thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--This 5-Year-Old Had The Best Socially-Distanced Digger Birthday Party

HuffPost UK Corona birthdays. Left to right: Sienna, who turned six last week; Daniel on his digger hunt.
The excitement of your upcoming birthday as a kid is a feeling many of us will be able to remember – the balloons, the friends, the cake, the party bags!
So finding out that birthday party can no longer go ahead is gutting, to say the least. But parents are coming up with creative ways to make sure their kids still get a day to remember.
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We asked HuffPost UK readers to share photos of their birthdays in lockdown – and they delivered.
The Digger Treasure Hunt
Mum Becky George, from Harpenden, says her son Daniel was due to have a disco party this year for his fifth birthday. “It was going to be his first whole class party and he’d been counting down the sleeps,” she says. “When I had to cancel it, he was so disappointed.”
Instead, George wrote him a digger treasure trail around the streets. He had to follow the map, find picture clues, read information from signs, count how many sand bags he could see, and spot solar panels on particular houses.
“The route deliberately took him past several houses having building works, as Daniel loves diggers,” she says.
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She then asked if his friends who lived along the route would put a picture of a digger in their windows for him to spot. “Daniel was delighted to spot 100 diggers, many beautifully drawn by kids! People also hung birthday banners and balloons, chatted to him through open windows and left him gifts and cards it their gardens for him to collect. One garden even played ‘Happy Birthday Daniel’ from a hidden sound system!”
The trail took 90 minutes to complete. “Daniel thought it was his best birthday ever,” she says.
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The Grandparents’ Surprise
Will Hobson, from Sheffield, says it was his niece’s birthday this week – she turned four. As she couldn’t see her grandparents, they surprised her with a banner at the end of the drive and had a distant tea party.
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The Sixth Birthday Street Parade
Mum Lisa Wood says it was her daughter Sienna’s sixth birthday last week. “I was sad she couldn’t have her planned party or any friends over for tea, so I put a message on the street WhatsApp to see if anyone would come out to sing to her.”
Everyone pulled through. Lisa, from Cheshire, said the street came out in full force. “All ages from the young to the old and everyone obeyed the social distancing,” she says. “It was very emotional and she loved it. We have a great community spirit.”
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Turning One In Lockdown Joanna Drake had her daughter’s first birthday last week. “It was really weird but tried to find the positives in it: we were all together when usually daddy would have been at work and brother Ted would be at school,” she tells HuffPost UK. The family had a picnic in the garden in the sunshine and spaced presents out throughout the day. “A bittersweet moment when my parents came and stood at the end of the drive to sing happy birthday and left presents for us to collect later,” she adds. “But Zara was happy all day and loved the fuss.”
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The FaceTime Fiesta
Hannah O Donoghue Hobbs, from Manchester, celebrated her daughter’s third birthday in lockdown. “I was really worried about it, having to cancel her party and not see friends or family,” she says, “but she declared herself the birthday boss and the sun was shining so we had a lovely day!”
The family also had a picnic outside and they bought lots of garden toys for her, had a full FaceTime party with 10 of their family members and received lots of video messages and gifts on their doorstep.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--'It Had Me In Tears': The Utter Joy Of Female Friendship In Lockdown

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Vicky Spliy
In these uncertain times, having friends we can rely on to make life that little bit better is more appreciated than ever.
To add some positivity to your day, we asked readers to share the special things their friends have done to help them during the UK lockdown.
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From delivering a “honeymoon at home” to posting notes on a friends’ window as a surprise for the morning, here are just some of the ways pals are pulling together.
The ‘Costa-Del quarantine’ honeymoon at home
Ruth Barrett and her husband, Jordan, were thankfully able to get married before the UK lockdown began. But the continuing Covid-19 situation meant their honeymoon has been put on hold.
It was also Ruth’s birthday last week, so her friend Danielle sent her everything she needed for a “Costa-Del quarantine”, including hula skirts, a cocktail making kit, a photo booth kit and some umbrellas for drinks.
“I’ve been friends will Danielle for two and a half years,” says Ruth, 33, from Newcastle. “We work together and she’s honestly one of the nicest people ever with the biggest heart. It was so incredibly thoughtful and sweet.”
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Celebrating our honeymoon and my birthday in Costa-Del Quarantine. ☀ pic.twitter.com/nepGEfcQ7Y — Ruth Barrett (@RuthBarrettPR) March 26, 2020
The package boosted Ruth’s mood, but she’s quick to acknowledge that there’s “so many people worse off than us right now”.
“Sure we could have been in the Maldives on our honeymoon, but I’m still with my favourite person,” she adds.
Ruth Barrett Ruth Barrett
The unexpected parcel drop-off
Laura Beattie, 31 from Manchester, is classed as vulnerable to the effects of Covid-19 as she has cystic fibrosis and is awaiting a double lung transplant. Her two best friends, Hannah and Lisa, who are both teachers, have helped her stay positive by dropping off unexpected parcels.
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Lisa dropped off a selection of vegan treats including crisps, sweets, cookies and a drink, while Hannah delivered an invite to her wedding, plus a beautiful card that was made by her primary school class.
Laura Beattie
“Both of these made me cry and have really helped me during this time,” says Laura. “It was such a lovely thing to do and they are amazing. I knew I was not alone.”
“It made me feel so special. Even though we can’t be near each other, it meant so much that they wanted to give me stuff so I knew they were thinking of me and there for me.”
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The pick-me-up self-care package
Like millions across the country, Vicky Clapham is self-employed and has been worrying about the long-term financial implications of coronavirus.
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Knowing how stressed she’s been, her friend, Jess, who’s a GP, sent a “pick-me-up” package in the post with some of Vicky’s favourite things, including the makeup she’d said she wouldn’t be able to buy for a while.
“Jess and I have been best friends since we were 12,” says Vicky, 38, from Leeds. “Our friendship began on a school trip when we paired up with each other and we’ve been best friends ever since – from travelling to uni to being each other’s maid of honour and godparents to our children.”
Vicky Clapham Vicky Clapham (right) and her friend Jess.
“Like most people, I feel anxious and overwhelmed with the uncertainty of the current situation,” adds Vicky. “I’ve built up a business over 18 months, and there is a fear that it could all just disappear.”
Vicky wasn’t expecting the package from Jess at all, but it’s helped her smile in this tough period.
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“In this time of crisis, it’s been a time more than ever I’ve really valued my family and loved ones – and Jess is part of that family,” she says. “It was a welcome boost to morale and a reminder that I’m not on my own. With friends like Jess, I know I’ll be alright.”
The handwritten window notes
Mayah Riaz, 37 and based in Nottingham, cried happy tears when her university friend of 18 years, Sarah, delivered a care package and stuck notes to her window.
“I found it difficult not seeing friends and FaceTime just wasn’t cutting it,” Mayah explains. “So she got me some shopping and popped it on my doorstep. She also wrote notes which she stuck on my window so I’d see them when I pulled the curtains back [in the morning].”
Mayah Riaz Mayah Riaz
Mayah also received a care package including pyjamas, a candle, face mask, a book, tea bags, nail varnish and perfume. And her friend gave her a subscription to a course so she could keep busy and occupied during this time.
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She was completely blown away that Sarah went to so much effort, when it’s not her birthday or another form of occasion. “She’s done all this because I was struggling at the thought of being home for so long,” she says.
“It’s had me in tears every time I think about it.”
The Zoom call with a difference
Like many of us, Ceriann Smith, 42, from Manchester, has been getting through the lockdown with Zoom calls. She’s part of a group of five who all live locally, and have been friends for around six years.
On Saturday night, the group decided the Zoom call needed to be “taken seriously as if we were going out for the night”.
“Dressing up in lockdown for us meant big earrings and bright red lipstick,” says Ceriann. “For me, it was reason enough to change out of joggers and into a decent outfit.”
Ceriann Smith Ceriann's friend Chrisa.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Go Easy On The Quarantinis: How To Keep Your Alcohol Intake In Check During Lockdown

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You’re stuck at home, you’re stressed, and you’ve got a cupboard full of booze. It’s tempting to drink more than usual during the coronavirus lockdown – there’s a communal sense that we “deserve it” for getting through this tough time, plus it’s harder for your boss to detect a hangover on Skype.
But the World Health Organisation has labelled drinking alcohol an “unhelpful” coping strategy for dealing with the stress of isolation and social distancing – a sentiment echoed by the charity Drinkaware.
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“Alcohol is best avoided when you’re anxious,” Drinkaware’s CEO, Elaine Hindal, tells HuffPost UK. ”It’s actually a depressant, and it can interfere with processes in the brain that are important for good mental health, as well as contribute to symptoms of severe depression.”
Alcohol also impairs judgement, so drinking more than you usually would may lead to accidents and therefore place an extra burden on health services during this stretched time.
“For example, with drinking one too many while cooking, it’s common to need hospital treatment after burning your arm badly on the oven,” says Hindal. “Every year, thousands of avoidable accidents and injuries are attributable to alcohol.”
Drinking heavily may also contribute towards you becoming particularly vulnerable to infections such as coronavirus, Hindal adds. “That’s because alcohol can suppress a range of immune responses, and this is particularly the case for people who drink very heavily and regularly,” she says.
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“Your body’s natural defences against infections may be compromised by excessive alcohol use and this could make you more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections.”
So, we know why we should cut down – but how do you actually do it if you’ve slipped into the evening wine habit? Laura Willoughby, co-founder of the mindful drinking movement Club Soda, gave us five tips.
1. Play it forward. “You may not have control over the lockdown, but you’re in control of how you react to it,” says Willoughby. “Look ahead to who you want to be when this is all over, and focus on the bigger picture. Where do you want your life to be in 12 months? What role does alcohol play in this vision of the future you?”
2. Add some alcohol-free drinks to your shop. You don’t have to ditch booze altogether, but save it for occasions such as the weekend to help maintain a routine and keep your consumption in check, says Willoughby. Getting some alcohol-free drinks in to kick back in the evenings will help.
“The range of craft beers, spirits and wines are amazing and you can pick them up directly from the producers or from online stores like Wisebartender, as well as the supermarkets,” she says. “Now is a great time to try out what’s on offer and find a new favourite tipple to help you moderate for the long-term.”
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3. Set some boundaries. If you’ve got alcohol in the house, find a new home for it, such as the garage or on top of the wardrobe, so it’s less visible and accessible in your daily routine.
“Have some clear rules about when you’re allowed to drink – like no drinking when stressed or sad, or only drink with evening meals – and lengthen your drinks, keeping to single serves with lots of tonic or spritzers to dial down the strength,” adds Willoughby.
“It’s easy to slip into new bad habits so having firm boundaries will keep alcohol in its place.”
4. Talk about it. If you feel like you’re slipping into bad habits, speak to your partner, friend or family member about it. They might be able to offer advice, or share how they’re managing to cope.
Similarly, if you’ve got a partner or other family member who is drinking a lot, talk to them about what you’re doing to keep your consumption in check, says Willoughby.
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You could offer to help a partner or housemate with their health goals, she adds. Make a project of finding new things to do together that don’t involve drinking.
5. Get a helping hand. It’s important to recognise when our booze habits are teetering on dependancy. Signs it’s getting out of hand include finding it hard to stop at two drinks, wanting to drink early in the morning, and physical symptoms of withdrawal such as sweating, shaking and nausea.
Or, if you did a huge booze shop because you were frightened of it running out and you’re struggling to avoid it, now might be a good time to address that feeling, says Willoughby. There are resources to help you do this.
“Maybe a course like Club Soda’s Mindful Drinking programmes could help guide you through the next few weeks,” she says. Alternatively, Drinkaware has an online self-assessment that can help you identify if your relationship with alcohol is about right, or if the amount you drink is risky to your health.
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“We would urge anyone who is worried about someone else’s drinking to contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or talk to a trained advisor anonymously online via Drinkchat,” says Hindal.
“The AA are holding online meetings and the Alcohol Health Alliance has a great roundup of online resources for people in recovery. We Are With You also has advice on accessing services.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--How Bad Do Coronavirus Symptoms Need To Get Before Seeking Help?

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A new, continuous cough and fever are the two key symptoms to be vigilant of when it comes to coronavirus. Most people with these symptoms will simply need to self-isolate for seven or 14 days (depending on whether they live on their own or with others) and will recover without needing extra help.
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But for an estimated one in five people, hospital care will be necessary.
As it stands, people are urged to stay home and keep away from GP surgeries and hospitals if they come down with Covid-19 symptoms in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus between people and households.
But if they feel they cannot cope with their symptoms at home or their condition gets worse, they’re urged to use the NHS 111 online service. Or, for those who don’t have internet, to call the helpline on 111.
The issue is, different people have different thresholds when it comes to what actually constitutes feeling unwell. So when should you seek help?
Dr Claudia Pastides, a GP working with online private doctor app Babylon, reiterates that most people will experience mild or moderate symptoms that can be managed at home by getting rest, keeping hydrated and taking paracetamol where necessary.
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Some people might need to seek help through NHS 111, however.
Examples of symptoms which warrant this medical advice, says Dr Pastides, include increasing shortness of breath – struggling to do normal things without feeling breathless, for example – or feeling so ill that you can’t carry out your usual daily activities like having a shower, watching TV or preparing a meal.
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There may also be more urgent cases, you should call 999 for an ambulance and let them know that you – or the person you’re caring for – may have coronavirus, says Dr Pastides. Such situations include: someone feeling so breathless they can’t speak more than a few words at a time, developing blue lips or skin, or losing consciousness.
Symptoms of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which can occur in serious cases of Covid-19, include:
• Severe shortness of breath;
• Rapid, shallow breathing;
• Tiredness, drowsiness or confusion;
• Feeling faint.
Anyone who thinks they’ve been fighting coronavirus and has ended up with symptoms of ARDS should also call an ambulance.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Our Lockdown Obsession With Food And Exercise Is Especially Hard For Those With An Eating Disorder

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Two days into the coronavirus lockdown, I caught myself deliberately making my meals smaller. Perhaps I’ll just do half the rice, I thought. If I use less fish it’ll last longer. Do I need to have coconut milk when water will do?
The nagging voice was back, and I had barely noticed.
I was diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia three years ago, after nearly a decade of dancing around the point. I’m lucky enough to be able to say that my recovery, while slow, has been steady. I enjoy life more now than I have for a long time, and feel more at ease in situations that would have sent me into a full-blown crisis a few years back.
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But getting better has taken a lot of work. It has involved the tearing down of a regimented world of silly rules – don’t eat that, don’t be lazy, don’t let people in – and the building of a new one in which I try to be a bit kinder, a bit more flexible and a bit more forgiving of myself. For many eating disorder sufferers like me, life under the coronavirus epidemic will take a lot of adjustment. Overnight, a new world of grimly necessary rules and standards has been created, many of which seem dangerously close to the old ones we have been battling to shrug off.
Take the new national conversation about food. Every day now I think about whether there’s enough to go around, whether what I’m buying is responsible or selfish, if I’m cooking too much in case it runs out. It’s hard to tell how much of this is reasonable worrying and how much is the old brain reasserting itself.
“Every day now I think about whether there’s enough to go around, whether what I’m buying is responsible or selfish...”
In my weaker moments, I find myself getting a kick out of not being one of the shoppers hoarding food – and I realise it’s a small step away from the virtuous feeling I used to get watching other people eat lunch while I went without at the nadir of my disorder: They’ll get fat and I won’t. They’re taking from NHS staff and I’m not.
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Social distancing too has upset the rhythm I lived by: breakfast at 7, snack at 11, lunch at 1, snack at 3, dinner at 7. Even when the meals were small, I’d take pride in keeping that structure: challenging the disorder with a pattern that, by and large, kept me properly nourished. But when there’s no beginning and end to the working day – no set time at which others are eating too – I find myself at risk of idle snacking or seven-hour stints on an empty stomach. Neither of those things help.
A bad day used to be tackled with a run, working for months to find a distance that gave me a good workout but avoided tipping into me compulsive, damaging overexercise. That too now looks fragile.
Gyms are closed. Social media buzzes with people berating “selfish” joggers for sweating near them. There’s talk of closing the parks for good. People openly quip about putting on the ‘corona stone’. It’s an unwanted annoyance to them – but I find myself, once again, seeing it as the worst possible fate.
“With much less daily human contact, there are fewer people to spot when I am being absurd, and to shake me out of it.”
I find my mouth going dry, panic setting in at the thought of re-emerging Elvis-like from months cooped up here, a waddling version of myself met with howls of laughter. In the aftermath of a global pandemic, my thoughts go, everyone will be looking at my waistline. That is the kind of nonsense the unchecked eating disorder brain produces – and with much less daily human contact, there are fewer people to spot when I am being absurd, and to shake me out of it.
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I worry about the people who were nowhere near better when this crisis hit – and hope they know that, even at a time when the world’s challenges feel huge, their own battle still matters. “Eating disorders often work to minimise your worries, or make you feel as though your experiences aren’t as serious as other people’s,” the eating disorder charity Beat – which has produced a guide and chatroom specifically tailored to the Covid-19 outbreak – has said.
And they add: “It may feel as though this concern is backed up by the huge focus on coronavirus, especially if you’re finding it harder to access regular treatment services. But other health issues are not any less important, and those experiencing them still deserve treatment and support.”
It’s early days in this strange new world, and spotting that this way of thinking is creeping back in is a positive thing. It means that a good chunk of what I learned while getting better has lodged itself somewhere in my overheating brain. But recovery from any mental health condition can be fragile in the face of change – and those of us with eating disorders will have to be extra vigilant in the weeks ahead.
Matt Honeycombe-Foster is news editor of PoliticsHome.com. Follow him on Twitter at @matt_hfoster.
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--2020-03-31--Want To Know Why People Stockpile Toilet Paper? I'm A Hoarder And I Have A Few Ideas

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As soon as reports of a toilet paper shortage fueled by coronavirus panic-buying surfaced, social media mockery followed. The posts asked, in tones ranging from incredulous to scathing, how stupid are these people? What does toilet paper have to do with this pandemic?
On the surface, of course, the answer is nothing. But I’m withholding my ire because I fully understand the urge to stock up on essentials. As a hoarder with anxiety, I do it year-round.
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My hoarding has taken various forms, reaching its peak when I lived alone in a two-bedroom Brooklyn apartment so packed with belongings I could barely navigate it. I’d have to step over piles of papers, magazines, books and clothes to make my way through the rooms, often tripping and falling as I went, and forcefully pull or push the door to get out or in. During that time, hoarding was a hazard, to my safety and my mental health. I hired a personal organizer for $5,000 to help me declutter, only to undo her efforts within weeks of going back to my old ways.
When I finally left that apartment to move into a New Jersey one with my boyfriend, I paid to have junk removers come to my home and clear out the debris.
In the seven years we’ve lived together, my hoarding has shifted. I’ve discussed hoarding in therapy, and my boyfriend has made it clear that he won’t tolerate my hoarding spreading throughout our home. I no longer have much on the floor except a few stray clothes. You might not even think I’m a hoarder if you saw the outward presentation of my home. But at heart, I still am, much of it locked inside closets, desks and drawers, and locked inside me. The current circumstances have sharpened my hoarding instincts. Before you condemn me as a selfish monster, let me share a little about why I find hoarding comforting.
For me, life is a constant unknown, with worst-case-scenario outcomes waiting to be unlocked at every turn, like a video game whose grand prize is eternal mental torture. Even sleep isn’t a respite; the dreams I remember are almost always horrific, violent nightmares. When I wake up from these dreams, rather than hazily acclimating to the day or night, it’s as if Homer Simpson’s miserly boss Mr. Burns has proclaimed “Release the hounds!” on all those rock-bottom possibilities I’d hoped to escape from when I put my head down on my memory foam pillow.
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It takes no time at all for my anxious mind to concoct more, leading me to catastrophize even when the world around me is running swimmingly — so you can imagine what happens when the world is as off-kilter as it is now.
“Accumulating objects, whether it’s useful ones like paper clips or pens or fun ones like stuffed animals, makes me feel like I’m prepared (or at least, comforted). For what? I don’t know — and that’s exactly the point. When anything can happen, I need everything to guard me.”
To help me feel as grounded as possible, I surround myself with objects that epitomize safety and comfort — the more of them, the better. Whereas my boyfriend is a minimalist, I’m the opposite. Throwing things out causes me stress, because I’m always wondering: What if I need or want that item one day in the future? Accumulating objects, whether it’s useful ones like paper clips or pens or fun ones like stuffed animals, makes me feel like I’m prepared (or at least, comforted). For what? I don’t know — and that’s exactly the point. When anything can happen, I need everything to guard me.
Hoarding is a way for me to try to reclaim some form of power over all those unknowns. Hoarding used to control me, because I saved things but couldn’t easily locate a precious object when I needed it. I hoarded old to-do lists and playbills, and pretty much anything that came into my home. Swag from a conference? Kept it. Decades-old holiday cards with simply a signature? Couldn’t part with them. Those all disappeared when I moved, but I’m not cured. The way I hoard now is much more strategic.
During this time of social isolation, it’s even more important to me to feel like I’m ready for whatever comes next. The things I want to hoard aren’t fun foods like giant bags of cheese crisps from Costco, but what I’m most worried about running out of — like toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap, decaf coffee, all of which have their own designated space.
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The beauty of toilet paper is that I use it every day and know it won’t go to waste. More than any other belongings in my home, opening my storage closet and seeing rolls upon rolls of toilet paper, neatly stacked, fluffy, white and seemingly endless, offers me a sense of calm. It reminds me that even when the present feels utterly out of control — which is often — there will be a future where the most pressing issue will be whether to bring another roll into the bathroom with me.
Right now, though, despite being well-stocked a few weeks ago, with my local grocery stores’ shelves bare, my supply has dwindled down to a dozen rolls, and with each roll, I lose a bit of my sense that everything is going to be OK. Of course, I recognize the immense privilege I have in being able to stay home, in having work, and in having enough food and toilet paper to last me a few weeks — and that I can afford to get more. I know not everyone has that luxury.
But in order for me to get anything done other than staring hopelessly at my phone, I need to have a baseline of normalcy. To achieve that, I’ve even shelled out $94 for a case of 96 rolls, the only quantity I’m seeing available, from a site that I hope actually can get it to me. If that shipment arrives, I plan to offer some to my neighbors. To me, this isn’t about panic-buying, but about buying peace of mind ― as much of it as is available.
I wish I’d been born with an innate sense of calm, an inner certainty that everything will be OK, or even “pronoia,” the optimistic opposite of paranoia. Instead, I gravitate toward an inner truth that tells me doom is always lurking. Late at night, I’ve asked my boyfriend about the questions I’m too sad to directly ponder during the day: What will we do if we lose our jobs? Where can we move if we can’t pay rent? What happens if one of our family members becomes ill? Should I update my will?
Despite the logical knowledge that there’s little I can do to defend against these doomsday scenarios, I still prefer to make my home a fortress of security. Hoarding has been my downfall, but right now it feels like it can save me — or at least, save me from myself.
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“Hoarding is not always about selfishness. In scary situations, I see it as the ultimate in self-care, a way to placate at least one of the umpteen worries circulating in my head at any given time.”
It’s easy to mock hoarders as the troubled people you see on your TV screen, or hate on those staggering out of the grocery store with carts laden with toilet paper. Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse scolded TP hoarders as either thinking they “are genuinely more worthy of comfort” or not considering that their purchase might deprive someone else of stocking up. I agree, and think stores should be limiting purchases of essential goods so everyone who needs them can purchase them, but there’s a difference between cleaning out a store and padding your own supply a little bit.
Hoarding is not always about selfishness. In scary situations, I see it as the ultimate in self-care, a way to placate at least one of the umpteen worries circulating in my head at any given time. I get that people are anxious about running out; the Newport, Oregon, Police Department took to Facebook recently to admonish people not to call 911 due to a toilet paper shortage. I’m not making light of that, but I believe there’s a hoarding continuum, and that all of us are susceptible to sliding closer to my end of it in times of crisis.
The longer this goes on, the more daily use things I will probably want to hoard — printer paper, tissues, peanut butter. The potential lack of any of these items, at home and in our grocery stores, has set my inner alarm bells ringing. I know when that toilet paper shipment arrives, my mind will get a little quieter, and I’ll feel a little more ready for whatever the future holds. Stocking up on what I can now feels more proactive than worrying about being out of work or anyone I care about falling ill. I know not everyone’s in a position to do that, but I also know that this is what I need to maintain my mental health.
My soon-to-arrive surplus rolls aren’t, of course, just about going to the bathroom. They represent the utopian mindset I hope to someday have, where happiness and abundance and inner peace are simply there for the taking, rather than feelings I have to fight my own mind, tooth and nail, to acquire. In lieu (or loo?) of that ease of being, I’ll reach for a roll, and know that there’s plenty more where it came from.
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Rachel Kramer Bussel writes about sex, dating, books, culture and herself. Visit her official website, rachelkramerbussel.com, and follow her on Twitter @raquelita.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Has Michael Gove Got It Right On The Health/Wealth Toll Of Coronavirus?

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The economy, stupid?
Michael Gove had a suitably sombre tone as he announced the latest awful death toll of the coronavirus in the UK. At the daily No.10 briefing, the Cabinet Office minister said that the number had increased by 381 in 24 hours to 1,789. “Every death is the loss of a loved one,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are grieving.”
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The numbers were “deeply shocking, disturbing, moving”, Gove added. We later learned that among the deaths was a 13-year-old boy from London, the UK’s youngest victim of Covid-19 had reportedly no underlying health conditions.
Gove’s words were a reminder that behind these grim daily statistics and charts lies a world of pain and suffering, shattered families that deserve more than to be numbers on a spreadsheet. In a world of almost routine updates and news alerts, his taking even a brief moment to reflect the human cost was a vital sensibility check.
Given the rapid rise in deaths, it was therefore somewhat surprising to hear NHS England’s medical director Stephen Powis then proceed to talk about “green shoots” of recovery as he walked that nation through a graph of new cases showing “bit of a plateau”. Powis repeated the phrase ‘green shoots’ a few times, even though he then said it was “really important not to read too much” into statistics, “because it is really early days”.
As a medical professional, Powis can perhaps be forgiven for seeking cautious optimism amid the gloom, or for not quite grasping the history of the phrase he used. But it does have a history, as Norman Lamont famously used it in the depths of the 1991 recession to claim things were turning around, just as many were still losing their jobs.
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In fact, it was a young Jonathan Dimbleby who ripped the Tory chancellor to shreds on the BBC at the time. His question is worth quoting in full: “Throughout 1991 you foresaw green shoots. In your Autumn Statement, a year ago, you talked about Britain clearly emerging from recession. In the Budget of last Spring you said we’re emerging from recession. In the [1992] Election, the Prime Minister said “Vote Tory on Thursday - recovery on Friday”. You were wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong again. And you expect people to have confidence in you?”
As it happens, that same year Bill Clinton’s adviser James Carville posted on his campaign office wall in Little Rock, Arkansas, this now famous memo for victory. And as well as the line “Economy, stupid” there was a lesser-known edict: “Don’t forget health care.” Clinton tried and failed, Obama got part way and now Donald Trump’s whole presidency could rest on whether the voters think he forgot about health care.
With the US death toll from Covid-19 passing the tragic milestone of 3,170, surpassing the 2,977 victims of 9/11, there is also a huge economic downturn set to accompany the disease. Unemployment shot up by 3.3 million and yesterday one federal reserve estimate said there could be 47million laid off in total.
Still, economists are hoping that the shock will be short-lived, as long as the ‘lockdown’ doesn’t last too long. And worries about the economy over here in the UK were underlined by cabinet minister Grant Shapps when he pointed out that the task for the government was to avoid a crash “that would do more harm than the virus itself”.
No.10 was more politic, stressing that all its decisions on the lockdown were guided by medical advice, not economic considerations. But Gove was also notably keen to stress just why building sites and call centres should not be closed. He said those “going to work in construction and in manufacturing” were “contributing to making sure that the broader health and well being of the nation is maintained”. If workplaces can be made safe, there is merit in avoiding losses of jobs and income that would otherwise follow.
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Yet it’s those death figures that really do weigh most heavily on ministers’ minds. And no one in government is rallying behind Toby Young (a close contact and admirer of Gove) and his call for the lockdown to be lifted by Easter and the schools to be opened soon after. Young’s suggestion - that Rishi Sunak’s bailouts are too expensive because they “extend the lives of a few hundred thousand mostly elderly people with underlying health problems by one or two years” - is seen in Whitehall as both morally callous and economically illiterate.
The fight against coronavirus is indeed a war. And like any war, the trickiest thing is working out just what the exit strategy should be. There are lots of issues of how and when to right the public finances, how and when to end the lockdown. But after the ‘herd immunity’ row, this government is now acutely aware that saving lives comes first. As one insider put it to me today, anyone who has seen this virus up close will never agree that its ‘cure’ can be worse than the disease.
And although Trump too has talked glibly about getting things back to normal “by Easter”, he is facing one statistic that even he may find impossible to ignore: in a few days, the number of Americans killed by coronavirus will exceed those killed in Iraq. Indeed, the total who may perish could exceed 100,000, his own advisers have estimated. You’d have to hope that in election year, that would be enough to force him to put health first.
Quote Of The Day
“Now is absolutely not the time for people to imagine that there can be any relaxation or slackening...People’s sacrifices are worth it, they are making a difference, but we must not let up.”
Michael Gove
Tuesday Cheat Sheet
The UK saw its biggest daily increase in the number of people who have died with coronavirus. Some 381 deaths were reported yesterday.
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Michael Gove announced that the “first of thousands” of newly manufactured ventilators would “roll off the production line” this weekend and be distributed to the NHS frontline next week.
Boris Johnson chaired the first ever digital-only Cabinet meeting for ministers, with just Cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill present in the Cabinet room itself. Check out this pic for an insight into ministers’ self-descriptions, their use of Zoom, their bookshelves and their Union Jack flags (Liz Truss wins the prize).
No.10 said it expected the PM to end his self-isolation this Friday. Health secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Radio Suffolk: “I’m on the mend”.
The Home Office announced that NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics with UK work visas due to expire before 1 October will have them automatically extended for a year so they can “focus on fighting coronavirus”.
Postal workers have urged the Royal Mail to suspend junk mail and replace its daily deliveries with a three-times-a-week service in a bid to protect staff from the impact of coronavirus.
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Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party drafted a new law to turn the upcoming presidential election into a postal-only vote.
What I’m Reading
Coronavirus Puts Moral Philosophy To The Test - John Authers, Bloomberg
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Send tips, stories, quotes, pics, plugs or gossip to waugh.zone@huffpost.com.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: GP Practice Asks Sickest Patients To Sign 'Do Not Resuscitate' Form

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A GP surgery left some some of its sickest patients distressed after encouraging them to sign ‘do not resuscitate’ orders amid the coronavirus crisis.
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Llynfi Surgery, in south Wales, has apologised after sending letters to some seriously ill patients underlining “several benefits” of completing “do not attempt CPR” forms.
The letter warns that, as hospitals are inundated with Covid-19 patients, those with serious conditions such as incurable cancer, motor neurone disease, and untreatable heart and lung conditions were “unlikely to be offered hospital admissions” and “certainly will not be offered a ventilator bed”.
It goes on to ask the patients to complete the form as “scarce ambulance resources can be targeted to the young and fit who have a greater chance” of recovering from the virus.
Chris Elmore, the Labour MP for Ogmore, and Welsh Assembly Member Huw Irranca-Davies say they were “deeply concerned” on Monday when they were contacted by a number of “worried constituents” in “distress” over the GPs’ plea.
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PA
Elmore said health chiefs from Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board were now “reaching out to those patients who received the original letter” to “offer compassionate and sound advice” about the crisis.
“We are of course deeply concerned by the content of the original letter and the distress it has caused our constituents and their families,” the two politicians said in a joint statement.
“These vulnerable members of our community need to be provided with the best advice possible during the pandemic, ensuring they are treated with care and compassion and respect, and following the correct public health advice.
“We sincerely hope Llynfi surgery and the health board provide that reassurance quickly.”
The letter from the Llynfi Surgery. Twitter
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The letter sent out by the practice last week reads: “This is a very difficult letter for the practice to write to you.”
It adds: “We would therefore like to complete a DNACPR form for you which we can share … which will mean that in the event of a sudden deterioration in your condition because [of] Covid infection or disease progression the emergency services will not be called and resuscitation attempts to restart your heart or breathing will not be attempted.”
Signing the form would also mean “your GP and more importantly your friends and family will know not to call 999”, the letter adds.
It also cautions patients the risk of transmitting the virus to first responders is “very high” and that “by having a DNACPR form in place you protect your family [and] emergency responders from this additional risk”.
It adds: “For most people with these conditions, the best option is to remain at home and be cared for by [friends] and family with ongoing support from ourselves and community nursing services.”
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The letter stresses to the patient that “we will not abandon you”, and adds “but we need to be frank and realistic”.
The Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board issued a statement which said that it did not order the letter be sent and said the surgery has apologised for “upset” caused to patients.
“A letter was recently sent out from Llynfi surgery to a small number of patients,” a spokesperson said. “This was not a health board communication.
“The surgery have been made aware that the letter has caused upset to some of the patients who received it. This was not their intent and they apologise for any distress caused.
“Staff at the surgery are speaking to those patients who received the letter to apologise directly and answer any concerns they may have.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Boy, 13, With No Underlying Health Conditions Dies After Testing Positive

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A 13-year-old boy with no apparent underlying health conditions has died after testing positive for coronavirus, his family has said.
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab from Brixton, south London, died in hospital in the early hours of Monday.
A spokesman for King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “Sadly, a 13-year old boy who tested positive for Covid-19 has passed away, and our thoughts and condolences are with the family at this time.
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“The death has been referred to the Coroner and no further comment will be made.”
Ismail’s family said they were “beyond devastated” by his death, in a statement released through a family friend.
“Ismail started showing symptoms and had difficulties breathing and was admitted to King’s College Hospital,” the family said.
“He was put on a ventilator and then put into an induced coma but sadly died yesterday morning. To our knowledge he had no underlying health conditions. We are beyond devastated.”
King's College Hospital in London. Jack Taylor via Getty Images
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Family friend Mark Stephenson, college director at the Madinah College where Ismail’s sister works, has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral costs.
The page says: “Sadly he died without any family members close by due to the highly infectious nature of Covid-19.”
He said the boy’s mother and six siblings are now awaiting the results of a post mortem.
A further 393 deaths from coronavirus have been recorded in the UK over 24 hours.
Following the release of the latest official figures, a 19-year-old was believed to be England’s youngest victim to have died in hospital with no existing medical issues.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Pregnant Women To Be Released From Prison

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Pregnant prisoners are set to be released from prison to protect them and their unborn children from coronavirus, the government has confirmed.
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The Ministry of Justice said “within days” inmates that do not pose a threat to the public and were expecting a baby would be granted a temporary order.
New mums in mother and baby units “meeting the same risk assessment” will also be released with their children, the department said.
It comes amid growing concern that pregnant women - classed by the government as vulnerable to coronavirus - remained in jail where it is feared the disease may be able to spread quickly in cramped conditions.
HuffPost UK last week published a report, detailing claims by inmates at the country’s 12 female prisons.
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Some claimed that other prisoners were showing signs of infection and that there was little soap available.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said: “We have already taken extraordinary measures to protect prisoners and the public over the last few weeks, but it’s clear now that we must temporarily release pregnant woman and those with small babies with them inside prison.
“Governors can now temporarily release pregnant prisoners so that they can stay at home and reduce social contact like all other expectant mothers have been advised to do.”
The MoJ said on Monday that 65 inmates had tested positive for coronavirus in 23 prisons.
PA Archive/PA Images


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--NHS Chief Warns Coronavirus ‘Green Shoots’ Do Not Mean UK ‘Out Of The Woods’

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National Medical Director at NHS England Stephen Powis speaking Tuesday's daily press conference in Downing Street on coronavirus. PA
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The medical director of NHS England has said the UK is seeing the “green shoots” of its recovery from coronavirus.
But speaking at Tuesday’s Downing Street press conference, Stephen Powis said the country was far from being “out of the woods”.
“Winter could come and those green shoots could turn out not to be the hopeful green shoots we thought they might be,” he said.
Powis said the “last thing” he wanted was for people to “not comply” with government orders to stay at home where possible to stop the spread of the virus.
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“It is really early days. We are not out of the woods. We are very much in the woods,” he said.
“This is not a short haul. This is going to take time. It’s important we stick with it.”
Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, told the press conference it was “absolutely not the time to imagine there can be any relaxing or slacking” of the lockdown.
He also used the press conference to promise that “the first of thousands of new ventilator devices” will be delivered to the NHS next week.
A total of 1,801 patients have now died overall in UK hospitals as of 5pm on Monday, according to public health chiefs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, up by 393 from 1,408 the day before. The Department of Health and Social Care later said a slightly smaller number, 381, had died, but did not explain the discrepancy.
A 19-year-old with no underlying health conditions was among them.
Amid criticism from Labour, Gove conceded that while the rate of coronavirus testing in the UK had increased, it must go “further and faster”.
He said a “critical constraint” on the ability to rapidly increase testing capacity was the availability of the chemical reagents.
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Gove said Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock were working with companies worldwide to ensure the UK gets the material needed to increase tests “of all kind”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--George Alagiah Shares Heartfelt Message With Fellow Cancer Patients After Coronavirus Diagnosis

BBC News presenter George Alagiah has shared a touching message with fellow cancer patients after revealing he’s tested positive for Covid-19.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the broadcaster – who disclosed in 2018 that he’d been diagnosed with bowel cancer for the second time – was taking time out from the BBC newsroom, out of concern that he would contract the virus.
During an interview featured in Tuesday’s News At Six, George revealed that he’d been diagnosed with coronavirus, but insisted: “If I can live with cancer, I can certainly live with Covid-19.”
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He said: “I don’t want to trivialise because I seem to have had a mild dose, but actually, the very fact that we [cancer patients] are living with cancer I think gives us an edge.
“We’ve confronted those difficult, dark moments in our life. And in some ways, I think that we, those of us living with cancer, are stronger because we kind of know what it is like to go into something where the outcomes are uncertain.”
George Alagiah Simone Padovani/Awakening via Getty Images
George went on to tell presenter Sophie Raworth that his wife had also shown symptoms of the disease, explaining: “She’s been through it a little bit and it’s kind of lasted a bit longer. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for how this plays out in individuals.
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“I don’t want to make light of it, because right now, Sophie, you and I both know there are people out there who are really finding this tricky, families going through a very anxious time.”
Sharing a message with those who have been affected by the pandemic, George said: “All I can say is, for myself, you know, who is vulnerable to an extent, I’ve come through, and I just hope that for all those people out there, they too come through.
“And you know, with basically the kind of medical staff we have in this country, most people are going to be able to come through.”
George added that while he was feeling “well” if not completely “back to normal”.
George previously underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy to treat advanced bowel cancer in 2014, before returning to presenting duties on BBC News in 2015.
In January 2018, George revealed that the cancer had returned and took an additional year away from our screens, before returning to the BBC newsroom at the beginning of last year.
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Back in November, he revealed he had requested not to be told his chances of surviving cancer when he was first diagnosed.
He told the Bowel Cancer UK podcast: “I decided I didn’t want to know about the survival statistics. It’s a very unpredictable disease, you’re good one week and not the next, good chances one year and not the next.
“It took me about three to six months after my diagnosis, I called it getting to a place of contentment. I needed that.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--New Ventilators To Reach NHS 'Next Week', Says Michael Gove

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The first batch of new ventilators will be delivered to the NHS to help frontline staff treat patients with coronavirus, Michael Gove has said.
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Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, the cabinet minister said the “first of thousands” would “roll off the production line” this weekend and be distributed to the frontline next week.
He warned that hospital admissions in England had reached 10,767 and was “increasing”.
He said: “I can announce that this weekend the first of thousands of new ventilator devices will roll off the production line and be delivered to the NHS next week.
“From there, they will be rapidly distributed to the frontline.”
Gove also said the UK was buying ventilators from EU nations to boost the number available to those suffering from the disease.
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“We have just over 8,000 ventilators deployed in NHS hospitals now,” said Gove. “This number has increased since the epidemic began thanks to the hard work of NHS professionals, but we need more.
“That’s why we are buying more ventilators from abroad, including from EU nations.
“It’s also why we are developing new sources of supply at home.”
While the rate of coronavirus testing in the UK has increased, Gove said the UK must go “further and faster”.
“More NHS staff are returning to the frontline, and more testing is taking place to help those self-isolating come back, and to protect those working so hard in our hospitals and in social care,” he said.
“But while the rate of testing is increasing, we must go further, faster.”
He said a “critical constraint” on the ability to rapidly increase testing capacity is the availability of the chemical reagents, but that prime minister Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock – both of whom are self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 – were working with companies worldwide to ensure the UK gets the material needed to increase tests “of all kind”.
Asked specifically about testing for NHS staff, he said again: “We are increasing the number of tests.
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“One of the constraints on our capacity to increase testing overall is supply of the specific reagents, the specific chemicals, that are needed in order to make sure that tests are reliable.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Watch Live: Michael Gove Takes Daily Coronavirus Conference

Watch Live: Michael Gove Takes Daily Coronavirus Conference
Cabinet minister Michael Gove hosts the government’s daily briefing on the coronavirus outbreak in the UK alongside deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries, and NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis. Medics are still facing “life-threatening” shortages of PPE and the UK number of coronavirus deaths in the UK rises to 1,801. Coronavirus accounted for 1% of all deaths in England and Wales in the week ending March 20, figures from the Office for National Statistics, which includes deaths outside of a hospital, reveal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Eurovision Bosses Announce Details Of Alternative Show In Place Of This Year's Final

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Eurovision bosses have announced details of the “alternative programme” they are putting together in place of this year’s final.
Earlier this month, organisers made the decision to pull this year’s live contest, which had been supposed to take place in Rotterdam, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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However, they later teased that had something else in the works, which would honour the 41 artists who had been chosen to represent the countries taking part in the event.
It’s now been revealed that one-off event Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will take place on 16 May, the same night that the Eurovision final had scheduled for.
The official logo for Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light EBU
The live event will feature all of the artists who had been due to compete this year, performing past Eurovision songs in their own countries “with unifying lyrics appropriate for the current situation we find ourselves in”.
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Past performers will also be returning to perform Eurovision classics “in iconic European locations”.
Former Eurovision stars Conchita Wurst, Mans Zelmerlow, Gali Atari, Eleni Foureira and Verka Serdyuchka performing during last year's final ASSOCIATED PRESS
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said: “Sadly there will be no Eurovision Song Contest this year. Instead, we intend to unite Europe on 16 May with a unique prime-time TV programme.
“We are encouraging all broadcasters who were due to take part in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, and EBU Members in other countries, to air this show in the spirit of unity and togetherness.”
The two-hour show will be streamed live on the official Eurovision YouTube page, as well as select broadcasters – but it doesn’t sound like the BBC will be one of them.
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It was previously revealed that the BBC was planning a one-off special titled Eurovision: Come Together on the night of the final, hosted by commentator Graham Norton and featuring “classic performances” and interviews, including with the UK’s 2020 act, James Newman.
They told HuffPost UK: “As previously announced, BBC One and Graham Norton will be bringing the country together for a special Eurovision broadcast - Eurovision: Come Together.
“The show will feature classic Eurovision performances, a look at what would have been in 2020 and entertaining interviews, including this year’s UK entry James Newman.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Jack Black's Quarantine Dance On TikTok Is Just The Pick-Me-Up You Need Today

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All Jack Black needed were cowboy boots and a hat to become a TikTok sensation.
The School of Rock and Jumanji star performed a shirtless freestyle dance that will be studied by choreographers long after the coronavirus pandemic passes.
But for now, let us take a brief moment with the comedian to celebrate life and remember that bust-a-move glory is just a quarantined back garden away.
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Millions have viewed Jack’s reverie already.
Hey, if fellow funnyman Kevin Hart can lure more than 40 million to a TikTok in which all he does is ask whether he has time to do a TikTok, Jack can certainly expect a blockbuster audience for this masterpiece.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Alison Hammond Makes This Morning Cooking Debut And It Goes Exactly As You Might Expect

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Alison Hammond made her cooking debut during Tuesday’s This Morning, and things went pretty much exactly as you’d expect.
That would be completely ridiculously, then.
Ahead of her appearance on the celebrity edition of the Great British Bake Off, Alison found herself in the This Morning kitchen, to show off her recipe for her chocolate brownies (well, her cousin’s recipe, but still).
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Things got off to a predictably shaky start, with presenter Phillip Schofield reminding the chatty presenter she should probably get started, as the clock was already ticking on their segment.
“I should [start] shouldn’t I?” she joked. “OK so first of all, very easy, you want a nice good-quality chocolate...”
Queen of the kitchen, and our hearts, Alison Hammond ITV
Reading ingredients and their amounts off a piece of paper on the counter (brilliant), Alison explained: “What you want to do is make a nice bain marie. I actually thought it was a bamboree, but it’s not, it’s a bain marie.”
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“The steam is going to melt the butter,” she continued. “I mean… you could do it in the microwave, as well, but this is just… more fun. And you know, when you’re baking and you just smell that chocolate it’s just so exciting.”
From there, Alison continued to mix her ingredients (“if you want to be, you can add a teaspoon of baking powder, but I’ve actually forgotten that before and it really didn’t make a difference), only to then notice her concoction was looking a little on the dry side.
Well, it literally looked she’d stuck a load of brown stones in a mixing bowl, to be frank.
Not the most appetising of mixtures, and there's good reason for that ITV
“As you can see,” she told presenters Phillip and Holly Willoughby (who were maintaining two metres’ distance from one another, never fear), “It’s a little bit dry. It’s not normally… it’s not normally this dry, but with cooking and me, I just go with the flow.”
It was then that Holly reminded Alison that she “hadn’t put any eggs in it”.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield ITV
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As Phillip pointed out she only had a minute to finish off her baking segment, Alison insisted: “Babes, chill! Relax! I got this! I got this.”
The whole scene was just what we needed to brighten up our Tuesday, and honestly, if this is anything to go by, we can’t wait to see what she serves up for Paul and Prue in the Bake Off tent...


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--A New Enemy In The Battle Against Coronavirus: Lockdown Fatigue

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It’s been weeks since Italy declared a nationwide lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and tensions are starting to rise.
“We don’t have a single euro left. We won’t last another week like this,” one resident of Palermo, in Sicily, said in a video that has circulated online in recent days, warning that “revolution will break out” if the government fails to provide more relief.
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“I can’t take it anymore. I’m about to collapse. They’re starving us,” said a shopkeeper in the southern city of Bari.
In another video, a group of people shouted at police officers stationed outside a closed bank in the city.
“We don’t have any more food or money. My store has been closed for 20 days now. How am I supposed to live?” a man said.
“Please, come home with me and see for yourself. I have nothing left. I need something to eat,” said a woman.
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Particularly in Italy’s poorer southern regions, there is evidence that the initial solidarity that Italians displayed in response to the coronavirus outbreak appears to be fading, as residents chafe at the ongoing restrictions on daily life. Scenes of Italians singing from their balconies have given way to frustration and anger.
Last week, a man in Naples sparked a confrontation between customers and staff at a grocery store when he tried to obtain a few essential items — pasta, tomatoes, bread, oil — but was unable to pay. “This man has no money to pay, he can’t eat, he didn’t buy any champagne or wine, he bought the basics,” an onlooker argued with staff members.
Police were also called to a Lidl supermarket in Palermo last week when a group of about 20 families loaded shopping carts with food and attempted to leave without paying.
Two weeks ago, the Italian government unveiled a 25 billion-euro stimulus package, which included provisions to help workers facing temporary layoffs. But the benefits leave out the large number of Italians who work in the country’s vast informal economy, and residents and public officials say more needs to be done.
Police with the protective masks control the traditional open-air fish market closed due to the coronavirus emergency on March 12 in Catania, Italy. Fabrizio Villa via Getty Images
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“We need to act fast, more than fast,” Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando told the La Stampa newspaper, according to Bloomberg. “Distress could turn into violence.”
This week, the Italian government said the country’s lockdown would be extended “at least” until Easter, and possibly longer. On Monday, the death toll in Italy rose by 812 to 11,591 — a total that is higher than any other country in the world. The total number of infections in the country stands at 101,739, although the rate of new infections appeared to be slowing.
Franco Locatelli, the head of Italy’s supreme health council, told HuffPost Italy that he recognised the sacrifices people are making for the sake of public health and that the restrictions are working to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“We are seeing the results of the measures taken, we are moving forward in this direction,” Locatelli said.
“We must send a message of encouragement — all the more because people are willing to make sacrifices if they see and understand the underlying rationale.”
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“The lives of all of us are at stake here,” Locatelli said.
Government officials and public health authorities across Europe have signalled in recent days that the restrictions placed on social and economic activity will likely need to remain in place for weeks or months. Social distancing is necessary to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, officials say, and lifting the measures too soon could allow the virus to surge back.
But the situation in Italy suggests that another emerging front in the battle against the coronavirus will be the struggle to maintain public morale and social order.
In Japan, a sharp increase in coronavirus cases has raised concerns that people are no longer taking official guidelines seriously. “There is a need for everyone to share a sense of urgency,” Satoshi Hori, a professor at Juntendo University and an expert on infection control, told the Financial Times. “But people are becoming tired of exercising restraint.”
Enforcing the restrictions without alienating the public can be a tricky balancing act. In the United Kingdom, police have been criticised for using drones and other tactics to enforce the country’s lockdown measures, with one former Supreme Court justice telling the BBC this week that the heavy-handed response in some areas risked turning the country into a “police state.”
On Tuesday, The Guardian reported that police in the United Kingdom have been warned against “overreach.” According to the paper, senior police chiefs are concerned about “not turning communities against us.”
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“We’re not going to enforce our way out of this problem,” one senior police official told the BBC.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Postal Workers Demand End To Daily Deliveries In Bid To Protect Staff From Coronavirus

A postal worker delivers post on March 17, 2020 in Cardiff. Polly Thomas via Getty Images
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Postal workers have urged the Royal Mail to suspend junk mail and replace its daily deliveries with a three-times-a-week service in a bid to protect staff from the impact of coronavirus.
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The Communication Workers Union (CWU) also called for the closure of any sorting office that lacked protective equipment like gloves or failed to put in place measures to keep staff two metres apart.
As part of a new “emergency network”, the union wants all “unaddressed advertising mail” to be suspended immediately and for staff to work alternate days in order to make it easier to observe social distancing.
Postal workers have offered to act as a fifth emergency service to not just deliver mail but also food parcels and medical prescriptions to the vulnerable.
CWU general secretary Dave Ward told HuffPost UK: “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The loyalty and commitment shown by postal workers across the UK in recent weeks has been unbelievable as has the support from the public.
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“It’s now time to repay that loyalty by adjusting the service to keep our members safe and the service running for the public. It’s not right that our members continue to deliver advertising mail during this period. They are a vital public service and the workload should reflect that. We are ready to serve local communities, check on the elderly and keep the country going.”
In a new letter to Royal Mail management, the union said the “fast moving coronavirus crisis” had prompted it to call on the company to act to protect staff and prioritise key services for the public.
“As a strictly one-off resolution to the current crisis, Daily deliveries should be reduced to three times a week with only parcels/packets and first class mail being delivered on alternate days,” it states.
The union said that if protective equipment such as gloves and hand sanitiser was not in place in its workplaces “that office should cease its operations until the equipment has been provided to all employees”
And “if social distancing measures are not in place, in line with the government advice (two metres apart), then the office should be closed until this is rectified”.
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The letter adds: “All unaddressed advertising mail should be immediately suspended.
“The government contracts enabling public testing and the delivery of government information to the public must be prioritised.
“In conjunction with the government we should look to maximise the opportunity for Royal Mail’s unrivalled infrastructure to be utilised in helping the country deal with the coronavirus crisis.
“This could include checking on the elderly and vulnerable to flag up any concerns, collecting and delivering food parcels and likewise with medical prescriptions and equipment.”
Royal Mail has already changed its rules to ensure only one person is in its delivery vans at one time, and hand-held devices for customer signatures are not used.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “The Universal Postal Service provides a lifeline to businesses and communities everywhere during the coronavirus crisis.
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“The delivery of parcels and letters is a key way of keeping the country together and helping many people who may not have the option to leave their homes. Throughout this crisis, every decision we make puts the health of our people and customers first.
“We are already delivering vital government mail in relation to coronavirus, including testing kits. And we are delivering many prescriptions and hospital appointments. This is a key priority for us. More than ever, people are relying on us. We stand ready to help our government and our customers at this difficult time.”
It adds that standard ways of working are being revised to ensure the 2m distancing rule is respected.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--People Of The Pandemic: The Stories Of Key Workers During The Coronavirus Lockdown

People Of The Pandemic: The Stories Of Key Workers During The Coronavirus Lockdown
Many of the workers now responsible for keeping the country fed during lockdown were maligned as low-skill workers only a few months ago. Activists Jaz O’Hara and Joshua Coombes decided to bring the stories of these workers online after a moving conversation at their local Aldi with an employee named Jarvis. They aim to bring the stories of key workers to @PeopleOfThePandemic to celebrate these “everyday heroes”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Goats Take Over Welsh Town During Lockdown

Goats Take Over Welsh Town During Lockdown
A gang of goats has taken over a town in Wales. The wild herd of Kashmiri goats normally live on the Great Orme headland, but have been living it up in the town of Llandudno since the coronavirus lockdown, running amok in the streets and munching on hedges.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Coronavirus UK Death Toll Rises By 393 To 1,801, With Healthy 19-Year-Old Among Victims

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A further 393 deaths from coronavirus have been recorded in the UK over 24 hours – including that of a 19-year-old with no underlying health conditions.
The increase consists of 367 in England, 13 in Scotland, six in Northern Ireland and seven in Wales.
It brings the total number of coronavirus deaths in the UK to 1,801. The data are taken from each nation’s individual reporting.
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Coronavirus Statista
Later on Tuesday afternoon, the Department for Health and Social Care tweeted that 1,789 people had died – 12 fewer than the four nations had cumulatively reported. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear.
Meanwhile, as of 9am on Wednesday, 25,150 people in the UK had tested positive for the virus.
The NHS said that those who died in England between 5pm on Sunday and 5pm on Monday were aged between 19 and 98.
All but 28 of the patients had underlying health conditions. The 19-year-old was the youngest of those who did not, with other previously healthy victims aged up to 91.
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Earlier in the day, the Office for National statistics revealed the virus had accounted for 1% of all deaths in England and Wales in the week ending March 20 – 103 cases in total.
Those figures included people dying outside of hospitals whose death certificates mentioned Covid-19, including in combination with other health conditions.
Infographics provided by Statista.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Depression And Anxiety Spiked After Boris Johnson Announced Coronavirus Lockdown

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The number of people reporting “significant” depression and anxiety spiked when Boris Johnson announced a lockdown to tackle coronavirus last week, a study suggests.
More than a third of the 2,000 taking part (38%) reported significant depression and significant anxiety (36%), according to the University of Sheffield study.
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This dropped the day after the prime minister urged everyone to stay at home, but levels of depression and anxiety over the whole of last week were elevated above normal levels.
Those aged under 35, living in a city, living alone or with children, with low incomes, with health conditions, or whose incomes have been hit by the pandemic also tended to have higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Those who felt that they belonged to their neighbourhood and who trusted their neighbours had lower levels.
Team leader Professor Richard Bentall, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Sheffield, said: “We were surprised to see a spike in the number of people reporting significant levels of depression and anxiety immediately after the announcement of a lockdown.
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“We are seeing initial evidence of a rise in psychological symptoms in the population but, nonetheless, the overall picture that emerges so far is of a nation that is well informed about Covid-19, taking appropriate action and resilient.
“The rates of reported mental health problems are higher but not dramatically different to those observed in previous, similar surveys – but those who have already taken a financial hit are more likely to feel anxious or depressed.”
People maintain social distancing as they queue for a cash machine at Nationwide Building Society in Wolverhampton as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. PA
Across the week, a quarter (25%) of women and nearly a fifth (18%) of men exhibited clinically meaningful symptoms of anxiety, 23% of women and 21% of men showed signs of depression, and 15% of women and 19% of men were stressed.
This was above the 15.7% of people who reported common psychiatric disorders in similar surveys before coronavirus “but not dramatically so”, the research said.
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The flash study of 2,000 people between March 23 and March 27 was only announced last week and promised results “within days”.
It found that 32% of people had already lost income due to the pandemic.
The team also found that people have a good understanding of Covid-19 symptoms and how to avoid spreading it and that about 70% would definitely want to be vaccinated, if a vaccine was available.
However, on average people thought their risk of catching the virus in the next month was less than 50%.
The team said it would survey the same group again in the coming months.
Dr Duleeka Knipe, a mental health epidemiologist who focuses on suicide and self-harm at Bristol Medical School, described the research as “important”.
“The impact of the public health measures on people’s wellbeing are unknown and this study provides us one of the first insights into this.
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“What’s reassuring is that the population levels of depression and anxiety reported in this study are similar to the underlying rates of these conditions in the population before Covid-19 hit.
“However, the study does highlight important groups of people who might be particularly vulnerable at this time and public policy needs to think of ways in which we can support these groups of individuals.
“It’ll also be important to keep a close eye on population levels of mental distress and coping during the upcoming weeks and months as these physical distancing measures continue.”
But Dr Andreas Reif, head of psychiatry at Goethe University in Frankfurt, said: “This is of limited use. It is a self-reported cross sectional study without proper assessment.
“So what we see is ‘depressive symptoms’, or worrying, but this is not ‘depression’ – depression usually does not come overnight.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--No.10 Overrules Grant Shapps And Says Public Can Shop More Than Once A Week

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps speaking to the media on College Green in Westminster, London. PA
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Downing Street has contradicted a cabinet minister who suggested the public should try to shop just “once a week” during the coronavirus outbreak.
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Transport secretary Grant Shapps told BBC Breakfast that new rules in the government lockdown meant that shoppers ought to restrict their outings to a weekly trip.
But No.10 said that was not the official guidance and that the advice was that the public should instead travel out to buy essentials like food and medicine “as infrequently as possible”.
The latest confusion over the new rules in place followed criticism that Shapps had failed to grasp that for some families or individuals a weekly shop was impractical.
Some shoppers claim they need trips every few days because stores are short of some goods and are restricting the number of items that can be bought in one go.
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Shapps had admitted there had been “teething problems” with lockdown policies but said guidelines should be followed.
“People know the rules that have been set - try and shop just once a week. Just do the essentials, not everything else.”
But new laws installed last week set no weekly limit on the number of times shoppers can go out for ’essential items.
Asked directly if Shapps’ once-a-week suggestion was right, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The guidance doesn’t specify that, no. The guidance sets out shopping should be as infrequent as possible.
“For some people, I’m sure their judgement will be that that will be once a week, but it’s not what the guidance specifies.
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“What the guidance says is you should be shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.”
Put to him that there were mixed messages from ministers and Downing Street, the spokesperson replied: “There’s a single government message, it’s in the guidance we published last week.”
According to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020, police officers can issue £30 fixed penalty notices to anyone who breaches the rules. The fine must be paid in 14 days, and can be raised to £120 for a second offence and £960 for a third.
Aldi, Morrisons and Waitrose announced on Tuesday they were easing restrictions on some of their products which were imposed in the wake of stockpiling earlier this month.
But Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Co-op are not changing their policies on restrictions at the moment.
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Shapps appeared to be on safer ground when he also said on Tuesday that people should take exercise close to their home and not drive to beauty spots to do so.
“The simple thing is, if at all possible, please take exercise close to your home.
“I’ve got dogs and, rather than put them in the car and drive somewhere with them, it’s about stepping out of the house and walking them around the block, or whatever it requires.”
But No.10 also appeared to distance itself from his suggestion that the current rules to allow some non-essential workplace activity was needed to stop the economy from grinding to a halt.
“One of the things we need to be careful not to do is completely crash our economy to the point where it is impossible or very difficult to pick up again afterwards,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
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“So we have been straightforward and said: ‘If you’re a key worker go out, but if you can’t do your job from home then it is acceptable to go out and do that work.’
“Otherwise, we will be in a position where we can’t restart the economy and millions of people will be forced into a poverty situation that would do more harm than the virus itself. That’s really the balance.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Rainbow Trails Are Popping Up Everywhere. Here’s The Story Behind Them

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Whatever the weather, be sure to look out for a rainbow on your government-sanctioned walk, run or cycle today.
Families across the UK have been creating these gloriously technicolour artworks for their windows or driveways to lift the spirits of those passing by.
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The trend appears to have been started by a group of mums in Bari, Italy, but Kezia Roberts, 42, from Horsforth, Leeds, was one of the first to bring this cheery idea to the UK which she has called ‘Chase the Rainbow’.
Roberts, who previously organised art walks around her local town, was inspired to kickstart the venture in her area after hearing about the mums in Italy and thinking the rainbows were a “beautiful example of trying to bring everybody together as a community”.
Nic B
She posted the idea on Facebook and says that people in her area “didn’t need much persuading” to get on board. ”[They’re] making the kids happy and making the adults happy as well, just so they’ve got something to view when they’re doing that walk around,” Roberts tells HuffPost UK.
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The trend has quickly spread across the UK, with social media transformed by the colourful images – check out the hashtag #rainbowtrail for some of the latest examples. Some households have painted rainbow posters, while others have given their front drives a makeover with chalk on the ground.
Much to Roberts’ surprise, certain pcarticipants have gone further by painting their windows – or even walls.
“I thought that was quite a commitment!” she laughs.
Whatever way people are choosing to get involved, Roberts is pleased the rainbows are being created – and enjoyed – by all ages.
“Everybody wants to get involved, which is amazing,” she says. “I didn’t want just children to be involved. This is for people who are self-isolating and vulnerable, as well. I wanted everybody to get involved and they have done wholeheartedly. It’s a lovely thing to be part of.”
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Lucy and Ellie Cardwell
Although Roberts has been enjoying the artwork via social media, she’s yet to see any of her efforts in person – and is now “counting down the days” until she can. “I haven’t been able to get out yet because I’m self-isolating myself,” she says.
“So I’m looking forward immensely to walking around and just seeing everybody’s rainbows up in the window.”
It was reported that the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, London – set up in the Excel Centre to treat the rising number of cases in the capital – was also inviting the public to send in their rainbow pictures to brighten up its makeshift wards.
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However, the Facebook page soliciting the pictures was later revealed to be fake, with the hospital’s official Twitter account tweeting: “please don’t send them in the post”.
“We’re working on a way to receive them,” the hospital said, “but for now please share using #RainbowsforNightingale.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--9 Dystopian Pictures Of The Coronavirus Crisis That Were Unthinkable Just A Month Ago

Life is currently on hold for at least one third of the world’s population, an unprecedented situation brought on by the global spread of coronavirus.
People have had to quickly adapt to fundamental changes in the way they live their lives, from entire countries on lockdown to the now-eerily familiar sight of their leaders presenting ever-rising death tolls.
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The pandemic has led to images that would have been unimaginable, even just months ago.
Homeless people get settled in a temporary parking lot shelter at Cashman Center, with spaces marked for social distancing to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease in Las Vegas. Steve Marcus / Reuters
Here are nine pictures that illustrate how much has changed in such little time.
The Pope giving blessings to an empty St Peter’s Square
As mass public gatherings are now banned in many countries, places used to constantly hosting thousands of people now stand empty.
On Friday Pope Francis delivered a “Urbi et Orbi” blessing – normally reserved just for Christmas and Easter – to a completely empty St Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
Pope Francis delivers an extraordinary "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing - normally given only at Christmas and Easter - from an empty St Peter's Square. Yara Nardi / Reuters
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Disinfecting entire cities
In an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, which has so far infected 800,00 people and led to 38,000 deaths worldwide, governments have been forced to take extraordinary measures.
In this picture taken on 13 March, firefighters in western Tehran have been redeployed to disinfect the streets of the Iranian capital.
Firefighters disinfect a street against the new coronavirus, in western Tehran, Iran. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Socially-distancing the homeless
The US is fast becoming the global epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak and the country’s death toll climbed past 3,000 on Monday.
In Nevada authorities have taken the step of asking homeless people to sleep in a temporary parking lot shelter where they are separated by boxes painted onto the ground.
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Nevada, a state in one of the richest countries in the world, has painted social-distancing boxes on a concrete parking lot for the homeless to sleep in. pic.twitter.com/svNJ0N9r3f — A Mancino-Williams (@Manda_like_wine) March 30, 2020
New York’s massive hospital ship
New York City’s iconic skyline has a new addition this week, a massive US Navy hospital ship drafted in to relieve pressure on the city’s overstretched medical services.
The USNS Comfort will treat non-coronavirus patients, including those who require surgery and critical care, in an effort to free up other resources to fight the virus.
The USNS Comfort passes Manhattan as it enters New York Harbour. Mike Segar / Reuters
The gang of goats in Wales
Not all the scenes making headlines around the world are grim. One side effect of the lockdown currently in place in the UK is a gang of goats that have taken advantage of the quiet to stroll around the deserted streets of the Welsh seaside town of Llandudno.
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Llandudno is run by goats pic.twitter.com/C7nENePcEA — Andrew Stuart (@AndrewStuart) March 31, 2020
Tourism grinds to a halt
The global tourism industry is one of the most visible victims of the coronavirus pandemic and sights around the world normally heaving with tourists are now deserted.
In this picture only municipal workers are to be seen as they sanitise the areas surrounding the Giza pyramids complex in Egypt.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The isolation of loved ones
One of the most tragic consequences of lockdowns and travel restrictions in place in various countries is the inability of families to be together, made even more difficult to bear when one of them becomes ill.
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In Seattle earlier this month, Lori Spencer went to visit her mother as best she could after the 81-year-old tested positive for coronavirus.
JASON REDMOND / Reuters
Queues. Lots of queues.
Brits have long been politely acquainted with the art of queuing but the last month has seen it taken to another level.
Most shop still open are now operating a one-in-one-out system and those waiting must keep their distance from each other.
OLI SCARFF via Getty Images
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The temporary end of the audience
Sporting events are another high profile victim of the outbreak.
Major events like the Tokyo Olympics are on hold while those that do go ahead now do so minus crowds of fans.
In this picture from March 15, the Sydney Kings and Perth Wildcats face off in an empty Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-01--Susanna Reid Jokes Piers Morgan Is 'Turning Into His Friend' Donald Trump After Make-Up Fail

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Because of social-distancing rules, a lot of our favourite TV stars have been doing their own hair and make-up while broadcasting during the coronavirus pandemic.
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While most of them have taken to it without any issues, the same apparently can’t be said for Piers Morgan.
During Wednesday’s edition of Good Morning Britain, Piers took a moment to address his critics, claiming he’d seen a few messages about his supposed “blending issues”.
And we have to be honest, they did have a point.
Piers Morgan will not be adding "make-up artist" to his CV any time soon ITV
“Apparently I have blending issues with my make-up when I turn,” he explained. “I don’t even know what that means, other than clearly this part of my head is orange and this part is not.
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“I don’t know what that means, and I don’t care. In the general of things… I come in, I’m slapping the stuff on, I’ve no idea what I’m putting on. Or how to apply it. And in the general scheme of the problems of the world right now, my blending issues with my make-up are not that important, people.”
Susanna Reid did try to stick up for her co-host, saying: “Can I just say, we do not have our professional army of make-up artists and hair artists at the moment. Of course, we don’t need them… clearly we do, but we don’t need them to be in the workplace, so we’ve let them go. It is not the most important thing.”
Fair play to Piers, though. When Susanna commented he was “turning into his friend”, Donald Trump, he was happy to play along when producers threw up a split-screen.
Seriously, it's uncanny ITV
“If I’ve over-tangerined the Tangerine Dream, I can only apologise,” he added. “For anyone who was offended by my orange head.”
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'If I have over tangerine'd the tangerine dream I can only apologise.'
It appears Piers has had some 'blending issues' with his DIY makeup this morning. @piersmorgan | #tangerinedream pic.twitter.com/suwEfASnxN — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) April 1, 2020
Earlier this week, Susanna returned to the GMB studio following a two-week period of self-isolation, after someone in her household showed symptoms of coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-01--K-Pop Star's Coronavirus April Fools' Day Stunt Backfires

K-Pop star Kim Jaejoong faced a backlash on social media after he reportedly falsely claimed to have been hospitalised in Japan after testing positive for the coronavirus, as part of an April Fools’ Day stunt.
Multiple K-pop websites reported on Wednesday that Jaejoong initially posted on Instagram that he’d been infected “as a result of my negligence, ignoring the cautionary words shared by the government and those around me.”
South Korean singer Kim Jaejoong (aka Jaejoong) VCG via Getty Images
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He later edited the caption to claim it was a prank to raise awareness and keep people alert amid the pandemic that has affected almost 10,000 people in his home country South Korea, and killed 165, according to Forbes.
The post has since been deleted.
After initially concerning fans and local media by saying he was hospitalized with COVID-19, #Kpop star Kim Jaejoong said it was a prank was to raise awareness.
"I don't think of this as an April Fool’s joke. My family and my friends are getting sick."https://t.co/pJJK57tR31 — Jeff Benjamin (@Jeff__Benjamin) April 1, 2020
“A person’s individual actions can have such a big impact on society as a whole. I am so sorry to those who may have been infected because of me,” wrote the 34-year-old singer-songwriter in his initial post.
“My foolish judgment to live as though it couldn’t happen to me is why I am like this today. I am currently hospitalized. I am reflecting on my past a lot and feeling both grateful and sorry [sic]” he added.
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Forbes reports that Jaejoong later edited the caption after his representatives announced they were attempting to check on his status. Jaejoong is currently in Japan. He appeared to confirm in the updated post he’d not been diagnosed with the virus and instead had wanted to use the post to raise awareness about the importance of social distancing measures.
D'oh.
Deleted a tweet from a second ago about a K-pop star who said he'd tested positive for the coronavirus.
It was an April Fool's joke.
"A lot of people worried about me in the brief period....I'll receive any punishment due to this post."https://t.co/e5i0r0JPlD — Victoria Kim (@vicjkim) April 1, 2020
An earlier Instagram post from Jaejoong of the group JYJ, formerly TVXQ, saying he'd been infected after being careless and not heeding government instructions, had been picked up and reported by many news sites in South Korea -- including major ones.https://t.co/nT4yIfXx7h — Victoria Kim (@vicjkim) April 1, 2020
According to Soompi, which bills itself as “the world’s largest and longest-running English online media providing complete coverage of Korean pop culture,” he wrote in the updated post that has since been taken down:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-01--Top NHS Doctor Alfa Saadu Dies From Coronavirus After Returning From Retirement

Dr Alfa Saadu Dr Alfa Saadu
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A “passionate” top doctor who returned from retirement to help the UK fight coronavirus has died after becoming infected with the disease.
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Dr Alfa Saadu died on Tuesday and his son Dani said in a social media post that he had been fighting Covid-19 for two weeks.
The 68-year-old’s death will intensify questions over whether frontline NHS staff have the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to guard themselves from contagion.
His son Dani told HuffPost UK: “He was a very passionate man, who cared about saving people.
“As soon you spoke to him about medicine his face would light up. He worked for the NHS for nearly 40 years in different hospitals across London.”
He added: “He loved to lecture people in the world of medicine – he did so in the UK and Africa. My dad retired and was working part time at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, until his passing.
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“He was a massive family man and we did everything together. Family came first. He left two sons and a wife, who is a retired doctor herself in occupational health.”
The physician, who migrated to the UK from Nigeria, stepped down as medical director of the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in 2016 after a glowing career.
Dr Saadu’s LinkedIn profile says he graduated from University College London’s medical school in 1976.
His skills saw him rise to become a consultant and later acting clinical director of the care of the elderly department at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust. He also worked as medical director and consultant physician at Ealing Hospital.
Dani also said he cared for people in Africa and described his father as a “living legend” and has pleaded with people to take Covid-19 “seriously”.
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Dr Alfa Saadu Dr Alfa Saadu
He wrote in an online post yester: “Today at approx 7.30am, Dr Alfa Saadu (my dad) died of the coronavirus.
“He had been fighting the virus for two weeks but he could not fight anymore. The NHS were amazing and did everything they could.
“My dad was a living legend, worked for the NHS for nearly 40 years saving people’s lives here and in Africa. Up until he got sick, he was still working part-time saving people.
“The coronavirus is not a joke, please take it seriously and listen to the government. Please stay safe and protect your loved ones – nothing is more important.”
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Lance McCarthy, chief executive of The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, said Dr Saadu’s former colleagues felt “sadness”, adding: “Alfa was well-known at the trust for his passion for ensuring our patients received high quality care. He was a committed member of the team and is remembered fondly by many.
“His family and friends are in our thoughts at this sad time.”
The Nigerian Tribune also quotes a tribute to Dr Saadu from Bukola Saraki, the former president of the Nigerian Senate.
It says: “My condolences go to the family of late Dr Alfa Saadu, the people of Pategi and Kwara state on the death of the foremost medical practitioner who passed away in London this morning.
“Late Dr Saadu provided leadership for our people in the diaspora as he served for many years as chairman, Kwara State Association of Nigeria (Kwasang UK).
“Back at home, he was a community leader and traditional office holder as Galadima of Pategi. He will be sorely missed.”