thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Seven Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

The battle against coronavirus took a major step on Monday as Boris Johnson introduced draconian measures to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The prime minister gave a televised address to the nation where he announced people should not leave their homes except for four reasons.
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It came as this summer’s Olympics in Japan looks set to become the latest major cancellation due to coronavirus, while the army is being is the be drafted in to help distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline NHS staff.
As of Monday afternoon, 335 people in the UK were believed to have died in the UK after contracting the virus.
Here’s the latest on coronavirus today:
UK on lockdown
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Boris Johnson has ordered the UK into a near-total lockdown in a bid to stem the number of deaths from the outbreak.
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In a televised address to the nation, the prime minister announced that the public will only be allowed to leave their home for:
shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
one form of exercise a day – for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household
any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
travelling to and from work only where it is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.
Police will issue fines and break up gatherings of those who flout the rules. The crackdown will be last for at least three weeks, with a review at that point.
To further curb the spread of the virus, Johnson ordered the closure of all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores, libraries, playgrounds, outdoor gyms, and places of worship.
All gatherings of more than two people in public – excluding people you live with – will be banned.
All social events will be prohibited, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals.
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Parks will remain open for exercise but gatherings will be dispersed.
Restaurants and businesses announce closures
Costa Coffee have announced they will temporarily close due to the Corona virus outbreak PA
The number of high-street restaurants and retailers closing their doors due to coronavirus is steadily growing, with McDonald’s, Nando’s, Subway, Costa Coffee and Card Factory all announcing the news.
On Monday morning, Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon called on all shops in the nation not providing essential items to close immediately.
“My message to shops that are still open is this and it is clear, if you are not providing essential items like food and medicines then please also close now,”she said.
Sturgeon said that building sites and hair salons should also close.
The following have announced since Sunday that they will be closing:
McDonald’s
Nando’s
Greggs
Costa
Waterstones
Card Factory
Subway
Primark
Pizza Express
TGI Fridays
Bill’s
Patisserie Valerie
Greggs will close its entire store estate from the end of business on Tuesday, saying operating a takeaway service was not enough to maintain social distancing.
To keep everyone as safe as possible we’ve made the difficult decision to close all of our shops on Tuesday 24th March. Read our full statement below: pic.twitter.com/de0QNBHkFT — Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) March 23, 2020
Nandos said in a statement on its website on Sunday that all 420 stores will shut “until further notice”, with takeaway and delivery services also suspended.
The company, which employs around 18,000 people, said it is working closely with its teams across the UK to “make sure that everybody affected is supported during the coming weeks”.
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Costa Coffee also announced it would temporarily close the majority of its 2,700 cafes from Monday at 5pm.
A statement posted on its Twitter account said it would try to keep cafes open in hospitals, with NHS staff to receive free coffee for the next two weeks.
See you all soon... With you ☕❤ pic.twitter.com/Ir0kALpAH3 — Costa Coffee (@CostaCoffee) March 23, 2020
The coffee chain said more than 16,000 members of staff at closed stores will be paid their full average weekly pay over eight weeks.
It comes after McDonald’s announced all of its restaurants in the UK and Ireland will close by 7pm on Monday to protect the safety of its employees and customers.
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The fast-food chain, which has 135,000 employees in the UK and Ireland, posted a statement about the “difficult decision” to Twitter – adding that stores will close by that time on Monday “at the latest”.
Meanwhile, KFC and Burger King remain open for takeaways, with seating areas temporarily closed.
Rail franchise agreements to be suspended
Rail franchise agreements are to be suspended to avoid train companies collapsing due to the coronavirus, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.
Operators are being offered the chance to transfer all revenue and cost risk to the government, and be paid a small management fee to run services.
Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said it “strongly welcomes” the proposal.
The emergency measures will be in place for an initial period of six months.
The DfT said they will “minimise disruption to the rail sector”.
'Getting the masks, getting the protective equipment to the frontline is mission critical.'
Health Secretary @MattHancock says getting NHS staff the necessary protective equipment is an immediate priority for the government. pic.twitter.com/WAkppXNqo7 — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 23, 2020
Allowing operators to enter insolvency would cause “significantly more disruption to passengers and higher costs to the taxpayer”, the department added.
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The DfT said passenger numbers have fallen by up to 70%, while ticket sales are down by two-thirds.
Rail timetables have been slashed because of Covid-19.
Anyone holding an Advance ticket will be able to get a refund free of charge, while administrative fees have been waived for season ticket refunds.
Teenagers arrested for ‘coughing in face’ of elderly couple
Three teenagers were arrested in Hitchin on Friday afternoon after allegedly coughing in the face of an elderly couple.
The incident led to an altercation, with a passer-by intervening.
A woman in her 70s was left with a black eye.
Three young men, 16, 18 and 19, have been arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm, affray and criminal damage, the BBC reports.
Jury trials in England and Wales put on hold
All jury trials in England and Wales are to be put on hold as part of ongoing efforts to halt the spread of Covid-19.
In a statement on Monday, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, said no new trials will start and that ongoing trials will be paused while arrangements are put in place so they can continue safely.
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Earlier in the week, Lord Burnett, the most senior judge in England and Wales, said no new trials expected to last three days or more would go ahead amid the deepening coronavirus crisis.
But, as pressure from members of the legal profession mounted on the government to halt court hearings, the extraordinary step of suspending all new trials was taken.
On Monday, the murder trial of PC Andrew Harper was halted after three jurors went into self-isolation.
Justice Edis announced the decision to discharge the jury and adjourn the Old Bailey trial with a “heavy heart” after three jurors went into self-isolation.
“I have taken this decision with a heavy heart because I am acutely conscious of the need of those who loved Police Constable Harper (who would have been 29 yesterday) for this process to come to a conclusion,” he said.
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“I am deeply sorry for them. I know also that the colleagues who dealt with the events of that terrible night and who have given evidence will also suffer additional distress because of what has happened.”
Teachers fear more pupils could turn up on first day of school closures
Teachers are prepared for a “challenging” situation amid concerns more pupils than expected could turn up on Monday despite schools being officially closed as the UK fights to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Parents have been warned they could be in for “difficult conversations” if they take their children to school when they have an alternative means of ensuring they are looked after.
The Department for Education has urged parents to keep their children at home unless their work is deemed “critical” to the country’s response to Covid-19 and they have no other childcare option.
Olympics looks set to be postponed
The Tokyo Olympics appear certain to be postponed until next year due to the coronavirus, as Canada and Australia said they were looking ahead to a 2021 Games, PA Media reports.
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Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe told his country’s parliament on Monday a postponement of the games would be unavoidable if the they cannot be held in a complete way because of the coronavirus impact.
Abe was commenting on the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s plan to examine the situation over the next few weeks and make a decision, which could include a postponement.
Olympics PA Media
Abe, speaking at a parliamentary session, ruled out the possibility of a cancellation, comments that fall in line with the view of the IOC.
Abe told parliament postponing the Games – due to start on July 24 – may be an option if holding the event in “complete form” became impossible.
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“If it is difficult to hold (the Games) in a complete way a decision of postponement would be unavoidable as we think the athletes’ safety is paramount,” he said.
The Olympics have never been postponed or cancelled during peacetime.
Army to help distribute PPE to frontline NHS staff
The armed forces are being drafted in to help manage and distribute supplies to frontline NHS staff battling the coronavirus pandemic.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC there have been “challenges” with the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) but that he was taking the issue “very seriously”.
NHS England said millions more items of PPE had been delivered over the last few days to hospitals, ambulance trusts and care homes among others.
To our NHS and social care workers - thank you. The nation needs you, and I will not stop working to keep you safe in this crisis. #coronavirus #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/plUnrtuuJb — Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) March 22, 2020
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It follows a letter in the Sunday Times from almost 4,000 NHS workers who called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to “protect the lives of the life-savers” and resolve the “unacceptable” shortage of protective equipment.
The group said many medical workers are “putting their lives on the line every day” by treating coronavirus patients without appropriate protection, and they called on Johnson to ensure an adequate supply of masks, safety glasses, gloves, aprons and protective suits.
NHS England said the army would “play its part” from this week, offering personnel to “help to manage and offload supplies in busy NHS settings” and distributing PPE supplies to the front line.
It said that, if required, schools can ask for “simple evidence that the parent in question is a critical worker, such as their work ID badge or pay slip”.
The government said children of so-called key workers – including medics, police and food distribution staff – are able to attend school so they can be looked after while their parents help in the fight against the virus.
If you’re wondering how to keep your children occupied during school closures, read our list of advice here.
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Harvey Weinstein tests positive for coronavirus in prison
Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein, who is serving a prison sentence for sexual assault and rape, has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the head of the state corrections officers union.
Weinstein, 68, has been placed in isolation at Wende Correctional Facility, said Michael Powers, president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association.
Powers said he learned that the test came back positive on Sunday morning and is concerned about the corrections officers, who he said lack proper protective equipment. Several staff have been quarantined, Powers said.
Weinstein arrived at Wende Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison east of Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday after being housed at New York City’s Rikers Island jail, Reuters reports.
He was sentenced to 23 years in prison on March 11 for sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Loose Women And Lorraine To Cease Broadcasting Due To Coronavrius

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Loose Women and Lorraine are to cease broadcasting amid the coronavirus pandemic.
ITV has confirmed that both shows will be off air as of Monday for the foreseeable future.
Loose Women's Andrea McLean, Denise Welch, Carol McGiffin and Jane Moore S Meddle/ITV/Shutterstock
Instead, presenter Lorraine Kelly will join Piers Morgan each weekday morning for an extended edition of Good Morning Britain from 9am to 10am.
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Loose Women – which had been airing without a studio audience amid the coronavirus outbreak – will now be replaced by repeat episodes of the lunchtime chat show.
However, ITV said it aims to keep Good Morning Britain and This Morning on air for as long as possible, and explained the cuts to its daytime programming were made to “minimise the number of staff travelling in and out of our studios and working together on shift at any one time”.
Lorraine's ITV show has been cancelled Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
The broadcaster said in a statement: “We’re focusing our efforts on providing to viewers the latest news on the rapidly changing situation which aims to offer some stability and continuity in all our lives whilst so many of us are at home right now.
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“That’s why we have taken this tough decision to protect our GMB News programme in the morning and keep This Morning on air for as long as possible.
“We have been reducing our crew numbers over the last week and these changes will enable us to reduce them further and help us build further resilience with the aim of Daytime content continuing to air for as long as possible.
“Safeguarding the well-being of everyone involved with our programmes is our priority and in this dynamically developing situation we will obviously continue to review these new arrangements on a day by day basis and follow at all times the latest PHE and WHO guidelines.”
It was previously reported that as a result of the pandemic, both soaps would be cutting the number of episodes aired every week.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Trump Touts 'Game-Changing' Drug Cocktail For Coronavirus Linked To Fatal Arrhythmia

President Donald Trump touted a two-drug cocktail Saturday to battle the coronavirus. But the medicines together have been linked to cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death.
Concerned physicians responded to Trump’s tweet crowing about what could be “one of the biggest game-changers in the history of medicine” with warnings about the serious side effects — and urgent pleas not to try to obtain the drugs without a medical prescription in consultation with a doctor.
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HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains - Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2020
Hydroxychloroquine, sold under the brand name Plaquenil, and the antibiotic Azithromycin in combination have shown some early promise against COVID-19. But the drugs together have not been approved as safe or effective against the disease by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Any use must take into consideration a potentially deadly side effect.
Trump referred to the drugs at his Saturday press briefing and asked: “What do we have to lose? I feel very good about it.”
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After the president left the briefing, his top science adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was asked if he had “any sense” of the drug cocktail the president referred to, and whether Trump’s “74-and-a-half million Twitter followers should be taking medical advice from him or from someone else.”
Fauci responded that there may be positive “anecdotal reports” — informally observed individual cases — about the drugs, but they haven’t yet been proven to work or to be safe. “If you really want to definitively know if something works, you got to do the kind of trial that [gives you] the good information,” he said. “The president is talking about hope for people,” not science, he noted.
Please don't take hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) plus Azithromycin for #COVID19 UNLESS your doctor prescribes it. Both drugs affect the QT interval of your heart and can lead to arrhythmias and sudden death, especially if you are taking other meds or have a heart condition. — Dr. Edsel Salvana (@EdselSalvana) March 21, 2020
🛑Hydroxychloroquine (plaquenil) can prolong the QT interval (heart rhythm) and can cause a FATAL arrhythmia. Azithromycin can also prolong the QT interval, so use of these 2 drugs together should ONLY be done under the supervision of a doctor. pic.twitter.com/ghtYMmFjBA — Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) March 21, 2020
The combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to treat the coronavirus has not been proven safe and effective through large scale clinical trials. There is only anecdotal evidence from case reports in countries overseas. Promising them as miracle drugs gives false hope. — Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 21, 2020
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Taking Hydroxychloroquine & Azithromycin together causes a drug interaction that increases risk of irregular heartbeat, which may be life-threatening. No one should take these drugs together without consulting a doctor.https://t.co/r5tQ2cFOiDhttps://t.co/ielNQBIIQl https://t.co/S4jy4gbpIg — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 21, 2020
Infectious disease expert Dr Matt McCarthy, a physician at Manhattan’s New York-Presbyterian Hospital treating people suffering from COVID-19, tweeted Friday about the drug combination. He noted that a new study (treating 20 patients) showed the drugs decreased the presence of the coronavirus in the blood of those tested. But he also warned about the possibility of fatal arrhythmia. “We don’t really know” if the drugs will cure or kill someone, he tweeted.
Both plaquenil & azithromycin can potentially cause a cardiac disturbance called prolonged QTc. Taken together, these drugs might cause a fatal arrhythmia (torsades de pointes). Or they might help clear virus from the blood. We don't really know. Strong opinions on both sides. — Matt McCarthy (@DrMattMcCarthy) March 20, 2020
Trump at Thursday’s briefing first touted the anti-malarial drug chloroquine as having “tremendous promise” against the coronavirus. He falsely suggested it had been approved for use against COVID-19. “It’s been approved ... they took it down from many, many months to immediate,” Trump said.
But FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn immediately contradicted Trump, telling reporters: “That’s a drug that the president has directed us to take a closer look at as to whether an expanded use approach. ... We want to do that in the setting of a clinical trial, a large pragmatic clinical trial.”
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Trump responded that he had a “good feeling” about the drug. “It’s been around for a long time, so we know that if things don’t go as planned it’s not going to kill anybody,” Trump said.
Officials in Nigeria reported two chloroquine poisonings that resulted in hospitalisations after Trump pushed the drug, Bloomberg noted.
“Please don’t panic,” a senior health official warned Nigerians via a text message, Bloomberg reported Saturday. “Chloroquine is still in a testing phase in combination with other medication and not yet verified as a preventive, treatment or curative option.”
#FactsNotFear@WHO has NOT approved the use of chloroquine for #COVID19 management. Scientists are working hard to confirm the safety of several drugs for this disease.
Please DO NOT engage in self-medication. This will cause harm and can lead to death.#COVID19Nigeria pic.twitter.com/K6kljq0VtW — NCDC (@NCDCgov) March 20, 2020
A study by the Wuhan Institute of Virology found that people could die with just twice the recommended daily dosage of chloroquine, Bloomberg reported.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--How To Reassure Your Kids About Coronavirus

fizkes via Getty Images Here are some ways to help kids understand coronavirus without terrifying them.
Coronavirus is a global pandemic. We can’t pretend that’s not alarming.
But many people have started to panic with all the new, often scary stories and updates surfacing daily. And with panic comes all kinds of unhelpful ideas, misinformation, and even discrimination.
Such reactions don’t help anyone – especially not kids. Here are some ways to help kids understand coronavirus without terrifying them.
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Take care of yourself
You’re best able to address your kids’ needs when you’re healthy, well-rested and present, so prioritise self-care, according to tips from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for helping kids cope with emergencies. Eat right, exercise and get enough sleep – all the basics. If you’re feeling stressed, find ways to manage your feelings.
Get it right
Before you talk to your kids, make sure you’re armed with accurate information from trusted sources, including government agencies, the World Health Organisation, and credible news outlets. Do your due diligence. Your kids will likely ask you questions, and the more prepared you are to answer them, the more helpful you can be.
Don’t sugarcoat...
Of course, it depends on your child’s age, but the fact that schools and daycares are closed in many parts of the country means kids have at least some sense of what’s going on. You want to make sure they have accurate information, and that they’re not hearing rumours or misinformation from their classmates or friends.
It’s a good idea to start with what your child has already heard and then correct any misinformation. You can start with questions they have, according to child psychologist Janine Domingues. If you provide too much information right off the bat, that can be overwhelming.
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Share accurate information with them simply and clearly, and tailor the amount of detail to what you think they can handle. That will depend on their age and how they respond to stress and difficult situations.
kali9 via Getty Images Honest, clear conversations are good for clearing up misconceptions.
But make sure older kids understand the severity
It might be hard to communicate to older kids why they have to suddenly restructure their lives. Explaining some of the science might help get through to them, epidemiologist Emily Landon told Market Watch. The Washington Post’s coronavirus simulator provides a really clear and powerful explanation of how quickly the outbreak can spread.
And if science doesn’t get through to them, try this video of quarantined Italians giving advice to themselves as they were ten days ago, before their country was on lockdown. It’s a real-life glimpse into why these precautions are so important.
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Underscore that it’s not about race
Make it clear to your child that even though the virus originated in China and has had outbreaks in Iran and Italy, anyone can get it, and there’s no need to treat anyone differently. If your child is Chinese or Asian or one of the other nationalities that has been severely affected, make sure they know it’s not OK for other kids to single them out or mistreat them, and that they should speak to you or a trusted adult if that happens.
Offer reassurance
Your job as a parent is to take care of your kid, so make sure your child feels taken care of. Robin H. Gurwitch of Duke University Medical Center told Deseret News that one effective way to quell a child’s fear is to offer reassurance that you’re doing everything you can to keep your family health.
She suggests saying something along the lines of, “My job as a caregiver is to make sure we do everything we can to protect you from getting sick, no matter what.”
It can also be easy for kids to get confused about what could happen versus what will happen, so make sure they understand that distinction, Gurwitch added.The main goal is to avoid the frightening fantasies children often come up with, according to Domingues. Presenting clear, accurate information is a big part of that.
Remind kids to take precautions
It’s all about hand-washing. Make sure your kids know how important it is to regularly and thoroughly wash their hands, to sneeze into their elbow rather than their hands, and to not get too close to people who are sick.
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It’s also a good idea to regularly clean surfaces that are regularly touched, like phones, toys, toilets, door handles, and TV remotes.
Even if you take the calmest, coolest, most rational approach, there’s no guarantee other parents will do the same. Whether it’s with your kids or with other parents, here are some of the points you can bring up to combat their paranoia.
Simple precautions can go a long way
Frequent and thorough hand-washing is one of the simplest and most powerful protections against the virus.
Also, everyone should be practicing social distancing. The less physical contact we have with each other, the safer we’ll all be.
Though the virus is devastating and it’s important to slow its spread, many people have recovered.
As of 17 March, according to the live map from John Hopkins University, more than 7,500 people have died from coronavirus. But more than ten times that number — 80,000 — have recovered.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--How To Switch Off From Work When Home Becomes Your Office

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Working from home may come with lots of benefits – no commuting costs, longer lie ins, being metres away from the fridge – there are a few downsides, too.
Anyone find themselves working into the evening, constantly checking their emails way beyond their working hours? Yeah, us too. Because it’s difficult to switch off when your home is your office.
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But it doesn’t have to be that hard. We spoke to wellbeing experts about how to reclaim your evening at home – rather than getting sucked into work.
nayya via Getty Images
Be mindful of where you’re working.
We don’t all have the benefit of having a spare room or office to work in while working from home – but it’s worth trying to work in a room that you’re unlikely to spend the rest of the evening in. Then, when you’re relaxing post-work, it’ll help you ward off that feeling you’re chilling in your office, say James Pacey and Rosa Connor, co-founders of Haptivate, who run happiness at work workshops.
This is also true if you’re working in your bedroom. “It’s good sleep hygiene to only use your bedroom for sleeping – that way your body knows it’s time to switch off when you’re in there, rather than thinking about other things like work.”
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Follow a routine in the day.
Having a healthy working routine in the day – where you have a feeling of regularity and rhythm – will allow you to come to a close more easily at the end of the day. Following best work-from-home practices will help, says Suzy Reading, from Work Wellbeing, which delivers employee wellbeing programmes.
“Simple things like making your bed, tidying your work space, throwing open all the curtains to let maximum light in, having a shower and getting into clothes that help you feel put together, eating a nourishing breakfast so you have fed your brain and can think straight,” she adds.
If you follow a routine in the day, you’re more likely to stick to it at the end of the day – by stopping work.
Get out at lunch time – and take breaks.
Switching off from work at home is difficult right in the middle of the day. Physically taking yourself out of the house – even if it’s just a short walk around outside – to take yourself out of that environment as a distraction.
It’s also beneficial to take regular breaks during your workday. “Schedule your day into bitesize pieces,” says Lee Chambers, a workplace wellbeing trainer at Essentialise and environmental psychologist. “Block 90 mins of deep work with 15 minutes of rest, where you disconnect and do something that anchors you in the present. By doing this you work in waves, and this makes it so much easier to flow into a rest wave after work, rather than pushing to burnout all-day.”
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Switch off (literally) and unplug.
It’s far less tempting to see if you’ve got a reply to that email, or an update on a project, if your laptop isn’t sat on the table or desk in front of you. Physically putting your laptop screen down, or turning off the computer, will do you the world of good.
Move the laptop into a drawer, or hide it away so you can’t see it. It might also be worth tidying up the work space, signalling that you’re done for the day. “Switch off, unplug and recharge yourself so you can pitch up feeling fresh tomorrow,” says Reading.
Chambers calls this a “digital sunset”, where you shut down your work devices, leave them in the designated work spot, and move to a place where environmentally you relax.
Plan an activity for the end of the day.
First off, you should leave your home when you finish. “Leave your home like you’re leaving work, walk around the block, and return ‘home’,” says Chambers. “Simulating a commute helps you disconnect from work.”
When you’re in an office, at the end of regular working hours, employees say goodbye and announce they’re signing off for the evening. “You can help to draw a boundary between work and home-life by planning an activity to do at the end of the working day,” say Pacey and Connor.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--How To Safely Shop At A Supermarket Right Now

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If you’ve been to the supermarket in the last week or so, you know it can be an extremely chaotic experience amid the coronavirus pandemic. Shop assistants are running around doing their best to restock as customers are literally climbing into freezers to reach the last pack of frozen berries shoved in the very back of the top shelf. People are swarming the canned goods sections and those preoccupied with crossing items off their lists are temporarily breaking the rule of 6-foot social distancing in order to get their hands on the ripest bananas.
But what happens if someone coughs on a head of lettuce and you end up purchasing it later? Is that box of cereal that you picked up safe from contamination? How many others before you touched it and put it back?
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HuffPost caught up with some food safety experts and doctors to answer your questions on how to safely purchase food from the supermarket.
Know that a lot of people are touching the same produce that you are
“The people in a supermarket are all squeezing the avocados and tomatoes,” said Jeff Nelken, a food safety expert in Woodland Hills, California. He added that it’s important to realise that “by the time you get home from the market, you’ve got the germs of like 100 people on top of your produce.”
But there are steps that you can take to minimise this. Nelken recommended for shoppers to grab a plastic produce bag and put their hand inside and use that to pick up something like a head of lettuce. Then drop it into another bag and seal it up. This way, he said, you’re not touching everyone else’s produce and if everyone followed this practice, it could go a long way in helping to curb the spread of germs.
Sanitise your shopping cart
Nelken suggested taking the wipes that supermarkets are providing at entry and using them to scrub down the handles of your cart. It’s also a good idea, he said, to carry a bottle of hand sanitiser with you and to use it after you check out. And if you can, use a credit card in lieu of cash, as he noted the latter has the potential to harbour more bacteria after being passed from person to person.
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Rethink your reusable bags
True, you’re saving the environment by forgoing the paper bags issued at checkout, but during a viral outbreak, Nelken said, disposable might be better.
RossHelen via Getty Images Paper bags may be a smarter idea than reusable bags right now.
“How many people do you know that bring their own bags clean out those bags or spray them with disinfectants or sanitiser afterward?” he questioned. “Not many.” Per Nelken, these bags, if not properly sanitised after use, have high levels of bacteria and potentially viral particles inside and if reused too quickly ― and without proper sanitation ― could potentially infect you. “If you’re going to reuse them, wash them out or sanitise them afterward,” he said.
Wash your produce when you get home
To rid yourself of any potential viral contamination, thoroughly wash your hands immediately upon returning home from the supermarket, said Jagdish Khubchandani, a health science professor at Indiana’s Ball State University who has studied the impact of viral outbreaks like SARS. Then, place your produce in a vessel and giving it a good rinse in hot water, he recommended.
“And then once you’re done, wash your hands again with soap and water,” he said.
Wiping down your prepackaged foods is not mandatory, but it isn’t necessarily going too far
“Wiping down canned goods isn’t going to hurt them, but it won’t do anything to reduce your risk of infection,” explained Brian Labus, a professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ School of Public Health. “You can take a lot of steps like that, but they won’t provide anything more than a false sense of security,” he added, noting that “it’s not about the food that you buy, it’s about the interaction you have with other people at the supermarket.”
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Thus Labus said to make sure that you are following the recommended hygienic measures such as “limiting your distance to other people and make sure to wash your hands and use hand sanitiser when possible.”
Richard Vayda, restaurant and culinary management instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, added that according to the NHS, spreading the virus through packages and food is unlikely. And with most packaging materials, the time of transit also is a deterioration factor.
“Any item exposed to respiratory droplets can be contaminated, although the nature of typical food surfaces, the lag time between purchase and consumption, as well as any cooking, work against infection potential,” he said. But as an extra step, you can cleanse packaging for items that you will be using immediately, “including cleaning/wiping down jars, soda cans, etc.” This, he said, is always advisable on his end, “as there can additionally be physical contaminants that are not easily visible.”
If you are elderly or have chronic health conditions, take extra precautions when shopping
The safest option for more vulnerable individuals (the elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic heart and lung diseases) is to ask someone else to do the shopping for them, said Felicia Wu, a John A. Hannah distinguished professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. “If that is not possible, then I do think it is a good idea for supermarkets to have dedicated hours that are for more vulnerable populations to shop ― ones in which there will be fewer people, and where cleaning can take place beforehand,” she added. As this is starting to happen across the nation ― Erewhon Market in Los Angeles, for example, announced it is opening locations an hour earlier to cater to this higher-risk crowd ― it’s a good idea for individuals in this group to shop during those hours.
The bottom line, said, Josie Greve-Peterson, a PSSI corporate microbiologist, is that the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not currently have any reports of human illnesses that suggest Covid-19 can be transmitted via food or food packaging.
“However, it is always important to follow good hygiene practices — i.e., wash hands and surfaces often, separate raw meat from other foods, cook to the right temperature, and refrigerate foods promptly ― when handling or preparing foods,” she said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Can We Have Sex? Here’s When You Can (And Can’t) Do It In The Coronavirus Outbreak

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Update: Since this article was published, UK lockdown has come into place and guidance on self-isolation has changed.
We’re all looking for some indoor entertainment while social distancing, but Netflix has its limits. Netflix and chill, however, never gets old – so can you have sex while coronavirus is sweeping the nation?
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Some diseases such as Ebola and Zika can be transmitted via semen, explains Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine and expert in infectious diseases based at the University of East Anglia – but there’s no evidence of this for Covid-19.
“It’s the working up to it [erm, sex] that’s the issue,” he says. “The main risk is going to be from oral, respiratory droplet spread. French kissing is probably not on the cards, so if you come up with a way of having sex without that, it might be a good idea.”
The risk of transmitting or contracting the virus during sex, however, depends on your current health and the nature of your sex life, Prof. Hunter adds.
Are you social distancing or self-isolating? The former simply means limiting contact with the outside world, while the latter is for people who may have come into contact with the virus – and is a little more complicated.
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If you’re social distancing...
If you’re in a monogamous relationship, you’re healthy, and you live with your partner, Prof. Hunter says it can be business as usual in the bedroom.
“If you are just social distancing, as a family or as a couple, you’re basically just trying to avoid the rest of the world as best you can, so personally, I don’t see any reason why that should interfere with your sex life,” Prof. Hunter tells HuffPost UK.
“I confidently expect to see an increase in the birth rate early next year – you can only watch so many re-runs of Crocodile Dundee and Carry On films before you get bored of the telly.”
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However, if your sex life usually involves multiple partners or meeting people outside your home, that’s a little more tricky.
“If you have a slightly more bohemian sex life, I think you need to think this through,” says Prof. Hunter. “The risk of you picking up the infection or spreading the infection on, is – to a large extent – related to the closeness of contact you have with people, and how many people you have contact with.”
As a reminder, the government has reminded everyone – regardless of their age and health – to avoid all “non-essential contact” with others, so it’s advisable to keep those Hinge or Grindr chats digital for now.
If you’re self-isolating...
The current recommendations state anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 should self-isolate for seven days and anyone living with that person should isolate for 14 days from the start of the illness.
“The reason we say 14 days is for you to have seven days to get over your illness – during which at any one time you could infect your partner – and then giving your partner another seven days,” Prof. Hunter explains.
If you’re ill with symptoms consistent with Covid-19, Prof. Hunter recommends avoiding sex – or any close contact – with your partner and keeping your distance as much as possible within that first seven-day period.
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However, new guidance states, “it is likely that people living within a household will infect each other or be infected already”. Now even if symptomatic, you don’t have to keep your distance from people you live with unless they are particularly vulnerable.
Prof. Hunter adds: “Person-to-person transmission if you’re living in the same house isn’t a forgone conclusion. The attack rate isn’t 100%, and can often be less than 50%.”
So, if you’re a little worried but still determined to get down to it – there are ways to limit the risk of Covid-19 transmission during sex.
“I’m not going to spell it out as I’m sure you can work it out for yourselves,” says Prof. Hunter, “there are some types of sexual activity that are more likely to bring you into contact with other people’s bodily fluids than others.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Homeschooling Families Are Not The Weirdos We’ve Been Made Out To Be

We home schoolers welcome British parents into the home-ed fold due to coronavirus. Getty Images/Maskot
This isn’t the first time I’ve written in defence of home educators. A year ago, it was revealed some children who were educated outside of an ‘official’ school setting were at risk of violence, and/or being radicalised, and the tide of opinion turned on us.
As someone who has home educated my SEN child in some form since 2017, I felt I had a duty to step in and silence many voices questioning the motives of families who don’t send their children to school. My older son, for example, is currently home educated because he’s not well supported by the underfunded state system, and there are many like us out there.
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So, it feels a little odd to now be writing a piece welcoming most British parents into the home-ed fold due to coronavirus; and school closures but you are welcome, you truly are. Because home educating families are not the shady, cloistered weirdos we’ve been made out to be. This community offers some of the most open, supportive and tolerant people in the UK, and we are here for you.
Under normal circumstances, you would find home education a whole lot more social than ‘normal’ school. A typical week for us involves numerous group activities: at the science museum, at forest school, with mutual friends or online with other home educated children from around the world.
And because these kids are there by choice, they are heavily invested in the activity. The benefit of self-directed, self-motivated learning is not just at the core of what many home educators believe — it is a scientifically proven method of educating children that fosters independence, a growth mind-set and authentic connection.
Unfortunately, social distancing means we can’t fully enjoy some of these benefits over the next short while, but home educating, even in isolation, needn’t be daunting or lonely. For a start, there are quite a few Facebook pages that have been set up by home educators to offer solidarity and practical advice, and I’d heartily recommend joining.
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The most common question on the forums right now is, how will I manage to educate my child and work from home? Remember, you are not a school and education isn’t limited to the hours between 9am and 3pm. Also, you don’t have to fill up all your child’s time. At school, they aren’t learning every moment of the day — there is a lot of waiting around.
In our home, academic work tends to happen straight after breakfast for about 90 minutes with a few breaks here and there. We use online resources like Elephant Learning, Math Prodigy and Khan Academy, many of which are being offered for free right now. Your child’s school will no doubt offer lesson packs, and this is a good time to use them.
After morning tea, we move on to creative time. This is self-directed so don’t feel guilty about getting on with your own work. Many home educators also run businesses or work remotely, and they do it by stepping back and allowing their children space.
“In our home, academic work tends to happen straight after breakfast for about 90 minutes with a few breaks here and there.”
My kids are really into making comics, so we leave paper, card, pens, glue and glitter out for them. (Be prepared for some mess, and set down some rules about where creativity takes place so you don’t find your socks glitter glued to the bathroom ceiling.) Remind the kids they have to tidy up as well. That’s called citizenship!
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I’m often busy with work at lunchtime and my boys, aged 8 and 11, are very capable when it comes to making their own food. Again, we have rules, like it’s OK to boil the kettle or use the toaster, but they can’t fry or bake without supervision. I work from the kitchen during this time so I am on hand if they need me.
Although social distancing is essential right now, you can still go outside. If you live close to an open space, like woodland or playing fields, then head there after lunch for some outdoor learning. If you are self-isolating, then get into the garden. Build a den with some chairs and sheets, let older children have a go at whittling with a craft knife. If you only have a balcony or a window, perhaps encourage the kids to plant a herb garden or some tomatoes. Back inside, leave the kids to read books. Many libraries offer ebooks and audiobooks online. There are also many virtual field trips available right now. And don’t forget that free play is essential for healthy brain development. It’s a form a day dreaming, which helps with reasoning skills.
Many parents are panicking about their ability to limit screen time. For younger kids, using an app like Net Nanny can help. We block out things we can’t monitor. Our children have access to Netflix, but not YouTube, for example. For older children, their phone and social media will be a lifeline they won’t thank you for taking away. But introduce parameters, such as no devices in bedrooms. Devices are also going to be important for catching up, whatever the age group. We have already signed up to Zoom so we can host group chats, and my younger son has invited friends to a special Minecraft world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Coronavirus Has Delayed My Vital Transplant. I’m Worried People Like Me Will Be Forgotten

Courtesy of the author HuffPost UK
To say that I’m familiar with the NHS would be an understatement. Living with diabetes for 25 years will take its toll on your body: I’ve nearly gone blind, suffered from a bone infection and been hospitalised for a month as a result of my condition.
But it was still a surprise when, last April, I was told my kidneys were failing, and I was in desperate need of a transplant. I remember feeling angry about missing work and feeling anxious about getting back to continue with my day. I left feeling numb, confused and without hope. It’s been difficult to come to terms with the fact that diabetes, the condition that has denied me of so much over the years, was now taking these vital organs away from me – and threatening my entire life.
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People like me waiting for a kidney transplant have a couple of options: receiving a living donor (often a family member), or waiting on the national organ list. But I found myself being put forward for another kind of transplant: an SPK (simultaneous kidney pancreas) transplant. It would mean waiting for a deceased donor (who would need to be the perfect match for me).
While agonising to wait longer, I was strongly advised that my best chance for long-term survival would be curing my diabetes with a pancreas transplant and addressing the small problem of kidney failure at the same time. That way, diabetes could never again threaten the new kidney. The thought of living out some of my life without Type 1 diabetes seemed like nirvana – as if I was able to go back to my seven-year-old self, and tell her that everything was going to be okay. I felt incredibly lucky – honoured – to be given this second chance.
“I’m still looking for answers as to how they can define a life-saving operation such as my kidney transplant as ‘non-urgent elective’ surgery”
Three months of rigorous testing later and I was finally accepted for the double organ list. Most days I feel like I’m hanging on a knife’s edge; never thriving, just surviving long enough to try and make it until I get the phone call. There have been a few wobbles over the last six months on whether to accept a donation from my mum or stick out the wait, but time and time again, my amazing care team have convinced me that the long-term benefits of the operation will be worth the crippling anxiety. Go science!
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Then, a plot twist: coronavirus.
I started to fear the worst back in December, knowing that when the virus hit the UK, having Type 1 diabetes and end-stage chronic kidney disease, I was in the vulnerable category. Something niggling away in my mind, I logged onto my patient portal to see my transplant status: ‘SUSPENDED’.
Panicked, I got in touch with my care team. The words “I’m afraid all SPK transplants, and kidney transplants are being suspended for the time being” rippled through me like a shockwave. The letter with the words ‘limited number of ICU beds available’ and ‘poses a risk to other patients’ arrived the next day, like a bitter afterthought.
Off the record, I had already been told that I was spot on about the government’s underinvestment in the NHS for a decade leading to the shortage in ICU beds, and therefore the suspension of various services across the board. I’m still looking for answers as to how they can define a life-saving operation such as my kidney transplant as ‘non-urgent elective’ surgery.
“As we self-isolate and get further into this, people like me will need support, love and kindness.”
Waiting for an operation of such magnitude is difficult. Waiting for the waiting to start again, with no idea on timeframe is unbearable. Will I still have a chance to find love? Will I see my sister achieve her dreams? Will I be around to support my family in times of need? Will I see my friends get married and have children? Will I live, or will I die?
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It’s incredibly difficult to contain a disease like this, so I understand the NHS needs to take drastic measures to handle the crisis. Our wonderful NHS workers can only do so much without the support and resources that are required to deliver the care system necessary not to endanger lives.
But, sometimes, living with a chronic illness can make you feel invisible. We carry on with daily lives hiding our internal struggles, constantly striving for normality, while our necessary care and treatment is cancelled left, right and centre. I want people to know that this is the real fallout of a virus like this, and this is the reality of a government who are not honest with us. And above all, this is the reality of underinvesting in the NHS.
As we self-isolate and get further into this, people like me will need the support, love and kindness of those around us. It doesn’t take a lot to check in if you have friends or family in a vulnerable situation. A text, a call, a FaceTime. Don’t underestimate the power of the smallest gesture to give people like me the will to survive.
Please don’t let us disappear.
Lara Wahab is an account manager at Wieden + Kennedy London. Follow her on Twitter at @wahabning.
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-22--Six Coronavirus Developments On March 22 2020

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) continues to come under pressure to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sporting events around the globe have all taken action as life is put on hold for athletes and fans alike.
On Saturday, US Track and Field sent an email calling for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to make representations about delaying the Games in Japan – set to start on July 24 – as the “right and responsible thing to do” in the circumstances.
An increasing number of athletes have been speaking out over their fears for Tokyo 2020, particularly in relation to social distancing which make their training programmes impossible to pursue.
USA Swimming, meanwhile, had already asking the USOPC to push for a one-year postponement as the impact of the lockdown began to hit home.
USATF chief executive Max Siegel wrote: “The right and responsible thing to do is prioritise everyone’s health and safety, and appropriately recognise the toll this difficult situation has, and continues to take, on our athletes and their Olympic Games preparations.
“We are all experiencing unfathomable disruptions, and everyone’s lives are being impacted accordingly.
“For those reasons, USATF is respectfully requesting that the (USOPC) advocate to the IOC for the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.”
The Spanish Football Federation also called for this summer’s Olympics to be postponed.
President of the RFEF Luis Rubiales made the request to IOC committee member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr at a meeting with other Spanish sports federations, the governing body said in a statement.
The meeting had been called by president of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco.
Rubiales said in a statement: “At this time, health must prevail over any other issue and we must be on the side of our Government.
“Sport is our reason for being, but now it must be in the background. We continue to work for football and solutions for this sector, however, now the duty as Spaniards is to stay united and to suspend all sports events.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--No Haircuts Or Bowling, But Parents Can Take Children Food Shopping: Here's The Government's Lockdow

No Haircuts Or Bowling, But Parents Can Take Children Food Shopping: Here's The Government's Lockdown Guidance

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Boris Johnson has placed the UK on lockdown to tackle the coronavirus, threatening police fines starting at £30 for anyone who ignores new measures.
But the seismic move prompted questions about how people would be affected. Shortly after the prime minister’s dramatic address to the nation, the government published its official guidance, which amounted to one-and-half pages.
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More questions are likely to follow, but here’s what the guidance does tell us:
Stay at home
The government is clear there are only four reasons why you should leave your home.
The first is shopping for basic necessities, which includes food and medicine and must be “as infrequent as possible”
You can also leave to take one form of exercise a day, such as a run, walk, or cycle. But it is restricted to exercising alone or with members of your household.
The third reason is a medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person (this includes moving children under 18 between their parents’ homes).
Finally, travelling to and from work is acceptable, but only “where this absolutely cannot be done from home”.
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The guidance is explicit that these are “exceptions”, and even then people must keep it to a minimum and ensure they are two-metres apart from anyone outside of their household.
Shops and community spaces closed
Tens of thousands of non-essential shops are to close. Other premises being shuttered are libraries, playgrounds, outdoor gyms and places of worship.
Hotels and campsites will now join pubs, cafes and restaurants in being closed to slow the disease’s spread.
And, while parks will remain open for exercise, all social events including weddings and baptisms will be stopped. Funerals, however, can continue.
The guidance details closures of:
All non-essential retail stores: this will include clothing and electronics stores; hair, beauty and nail salons; and outdoor and indoor markets, excluding food markets.
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Libraries, community centres, and youth centres.
Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, arcades and soft play facilities.
Communal places within parks, such as playgrounds, sports courts and outdoor gyms.
Places of worship, except for funerals attended by immediate families.
Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial and leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers).
Later in the evening, further guidance was issued outlining what should close and what could stay open.
Places to remain open include food shops, health shops, pharmacies. petrol stations, bicycle shops, home and hardware shops, launderettes and dry cleaners, garages, car rentals, pet shops, corner shops, newsagents, post offices and banks.
It added: “Takeaway and delivery facilities should remain open and operational. This means people can continue to enter premises to access takeaway services, including delivery drivers. Planning regulation will be changed to enable restaurants, cafes and pubs which do not currently offer delivery and hot food takeaway to do so.”
Gatherings of more than two people in public
All gatherings of more than two people in public are forbidden, including all social events, weddings and baptisms. Places of worship such as churches and mosques must also shut, except to host for funerals.
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The two exceptions are:
Where the gathering is of a group of people who live together. This means that a parent can, for example, take their children to the shops if there is no option to leave them at home.
Where the gathering is essential for work purposes. But workers should be trying to “minimise all meetings and other gatherings in the workplace”.
Police enforcement
Johnson’s address was notable for its reference to police having powers to issue fines and break up gatherings of those who flout the rules. Government officials later said fines will start at £30, but warned they would escalate.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Boris Johnson Orders 'National Emergency' Lockdown To Slow Coronavirus Outbreak

Good evening,
The coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades – and this country is not alone.
All over the world we are seeing the devastating impact of this invisible killer
And so tonight I want to update you on the latest steps we are taking to fight the disease and what you can do to help.
And I want to begin by reminding you why the UK has been taking the approach that we have.
Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope; because there won’t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses.
And as we have seen elsewhere, in other countries that also have fantastic health care systems, that is the moment of real danger.
To put it simply, if too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to handle it – meaning more people are likely to die, not just from coronavirus but from other illnesses as well.
So it’s vital to slow the spread of the disease.
Because that is the way we reduce the number of people needing hospital treatment at any one time, so we can protect the NHS’s ability to cope – and save more lives.
And that’s why we have been asking people to stay at home during this pandemic.
And though huge numbers are complying – and I thank you all – the time has now come for us all to do more.
From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction – you must stay at home.
Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.
That is why people will only be allowed to leave their home for the following very limited purposes:
shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
one form of exercise a day – for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household;
any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person; and
travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.
That’s all - these are the only reasons you should leave your home.
You should not be meeting friends. If your friends ask you to meet, you should say no.
You should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home.
You should not be going shopping except for essentials like food and medicine — and you should do this as little as you can. And use food delivery services where you can.
If you don’t follow the rules the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
To ensure compliance with the government’s instruction to stay at home, we will immediately:
close all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores and other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship;
we will stop all gatherings of more than two people in public – excluding people you live with;
and we’ll stop all social events, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals.
Parks will remain open for exercise but gatherings will be dispersed.
No prime minister wants to enact measures like this.
I know the damage that this disruption is doing and will do to people’s lives, to their businesses and to their jobs.
And that’s why we have produced a huge and unprecedented programme of support both for workers and for business.
And I can assure you that we will keep these restrictions under constant review. We will look again in three weeks, and relax them if the evidence shows we are able to.
But at present there are just no easy options. The way ahead is hard, and it is still true that many lives will sadly be lost.
And yet it is also true that there is a clear way through.
Day by day we are strengthening our amazing NHS with 7,500 former clinicians now coming back to the service.
With the time you buy – by simply staying at home – we are increasing our stocks of equipment.
We are accelerating our search for treatments.
We are pioneering work on a vaccine.
And we are buying millions of testing kits that will enable us to turn the tide on this invisible killer.
I want to thank everyone who is working flat out to beat the virus.
Everyone from the supermarket staff to the transport workers to the carers to the nurses and doctors on the frontline.
But in this fight we can be in no doubt that each and every one of us is directly enlisted.
Each and every one of us is now obliged to join together.
To halt the spread of this disease.
To protect our NHS and to save many many thousands of lives.
And I know that as they have in the past so many times.
The people of this country will rise to that challenge.
And we will come through it stronger than ever.
We will beat the coronavirus and we will beat it together.
And therefore I urge you at this moment of national emergency to stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.
Thank you.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Boris Johnson Makes A Statement On Coronavirus Amid Calls For Tougher Measures

Boris Johnson Makes A Statement On Coronavirus Amid Calls For Tougher Measures
After warnings to stay home have been largely ignored by the British public, the prime minister makes a statement to the country as the government faces calls to move to a complete lockdown.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Coronavirus: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab Asks Brits Abroad To 'Return Home Now'

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Brits overseas should “return home now” to the UK while commercial flights are still an option, foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said.
The cabinet minister warned airports were starting to close - “some without any notice” - as governments begin to enforce lockdowns to protect their citizens’ from the spread of coronavirus.
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“The time to come home is now while you still can,” he said.
Raab also moved to reassure UK people still overseas that, where they could not get a commercial flight home, the government would work “round the clock” to bring them back.
He said: “We are strongly urging UK travellers overseas to return home now where and while there are still commercial routes to do so. Around the world, more airlines are suspending flights and more airports are closing, some without any notice. Where commercial routes don’t exist, our staff are working round the clock to give advice and support to UK nationals.”
Last week, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said it was advising against all but essential international travel, initially for a period of 30 days.
My message to British people travelling abroad: As borders around the world close and international travel becomes more difficult, you are strongly advised to return to the UK now, where & while there are still commercial travel options available. Keep up to date with @FCOtravel — Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) March 23, 2020
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A statement from the FCO said: “Today’s update reflects the pace at which international travel is becoming more difficult with the closure of borders, airlines suspending flights, airports closing, exit bans and further restrictions being introduced daily.
“Further closures to air routes may come in the next 48 hours, possibly without notice.”
It came as the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed the UK coronavirus death toll had reached 335.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that he was considering a UK lockdown as many were failing to heed government advice on social distancing and had continued to closely mix in parks and markets.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This is a very difficult time for British Citizens travelling overseas, or those with families and loved ones abroad.
“We’re in close contact with airlines, who are working tirelessly to ensure British citizens travelling overseas can safely return to the UK. We are also working closely with other government departments, including the FCO to ensure airlines are able to operate to bring people back home.”
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Responding to Raab’s statement, the consumer organisation Which? warned some stuck abroad could not afford a commercial flight and urged ministers to “leave no stone unturned” in attempts to bring everyone back.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “While it’s right British travellers are being urged to return to the UK, the reality is that there are now thousands of UK residents stranded in dozens of different destinations with no means to get back.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--'It’s Just Madness’: The Workers Being Forced To Carry On As Normal Amid Coronavirus

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The message from government could not have been clearer on the steps we are all expected to take to fight the coronavirus pandemic – stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives.
Yet some workers have told HuffPost UK of the fear and anger they are experiencing at being forced to go outside and into workplaces where they are in close daily contact with people despite the advice – and despite the fact their work could wait.
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It has in part been blamed on confusing messaging from government around which businesses are allowed to stay open, alongside other public sector services such as the courts service.
But the employers themselves also stand accused of failure in their duty of care to workers. We have anonymised some of those featured in this article to protect their identities.
A packed carriage full of passengers travelling on the Victoria line of the London Underground Tube network on Friday Yui Mok - PA Images via Getty Images
Criminal Barrister
Criminal barrister Rachel Law told us there was anxiety among court staff who are still being asked to enter the bustling environment every day so trials and hearings can continue.
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Although the Lord Chief Justice today announced a temporary pause on new jury trials in crown courts, ongoing hearings are continuing with advice in place about social distancing.
The criminal barrister said: “Today I had a plea hearing so I went down to Woolwich Crown Court and met my client for about 15 minutes. I had to go down to the cells where there’s no hand gel and sit in a room four foot by four foot with three other people.
“My client is in prison and we know coronavirus is present in prisons, spreading like wildfire.
“A lot of people attend court hearings and the courts are absolutely filthy.
Law added: “We are really worried that we are being made to go to court for things that are just not urgent. Because we are all designated key workers, which just seems ludicrous to me.
“A lot of what we do is difficult to do from home but a lot of stuff could just wait or be sorted out over the telephone. It’s just madness that we’re being dragged to court. A lot of what we can do can wait.”
The government has said that it is essential courts and tribunals continue to administer justice but that it is adjusting practices to minimise risk to judiciary staff.
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Aerospace Worker
The wife of a machinist for GKN Aerospace in Bristol said the company had sent home workers in the most high-risk groups but for everyone else it was “business as usual”.
She told HuffPost UK: “They’ve been told nothing. The surfaces of these machines they use and things like keyboards that people are touching with their hands, they haven’t cleaned them.
“My husband said this morning that he raised it with a manager and was told they were finding it hard to get hold of wipes.
“There are no social distancing measures. The only thing he has seen is a few more hand gels.”
A spokesperson for GKN Aerospace told HuffPost UK in a statement: “These are unprecedented times and our number one focus is to protect our people.
“Our response to the current situation follows the national guidance in the countries in which we operate.
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“This includes social distancing for our employees and increased cleaning cycles at our facilities, so we can continue to supply to our world-leading customers throughout and beyond this extraordinary period.”
DIY Store Worker
The partner of someone who works for a well known home improvement store high street chain said she was angry at the way he had been treated.
“My partner has been at home with symptoms of coronavirus. I’m really pissed off with the way he’s been treated. Lots of places are closing down but they’ve basically said unless you’ve been tested and confirmed as having coronavirus, they’re not really bothered.
“But if they’re not testing NHS staff, why are they going to test someone who works in a DIY store?”
Beauty Worker
While pubs, cafes and restaurants have been forced to close by the government, there is ambiguity over some other retail sectors.
The list of businesses that have been forced to close includes spas, wellness centres and massage parlours. But other sectors such as hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons, which all entail close contact with customers in breach of the two-metre social distancing rules, all appear to be allowed to stay open.
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One beauty worker, who does botox and filler injections and tattooing of eyebrows, told HuffPost UK: “It’s not an industry you can do two metres apart.
“They’re just carrying on as normal and it’s horrifying. It’s like they’re waiting for the government to tell them what to do and just trying to get as much money in as they can.
“They’re asking people to wait two metres apart but then [that person] comes to you and then the next one comes to you. They’re putting masks on but they’re only paper masks and it’s dangerous, they’re not taking it seriously.”
Painter and decorator
A tweet from Labour MP Neil Coyle showing rush hour crowds on the London Underground prompted over 200 replies, many from people saying they have been given no choice but to leave their homes and head to work.
The partner of a London-based painter and decorator who wished to remain anonymous, told HuffPost UK: “If there’s just one sick person there... they’re going to be running around for two weeks not knowing they’re ill.
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“You can see the people are spacing on the platform and being really sensible but their hearts must sink when the tube comes in and the doors open like this.”
There are currently four people on the site he is working on, while all the rest of the company is working from home.
Her partner has been told that if he doesn’t turn up at work – which requires a trip across London on the Tube as he has never ridden a bike in the capital and doesn’t feel confident doing so – he will not be paid.
She added: “He just feels like shit. Every evening when he comes home he’s literally stripping outside the front door and straight into the bath and clothes straight into the washing machine.
“It just feels so over the top for a painter.”
The National Picture
A further 54 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in the UK, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths in the country to 335.
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NHS England said 46 more people have died after testing positive for the illness, meaning the death toll in England now stands at 303.
Four more people were confirmed to have died as of Monday after testing positive for Covid-19 in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said, taking the death toll to 14.
A further four patients in Wales who tested positive for coronavirus were also confirmed to have died on Monday, bringing the country’s total to 16.
There have been two coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland.
Underlining the rapid spread of the disease, the UK’s coronavirus death toll went beyond 200 only on Saturday.
Labour MP Coyle told HuffPost UK: “Some employers are shamefully not following the government advice and are risking serious damage to their staff, to our NHS which faces a huge crisis and of course to their reputations.
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“If your employees are not key workers you should not be insisting they come in to work. I am seeking penalties for rogue employers who are ignoring the pandemic and taking huge risks with staff and customers’ health.”
But Andrew Goodacre, CEO at the British Independent Retailers’ Association (Bira), says the fault lies with the government.
“This is a very concerning and confusing time for many of our members,” he said, “and we would urge the government to set out more clear guidelines over which businesses should be allowed to stay open.
“We have had many calls from members concerned about whether their insurance will pay out if they opt to close and, once again, I would urge the government to make clear their intentions to underwrite insurance policies so small independent retailers can make informed and confident choices.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Coronavirus Outbreak: UK Death Toll Rises Above 300 As 54 More People Die In UK After Testing Positi

Coronavirus Outbreak: UK Death Toll Rises Above 300 As 54 More People Die In UK After Testing Positive

Pedestrians use a path across Clapham Common in south London. PA
A further 54 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in the UK, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths in the country to 335.
NHS England said 46 more people have died after testing positive for the illness, meaning the death toll in England now stands at 303.
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Four more people were confirmed to have died as of Monday after testing positive for Covid-19 in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said, taking the death toll to 14.
A further four patients in Wales who tested positive for coronavirus were also confirmed to have died on Monday, bringing the country’s total to 16.
There have been two coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland.
Underlining the rapid spread of the disease, the UK’s coronavirus death toll went beyond 200 only on Saturday.
NHS England said in a statement: “A further 46 people who tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 303.
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“Patients were aged between 47 and 105 years old and all had underlying health conditions. Their families have been informed.”
Meanwhile, the health secretary has said people who are ignoring social distancing advice to stay two metres apart are “very selfish”.
In a sign that the UK could be moving towards a stricter lockdown, Matt Hancock said the government was willing to take “more action” if needed to stop coronavirus from spreading.
It comes as the usual Downing Street press conference on coronavirus is not expected to take place on Monday afternoon but Boris Johnson will still address the nation in some format.
Shops except for pharmacies and food retailers could be ordered to shut under measures being considered by all UK leaders.
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Over the weekend, photos emerged showing crowds of people visiting open spaces across many parts of the UK.
The Government has said it is safe to exercise as long as people keep at least two metres away from other people.
But Labour urged ministers to act now by moving to “enforced social distancing”.
Downing Street said ministers will be looking at data on how much social interaction is still taking place and “if that information shows they haven’t stopped then we will need to take further measures”.
Downing Street also said the prime minister is “actively considering further steps” to help self-employed workers through the crisis.
It comes as Wendy Jacobs, a 59-year-old head teacher at Roose Primary School in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, died after testing positive for coronavirus.
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In Walsall, a 36-year-old nurse and mother-of-three is on a ventilator in intensive care after contracting coronavirus.
Areema Nasreen is in a critical condition at Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands where she works.
There are growing fears that Britain is on a similar trajectory to Italy – scene of the world’s worst outbreak – where the death toll passed 5,000 over the weekend.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Keep Working If You've Been Exposed To A Coronavirus Case Without Protection, NHS Medics Told In Mem

Keep Working If You've Been Exposed To A Coronavirus Case Without Protection, NHS Medics Told In Memo

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A leaked internal NHS memo has revealed the true strain Covid-19 has put on the health service, with workers stranded abroad for more than five days forced to take annual leave or go unpaid, and those exposed to confirmed coronavirus cases without protective kit still permitted to work.
Vulnerable staff members, including pregnant workers and those over 70, are being asked to remain at work, although away from “high risk” areas.
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The memo, shared with HuffPost UK, and circulated to all staff members working at one NHS trust in England, reveals that staff stranded abroad for will go unpaid or be forced to take their absence as annual leave.
Travel bans and the grounding of some airlines have caused travel chaos worldwide.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab confirmed last week that up to a million Britons could be stranded abroad, admitting: “If they can stay safely in the countries where they are for a period, I think that’s a choice they will have to think very seriously about.”
The NHS trust document obtained by HuffPost UK states: “We have agreed that managers should give up to 5 days paid special leave. If an employee requires a longer period of leave, this will need to be taken as annual leave or unpaid leave.”
Employees could also be asked to cancel their leave in “exceptional circumstances on a “case by case basis”.
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Workers who have been exposed to patients with the virus have also been asked to continue working, even if they weren’t wearing personal protection equipment (PPE).
The Doctor’s Association said on Sunday that medics felt as though they were “lambs to the slaughter” amid the lack of access to proper protective clothing.
NHS workers have been advised to stay in hotels in order to come to work if a member if a member of their household displays symptoms of the virus. Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
The memo specifies that frontline staff who may have been exposed to the virus during an aerosol generating procedure (a procedure that stimulates coughing to promote the release of airborne particles that may contain infectious agents) can stay at work, but are required to report to occupational health for 14 days afterward to confirm they are well.
The document also gives more detail on accommodation being sourced for NHS staff who are asymptomatic, but live with someone with symptoms of the virus – despite the official advice for members of the public being to stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person in the home started having symptoms.
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A letter to all chief executives of all NHS trusts and foundation trusts, published online on March 17, first revealed that free hotel rooms would be sought for health workers to live in if a member of their household showed symptoms, so staff can remain on the frontlines without having to quarantine – despite government guidance that anyone with a sick household member should stay indoors for a fortnight.
The latest leaked document states: “We recognise that NHS staff may choose to continue working who are not themselves unwell and we are therefore sourcing free accommodation for 14 days for asymptomatic staff who want to continue working, but are unable to do so if sharing a household with someone who is symptomatic.
“We recognise this guidance is different for health care workers because it is recognised that if all NHS staff self-isolate for 14 days due to the symptoms of a household member rather than their own personal sickness there will be a potentially unmanageable strain on staffing during this very difficult time.
“In order to ensure that those health workers who choose to continue to work do not inadvertently spread the virus a decision by the health worker to return to work and stay in a local hotel should be taken as quickly as is reasonably practicable (ordinarily within one to two days of the virus being identified within their household).”
Any staff member who does return to work but develops symptoms has been asked to self-isolate in accordance with official guidelines.
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With fears that employees falling ill could have a serious impact on the number of staff filling frontline jobs, workers have also been warned that they may need to waive their EU-granted right to a maximum 48-hour work week and potentially lose their breaks.
The guidance states: “Ideally we would like staff to keep to a maximum of 48-hour working week, but we can see that flexibility may be required with respect to the Working Time Regulations particularly in relation to night work limits, right to rest periods and breaks.”
Staff have been told, however, that their right to say no to working beyond 48 hours a week will “of course” be respected.
Employees who are not clinical or patient facing could also be asked to volunteer for extra roles. Though the memo does not specify what type of duties could be required, the guidance states: “We are asking all employees if they would be prepared to volunteer to undertake on-site related activities, subject to the appropriate training. We will pay people at their substantive grade wherever they volunteer.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Street Food And Festival Vendors Fear Industry Collapse Amid Coronavirus

Street Food And Festival Vendors Fear Industry Collapse Amid Coronavirus
As coronavirus lockdowns decimate the summer event calendar, food vendors and street food vans are fearing that the industry may never recover from the outbreak. With many relying on the summer season for the bulk of their revenue, many are finding it difficult to see a future for their small businesses and the government’s plans for self-employed aren’t enough to pay the bills.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--How To Properly Cut And Clean Nails To Fight Against Germs

PORNCHAI SODA via Getty Images brittle damaged nails after using shellac or gel-lacquer
The guidelines and restrictions in place to limit social interaction around the world are imperative to halting the spread of the coronavirus, despite the cultural and financial implications for businesses such as hair and nail salons, which in many places are closed for the foreseeable future.
As we all settle into a new normal, many of our routine activities, such as haircuts and manicures, are off the table. But there’s a reason to be cognisant of our nails that has nothing to do with vanity ― nails, especially long ones, can play host to germs and bacteria, including those associated with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
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With that in mind, and in an effort to keep our nails from becoming a hazard to ourselves, we called upon the experts to break down best practices for nail health and maintenance at home.
Sorry, but ― it’s time to go short.
New York-based dermatologist Jessica Krant offered a hard truth to the long nail lovers among us: Now might not be the time.
“The best and safest way to keep nails is short, smooth and clean,” Krant said. “Normally this only really applies in health care work, but these days, with COVID-19 around, we should all ideally keep our nails as free from germs as possible.” She said the best way to do that is to keep them trimmed short, with about 1-2 millimetres of white showing and shaped like the natural end of your nail bed. “It’s also very important to smooth them gently with a file, so rough edges and corners are gone,” she said. “This makes them the strongest and also easiest to clean, and to use with protective gloves.”
But if you’re going to stay long, buy a brush.
Sarah Gibson Tuttle, founder and CEO of Olive & June, a Los Angeles-based boutique nail salon that also offers a line of tools that make great manicures possible at home (their Poppy nail tool has a cult-like following), recommends changing out files every few months as well as washing metal tools thoroughly after each use.
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“Germs can live underneath all nail lengths, but especially long nails,” Tuttle told HuffPost. “The most effective defence is making sure you’re washing and drying your hands consistently and properly. To make sure you’re getting underneath the nail, you can also use a nail brush with antibacterial soap. But just make sure you’re keeping that brush clean, as well.”
Don’t get too clipper-happy.
There’s short, and then there’s dangerously short, Krant explained.
“Do NOT cut all of the white part off,” Krant said. “That risks injury to the seal against the nail bed and opens your finger up to infections getting inside.”
Take your time soaking off gel.
Thick gel polishes can create crevices in your nails that host germs and bacteria, so it’s time to get rid of them.
Losing access to our opposable thumbs while soaking gels off can be a challenge, but think of it this way ― there’s no reason to rush to do anything, especially something like a manicure, right now.
“Proper removal of gels at home requires time,” Tuttle said. “I recommend removal while you’re FaceTiming a friend or watching TV, so you’re not tempted to damage your nails by rushing. You’ll need a file, acetone, tin foil and a hot towel as a bonus.
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“First, file a bit to break the top coat seal. Then, place cotton balls soaked in acetone on your nails and wrap your fingertip in tin foil. Ideally, soak until the gels are lifting off entirely, which will take around 10-15 minutes. We like to wrap a hot towel around as well to expedite the soaking process. And the most important piece is having the patience to allow the gels to lift before removing the cotton. No harsh removal or picking, please!”
If you have acrylics, consider settling in for a movie.
“The removal process for acrylics is similar to gel, but much longer,” Tuttle said. “You will first need to clip the edge of the acrylic nail down before you file to properly break the seal. Then follow the same steps for gel removal. You’ll also need to let your nails soak for close to an hour until the acrylics are removing easily on their own.”
In the event that you do get sick and need to seek medical care, it might be best to take your polish off completely.
Krant offered some insight about our nails that poses an entirely different problem.
“When you go to the hospital, the physicians there will need to place a pulse oximeter on your fingertip,” Krant said. “This helps them easily check how well your lungs are able to bring oxygen to the rest of your body. With COVID-19, this is a critical measure to see how well you are doing, or whether you need more help. Though not all medical professionals agree, Krant said that nail polish alone prevents proper readings. Sometimes they can find some acetone in the hospital to remove your polish, but you can’t rely on that. Artificial nails totally prevent the use of a finger pulse oximeter. They may have other simple methods to measure your oxygen levels at hand, or they may not.”
Now that you have the best practices, there’s no time like the present to try DIYing at home. Tuttle has been hosting manicure boot camps on the Olive & June Instagram page that cover a broad range of mani-curiosities, from general care to nail art.
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Tuttle also shared her steps for a perfect at-home manicure:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--Parliament Set To Break Up Early For Easter Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

PA
Parliament is set to break up early for its Easter break this week, once it has passed key emergency legislation covering the Covid-19 outbreak, HuffPost UK has learned.
The 2020 Coronavirus Bill is expected to clear all its Commons stages by Monday night and after Lords approval will become law by Thursday.
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Parliament had been due to rise for the Easter recess on March 31, next Tuesday, but it is understood there is a cross-party consensus that it would make sense to head for the break earlier.
A growing number of MPs have demanded greater safeguards to protect against the spread of the disease at Westminster, with several calling for electronic and remote voting and video conferencing.
The SNP’s chief whip Patrick Grady pointed out that the Commons sitting “continues to put pressure on staff, pressure on members”.
He asked for the Easter recess to be brought forward to the end of this week “because the reality is that any of us that return to our constituencies from London, the epicentre of the virus, are going to have to self-isolate”
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Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg replied that an early recess was “being considered”.
And in a strong hint, he pointed out that it is “debatable” that minor legislation over toilet rate relief bill regulation, plus an adjournment debate, were really “essential business”.
Both the government and opposition are keen that parliament fulfils its constitutional duty to hold ministers to account, but are aware that the coronavirus outbreak is rapidly approaching its peak in the UK.
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle told MPs that there would be a raft of reforms to how parliament works during the crisis, with Commons votes being done on a staggered basis to reduce contact between members. Votes would take up to 40 minutes rather than the 15 at present.
The Speaker added that video conferencing was also being urgently considered for select committees, while Rees-Mogg said that new rules would be introduced to allow the committees to lift the current requirement that their members appear in person.
In his announcement, Hoyle also said that alcohol sales would no longer continue anywhere on the parliamentary estate.
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Liberal Democrat Alastair Carmichael urged a speedier shift to remote working, pointing out that once MPs returned from the Easter break in April the coronavirus outbreak could be at its peak.
Outstanding legislation in the Commons includes the Windrush compensation bill and the Finance Bill that enacts the Budget.
A short Contingencies Fund Bill will also be passed this week to put into law the chancellor’s emergency measures to help workers keep their jobs through Treasury subsidy schemes.
Labour, SNP and Lib Dem MPs have for weeks been calling for modernisation of voting in the Commons, where MPs can only vote in person by passing through an often crowded voting lobby.
In a letter to the Speaker, Labour MPs Toby Perkins, Liz Kendall and others joined previous calls by Lucy Powell and Clive Lewis - and the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas - for urgent reform to protect MPs and staff.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-23--When Can I Watch EastEnders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale And Hollyoaks?

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All of the big four – that’s the BBC’s EastEnders, ITV’s Coronation Street and Emmerdale and Hollyoaks on Channel 4 - have been affected by the pandemic.
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It’s been announced that filming has stopped on all four shows, but as they’re recorded weeks in advance, we still have plenty more episodes to keep us entertained, albeit not as frequently, as the schedules have all been adapted.
Here’s when you can catch your favourites...
EASTENDERS
BBC
The BBC has suspended filming of EastEnders “until further notice”, although production – the writing and planning – will continue.
As the long-running soap is filmed eight weeks in advance, EastEnders fans will still be able to get their fix of Walford from episodes already filmed, and TV bosses say just two episodes will air each week to make them last as long as possible.
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When can I watch EastEnders?
EastEnders will air on Mondays at 8pm and Tuesday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
News: “In light of the spread of Covid-19, filming on #EastEnders will be postponed until further notice... We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two.”
Episodes will now air on Mondays, 8pm and Tuesdays, 7.30pm. pic.twitter.com/Ea9rodkqfh — BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) March 18, 2020
CORONATION STREET
ITV
ITV suspended filming on the UK’s longest running TV soap from Monday 23 March because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement ITV said: “We’ve been doing our best to carry on filming, whilst adhering to the Government’s latest health guidelines, to ensure we’ve episodes of both soaps [Coronation Street and Emmerdale] airing on ITV until at least the early summer.
“However, the health and well-being of the production teams, actors, crew and their families is of paramount importance to us and we now feel that the time has come to stop filming.”
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When can I watch Coronation Street?
From 30 March, Corrie will air on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm on ITV.
EMMERDALE
Emmerdale ITV
The number of Emmerdale episodes to air each week has been reduced by ITV to keep the soap on air until “at least the early summer”.
The broadcaster has already suspended filming on the Yorkshire-based soap because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
When can I watch Emmerdale?
From 30 March, Emmerdale will air three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm on ITV.
Following yesterday’s announcement that filming of @itvcorrie & Emmerdale will be suspended, @ITV has taken the decision to reduce Emmerdale’s transmission pattern to 3 episodes per week from 30 March - airing on Mon, Wed & Fri with #Corrie at 7.30pm on the same nights #Emmerdale pic.twitter.com/PtIAhIUDcd — Emmerdale (@emmerdale) March 23, 2020
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HOLLYOAKS
Hollyoaks Channel 4
From Monday 30 March, Hollyoaks will be reduced from five weekly episodes down to three.
When can I watch Hollyoaks?
The Channel 4 soap which will air Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 6.30pm.
There will also be “extra special episodes” every Thursday and Friday on E4.
Dear #Hollyoaks viewers. It is with a heavy heart that we have made the decision to pause filming of Hollyoaks. pic.twitter.com/OUR9lpJkMA — Hollyoaks (@Hollyoaks) March 22, 2020
NEIGHBOURS AND HOME & AWAY
Channel 5
Channel 5 has cut the number of episodes it will air of its Australian soaps from five to two per week, after production was halted on both shows Down Under.
While it has been reported filming has since resumed, a C5 spokesperson said: “As a result of Covid-19, we have taken the decision to reduce the number of episodes for Neighbours and Home and Away from five to two per week for both soaps, so that our viewers can continue to enjoy them for as long as possible.”
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When can I watch Neighbours?
As of 30 March, Neighbours will air at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Mondays and Fridays on Channel 5.
When can I watch Home & Away?
As of 30 March, Home & Away will air at 1.15pm and 6pm on Mondays and Fridays on Channel 5.
As a result of Covid-19, we have taken the decision to reduce the number of eps of Neighbours on @channel5_tv from 5 to 2 per week, so that our viewers can continue to enjoy them for as long as possible. Neighbours will air on Monday and Fridays, effective from Monday 30th March. — Neighbours (@NeighboursTV) March 25, 2020