thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-21--Boris Johnson 'Sticking' To Reopening Of Pubs And Restaurants From July 4

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Boris Johnson has said he is “sticking like glue” to his road map for easing the coronavirus lockdown for the hospitality sector from July 4, and will this week unveil his plan for the future of the two-metre rule.
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This could mean the reopening of pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels and possibly hairdressers.
In a Downing Street interview on Sunday afternoon, the prime minister said: “The disease is increasingly under control and I just want people to reflect on that important fact.
“It’s going down, we are getting it down.
“So, of course, as we make that progress it will be possible to open up more and you will be hearing more about what we want to do with not just non-essential retail but with the hospitality sector from July 4 and we’re sticking absolutely like glue to the road map to the plan that I set out on May 10.
“On the progress on social distancing, watch this space and you won’t have much more to wait now. You’ll certainly be hearing more this week.”
He added: “But it’s very important we don’t lose our vice-like grip on the disease; we’ve got to keep it on the floor where we’ve got it.”
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He said screens and masks are measures that would mitigate the risk of spreading coronavirus if the two-metre rule is changed.
WPA Pool via Getty Images
Hancock added reducing the distance people had to stay apart would also “undoubtedly” help with the full reopening of schools.
The health secretary also confirmed people might be asked to register their attendance before visiting a pub for a drink, as it would then make it easier to trace them should someone in the venue subsequently test positive for coronavirus.
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Professor Peter Piot, the director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told the BBC this morning he would be happy for the two-metre rule to be cut.
“It created a false sense of security. It’s not suddenly beyond two metres there is no risk,” he said.
“I would rather be at one metre of someone who is infected but if both of us wear a mask, than at two metres without a mask.”
But Piot added to the pressure on the government to abandon its policy of quarantining people arriving in the UK for 14-days, describing it as “completely useless”.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said Labour would support the end of the two-metre rule if other safety measures, such as face coverings, are put in place.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Could Spitting Into A Tube Be More Accurate Than Coronavirus Swab?

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
An at-home saliva test could be on the cards for detecting Covid-19 if a new trial goes to plan – and experts believe it could be more reliable in identifying cases of coronavirus than the existing swab test.
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More than 14,000 people working in GP surgeries, universities and other frontline roles in Southampton have been recruited to trial the test and participants will be tested once a week for four weeks.
They will receive test results within 48 hours and details of those who test positive will be shared with the NHS Test and Trace Programme.
Why saliva could be better than swabbing
A saliva test is a lot less fiddly than its swab counterpart. At the moment, people can do postal swab tests at home or visit a drive-through testing facility.
The test involves inserting a swab into the nose and wiping it along the back of the throat, before it is packaged up and sent off to a lab to be tested.
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There have been concerns that the swab test could be yielding a significant number of false negative results – meaning people are told they don’t have coronavirus when they actually do. Research from Bristol University and John Hopkins University has found up to 20% of swab tests return false negatives.
The new ‘spit’ test could be more sensitive than the swab tests currently being used, leading to better – and more trusted – results.
A study led by the Yale School of Public Health and conducted at Yale New Haven Hospital with 44 inpatients and 98 health care workers found saliva samples provided greater detection sensitivity and consistency throughout the course of an infection, compared to nasal swabs.
“Taken together, our findings demonstrate that saliva is a viable and more sensitive alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs and could enable at-home self-administered sample collection for accurate large-scale SARS-CoV-2 testing,” said study author Anne Wyllie back in April.
Professor Lawrence Young, an expert in molecular oncology and virologist at Warwick Medical School, tells HuffPost UK the Southampton trial is “exciting”.
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“There have been several studies published over the past couple of months on testing for the virus in saliva samples,” he says. “I don’t think there have been thorough comparisons yet but everything coming out suggests that saliva is a much more reliable source of the virus [than swabbing].”
Prof Young believes the saliva test has the potential to be more accurate partly because it’s far easier to do. “What you’re doing is asking people to spit into tubes and to cough up whatever phlegm is in their throat, and that seems to be a much more reliable source of the virus,” he says. “It’s much easier than sticking a swab up into your nose or down into your throat.”
He points to studies from the US and Australia that suggest a greater accuracy from the swab tests – which have even identified positive cases among asymptomatic healthcare workers.
“Even though there hasn’t really been a large-scale comparison study yet between swabs and saliva, I think all the indications are that saliva is going to be a much more reliable and easy test in terms of sampling,” he says.
University of Chicago scientists found saliva-based tests were “just as accurate” as swabs. Using a system that measures how much of the virus is in a saliva sample, unlike swab tests that detect whether the virus is present or not, this method enables people who are asymptomatic (where they don’t have symptoms) or pre-symptomatic (where their symptoms haven’t developed yet) to be tested, too.
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The theory goes that these people would show small amounts of the virus that a swab test might miss.
“It’s possible that people who have the virus but don’t show symptoms have a smaller amount of virus that wouldn’t show up on [swab] tests,” Jeremy Segal, an associate professor and pathologist at University of Chicago, said in a statement. “If they’re still able to spread the virus, being able to detect those people would be very important.”
People could also more easily do the saliva test from their own home without having to travel to test sites – thereby reducing the potential spread of the virus.
“It is definitely a positive step because it simplifies sample collection and also potentially results in a quicker time to [get the] result,” says Alexander Edwards, associate professor in Biomedical Technology at the University of Reading. “The faster the result, the easier it is to run things like track and trace, and to help people make informed decisions.
“Also, the more studies of testing methods, the better – we still need more information about the best way to test. This kind of testing technology is constantly improving and evolving, as we get smarter and slicker about detecting virus.”
Health secretary Matt Hancock said of the Southampton trial: “Saliva testing could potentially make it even easier for people to take coronavirus tests at home, without having to use swabs.
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“This trial will also help us learn if routine, at-home testing could pick up cases of the virus earlier.”
The saliva test has been developed by UK company OptiGene, which has also developed a molecular diagnostic test for Covid-19 that provides results from swab tests within 20 minutes.
A quick and easy saliva test that told you whether you had coronavirus in 20 minutes could have a huge impact, says Prof Young.
“Just thinking about things like airports: if you can take saliva and very rapidly in 20 minutes get an answer, then I think that is going to be extremely useful in terms of managing some of the very difficult situations we find ourselves in, particularly in relation to the workplace and travel.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Bid To Relax Sunday Trading Laws 'Under Review' Amid Tory Revolt

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Boris Johnson’s bid to rip up Sunday trading laws are “under review” after the move provoked a backlash among Tory backbenchers, Downing Street has confirmed.
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The prime minister had planned to suspend the six-hour cap on opening hours to boost the UK economy as retailers struggle to recover from the coronavirus crisis.
But it is not clear whether the measure will be included in a new Covid Bill, set to be tabled in parliament this week, as a chunk of Conservative MPs are threatening to vote it down.
The PM’s official spokesperson said: “In terms of Sunday trading laws we will keep that under review.”
The legislation is expected to set out new rules on social distancing for businesses and may liberalise planning laws, Number 10 said.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street ASSOCIATED PRESS
Asked if the suggested plans were now on the “back burner”, the No 10 spokesman added: “There is a Covid Bill which will look at new ways of working as the country recovers from the disruption caused by coronavirus and which is intended to help businesses through the summer months, in particular.
“I would expect that bill to be introduced this week.”
He continued: “In terms of what is in the bill, it is right that that will go to Parliament first but, as I say, at the heart of it will be legislation to enable businesses to adjust to new ways of working and to help them to capitalise on the summer months.
“It will look to support business to implement safer ways of working to manage the ongoing risks of coronavirus and in particular the need for social distancing.”
Signs advise people to social distance on a bus stop along a high street, in London ASSOCIATED PRESS
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A letter in The Daily Telegraph signed by seven Tory MPs says the plan could damage independent retailers and that 91% of shop workers do not want longer Sunday trading hours in large stores.
The group says as many as 50 of Johnson’s backbenchers - some of which were first elected in December 2019 - oppose liberalising the regulation, which was introduced by John Major in 1994 to help small shops.
The letter reads: “We stand squarely behind your ambition to stimulate economic growth and revitalise British high streets, but removing Sunday trading hours will not achieve this.
“It will harm local shops and high streets by displacing trade to large out of town retail parks and supermarkets.
“Instead the government should review the seven substantive reports developed since 2011, by government departments, industry-leading experts, academics and parliamentarians, containing hundreds of recommendations, but none have recommended removing Sunday trading hours.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Fern Britton Felt Like A 'Liability To ITV' Before This Morning Exit

Former This Morning star Fern Britton has admitted she felt like she’d become a “liability to ITV” before quitting the daytime show.
She and Phillip Schofield presented This Morning together for 10 years, until she made the decision to leave in 2009, after which Holly Willoughby took over her role.
During a recent interview with talkRadio, Fern spoke about her exit, claiming the furore that surrounded her gastric bypass band surgery was a contributing factor to her exit.
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She explained: “It was all gastric band-gate. It ruffled a few feathers, and I think perhaps I became a bit of a liability to ITV. I really don’t know.”
Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield on her last day of presenting the show Ken McKay/Shutterstock
Fern revealed that she’d undergone the procedure at a time when she was the face of Ryvita, leading some critics to suggest she’d “lied” about the way she lost five stone, which the presenter has always refuted.
She said: “I know that the day I decided to leave [This Morning] – and I’m not going to get into this now – something happened that morning and I thought, ‘I’m done’ and ITV went, ‘Thanks very much. Goodbye’.”
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During the interview, Fern also reiterated that her exit “had nothing to do with money”, despite reports in the tabloid press at the time.
“That got into a story and it was not to do with that,” she insisted. “I didn’t know what Phillip was earning. But I knew that I was earning plenty for me and you have to know what is enough for yourself.
“I’m old fashioned enough not to question what other people are earning. I was very well looked after.”
Fern Britton pictured in 2016 Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty Images
Fern made a brief return to This Morning in 2018, for the show’s 30th anniversary celebrations, and took the opportunity to throw shade at her former TV home for failing to invite her to a Bafta celebration.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--The Government Isn't Letting MPs Scrutinise Who The UK Sells Weapons To

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The government has been accused of “dragging its feet” by failing to convene a “vital” committee on arms exports – despite concerns that UK-made tear gas and rubber bullets are being used on Black Lives Matter protesters in the United States.
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Labour said it was “extremely worrying” that ministers had failed to appoint a chair and constitute the Commons committee on arms exports controls at a time when licenses for the sale of crowd control equipment to the US and the use of British weapons in Yemen are being questioned.
Shadow peace minister Fabian Hamilton said a failure to convene the committee for nine months following the 2015 election may have contributed to a failure to properly scrutinise arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Now that six months have passed since the General Election, it's very worrying that the Committee on Arms Export Controls is yet to be convened in this Parliament.
Our weapons are our responsibility and any sales should be properly scrutinised by MPs. My letter to Jacob Rees-Mogg pic.twitter.com/3Gsr511OTx — Fabian Hamilton (@FabianLeedsNE) June 22, 2020
The UK last year suspended new arms deals with Saudi Arabia after a court ruled they were illegal because ministers did not properly assess whether British-made weapons were part of bombing campaigns in Yemen that critics say violated international humanitarian law.
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Labour has already called on ministers to suspend the sale of riot control equipment to the US and review whether British-made tear gas or anti-riot guns or shields have been used against people protesting the death of George Floyd in police custody.
The row also comes amid criticism of the government for failing to publish a long-delayed report into Russian interference because it has not constituted the intelligence and security committee.
Hamilton has written to Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg to demand an explanation of the delay in setting of the arms export committee.
The Labour MP told HuffPost UK: “It’s extremely worrying that the government has dragged its feet on encouraging this committee to be convened.
“At a time where the sale of tear gas and crowd control equipment to the US and the use of British weapons in Yemen are rightly being questioned, the work of the committee on arms exports controls is more important than ever.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Josie Gibson Rode A Rollercoaster Live On This Morning And It Was Equal Parts Ridiculous And Chaotic

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It’s fair to say that Josie Gibson’s week got off to a bit of a shaky start, as she was thrown about on a rollercoaster during Monday’s This Morning.
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The Big Brother winner has been a roving reporter for the ITV daytime show for several years now, and was sent to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for a segment about the reopening of theme parks around the UK.
As part of the feature, Josie then came aboard one of the park’s newest additions, Icon, but was seemingly not aware of what an intense experience she was in for.
“You never told me this,” she told presenters Phillip Schofield and Davina McCall, after being informed that the ride she was about to get on goes from a “standing stop” to 88kmph in around two seconds.
“I’m going to be on this ride now and I tell you what, I haven’t had a ride for such a long time,” she joked. “It’s about time I got the adrenaline pumping, actually. So here we are. Tuck me in, boys.”
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Josie Gibson told Davina and Phillip she had a "bone to pick" with them before her rollercoaster ride began ITV
As park staff members secured her in the car, she told viewers: “Since I’ve had a baby, I’m scared of everything. Absolutely everything.
“It’s very important that I wear my mask, but believe me, I’ve got a bone to pick with you guys [Phillip and Davina], I really have. Oh, my tummy’s going already. Why do you do this to me?”
What then followed was around a full minute of non-stop screaming from Josie, with the presenter only pausing to announce “I quit” and ask “where am I?”, after her face-mask moved up over her eyes while the ride threw her around.
Josie struggled with her face mask during the ride ITV
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“That is not good to do after having a baby,” she was then heard telling Phillip and Davina. “I shalln’t be doing it again. That’s for sure. But thanks so much for giving me the opportunity…”
Josie added: “It was quite difficult [to keep the mask on], I couldn’t see at times... Does anyone know where the toilets are?”
Josie looked ever so slightly windswept after her adventure ITV
The whole scene put us in mind of when fellow This Morning star Alison Hammond rode a Toy Story rollercoaster at Disney World live on air back in 2018.
“I didn’t think it was going to be this bad! I thought it was a child’s rollercoaster!” she was heard declaring, in between her screams.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Windrush Day: Victims Still Battling For Compensation Slam Government Scheme

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Windrush victims still waiting for compensation have accused the government of creating a “re-traumatising” and “difficult” process.
The Windrush Compensation Scheme was set up in April 2019 to ensure people who had lost access to their jobs and benefits, and suffered other hardships, received payment for the huge impact on their lives.
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But campaigners and lawyers for victims say the scheme is deterring people from even trying to apply, more than two years after the full extent of the scandal was properly exposed.
“The burden is on the claimant to prove financial loss,” Beri Nwosu, a solicitor and immigration specialist at Hackney Community Law Centre said.
Nwosu said the specific, “scientific” terminology used throughout the form made the application process extremely difficult.
“Even the medical aspects, they expect you to claim as though it is a personal injury claim where you’d write something like: ‘I was hit and I lost movement in my neck’ – those kinds of specifics.”
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MPs meet representatives of the Windrush generation Chris J Ratcliffe via Getty Images
It’s been little more than two years since coverage of the Windrush scandal exposed the damage hostile environment policies had wrought on the lives of thousands of Black people who had a legal right to reside in the UK.
Having arrived in the UK on their parents’ passports, and with thousands of landing cards and other records destroyed by the Home Office, many members of the Windrush generation found themselves unable to prove the UK was their rightful home.
The government demanded that individuals provide proof that their residency predated 1973, and required at least one official letter from every year they had lived in the UK – creating a paper trail that was impossible to follow for the majority of people affected.
Suddenly deemed “illegal immigrants”, members of the Windrush generation began to lose access to housing, bank accounts and driving licenses under hostile environment policies designed to make life in the UK impossible for any undocumented residents.
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At least 164 Black British citizens have been wrongly detained or deported.
The fallout led to serious calls for a reform of the Home Office. Home secretary Amber Rudd was forced to resign, but the hostile environment policy remains in place and many whose lives were turned upside down are still yet to receive a full apology for what they suffered.
The shocking details of lost jobs, severance from health care, detention and deportation may have slipped from the front pages, but many of those caught up in the scandal are still waiting for justice.
Towards the end of May 2020 it emerged that fewer than 5% of Windrush claimants had actually received any compensation.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said at the time that it had paid £362,996 to 60 people, including one payment in excess of £100,000, during the first year of the scheme.
The government data revealed that more than 1,200 claims had been made by March 2020. The compensation fund has an estimated budget of at least £200m, and the Home Office said it had made around £280,000 in offers that are yet to be accepted.
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Campaigner Patrick Vernon’s parents were part of the Windrush generation, and on being made an OBE in 2012 he dedicated the honour to the “personal sacrifices” they had made.
Vernon himself was at the forefront of calls for a national Windrush Day, which was formally supported by the government in 2018, and is now leading a petition signed by more than 130,000 people calling for leaders to implement the recommendations made in the Windrush Lessons Learned review.
“It’s important that we remember the huge contribution the Windrush generation made to the UK, and Windrush Day helps us to do that,” Vernon explained.
“But it’s bittersweet, because the hostile environment policies that led to the scandal are still in place. People are still waiting for compensation and we’re still waiting for action on the Lessons Learned review.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Vernon describes the process of applying for compensation through the government’s scheme as a “re-traumatisation” for many of those who had already faced huge difficulties in the face of the hostile environment policy.
He said: “It is re-traumatising people who were traumatised in the first place by losing their homes, their jobs, their access to healthcare as a result of this scandal.
“We know of five people in the UK who have died in connection with the Windrush scandal, but we still don’t know what has happened to those who were deported to the Caribbean or Africa because the Home Office has made no effort to help.
“It has severely impacted their quality of life and wellbeing. The form itself was supposed to be simple and accessible, but people are having to employ solicitors to help them complete it which really defeats the object.
“The process itself is deterring people from even trying to apply.”
Beri Nwosu, a solicitor and immigration specialist at Hackney Community Law Centre, said: “With the Windrush situation you can’t pinpoint everything to a direct cause. You can’t say: ‘He was homeless for this amount of time and therefore this is how much he should be owed.’”
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PA
Nwosu has been working on behalf of a client, Delbert Myrie Clarke, who was made homeless after losing his job and being unable to claim benefits as a result of the hostile environment policy in 2011.
Despite having a legal right to live in the UK, his citizenship wasn’t confirmed until 2019.
An application was made on 63-year-old Clarke’s behalf through the Windrush compensation scheme in June 2019, and he has since been asked three times for further information by the Home Office – including detailed information on his past addresses, despite spending a significant amount of time sleeping rough or on friends’ sofas.
It wasn’t until the Windrush scandal came to light in early 2018 that Clarke realised how many people were in the same situation as him.
A year on and he still hasn’t received any offer of compensation. He is currently living in council accommodation in Brixton after spending several years in Tilbury, where he had first arrived into the UK as a child in 1969.
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Clarke said: “First I would use the compensation money to try and find somewhere to live that felt like home. I feel like a prisoner in a little room.
“Being made homeless had already really affected my mental health – I was just doing whatever I could to get by but it was very hard. Some of the things that happened to me still play on my mind.
“We applied for compensation a year ago but they still keep coming back to me and asking the same questions. It feels like we’re not getting anywhere.
“It would be nice to know where the end is but it’s just dragging on.”
The Home Office said it would be making a compensation offer as soon as it could.
Hubert Howard Supplied
Hubert Howard died in November after a battle with illnesses including leukaemia and diabetes, which he blamed on his 14-year ordeal at the hands of the Home Office.
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The 62-year-old, who moved to the UK from Jamaica at the age of three, was finally granted British citizenship three weeks before his death but had not received an apology or compensation.
After being sacked from his job and told he had no legal right to be in the country in 2009, Howard accumulated substantial debts and was not entitled to benefits.
Speaking to the Hackney Gazette in 2018, Howard said: “They’ve got to realise this thing made me very ill.”
Following his death, his daughter Maresha Howard Rose launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds to pay for his funeral.
At the time, the Home Office said Howard’s compensation would be progressed and it would be “getting in touch with his family, to whom it gave its condolences”.
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But Maresha told HuffPost UK the government had offered an unsatisfactory, undisclosed amount that she described as “insulting” – and which the Home Office says it is reviewing.
In addition, an official offered the Howard family £5,000 towards funeral costs, which they accepted – but neglected to explain that this would be deducted from the compensation.
“It was shocking. It was insulting. The government hasn’t learned from its mistakes or shown any consideration for the Windrush victims and their families,” Maresha told HuffPost UK.
“I feel like the ordeal that my dad went through has been transferred to me because I’m still struggling for answers.
“The package was very low. His mental health seriously deteriorated because he’d been struggling with the Home Office for a long time.”
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“The government hasn't learned from its mistakes” - Maresha Howard Rose
Maresha, who’s studying and plans to start up a healthcare business in her father’s honour, said channelling her efforts into these undertakings helps her to stay strong.
“My dad wouldn’t want this to affect me. He wanted the best for me and I always try to keep that in mind. I have to stay positive,” she said.
“There are a number of policies and procedures put in place on paper, like the Human Rights Act, but the Home Office don’t follow that because we have been treated unfairly. They don’t practice what they preach.
“The fact that people – like my dad – are dying before they receive their compensation, struggling with their mental health, ill after not being allowed treatment in hospitals is outrageous.”
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Maresha Howard Rose Supplied
Monday, Windrush Day, is Maresha’s first without her father and she plans to reflect on the contribution that he made to British life along with others of his generation.
But the struggle for justice continues.
“The Windrush generation came here to work and contribute to the country. They deserve to be treated well. But the Home Office don’t treat us, as Black people, equally,” she said.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary has been clear that the mistreatment of the Windrush generation by successive governments was completely unacceptable and she will right those wrongs.
“The Windrush Compensation Scheme made the first payment within four months of opening and has offered claimants over £640,000 in the first year.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Can't Wear A Face Mask For Health Reasons? Then Carry This Card Instead

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Face coverings are mandatory in many indoor settings across the UK – but there are exemptions for those who aren’t able to wear one.
If you have a physical health condition that makes it difficult to breathe while wearing a mask – such as asthma – or a disability or mental health issue that means you find wearing a mask distressing, you are exempt from the rules.
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Likewise, children under the age of 11 (or five in Scotland) are also exempt.
After disabled people and those with invisible illnesses expressed concerns over being shamed for not wearing face covers, the government has shared an official printable card which people can carry with them, as well as a badge template which can be downloaded here.
Gov.uk Exemption card
Transport for London (TFL) has also launched a “baby on board-style” card that those with underlying conditions can carry.
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, told HuffPost UK that rail staff will accept a TFL exemption card outside London, too – and train companies are making exemption cards similar to this available through their own channels.
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The TFL card simply says “I am exempt from wearing a face covering”. It can be downloaded and printed off via the TFL website. TFL has tweeted to say there is no need to provide medical proof to use the card (much like there’s no need to provide proof for a baby on board badge).
TFL/Getty
These are the groups who are not required by law to wear a face covering on public transport and in shops and supermarkets:
Where a person cannot put on, wear, or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010), or without severe distress
Where a person is providing a lip-reading service to a person they are travelling with
Where a person removes their face covering to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to themselves or others
Where a person is travelling to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and does not have a face covering with them
If it is reasonably necessary for a person to eat and drink, and the person removes their face covering to eat or drink
Where a person is required to remove the face covering by a police constable (including a British Transport Police officer) or another authorised person.
Although the exemption cards will come in handy if you’re stopped by the authorities, it can’t easily be displayed, making it hard to let other passengers know you have a legitimate reason to be without a face mask.
Because of this, some people are buying unofficial badges (or making their own) to publicly display medical conditions.
I have chronic asthma. Masks can compromise my breathing, especially in humid British summers. I wear one wherever I can but when I can’t (even though I am exempt) I feel better having this badge on me (from @sootmegs). One less thing to stress about!
P.S. My mask is On Brand™ pic.twitter.com/L6XqUuy6FL — Lana (@lanamlouise) June 20, 2020
The Rail Delivery Group says staff have also been made aware of the sunflower lanyard and JAM cards – which pre-existed coronavirus and provide a discreet way to disclose personal information, such as an invisible illness or mental health problem.
Even if you’re eligible and don’t yet have a card, “rail staff have been briefed that not everyone travelling will be able to wear a face covering and be considerate when ensuring people are following the new rules”, the Rail Delivery Group said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Europe Eases Lockdown – But The Coronavirus Pandemic Is Still Getting Worse Globally

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While coronavirus infection rates across much of Europe and parts of the United States have begun to fall, allowing people to return to some semblance of normal life, the pandemic is continuing to accelerate in other regions of the world.
“Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening,” World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month.
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The situation is particularly dire in Latin America, which has become the new epicentre of the pandemic, and where scientists say the peak of infections is still weeks away.
Nations that have managed to control the spread of the virus may have started to worry about a second wave as they loosen lockdown restrictions. But in Latin America, the WHO has made it clear that the first phase of the pandemic is still going strong.
The situation in Brazil is especially concerning, Pan American Health Organisation director Carissa Etienne said last week. The country has been one of the hardest-hit nations in the world, with nearly a million confirmed cases of coronavirus and nearly 50,000 deaths, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, second only to the United States.
As Latin America’s largest country, Brazil accounts for about a quarter of the four million coronavirus cases in the region, and about a quarter of the deaths — and the rate of infection is increasing.
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A recent analysis by the Covid-19 Brazil group – an initiative bringing together scientists from Brazilian universities and research centres – and Johns Hopkins University found Brazil has the highest growth rate of confirmed cases in the world.
“We are the only country in the world where the number of cases and deaths is accelerating,” Domingos Alves, a member of the Covid-19 Brazil group, told HuffPost Brazil.
“Brazil is the only one that is putting its foot on the accelerator.”
Cemetery workers in protective suits shovel earth at the Vila Formosa cemetery in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo amid the coronavirus pandemic. picture alliance via Getty Images
In São Paulo, Brazil’s largest metropolis, authorities recently announced plans to dig up cemeteries and store the remains in large metal containers in order to make room for new coronavirus victims.
Obtaining an accurate picture of the situation in Brazil has been challenging, however, due to the widespread underreporting of cases. The testing rate in the United States, for example, has been 37,188 tests per million inhabitants. In Brazil, the rate has been just 8,737 per million inhabitants.
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Moreover, the Brazilian government has been accused of trying to mask the deadly impact of the pandemic after the health ministry removed months of data from a website that had been tracking Covid-19 earlier this month.
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has long played down the dangers of the pandemic, replaced medical experts in the health ministry with military officials, and argued against state lockdowns to fight the virus, hobbling the country’s public health response.
Meanwhile other countries have moved to lift lockdown restrictions even as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise.
“We have to head toward the new normality, because the national economy and the well being of the people depends on it,” Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador said earlier this month.
On Thursday, Mexico’s health ministry reported a record 5,662 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 667 additional fatalities, bringing the country’s total to 165,455 cases and 19,747 deaths. The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.
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India, too, is continuing to loosen lockdown measures across the country, despite an escalating number of cases.
On Thursday, the Indian health ministry reported a record spike in the number of coronavirus cases, bringing the total to nearly 400,000.
A worker paints beds to be used at a railway hospital in Chennai, India, to accommodate coronavirus patients, March 30. P. Ravikumar / Reuters
In New Delhi, hospitals have been running out of beds, and some patients have been turned away for lack of space.
“On June 1, we downloaded the report which said that our father-in-law was Covid positive. That’s when our ordeal began,” Mandeep Singh wrote in HuffPost India.
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“Though they had promised, Ganga Ram Hospital did not contact us. When we tried calling them to figure what we should do next, no one answered those calls.
“Frustrated, we started reaching out to the other hospitals we knew were admitting Covid patients. We called Max, Apollo, AIIMS, Safdurjung — all the hospitals directed us not to come as they did not have beds.”
Patients have been left unattended in corridors of government-run hospitals. Local media reports of dead bodies in a hospital lobby prompted the Supreme Court to order the state administration to get its act together.
On Sunday, the federal government said it will provide New Delhi’s city authorities with 500 railway coaches that will be equipped to care for coronavirus patients, in order to address the shortage of hospital beds.
A study released this week suggested that the peak of the outbreak could come in November, and that India was likely to experience a shortage of ventilators and ICU beds.
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“I don’t think we expected that cases would rise this much,” a lawmaker of the Aam Aadmi party that runs the capital told Reuters. “We were so over-confident.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Hamilton Trailer Shared On Social Media Ahead Of Disney+ Debut

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Disney has unveiled the first trailer for the upcoming filmed version of the smash hit musical Hamilton.
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With weeks to go until the release, the first trailer has now been posted on social media, and with theatres remaining closed for the foreseeable future, it looks like this new filmed version of Hamilton could be a lifeline for musical theatre devotees.
“We are proud to share #Hamilton a work that has sparked passion, conversation and the need to confront the past to shape the future,” a post on Disney+’s Twitter account said, alongside the minute-long clip.
We are proud to share #Hamilton; a work that has sparked passion, conversation and the need to confront the past to shape the future. Streaming on #DisneyPlus on July 3. pic.twitter.com/z7t0DS43gX — Disney+ (@disneyplus) June 22, 2020
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Lin-Manuel Miranda also posted the trailer, quoting his musical with the line “may you always be satisfied”...
The performances featured in the film were recorded in June 2016, and feature much of the show’s original cast, including Lin-Manuel in the title role of Alexander Hamilton.
Also among the cast of the new version of Hamilton are Leslie Odom Jr, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Daveed Diggs.
Jonathan Groff will be playing George III, while Anthony Ramos – who will soon be seen in the film version of another Lin-Manuel Miranda musical, In The Heights – plays dual roles of John Laurens and Philip, Alexander Hamilton’s son.
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Hamilton debuted on Broadway in 2015, and set a new record at the Tony Awards where it received an impressive 16 nominations.
The show made the jump across the pond in December 2017, and was similarly well-received, scooping seven awards at the Oliviers.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Boris Johnson: 'I've Changed A Lot Of Nappies, I Want You To Know'

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Changing nappies has kept Boris Johnson busy at home during lockdown, it has been reported.
The prime minister and Carrie Symonds welcomed their son Wilfred at the end of April – just weeks after the PM was discharged from intensive care where he battled coronavirus.
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The couple named him Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in a tribute to their grandfathers and the doctors who helped save Mr Johnson’s life.
Johsnon said he has been heavily involved in the seven-week-old child’s daily life.
“I’ve changed a lot of nappies, I want you to know,” Mr Johnson said on Friday during a visit to a Hertfordshire school, in comments carried by the Daily Mail.
Leon Neal via Getty Images
It comes after the PM was asked at last Tuesday’s daily Downing Street press conference: “How is Wilfred getting on? Is he keeping you awake at night, has he seen his grandparents yet?”
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The PM replied: “I never normally comment about these sorts of things but it’s all fine so far … All doing well.”
Symonds, 32, posted a picture of her cradling Wilfred at the beginning of May but the baby has not yet been seen in public.
The new family are understood to be living in their Downing Street flat along with their dog Dilyn.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--My Pride Anthems: Bob The Drag Queen

My Pride Anthems: Bob The Drag Queen

The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything, and that includes how we’re all celebrating Pride in 2020.
With huge public gatherings out of the question, we’re asking a range of LGBTQ celebrities and allies for their personal Pride anthems, to help us all get into the Pride spirit from lockdown.
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Up next in our My Pride Anthems series is comedian, recording artist, activist, dragony aunt and, of course, the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season eight, Bob The Drag Queen.
Jacob Ritts
As she talks us through her song choices, Bob also revealed the “ultimate Pride anthem” she has tattooed on her chest and the one question she has for Sam Smith if she ever runs into them...
Aretha Franklin – A Deeper Love
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“This is my ultimate Pride song. I literally have the words to this song – ‘I get up out of bed, I put on my clothes, because I got bills to pay’ – tattooed on my chest, that’s how much I love it.
“When I grew up, it was my mom’s favourite song at that time. I would sit in the bathroom while she curled her hair, and if she was going out with her friends at night, I would sit on the edge of the bathtub and just watch her sing. Now, she has a horrible, horrible singing voice, she can’t sing at all, but she would sing so loudly, and one of the songs she would love to sing was Deeper Love. She would sing into her curling iron and get down with me and sing with me, and we’d dance together. It’s such an amazing song, and it reminds me of her.”
Shea Diamond – I Am Her
“I came into knowledge of Shea Diamond maybe a year and a half ago, with her song American Pie, which is about how marginalised people – specifically Black trans women – want their piece of the American pie, or their seat at the table.
“My favourite song of hers is hands down, I Am Her. The opening lyrics are beautiful, ‘there’s an outcast in everybody’s life and I am her’. That is just so gorgeous to me. And her voice is really sultry and beautiful.
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“I recently organised a Black queer town hall, with [fellow Drag Race star] Peppermint, and she was one of the performers, which was really exciting.”
Todrick Hall – Color
“I really, really love Todrick Hall’s music, but if I’m going to pick one of his songs, I’m going to pick his song Color. I really like it, because it’s a love song where a queer man is using male pronouns.
“A lot of queer people write music but leave out pronouns, you know? Or switch them to make them more mainstream, to make straight people more comfortable. But Todrick leaves in ‘him’, ‘I like him’.
Sam Smith – HIM
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“This is a really gorgeous song. And again, naming your song HIM is really poignant, and a big message to the queer community at large. I think it’s really impactful that they chose that as the title of the song, and that they chose to literally put it in all caps, H-I-M.
“It’s such a great song, but there’s a weird line in it, where they go, ‘I walk the streets of Mississippi’. And my first thought is always, ‘what the fuck are you doing in Mississippi?’. Because I used to live in Mississippi… so I always just wonder ‘what the fuck is Sam Smith doing in Mississippi’? If we ever run into each other, I’m going to be like, ‘something’s been bothering me…’.”
The comedy special Bob The Drag Queen: Live At Caroline’s is out now.
We’ll be adding each celebrity’s song choices to our bumper My Pride Anthems playlist each day. Take a listen below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Just Spit Into A Pot For New Coronavirus Test That Could Replace Throat Swab

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A new coronavirus “spit test”, which could become an alternative to the existing invasive – and sometimes painful – deep nasal and throat swab, is being piloted by the government.
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The new test only requires the individual to spit into a sample pot to be tested for current Covid-19 infection, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
More than 14,000 people working in GP surgeries, universities and other frontline roles in Southampton have been recruited for the first phase of the trial, which will be launched this week.
Participants will be tested once a week for four weeks. They will receive test results within 48 hours and details of those who test positive shared with the NHS Test and Trace Programme.
Southampton City Council, the University of Southampton and the NHS are jointly leading the project, the DHSC said, with the help of other public services in Hampshire.
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There have been fears that the existing swab test could be yielding a significant number of false negatives, potentially due to the difficulty in swabbing the sinuses and back of the throat.
Research from Bristol University and John Hopkins University has found up to 20% of swab tests return false negatives.
It also provokes coughing and spluttering, putting health workers – already working in close quarters with the patient – at even greater risk of the droplet-borne infection.
It is hoped the new tests will significantly boost existing testing capacity and accessibility.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said: “Saliva testing could potentially make it even easier for people to take coronavirus tests at home, without having to use swabs.
“This trial will also help us learn if routine, at-home testing could pick up cases of the virus earlier.”
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The test was developed by biomedical firm Optigene, and the DHSC said it is also weighing up other non-swab, saliva-based tests from four other companies.
It said it is also working with a number of manufacturers ready to scale up production of the kits.
Professor Keith Godfrey, from the University of Southampton, said: “The health, social and economic impacts of lockdown cannot be underestimated.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Second Victim Of Reading Terror Attack Named By Family And Friends As Joe Ritchie-Bennett

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A second victim of the Reading terror attack has been named by family and friends as Joe Ritchie-Bennett.
His father Robert Ritchie told US TV network CBS that he had been caught up in the attack in Forbury Gardens, which saw three people killed and three others left seriously injured.
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In a tribute, Ritchie said: “The family is heartbroken they have lost their brilliant and loving son. This was senseless.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper reported that Ritchie-Bennett was 39 and had moved to England from the US around 15 years ago.
Local tributes have also been paid to Ritchie-Bennett on social media, the Reading Chronicle reported. These suggest he was friends with history teacher James Furlong, who was also killed.
On Monday morning, the US ambassador the UK confirmed that one of those killed in the attack was an American citizen.
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I offer my deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the attack on June 20. To our great sorrow, this includes an American citizen. Our thoughts are with all those affected. We condemn the attack absolutely and have offered our assistance to British law enforcement. — Ambassador Johnson (@USAmbUK) June 22, 2020
Police stand guard at the Abbey gateway of Forbury Gardens on Sunday ASSOCIATED PRESS
“I offer my deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the attack on June 20,” Woody Johnson wrote.
“To our great sorrow, this includes an American citizen. Our thoughts are with all those affected.
“We condemn the attack absolutely and have offered our assistance to British law enforcement.”
While one of the victims of the attack has been named as James Furlong, Thames Valley Police have yet to confirm the identity of the other two people killed.
Police arrested a 25-year-old man over the knife attack close to the scene at Forbury Gardens on suspicion of murder.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Kate Garraway Shares Emotional Father's Day Tribute To Husband As He Fights To Recover From Covid-19

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Kate Garraway has shared an emotional Father’s Day tribute to her husband as, as fights to recover from coronavirus.
The Good Morning Britain presenter’s husband Derek Draper was admitted to hospital in March, displaying symptoms of Covid-19 and struggling to breathe.
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While Kate previously revealed Derek is now “Covid-free”, the virus has done so much damage to his body it isn’t clear if he will fully recover.
As she marked Father’s Day on Sunday, Kate said it had been a “tough day”, but said that her husband is “officially the best dad in the world” according to his children.
Posting a picture of Derek with their children, as well as pictures of her own father and father-in-law, Kate wrote on Instagram: “Whatever happens next I’m afraid it is going to be a long road, with an uncertain end that isn’t even nearly in sight right now.
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“But this week I am refocusing on hope that as a family we are going to pull together with the support of friends and get through everything come what may.”
She continued: “I know that the amazing people keeping Derek alive, stand shoulder to shoulder with me in NEVER giving up on him and, of course, hope that my wonderful Derek is going to keep fighting this and eventually start to slowly recover.”
Derek and Kate in Australia last year, shortly after she left the I'm A Celebrity jungle James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock
Throughout Derek’s illness, Kate has kept fans updated on his condition on her Instagram page, but said she hadn’t posted recently as she had needed some time after giving emotional interviews to Good Morning Britain and The Sun earlier this month.
She told her GMB co-hosts Ben Shephard and Ranvir Singh that Derek was still “very, very sick” as he remained in a coma.
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She said: “It’s a virus, it’s a little bit like a computer virus I think. It’s like the doctors manage one bit extraordinarily well and there seems to be a flicker of hope and then other things emerge and they’re fighting that and it’s affected him from the top of his head to the tip of his toes.
“Let’s look at some of the positives. He is now Covid-free. So he’s testing negative for the Covid virus. So the fight with the virus has been won and he’s still here. But it’s wreaked extraordinary damage on his body and we don’t know if he can recover from that, basically.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Zoomers Boast They Sabotaged Trump Rally Turnout With Fake Reservations

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Members of Generation Z are claiming on social media that the “Zoomers” are at least partially responsible for a number of empty seats at President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday night.
As part of a campaign organised on social media, they reserved masses of tickets to the rally that they had no intention of using.
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The rally-busting movement involved young TikTok users and K-Pop fans around the nation, according to the prank participants who posted their (unused) ticket confirmations or commented (and celebrated) online after the rally.
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Political strategist Steve Schmidt boasted on Twitter that his daughter and her friends in Park City, Utah, signed up for “hundreds” of free tickets to the rally they had absolutely no intention of attending. “You have been rolled by America’s teens,” Schmidt mocked Trump’s campaign manager Brad Parscale in a tweet.
My 16 year old daughter and her friends in Park City Utah have hundreds of tickets. You have been rolled by America’s teens. @realDonaldTrump you have been failed by your team. You have been deserted by your faithful. No one likes to root for the losing team. @ProjectLincoln https://t.co/VM5elZ57Qp — Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 20, 2020
This is what happened tonight. I’m dead serious when I say this. The teens of America have struck a savage blow against @realDonaldTrump. All across America teens ordered tickets to this event. The fools on the campaign bragged about a million tickets. lol. @ProjectLincoln. — Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 20, 2020
Others responded to Schmidt’s tweets, saying they or their kids had also made fake ticket reservations.
Omg my 13 year old told me about teens getting tickets to keep the stands empty. Man do I love this generation! I am finally getting optimistic about our future. — BeMerrie (@F2FNetwork) June 20, 2020
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My 3 cats each have tickets 👍🏻 — ℍ𝕆𝕃𝕐 𝕊ℂℍℕ𝕀𝕂𝔼𝕊 🏳🌈 (@aWomanResisting) June 20, 2020
The movement appears to have been launched by Mary Jo Laupp, a 51-year-old teacher from Iowa, who had worked on Pete Buttigieg’s campaign, CNN reported. She explained her idea in a TikTok video that had 700,000 likes by late Saturday.
On Saturday night, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted at Parscale, saying he got “ROCKED by teens on TikTok who flooded the Trump campaign” with fake reservations. The congresswoman also hailed “K-Pop allies,” saying: “We see and appreciate your contributions in the fight for justice, too.”
She added a “shout out to Zoomers. Y’all make me so proud.”
Actually you just got ROCKED by teens on TikTok who flooded the Trump campaign w/ fake ticket reservations & tricked you into believing a million people wanted your white supremacist open mic enough to pack an arena during COVID
Shout out to Zoomers. Y’all make me so proud. ☺ https://t.co/jGrp5bSZ9T — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 21, 2020
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KPop allies, we see and appreciate your contributions in the fight for justice too 😌 — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 21, 2020
Trump’s campaign had heard of the plot but may have misjudged its reach. Erin Perrine, principal deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, told CNN last week it was no big concern.
“Leftists do this all the time,” she said. “They think if they sign up for tickets that will leave empty seats. Not the case at all. Always way more ticket requests than seats available at a rally. All they are doing is giving us access to their contact information.”
Usually, tickets aren’t required for campaign rallies, the campaign told CNN. But the situation was different for the Tulsa event because reservations included a legal disclaimer that participants wouldn’t sue Trump or the campaign if they contracted Covid-19 at the rally. And without a reservation, there would be no legal waiver for attendees to agree to beforehand.
When videos from the event showed huge swathes of empty blue seats at the BOK Center where Trump spoke, which holds 19,000 people, TikTok users were thrilled.
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“What did you guys do?” a stunned Laupp asked in a video Saturday after seeing the empty seats. “Like, seriously? Are you kidding me right now?”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Justin Bieber Denies Sexual Assault Allegation: ‘This Story Is Factually Impossible’

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Justin Bieber has strongly denied an allegation of sexual assault in a series of tweets shared on Sunday.
The singer responded after a woman, who identified herself only as Danielle, claimed that she met the star on 9 March 2014, when she was 21 and he was 20, at a music event in Austin, Texas.
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In a since-deleted tweet from an account that has also now been removed, she alleged that Bieber invited her back to the Four Seasons hotel, the location of the alleged incident.
The allegation was initially denied by Alison Kaye, the general manager of Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, who represents Bieber.
Justin Bieber SIPA USA/PA Images
The singer has since tweeted that “this story is factually impossible” and said he will be “working with Twitter and authorities to take legal action”.
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“I don’t normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight,” Bieber wrote.
“Rumors are rumors but sexual abuse is something I don’t take lightly,” he continued. “I wanted to speak out right away but out of respect to so many victims who deal with these issues daily I wanted to make sure I gathered the facts before I made any statement.
“In the past 24 hours a new Twitter appeared that told a story of myself involved with sexual abuse on March 9, 2014 in Austin Texas at the Four seasons hotel. I want to be clear. There is no truth to this story. In fact as I will soon show I was never present at that location,” said Bieber.
“As her story told I did surprise a crowd in Austin at Sxsw where I appeared on stage with my then assistant side stage and sang a few songs. What this person did not know was that I attended that show with my then gf Selena Gomez.”
Bieber followed this up by sharing photos, receipts and emails, which he says show that he was never at the Four Seasons, but stayed at an AirBnb in Austin on 9 March, and at the Westin hotel the following night.
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“Every claim of sexual abuse should be taken very seriously and this is why my response was needed,” he wrote. “However this story is factually impossible and that is why I will be working with Twitter and authorities to take legal action.”
See all of Bieber’s tweets below:
I don’t normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight. — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
Rumors are rumors but sexual abuse is something I don’t take lightly. I wanted to speak out right away but out of respect to so many victims who deal with these issues daily I wanted to make sure I gathered the facts before I made any statement. — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
In the past 24 hours a new Twitter appeared that told a story of myself involved with sexual abuse on March 9, 2014 in Austin Texas at the Four seasons hotel. I want to be clear. There is no truth to this story. In fact as I will soon show I was never present at that location. — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
As her story told I did surprise a crowd in Austin at Sxsw where I appeared on stage with my then assistant side stage and sang a few songs. What this person did not know was that I attended that show with my then gf Selena Gomez — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
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This article from 2014 talks about Selena being there with me. https://t.co/Jr2AE0brY2 — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
These photos clearly show me on stage with my assistant sidestage and the other with both of us in the streets of Austin afterwards on March 9 2014 pic.twitter.com/WlC6KAvJOZ — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
Here is article that shows we didn’t arrive in Austin that night from Selena’s show in Houston until late in the night. https://t.co/BsxCoMasqa — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
Furthermore I stayed with Selena and our friends at an airbnb on the 9th and on the 10th stayed at a Westin because our hotel reservation at LÀ Quinta and not the four seasons was messed up. Here are the receipts for the hotel on the 10th pic.twitter.com/hLNHnvJ6XS — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
We have also confirmed with the Four Seasons regional manager that I was never on property on the 9th of March 2014 and never a guest on the 9th or the 10th and I welcome all press to inquire with them if needed or wanted. — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
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The Pics I showed of me and Selena march 9 in Austin should make it clear that we were together that night and went from the venue to our Airbnb and never went to the four seasons. This is our airbnb receipt where we crashed with our friends pic.twitter.com/4ZDIqjeCIQ — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
On march 10th selena left for work and I stayed at the Westin as the receipts clearly showed with my friends nick and john before I left town. Once again not at the four seasons. We booked it for a couple days to stay for the defjam show but I bailed on the 11th to head back home pic.twitter.com/Ku15SCYz91 — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
I won’t be using mike lowery anymore as an alias — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Reading Park Terror Suspect 'Came To The Attention Of MI5 Last Year'

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A stabbing incident in Reading on Saturday which left three people dead and three seriously injured has been declared a terrorist incident, police have confirmed.
The attack took place at around 7pm in Forbury Gardens in Reading’s town centre.
One of the patients admitted to hospital has been discharged, while another remains in a stable condition under observation at Royal Berkshire Hospital, a spokesperson said.
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Thames Valley Police have confirmed the attack is now being treated as terrorism and that counter-terror police would now be taking over the investigation.
Boris Johnson said he was “appalled and sickened” by the attack and pledged “we will not hesitate to take action” if there are lessons to be learned.
Speaking to BBC News, Johnson said: “I don’t want to preempt the work of the police and their investigation into what happened in this case.
“If there are lessons that we need to learn about how we handle such cases we will learn those lessons and we will not hesitate to take action where necessary.”
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He said these could include “changes to the legal system” in order to try to prevent future attacks from taking place, although he said there was no reason to believe there could be more terror attacks as lockdown restrictions are eased.
Assistant commissioner at Metropolitan Police, Neil Basu, said 41 witnesses had come forward following the attack.
In a statement at New Scotland Yard, he described the stabbings as an “atrocity” and sent his “deepest sympathies” to the family of the three people who died and those who have been injured.
He added there was nothing to suggest anyone else was involved and police are not currently seeking anyone else as part of the investigation.
Forensic officers work at Forbury Gardens park where a stabbing attack took place Saturday, in Reading. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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He said: “From our inquiries undertaken so far, officers have found nothing to suggest that there was anyone else involved in this attack and presently we’re not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.
“However, counter-terrorism detectives work closely with the security services and will work closely with Thames Valley major crime colleagues and we continue to make inquiries to ensure that is the case.
“Although the motivation for this horrific act is far from certain, counter-terrorism policing have taken responsibility for leading the investigation.
He said the public should not be alarmed when out in crowded places and counter terror police would be working “around the clock”.
Police at the Abbey gateway of Forbury Gardens in Reading town centre following a multiple stabbing attack on Saturday. PA
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Basu added the incident was not connected to a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest that took place earlier in the day in the park.
He said: “We’re clear that it was not associated in any way with the Black Lives Matter protest which took place peacefully earlier on in the day and which had concluded some hours before this attack took place.”
Police said a 25-year-old man from Reading who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder remains in custody.
A statement issued on the Thames Valley Police website said: “Counter Terrorism Policing can now confirm that the stabbing incident that happened in Reading last night (20/6), has now been declared a terrorist incident.
“Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) have been working closely with Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Department throughout the night.
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“Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, Senior National Coordinator for the Counter Terrorism Policing network, has this morning declared the incident a terrorist incident, and CTPSE will be taking over the investigation.”
🚨| UPDATE- Murder investigation Reading@TerrorismPolice can now confirm that the stabbing incident that happened in Reading last night has now been declared a terrorist incident.
We continue to work together with Counter Terrorism Policing SE.
➡ https://t.co/CMkzwE6crv pic.twitter.com/MQeQr8XLe5 — Thames Valley Police (@ThamesVP) June 21, 2020
Thames Valley Police chief constable, John Campbell, described the scene of the attack in Reading as “horrific”.
He told reporters: “As you can imagine the scene we came across was pretty horrific.
“We had a number of officers that were in the community because they were patrolling around Reading and they were there very quickly.
“We also had a number of people in the park that were witnesses to this incident and they saw the terrible tragedy unfold.
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“So you can imagine both for my officers but also for those that were involved it was very distressing and we are doing all that we can to make sure we are supporting them as well as progressing the criminal inquiry.”
He did not identify the victims and said Thames Valley Police were still in the process of contacting their next of kin.
Floral tributes left by Forbury Gardens in Reading's town centre after a multiple stabbing attack in the gardens. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Floral tributes were left to the victims near the scene of the incident.
One read: “There are no words that anyone can say to express how horrible and senseless this was.
“Our prayers are with all the victims and their families and friends. #Readingstandsunited.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Thanking The Windrush Generation Isn't Enough. We Must Make Sure A Scandal Like This Can Never Happe

Thanking The Windrush Generation Isn't Enough. We Must Make Sure A Scandal Like This Can Never Happen Again

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The anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in 1948 comes at an incredibly powerful moment for our country.
Over seven decades later, the killing of George Floyd sparked the Black Lives Matter movement that quickly spread across the USA and the world. We have seen a particularly strong reaction to that call for change here in the UK - and little wonder. Compounded injustices over generations have created deep frustrations and hurt, which the Black Lives Matter movement powerfully spoke to.
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The brave testimonies Black people have shared about the impact racism has on their lives – and their family histories – have underlined that there is an undeniable case for action.
Addressing unfairness and injustice begins at the door of the Home Office, with the appalling mistreatment of the Windrush Generation. The Windrush scandal is a national cause of shame – and the recently published Wendy Williams Lessons Learned Review is a damning indictment. It exposes the callousness and incompetence that caused such deep injustice, whilst making clear the impact of “jobs lost, lives uprooted and untold damage done to so many individuals and families”.
The families – who have given so much to this country – deserve so much more. The review sets out a wide range of recommendations, a large number which are hard-hitting and urgent. They include the need for the Home Office to set a clear purpose, mission and values statement rooted in fairness, humanity, openness, diversity and inclusion. They call for vital action on issues related to race and the need for better community outreach and engagement. It’s shocking that it would take a scandal on this scale to bring those core failings to light.
Some of the Jamaican men, mostly ex Royal Air Force servicemen, aboard the former troopship, S.S. Empire Windrush, before disembarking at Tilbury Docks, England, on June 22, 1948. They have come to Britain seeking employment. (AP Photo/Staff/Worth) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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It is vital that the recommendations in the report are delivered now. However, the signs are not encouraging. The Home Secretary has yet to come back to the House of Commons and formally respond to the review, setting out what actions she will take. This is ominous: as we have seen with the Lammy Review, the government are often quick to call reviews and slow to act. That report was published in 2017, yet its core elements remain on the shelf.
Where the government has acted, progress has been appallingly slow. With generations damaged by Windrush scandal in unimaginable ways, the Government’s Windrush Compensation Scheme managed to compensate just 60 people in its first year of operation.
Little wonder the reception was so bad for the Prime Minister’s recent announcement of yet another review on racial inequality, when the case for urgent action and the steps needed are so clear. The reality is that, yet again, he has been found wanting in this important national moment.
The anniversary of Windrush should be a moment to celebrate the enormous contribution that the Windrush Generation and their families have made to the fabric of this country, in every facet of national life, our NHS and transport systems, across the public and private sectors, the arts, culture, religion and sports.
However, while injustices persist, only thanking the Windrush Generation is not enough. We must repeat – loudly – the urgent call for action from the Government to ensure that such a national scandal never happens again.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Noose Found In Garage Used By NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace

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A noose was found in the garage stall used by NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace, less than two weeks after the racing body banned the display of the Confederate flag at all its events and properties.
Wallace, the only Black driver in the sport’s top-level, had called for the flag — a symbol long linked to America’s history of racism — to be prohibited earlier this month as protests over police brutality and systemic inequality raged across the country. But the decision sparked controversy among the sport’s mostly white, Southern fan base who argued the flag isn’t a racist symbol but a part of their heritage.
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The noose was found in the garage stall for the No. 43 car racing team, which is owned by Richard Petty Motorsports. It’s unclear who has access to the stalls. Nooses are one of the most powerful symbols of hate directed toward Black Americans and tied to the history of lynchings in the South, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
“Today’s despicable act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism,” Wallace said in a statement on Twitter.
NASCAR condemned the act later Sunday, saying it was “angry and outraged” and couldn’t “state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act.” It said whoever was found responsible would be ejected from the body.
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“We have launched an immediate investigation, and will do everything we can to identify the person(s) responsible and eliminate them from the sport,” the company said. “As we have stated unequivocally, there is no place for racism in NASCAR, and this act only strengthens our resolve to make the sport open and welcoming to all.”
The sport banned the Confederate flag shortly after Wallace issued his own call to do so, saying the symbol ran “contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.” The driver had said he had to reckon with his own relationship to the symbol and had come to the conclusion it did not represent anything but hate.
Just days later, he raced the No. 43 car with a new paint scheme featuring Black Lives Matter logos and calls for unity.
Wallace wrote Sunday that he had been overwhelmed by the support he’d received after his call to bar the Confederate flag, and said the sport had made “a commitment to driving real change and championing a community that is accepting and welcoming of everyone.” He said he would not be deterred by the racist act.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--5 Mind-Blowing Things We Learned From Netflix's Babies Part Two

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You might jokingly refer to your baby as a genius, but that’s not as far from the truth as you might think.
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According to the scientists who worked on the Netflix series Babies, part two, even the youngest infants know more about the world than we imagined.
And contrary to the long-held theory that every child is born “a blank slate”, it looks likely that babies actually enter the world with an innate ability to make sense of it. Fascinating, huh?
The new series also looks at the very human desire to be social, why humour is important and how toddlers observe their parents. Here are some lessons we learned from the first episode.
HuffPost UK Netflix
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Manuel Breva Colmeiro via Getty Images
Babies can tell monkeys apart, but adults can’t.
Infants as young as three months old can distinguish individual monkey faces. However, this “magic gift” only lasts a short time – by the time a child turns one, their ability to tell primates apart disappears, and they see them as a group.
Grown-ups, therefore, cannot always tell one monkey from another, due to a natural developmental process known as “pruning”. As children see more and more human faces (particularly their own mothers’), the neural networks used to recognise people who are important to them become more efficient – and the ability to distinguish other species dies away.
Good for baby, not so much for the monkeys.
Bartosz Luczak via Getty Images
Babies understand gravity.
Babies can show a basic understanding of object permanence, abstract thought and even gravity, says Susan Hespos, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Northwestern University. “They know this stuff way earlier than we thought,” she says. “Babies have this basic core knowledge and understanding.”
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To test this, the team measured the length of time babies spent studying objects that appeared to float in mid-air. They found tiny infants spent twice as long looking at a block suspended in the air – because they expected it to fall. “They look at things they find interesting or unexpected for longer,” Hespos says. “When they get bored they look away.”
When babies put things on their heads, they’re actually conducting experiments.
When a baby puts a colander or bowl on their head to wear it like a hat, they’re not just being cute – I mean, they are cute, very cute – but there’s more to it than that.
Hespos explains that when a very young child tests out putting a round object on their head, and then does the same with a different round object, what they’re really doing is “grouping” the objects and realising they’re the same.
“They say, ‘Ah, so this thing is like that thing’,” she says. “Young children can experiment and test things and figure them out. That is a really cool, uniquely human ability.”
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Babies’ brains are the same as adult brains.
Rebecca Saxe, Professor of Neuroscience at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, put her own infant son, Percy, in an MRI scanner (which was adapted to protect his hearing) to look at his brain functioning while he was awake. Previously, experiments had tested children no younger than five.
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“We wanted to find out where knowledge comes from,” she says. By showing Percy a movie made up of happy/sad facial expressions – with other images thrown in as a baseline – Saxe was able to determine which areas of the brain lit up on the MRI when looking at faces and scenes.
“The biggest surprise was the similarity between baby and grown-up brains,” she says. “The regions recognising ‘faces’ and ‘scenes’ – in the middle frontal lobe – were the same. This proves that even a six-month-old already has specialities for seeing and understanding other people.”
monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images
Babies’ brains light up when they see someone they love.
Saxe’s MRI experiments also showed the areas of the brain that processed faces ‘light up’ when babies are shown images of people they know. “We know this brain region is more active in adults when they’re thinking about, or seeing, someone they care about,” she says.
“But now we know that’s the same for babies, too.” It’s likely, she says, that babies smile at a face and think, “that’s someone who’s relevant to me, and someone I care about”. In turn, it means it’s someone the baby might actively choose to learn from. N’aww.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--11 Easy Ways You Can Save Time On Meal Prep

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Meal prep can feel like a daunting task ― every time you swear this weekend is going to be the weekend you’re finally crowned ultimate meal prep champion, you never quite emerge victorious.
“Most people I talk to don’t want to spend their precious weekend time prepping for the week,” said Rebecca Clyde, a Utah-based registered dietitian and cooking-for-one expert. “Even though they do feel like it saves them time and energy during the week, just knowing how many hours it’ll take is enough to not move forward with prepping.”
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Instead of pushing yourself to feel differently, it can be more effective to focus on streamlining the meal prep process and let better feelings evolve naturally from there.
“Anything to save time and take the drudgery out of, say, chopping for an hour makes prepping food more enticing,” Clyde said. Hence the appeal of the mandolin ― it’s faster and it’s exciting to watch those veggies shoot through the blade.
wmaster890 via Getty Images The satisfaction you get from perfectly prepped meals doesn't come without a little work.
“After saving so much time on that one thing, you start to feel like, ‘OK, that wasn’t so bad,’ and it’s those moments that make it easier to do it again,” Clyde said.
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Here are 11 techniques that food experts use in the kitchen to make meal prep less of a time suck.
1. Master the art of doing one task while you wait on another.
“Think about which item you’re prepping that will take the longest amount of time and start there,” said Chicago-based registered dietitian Amanda Izquierdo. “This could be things like setting aside a protein to marinate, bringing water to a boil or preheating the oven.”
Processes that you can start and leave alone give you the opportunity to finish other tasks while you wait, such as slicing vegetables or mixing dressings.
2. Microplane instead of mince.
Instead of mincing garlic cloves with a knife, Izquierdo runs the cloves over a microplaner. “It removes the need for a knife and ensures the garlic pieces are a uniform size, which can be challenging when mincing,” she said.
Just slide the garlic clove back and forth to shave off tiny pieces, proceeding with caution as the clove gets smaller so as to not cut your fingers. “You can also do this with onion in soups or stews,” Izquierdo added.
3. Use an extra-large cutting board.
An extra-large cutting board can be a huge timesaver when chopping up ingredients.
“You can quickly set aside each ingredient on the board instead of having to place them into smaller bowls or containers to make space for the next item you need to chop,” said Michael Broughton, executive sous chef at Outlier in Seattle, Washington.
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You also don’t have to wash or wipe down the board between each ingredient being chopped.
4. Get peeling down to a science.
Instead of holding foods in one hand and peeling them with the other, place the food (say, a cucumber or a carrot) on the cutting board and hold it in place while you peel.
“Most peelers can go in both directions,” said Broughton. “You don’t have to lift it off the item to take it back to the top and peel down. Peel up and down, and the process will go twice as fast.”
5. Soak steel-cut oats overnight.
Soaking oats overnight in plain water cuts in half the time it takes to cook them the next morning.
“When oats are soaked overnight, the starches break down, which makes them way faster to cook,” said recipe developer and nutrition coach Katrina TaTaé.
marvic2014 via Getty Images Pre-soaking steel-cut oats can make them cook much quicker.
Fill a Mason jar with 1/4 cup of oats and pour 1 cup of water into the container — you’ll be amazed by how much water has been absorbed the next morning!
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6. Learn how to stabilise veggies.
“As most vegetables are wobbly on a cutting board, cutting a small slice off the most bulbous part of the vegetable gives it a stable base upon which to [rest], saving you time by not having to chase a rolling vegetable around the cutting board,” said Cynthia Graubart, Atlanta-based cooking teacher and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author.
7. Pick a theme (and keep it simple).
New York City-based registered dietitian Catherine Sebastian chooses one main meat or vegetable protein to focus on for the week and sticks with it, but with enough variety so that she doesn’t feel like she’s eating the same thing all week.
If your theme is ground turkey, for example, throw some in a slow cooker with a can of beans, sweetcorn, chilli sauce and veggies. Then sauté some for tacos. Then add some of that sautéed meat to a can of marinara sauce for pasta with veggies.
“Before you know it, you’ve got three distinctly flavoured meals (that can all be doubled) with just one protein source, and all made within the same timeframe,” Sebastian said.
8. Cook bacon in the oven.
Denise Bustard Baking bacon prevents grease from splattering all over your stovetop.
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“You can cook a whole package of bacon in the oven and it turns out perfectly straight and crispy,” said meal prep blogger Denise Bustard. “No more standing over the pan, no more flipping the bacon, no more grease splatter.”
Bake for 15-20 minutes, making sure to keep an eye on it during the last few minutes to avoid overcooking. Voila!
9. Cook squash before prepping it.
There’s a special kind of fear of injury that takes hold when cutting through a raw, rock-solid squash and scooping out the seeds that almost makes cooking butternut and spaghetti squash not worth it. Almost.
“It can be a challenging and slightly dangerous process,” Bustard said, which is why she cooks the whole squash first. “Cutting it in half and scooping out the seeds after roasting (and cooling slightly) is so much easier, and you also avoid over-steamed, mushy spaghetti squash noodles.”
10. Use a mandolin for slicing.
Using a mandolin to cut up veggies is Clyde’s top recommendation for faster meal prep.
“It allows me to thinly and evenly slice my vegetables lightning-fast,” she said. “Using the safety veggie guard, you can slice anything from beets to onions to Brussels sprouts quickly — and without losing a finger.”
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Enrique Díaz / 7cero via Getty Images Watch your fingers even when using a mandolin!
11. Clean as you go.
Instead of waiting until you’re done cooking to wash all those utensils, wash a few when you have some downtime, like when you’re waiting for pasta to cook or heating something in the microwave.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--These Women Couldn't Get Botox Or Fillers In Lockdown. Here's How It's Impacted Them

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The question of when hairdressers and nail salons will reopen is asked on a weekly basis, but far less has been said about cosmetic clinics.
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Increasing numbers of people, particularly women, undergo regular, non-surgical cosmetic treatments, dubbed “tweakments”. These temporary procedures, such as Botox and fillers, may have a growing clientele, but speaking about them is still taboo.
Clinics around the UK are waiting for confirmation on when they can reopen, although many are taking bookings for July 4 – the expected, but unconfirmed, date of beauty salons reopening. So what has it been like for those who haven’t been able to attend a clinic for three months?
“I definitely see the effect the lack of Botox has had to my face,” says Sarah*, a 28-year-old originally from London. “Yes, it’s the natural me, but I don’t have that fresh tight glow that I usually have – and I really miss it.”
Sarah, who has been getting lip fillers since she was 20 and Botox in her forehead since she was 24, moved to Israel just before lockdown. Israel is ahead of the UK in lifting lockdown, so she has an appointment for her usual tweakments this week.
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Amidst the uncertainty of clinics opening in the UK, though, some members of the public have attempted ‘DIY tweakments’, says Dr Jane Leonard, a qualified GP, as well as a cosmetic doctor.
“I’ve luckily got such a good relationship with my clients that they fully understand the need to wait for me to get back to work,” says Dr Leonard, who’s been working on the NHS frontline during the pandemic.
“However, I’ve heard from peers in the industry that they’ve had clients purchase filler on the internet and attempt to administer it themselves.”
Dr Leonard stresses the need to have procedures carried out by a qualified professional and says attempting to use fillers on yourself can be dangerous.
“You can very easily hit a nerve, and worse case scenario cut off blood supply, making the area go black and needing urgent medical attention,” she tells HuffPost UK.
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Guido Mieth via Getty Images
Botox is a temporary treatment and the effects start to wear off after three to six months, explains Dr Leonard. Over time, the muscles regain their momentum and movement begins to get back to normal. The prior wrinkles will then re-appear, she says. So people who usually have Botox might be starting to notice the impact of lockdown
Filler, however, can last for anywhere between six and 18 months, depending on the type used. So those who use it may not be due a top-up just yet.
It’s hard to know how many people usually have fillers and Botox in the UK, because non-surgical cosmetic treatments aren’t regulated. But surgeons anecdotally report an increase in clients seeking out this work.
Consultant surgeon Niall Kirkpatrick, a member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), previously told HuffPost UK demand is increasing for lip fillers in particular, “especially in the young 18-24 year age group”.
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Being unable to access treatments during lockdown has had an impact on body confidence for some.
Ellie Phillips, 33, started getting Botox six years ago and lip fillers a year after that. The presenter and showbiz journalist, originally from Liverpool but now in London, was increasingly conscious about her frown lines and wanted a fuller lip.
“As a TV presenter, it was frustrating to have makeup quickly sink in these deep grooves between my eyebrows, making them appear more prominent and making me seem angry when I’m actually a happy, smiley person,” she says. “I naturally frown when I’m concentrating, so I opted for anti-wrinkle injections.”
Ellie isn’t due for a filler top-up yet, but was due to have her regular Botox top-up in April. That appointment was cancelled and she says her appearance has “definitely” changed as a result.
“Now, I can see my frown lines coming back and I’m itching to have them sorted out,” she says. “I feel much more unattractive without the Botox.”
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Other woman also told HuffPost UK they’ve missed having procedures while clinics have been closed. Rebecca*, 29, from London, started to get Botox on her forehead last year because she felt concerned she was developing a “very deep” frown line. There are “highs and lows” to not being able to access Botox during lockdown, she says.
“Without Botox, my forehead definitely becomes lax and lines return,” says Rebecca. “However, with all this time on my hands, I’ve perfected my morning and evening skincare routines, which has helped the overall appearance of my skin.”
Rebecca’s boyfriend was “dead set” against the idea of Botox when she said she was considering it, so she still hasn’t told him she uses the injections. During lockdown, she has been worried he might notice the difference in her appearance. “Instances where I thought he was about to realise [have] made my heart drop,” she says. “It’s not a nice feeling.”
“I feel much more unattractive without the Botox.” - Ellie Phillips, 33
Ellie and Rebecca both say they feel more confident after undergoing treatments, but what are the signs clients are too reliant on them?
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“My duty as a doctor means I will always look out for clients that have unrealistic expectations or are requesting too many treatments,” says Dr Leonard. “Not only will I not treat them, but I also have a network of trusted psychologists I can recommend to them if relevant and appropriate.”
Of course, there may be some people who’ve embraced lockdown without tweakments, and will no longer want to visit clinics when they reopen. But for Ellie, getting her Botox topped up at the first opportunity is a no-brainer.
“I get that some people would say ‘embrace the wrinkles’,” she says. “But I’m much happier when they’re not there.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-22--Can Your Blood Type Actually Predict Your Coronavirus Risk?

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It’s looking increasingly likely that having blood type O might give you some protective effects against Covid-19, while blood type A may be linked to more severe illness from the virus.
Two new studies published in the journal Blood Advances suggest people with blood type O might have a lower risk of Covid-19 infection and reduced likelihood of becoming severely ill. Previous studies have also noted the pattern.
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What did the studies find?
One of the studies compared Danish health registry data from more than 473,000 individuals tested for Covid-19 to data from a control group of more than 2.2 million people from the general population.
They found fewer people with blood type O tested positive for the virus, and more people with A, B, and AB types did. This led them to suggest people with blood type O might be less likely to become infected with the virus than those with blood types A, B, or AB.
There wasn’t any significant difference in the rate of infection between A, B, and AB types, the researchers found.
Another European study involving 1,980 patients with Covid-19 based at seven hospitals in Italy and Spain unearthed a similar pattern and revealed people with blood group A had a higher risk of catching coronavirus and developing severe symptoms than other blood groups. Among those with blood group O, there appeared to be some form of “protective effect”.
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Another set of researchers examined data from 95 critically ill Covid-19 patients hospitalised in Vancouver, Canada, and found people with blood groups O or B appear to suffer less severely than those with blood groups A or AB if they do contract the virus.
They found that patients with blood groups A or AB were more likely to require mechanical ventilation, suggesting that they had greater rates of lung injury from Covid-19. They also found more patients with blood group A and AB required dialysis for kidney failure.
“The unique part of our study is our focus on the severity effect of blood type on Covid-19,” said study author Mypinder Sekhon, of the University of British Columbia. “We observed this lung and kidney damage, and in future studies, we will want to tease out the effect of blood group and Covid-19 on other vital organs.
“Of particular importance as we continue to traverse the pandemic, we now have a wide range of survivors who are exiting the acute part of Covid-19, but we need to explore mechanisms by which to risk stratify those with longer-term effects.”
bortonia via Getty Images
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Why might this be happening?
There are four main blood groups. These are:
Blood group A, which has A antigens on the red blood cells with anti-B antibodies in the plasma.
Blood group B, which has B antigens with anti-A antibodies in the plasma.
Blood group O, which has no antigens, but both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma.
Blood group AB, which has both A and B antigens, but no antibodies.
Previous research into other forms of coronavirus found that certain antibodies linked to blood group O helped to fight off the virus better than others.
“People have seen that O blood group people are likely to be more protected against Sars-CoV previously compared to people with A blood type,” explains Dr Sakthivel Vaiyapuri, associate professor in cardiovascular and venom pharmacology at the University of Reading. “This was suggested to occur due to the presence of anti-A and anti-B antibodies in people with O blood group.”
Doctors at a Hong Kong hospital reported that anti-A antibodies were able to prevent, or even block, the binding of the virus to the host cell, which may provide some explanation as to why being in the O blood group could offer more protection.
How do you find out what blood group you are?
If you are don’t already know what blood group you are, you can ask your GP – however you will only be able to find out if you’ve previously had a sample of blood taken and tested.
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