bbc--2020-03-26--Coronavirus capital by capital: How are Europeans coping with shutdown?

Across the Continent , Europeans are facing a barrage of restrictions on their freedoms as the authorities struggle to stop the new coronavirus spreading further .
BBC correspondents describe the challenges faced in the cities where they live .
Spaniards do their best amid worsening crisis Fear and uncertainty have encouraged residents to largely comply with a national lockdown which means they are not allowed out without a justifiable reason .
Madrid is at the heart of Spain 's pandemic .
With about half of the country 's deaths , it has seen hotels and a massive conference centre converted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned into a morgue .
A few shoppers go in and out of supermarkets and stay 1m ( 3ft ) apart at the checkout .
At pharmacies only one or two customers are allowed inside at a time , so queues of masked people snake out onto the street .
Police enforce the restrictions and thousands of people have been fined .
But the response has mostly been positive and the hashtag # QuedateEnCasa ( stay at home ) has caught the imagination .
A wealth of specially created online activities has emerged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both parents and kids .
Grandparents play a huge role in childcare in Spain and there is widespread sympathy that they can not be with their grandchildren .
At eight o'clock every night , Spaniards applaud the healthcare workers who are battling the virus .
I peer out of my window to see how long the queue is for the supermarket next door .
If it 's more than 10 people , that could mean a half-hour wait to be let in one by one .
As it happens , it 's shorter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's calm and orderly .
People chat while waiting , sharing surreal experiences .
There 's no hoarding or panic buying .
The toilet roll shelves have a few gaps but everything is still available .
Outside , trams and buses still run - but they 're almost empty .
Rome 's cobbled streets are pretty deserted .
Movement is restricted to urgent medical or professional need .
Police make spot checks on papers to justify why people are out .
I was stopped on a run and told I could only exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's reminiscent of wartime curfews .
Tourist sites are silent .
In some ways , it 's a privilege to see the beauties of Rome so quiet - if it were n't for the catastrophic circumstances that have made them so .
• Why families in Italy ca n't say goodbye to the dead As the eye of this storm moves across eastern France , there 's a sense of officials racing to catch up with the wave : an emergency scramble for intensive-care beds and face masks for medical staff ; a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main barrier to catastrophe .
Joggers can exercise no more than 1km ( 0.6 miles ) from home , for no more than an hour , no more than once a day .
A hundred thousand police officers have been deployed to enforce the rules and there 's a six-month jail sentence for those who repeatedly fail to comply .
A friend told me how a neighbour of hers was fined for sitting alongside her husband in their car .
My camera crew and I were stopped near the BBC office - the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permission to be out filming .
With each tightening of the quarantine , the pressure ratchets up another notch .
And yet , there 's also something else that reveals itself in the small daily spaces of life under lockdown .
My husband and I regularly confront the question of who should take out the rubbish , but now I find myself quietly sizing up an opportunity of a few seconds out .
A mundane chore , morphed into a rare treat .
The queue for my local supermarket now snakes around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've had more conversations there , met more people , felt the collective spirit more than ever before .
`` I 've got a whole pallet of toilet paper if you want it ! ''
chuckled the delivery man as I walked past my little local supermarket .
It 's been impossible to find , and pasta and flour shelves are always empty , too .
Berliners must be doing a lot of home baking .
They 're certainly doing a lot of jogging .
The terms of Germany 's lockdown differ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all allow for the national obsession with fresh air .
People can leave their homes - as long as they 're with members of their own household .
You can meet up with one other person to take the air , exercise or chat - strictly 1.5m apart of course .
In this city of apartment dwellings , that matters .
The number of infections is rising .
Many of those tested so far have been young and fit , some having returned from skiing holidays in Austria and Italy .
Virologists speculate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the relatively low number of deaths .
But they warn , bleakly , that it will rise .
Schiphol airport near Amsterdam was eerily quiet when I returned there from Scotland with my three-year-old , just as the crisis began to affect every aspect of life .
While we were away , a parent at my daughter 's nursery in The Hague tested positive for coronavirus , so I kept my daughter with me , working from home .
How do you keep your distance in one of the world 's smallest and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a challenge 17.2 million people in the Netherlands have been told to embrace as the government pursues a `` group ( or herd ) immunity '' strategy - cocooning the most vulnerable while trying to control the spread of the virus .
The trams are largely empty , cannabis cafes are only doing takeaways , and now the council has told people not to visit the woods or the sand dunes .
There will be no swimming , ballet , play dates or trips to the park for my daughter .
• A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• MEASURES : What are countries doing ?
• HOPE : Five reasons to be positive • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak The mood in this city of rebels and coffee shops is downbeat .
Cafes are closed , and people queue a metre apart in swirling snow outside post offices , bakeries and pharmacies .
`` My children think I 'm at home , but in fact I 'm going shopping , '' an elderly lady confided to her friend on the 27 bus .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I do n't like the food they bring me . ''
The Budapest Bike Maffia , a civic group on wheels , has launched a Vitamin Boom campaign , distributing hot food and vitamins to homeless shelters .
The spread of the pandemic has prompted a diplomatic row between Slovenia and neighbouring Serbia over the plight of more than 100 Serbian citizens .
They work in Slovenia , but remain Serbian residents .
And when Serbia closed its borders last Friday , they remained stranded - some sleeping in their cars .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing a similar challenge .
Slovenians only have to look across the border to Italy to see how serious this pandemic can become ; Serbians are all too aware of the limitations of their health service .
Slovenians normally throw themselves into activities like skiing , snowshoeing and ice-climbing .
But winter sports have been cancelled and the streets of Ljubljana are so quiet that birdsong is often the loudest noise .
In Serbia , flouting self-isolation and quarantine orders has led to increasingly restrictive curfews .
Most Austrians are self-isolating at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government in mid-March .
They are only allowed to leave home for essential work , to buy food or to help others .
But I ca n't leave the house at all .
I have recently returned from working in Italy and have to stay in for two weeks .
I tried to get a delivery of supplies , but all deliveries are booked up for several weeks , so I am reliant on kind friends to bring food to me .
The streets are uncharacteristically quiet .
I have become intensely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hour all day long .
And every evening , a saxophonist plays Moon River and Summertime from his window .
The view from my top-floor apartment in southern Stockholm has barely changed since the start of the crisis .
Toddlers bundle up in warm jackets in the playground ; commuters wait at the bus stop for reduced services ; my local pizzeria remains popular with eat-in customers .
Sweden 's coronavirus death toll is lower than many of its European neighbours , and the authorities have made it clear they want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and controlled way .
Large events are banned and secondary schools and universities are closed .
Swedes have been advised to work from home , avoid non-essential travel and stop visiting elderly relatives .
Restaurants and bars have been told to offer table service ( or take-out ) , to stop people lingering over counters .
I have friends who 've been voluntarily self-isolating for a week despite showing no symptoms , while others have caught the train up to ski resorts .
More than half of Stockholmers live alone , but even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already fearful of increased loneliness should the government impose stricter rules .
People here may joke that social isolation is n't a problem , as that 's how Finns live anyway .
But not enough of them are actually doing it , judging by the crowded running track at Toolonlahti Bay at the weekend .
Finns were first told to self-isolate as much as possible .
Schools , cultural and sporting facilities were shut , and entry in and out of Finland was restricted .
But so many people travelled north to ski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed .
Now the government has gone further , in effect sealing off the southern region of Uusimaa , home to a third of Finland 's population and the capital Helsinki .
Most of Finland 's coronavirus cases are here and social isolation has suddenly become more serious .

I peer out of my window to see how long the queue is for the supermarket next door. If it's more than 10 people, that could mean a half-hour wait to be let in one by one. As it happens, it's shorter, so I nip down.


bbc--2020-03-26--Lockdown: The heroes on the frontline of India’s coronavirus war

India is at a critical stage in its fight against coronavirus as fears of community transmissions rise .
During its lockdown frontline workers are still going out every day to win what one doctor described as `` a war India ca n't afford to lose '' .
The BBC 's Vikas Pandey reports .
Experts have warned that India still has time to contain what otherwise could be a catastrophic outbreak , putting millions of lives at risk .
Many fear that the country 's healthcare system may not be able to cope with a massive outbreak .
Around 130 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if 10 % of India 's population is infected , according to conservative estimates .
And the country only has 0.5 hospital beds per 1,000 people , one of the lowest ratios in the world , according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development .
So , India is pinning its hope of containing the outbreak on social distancing and a complete lockdown of major cities and towns .
And the success is down to the efforts of unknown but selfless workers .
Many workers , including doctors , nurses , paramedics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rubbish collectors , are braving grave odds every day .
And medical staff are at the forefront of these efforts .
Dr Taarini Johri , a medical officer at a government-run hospital in the western city of Ahmedabad , said the medical sector `` was not prepared to deal with the crisis '' .
• Why do you lock down 1.3bn people ?
• 'Hunger may kill us before coronavirus' '' Doctors and nurses working in the coronavirus wards have good safety equipment .
But doctors who are screening patients do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are at most risk , '' she said .
`` A lot of doctors are at risk .
We desperately need more safety gear . ''
Priya Srivastava , a doctor at a hospital in the northern city of Lucknow , said `` the time to act is now '' .
`` We need to build makeshift hospitals quickly .
If community transmission aggravates , we will have to be ready for it - it will be unlike any scenario we have seen before or we are trained for , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season is making matters worse .
`` There is so much panic .
People are reaching hospitals with minor coughs and colds , thinking they are infected with Covid-19 .
So , we need to keep hammering the right message about how to identify coronavirus symptoms . ''
Dr VK Batra , who has been practising medicine in Delhi for more than three decades , says doctors are `` doing everything we can '' .
`` I have just one key message for people - stay at home .
Just do this for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fighting chance to control the outbreak . ''
`` Some of us have to stay away from our families for days so we can continue to see patients .
That 's stressful , but we do n't have any other option .
We are fighting an enemy we did n't expect to fight or even see coming .
`` We are not getting personal protection equipment as quickly as we should , '' he said .
`` We are the frontline soldiers and you ca n't win a war without them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conduct coronavirus tests , and some lab technicians are being trained .
Amardeep Chaudhary is one of them .
`` I am used to going to people 's homes to collect samples .
We take care to protect ourselves .
But coronavirus is something different .
I am scared for sure , but I wo n't give up , '' he said .
While doctors are fighting the battle inside hospitals , it 's the police who have to enforce the lockdown outside .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Rahul Srivastava , a senior officer in Uttar Pradesh , says the first two days were extremely tough .
`` People are not used to staying indoors .
They would just not understand the importance of the lockdown . ''
In most areas he says police are following the policy of `` explaining , persuading and requesting people to stay indoors '' .
`` We are stricter when people get adamant about going out .
It 's a tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep people safe and also ensure the safety of our own personnel .
`` We will be on the streets 24/7 to ensure the lockdown is enforced . ''
And then there are key workers almost hidden in plain-sight : security guards and refuse collectors .
Sonu Kumar , who collects rubbish in a Delhi suburb , says his first instinct after the lockdown was to rush to his village but his boss made `` me realise the importance of our job '' .
`` Hygiene is key in fighting the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not covering their rubbish bins .
We see used tissues , masks and gloves in their open bins .
We are using protective gear but it still scares us .
`` Just think of our safety .
Please seal it .
We are doing this for you . ''
Vijay Dubey works as a security guard in Noida near Delhi and has had `` a hard time dealing with people '' .
`` I understand when people want to go out to buy medicines and food .
But it makes no sense when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go for a drive .
`` They are educated and yet they do n't understand .
We are risking our own safety by being out - the least people can do is to just stay at home. ''
.
India has shut down trains and flights .
But pilots and railway staff have been doing their jobs until now .
National carrier Air India flew several rescue flights to evacuate Indians from Europe and Iran .
But some crew believe their safety was sometimes compromised , staff from the airline told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on all international routes , pilots and crew returning from foreign countries were only given four days rest before being asked to fly on a domestic route .
`` This was extremely risky for us and for the passengers .
I just hope none of us picked up any infection during layovers in Europe and the US , '' one said .
`` We do n't mind serving in the time of national crisis - all we asked was that the 14-day quarantine period should be followed . ''
A spokesman for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had `` followed all protocols '' .
Then there have disturbing allegations of discrimination by some members of the public against cabin crew and railway staff who are suspected of carrying infection .
One flight attendant said the neighbours `` refused to talk to my mother when I was away '' .
`` Even the neighbourhood grocers refused to give us the essentials , '' she said .
`` We interact with least 100-150 people every day but we were not given any protective gear or sanitisers , '' one employee , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the BBC .
`` We kept working because so many passengers wanted to reach their villages before the lockdown .
`` Now our neighbours suspect we may have picked up the coronavirus infection .
All we need is unity and humanity to win this war .
`` Otherwise , we will lose and we ca n't afford that , '' she said .

"This was extremely risky for us and for the passengers. I just hope none of us picked up any infection during layovers in Europe and the US," one said. "We don't mind serving in the time of national crisis - all we asked was that the 14-day quarantine period should be followed."


bbc--2020-03-26--Coronavirus: Why Ghana has gone into mourning after mass funeral ban

In our series of letters from African writers , journalist and former Ghana government minister Elizabeth Ohene writes about the dramatic impact coronavirus is having on life in her country and beyond .
If anyone had any doubt about just how serious the Covid-19 outbreak is , we now have proof positive , we are in the midst of a huge crisis .
This is a crisis not measured yet by how many people have been taken ill , or are in hospital or have died .
Here in Ghana , there are some things that are sacred in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circumstance : religion , handshakes and funerals .
These are subjects that are not up for discussion and many people believe they define our very existence .
For weeks , government and health officials here have been warning everybody to improve personal hygiene and avoid crowds .
Many people preferred to think that the coronavirus would not make it into sub-Saharan Africa and therefore they believed the warnings by the health experts could be ignored .
Whoever heard of a Ghanaian , indeed , an African greeting another person and not shaking hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands with someone means that person is an enemy .
Now we ca n't shake hands with anybody , friend or foe .
President Nana Akufo-Addo set the tone for the new rules at the celebrations of Ghana 's 63rd independence anniversary on 6 March , when he ostentatiously kept both his hands resolutely behind his back when he arrived at the ceremony to greet those seated on the dais .
And as though the prohibition on handshaking was not traumatic enough , a ban has been put on the holding of funerals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be private burials , but no mass gatherings of mourners .
I am not sure I can convey the enormity of this on the Ghanaian psyche .
There is no such thing as a private burial in our thinking and funerals are huge , dramatic and regular ceremonies .
The catering industry relies on funerals to survive , the textile industry needs orders for funeral cloths to stay in business , the tailors and dressmakers are busy mostly because they make clothes for funerals ; choral groups , events organisers , transportation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drinks would disappear without funerals .
But there will be no more funerals .
Come to think of it , what with the hand shaking ban , it 's probably just as well that a ban has been placed on funerals .
We ca n't have funerals and not shake hands , the entire funeral ceremony consists of shaking hands , shaking hands and shaking hands .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings here , and in some countries elsewhere on the continent , is having a big impact on people for whom communal prayer and the discipline of the religious calendar are central to their lives .
But there is silence in the mosques and in the churches here in Ghana .
When the announcement was first made by the president , the Christian leaders were stunned and the charismatic churches in particular were in total disbelief .
It was unthinkable that anything or anybody could close church services .
The all-night services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken over all our lives .
Some had hoped that the promise of miracle prayers to save Ghana from the scourge of coronavirus would convince the president to keep the churches and mosques open , but he was not moved to change his mind .
And they will stay closed throughout Easter , the most sacred festival on the Christian calendar .
The order to close the churches is turning out to be the most difficult one for people to obey .
The mainstream churches are complying and many are offering online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be made through mobile money donations .
But some of the charismatic churches seem to think they are allowed to flout the order not to hold church services by claiming they are offering special prayers against Covid-19 .
You may also be interested in : • Why coronavirus advice won ’ t work for millions of people Going to church multiple times a week is normal for many people and the news is usually full of the antics of some of the so-called men of God .
The president asked the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week and doubtless , some people would have had difficulty accepting that they could fast and pray by themselves at home without going to church .
From here , we keenly follow all the news about how the rest of the continent is doing with the role of religion in the march of the deadly coronavirus .
I have no doubt that the approach of Tanzanian President John Magufuli would be cited by some people here as worth following .
He has banned public gatherings and closed schools as we have , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or mosque worship because these were places where `` true healing '' took place .
`` Coronavirus is a devil , it can not live in the body of Christ , it will burn instantly .
This is a time to build our faith , '' President Magufuli , who has a PhD in chemistry and is a devout Catholic , said at a church service last Sunday .
President Akufo-Addo has urged us to seek the face of God and pray for Ghana but he is sticking to the science and emphasising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the churches and mosques remain closed .
It is now getting through to many people that we are in deadly uncharted territory when the Zion Christian Church ( ZCC ) , probably the biggest church in southern Africa , announced it had postponed all gatherings including their Easter service .
This service normally draws millions of pilgrims , who congregate at the foothills of the Moria Mountain in Limpopo during the Easter weekend , and there surely can not be a more dramatic spectacle .
Never , in the history of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has the church postponed or cancelled its pilgrimage .
We ca n't shake hands , we ca n't have funerals , we ca n't go to worship at the mosque or the church , the ZCC has postponed its Easter pilgrimage ; we are in the midst of an emergency alright .
• 'Our children are dying , but the president does n't care' • Where coronavirus prejudice spreads before the disease • How a top Nigerian bishop got caught up in fake news • 'Africa is home and I 'm happier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have become a constitutional right Follow us on Twitter @ BBCAfrica , on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

President Nana Akufo-Addo set the tone for the new rules at the celebrations of Ghana's 63rd independence anniversary on 6 March, when he ostentatiously kept both his hands resolutely behind his back when he arrived at the ceremony to greet those seated on the dais.


bbc--2020-03-26--McLaren staff arrive back in UK after being quarantined in Melbourne

The McLaren staff quarantined in Melbourne as a result of a coronavirus case at the abandoned Australian Grand Prix are all back in the UK .
Sixteen employees spent two weeks in self-isolation after one tested positive in the lead up to the race .
McLaren said : `` All team personnel who were in self-isolation in Melbourne have now safely returned home . ''
The positive case led to the cancellation of the season-opening race at Albert Park .
A member of staff of tyre supplier Pirelli also contracted coronavirus in Melbourne but the company says he has since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calendar has since been thrown into disarray , with the first eight races all called off and one , Monaco , cancelled altogether .
The latest event to be postponed was the Azerbaijan Grand Prix , originally scheduled for 7 June .
The organiser of the next scheduled race , the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on 14 June , said on Tuesday that a decision on that event would have to be made shortly after Easter weekend , which is 11 and 12 April .
F1 boss Chase Carey said on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run a revamped schedule of 15-18 races starting at some point in the summer .
The original 2020 calendar had an all-time record 22 races on it .
However , some senior team personnel are beginning to question whether it will be possible to race at all this year , given the seriousness of the pandemic around the globe .
McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown said : `` The teams , F1 and FIA are working very closely together to do everything we can so when the world is a safe place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racing , and hopefully have as much of the schedule preserved ( as possible ) .
`` There are plans in place to start up in the summertime if the world allows us to and still get in quite a bit of the racing season .
Hopefully that will happen . ''

The Australian Grand Prix was cancelled after the McLaren staff member tested positive for the virus
The McLaren staff quarantined in Melbourne as a result of a coronavirus case at the abandoned Australian Grand Prix are all back in the UK.
Sixteen employees spent two weeks in self-isolation after one tested positive in the lead up to the race.
McLaren said: "All team personnel who were in self-isolation in Melbourne have now safely returned home."
The positive case led to the cancellation of the season-opening race at Albert Park.
A member of staff of tyre supplier Pirelli also contracted coronavirus in Melbourne but the company says he has since recovered and left Australia.
The F1 calendar has since been thrown into disarray, with the first eight races all called off and one, Monaco, cancelled altogether.
The latest event to be postponed was the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, originally scheduled for 7 June.
The organiser of the next scheduled race, the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on 14 June, said on Tuesday that a decision on that event would have to be made shortly after Easter weekend, which is 11 and 12 April.
F1 boss Chase Carey said on Monday that he hoped to be able to run a revamped schedule of 15-18 races starting at some point in the summer. The original 2020 calendar had an all-time record 22 races on it.
However, some senior team personnel are beginning to question whether it will be possible to race at all this year, given the seriousness of the pandemic around the globe.
McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown said: "The teams, F1 and FIA are working very closely together to do everything we can so when the world is a safe place to go racing, we can go racing, and hopefully have as much of the schedule preserved (as possible).
"There are plans in place to start up in the summertime if the world allows us to and still get in quite a bit of the racing season. Hopefully that will happen."


bbc--2020-03-26--Leeds staff volunteer to defer wages because of coronavirus crisis

Leeds United 's players , coaching staff and senior management have volunteered to take a wage deferral because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
Boss Marcelo Bielsa and his players will give up part of their wages `` for the forseeable future '' .
The Championship leaders say the move will ensure that all 272 full-time non-football staff can continue to be paid .
And the club expect the effects of the virus will cost them `` several million pounds '' each month .
`` My players have demonstrated an incredible sense of unity and togetherness , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` To Marcelo and his staff and all of the players , we thank them for putting our wider team first and taking care of family '' .
Championship leaders Leeds are seven points clear of third-placed Fulham as they look to return to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years .
As well as the postponement of fixtures at Elland Road because of the Covid-19 pandemic , Leeds say they will lose money through the cancellation of events and the `` closure of the football financing market '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ announce measures to lower wages , with Birmingham City asking players to defer half of their salaries for four months and League Two Forest Green Rovers saying they will use the government 's wage-support scheme to keep paying `` all their staff '' .
Leeds believe the money saved by the wages deferral will also mean `` the majority of casual staff '' can continue to be paid .
`` We face uncertain times and therefore it is important that we all work together to find a way that the club can push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the way we all hope we can , '' said the first-team squad in a joint statement .

Leeds United have won each of their past five matches in the Championship
Leeds United's players, coaching staff and senior management have volunteered to take a wage deferral because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Boss Marcelo Bielsa and his players will give up part of their wages "for the forseeable future".
The Championship leaders say the move will ensure that all 272 full-time non-football staff can continue to be paid.
And the club expect the effects of the virus will cost them "several million pounds" each month.
"My players have demonstrated an incredible sense of unity and togetherness," said director of football Victor Orta.
"To Marcelo and his staff and all of the players, we thank them for putting our wider team first and taking care of family."
Championship leaders Leeds are seven points clear of third-placed Fulham as they look to return to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years.
As well as the postponement of fixtures at Elland Road because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Leeds say they will lose money through the cancellation of events and the "closure of the football financing market".
The Yorkshire club are the latest to announce measures to lower wages, with Birmingham City asking players to defer half of their salaries for four months and League Two Forest Green Rovers saying they will use the government's wage-support scheme to keep paying "all their staff".
Leeds believe the money saved by the wages deferral will also mean "the majority of casual staff" can continue to be paid.
"We face uncertain times and therefore it is important that we all work together to find a way that the club can push through this period and end the season in the way we all hope we can," said the first-team squad in a joint statement.


bbc--2020-03-26--Burgers, beer or the buzz: What do you miss about sport?

We 're all getting used to days on end without live sport , without the excitement and frustration of seeing our teams or our favourite sports stars doing what they do best .
But as well as the obvious gap in live action it seems there are other elements of sporting life we are all missing out on .
Whether it 's your usual pre-match meal and beers , or just some human contact - we asked what you are missing that you never thought you would .
BBC 5 Live commentator Conor McNamara kicked this one off - talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a matchday .
Hundreds of you got in touch - here are some of your best responses ...
Whether it 's Premier League , SPL , cricket , snooker or rugby , nothing can quite replicate the magic of top-level sport : Shelagh : Being at Anfield to watch and cry my eyes out as Liverpool won the league .
The atmosphere would have been off the scale .
Graham : The perverse pleasure of following Hearts , and the Scotland national team ... ..the endless hope that either will give me a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my three-year-old grandson to watch Sale Sharks .
I 've promised him I 'll take him in spring .
It 's here and I ca n't take him .
Kabir : First day of the Test match summer at Lords .
Leather on willow , panama hats , champagne corks and TMS leaking from my dad 's radio headset .
Vivian : Tactical snooker frames that are as long as films , but better than most .
More surreal when played out around midnight .
Hasnain : The last-ditch tackles a defender makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the game when your side are holding on to a point or three .
Then there are the people , the songs , the emotions : Graham : That bloke behind me that shouts `` I 'LL GET IT '' every time the opposition takes a shot and misses no matter how close it was .
Trevor : Hugging a stranger when your team score !
Given the current necessity of social distancing hugging anybody will feel particularly special !
Lorin : The feeling in the pit of your stomach that can lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excitement and makes you feel alive .
Chris : The ridiculous football club songs .
For example the Blades `` Greasy chip butty '' song .
Will : The random faces you recognise at every match but never speak to .
The same playlist .
NEVER winning the prize draw .
The announcer 's voice .
Paul : The annoying person who sits next to me at the football .
Thinks he knows it all .
Knows nothing !
!
!
!
Let him off for one game .
Stephen : The queue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conor McNamara , a lot of you are missing the food and drink : Paul : The smell of Bovril and being able to meet my dad at the ground to cheer on our local team .
( East Fife ) Louie : Beers in the sun pre-match .
Meeting up with your mates and enjoying the last few games when the sun is out and the pressure is off .
Graham : Pre-match beers and post match celebratory or drowning of sorrows beers with my dad .
Jimmy : Football stadium pies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the real world .
I lie awake at night gazing into the abyss dreaming of my next pie .
Ewan : The fun and energy of it all !
And of course the sausage rolls and burgers .
Ben : Naff curry and chips - will cherish that when I see my first game back .
Robbo : Amateur rugby league with a hot pie and a cup of Bovril - simple as .
It 's not just top-level sport that has left a void , sport at any level is missed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitch after a fresh cut ready for a 2.30 kick-off on a spring day for Brixham AFC # grassrootsfootball Chris : No better feeling than finishing work and travelling to your evening club league game for squash .
Good game , and a beer after .
Jason : Watching my daughter play hockey for her Cannock Badgers team and Staffordshire U13s .
So many hopes and dreams on hold .
Chris : The sort of chants you 'd only hear at non-league level , plus the fact that our clubhouse is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pint at half-time .
David : I 'm missing the girls team I coach .
The girls have put so much work in and played through rain and hail to keep an unbeaten run going !
But remember when we had trivial things to complain about ?
Angie : The crowd , the camaraderie , the belonging , the excitement , the disappointment , the beautiful game , the points , the results BUT NOT VAR .
Nigel : Moaning about VAR .
I 'd even started blogging about it .
Now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I miss all that glorious triviality .
Alan : All the whinging by overpaid footballers , owners and managers , in response to criticisms made of them by the supporters who pay them .
Nikil : Arguing about sport , intense but friendly debates !
I ca n't argue with anyone about Friends re-runs .
When sport is such a big part of your life , it is the routine we miss : Mark : Washing my Derby shirt the night before , I 've done it for 20 years , cheese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding Forest lost on the results .
Mick : The matchday ritual - fried breakfast , bookies , pre-match beers , the game , celebration/commiseration post-match .
Big loss after 40 years .
Chris : Going to my nan 's on Mondays and always hearing 'Well as you know , I do n't know anything about football but ...
.'
Rob : The Sports Report music at 5.00pm on Saturday .
It reminds me of my long-gone dad , teatime toast and a coal fire .
Ann : I miss the company .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has always been there whether it 's TMS or live text .
It 's my comfort blanket !
Jamie : I miss that it 's an escape from life , your job , the world - and I need it more than ever right now .
Chris : Being able to tell my girlfriend I ca n't go somewhere , do something , fix something or clean the home `` because the football is on '' .
David : No football to let me know it 's the weekend .
No Grand Prix/golf/racing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Groundhog Bank Holiday from hell .
Mike : Watching Match of the Day with my eight-year-old son on a Sunday morning .
Lauren : The routine .
Growing up watching your favourite sports team they become like family .
Not seeing them play every week is just so odd .
But we reckon this just about sums it up ...

Last updated on .From the section Sport
All forms of professional sport in the UK are suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak
We're all getting used to days on end without live sport, without the excitement and frustration of seeing our teams or our favourite sports stars doing what they do best.
But as well as the obvious gap in live action it seems there are other elements of sporting life we are all missing out on.
Whether it's your usual pre-match meal and beers, or just some human contact - we asked what you are missing that you never thought you would.
BBC 5 Live commentator Conor McNamara kicked this one off - talking about missing "the smell" of a matchday.
Hundreds of you got in touch - here are some of your best responses...
Whether it's Premier League, SPL, cricket, snooker or rugby, nothing can quite replicate the magic of top-level sport:
Shelagh: Being at Anfield to watch and cry my eyes out as Liverpool won the league. The atmosphere would have been off the scale.
Graham: The perverse pleasure of following Hearts, and the Scotland national team.....the endless hope that either will give me a moment of pleasure.
Cynthia: Taking my three-year-old grandson to watch Sale Sharks. I've promised him I'll take him in spring. It's here and I can't take him.
Kabir: First day of the Test match summer at Lords. Leather on willow, panama hats, champagne corks and TMS leaking from my dad's radio headset.
Vivian: Tactical snooker frames that are as long as films, but better than most. More surreal when played out around midnight.
Hasnain: The last-ditch tackles a defender makes. Especially during the last minutes of the game when your side are holding on to a point or three.
Domestic leagues, as well as European competition, are currently suspended
Then there are the people, the songs, the emotions:
Graham: That bloke behind me that shouts "I'LL GET IT" every time the opposition takes a shot and misses no matter how close it was.
Trevor: Hugging a stranger when your team score! Given the current necessity of social distancing hugging anybody will feel particularly special!
Lorin: The feeling in the pit of your stomach that can lead as easily to sickening disappointment or giddy excitement and makes you feel alive.
Chris: The ridiculous football club songs. For example the Blades "Greasy chip butty" song.
Will: The random faces you recognise at every match but never speak to. The same playlist. NEVER winning the prize draw. The announcer's voice.
Paul: The annoying person who sits next to me at the football. Thinks he knows it all. Knows nothing!!!! Let him off for one game.
Stephen: The queue for the toilet at half-time.
The football season in England, Scotland and Wales has been extended indefinitely
Like Conor McNamara, a lot of you are missing the food and drink:
Paul: The smell of Bovril and being able to meet my dad at the ground to cheer on our local team. (East Fife)
Louie: Beers in the sun pre-match. Meeting up with your mates and enjoying the last few games when the sun is out and the pressure is off.
Graham: Pre-match beers and post match celebratory or drowning of sorrows beers with my dad.
Jimmy: Football stadium pies... my missus would never allow it in the real world. I lie awake at night gazing into the abyss dreaming of my next pie.
Ewan: The fun and energy of it all! And of course the sausage rolls and burgers.
Ben: Naff curry and chips - will cherish that when I see my first game back.
Robbo: Amateur rugby league with a hot pie and a cup of Bovril - simple as.
Grassroots and amateur sport is also on hold during the pandemic
It's not just top-level sport that has left a void, sport at any level is missed:
Brendan: The smell of the pitch after a fresh cut ready for a 2.30 kick-off on a spring day for Brixham AFC #grassrootsfootball
Chris: No better feeling than finishing work and travelling to your evening club league game for squash. Good game, and a beer after.
Jason: Watching my daughter play hockey for her Cannock Badgers team and Staffordshire U13s. So many hopes and dreams on hold.
Chris: The sort of chants you'd only hear at non-league level, plus the fact that our clubhouse is on the corner, so it's a quick pint at half-time.
David: I'm missing the girls team I coach. The girls have put so much work in and played through rain and hail to keep an unbeaten run going!
But remember when we had trivial things to complain about?
Angie: The crowd, the camaraderie, the belonging, the excitement, the disappointment, the beautiful game, the points, the results BUT NOT VAR.
Johnny: VAR looking at armpit offsides.
Nigel: Moaning about VAR. I'd even started blogging about it. Now we're just stuck with boring real problems, I miss all that glorious triviality.
Alan: All the whinging by overpaid footballers, owners and managers, in response to criticisms made of them by the supporters who pay them.
Nikil: Arguing about sport, intense but friendly debates! I can't argue with anyone about Friends re-runs.
Tristram: The constant flow of procrastination material.
The Rugby Football Union is concerned about the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak
When sport is such a big part of your life, it is the routine we miss:
Mark: Washing my Derby shirt the night before, I've done it for 20 years, cheese and onion crisps and a pint and finding Forest lost on the results.
Mick: The matchday ritual - fried breakfast, bookies, pre-match beers, the game, celebration/commiseration post-match. Big loss after 40 years.
Chris: Going to my nan's on Mondays and always hearing 'Well as you know, I don't know anything about football but....'
Rob: The Sports Report music at 5.00pm on Saturday. It reminds me of my long-gone dad, teatime toast and a coal fire.
Ann: I miss the company. I live on my own and cricket has always been there whether it's TMS or live text. It's my comfort blanket!
Jamie: I miss that it's an escape from life, your job, the world - and I need it more than ever right now.
Chris: Being able to tell my girlfriend I can't go somewhere, do something, fix something or clean the home "because the football is on".
David: No football to let me know it's the weekend. No Grand Prix/golf/racing to indicate the month. Living the Groundhog Bank Holiday from hell.
Mike: Watching Match of the Day with my eight-year-old son on a Sunday morning.
Lauren: The routine. Growing up watching your favourite sports team they become like family. Not seeing them play every week is just so odd.
But we reckon this just about sums it up...
Martin: EVERYTHING!


bbc--2020-03-25--Wimbledon decision to be made next week with cancellation possible

The All England Club says a decision regarding this year 's Wimbledon will be made next week .
In a statement on Wednesday , the club said postponement and cancellation of the event , scheduled between 29 June-12 July , because of the impact of coronavirus were possible outcomes .
Playing behind closed doors has been formally ruled out .
Earlier this month , the French Open , due to have begun in May , was rescheduled to 20 September-4 October .
The ATP and WTA Tours were already off until 27 April and 2 May respectively and last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The club 's sites at the All England Club , Wimbledon Park Golf Club and Raynes Park are currently closed with physical operations reduced to a minimum to maintain the grass courts and the security of the sites .
Postponing the only Grand Slam grass court event until later in the year `` is not without significant risk and difficulty '' the statement added .
Chief executive Richard Lewis said : `` The unprecedented challenge presented by the Covid-19 crisis continues to affect our way of life in ways that we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are with all those affected in the UK and around the world .
`` The single most important consideration is one of public health , and we are determined to act responsibly through the decisions we make .
`` We are working hard to bring certainty to our plans for 2020 and have convened an emergency meeting of the main board for next week , at which a decision will be made . ''
When the All England Club board meets next week , they will almost certainly conclude it is just not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now playing behind closed doors has been formally ruled out , there seems little prospect of Wimbledon being able , or allowed , to welcome 40,000 people on site every day .
An event of this nature also puts inevitable further strain on the health system and the police .
Work to build up the site in readiness for the fortnight is due to begin at the end of next month , and you can not do that without significant numbers of people on site .
A gap has opened up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tokyo Olympics , but a three-week delay is unlikely to make much of a difference .
And because of the surface , it is just not practical to follow the French Open 's lead and try and stage The Championships in September .

The Wimbledon Championships are due to begin on 29 June
The All England Club says a decision regarding this year's Wimbledon will be made next week.
In a statement on Wednesday, the club said postponement and cancellation of the event, scheduled between 29 June-12 July, because of the impact of coronavirus were possible outcomes.
Playing behind closed doors has been formally ruled out.
Earlier this month, the French Open, due to have begun in May, was rescheduled to 20 September-4 October.
The ATP and WTA Tours were already off until 27 April and 2 May respectively and last week that suspension was extended until 7 June.
The club's sites at the All England Club, Wimbledon Park Golf Club and Raynes Park are currently closed with physical operations reduced to a minimum to maintain the grass courts and the security of the sites.
Postponing the only Grand Slam grass court event until later in the year "is not without significant risk and difficulty" the statement added.
Chief executive Richard Lewis said: "The unprecedented challenge presented by the Covid-19 crisis continues to affect our way of life in ways that we could not have imagined, and our thoughts are with all those affected in the UK and around the world.
"The single most important consideration is one of public health, and we are determined to act responsibly through the decisions we make.
"We are working hard to bring certainty to our plans for 2020 and have convened an emergency meeting of the main board for next week, at which a decision will be made."
Analysis
Russell Fuller, BBC Sport tennis correspondent
When the All England Club board meets next week, they will almost certainly conclude it is just not feasible to stage The Championships in 2020.
Now playing behind closed doors has been formally ruled out, there seems little prospect of Wimbledon being able, or allowed, to welcome 40,000 people on site every day. An event of this nature also puts inevitable further strain on the health system and the police.
Work to build up the site in readiness for the fortnight is due to begin at the end of next month, and you cannot do that without significant numbers of people on site.
A gap has opened up in the schedule with the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, but a three-week delay is unlikely to make much of a difference.
And because of the surface, it is just not practical to follow the French Open's lead and try and stage The Championships in September.


bbc--2020-03-26--Coronavirus: Why some countries wear face masks and others don't

Step outside your door without a face mask in Hong Kong , Seoul or Tokyo these days , and you may well get a disapproving look .
Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak some places have fully embraced wearing face masks , and anyone caught without one risks becoming a social pariah .
But in many other parts of the world , from the UK and the US to Sydney and Singapore , it 's still perfectly acceptable to walk around bare-faced .
Why some countries embrace masks while others shun them is not just about government directives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture and history .
But as this pandemic worsens , will this change ?
• How a virus reveals the many ways China is feared • Can wearing masks stop the spread of viruses ?
The official word on face masks Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak , the official advice from the World Health Organization has been clear .
Only two types of people should wear masks : those who are sick and show symptoms , and those who are caring for people who are suspected to have the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there are several reasons for that .
One is that a mask is not seen as reliable protection , given that current research shows the virus is spread by droplets and not airborne transmission .
This is why experts say frequent hand washing with soap and water is far more effective .
Removing a mask requires special attention to avoid hand contamination , and it could also breed a false sense of security .
Yet in some parts of Asia everyone now wears a mask by default - it is seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland China , Hong Kong , Japan , Thailand and Taiwan , the broad assumption is that anyone could be a carrier of the virus , even healthy people .
So in the spirit of solidarity , you need to protect others from yourself .
Some of these governments are urging everyone to wear a mask , and in some parts of China you could even be arrested and punished for not wearing one .
Meanwhile , in Indonesia and the Philippines , where there are suspicions that there are many under-reported cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun wearing masks to protect themselves from others .
For many of these countries , mask-wearing was a cultural norm even before the coronavirus outbreak .
They 've even become fashion statements - at one point Hello Kitty face masks were the rage in the street markets of Hong Kong .
In East Asia , many people are used to wearing masks when they are sick or when it 's hayfever season , because it 's considered impolite to be sneezing or coughing openly .
The 2003 Sars virus outbreak , which affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drove home the importance of wearing masks , particularly in Hong Kong , where many died as a result of the virus .
So one key difference between these societies and Western ones , is that they have experienced contagion before - and the memories are still fresh and painful .
Meanwhile , in South East Asia , especially in more densely-populated cities , many wear masks on the streets simply because of pollution .
But it has n't caught on everywhere in Asia - here in Singapore , the government has urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure adequate supplies for healthcare workers , and most people walk around without one .
There is substantial public trust in the government , so people are likely to listen to such advice .
Some argue that ubiquitous mask wearing , as a very visual reminder of the dangers of the virus , could actually act as a `` behavioural nudge '' to you and others for overall better personal hygiene .
`` Putting on a mask every day before you go out is like a ritual , like putting on a uniform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have to live up to what the uniform stands for , which is more hygienic behaviour like not touching your face or avoiding crowded places and social distancing , '' said Donald Low , a behavioural economist and professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology .
Then , there 's the idea that every little bit counts in the war the world is waging against the virus .
`` We ca n't say if face masks are ineffective , but we presume they have some effect because that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Benjamin Cowling , an epidemiologist with Hong Kong University .
`` If face masks are used on a lot of people in crowded areas , I think it would have some effect on public transmission , and at the moment we 're looking for every small measure we can to reduce transmission - it adds up . ''
But there are downsides of course .
Some places such as Japan , Indonesia and Thailand are facing shortages at the moment , and South Korea has had to ration out masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may end up re-using masks - which is unhygienic - use masks sold on the black market , or wear homemade masks , which could be of inferior quality and essentially useless .
People who do not wear masks in these places have also been stigmatised , to the point that they are shunned and blocked from shops and buildings .
In Hong Kong , some tabloids have splashed pictures on their covers of Westerners not wearing masks and congregating in groups in the city 's nightlife district , and criticised expatriates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the discrimination works both ways .
In countries where mask wearing is not the norm , such as the West , those who do wear masks have been shunned or even attacked .
It has n't helped that many of these mask wearers are Asians .
But those societies that do advocate everyone wearing a mask may have a point and increasingly , experts are now questioning the official WHO advice .
Firstly , there is some emerging evidence that there are more `` silent carriers '' , or healthy people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms , than experts initially thought .
In China , it is estimated that a third of all positive cases show no symptoms , according to classified Chinese government data seen by the South China Morning Post .
On the Diamond Princess , the cruise ship that docked in Yokohama , about half of the more than 600 positive cases found onboard were found to have no symptoms .
A similar proportion of asymptomatic cases has been reported in Iceland , which says it is testing a higher proportion of citizens than anywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belief has been that because these people do not exhibit symptoms , they are not very contagious .
But some are questioning this now .
Maybe if everyone wore a mask those silent carriers would n't turn into spreaders ?
A recently published study of cases in China found that `` undocumented cases of infection '' , or those with either mild or no symptoms , were significantly contagious and could have been responsible for nearly 80 % of positive virus cases .
It 's just one study though , and future research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall picture .
The face mask may be a product of recent history , experience with contagion and cultural norm .
But as the scale of this pandemic grows , along with evidence and research , our behaviour may yet change again .

One is that a mask is not seen as reliable protection as other methods, given that current research shows the virus is spread by droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces. So it could protect you, but only in certain situations such as when you're in close quarters with others where someone infected might sneeze or cough near your face. This is why experts say frequent hand washing with soap and water is far more effective.


bbc--2020-03-25--How to avoid 'quarantine-shaming'

How to avoid 'quarantine-shaming'

There 's now a new phenomenon - known as `` quarantine shaming '' - to try to keep people indoors .
Over the weekend , photos of busy parks , markets and beaches in the US , UK and Canada caused uproar , as officials described people who ignored social distancing guidelines as selfish , arrogant or self-destructive .
On social media , some have been even more critical - the hashtag # COVIDIOTS has been trending , and people have criticised individuals seen at public gatherings , or posted that they `` deserve to get the virus '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an expletive-laden rant as he live streamed people walking on the seafront by his house - in a video that went viral .
Social psychologists say that shaming plays a significant role in enforcing social norms - especially at a time when norms are rapidly changing as a result of coronavirus .
But social distancing outdoors can also be difficult - especially when there is contradictory advice about where to go , and you ca n't predict how others will behave .
• How to exercise while staying at home • When elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what 's the best way to stay safe - and avoid a public shaming - while exercising outdoors ?
Can I still go for a walk ?
The official advice can be confusing .
On one hand , we 've been told to stay home as much as possible .
On the other hand , we 've also been told that it 's important to keep exercising - and that a walk or run in the park is OK .
In New York , the city parks commissioner Mitchell Silver encouraged residents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks , pointing out that spending time outdoors can reduce stress and boost the immune system .
Similarly , UK PM Boris Johnson has stressed that parks and open spaces are `` crucial for our country and for our society '' , and urged people to use them responsibly .
But when the parks become too popular - or people start gathering there in groups - it gets problematic .
Over the weekend , police in Seattle had to use loudspeakers at a park to remind people to keep 2m ( 6.5ft ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK , some parks , beaches and open spaces were packed over the weekend , leading to the government announcing greater restrictions on Monday .
The Stranger , a news site in Seattle , published a blog post with woodland trails for solo hikers - but decided to take down the post a day later , after learning that people were hiking and gathering at some of the trails in large groups .
And in Canada , beaches in Vancouver and Toronto were busy - even as some of the streets were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to warn people were `` putting everyone else at risk '' .
Brian Labus , a professor in public health at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , stresses that you have to treat `` going outside as a risk every time you do it '' .
But , he adds , there are ways to reduce the risk to close to zero if you plan your trip carefully .
`` If you 're outside walking by yourself , you 're not exposed ; if you 're out walking the dog by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's when you have contact with other people that you need to be concerned . ''
Running or cycling as a group - and running past others - is a no-go , due to the need to maintain a 2m distance at all times .
`` If you 're running past somebody and they sneeze , that 's going to land on you .
It does n't matter how fast you 're running - you ca n't outrun a sneeze , '' says Prof Labus .
Instead , he recommends runners and cyclists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves where necessary , so they can work out how to keep a distance between themselves and others on the street .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health It 's also important to think carefully about where you go - and prioritise avoiding crowds .
`` As soon as there are large numbers in a park the risks go up , '' he says , as it becomes harder to maintain a 2m distance with everyone .
`` Just having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tougher to keep that distance , '' especially as entry points , like park gates , could get busy .
Instead , he recommends individuals `` do n't go where people tend to congregate '' , but walk through quieter places , like their own neighbourhoods .
What 's the etiquette for social distancing when you leave home ?
The outbreak has also thrown up all sorts of new social dilemmas .
If you pass someone when you 're going for a walk , how do you greet them ?
What do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrow path ?
And what about if someone wants to get into a lift with you ?
Lizzie Post is co-president of the Emily Post Institute , which has recently published guidelines on the etiquette of social distancing for coronavirus .
She says `` our manners look really different right now '' , but the core principles of `` consideration , respect and honesty '' are still the same .
`` When I walk my dog in my neighbourhood , if someone 's coming and I do n't see them moving , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or I 'll wait in the driveway for them to pass . ''
She acknowledges that this would feel rude in normal circumstances - but urges people to overcome any feelings of awkwardness .
`` The big way to communicate you 're not trying to be rude is to still make eye contact or smile - or explain you 're 'just social distancing ' . ''
`` All the experts say that the more you can respect the idea of physical distancing , the better off you 'll be . ''
On narrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your face away from someone if you have to pass them in close quarters . ''
Alternatively , she recommends treating it like a single lane bridge , and waiting for the other person to pass before you go through .
And if someone tries to follow you into a lift ?
Ms Post admits she would `` probably just hop out and let them take the lift '' , or try to explain `` I 'm trying to social distance , do you mind waiting for the next one ? ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I think over time , they 'll realise that you were just trying to practise good habits . ''
Public shaming can be complicated - and controversial .
In recent years , some people who have been subjected to public shaming online have faced what 's been described as digital `` mob justice '' , even losing their jobs or receiving death threats .
While there have n't been widespread reports of extreme online shaming over coronavirus , some individuals who have come under fire have said they felt unfairly targeted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , faced heavy criticism for opening his bar on St Patrick 's Day , attracting a crowd - and the ire of local residents .
Joseph Griffin told the LA Times that he had asked customers to only order takeaway or deliveries , and that he was not aware that the city had ordered all bars to close the day before .
`` To have people call me and my business out online so viciously - in some cases , to have people screaming at me and the employees of this bar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts say that shame can also be effective in establishing new social norms - and that the coronavirus outbreak is a particularly good example of where it is needed .
`` Shaming should not be used for a problem that does not concern the audience , '' says Jennifer Jacquet , an environmental studies professor at New York University .
However , `` coronavirus is a problem that affects all of us - a problem with severe and immediate repercussions , where we 're all expected to make sacrifices… it 's a true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has written a book about the use of shame in encouraging co-operation , thinks this tactic has been used effectively to discourage people from hoarding supplies or flouting social distancing rules .
She believes shame can even be deployed effectively against institutions - for example , if governments are failing to enforce social distancing rules , or behind on providing coronavirus tests and protecting healthcare workers .
`` I hope shame will really shine as a tool that can be used for social good . ''
• America is humbled - but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why Trump wants US open for business despite pandemic Ms Post argues that bad behaviour can be called out in a respectful manner .
For example , rather than calling those in busy crowded places `` crazy '' or `` stupid '' , it 's much better to raise concerns in a civil way that invites a conversation and focuses on solutions .
`` We know tone matters because people feel it .
If you call them names and criticise their mental wellbeing , it 's very attacking behaviour . ''
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Montreal , says that shame can deter certain behaviours - but cautions that there are limits .
Shame is essentially about `` reputational damage '' and social norms , he says , which means that some individuals could feel ashamed about a particular behaviour - but continue to carry it out in secret .
Going outdoors is an `` inherently public '' act , so people who have been shamed are more likely to comply with social distancing rules , he argues .
However , shame might be less effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed doors - for example , if someone uses online shopping to stockpile supplies they do n't need .
Prof Sznycer argues that `` guilt - an emotion when you realise you 've harmed people you love '' - tends to lead to `` more stable , benign and reliable '' behaviour change .
`` It may be that a government prompt about caring about the welfare of others could be more effective than shame , '' he says , although `` for guilt to work , you need to value the welfare @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The outbreak has also thrown up all sorts of new social dilemmas. If you pass someone when you're going for a walk, how do you greet them? What do you do if you meet someone on a narrow path? And what about if someone wants to get into a lift with you?


Health myths to ignore

How to wash your hands - in 20 seconds Dr Adele McCormick from the University of Westminster demonstrates how to @ @ @ @

Up Next. Covid symptoms: How long should I self-isolate for? Video, 00:01:28Covid symptoms: How long should I self-isolate for?


bbc--2020-03-26--A visual guide to the pandemic

A visual guide to the pandemic

Coronavirus has been spreading rapidly across the world , affecting 175 countries and claiming more than 21,000 lives .
There are more than 470,000 confirmed cases worldwide .
Southern Europe is now at the epicentre of the crisis and the US is also facing a surge in cases .
This series of maps and charts will help you understand what is going on .
The virus is spreading rapidly in many countries , with nearly 400,000 confirmed cases outside China , according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University .
The true figure for the number of people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted .
Italy has the highest death toll of any single country in the world with more than 7,503 deaths , many in the worst-hit region of Lombardy .
The US , Spain , Germany and Iran also have a large number of confirmed cases .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has said that the US could become the next epicentre of the pandemic , given the `` very large acceleration in cases '' .
New York is at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , with more than half of the country 's almost 60,000 cases .
Governor Andrew Cuomo warned the illness was spreading faster than `` a bullet train '' in his state .
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has described his country as being `` at war '' with the death toll now at more than 3,600 .
In India , a 21-day lockdown is beginning across the country .
China , on the other hand , says it has now all but stopped the spread of the disease , and that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other countries .
The coronavirus outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11 March .
This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
The WHO said it took more than three months to reach the first 100,000 confirmed cases worldwide , but only 12 days to reach the next 100,000 and only four days to reach 300,000 .
More than 80,000 people in China were diagnosed with the infection after its emergence in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December .
But after the recent turnaround , more than three months later , it is planning to partially lift the lockdown in Wuhan on 8 April .
Other countries around the world are ramping up measures to try to slow the virus down .
Governments have halted flights , locked down towns and cities and urged people to stay at home .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health 2 .
Millions living under restrictions on their movement India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforce a lockdown , meaning its 1.3 billion residents are now forbidden from leaving their homes for a few weeks at least .
That means more than a quarter of the 7.8 billion people in the world are now living under some form of restrictions on their movement and social contact due to the coronavirus .
People in major cities like London , Barcelona and New York are now moving around far less than they were a few weeks ago , according to data from the travel app Citymapper .
The data also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been locked down for several weeks now , many other cities have only been restricting movement in recent days .
While movement is also down in the South Korean capital Seoul , the city has n't ground to a halt like European capitals despite facing huge numbers of coronavirus cases - a sign of the country 's decision to focus on widespread testing and contact tracing rather than social distancing .
3 .
The virus has killed more people in Italy than China Italy currently has the most confirmed cases outside China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has around 7,000 fewer confirmed cases than China , but its death toll of 7,503 is more than double the official toll in China .
On Wednesday , a further 650 deaths were reported .
The majority of Italy 's deaths have occurred in the northern Lombardy region , which contains the city of Milan .
Hospitals there are reportedly at breaking point and retired doctors and nurses have been asked to return to work .
Italian authorities have imposed stringent restrictions , closing nearly all shops , bars , hairdressers , restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 12 March , has now been extended beyond the original 25 March end date .
Other European countries have seen steep rises in infections and deaths , and the region has become the new epicentre of the crisis .
As well as Italy , Spain , France , Germany and the UK now have thousands of confirmed cases each .
The toll in Spain , at more than 3,600 , also surpasses the number to have died in China .
Germany 's Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that up to 70 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people - could contract coronavirus .
However , some German virologists dispute the high figure , suggesting a worst-case scenario of 40,000 cases .
In the UK , confirmed cases stand at more than 9,500 and at least 463 people have died .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a further clampdown in the UK on 23 March , urging people to stay at home to avoid unnecessary transmission of the disease .
He said the tightening of restrictions would last for an initial period of three weeks .
• UK outbreak in graphics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area ?

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This information is regularly updated but may not reflect the latest totals for each country.
** The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average. Due to revisions in the number of cases, an average cannot be calculated for this date.
Source: Johns Hopkins University and national public health agencies


bbc--2020-03-24--Stranded abroad as borders close

Stranded abroad as borders close

With the coronavirus spreading at a rapid pace , many governments have introduced strict controls on domestic and foreign travel .
But this has left many people trapped abroad .
Some governments are working to repatriate those facing difficulty .
For others though it is uncertain when they ’ ll see home again .
We spoke to three of them .
Les Monkman began his holiday in Torremolinos , Spain in the early days of the outbreak .
“ But things got bad very quickly , ” he told the BBC .
In recent weeks , Spain has become one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting more than 2,000 deaths .
The government has extended a state of emergency and is enforcing a nation-wide lockdown to contain any further spread .
Les , a 68-year-old retiree , tried to book a flight home to the UK last week , earlier than he had planned , but his flight was eventually cancelled .
He says the airline told him to contact the British embassy - the embassy told him to contact the airline .
“ I have no idea what to do .
I ’ m not saying there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus is awful .
But what do I do ?
” More pressing for Les is getting access to insulin .
As a type-one diabetic , he will die unless he takes it daily .
The supply he brought with him will last just under two weeks , but he needs more medication to assist with blood pressure and kidney disease .
“ This is life and death , ” he said .
“ I try not to think about it because I get very upset and I start trembling.
” After consulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure a 10-day course of insulin from a pharmacist costing him nearly €90 , but he is concerned about the financial blow if he has to stay in Spain for much longer .
“ It feels like I ’ ve been dumped , like I don ’ t exist , ” he said .
“ I used to be on the other side of the fence , I was a firefighter , so I helped .
All my life I ’ ve helped .
Now I ’ m asking for a touch and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting any.
” Jo Tovee quit her marketing job last year , and after visiting family in her native New Zealand , she ’ d planned to spend five weeks travelling around Peru .
But the government there has declared a lockdown , and Jo is holed up at a hostel in Lima , banned from leaving except to buy food or medicine .
“ It ’ s really eerie right now , the streets are empty except for armed police , ” she said .
“ The situation is constantly evolving and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going around I don ’ t know what is fact.
” With her travel plans scuppered , Jo has been trying to secure a flight to London – where she has been living for three years – or back to New Zealand .
But no planes are allowed to enter or leave Peru except with government permission .
“ The embassies , insurance companies , travel agencies and airlines have been impossible to contact and offered little to no assistance , ” she said .
“ Because I ’ m travelling on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New Zealand embassy just doesn ’ t want to help me.
” Jo , 38 , spent a week in one Lima hostel until it was raided by police and told to close all its communal areas .
She has since been forced to stay in another hostel that has ramped up its prices .
“ It ’ s getting pretty scary .
I don ’ t trust what the Peruvian government officials are going to do next , they ’ re just changing things at the drop of a hat.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK permission to repatriate around 400 stranded British nationals .
The sick and elderly are being prioritised for the first flights , and Jo says it ’ s unclear when she ’ ll be on a plane .
Once back in Britain , she wants to move back home to New Zealand .
“ Being [ there ] is the safer and more certain option for me right now as employment opportunities in the UK will be minimal , ” she said .
“ I just want to get back home to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m not thinking about my dream , but my life ’ Last week , when India announced it would be banning all UK flights from 19 March , Habeeb Qureshi began to wonder when he ’ d see home again .
Two days later , after it introduced another ban on international flights – this time from 22 March – he booked the first plane he could .
“ I ’ m worried , anything can happen , ” he said .
“ [ Coronavirus ] cases in the UK are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationals living in Britain , Habeeb believed the second ban was an extension of the first , giving people more time to travel .
He packed his bags and moved out of the London flat where he ’ d been living as a law student .
But when he arrived at Gatwick Airport on 20 March , his airline said it was too late : the ban was already in place .
Now homeless , Habeeb slept at India ’ s High Commission in London last weekend .
Embassy officials told him the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they are waiting for more information from authorities in India .
Habeeb says he was quarantined at the embassy with over 40 other Indian nationals , most of them students and the group were only given one meal a day .
On Monday , they were moved to a hotel paid for by the embassy but is unclear how long they can stay .
He is determined to return to India , no matter the effect on his studies .
“ The reason we feel safer over there is because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have less chance than the UK of being infected ” he said .
“ We ’ ve got our loved ones there who care for us .
We ’ ve got our homes , our hope.
” • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

Like many other Indian nationals living in Britain, Habeeb believed the second ban was an extension of the first, giving people more time to travel. He packed his bags and moved out of the London flat where he’d been living as a law student. But when he arrived at Gatwick Airport on 20 March, his airline said it was too late: the ban was already in place.


bbc--2020-04-17--Coronavirus: Trump unveils plan to re-open states in phases

As Covid-19 continues to spread across the US , President Donald Trump has given governors guidance on re-opening state economies in the coming months .
The guidelines for `` Opening up America Again '' outline three phases in which states can gradually ease their lockdowns .
Mr Trump promised governors they would be handling the process themselves , with help from the federal government .
The US has 654,301 confirmed cases and 32,186 deaths due to the virus .
Mr Trump has suggested some states could re-open this month .
What did Trump say at the briefing ?
In his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared `` the next front in our war - opening up America again '' .
`` America wants to be open and Americans want to be open , '' he said .
`` A national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution . ''
He said that a prolonged lockdown risked inflicting a serious toll on public health .
He warned of a `` sharp rise '' in drug abuse , alcohol abuse , heart disease , and other `` physical and mental '' problems .
Mr Trump told reporters that healthy citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` as conditions allow '' .
He said Americans would continue to be called upon to maintain social distancing measures and to stay home if they are unwell .
He said that re-opening the US economy would be done `` one careful step at a time '' but he called on state governors to move `` very , very quickly , depending on what they want to do '' .
What is in the plan ?
The administration 's 18-page guidance document details three phases to reopen state economies , with each phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The guidelines in full can be seen here .
They include some recommendations across all three phases including good personal hygiene and employers developing policies to enforce social distancing , testing and contact tracing .
Phase one includes much of the current lockdown measures such as avoiding non-essential travel and not gathering in groups .
But it says large venues such as restaurants , places of worship and sports venues `` can operate under strict physical distancing protocols '' .
If there is no evidence of a resurgence of the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The guidance says schools can re-open and bars can operate `` with diminished standing-room occupancy '' .
Under phase three , states which are still seeing a downward trend of symptoms and cases can allow `` public interactions '' with physical distancing and the unrestricted staffing of worksites .
Visits to care homes and hospitals can resume and bars can increase their standing room capacity .
Some regions could begin returning to normal after a month-long evaluation period , at the earliest , according to the document .
In places where there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rise , it could take longer .
The co-ordinator of the White House coronavirus task force , Dr Deborah Birx , told Thursday 's briefing that as states worked through the three phases , they could allow for more and more employees to return to work in increments .
Phase three would be the `` new normal '' and would still include suggestions that vulnerable people should avoid crowded spaces .
The president has argued with governors in recent days about the timing of easing restrictions and reopening businesses - but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited to issuing guidelines .
During Thursday 's call , Mr Trump told governors : `` You 're going to call your own shots . ''
`` You 're going to be running it , we 're going to be helping you , '' he added .
On Wednesday , White House coronavirus task force leader Vice-President Mike Pence said 24 % of the counties in the US have had no reported coronavirus cases .
He added that half of US states have fewer than 2,500 cases .
The Trump administration had previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date to reopen the nation , and on Wednesday Mr Trump said some states may be able to reopen earlier than that .
However , some health experts and state governors have cautioned against reopening the economy too soon .
On Tuesday , Dr Anthony Fauci , the government 's top infectious disease expert , told AP news 1 May was `` a bit overly optimistic '' for many areas of the country , as a strong testing and tracing system would be needed before social distancing measures were lifted .
What have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday that his state would remain under stay-at-home orders until 15 May .
Officials in the state , which is the epicentre of the outbreak in the US , say the situation is showing signs of stabilising this week , though there are still hundreds of deaths daily .
The governors of Michigan , Ohio , Wisconsin , Minnesota , Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky have announced they will work together to reopen the region .
`` We recognise that our economies are all reliant on each other , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen them so hardworking people can get back to work and businesses can get back on their feet , '' they said in a statement on Thursday .
There was no timeline offered , but the governors said they planned to phase in sectors of the economy .
In Michigan , which has seen over 1,700 deaths due to the virus , there has been pushback against Governor Gretchen Whitmer 's stringent lockdown measures .
On Wednesday , residents took to the streets after the governor announced the stay-at-home order would be extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Germany is easing restrictions , shops may open as early as next week • France has extended its lockdown to 11 May • Italy is allowing limited number of shops to re-open in less-affected regions • India has extended its lockdown until 3 May • The UK has extended lockdown for at least three more weeks • Denmark has said it intends to ease its lockdown faster than originally planned • Spain has allowed some businesses to return to work • A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

"We recognise that our economies are all reliant on each other, and we must work together to safely reopen them so hardworking people can get back to work and businesses can get back on their feet," they said in a statement on Thursday.


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: Is there any evidence for lab release theory?

US state department cables show that embassy officials were worried about biosecurity at a virus lab in Wuhan , China .
The lab is in the same city where the coronavirus outbreak first came to the world 's attention .
And President Donald Trump has said the US government is looking into unverified reports that the virus escaped from a laboratory .
So what , if anything , does this add to our understanding of the current pandemic ?
What do the cables say ?
The Washington Post newspaper has reported information obtained from diplomatic cables .
They show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were sent on repeated visits to a Chinese research facility .
Officials sent two warnings to Washington about inadequate safety at the lab .
The column says the officials were worried about safety and management weaknesses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology ( WIV ) and called for more help .
It also claims diplomats were concerned the lab 's research on bat coronaviruses could risk a new Sars-like pandemic .
The newspaper says the cables fuelled more recent discussions in the US government about whether the WIV or another lab in Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus behind the current pandemic .
In addition , Fox News has also issued a report promoting the lab origin theory .
The outbreak came to light late last year when early cases were linked to a food market in Wuhan .
But despite rampant online speculation , there is no evidence of any kind that the Sars-CoV-2 virus ( which causes Covid-19 ) was released accidentally from a lab .
What kind of security measures do labs use ?
Laboratories studying viruses and bacteria follow a system known as the BSL standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are four levels , which depend on the types of biological agents being studied and the containment precautions needed to isolate them .
Biosafety Level 1 ( BSL-1 ) is the lowest and is used by labs studying well-known biological agents that pose no threat to humans .
The containment precautions increase through the levels until you arrive at Biosafety Level 4 ( BSL-4 ) which is the highest , and reserved for labs dealing with the most dangerous pathogens for which there are few available vaccines or treatments : ebola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case of just two institutes in the US and Russia - smallpox .
The BSL standards are applied internationally , but with some cosmetic variations .
`` The Russians , for instance , label their highest containment labs as 1 and the lowest containment labs as 4 , so the exact opposite of the standard , but the actual practices and infrastructure requirements are similar , '' says Dr Filippa Lentzos , a biosecurity expert at King 's College London .
But while the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has published a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards are not enforced by any treaties .
`` They 've been developed to be in the best interest for working safely , for lab workers who do n't want to infect themselves or their community , and for the environment to avoid accidental releases , '' says Dr Lentzos .
But she adds : `` The 'stick ' comes with the purse strings .
If you want to do projects with international partners they require labs to be operating to certain standards .
Or if you have products to sell in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ e.g .
tests , then you are also required to operate to international standards . ''
Indeed , the WIV had received funding from the US , along with assistance from American research institutes .
The cables recommended giving them even more help .
What kinds of security failures were the cables describing ?
The short answer is that we do n't know from the information provided in the Washington Post .
But , generally-speaking , there are multiple ways that safety measures can be breached at labs dealing with biological agents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Who has access to the lab , the training and refresher-training of scientists and technicians , procedures for record-keeping , signage , inventory lists of pathogens , accident notification practices , emergency procedures . ''
But how unusual were the concerns expressed in the diplomatic cables ?
Accidents happen .
In 2014 , forgotten vials of smallpox were found in a cardboard box in a research centre near Washington .
In 2015 , the US military accidentally shipped live anthrax samples instead of dead spores to as many as nine labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in South Korea .
There are variations in safety standards across the large number of labs at the lower end of the BSL scale and many lesser breaches do n't make it into the news .
But there are relatively few labs that are designated BSL-4 .
Wikipedia lists over 50 around the world , of which WIV was one , but there is no authoritative list .
They have to be built to very high specifications because they deal with the most dangerous pathogens known to science .
As a result , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So any concerns about procedures at one of these facilities would be more than noteworthy .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health Were n't there previous claims of the virus leaking from a lab ?
Yes , almost as soon as the novel coronavirus came to light , there was speculation - much of it uninformed - about its origins .
One online theory , that went viral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been engineered in a lab as a bioweapon .
This allegation has been repeatedly dismissed by scientists , who note that studies show the virus originated in animals - most likely in bats .
Viruses can also be engineered for the purposes of fundamental scientific research .
For example , gain of function studies may improve the ability of a pathogen to cause disease , to investigate how viruses could mutate in future .
But a US study of the coronavirus genome published in March found no signs that it had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genome sequence data for known coronavirus strains , we can firmly determine that SARS-CoV-2 originated through natural processes , '' said co-author Kristian Andersen , from Scripps Research , said at the time .
Another allegation concerns the accidental release of a natural virus from a laboratory .
The proximity of the Wuhan seafood market , where the outbreak came to light , to at least two research institutes carrying out research on infectious diseases fuelled speculation about a link .
That the WIV had carried out research on bat coronaviruses is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was entirely legitimate and published in international journals .
Given the country 's experience with the Sars outbreak in the early 2000s , this should come as no surprise .
Dr Lentzos said the issue of its origin was a `` very difficult question '' , and added that `` there have been quiet , behind-the-scene discussions ... in the biosecurity expert community , questioning the seafood market origin that has come out very strongly from China '' .
But there is currently no evidence that any research institute in Wuhan was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian addressed the matter at a news conference , telling journalists the World Health Organization 's officials `` have said multiple times there is no evidence the new coronavirus was created in a laboratory '' .
President Donald Trump , who has been coming under fire over his administration 's response to the pandemic , said the US government is investigating the lab theory .
China has repeatedly been accused of lacking transparency in the early stages of the outbreak , and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' on what they know .
Amid this war of words between the countries , the painstaking - and largely unseen - scientific work to trace the origin of the virus will continue .

Pathogens can be made to mutate in a laboratory without the directed manipulation of their genes. In so-called "passage experiments", viruses or bacteria are passed from one lab animal to another in order to study how the agents adapt to their hosts. Past experiments have succeeded in making viruses more transmissible between animals using this low-tech method. But, again, there is no evidence that this played any role in the origin of the novel coronavirus.


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: Weekly jobless claims hit 5.2 million

Another 5.2 million Americans registered for unemployment benefits last week as businesses remain shut amid the coronavirus lockdown .
The new Department of Labor filings bring the number of jobless claims over the last four weeks to more than 20 million .
That amounts to roughly as many jobs as employers had added over the previous decade .
The economic crisis comes as the number of US virus cases exceeds 629,000 .
The surging joblessness is a stark reversal for the world 's biggest economy where the unemployment rate had been hovering around 3.5 % .
Economists now expect that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the 5.2 million new claims in the week ended 11 April were down from 6.6 million the previous week , the numbers still eclipse prior records .
Many economists warn that elevated numbers will linger , with Goldman Sachs researchers expecting some 37 million claims by the end of May .
`` Records are being broken left and right with respect to the depth and breadth of the current downturn , '' said Mark Hamrick , senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com .
`` With no immediate end in sight to efforts aimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact , it is impossible to see a near-term upturn in employment prospects . ''
Electronics chain Best Buy this week said it would furlough more than 50,000 employees , while Royal Caribbean Cruises announced it would cut or suspend about a quarter of its American workforce .
The moves come as retail sales plunged by a record 8.7 % , while manufacturing output dropped by the most in more than 74 years .
The US has expanded its unemployment programme , making disbursements bigger and more people - including the self-employed - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelmed state offices , which process the applications .
Glenn Hawker , co-owner of a now-closed hair salon in Virginia , said he had applied for the funds as an independent contractor at least twice and been rejected .
When he called to figure out why , he could n't reach anyone .
`` The phone rings and rings and rings , '' the 49-year-old said .
Mr Hawker had also sought assistance through a loan programme for small businesses , but he has not received any .
On Thursday , the Small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of administering that $ 349bn programme , announced it had run out of money .
Restaurant owner George Constantinou last month laid off most of the 130 people who work at the four businesses he owns in New York and New Jersey , retaining a core group to continue doing take-out and delivery .
He said he expected the move would allow the business - which saw sales drop some 80 % in the early weeks - to conserve money and workers to receive at least some pay until he could bring them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a two-week thing , '' he said .
`` Then it just got worse and worse and worse . ''
Amid delays to claims processing , some staff have sought his help in applying for food stamps .
If the economic downturn is prolonged , re-hiring everyone may not make sense , even after he can fully reopen .
`` At this point , we have to take it almost day by day to figure it out , '' he said .
US President Donald Trump is expected to issue `` new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the country where experts believe the rate of infection is under control .
`` There has to be a balance , '' he said on Wednesday .
`` We have to get back to work . ''

He said he expected the move would allow the business - which saw sales drop some 80% in the early weeks - to conserve money and workers to receive at least some pay until he could bring them back.


bbc--2020-04-17--Coronavirus: A run through the 'warzone' of New York

BBC Reporter Tom Brook goes for a jog around Central Park , encountering a `` huge '' mobile morgue , @ @ @ @ @ New Yorkers .
New York is the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in the US @

BBC Reporter Tom Brook goes for a jog around Central Park, encountering a "huge" mobile morgue, a field hospital and pandemic-weary New Yorkers.
New York is the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in the US.


bbc--2020-04-16--Police find 17 bodies at New Jersey nursing home after anonymous tip

New Jersey police found 17 bodies in one of the state 's largest nursing homes after an anonymous tip said a body was being stored in a shed .
A total of 68 people associated with the Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation centres have recently died , with 26 having tested positive for Covid-19 .
Police did not find a body in the shed , but said the facility 's tiny morgue was `` overwhelmed '' .
New Jersey has over 71,000 cases and 3,100 deaths due to the coronavirus .
Over the weekend , the nursing home had requested 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , police received the anonymous tip about a body being kept in a shed .
Instead , they found 17 bodies kept in a morgue built to house four .
`` They were just overwhelmed by the amount of people who were expiring , '' Andover police chief Eric Danielson told the New York Times .
It is unclear whether any of the 17 deaths were due to the coronavirus .
Chaim Scheinbaum , a co-owner of the nursing home , addressed the morgue problem in an email to New Jersey Congressman Josh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The backup and after hours holiday weekend issues , plus more than average deaths , contributed to the presence of more deceased than normal in the facility holding room , '' he said .
Mr Scheinbaum also said the facility is adequately staffed .
• How big is the problem in care homes ?
Seventy-six patients have tested positive for Covid-19 along with 41 staff members between the two buildings , according to the Times .
Thirteen bodies were moved to a refrigerated truck at a neighbouring hospital , while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a funeral home .
The nursing home owner has since obtained a refrigerated truck for bodies , local media reported .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health The home 's two buildings have nearly 700 beds in all .
An Andover employee told the New Jersey Herald , which first reported the story , that in the second building , 65 residents had died since 31 March .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herald , saying they received little information before their loved ones died .
The state governor , Phil Murphy , said he was `` outraged that the bodies of the dead were allowed to pile up in a makeshift morgue at the facility '' .
`` New Jerseyans living in our long-term care facilities deserve to be cared for with respect , compassion , and dignity , '' he said , adding that he had asked the attorney general to review all long-term care facilities that had experienced a disproportionate number of deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commissioner , 10 % of 60,000 people in care facilities across the state have Covid-19 .
The state 's health department has sent thousands of additional supplies to the nursing homes to help combat the virus .
On 4 April , the department also ordered nursing homes to inform staff , other patients and families within 24 hours if anyone in the facility tested positive for Covid-19 .

"New Jerseyans living in our long-term care facilities deserve to be cared for with respect, compassion, and dignity," he said, adding that he had asked the attorney general to review all long-term care facilities that had experienced a disproportionate number of deaths.


bbc--2020-04-16--Veteran, 99, raises $17m with charity walk

Captain Tom Moore , the 99-year-old army veteran who pledged to walk 100 lengths of his garden to raise money @ @ @ @ @ become an international sensation .
Captain Tom , who will celebrate his centenary on 30 @ @ @ @ @ raise £1,000 , but more than £13m was donated after his story captured hearts and @ @ @ @ @ .
See more personal stories during the coronavirus outbreak : bbc.in/YourCoronavirusStories

Captain Tom Moore, the 99-year-old army veteran who pledged to walk 100 lengths of his garden to raise money for the NHS, has become an international sensation.
Captain Tom, who will celebrate his centenary on 30 April, set out to raise £1,000, but more than £13m was donated after his story captured hearts and inspired donors around the world.
See more personal stories during the coronavirus outbreak: bbc.in/YourCoronavirusStories