a long-awaited slowdown in the number of new cases.
Why has Italy struggled so much with the epidemic?
Italy is the hardest hit country in Europe, and has the second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak outside of China, where the disease originated.
On Wednesday, the Italian government said it was closing schools and universities until 15 March. It has imposed quarantines, suspended football games, shut down events and monuments. A draft decree said the government will even ask people not to shake hands or hug.
But so far Italy has not been able to curb the spread of the disease.
It has reported 107 deaths from 3,089 confirmed cases. Most patients who died were either old or had other conditions.
Sky News science correspondent Thomas Moore said: "One explanation is that Italy has the second-oldest population in the world after Japan, and it's the elderly, particularly those with underlying health conditions, who are at highest risk of serious illness from the coronavirus.
"The alternative explanation favoured by scientists at Imperial College London is that lots of people with mild symptoms, or possibly none at all, are going undetected."
Advertisement
The outbreak struck at the heart of Italy's wealthy north. Lombardy, the region around Italy's financial capital, Milan, is one of the richest and most productive in Europe.
Along with neighbouring Veneto, the other main area hit by the coronavirus outbreak, it generates around a third of Italy's economic output.
This means the healthcare system was better equipped to cope (for now at least). On the other hand, it also means the economic toll on the country will be heavier.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:48 COVID-19: Who is most vulnerable?
So what is the true scale of the epidemic?
Italy has a fatality rate of around 3.16%.
Sky's Thomas Moore said there is suspicion that the number of deaths reported in Italy do not reflect the true scale of the epidemic.
He said researchers from Imperial College London have found that the real number of cases could be between 50,000 and 100,000 cases of COVID-19 in Italy but many with symptoms so mild they don't realise they have the virus.
Is Italy testing more people than other countries?
Data from Italy's ministry of health shows that, as of 2 March, there had been 23,345 tests done - or 386 per million people. As a comparison, the UK has seen 13,525 tests - 199 per million.
Comparisons with Austria (235 tests per million) and Switzerland (214 per million) could show that perhaps the scale of the outbreak is simply being revealed in Italy before many other countries.
What has Italy done to try to control the disease's spread?
Flights from China were banned from an early stage in the outbreak - but only direct ones, not those with a stopover.
Questions have also been asked about whether an early case was mishandled by a hospital in Codogno, a small town in the north that is the epicentre of Italy's outbreak and has since been quarantined.
On 21 February, Lombardy announced that the 38-year-old from the town, named only as Mattia, had tested positive for the virus.
But when he first went to hospital on 18 February, no alarm was raised about his symptoms because he had not been to China. By the time the nature of his illness was realised, he had infected five health workers and at least one other patient, as well as his pregnant wife and a friend.
Massimo Galli, head of the infectious diseases department at Milan's Sacco hospital, said he thought the epidemic had probably started well before Mattia had fallen ill, however.
Is the number of cases in China really slowing?
Yes. The country reported 119 new confirmed cases on 3 March, the lowest number since late January. China still has, by far, the highest number of cases, with more than 80,000 of the 93,000 reported worldwide. Some 2,980 of China's confirmed cases have resulted in death, a rate of 3.71%.
WHO outbreak expert Maria Van Kerkhove said: "We scrutinised this data and we believe this decline is real."
As the number of new cases seems to be falling, attention is turning to stopping new cases from being brought into China from overseas. Beijing and Shanghai have said travellers arriving from South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy - the countries with the worst outbreaks - will have to be in quarantine for 14 days.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:16 How to contain a global pandemic
Why does China seem to be stemming the spread of the virus?
A report following a joint WHO-China mission pinpointed three main ways China had started to turn the tide: the speed at which experts isolated the causative virus, established diagnostic tools and determined transmission parameters - such as the route of spread and incubation period.
Dr Bruce Aylward, a Canadian WHO epidemiologist who led the mission, said China had used "probably the most ambitious and, I would say, agile and aggressive disease containment effort in history".
He said China's approach had been "turbo-charged with modern science and modern technology in a way that was unimaginable even a few years ago".
Two specialist hospitals were built in Wuhan in just over a week, many routine hospital provisions were transferred to online platforms, and a 5G platform was rolled out allowing real-time contact and support for investigators in the field - even in remote areas.
Image: Train passengers use their mobile phones to show their health status at Wenzhou railway station in China
But the technology also included surveillance through phone apps such as WeChat to trace contacts of confirmed cases as well as making sure travel restrictions were obeyed. Events were cancelled, leisure facilities were closed and business in the world's second-largest economy stopped.
The mission's report said the Chinese people had reacted to the outbreak "with courage and conviction", accepting and adhering to "the starkest of containment measures".
Mr Aylward added: "What they've done has only been possible because of tremendous collective commitment and will of the Chinese people from the most bottom-level community leaders we met and talked to, to the governors at the top."
He said China's approach had "definitely reverted and probably prevented at least tens of thousands - but probably hundreds of thousands - of cases of COVID-19 in China".
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Why can't Italy - or any other country - react the same way?
As the WHO report says, reacting in the same way as China would require extremely proactive surveillance to immediately detect cases, very rapid diagnoses and immediate case isolation, rigorous tracking and quarantine of close contact and "an exceptionally high degree of population understanding and acceptance of these measures".
Such widespread lockdowns and intrusive surveillance by an authoritarian government would cause problems in any country where citizens valued their rights and their privacy.
Sky's Thomas Moore added: "Hardly a day goes by without the World Health Organisation praising the efforts of China in containing the coronavirus.
"Hubei province was sealed off, with factories closed and travel banned, in an effort to stop the virus spreading.
"And if you look at the official figures the strategy seems to have worked, with new cases declining since they peaked at 3,887 on 5 February. Now there are just over 100 being reported each day.
"Italy also tried to quarantine the areas affected by COVID-19, but the virus had already spread before the authorities sealed off 11 towns in the north."


news--2020-03-03--Coronavirus: 'Scaremongering' adverts for face masks banned

Two companies have been banned from using `` scaremongering '' adverts for face masks which made false claims about their ability to stop the coronavirus from spreading .
The Advertising Standards Authority ( ASA ) said the adverts were `` misleading , irresponsible and likely to cause fear without justifiable reason '' .
Adverts by Easy Shopping 4 Home Ltd appeared on the Amazon website , while Novads OU advertised its Oxybreath Pro mask on the Scottish Sun website via the Taboola network , as well as on CNN.com and other sites .
One of the Oxybreath Pro adverts said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say that there is a growing sense of panic .
`` The best advice I 've heard is to stay calm and take practical measures to protect yourself .
`` One of the best ways to protect yourself is to get a high-quality face mask that can protect you from : viruses , bacteria , and other air pollutants . ''
Another advert said : `` New nano tech face mask is selling out fast in United Kingdom . ''
Advice from Public Health England does not recommend the use of masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The World Health Organisation ( WHO ) also says healthy people should only wear a mask if they are caring for a person suspected of being infected with the virus .
There is little evidence of their effectiveness outside of clinical settings and those who wear them improperly are more likely to touch their faces frequently , increasing the risk of infection .
The ASA said the adverts were in breach of its code and ordered the two companies not to repeat their claims .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Spreaker A spokesman for the ASA said : `` Our rules require that UK ads are truthful and responsible .
`` The ads were misleading because the claims went against advice offered by the public health authority and irresponsible because they were alarmist and played on people 's fears . ''

Two companies have been banned from using "scaremongering" adverts for face masks which made false claims about their ability to stop the coronavirus from spreading.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the adverts were "misleading, irresponsible and likely to cause fear without justifiable reason".
Adverts by Easy Shopping 4 Home Ltd appeared on the Amazon website, while Novads OU advertised its Oxybreath Pro mask on the Scottish Sun website via the Taboola network, as well as on CNN.com and other sites.
Image: A listing on Amazon was banned
Image: The ads were described as 'misleading'
One of the Oxybreath Pro adverts said: "It would be an understatement to say that there is a growing sense of panic.
"The best advice I've heard is to stay calm and take practical measures to protect yourself.
"One of the best ways to protect yourself is to get a high-quality face mask that can protect you from: viruses, bacteria, and other air pollutants."
Another advert said: "New nano tech face mask is selling out fast in United Kingdom."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:51 Coronavirus: How bad will it get?
Advice from Public Health England does not recommend the use of masks to protect the public from coronavirus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also says healthy people should only wear a mask if they are caring for a person suspected of being infected with the virus.
Advertisement
There is little evidence of their effectiveness outside of clinical settings and those who wear them improperly are more likely to touch their faces frequently, increasing the risk of infection.
The ASA said the adverts were in breach of its code and ordered the two companies not to repeat their claims.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
A spokesman for the ASA said: "Our rules require that UK ads are truthful and responsible.
"The ads were misleading because the claims went against advice offered by the public health authority and irresponsible because they were alarmist and played on people's fears."


news--2020-03-04--Prince William jokes he and Kate are 'spreading' coronavirus

The Duke of Cambridge made a joke about `` spreading '' the coronavirus on the first day of his Irish tour .
The royal also questioned whether the illness , which has killed 3,190 worldwide , was being `` a little hyped up '' in the media .
His comments during a reception at the Guinness Storehouse emerged as he and Kate - who are on a three-day visit to Ireland - are taking advice on the coronavirus threat but will continue meeting people as usual .
He joked : `` By the way , the Duke and Duchess of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 're keeping an eye on that , so do tell us if we need to stop . ''
William spoke about the infection as he chatted to emergency workers at a reception hosted by Britain 's ambassador to Ireland , Robin Barnett , in Dublin .
He asked Joe Mooney , an advance paramedic with the National Ambulance Service : `` I bet everyone 's like ' I 've got coronavirus , I 'm dying , ' and you 're like 'No , you 've just got a cough . '
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus at the moment ?
Is it being a little bit hyped up , do you think , in the media ? ''
It is unclear how the paramedic responded .
The duke and duchess shook hands with dozens of people following advice they were given .
A royal source said the couple were following guidance from Public Health England and the Department of Health and that meant `` business for usual '' for now .
The source said : `` This is a discussion we have been having and everything we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Queen had earlier taken her own precautions , wearing gloves to present honours during an investiture ceremony .
Buckingham Palace declined to confirm whether the monarch was wearing the gloves to protect herself from the outbreak .
The government and health officials are currently attempting to contain the spread of coronavirus - with the number of confirmed UK cases standing at 53 - and hope to push the worst of an outbreak into the summer months , when there is less pressure on NHS services .
There are more than 93,100 confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University , which is tracking the outbreak .
It says there have been more than 3,190 deaths .
During their first day of their tour , William and Kate enjoyed a pint of Guinness at major tourist attraction the Storehouse , with William toasting his hosts in Gaelic and raising his pint saying `` Slainte '' .
The royal couple were also introduced to groups of guests from film and TV , sports , sustainability and environment , creative and cultural Ireland , education and research , the charity sector and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liam Cunningham , who played Davos Seaworth in the HBO series , and Misfits actor Robert Sheehan , comedian Deirdre O'Kane and actors Sarah Bolger and Orla Brady were among the guests who met William and Kate .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Turning the subject to Brexit , the couple made time to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins at the statesman 's official residence Aras an Uachtarain where they discussed the implications of leaving the EU .
They also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three-day tour will focus on the themes of reconciliation , youth , culture , sustainability and the environment , and will include visits to the counties of Meath , Kildare and Galway .

The Duke of Cambridge made a joke about "spreading" the coronavirus on the first day of his Irish tour.
The royal also questioned whether the illness, which has killed 3,190 worldwide, was being "a little hyped up" in the media.
His comments during a reception at the Guinness Storehouse emerged as he and Kate - who are on a three-day visit to Ireland - are taking advice on the coronavirus threat but will continue meeting people as usual.
He joked: "By the way, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spreading coronavirus, sorry.
"We're keeping an eye on that, so do tell us if we need to stop."
William spoke about the infection as he chatted to emergency workers at a reception hosted by Britain's ambassador to Ireland, Robin Barnett, in Dublin.
He asked Joe Mooney, an advance paramedic with the National Ambulance Service: "I bet everyone's like 'I've got coronavirus, I'm dying,' and you're like 'No, you've just got a cough.'
"Does it seem quite dramatic about coronavirus at the moment? Is it being a little bit hyped up, do you think, in the media?"
It is unclear how the paramedic responded.
Advertisement
The duke and duchess shook hands with dozens of people following advice they were given.
A royal source said the couple were following guidance from Public Health England and the Department of Health and that meant "business for usual" for now.
The source said: "This is a discussion we have been having and everything we are doing should continue as usual."
The Queen had earlier taken her own precautions, wearing gloves to present honours during an investiture ceremony.
Buckingham Palace declined to confirm whether the monarch was wearing the gloves to protect herself from the outbreak.
Image: The royal couple walk around the grounds of Aras an Uachtarain with President Michael D Higgins and wife Sabina Coyne
The government and health officials are currently attempting to contain the spread of coronavirus - with the number of confirmed UK cases standing at 53 - and hope to push the worst of an outbreak into the summer months, when there is less pressure on NHS services.
There are more than 93,100 confirmed and suspected cases globally, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the outbreak. It says there have been more than 3,190 deaths.
During their first day of their tour, William and Kate enjoyed a pint of Guinness at major tourist attraction the Storehouse, with William toasting his hosts in Gaelic and raising his pint saying "Slainte".
The royal couple were also introduced to groups of guests from film and TV, sports, sustainability and environment, creative and cultural Ireland, education and research, the charity sector and uniformed services.
Game Of Thrones star Liam Cunningham, who played Davos Seaworth in the HBO series, and Misfits actor Robert Sheehan, comedian Deirdre O'Kane and actors Sarah Bolger and Orla Brady were among the guests who met William and Kate.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Turning the subject to Brexit, the couple made time to meet Irish President Michael D Higgins at the statesman's official residence Aras an Uachtarain where they discussed the implications of leaving the EU. They also met outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
The three-day tour will focus on the themes of reconciliation, youth, culture, sustainability and the environment, and will include visits to the counties of Meath, Kildare and Galway.


news--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: 87 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in UK after biggest daily jump

The UK has seen its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases , with 87 people now confirmed to have the virus .
Thirty-six new patients in the UK have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by coronavirus , it was announced on Wednesday - with 32 in England , two in Scotland and two in Northern Ireland .
The Department of Health said three of the new cases in England contracted the virus in the UK , raising fears that community transmission may now be taking hold .
It comes after England 's chief medical officer told Sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain is `` almost certain '' with `` some deaths '' expected .
The list of new UK coronavirus cases include : • Three people in Trafford , Greater Manchester , who had all recently travelled to northern Italy • Two people from Carlisle who had also recently returned from northern Italy .
One is a member of healthcare staff at the Cumberland Infirmary • Two Scottish patients from the Grampian and Ayrshire areas .
One had travelled to northern Italy and the other had contact with a person who was known to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland including one who had travelled from northern Italy .
The other had recent contact with a person in the UK with COVID-19 .
Queen 's University Belfast confirmed one of the cases was `` within the university '' • Two people in South Ribble , Lancashire , who had recently travelled to Italy and were isolating themselves at home • Two patients at Kings College Hospital in south London • A person in Newcastle who tested positive for COVID-19 • A patient who was admitted to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester • A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city 's mayor Joe Anderson • A person in Oldham , Greater Manchester , who was infected while in northern Italy • A visitor to Goldsmiths , University of London , according to an email sent to students Of the 87 cases in the UK , there are 80 in England , three in Scotland , three in Northern Ireland and one in Wales .
Four new cases were also confirmed in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday , bringing the total in the country to six .
The new cases - two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from northern Italy and were reported to be members of the same family .
Professor Chris Whitty , England 's chief medical officer , who has been helping to coordinate the government 's planning for a potential COVID-19 epidemic , highlighted a six-week window in which the UK 's action could be stepped up .
He said the disease was spreading significantly across the world , including Europe , so it was unlikely the UK would `` escape '' a major hit , which he said could last for up to several months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens is they start off very slowly and then they gradually gather momentum and then they suddenly go up relatively fast , '' he told Sky News ' Kay Burley @ Breakfast show .
`` [ It 's ] almost certain there will be more cases in the UK , probably a lot more cases ... and we would expect some deaths . ''
Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday about the international response to the coronavirus outbreak , Downing Street said .
Mr Johnson had earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone self-isolating due to coronavirus is paid from day one rather than day four as current rules state .
He told MPs that people who self-isolate are `` helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus '' .
In its 27-page plan to deal with a major outbreak , the government has said up to one in five workers could be off sick during a peak in coronavirus cases .
In a worst case scenario , it said up to 80 % of the population could become infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a relatively high death rate among the elderly and frail .
Police could be reduced to dealing with very serious crimes only , and the army drafted in , if necessary , to maintain public order , according to the plan .
The government has said it would consider closing schools , encourage working from home and the reduction of large-scale gatherings to slow the spread of the disease .
Non-urgent medical procedures could also be postponed , should the NHS be closed to all but those in need of critical care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be delayed in the event of a `` coronavirus epidemic wave '' .
He added that a face mask was only really useful to people who have already been diagnosed with COVID-19 , for stopping the spread of infection .
A letter to NHS trusts has been published telling them to ramp up their plans for tackling the virus , including seeing patients via video-link .
The government has also launched an advertising campaign in the fight against coronavirus , with hand-washing the central advice .
People should wash their hands for 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand sanitiser , with the adverts stressing the importance of coughing or sneezing into tissues .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker A woman told Sky News she has stockpiled food , medicine and surgical masks due to fears about coronavirus .
The woman , who asked not to be named , said she had been on `` high alert '' for several weeks , adding : `` I do n't think I agree with panic buying , it 's disruptive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people stock up with things in their house for at least two weeks . ''
However , Sir Patrick Vallance , the government 's chief scientific adviser , said earlier this week that `` there is absolutely no reason to be doing any panic buying of any sort or going out and keeping large supplies of things '' .
On Tuesday , NHS England declared coronavirus a level four incident - the highest level of emergency preparedness planning .
Under the level four alert , all hospitals in England have been told to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look after COVID-19 cases in due course '' .
• 107 people in Italy have died in Europe 's biggest outbreak , as the country considers closing all schools , universities , cinemas , theatres and most public events until mid-March .
All sporting events will be played behind closed doors until April • The quarantined dog of a coronavirus patient in Hong Kong could be the first case of human-to-animal transmission , animal health experts said • The World Health Organisation said about 3.4 % of those diagnosed with COVID-19 have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 12bn ( £9.3bn ) to assist countries grappling with the health and economic impacts of the outbreak • Scientists in China studying the outbreak say they have found that two main strains of the virus are circulating in humans and causing infections • More than 94,000 confirmed and suspected cases have been recorded globally , including more than 3,200 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University , which is tracking the outbreak

The UK has seen its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases, with 87 people now confirmed to have the virus.
Thirty-six new patients in the UK have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, it was announced on Wednesday - with 32 in England, two in Scotland and two in Northern Ireland.
The Department of Health said three of the new cases in England contracted the virus in the UK, raising fears that community transmission may now be taking hold.
It comes after England's chief medical officer told Sky News that a serious coronavirus outbreak in Britain is "almost certain" with "some deaths" expected.
The list of new UK coronavirus cases include:
Three people in Trafford, Greater Manchester, who had all recently travelled to northern Italy
Two people from Carlisle who had also recently returned from northern Italy. One is a member of healthcare staff at the Cumberland Infirmary
Two Scottish patients from the Grampian and Ayrshire areas. One had travelled to northern Italy and the other had contact with a person who was known to have COVID-19
Two people in Northern Ireland including one who had travelled from northern Italy. The other had recent contact with a person in the UK with COVID-19. Queen's University Belfast confirmed one of the cases was "within the university"
Two people in South Ribble, Lancashire, who had recently travelled to Italy and were isolating themselves at home
Two patients at Kings College Hospital in south London
A person in Newcastle who tested positive for COVID-19
A patient who was admitted to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester
A case in Liverpool, according to the city's mayor Joe Anderson
A person in Oldham, Greater Manchester, who was infected while in northern Italy
A visitor to Goldsmiths, University of London, according to an email sent to students
Image: A man on the London Underground wears a face mask
Of the 87 cases in the UK, there are 80 in England, three in Scotland, three in Northern Ireland and one in Wales.
Four new cases were also confirmed in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday, bringing the total in the country to six. The new cases - two males and two females - had travelled from northern Italy and were reported to be members of the same family.
Professor Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, who has been helping to coordinate the government's planning for a potential COVID-19 epidemic, highlighted a six-week window in which the UK's action could be stepped up.
Image: A woman in a face mask at Green Park station in central London
He said the disease was spreading significantly across the world, including Europe, so it was unlikely the UK would "escape" a major hit, which he said could last for up to several months.
Advertisement
"With all epidemics, what happens is they start off very slowly and then they gradually gather momentum and then they suddenly go up relatively fast," he told Sky News' Kay Burley@Breakfast show.
"[It's] almost certain there will be more cases in the UK, probably a lot more cases... and we would expect some deaths."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday about the international response to the coronavirus outbreak, Downing Street said.
Mr Johnson had earlier announced new sick pay changes so that anyone self-isolating due to coronavirus is paid from day one rather than day four as current rules state.
He told MPs that people who self-isolate are "helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus".
In its 27-page plan to deal with a major outbreak, the government has said up to one in five workers could be off sick during a peak in coronavirus cases.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:33 PM announces sick pay change
In a worst case scenario, it said up to 80% of the population could become infected, with people hospitalised with pneumonia and a relatively high death rate among the elderly and frail.
Police could be reduced to dealing with very serious crimes only, and the army drafted in, if necessary, to maintain public order, according to the plan.
The government has said it would consider closing schools, encourage working from home and the reduction of large-scale gatherings to slow the spread of the disease.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:54 Coronavirus: UK's strategy explained
Non-urgent medical procedures could also be postponed, should the NHS be closed to all but those in need of critical care.
Prof Whitty said such procedures would only be delayed in the event of a "coronavirus epidemic wave".
He added that a face mask was only really useful to people who have already been diagnosed with COVID-19, for stopping the spread of infection.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:13 Department of Health coronavirus advice
A letter to NHS trusts has been published telling them to ramp up their plans for tackling the virus, including seeing patients via video-link.
The government has also launched an advertising campaign in the fight against coronavirus, with hand-washing the central advice.
People should wash their hands for 20 seconds and use soap and water or hand sanitiser, with the adverts stressing the importance of coughing or sneezing into tissues.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
A woman told Sky News she has stockpiled food, medicine and surgical masks due to fears about coronavirus.
The woman, who asked not to be named, said she had been on "high alert" for several weeks, adding: "I don't think I agree with panic buying, it's disruptive for people, but it is really important people stock up with things in their house for at least two weeks."
However, Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's chief scientific adviser, said earlier this week that "there is absolutely no reason to be doing any panic buying of any sort or going out and keeping large supplies of things".
Image: A woman told Sky News she has stockpiled food due to fears about the coronavirus
On Tuesday, NHS England declared coronavirus a level four incident - the highest level of emergency preparedness planning.
Under the level four alert, all hospitals in England have been told to "assume that they will need to look after COVID-19 cases in due course".
In other global developments:
107 people in Italy have died in Europe's biggest outbreak, as the country considers closing all schools, universities, cinemas, theatres and most public events until mid-March. All sporting events will be played behind closed doors until April
Iran announced 92 people have died from coronavirus
The quarantined dog of a coronavirus patient in Hong Kong could be the first case of human-to-animal transmission, animal health experts said
The World Health Organisation said about 3.4% of those diagnosed with COVID-19 have died
The World Bank announced an initial $12bn (£9.3bn) to assist countries grappling with the health and economic impacts of the outbreak
Scientists in China studying the outbreak say they have found that two main strains of the virus are circulating in humans and causing infections
More than 94,000 confirmed and suspected cases have been recorded globally, including more than 3,200 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the outbreak
Virus Outbreak: Global Emergency - Watch a special Sky News programme on coronavirus at 6pm weekdays


news--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: PM announces changes to sick pay to tackle outbreak

Workers who need to self-isolate because of coronavirus will be eligible for sick pay from the first day they are off , Boris Johnson has announced .
The prime minister told MPs that the rules would be changed as part of forthcoming emergency legislation to tackle the outbreak of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
At the moment , sick pay is paid from the fourth day someone is absent from work due to illness .
The number of UK cases now stands at 85 .
Earlier , England 's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK is `` almost certain '' with `` some deaths '' expected .
Mr Johnson revealed the government 's plan for tackling coronavirus on Tuesday , and the issue dominated exchanges between him and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during PMQs .
Mr Johnson said those who self-isolate are `` helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus '' .
`` If they stay at home and if we ask people to self-isolate , they may lose out financially , '' he told the House of Commons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the health secretary will bring forward , as part of our emergency coronavirus legislation , measures to allow the payment of statutory sick pay from the very first day you are sick instead of four days under the current rules , and I think that 's the right way forward .
`` Nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing . ''
The government has come under pressure in recent days to act to compensate employees who follow health advice and do not go into work .
According to its coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers could be off sick during a peak in cases .
Mr Corbyn welcomed the move , but pressed Mr Johnson on whether the change would apply to workers not entitled to statutory sick pay so they would not need to make the `` terrible choice between health and hardship '' .
The PM said he was `` very much aware '' of the issues confronting the self-employed and those on zero-hours contracts , adding that `` some of them will be entitled to statutory sick pay , a great many '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcement was an `` important step forward '' , but was still `` not enough '' , pointing out that two million workers `` still do n't earn enough to qualify for statutory sick pay '' .
`` They ca n't afford not to work .
And statutory sick pay still is n't enough to live on , '' she said .
`` Government must go further to ensure that no one is penalised for doing the right thing . ''
CBI deputy director-general Josh Hardie said : `` Employers have a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is put into practice fairly .
Making statutory sick pay available from day one is an important first step . ''
The Resolution foundation think-tank said the move `` goes some way to reassuring workers '' .
Listen to the Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker But its research director Laura Gardiner said the change would not help an estimated five million self-employed workers and around two million employees who earned less than £118-a-week , the minimum level to qualify for payments .
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , police could be reduced to just dealing with very serious crimes and maintaining public order , while the NHS could be closed to all but critical care .
• Police would `` concentrate on responding to serious crimes '' if they lose a `` significant '' amount of staff to illness • UK has stockpiles of medicines for the NHS , along with protective clothing and equipment for medical staff • If coronavirus becomes widespread , there will be a focus on essential services for those `` most at risk '' • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as needed • There will be increased government communication with parliament , the public and the media • Social distancing strategies could be implemented , which would include school closures , home-working , and reducing the number of large scale gatherings • Non-urgent operations and procedures could be cancelled and hospital discharges monitored to free up beds • Measures would come into place to help businesses with short-term cash flow problems • A distribution strategy for sending out key medicines and equipment to NHS and social care patients

Workers who need to self-isolate because of coronavirus will be eligible for sick pay from the first day they are off, Boris Johnson has announced.
The prime minister told MPs that the rules would be changed as part of forthcoming emergency legislation to tackle the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
At the moment, sick pay is paid from the fourth day someone is absent from work due to illness.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:54 Coronavirus: UK's strategy explained
The number of UK cases now stands at 85.
Earlier, England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty told Sky News that a serious outbreak in the UK is "almost certain" with "some deaths" expected.
Mr Johnson revealed the government's plan for tackling coronavirus on Tuesday, and the issue dominated exchanges between him and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during PMQs.
Mr Johnson said those who self-isolate are "helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus".
"If they stay at home and if we ask people to self-isolate, they may lose out financially," he told the House of Commons.
"So, I can today announce that the health secretary will bring forward, as part of our emergency coronavirus legislation, measures to allow the payment of statutory sick pay from the very first day you are sick instead of four days under the current rules, and I think that's the right way forward.
Advertisement
"Nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:13 Coronavirus adverts launched
The government has come under pressure in recent days to act to compensate employees who follow health advice and do not go into work.
According to its coronavirus blueprint, up to one in five workers could be off sick during a peak in cases.
Mr Corbyn welcomed the move, but pressed Mr Johnson on whether the change would apply to workers not entitled to statutory sick pay so they would not need to make the "terrible choice between health and hardship".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:51 Coronavirus: How bad will it get?
The PM said he was "very much aware" of the issues confronting the self-employed and those on zero-hours contracts, adding that "some of them will be entitled to statutory sick pay, a great many".
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said the announcement was an "important step forward", but was still "not enough", pointing out that two million workers "still don't earn enough to qualify for statutory sick pay".
"They can't afford not to work. And statutory sick pay still isn't enough to live on," she said.
"Government must go further to ensure that no one is penalised for doing the right thing."
CBI deputy director-general Josh Hardie said: "Employers have a big role to play in ensuring that self-isolation is put into practice fairly. Making statutory sick pay available from day one is an important first step."
The Resolution foundation think-tank said the move "goes some way to reassuring workers".
Listen to the Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
But its research director Laura Gardiner said the change would not help an estimated five million self-employed workers and around two million employees who earned less than £118-a-week, the minimum level to qualify for payments.
Under the government's plan to tackle coronavirus, police could be reduced to just dealing with very serious crimes and maintaining public order, while the NHS could be closed to all but critical care.
Other key points include:
Police would "concentrate on responding to serious crimes" if they lose a "significant" amount of staff to illness
UK has stockpiles of medicines for the NHS, along with protective clothing and equipment for medical staff
If coronavirus becomes widespread, there will be a focus on essential services for those "most at risk"
The Ministry of Defence will provide support as needed
There will be increased government communication with parliament, the public and the media
Social distancing strategies could be implemented, which would include school closures, home-working, and reducing the number of large scale gatherings
Non-urgent operations and procedures could be cancelled and hospital discharges monitored to free up beds
Measures would come into place to help businesses with short-term cash flow problems
A distribution strategy for sending out key medicines and equipment to NHS and social care patients
Virus Outbreak: Global Emergency - Watch a special Sky News programme on coronavirus at 6pm weekdays


news--2020-03-03--Coronavirus outbreak: These are the best and worst-case scenarios

Scientists are racing to learn more about the coronavirus outbreak as cases of the infection rise globally .
The more that authorities and health officials know about how a virus is spreading , the better they are able to contain it .
One method scientists are using is mathematical modelling , which allows them to analyse the progress of a current outbreak and predict what might happen next - as well as how likely it is .
Sky News has spoken to two epidemiologists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine about what they predict could happen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Professor Mark Jit is an expert on the mathematical modelling of infectious diseases and has contributed to a report on the feasibility of controlling COVID-19 outbreaks .
He also works in the modelling and economics unit of Public Health England .
Dr Adam Kucharski is also an expert on infectious diseases and mathematical modelling , and has written extensively about how epidemics spread .
There are hopes the COVID-19 outbreak could end in a similar way to 2002 's severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS ) outbreak in Asia , which infected more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strict measures to contain SARS , including isolating patients and tracing those they had come into contact with .
The virus was effectively stamped out and there have been no confirmed cases since 2004 .
But , as Prof Jit explained , COVID-19 has different characteristics to SARS which make it harder to contain .
He said : `` There does n't seem to be any reason why [ COVID-19 ] would simply disappear .
`` COVID-19 looks like it 's more transmittable and , probably even more importantly , it looks likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some extent even when patients are asymptomatic and definitely when they have a very mild disease , which was quite rare for SARS .
`` It looks like it will be much harder to contain and so , unlike SARS , it looks less likely that it will be contained through these same methods . ''
As we are still using these methods to contain the virus , he says , we would need to identify those who have been infected before they start passing it on to anyone else .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to contain the spread ?
`` I would n't put money on that , '' he says .
`` I think it 's not impossible that we will manage to contain it .
It does n't look like the most likely outcome . ''
But , he says , he would not rule it out as a best-case scenario .
Prof Jit says there are a couple of groups of scientists working on a vaccine , which appears `` promising '' .
Following the SARS outbreak , it took researchers about 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human trials .
However , Dr Kucharski says a vaccine is unlikely to be widely available by the end of this year .
Prof Jit says it could take `` years rather than months '' for a vaccine to reach the general population .
`` This is n't a solution for 2020 - it might be a solution in the longer term , '' he says .
`` Even the most optimistic projections will suggest that the time before the vaccine can be used at a population level rather than just in clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be measured in years rather than months . ''
Could the virus become a pandemic ?
Pandemics are widespread infectious diseases which affect a large number of people worldwide .
The World Health Organisation ( WHO ) has so far stopped short of declaring COVID-19 a pandemic , although Prof Jit believes we are not far away from this scenario .
`` I think it 's almost guaranteed it will be a pandemic , if it 's not already , '' he says .
`` At the moment , we have ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places in the world , within mainland China and definitely continuing in Hubei and possibly some other parts of China .
`` There have been a number of cases in Italy and Iran and South Korea that seem to be consistent with ongoing transmission .
`` It looks likely that the virus is going to continue to spread and we 're going to continue to have cases in the UK . ''
Could the population become immune ?
With most viruses , those who have been infected already will be immune to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't know for sure people will be immune [ to COVID-19 ] , but there 's no reason to suspect they wo n't , '' says Prof Jit .
Dr Kucharski says that in countries with a large number of cases , there could be an `` accumulation of immunity '' .
In countries where the infection is uncontrolled - roughly doubling in cases each week or so - most of the population could become immune within three or four months .
However , Prof Jit says this does not necessarily mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population 's immunity could wane over a period of time - and as more people are born , there will be more people who have not got immunity .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Another possible scenario is the virus could mutate `` very quickly to evade immunity '' .
Prof Jit says it is an `` open question '' as to whether the virus would mutate .
Even if this is the case , he says that a period where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world some `` breathing space before the next wave comes '' .
Will health services be under strain ?
Reports of worst-case scenario plans for the UK suggest four out of five people could contract COVID-19 , with up to 500,000 deaths .
Dr Kucharski says this model is likely based on a scenario where there are no control measures in place and reflective of a `` totally uncontrolled spread '' .
Prof Jit says it is `` not impossible '' that 60 % of the population could become infected - but warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease is .
`` In terms of the number of deaths , I think it 's very hard to speculate at this time . ''
He says one of the challenges for the UK is being able to slow the spread of infections so that hospitals are not overwhelmed by large numbers of patients at once .
`` Then we will have hopefully enough hospital beds , enough ICU beds , to give everyone who needs it adequate treatment . ''
The issue will be if the virus spreads too rapidly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who get infected and a large proportion of them need hospital care ... if you have a million people wanting to get admitted to hospital and it 's all within two weeks , that makes it a much worse situation than if it 's spread over two months , '' Prof Jit says .
The situation could be even worse in countries which are less developed than Britain .
`` In some parts of the world , the capacity to [ treat patients ] is much smaller than in the UK .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ What is the best-case scenario ?
Although the best-case scenario is the virus can be contained , Prof Jit says this is unlikely .
A second-best eventuality is that countries will be able to slow the spread of the coronavirus , he says .
`` We may be able to also push it into the summer months when maybe the virus is not as active and we wo n't have , as in winter , the pressures that come from winter vomiting bug and everything else to take up hospital capacity . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` we will be able to ensure that people get the care they need and we can do our best to minimise the number of people who die '' .

Scientists are racing to learn more about the coronavirus outbreak as cases of the infection rise globally.
The more that authorities and health officials know about how a virus is spreading, the better they are able to contain it.
One method scientists are using is mathematical modelling, which allows them to analyse the progress of a current outbreak and predict what might happen next - as well as how likely it is.
Image: This is what COVID-19 looks like under the microscope. Pic: NIAID-RML
Sky News has spoken to two epidemiologists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine about what they predict could happen, including the best and worst-case scenarios.
Professor Mark Jit is an expert on the mathematical modelling of infectious diseases and has contributed to a report on the feasibility of controlling COVID-19 outbreaks.
He also works in the modelling and economics unit of Public Health England.
Dr Adam Kucharski is also an expert on infectious diseases and mathematical modelling, and has written extensively about how epidemics spread.
Could the virus simply disappear?
There are hopes the COVID-19 outbreak could end in a similar way to 2002's severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Asia, which infected more than 8,000 people.
Advertisement
Affected countries imposed strict measures to contain SARS, including isolating patients and tracing those they had come into contact with.
The virus was effectively stamped out and there have been no confirmed cases since 2004.
But, as Prof Jit explained, COVID-19 has different characteristics to SARS which make it harder to contain.
He said: "There doesn't seem to be any reason why [COVID-19] would simply disappear.
"COVID-19 looks like it's more transmittable and, probably even more importantly, it looks likely that it is able to be transmitted to some extent even when patients are asymptomatic and definitely when they have a very mild disease, which was quite rare for SARS.
"It looks like it will be much harder to contain and so, unlike SARS, it looks less likely that it will be contained through these same methods."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:16 How to contain a global pandemic
As we are still using these methods to contain the virus, he says, we would need to identify those who have been infected before they start passing it on to anyone else.
So what is the likelihood we will be able to contain the spread?
"I wouldn't put money on that," he says.
"I think it's not impossible that we will manage to contain it. It doesn't look like the most likely outcome."
But, he says, he would not rule it out as a best-case scenario.
Image: A woman wears a mask on Wall Street, New York
Could a vaccine be created?
Prof Jit says there are a couple of groups of scientists working on a vaccine, which appears "promising".
Following the SARS outbreak, it took researchers about 20 months to develop a vaccine ready for human trials.
However, Dr Kucharski says a vaccine is unlikely to be widely available by the end of this year.
Prof Jit says it could take "years rather than months" for a vaccine to reach the general population.
"This isn't a solution for 2020 - it might be a solution in the longer term," he says.
"Even the most optimistic projections will suggest that the time before the vaccine can be used at a population level rather than just in clinical trials among a small number of people will be measured in years rather than months."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:43 COVID-19 'likely to spread' - Johnson
Could the virus become a pandemic?
Pandemics are widespread infectious diseases which affect a large number of people worldwide.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has so far stopped short of declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, although Prof Jit believes we are not far away from this scenario.
"I think it's almost guaranteed it will be a pandemic, if it's not already," he says.
"At the moment, we have ongoing transmission of COVID-19 in quite a few places in the world, within mainland China and definitely continuing in Hubei and possibly some other parts of China.
"There have been a number of cases in Italy and Iran and South Korea that seem to be consistent with ongoing transmission.
"It looks likely that the virus is going to continue to spread and we're going to continue to have cases in the UK."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:31 Will the Olympics be cancelled?
Could the population become immune?
With most viruses, those who have been infected already will be immune to the same strain in future.
"We don't know for sure people will be immune [to COVID-19], but there's no reason to suspect they won't," says Prof Jit.
Dr Kucharski says that in countries with a large number of cases, there could be an "accumulation of immunity".
In countries where the infection is uncontrolled - roughly doubling in cases each week or so - most of the population could become immune within three or four months.
However, Prof Jit says this does not necessarily mean the virus will die out.
The population's immunity could wane over a period of time - and as more people are born, there will be more people who have not got immunity.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Another possible scenario is the virus could mutate "very quickly to evade immunity".
Prof Jit says it is an "open question" as to whether the virus would mutate.
Even if this is the case, he says that a period where most people are immune would give the world some "breathing space before the next wave comes".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:18 Angela Merkel's handshake rejected
Will health services be under strain?
Reports of worst-case scenario plans for the UK suggest four out of five people could contract COVID-19, with up to 500,000 deaths.
Dr Kucharski says this model is likely based on a scenario where there are no control measures in place and reflective of a "totally uncontrolled spread".
Prof Jit says it is "not impossible" that 60% of the population could become infected - but warned it is not yet clear how deadly the disease is.
"In terms of the number of deaths, I think it's very hard to speculate at this time."
Image: A patient is transferred by an ambulance to hospital in Hong Kong
He says one of the challenges for the UK is being able to slow the spread of infections so that hospitals are not overwhelmed by large numbers of patients at once.
"Then we will have hopefully enough hospital beds, enough ICU beds, to give everyone who needs it adequate treatment."
The issue will be if the virus spreads too rapidly.
"If we have a few million people who get infected and a large proportion of them need hospital care... if you have a million people wanting to get admitted to hospital and it's all within two weeks, that makes it a much worse situation than if it's spread over two months," Prof Jit says.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:48 How an NHS call centre is dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak
The situation could be even worse in countries which are less developed than Britain.
"In some parts of the world, the capacity to [treat patients] is much smaller than in the UK.
"That is very worrying."
Image: A passenger wears a surgical face mask as they wait for a train
What is the best-case scenario?
Although the best-case scenario is the virus can be contained, Prof Jit says this is unlikely.
A second-best eventuality is that countries will be able to slow the spread of the coronavirus, he says.
"We may be able to also push it into the summer months when maybe the virus is not as active and we won't have, as in winter, the pressures that come from winter vomiting bug and everything else to take up hospital capacity."
If the epidemic is slower moving, "we will be able to ensure that people get the care they need and we can do our best to minimise the number of people who die".


news--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: Services sector growth slows on weak travel demand

The coronavirus outbreak has put the brakes on growth in Britain 's dominant services sector , new figures suggest .
Closely-watched monthly data showed that an upturn seen in the wake of the election had slowed in February partly due to disruption in the travel industry and an impact on sales to overseas markets .
The sprawling services sector , which ranges from restaurants and hotels to law and financial firms , represents 80 % of UK economic output .
Figures from the IHS Markit/CIPS purchasing managers ' index showed a reading of 53.2 for February - on a scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is down from 53.9 in January , suggesting that a post-election so-called `` Boris bounce '' for the UK in the wake of the December general election has been dragged back down to earth by the spread of the virus .
It comes as the Bank of England faces calls to follow the US Federal Reserve in cutting interest rates to cushion the economic impact of the outbreak .
America 's central bank said it was responding to `` evolving risks to economic activity '' posed by the coronavirus though Fed chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what it could do .
`` We do recognise that a rate cut will not reduce the rate of infection , it wo n't fix a broken supply chain ; we get that , we do n't think we have all the answers , '' Mr Powell said .
The Fed 's surprise rate cut on Tuesday failed to cheer Wall Street in the way that might have been expected - sending the Dow Jones 3 % lower by the close .
However , markets in Europe responded positively on Wednesday with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was confirmed after the market close that Kingfisher , the owner of B & Q and Screwfix , and holiday operator TUI were to be relegated from the index from 20 March under the quarterly review of its constituent companies by market value .
TUI was among firms worst hit in the COVID-19 share price panic of last week but it had already seen its value under pressure amid tough trading and exposure to the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet .
US indices also recovered the previous day 's losses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the virus 's economic impact on the UK services sector , added to readings from elsewhere in the economy , suggested that GDP was on course to grow by about 0.2 % in the first quarter of 2020 - after stagnating at the end of last year .
But Chris Williamson , chief business economist at IHS Markit , said that whether this could be sustained in coming months was `` starting to look increasingly at risk '' .
He said : `` The outbreak was linked to reduced tourism numbers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but was also seen as having a wider hit demand via reduced confidence and financial market volatility , as well as supply shortages limiting the ability to fulfil orders .
`` Uncertainty regarding the UK 's trading relationship with the EU also lurks in the background as a risk to exports . ''
The OECD warned this week that the coronavirus posed the gravest threat to the global economy since the financial crisis .
Bank of England governor Mark Carney has said the shock to UK growth caused by the outbreak `` could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans for the financial sector to deal with it .
On Wednesday , insurance market Lloyd 's of London said it had `` emergency trading protocols '' in place to ensure business continuity if access to its building is restricted due to the epidemic .
Elsewhere , travel companies continued to report a hit to business .
TUI said it had seen weaker bookings over the last week - and said that it was imposing hiring freezes and cost cutting as well as considering cutting back routes .
Ryanair said there had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' for travel towards the end of March and early April and that it will `` proactively prune '' its schedule from those airports where travel has been most affected by the outbreak .
Bookings platform Hostelworld said a fall in demand was likely to hit first quarter earnings by up to £3.5m .
But some businesses have benefited .
Mindful Chef , the healthy recipe box service , said sales had risen by 165 % .

The coronavirus outbreak has put the brakes on growth in Britain's dominant services sector, new figures suggest.
Closely-watched monthly data showed that an upturn seen in the wake of the election had slowed in February partly due to disruption in the travel industry and an impact on sales to overseas markets.
The sprawling services sector, which ranges from restaurants and hotels to law and financial firms, represents 80% of UK economic output.
Figures from the IHS Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index showed a reading of 53.2 for February - on a scale where anything above 50 represents growth.
That is down from 53.9 in January, suggesting that a post-election so-called "Boris bounce" for the UK in the wake of the December general election has been dragged back down to earth by the spread of the virus.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 5:46 'UK could face economic downgrade'
It comes as the Bank of England faces calls to follow the US Federal Reserve in cutting interest rates to cushion the economic impact of the outbreak.
America's central bank said it was responding to "evolving risks to economic activity" posed by the coronavirus though Fed chairman Jerome Powell stressed there was a limit to what it could do.
"We do recognise that a rate cut will not reduce the rate of infection, it won't fix a broken supply chain; we get that, we don't think we have all the answers," Mr Powell said.
The Fed's surprise rate cut on Tuesday failed to cheer Wall Street in the way that might have been expected - sending the Dow Jones 3% lower by the close.
Advertisement
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 13:31 Coronavirus: How worried should we be?
However, markets in Europe responded positively on Wednesday with the FTSE 100 climbing 1.5%.
It was confirmed after the market close that Kingfisher, the owner of B&Q and Screwfix, and holiday operator TUI were to be relegated from the index from 20 March under the quarterly review of its constituent companies by market value.
TUI was among firms worst hit in the COVID-19 share price panic of last week but it had already seen its value under pressure amid tough trading and exposure to the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet.
US indices also recovered the previous day's losses on Wednesday.
The latest PMI data about the virus's economic impact on the UK services sector, added to readings from elsewhere in the economy, suggested that GDP was on course to grow by about 0.2% in the first quarter of 2020 - after stagnating at the end of last year.
But Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, said that whether this could be sustained in coming months was "starting to look increasingly at risk".
He said: "The outbreak was linked to reduced tourism numbers and lower travel and transport business volumes, but was also seen as having a wider hit demand via reduced confidence and financial market volatility, as well as supply shortages limiting the ability to fulfil orders.
"Uncertainty regarding the UK's trading relationship with the EU also lurks in the background as a risk to exports."
Image: Lloyd's of London has made contingency plans
The OECD warned this week that the coronavirus posed the gravest threat to the global economy since the financial crisis.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney has said the shock to UK growth caused by the outbreak "could be large" - and outlined contingency plans for the financial sector to deal with it.
On Wednesday, insurance market Lloyd's of London said it had "emergency trading protocols" in place to ensure business continuity if access to its building is restricted due to the epidemic.
Elsewhere, travel companies continued to report a hit to business.
TUI said it had seen weaker bookings over the last week - and said that it was imposing hiring freezes and cost cutting as well as considering cutting back routes.
Ryanair said there had been a "notable drop in forward bookings" for travel towards the end of March and early April and that it will "proactively prune" its schedule from those airports where travel has been most affected by the outbreak.
Bookings platform Hostelworld said a fall in demand was likely to hit first quarter earnings by up to £3.5m.
But some businesses have benefited.
Mindful Chef, the healthy recipe box service, said sales had risen by 165%.


news--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: Do not make hand sanitiser using DIY guides, experts warn

DIY hand sanitiser guides are flooding the internet as retailers face coronavirus-related shortages - but should you be tempted to make your own ?
Pharmacies have reported a rising demand for hand sanitiser and some consumers have turned to the internet for advice on homemade concoctions that could protect them against the virus which 53 in the UK now have .
Even the World Health Organization has an official guide to 'local production , ' titled WHO-recommended Handrub Formulations .
But specialists have warned these recipes are not all easy to follow and if done incorrectly could cause more harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Nottingham Trent University , Professor Robert Dingwall , told Sky News the WHO guidelines were intended for communities who did not have any other options to stay clean amid an coronavirus outbreak .
`` Clearly [ they 're for people ] in a place that does n't have access to clean water and sanitation - which wo n't be true in most developed countries in a sense - and this is what WHO has been talking about , we should really be leaving stocks of sanitiser for people who do n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` And that alternative is high-quality hand washing . ''
Professor Dingwall said it was easy to mistake the concentration of alcohol to other substances when making hand sanitiser , which could damage skin and pose safety risks .
`` There is also a risk you put it on and then turn on a gas tap and then your hand goes up like a Christmas pudding , '' he said .
Professor Dingwall said thorough , regular hand-washing was even more effective than store-bought hand sanitiser - and that the average person should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We need to re-enforce the message to wash hands as soon as you come into your house and have been holding hand rails on the bus , used the toilet and eaten food , '' he said .
`` If you 're around lots of people you could also wear ordinary street gloves , '' Professor Dingwall added .
Other experts around the world have similar concerns about DIY hand sanitiser .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Biophysics professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fleming , explained why simple hand-washing is so effective .
`` Coronavirus is an 'enveloped ' virus , which means that it has an outer lipid membrane layer , '' she tweeted .
`` Basically , it 's surrounded by a fat layer .
Washing your hands with soap and water has the ability to 'dissolve ' this greasy fatty layer and kill the virus . ''
The WHO guidelines show hand sanitiser can also help if it is has an accurate ratio of alcohol to other materials .
But it has continually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice comes as major pharmacy retailer LloydsPharmacy says it is `` is doing everything we can to ensure availability [ of hand sanitisers ] , despite increasing demand and supply challenges '' .
`` This includes limiting sales of these products to two per person both online and in store , '' a spokesperson said .
`` Our pharmacy teams are also reinforcing the latest public health guidance , which is for everyone to regularly wash their hands with soap and warm water . ''
Drug store chain Boots has taken similar measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per purchase and selling out of the product in some stores .
Supermarket Asda also said it has introduced a limit of two bottles per customer .
Meanwhile consumer goods giant PZ Cussons said it had `` significantly increased '' its output of Carex hand gel and hand wash products `` with our manufacturing facilities working at full capacity in response to the exceptional demand being experienced '' .

DIY hand sanitiser guides are flooding the internet as retailers face coronavirus-related shortages - but should you be tempted to make your own?
Pharmacies have reported a rising demand for hand sanitiser and some consumers have turned to the internet for advice on homemade concoctions that could protect them against the virus which 53 in the UK now have.
Even the World Health Organization has an official guide to 'local production,' titled WHO-recommended Handrub Formulations.
Image: Boots sold out of handwash at Victoria Station in London
But specialists have warned these recipes are not all easy to follow and if done incorrectly could cause more harm than good.
A public health expert from Nottingham Trent University, Professor Robert Dingwall, told Sky News the WHO guidelines were intended for communities who did not have any other options to stay clean amid an coronavirus outbreak.
"Clearly [they're for people] in a place that doesn't have access to clean water and sanitation - which won't be true in most developed countries in a sense - and this is what WHO has been talking about, we should really be leaving stocks of sanitiser for people who don't have an alternative," he said.
"And that alternative is high-quality hand washing."
Image: People should wash their hands after touching surfaces such as public transport rails
Professor Dingwall said it was easy to mistake the concentration of alcohol to other substances when making hand sanitiser, which could damage skin and pose safety risks.
"There is also a risk you put it on and then turn on a gas tap and then your hand goes up like a Christmas pudding," he said.
Advertisement
Professor Dingwall said thorough, regular hand-washing was even more effective than store-bought hand sanitiser - and that the average person should be washing their hands six-to-nine times daily.
"We need to re-enforce the message to wash hands as soon as you come into your house and have been holding hand rails on the bus, used the toilet and eaten food," he said.
"If you're around lots of people you could also wear ordinary street gloves," Professor Dingwall added.
Other experts around the world have similar concerns about DIY hand sanitiser.
:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Biophysics professor at Johns Hopkins University, Dr Karen Fleming, explained why simple hand-washing is so effective.
"Coronavirus is an 'enveloped' virus, which means that it has an outer lipid membrane layer," she tweeted.
"Basically, it's surrounded by a fat layer. Washing your hands with soap and water has the ability to 'dissolve' this greasy fatty layer and kill the virus."
Image: Washing hands is the most effective weapon against coronavirus, officials say
The WHO guidelines show hand sanitiser can also help if it is has an accurate ratio of alcohol to other materials.
But it has continually reiterated the importance of hand-washing.
The advice comes as major pharmacy retailer LloydsPharmacy says it is "is doing everything we can to ensure availability [of hand sanitisers], despite increasing demand and supply challenges".
"This includes limiting sales of these products to two per person both online and in store," a spokesperson said.
"Our pharmacy teams are also reinforcing the latest public health guidance, which is for everyone to regularly wash their hands with soap and warm water."
Drug store chain Boots has taken similar measures, limiting customers to two hand sanitisers per purchase and selling out of the product in some stores.
Supermarket Asda also said it has introduced a limit of two bottles per customer.
Meanwhile consumer goods giant PZ Cussons said it had "significantly increased" its output of Carex hand gel and hand wash products "with our manufacturing facilities working at full capacity in response to the exceptional demand being experienced".