thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--'30 Minutes Away From Death': Fear Of Hospital Amid Pandemic Almost Cost This Man His Life

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A man who dismissed his heart palpitations and chest pains because he didn’t want to put pressure on the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic has revealed how he was minutes away from death after collapsing with a heart attack.
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Fears have emerged that people suffering emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes may be putting their lives at risk during the Covid-19 outbreak by delaying seeking medical help.
Latest figures from NHS England show that attendances at A&E units in England have fallen to their lowest figure on record in the face of coronavirus.
The data shows 0.9m attendances were recorded at A&Es in April 2020 – a decline of 57% from 2.1m in April 2019.
The number is the lowest for any calendar month since current records began in August 2010 and has raised concerns that people are not seeking the lifesaving care they need.
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Experts fear it could mean thousands of indirect deaths resulting from the coronavirus crisis as people are either anxious not to burden the NHS with symptoms or are too scared of being in a medical setting during the pandemic and being exposed to Covid-19.
Paul Robson, 46, collapsed at home with a heart attack during the coronavirus lockdown and was taken to hospital where doctors told him that if he had got there 30 minutes later, he wouldn’t have survived the ordeal.
He admitted to HuffPost UK that he had ignored heart palpitations for a few weeks before the heart attack as he didn’t want to burden the NHS during the crisis.
“I didn’t want to bother the NHS at such a time of crisis when coronavirus was all over the news and I thought they wouldn’t be able to cope with anything else.” - Paul Robson
Paul, who lives in Berkshire, said: “I had been suffering from some heart palpitations for a couple of weeks beforehand, but I foolishly tried to ignore them.
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“I didn’t want to bother the NHS at such a time of crisis when coronavirus was all over the news and I thought they wouldn’t be able to cope with anything else.
“I thought my doctor would be inundated with other patients and I didn’t want to add to the pressure.”
Paul Robson
Paul, a veterinary administrator for the British Horseracing Authority, describes the palpitations as a racing heartbeat and he felt dizzy and uncomfortable. He also took his pulse on a few occasions and it was over 100, which he knew wasn’t right. However, it would calm down after a while so he convinced himself his symptoms were caused by anxiety.
“I know heart palpitations can be a sign of anxiety and like many people, I was worried about coronavirus and worried about my job so I just put it down to that.
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“Ordinarily, if it hadn’t been for the situation with the virus, I would have gone to the doctor to get it checked out. In hindsight, I was stupid not to do this, but I didn’t know what was around the corner.
“I kept thinking it would go away and that if not, I might go to the doctor when things had quietened down a bit with coronavirus.”
The drama unfolded during the first weekend of the UK coronavirus lockdown when Paul, who had no previous history of heart issues, was struck by the palpitations while watching television with his housemate.
“This time, it felt different and as well as the heart palpitations, I was getting pins and needles sensations in my arm too.” he said.
Paul went to bed, but struggled to sleep and began experiencing chest pains. He went to the bathroom at around 4am on the Sunday morning and suddenly collapsed hitting his head on the side of the bath and recalls having an agonising pain in his chest and arm and feeling sick.
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“I shouted for my housemate and he got up, realised something was badly wrong and called an ambulance.”
Paul realises he is very lucky not to have been alone as he was in so much pain and felt so disoriented, he believes he would have struggled to get to a telephone to alert help.
Paul says it took an hour and 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive as they were under so much pressure and during his agonising wait, he managed to crawl to the bottom of the stairs.
When paramedics arrived at the scene, Paul was lying on the floor of his hallway. Ambulance staff quickly questioned his housemate about whether Paul had any coronavirus symptoms as they prepared to examine him.
“They did an ECG test and told me there was an abnormality.” said Paul. “I said: ‘I’m having a heart attack aren’t I?’ and the paramedic said yes, she thought I was and they needed to urgently get me to hospital.”
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“I was fearful of going into a hospital and the risk of potentially being exposed to coronavirus. But I was dying.” - Paul Robson
Paul confesses he was anxious about going into a hospital amid the coronavirus pandemic, but knew he had no choice. “I was fearful of going into a hospital and the risk of potentially being exposed to coronavirus was on my mind.” he said.
“But I was dying and was in no position to deliberate about going into hospital. I had no option.”
Paul was taken straight to the hospital theatre from the ambulance where a team was awaiting his arrival. His temperature had dropped and his blood pressure was dangerously low.
He underwent an angiogram, a special type of X-ray where dye is used to allow doctors to look at the coronary arteries and see how well blood is flowing and identify any narrowings.
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It was discovered that one of Paul’s main arteries was 100% blocked and medics performed angioplasty, a procedure which uses a balloon to widen blocked coronary arteries and inserted stents to allow blood to flow more freely.
Paul said: “Doctors told me quite categorically that if I had got to the hospital even half-an-hour later, I would not have made it – which just shows how much of a near-death experience it was.
“Knowing this makes me feel incredibly lucky and I am just glad the ambulance arrived when it did and I managed to get the treatment I needed in time.
“I was just 30 minutes away from death and that is a disturbing realisation.”
Despite Paul’s initial fears and reservations about going into a hospital during the coronavirus pandemic, he was pleasantly surprised to find he was taken straight to the cardiac unit where the environment was calm.
“I think a lot of people are frightened that if they go to hospital, they will be met by a sea of people in hazmat suits. But this isn’t the case at all.” - Paul Robson
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“I thought the NHS would be rushed off their feet in hospitals and not have any time to deal with anyone apart from Covid patients.” he said. “But the cardiac ward was quite empty and there were only three or four other patients there.
“I received first-rate treatment and care and everything felt relaxed and well-run.”
Paul remembers feeling concerned after he noticed a woman with chest pains in the same ward had a cough and he expressed his fears to the ward sister that she may be displaying coronavirus symptoms.
However, he was reassured that everyone was screened before they were admitted and anyone with the slightest symptoms of coronavirus would not be allowed in the cardiac ward.
Paul Robson
Paul was only in hospital for 36 hours as he made a good recovery following the procedure, and he is now recuperating at home.
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He wants to allay any fears and misconceptions that people might have about going to hospital during the pandemic and is urging them to seek medical help when they need it.
“I think at the moment, a lot of people are frightened that if they go to hospital, they will be met by a sea of people in hazmat suits.
“But this isn’t the case at all and there is a real conscious effort to keep Covid patients completely separate from other patients.
“Normal hospital services are still running and not every single resource has been diverted to coronavirus.
“Your symptoms could be a matter of life and death and if you are a medical emergency, you are just as important as anyone else and won’t get cast aside.”
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He added: “If I had had my symptoms investigated a few weeks earlier, I might still have ended up having the same procedure but I might have had it a lot sooner instead of minutes away from death.
“I am just glad I got the medical attention I needed before it was too late.”
Emily McGrath, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, says Public Health England figures show there has been a 50% fall in the number of people attending hospital with heart attacks raising concerns that people are not getting the urgent medical help they need.
“A heart attack is a medical emergency and delays in seeking treatment and not getting to hospital soon enough leads to a higher risk of death and also of heart damage and failure.” - Emily McGrath, British Heart Foundation
She told HuffPost UK: “This is a significant drop in emergency attendees for heart attacks and although we would like to think it is because people are not experiencing them, the reality is that they are scared and are avoiding and delaying treatment.
“A heart attack is a medical emergency and delays in seeking treatment and not getting to hospital soon enough leads to a higher risk of death and also of heart damage and failure.”
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Emily McGrath, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation Emily McGrath
McGrath said that some people experiencing symptoms showing an issue with their heart might ignore them thinking they will go away of their own accord. But she says anyone having chest pains which they are unsure about should seek help.
The British Heart Foundation, which has launched an online coronavirus support hub to provide information for those living with heart and circulatory diseases during the pandemic, says the 50% drop is equivalent to approximately 5,000 of the expected people every month or more than 1,100 people every week with possible heart attack symptoms not being seen in emergency departments.
The charity organisation fears this will lead to unnecessary deaths and more people living with debilitating heart failure if they do recover.
They say heart attacks don’t stop for a global pandemic and are urging anyone experiencing sudden chest pain which spreads to their arms, back, neck or jaw and feels heavy or tight or if they become short of breath or start to feel sick to call 999.
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Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, told HuffPost UK they are similarly concerned that people who have suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack – a mini-stroke – are not calling 999 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
With stroke striking every five minutes, she fears thousands of people could be at risk of stroke-related death or severe disability if they don’t act FAST on symptoms.
Latest emergency department attendance figures for stroke related symptoms for last week show a massive 66% decline compared to the same week last year, with 51,738 attendances for the week ending April 19 2020 compared to the same week in April 2019.
“People are frightened of catching coronavirus and we are concerned they will be having strokes at home and not getting the vital treatment they need.” - Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association
“The number of people presenting at A&E with stroke related symptoms has reduced dramatically.” said Bouverie.
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“We think it is either because people are not wanting to burden the NHS when they know it is prioritising coronavirus – or because they are frightened of being in a hospital setting during this pandemic.
“Our message is very clear. If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of a stroke, you must dial 999 as it is a medical emergency.”
Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association Juliet Bouverie
Bouverie explained that stroke is the biggest single cause of adult disability and by delaying calling 999 and getting treatment, people are potentially putting themselves at risk of death or disability.
“The golden time to receive treatment is a four-hour window from the onset of a stroke to actual medical treatment.” she said. “If people get clot-busting treatment, it saves lives and reduces the risk of long term disability.
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“People are frightened of catching coronavirus and we are concerned they will be having strokes at home and not getting the vital treatment they need and there will potentially be deaths and disabilities that could have been prevented.”
Bouverie told HuffPost UK that the NHS is equipped to treat both stroke and coronavirus and that patients can be assessed by telephone or FaceTime and may not even need to attend hospital.
“If someone is having a mini-stroke, they might not necessarily need to go to hospital and could be put on preventative medication.
“But if it is suspected they are having a major stroke, an ambulance will be called to take them to hospital.”
The stroke charity is highlighting the stroke acronym FAST urging people to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of a stroke: Face, Arms, Speech and Time (to call an ambulance).
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NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens has stressed that the NHS is still there for patients without coronavirus who need urgent and emergency services for heart attack, stroke and other killer conditions.
Seeking medical help is one of the four reasons people can safely leave home during lockdown in line with government guidance.
Stevens said: “While NHS staff have pulled out all the stops to deal with coronavirus, they have also worked hard to ensure patients who don’t have Covid-19 can safely access essential services.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Experts Predict How Coronavirus Will Change The Way We Travel

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The Covid-19 pandemic has upended our lives in countless ways. One of the clearest examples is its impact on travel.
As we continue to practice social distancing, holidays have been cancelled, attractions are closed, and the tourism industry is suffering. Although we don’t know exactly when this will happen, travel will eventually become part of normal life again.
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“There won’t be a distinct moment when travel returns,” Konrad Waliszewski, co-founder and CEO of the travel app TripScout, told HuffPost. “It will trickle back to normal as certain travellers get more comfortable and specific destinations return back to normal.”
But when we do embark on new adventures, the travel experience will undoubtedly be different in many ways. HuffPost asked experts to break down their predictions for the future of travel.
Airports will implement new systems
“We need to declare war against congested lines, which we see at check-in, security, the gate, immigration,” said Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of The Points Guy. “For far too long, we’ve just accepted that, but we could use technology to speed through these processes.”
He believes biometric screenings, like using facial recognition systems to ID and check in passengers, will cut down on unnecessary human interactions, speed up the airport process and reduce crowding.
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“Is it necessary to hand a piece of paper to another human to board an aircraft in 2020? Absolutely not,” Kelly noted. “Other countries and airlines have been at the forefront of this. You look a screen and it lets you into an area.”
Systems like Global Entry, which involve fingerprint identification, may pivot to retinal scans to reduce high-touch surfaces in airports. Although people have concerns about privacy, Kelly is of the opinion that protecting health should come first.
“Privacy is out the window. The government knows what it wants about you,” he said. “The question now is, ‘Do we want to risk dying due to a virus over privacy concerns, or do we want to actually have efficient and safe airports?’”
Face masks will be a common sight
Travellers who didn’t even own face masks prior to the pandemic will likely be sporting them in airports and other high-traffic areas along their journeys. Flight attendants may also have more protective attire, at least temporarily.
“Masks have been mainstay in Asia for years and for good reason,” said Kelly. “In the U.S., we need to get comfortable wearing masks.”
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Chris J Ratcliffe via Getty Images Face masks will likely be a common sight at airports and other high-traffic places.
This week, JetBlue became the first major US airline to require passengers to wear face masks while travelling, and it seems likely other carriers will follow suit. Even if these requirements are eased over time, many travellers may continue this practice as an extra precaution.
“What was viewed as excessive and weird a few months ago will be normal,” said Alan Fyall, associate dean of academic affairs and interim chair for the tourism, events and attractions department at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
Flight prices will stay low but then surpass previous levels
“We already were in a golden age of flight prices,” said Waliszewski. “A lack of demand, record low oil prices and government bailouts should make flight prices even cheaper through 2021, but ultimately consolidation, potential bankruptcies for budget airlines, and the realisation that airlines should save cash for a rainy day will cause prices to get much more expensive long term.”
Though fares may get higher, it’s likely that airlines will offer more flexibility with flight bookings.
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“I wouldn’t be surprised if part of a first-class ticket included free changes for a public health reason,” said Kelly.
Airplanes will look more spacious for a time
“Airlines will take a lot of safety steps ― like removing middle seats ― while flight demand is low,” said Waliszewski. “As traveler confidence and bookings increase, they will return to their normal mindset of maximising every square inch possible.”
Kelly, however, believes there may be some pushback against the overcrowded economy-class cabins, especially as prices rise.
“What was viewed as excessive and weird a few months ago will be normal.” - Alan Fyall, University of Central Florida
“There’s going to be new innovation in how people sit on planes in terms of privacy and staggering them differently, but ultimately that probably will lead to more expensive flights,” he said. “I think our golden age of the last 10 years of ‘throw me in a crammed tube for eight hours for $200 (£160), I don’t care’ is over. I’m not saying it’s the end of the low-cost carrier, but I think we can no longer accept treating humans like cargo.”
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Airlines may also continue cutting down on in-flight meals and drinks to reduce the possibility of germ transmission, and there’s already more emphasis on cleaning. Although people are sharing photos of potential new airplane designs, such changes would take a long time to implement ― and seem unlikely to go into effect anyway.
Trip insurance will be more popular
“This pandemic shined a spotlight on trip insurance,” said Waliszewski. “Nearly every trip insurance product proved to be completely useless for pandemics, so travellers will start paying a lot more attention to the fine print. Trip insurance will get much more expensive, but much more useful and popular.”
There will likely be increased interest in the more expensive “cancel for any reason” insurance plans, which, as the name suggests, give travellers the option to cancel a trip for “any reason” ― including concerns about an outbreak, which is not covered under most traditional plans.
“Insurance will be more important to people booking big life trips like a special anniversary trip or expensive family vacation booked a year in advance when who the hell knows what might happen,” Kelly said.
“It hasn’t really been part of our culture to get travel insurance as much as in Europe, but I think there will be a surge going forward,” he continued. “Also, there may be new policies coming out that’ll act as a bridge on health care or evacuation. I would expect insurance and credit card companies to retool their policies to give consumers peace of mind.”
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Hotels will rethink sanitation
Hotels will have to be transparent about cleaning practises and ways they’re cutting down on the potential for germ transmission. They may have to limit capacity and keep rooms vacant for longer periods between stays.
“For years, there have been exposés on housekeeping forgetting to clean rooms or bad sanitation practices,” Kelly noted. “I’ve been let into dirty rooms on more than one occasion. We need to rethink the cleaning process. Maybe we could redesign rooms to use heat-resistant furniture and then heat rooms between stays to kill germs and bedbugs. There are lots of interesting concepts.”
AURORE MESENGE via Getty Images Hotels will likely focus on rigorous cleaning practices.
Amenities like communal fruit bowls in the lobby and hotel buffets may become a thing of the past. And new innovations could improve the check-in and key process to offer secure, hands-free options.
“Consumers have been resistant to change because humans don’t like change, but now we have to adapt,” Kelly said. “Do we really need the plastic key when there’s technology allowing you to open it with your phone? Who likes to wait in a crowded line at a hotel check-in to be given a dirty key?”
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Accommodation preferences will shift
Fyall, Kelly and Waliszewski had different thoughts on how the pandemic may affect travellers’ preferences for hotels versus short-term rentals like Airbnbs.
“Short-term rentals and apartments will outperform hotels as people want to avoid crowds and germs,” Waliszewski said.
But Kelly believes Airbnb will be a less appealing option because there are fewer standards in place and much more variety in terms of experience.
“Airbnb has its work cut out for them because they don’t own their properties, and those owners aren’t employees,” he said. “Airbnb needs to fix their platform to better equip their hosts with cleaning. I’ve stayed at an Airbnb where there was clearly no cleaning. Meanwhile, Marriott has a task force, and they can be uniform and transparent with new procedures.”
Fyall agreed more with Kelly’s take. He believes rigorous standards and brand recognition will serve them well with nervous travellers.
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“Short-term renting will probably be OK, but you may feel you’re taking more of a risk,” he said. “Strangely, the traditional hotels that have suffered in recent years because of the sharing economy can now say, ‘We’re Marriott. You know what you’re dealing with.’ They’ve got an opportunity to play to their strengths.”
John Moore via Getty Images Airplanes will likely keep passengers more spaced out as demand remains low.
Business travel will be less common
Waliszewski believes that business travel “will get crushed” thanks to the economic impact and workflow lessons of the pandemic.
“Many companies have learned for the first time that Zoom is highly effective,” he said. “And with finance budgets being slashed, the bar for what will be considered an essential in-person meeting will be much higher. For the first time ever, leisure travel will become the majority of hotel and airline profits.”
He also believes there won’t be nearly as many conferences.
“The conference industry will likely never recover,” he hypothesised. “Not only will be people not want to go to conferences during a recession and post-coronavirus, but conference organisers did not have pandemic insurance and most will go bankrupt because of this.”
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Road trips will be all the rage
“The first kind of travel to return will be road trips, national and state parks, and smaller cities,” predicted Waliszewski.
Kelly said that when it’s safe to travel again, his first big excursion will likely be a cross-country road trip.
“There are so many amazing places in the U.S.,” he said. “National parks are great places to go because you’re not jammed in with other people, and you can choose your own adventure.”
Jordan Siemens via Getty Images “The first kind of travel to return will be road trips, national and state parks, and smaller cities,” predicted Konrad Waliszewski of TripScout.
Fyall said beaches in particular will likely be popular destinations.
“People will feel more comfortable with a natural environment, so anything outdoors will be part of the first wave of tourism,” he said. “Anything car-accessible will be popular.”
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Rest stops may also change a bit to reduce human interactions ― with more food kiosks, drive-thru options and individually cleaned restrooms that open to the outside.
People will embrace local ‘travel’
“The desire to travel and have unique experiences will be as strong as ever, but it will be a while before people are comfortable hopping on a plane to Rome,” said Waliszewski. “Local ‘travel’ is going to boom after stay-in-place measures are lifted. People will appreciate much more what’s in their own neighbourhood, will want to support local businesses, and will have a reset to their normal routine and grind.”
There are many incredible destinations in our own backyards, and staying relatively close to home will offer a comfortable way to ease back into travel when public health officials deem it safe. For those who want to go a little farther beyond their own city, there are many options for that as well.
“Any travel business offering remote getaways to drivable destinations should do really well,” Waliszewski noted. “Travellers are sick of their houses and are craving getting away, but will still want to be socially distanced and isolated.”
International travel will take time to pick up
“I don’t think international travel will pick up until 2021,” Fyall predicted. “Even if people want to travel, they won’t until they feel comfortable.”
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Different countries may have restrictions, like two-week quarantines for international visitors, that would make them less appealing destinations. And the health conditions will be a bigger factor to consider.
“This virus isn’t going to magically disappear forever,” Kelly said. “It’s just going to be managed, and there will be more lockdowns if it gets really bad. So until I get a sense I won’t get stranded abroad and that my travel health insurance would cover me if I get sick, I may be less inclined to travel to developing countries where health care systems are strained on a good day. Getting stuck in a hotel for six to eight weeks is more than most people can afford.”
“Travellers are sick of their houses and are craving getting away, but will still want to be socially distanced and isolated.” - Konrad Waliszewski, TripScout
On the other hand, Waliszewski believes the economic impact of the pandemic may incentivise some people to travel to less expensive international destinations.
“Expect to see a boom in budget travel like backpacking through Southeast Asia and staying in hostels once it’s safe,” he predicted. “Millions of young people just lost their jobs and will be unable to find new work during the recession. So as long as it’s safe enough, they will choose to wait it out in Vietnam, Thailand or Bali instead of in their parents’ basement.”
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Cruises won’t go away
“Cruises won’t go away, but they will never return to normal,” Waliszewski said. “You can’t have the world commonly refer to you as ‘a floating cesspool’ and ever think you’ll thrive in a post-pandemic world. Destinations were already starting to push back on cruises because of over-tourism, and this will only accelerate that.”
Kelly had a sunnier outlook. He noted that cruisers are some of the most loyal travellers, who love to see the world and love the cruise concept.
“This is not the first virus to rampage a cruise ship,” he said. “There have been noro-viruses, though obviously those were less deadly.”
Still, he noted, the only way to revive the cruise industry is to have instant testing to confirm passengers and crew don’t have Covid-19 as they board the ship and at periodic checks after excursions.
Joe Raedle via Getty Images Things aren't looking great for the cruise industry, but experts don't believe it will disappear completely.
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“There are many ways the industry will adapt to make sure everyone is safe onboard,” Kelly said. “We need testing, widespread thermometers and new procedures to contain potential spread and implement isolation. With the right cleanliness, cruises could be a great place to be during an outbreak. But today, you can get on a cruise ship while deathly ill.”
He also suggested exploring new technology to improve the boarding process, which involves large crowds. And technological advances aside, many cruise lines may struggle to remain viable with lower numbers of travellers filling each ship.
People won’t take travel for granted
This period of social distancing has caused many to reflect on their past trips and develop a greater appreciation for the privilege of travel.
That sense of gratitude will (hopefully) stay with people when travel is safe again, and they embark on new adventures.
“Everyone takes travel for granted,” said Fyall. “I don’t think they will anymore.”
He believes that’s particularly true for politicians who previously discounted the importance of the tourism sector and the hard work that goes into making that industry thrive.
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“We may see more governmental support and better protection for the workforce,” Fyall noted. “We have an opportunity to reflect and think of ways to do things differently and even better than previously.”
This global crisis is also an opportunity for travellers and industry leaders to assess and better understand some of the downsides of past practices.
“Travel is a force for good, but overtourism has started to have a significant negative impact on destinations, the environment, and quality of life for many locals,” Waliszewski said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Coronavirus Is A Warning To Us All: We Must Heal Nature In Order To Heal Ourselves

In planning our response to Covid-19, nature should be our ally Getty Editorial
The coronavirus pandemic is a warning to us all: we must heal nature in order to heal ourselves. Don’t get us wrong: we are not advocating a “back to nature” movement or the dismantling of economic systems. But we believe that we can and should build back better. As governments around the world prepare massive stimulus plans to repair the damage of Covid-19 shutdowns, they should be harnessing the healing power of nature to build stronger, more resilient societies.
To carry on as before would be a colossal and costly mistake. If we continue with the unfettered destruction of our natural environment, Covid-19 will not be the last pandemic to upend our lives.
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This is because pathogens such as Covid-19 have a tendency to jump from wildlife to humans when we encroach on their natural habitats. Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which spread through Asia in 2002-3, is attributed by virologists to contact with the civet cat. Ebola in West Africa may have originated in primates or fruit bats. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 75 percent of “new or emerging” diseases originate in wildlife[1]. These new pathogens are able to jump species because of closer contact with humans due to deforestation and the destruction of other natural habitats, and the trade in wild animals.
It is time to fix our relationship with nature; to learn to work with it, instead of destroying it. We need to value the planet’s natural life-support systems, even if we cannot always put a monetary value on what they do. Without pollinating insects, for example, 35 percent of our global crops would not exist. Economists may debate the exact value of ecosystem services, but there is little doubt that nature does a lot of heavy lifting for us.
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If we are smart, we should be able to do three things: put an end to the destruction of natural habitats; restore those that are degraded; and harness nature-based solutions to our built environment.
Urban planners, engineers and environmentalists, for example, are figuring out how to harness the power of nature to build more resilient cities. These nature-based solutions can be as simple and straightforward as Toronto and Montreal’s tree planting schemes to increase shade cover in Canada; or the greening of Chicago’s rooftops in the US – an initiative that has been credited with helping to slow storm-water runoff by 36 percent[2]. To reduce the risk of flooding, Shanghai and other urban centers in China are experimenting with “sponge districts”. These are laid out with green parks, water gardens, permeable pavements, green rooftops and underground reservoirs. The goal is for sponge districts to capture, reuse or absorb up to 80 percent of storm-water runoff in China’s urban areas by 2030.
Nature-based solutions are also being deployed to restore shorelines and to protect island and delta communities from rising sea levels.
For example, Canada is restoring saltmarshes and improving dykes along the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia to reduce coastal flooding for tens of thousands of residents and businesses, and more than 20,000 hectares of farmland. The project is being financed by Canada’s CAN$2 billion Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, which was set up to enable communities to better manage risks from natural hazards like floods, wildfires and droughts.
In other parts of the world, restoring mangrove forests – which have lost 50 percent of their cover over the past 50 years[3] – has become a matter of life and death. Mangrove forests are the first line of defense against rising sea levels in the Marshall Islands and other coastal communities, and they provide a life-saving buffer against storm surges and cyclones across much of South East Asia. Once restored, these sea-water forests become a habitat for shrimp and crabs that provide livelihoods for local fishermen, and they are two to five times cheaper than building engineered structures[4]. Furthermore, mangrove forests act as carbon sinks that help absorb our global CO2 emissions.
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In fact, some studies suggest that nature-based solutions could provide up to one-third of the CO2 reductions needed between now and 2030 to keep the increase in global temperature below 2°C[5] – the critical limit to avoid catastrophic global warming, according to UN scientists.
So as governments prepare to deal with the economic fallout from Covid-19, we urge them to put nature-based solutions and climate adaptation at the heart of their recovery plans. To do anything less would be to succumb to a crisis that will eventually have far more devastating consequences for humanity than Covid-19.
Nature-based solutions will help put a stop to the loss of biodiversity; they will strengthen communities against flooding and other natural disasters, and they will help protect the world’s poorest – those who directly depend on nature for their livelihoods. They could protect hundreds of millions of people from the risks of climate change while delivering positive economic, social and health benefits – not least, reducing the risk of another pandemic. What’s not to like?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Once The Pandemic Is Over, Can We Keep The World This Accessible?

HuffPost UK Getty Images
Over the past decade, I’ve created a career for myself built on autonomy, flexibility and the power to drop my laptop into my backpack and work from anywhere. (Poolside always felt like a win.) I fancied myself a digital nomad. But everything got slower and simpler and much closer to home once I became a mother 18 months ago. The benefits of working from anywhere gave way to the benefits of working from home — a surprising next-chapter byproduct that I felt equal parts grateful for and challenged by.
So when it became clear that the best way to slow the spread of Covid-19 was to stay in our homes, only venturing outside to get takeout or groceries, it sounded intense but possible.
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It reminded me of those first few months of having a baby, when my world went from expansive and far-reaching to the diameter of my 1,800-square-foot home. Hibernating with my newborn was a jarring change for me, an extrovert who enjoyed the perks of living close to the nation’s capital. After all, I moved to the DC metro area to enjoy meeting clients at coffee shops in Chinatown, regularly checking in on the art at the National Portrait Gallery, and gathering with throngs at the Kennedy Center to see live performances.
But the reality of having a baby and suddenly being responsible for the life of another human meant that my 40-minute drive to Georgetown might as well have been four hours. Between feedings and nap schedules, I couldn’t leave the house for more than 90 minutes at a time even with baby in tow. And if I did plan ahead and hire help to watch the baby while I attended an event downtown, I was paying $60-$75 just for the travel time to get to the event – not to mention the cost of the time I’d actually be there enjoying it.
As a first-time mom with many new line items on the budget, there was hardly space for both diapers and babysitting.
So I missed out a lot. I asked for phone calls with clients instead of working lunches. I listened to podcasts instead of attending breakfast lectures. I skipped the annual writing conference. Concerts and plays came and went without me.
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By my daughter’s first birthday, I had begun to head back out into the world more. I traveled several times to speak at conferences. I joined a co-working space, a local gym and a church. I left my home at least every few days. My pace was still incomparably slower compared to pre-baby life, but I was getting out with greater regularity.
Still, this was only possible with meticulous planning. My husband and I tag-teamed schedules. I asked my parents to come for a long weekend months in advance and scheduled babysitters sometimes six or more weeks ahead of time. Every face-to-face interaction I got to enjoy happened because of layers of foresight, planning and budgeting.
Then social distancing became our new normal. As nonessential businesses shuttered, everyone began working from home (that is, the lucky ones who remained employed in jobs that could be done from home). All of a sudden, nobody was having working lunches. All my colleagues were staring at laptop screens and waving at webcams. The ground had been levelled.
I began receiving invitations to live-streamed lectures. John Legend gave a concert on Instagram. Birthday cocktails happened over Zoom. Conferences moved online. The kind of events I had previously had to move mountains for were now popping up online. I had a veritable smorgasbord of lectures, workshops and other events to attend from my own home. How was I busier during quarantine than I was pre-quarantine?
In a strange and unexpected way, the world has opened up to me now that the world is closed. I have greater access to professional development and connection with others now that everyone is sequestered in their own homes. The events I had to miss because I was committed to a consistent bedtime for my 1-year-old or really couldn’t swing another $150 babysitting bill are now available to me. Everything is just a click away.
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It feels like a relief to no longer be the oddball with the random sound of a baby toy humming in the background of my conference call. It turns out the sight of someone’s cat walking across the keyboard is endearing, not unprofessional. The sheer number of things to do online borders on the overwhelming, but I much prefer feeling overwhelmed by choice than being forgotten.
Nothing beats an in-person experience. And I predict that when we can all confidently congregate again, we will, and we won’t take that moment for granted. But can we also remember that there are people who simply can’t make the trek? Let’s not let the accessibility of this moment be temporary.
There are plenty of reasons people can’t attend events in person: lack of time, lack of support, finances, physical needs, obvious and invisible obstacles. Some people can’t be in the room for reasons that are out of their hands. They have a disability. They don’t have transportation. They only have an hour and a half between feeding the baby and putting the baby down for a nap.
The disability community has been singing this song for years. Many people are understandably irritated that once accessibility became an “everybody” issue and not a “segment of the population” issue, accommodations previously deemed “impossible” became widespread and available. Education moved online. Doctors met with patients via phone. Therapists could do videoconferencing and remain HIPAA compliant.
I didn’t expect to feel like I’d have more opportunities once we were all sheltering in place due to a global pandemic, but I do. So when this surreal nightmare of social distancing is over ― and thankfully, it will end ― can we remember the folks who are now feeling included for the first time? Can we make special live events streamable for a discounted rate? Can we remember to flip on our webcams at meetings, hop onto Facebook Live and give people the opportunity to experience events like we all can right now?
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Let’s use this moment to recognise how remarkably accessible our world can really be.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--How The UK’s Beloved Craft Beer Industry Is Adapting To The Lockdown

With pubs, bars and restaurants closed indefinitely, the craft beer boom is drying up and many businesses are at risk from going under.
There has been an 82% drop in beer sales, while more than half of the breweries in the UK have been forced to stop production altogether since the outbreak of Covid-19, according to SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers,
Many craft beer businesses have risen to the challenge with pay-it-forward voucher schemes and flogging merch to help them survive during this difficult time, but others are turning this crisis on its head and thinking outside the box.
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We spoke to independent craft breweries and a beer subscription company in the UK to share their stories on how communities are pulling together and still pulling pints amid a sudsy sea of uncertainty.
Bringing the pub to you.
James North Fourpure Brewery
“We still have our pub quizzes every Wednesday, which used to be held in our taproom, but we’ve moved it online,” Grace Whitby, Brand Manager at Fourpure brewery in south London explains to HuffPost UK. “We’re trying to replicate that feeling of being in a pub and have loads of exciting things lined up such as introducing live tastings with our head brewer, campground sessions with bands and musicians, and even cook-along live streams with our beer.”
Aside from innovating and trying new ideas to get audiences engaged while people are drinking at home, they’re not the only craft brewery offering virtual stay-at-home pubs. The music-focused Signature Brew based in north London has just launched a ‘Pub In A Box’, which aims to sell beer directly to consumers alongside special glasses, beermats, snacks, a music quiz and exclusive playlists curated by music journalists. Ever since the lockdown started a month ago, they’ve been hand-delivering their goods to locals with a little help from their famous friends.
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“The mantra of our brewery is to drink good beer while watching your favourite artists. Over the years, we’ve worked with bands and musicians to collaborate bringing special beers on tours and festivals, but in this nightmare scenario, every single gig was cancelled without exception.” co-founder Tom Bott explains. “Our mates in bands who were due to play at Brixton Academy and Glastonbury festival have helped us pack boxes and deliver to locals as well, which is quite cool for fans to suddenly have a rockstar to turn up.”
The World’s First Virtual Beer Festival.
Beer52 Beer 52 Cyberfest
Big events around the world may be postponed, but that doesn’t mean 2020 is cancelled. Beer52, a craft beer subscription service that brings beer aficionados a monthly case of different beers covering different themes such as ‘People Like Us’, which focuses on the concept of beer for good. Recently, they hosted their first-ever Cyberfest, an online beer festival that brings together a weekend line-up of quizzes, live tastings with top brewers from around the globe, celebrity guest appearances like comedian Chris O’Dowd, footballer Roberto Carlos and ‘Boycie’ from Only Fools and Horses.
“It was a lot of fun and at one point we had over 20,000 unique viewers tune in over the two-day live stream.” says Beer52 founder James Brown. “We’ve created a really powerful community of beer club members, people coming together to support the brewers and learning about their stories.”
The beer weekender proved to be a huge success and they’re already planning the next one. “We want to highlight more breweries and support in whatever way we can,” explains Brown. “Trying to keep spirits high and get more people involved by doing live calls and shout outs.”
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Teamwork makes the dream work.
Cloudwater Brew Co. Cloudwater Brew Co.
Neighbourhood taprooms might be forced to turn off their tap handles for the foreseeable future, but there’s still a supportive tight-knit craft beer community in place and sometimes survival doesn’t mean every man for themselves.
“By using our larger platform we’ve helped sell beer on behalf of other smaller breweries near us to help them keep their lights on and put money back into the hands of local independent businesses. We’ve been taking 10% off the top, which covers our packaging materials and shipping costs, then giving them back the retail margin back almost in its entirety,” explains Paul Jones, co-founder and managing director of Manchester-based craft brewery Cloudwater Brew Co. “They went from a hellish scenario of having too much stock and not having a web outlet to keep their product moving and to having to actually brew more beer to keep up demand.”
Many indie breweries have risen to the occasion. Take founder and lead brewer James Godman from Wilderness Brewery in Powys, Mid Wales, for example, he’s a one-man band brewing, packing and distributing whilst juggling an 18-month baby.
“It’s been tricky, but I’ve got people to help when needed and I’m productive when my little one has an hour’s afternoon nap,” he laughs. “I’m really lucky because compared to a lot of breweries my beer is aged and a lot of what I’m packaging is actually brewed 18-months ago and it’s been sitting in wine and whiskey barrels, so I’ve actually got quite a lot of beer ready to go.”
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James Godman Wilderness Brewery
Across the industry, many craft breweries and beer subscription services like Beer 52, Cloudwater and Wilderness have introduced discounts to attract more customers or to help those struggling financially, as well as, taking part in a collective nationwide gesture to everyday heroes to give drinkers the option to buy a pint for NHS staff.
“Sadly, the UK’s craft beer scene is going to really struggle,” Goodman confesses. “People are sitting on stock that’s degrading. Either everything’s going to be scaled back or go out of business, which hopefully won’t happen, but it depends on how long the lockdown lasts.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Will We Still Want To Pay For Gym Memberships When Lockdown Is Over?

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Gyms can reopen from July 25, the government has announced, but with months of exercising without them, will the nation want to go back?
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Nearly a third (31%) of Brits believe they’re actually doing more daily exercise now than before the start of lockdown, according to research by Nuffield Health. It could be partly thanks to the boom of Couch to 5K – more than 858,000 people downloaded the app during the first three months of lockdown, a 92% increase from the same period in 2019.
When we spoke to fitness fans back in May, many were already used to life without the gym. People told us they were enjoying running outdoors, joining Instagram live workouts and stretching like never before thanks to Yoga with Adriene.
Crucially, our newly-established fitness habits are free, or cost very little, at a time when so many across the country are facing redundancies and financial uncertainty.
So, what does that mean for gym memberships? Will we simply stop paying for them once our contracts lapse?
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Back in May, Mateja Simic, 45, from Chelmsford, Essex, said she was “seriously considering” switching to at-home workouts permanently. She said she’s enjoyed the convenience of FaceTime PT sessions. “It is saving me two hours travelling time per week and is cheaper. I don’t feel I’ve lost my fitness level as a result,” she told HuffPost UK.
Meanwhile, Hope Eaton, 50, from Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, doesn’t plan to renew her gym membership, but said she’ll still pay for her teenage son’s swimming club. The money she saved while fees have been frozen enabled her to buy at-home equipment, which the whole family can enjoy.
“I’ve got a Peleton arriving next week, bought weights and battle ropes, and have set the garage up as a gym,” she said, adding that she’d also enjoyed yoga online. “I do not see a gym in my future.”
Manuta via Getty Images
Not everyone adapted well to home workouts, though, and dozens of people on Twitter told us they can’t wait to get back to the gym, saying they rely on in-person contact for motivation or can’t access the same equipment at home.
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But even those who are desperately missing the gym are worried around safety. Andy Lloyd, 43, from Manchester, is type one diabetic and said he’s longing for the “endorphin buzz” his usual routine provides, but won’t be returning to the gym until there’s a coronavirus vaccine.
“With a compromised immune system it’s not worth the risk. I’m not shielding like I am doing now, only to risk picking it up at a gym visit,” he said.
Lloyd said he’s noticed how few people wipe down equipment after they’ve used it on past trips to the gym and worries our vigilance around hygiene won’t last once gyms reopen. “Also, just supposing I go hypo [experience low blood sugars] whilst in the gym and I need something to eat? I’d worry what my hands touched before popping, say, a banana in my mouth.”
Some people told us they’d be switching gym providers, unimpressed by how slow their gyms were to roll-out social distancing measures. Others said they plan to commence a “half and half” approach post-lockdown, cutting down on the frequency of their gym visits to incorporate new at-home or outdoor exercise into their week.
Many have felt obliged to honour past payments to support the economy, particularly in the case of small gyms or self-employed fitness instructors and PTs.
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raferto via Getty Images
Around 10.4 million people in the UK have a gym membership, so it’s unlikely traditional gyms and studios will become obsolete. Some might even attract new clients, who’ve discovered a new (or renewed) love of working out during lockdown.
Puja Kotecha, 26, from Nottingham, said she quit the gym in 2016 during a busy work period and stopped exercising completely. But gyms reopen, she plans to take up the subsidised gym membership offered by her workplace.
Kotecha’s fiancé, who wanted an exercise buddy, convinced her into doing some home workouts during lockdown and to her surprise she’s loved them. “I have not looked back since,” she said. “If it wasn’t for this lockdown, I still wouldn’t have started exercising.”
Carol Yepes via Getty Images
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Leon French, 25, from Doncaster, also plans to make more of his existing membership post-lockdown. “I was one of those people who got a gym membership and hardly used it,” he admitted. “I’m now pretty used to doing exercise. What I’m hoping is that my confidence will be built up sufficiently from doing the exercise at home that I’ll be happier going to the gym.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--9 DIY Jobs Any Novice Can Do in Their Home During Lockdown

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In light of lockdown, those neglected homeware projects may have finally moved up on your to-do list, so what better way to use this extra time on your hands as an excuse to do a spot of DIY?
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As we remain indoors for the foreseeable future, it’s worth investing some effort into giving your home a little TLC. Knowing that your home is tidy, clutter-free, and spruced up can aid a calmer mind, too. Good news: some home improvement stores have started to reopen their doors with social distancing measures and a capped number of customers allowed in place. If you don’t fancy making the trip, most of them already have products available online, so you can order your tools to get started on simple decorating fixes around the house.
Topology Interiors Gallery Wall
1. Create a gallery wall.
Get round to framing and hanging those prints you’ve had lying on the floor for ages. A statement gallery wall needn’t be a big faff, it’s a simple and cost-effective way to spruce up plain walls or add a bit of personality with photos.
“Always lay it out on the floor first and work out a configuration you’re happy with,” suggests interior designer and blogger Athina Bluff from Topology Interiors. “A general rule of thumb is that your artwork should be half to two thirds the size of the furniture below, so always have this at the back of your mind.”
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2. Experiment with paint.
Add some colour in your life and brighten up your home with a lick of paint. It’s important to play around with different colours to see what works and what doesn’t work for the room – that’s why tester pots were invented.
“Instead of painting on the wall, simply paint the swatches on white pieces of paper. You can move the paper around the room and see how the colour changes in different spots due to where the light falls,” advises Bluff. “Once you’ve seen the colour in all different lights, you should be able to make a confident choice and be sure to leave samples to dry overnight to see the true colour.”
If you’re feeling bold and want a whole new look. Go for the full shebang and paint an entire room in one colour. “It will feel amazing to entertain there, moody and very atmospheric,” explains Aurore Martial, founder of interior design studio Domus Venus. “Bonus point: you won’t be scared about making a mess if you paint the entire room in one colour. I see it as a super big trend going forward.”
3. Put up wallpaper.
Wallpaper might seem like a daunting task, but don’t be afraid of patterned walls. Treat it as a canvas to work from and the finished look can have a striking effect.
“It’s a good point to start with a small space where you can afford to be bold,” recommends Martial.” Get an incredible wallpaper that you might not be able to afford (or live with) for a living room. Why not wallpaper the ceiling of that small space, too! Try wallpapering your downstairs toilet with extravagant paper or your home office to create a beautiful background.”
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Uliana Glukhovaully Aurore Martial @ Domus Venus
4. Hang curtains.
Curtains can sometimes be a little tricky to install because there are so many factors to get right. Designers often hang curtains higher than the window frame to add height to a room, but keep in mind the typical length should be 2cm off the floor.
“I think the look where they can be a bit long and trail on the floor can end up looking a bit messy and just collects dust,” Bluff says. “Fabric wise, I’d do something contrasting to other fabric elements in the room i.e cushions, headboard and sofa, so if you have a velvet sofa, why not go for linen curtains instead to create a visible difference in textures?”
5. Upcycle wooden furniture.
If you’ve got an old table or chair you were planning to throw away, why not repaint it instead? Give tired pieces a new lease of life with an updated look and it’s an environmentally friendly alternative to buying replacements, which stops waste materials going to the landfill. It’s a win, win.
“Start by laying down a cloth to catch any excess paint and sand down your furniture using a flexible foam sanding sponge or thick sanding paper,” Mark Lamb, PR executive of bathroom retailer Victorian Plumbing suggests. “Once sanded down, seal the wood with a primer and leave to dry for an hour. Paint in your colour of choice and remember you’ll need two coats. Repainting or even refinishing wooden furniture is a fantastic way to revitalise worn items.”
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Jasmin Schreiber Upcycling Furniture
6. Resealing baths and showers.
Sure, it sounds like a rather unsexy and mundane job, but don’t ruin your bathtime bliss with unsightly sealant every time you’re soaking in the tub. Need another reason? Leaving silicone sealant left unattended it can rot away over time and will lead to leaks, which is probably the last thing you want. Luckily, replacing it is a quick and easy job, and provides both a practical and aesthetic fix that’ll restore bathrooms to its glory.
“Firstly, you’ll need to remove the old sealant with a Stanley knife. Slice through the top and bottom edges of the sealant at one end, dig a little out, and pull. It should slide out gently. Wash down with white spirit, and scrape off any excess,” explains Lamb. “Before resealing, fill your bath with water so it’s as heavy as it can be. This means that the gap between tile and bath is as wide as possible. Then, with a cartridge gun, aim to keep a consistent path around the bath edge to refill the sealant.
7. Tile a splashback in the kitchen or bathroom.
Protect the wall behind a sink or oven with a newly tiled splashback. You can give a kitchen, bathroom or cloakroom a whole new look in just an afternoon.
“Ensure the tiles are good quality to prevent cracking and I’d always suggest a darker grout as it hides a multitude of sins as your new updated kitchen or bathroom gets older,” Bluff advises. “If you are considering going for a herringbone pattern – which is very on-trend at the moment – bear in mind that this will likely cost extra to install, as it’s a lot more laborious to lay down due to the amount of cutting required.”
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Topology Interiors Bathroom Tiles
8. Install new handles and cabinets.
Redoing the kitchen doesn’t mean stripping it out from top to bottom. Changing small accents and details such as handles and cabinets can really change the whole mood of the room.
“Revamping your kitchen with new handles and painting your cabinets. It’s quite a job as you need to sand everything down properly, but if you have time it’s a total game-changer for your house,” recommends Martial. “Check Etsy for affordable and stylish handles.”
9. Update a light fixture.
Light up a room by changing the lights. Lighting plays a big part in changing the look and feel of a room. Invest in a new lamp, decorative bulb, or lampshade, which can instantly add ambience and a warming glow.
“One of my favourite tips for renters is to include smart light bulbs into the home. They essentially allow you to have a dimmer system without the need for an electrician as smart bulbs can be controlled via an app on your phone or a portable switch,” Bluff says. “You can make them brighter or dimmer, change the colour to suit your mood and you can even buy sensors, so they turn on as you enter a room.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Ex-Obama Photographer Lifts The Lid On That Iconic Osama Bin Laden Raid Picture

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Former White House photographer Pete Souza has broken down how he came to take one of the most iconic images of Barack Obama’s presidency.
Souza explained the backstory to his picture that’s now known as “The Situation Room Photograph” — showing Obama, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others watching the 2011 raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden ― in a 21-minute video that he shared on Instagram on Friday, the ninth anniversary of the mission.
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Souza, who in recent years has used his public profile to mock and call out President Donald Trump and his administration, recalled being told in late April 2011 that “something was brewing” and that he should be ready to work that weekend.
But he didn’t know exactly what was happening, nor when.
“Holy shit, we’re going after Bin Laden,” he said he thought to himself after finally finding out about the special ops mission while photographing a meeting between Obama and his national security team on the day of the raid.
Souza remembered not being nervous but “definitely on doubly high alert, knowing that on this day of all days I was the visual recorder of history.”
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Former White House photographer Pete Souza has broken down how he came to take one of the most iconic images of Barack Obama’s presidency. ASSOCIATED PRESS
He recalled choosing his vantage point as Obama, Clinton and others piled into the room as the mission was underway. Unable to really move around and pushed against a printer, he used his two cameras selectively to not disturb proceedings.
“The mood was tense,” he noted.
Souza hinted at what was happening at the precise moment he took the picture, one of 1,003 he took that day and which had to be partially blurred in order to hide a classified document that was in front of Clinton:
All I can tell you is this. From a public timeline we know that the raid began at around 3:30 p.m. East Coast Time and that the raid lasted a little over 40 minutes. This picture is time-stamped on my camera at 4:05 Eastern Time. So, really, until a minute-by-minute timeline of the mission is declassified, that’s all I can say.
“I’m convinced that I chose the best one, that this is the best picture from the room,” Souza concluded.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Government Pledges £76m To Support Domestic Abuse Victims During Coronavirus Lockdown

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Communities secretary Robert Jenrick has announced £76m in emergency funding to help support survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and modern slavery during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Meanwhile, a change to rules will mean those facing homelessness as a result of fleeing domestic violence will be considered a priority for housing by their local council.
The moves come after a report published by MPs on Monday revealed that calls to a national domestic abuse helpline had increased by 49% during lockdown, while killings had doubled.
Jenrick said that, for domestic abuse victims, lockdown meant “being trapped in a nightmare”.
Addressing this group directly, he said: “You are not alone, you do not have to stay at home, you can and should leave the home if you’re in danger.”
He added: “Our outstanding police will be there for you, they will help you.”
The Cabinet minister said he was aware that some refuges had been forced to reduce services or close their doors altogether during the lockdown.
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Housing, communities and local government secretary Robert Jenrick during a coronavirus press conference at Downing Street ASSOCIATED PRESS
The new funding will ensure “more safe spaces and accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse and their children, and the recruitment of additional counsellors for victims of sexual violence,” Jenrick said.
He added that the funding will also help frontline charities to offer virtual ways to assist those in need, including phone-based services.
The news comes as the UK looks ahead to its seventh week in lockdown.
After Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that the UK is “past the peak” of the Covid-19 outbreak, the prime minister will layout plans to ease the lockdown.
Figures released by the government on Saturday showed that the coronavirus death toll rose by 621 over the previous 24 hours, bringing the UK death toll to 28,131.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Watch Live: Robert Jenrick Deliver's Government's Daily Coronavirus Update

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The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 28,131 – an increase of 621 over 24 hours.
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It is the fourth day the government’s daily announcement has included people in care homes and the community, rather than just in hospital, who have died.
But only those who had tested positive for Covid-19 are included, meaning anyone who died with a suspected case won’t be recorded.
The figures cover the period up to 5pm on Friday.
It comes after the number of people who have died in hospitals after contracting the virus rose by 425 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 24 hours.
The increase consists of 370 in England, 11 in Northern Ireland and 44 in Wales. Figures for Scotland have not yet been released.
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Meanwhile, there were 105,937 tests carried out on Friday after the government insisted it had reached its target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April.
On Saturday, NHS England also released further details about the 20,853 people who have died in hospital so far after testing positive for Covid-19.
According to the data, 10,901 (52%) have been people aged 80 and over while 8,119 (39%) were 60-79.
A further 1,672 (8%) were aged 40-59, with 150 (1%) aged 20-39 and 11 (0.05%) aged 0-19, NHS England said.
It also revealed that University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had announced the highest number of coronavirus deaths, with 767 recorded so far.
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust has announced 512 deaths.
Two trusts have announced between 400 and 500 deaths: the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (446) and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (428).
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A further seven trusts have announced between 300 and 400 deaths.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--UK Records 621 More Coronavirus Deaths In 24 Hours As Latest Care Home Data Released


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Body Coach Joe Wicks Undergoes Surgery After Hand Balloons Due To Infection

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Joe Wicks has been in hospital after his hand ballooned due to an infection following surgery earlier this year.
The Body Coach, who has been keeping the nation fit with his PE classes on YouTube during the coronavirus pandemic, had pins put in his hand after he broke a bone when he fell off his bike.
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However, the fitness influencer was left in agony after it swelled up ahead of his Friday PE class.
Joe Wicks Instagram
After taking himself to hospital, Joe shared an X-ray of his hand saying he would be operated on because the soft tissue in his hand was “inflamed and possibly infected”, which he later confirmed was the case.
He also posted a video of himself “gowned up” with “the socks on” and waiting for his operation.
While he was due to have the operation on Friday, he later revealed it had been delayed until the following day.
“They’ve got other patients in the queue and they’re a bit slower than normal with certain things,” he said.
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Joe added that the pain had been excruciating, saying: “I woke up all night… as it was throbbing and pulsating like liquid hot magma.”
Joe Wicks Instagram
Sharing an update with fans on Saturday morning from his hospital bed, he said: “Surgery complete. Wires all out. Infection cleaned up. They gave me a general anaesthetic which was awesome so didn’t feel a thing and was sparko.”
In March, Joe announced he was donating all of the revenue generated by the classes to help the National Health Service during the coronavirus crisis.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Boris Johnson And Carrie Symonds Name Their Child Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson

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Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds have announced they have named their child Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson.
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Wilfred was born at a London hospital on Wednesday morning and was said to be “healthy” by a spokesperson for Johnson and Symonds.
Symonds announced the news via Instagram on Saturday afternoon, writing: “Introducing Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson born on 29.04.20 at 9am.
Wilfred after Boris’ grandfather Lawrie after my grandfather Nicholas after Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart – the two doctors that saved Boris’ life last month.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-02--Seven Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

The prime minister will next week set out a “road map” detailing how people might get to work and how children can go back to school or into childcare.
Boris Johnson has said he wants to “get our economy moving” but there are concerns that the return to work could see the virus spread on public transport.
The Times reported that commuters could be asked to take their temperature before travelling, and those with an elevated reading – a symptom of Covid-19 – would be expected to stay at home.
A senior government source confirmed the plans are being looked at but stressed they are a “long way” from being policy.
UK deaths could be ‘double’ daily hospital statistics, warns former ONS analyst


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--Fewer Would Have Died If UK Had Covid Testing Capacity Sooner, Minister Admits

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Coronavirus would have killed fewer people if the UK had greater testing capacity sooner, minister Grant Shapps has admitted.
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Speaking on Sunday, the transport secretary also said it was “too early” to compare Britain’s excess death rate to other countries’ as the Covid-19 crisis was still in its early stages.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said on Friday that the UK was now carrying out more than 100,000 tests a day.
Asked whether fewer people would have died if that target had been reached sooner, or even before the outbreak emerged, Shapps told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show: “Yes. If we had had 100,000 test capacity before this thing started and the knowledge that we now have retrospectively I’m sure many things could be different.
“The fact of the matter is this is not a country that had – although we’re very big in pharmaceuticals as a country – we’re not a country that had very large test capacity.”
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The minister said comparisons with Britain’s excess mortality from coronavirus - a measure of the gap between the average number of deaths every year and those in excess of that - were unfair, saying there were “other factors taken into account”.
He added: “We shouldn’t look at the raw data and jump to conclusions on this because actually the NHS has been doing a terrific job and there will be other deaths outside of coronavirus that may or may not have happened had it been handled differently, without for example sufficient hospital capacity.”
Meanwhile, UK national statistician professor Ian Diamond also cautioned against making international comparisons.
Asked if the UK was heading for the worst death toll in Europe, he told Marr: “I wouldn’t say that at all and I would say that making international comparisons is an unbelievably difficult thing to do.
“In this country we have – in my opinion, and let me be clear I would say this, wouldn’t I – but I think we have the best reporting, the most transparent reporting, and the most timely reporting, because we include death registrations – we’ve been pushing our death registration reporting as fast as we possibly can.
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“And then even after you look at the actual deaths, it’s incredibly important to recognise the context – so deaths are going to be more concentrated… in inner cities. If you have a rural country then it’s likely that your death rates will be lower.
“I’m not saying that we are at the bottom of any potential league table – it’s almost impossible to calculate a league table – but I’m not prepared to say that we’re heading for the top.”
Diamond also said indirect deaths that come on top of Covid-19 deaths are “not insignificant” as he warned a “lengthy and deep recession” would also affect people’s health.
Secretary of state for transport Grant Shapps. NurPhoto via Getty Images
Prime minister Boris Johnson is preparing to set out a “road map” to easing lockdown restrictions on Thursday.
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Work patterns could be staggered to lessen the risk of contagion on public transport and teachers may have a better idea of when schools could return.
A new NHSX tracing app will be ready “in a few weeks” and is being trialled on the Isle of Wight, Shapps said, stressing that 60% of the population must download it on to a smartphone for it to be effective.
The government has also launched a recruitment drive for an army of 18,000 contact tracers for when restrictions are lifted.
Hancock had also raised hopes the government will be able to test 250,000 a day, but it is thought this relies on the antibodies test - which may be able to tell people if they have had the disease and are immune - being available.
Labour’s shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said testing and tracing will be “so important” in the weeks and months ahead.
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Thomas-Symonds told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge said he was “pleased” testing had been ramped up, and added: “But that in itself is not a strategy.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--Auschwitz Museum Condemns Use Of Nazi Slogan At US Anti-Lockdown Protest

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The Auschwitz Museum has issued a scathing attack on the use of a notorious Nazi slogan on a sign at a US anti-lockdown protest.
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The German phrase on the protest sign, “Arbeit Macht Frei,” was written on the gates at Auschwitz and other Nazi death camps.
It means “work sets you free,” darkly referring to starving Jews at the camp who were forced to work until they dropped dead — or were killed. The sign at the Re-Open Illinois protest Friday in Chicago also included the initials “JB,” referring to Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker, who is Jewish.
″‘Arbeit macht frei’ was a false, cynical illusion the SS gave to prisoners of Auschwitz,” said a statement from the museum, located at the death camp site in Poland. “Those words became one of the icons of human hatred. It’s painful to see this symbol instrumentalised and used again to spread hate.
“It’s a symptom of moral & intellectual degeneration.”
"Arbeit macht frei" was a false, cynical illusion the SS gave to prisoners of #Auschwitz. Those words became one of the icons of human hatred. It's painful to see this symbol instrumentalized & used again to spread hate. It's a symptom of moral & intellectual degeneration. https://t.co/ZRxja8x6eS — Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) May 2, 2020
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The photo of the sign was taken and tweeted by a nurse, Dennis Kosuth, a counterprotester on the scene to demonstrate for continued safety measures to protect the public from Covid-19, The Hill reported.
Hundreds of protesters in Illinois, most not following social distancing guidelines, called for loosening of restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. Illinois reported the largest one-day spike in coronavirus cases on Friday. The state has reported more than 56,000 cases and 2,457 deaths.
Pritzker’s chief of staff Anna Caprara said protesters armed with such signs have no standing calling for liberty. She also criticised other signs portraying Pritzker as Hitler, particularly since his family fled to Chicago to escape pogroms, another chapter in violent anti-semitism. “You can protest a policy you don’t like without being ragingly bigoted,” she noted.
Don’t want to hear about “liberty” when these signs along with the ones portraying Illinois’ Jewish Gov, whose family came to Chicago fleeing pogroms, as Hitler seem to be a staple at today’s protests. You can protest a policy you don’t like without being ragingly bigoted. https://t.co/sKTrUv5vC3 — Anne Caprara (@anacaprana) May 1, 2020
David Harris, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, called use of the phrase “Shocking. Shameful. Sickening.” He characterized the phrase as a “savage Nazi hoax for slave labor & gas chambers.”
An Illinois resident protests #COVID restrictions w/ the 3 words at #Auschwitz entrance—Arbeit Macht Frei.
Those words—Work Sets You Free—were a savage Nazi hoax for slave labor & gas chambers.
JB in the sign refers to state’s Jewish governor.
Shameful. Shocking. Sickening. pic.twitter.com/TnDQFFYJHD — David Harris (@DavidHarrisAJC) May 2, 2020
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Former US ambassador to Israel and Illinois native Daniel Shapiro called the sign “disgusting.”
Pro-tip: Try to argue your case (about post-COVID-19 reopening or anything else) without quoting Nazi slogans.
Seriously, this is disgusting. pic.twitter.com/mXIh2hWf6M — Dan Shapiro (@DanielBShapiro) May 2, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--Holly Willoughby Quits As Celebrity Juice Team Captain After 12 Years

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Holly Willoughby has announced she has quit Celebrity Juice after 12 years.
The This Morning presenter has been a team captain on the Keith Lemon-fronted comedy panel show since its inception in 2008.
However, Holly has confirmed she will be handing over her role to a newcomer.
Holly Willoughby with Celebrity Juice host Keith Lemon and other team captain Mel B ITV
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Posting a compilation of images of her time on the ITV2 series on Instagram, she wrote: “All good things must come to an end and nothing lasts forever. It’s time for me to hand over my team captain seat to some lucky, lucky person.”
She continued: “Thank you @celebjuiceofficial for 12 years of fantastic chaos. I can’t quite believe what we’ve done and how quick that time has gone.
“Thank you to you all for watching. We’ve always had the loudest and best audiences. Also a huge thank you to @itv2 for believing in the show in the first place and for all of your support.
“Over the years the production team has changed, however to anyone lucky enough to have worked on the show, they will know that we really do have the best time, it’s never felt like work and always been to me like a night out. Thank you for all your ingenious ideas and hard work.”
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Holly told her yet-to-be-announced replacement that they would be getting “one of the best jobs in telly working with one of comedy’s finest”, host Keith Lemon.
Paying tribute to Keith – the character played by comedian Leigh Francis – she continued: “I remember starting this journey with you and saying ‘I think this might work’. My goodness me it did. Three friends, you, me and @fearnecotton and that is what is at the heart of it.. friendship.
“I love the bones of you Lemon! Thank you for making me laugh for twelve years. I’ll be back as a guest and just to make sure someone is keeping you in check.
“If I don’t see you through a week or next week or the week after, know you are always in my heart.”
Holly and Fearne Cotton were the original team captains when the show started in 2008 ITV/Shutterstock
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Fellow original team captain Fearne Cotton quit the show in 2018 and was replaced by Paddy McGuinness for one series. He was later replaced by Spice Girl Mel B.
Holly, Mel and Keith are currently filming episodes of Celebrity Juice in lockdown, after coronavirus halted production on the series back in March.
Prior to Holly’s announcement, Keith had paid tribute to her on Instagram, calling her an “incredible sport” and “one of the boys but all woman”.
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He wrote: “Love this woman. What an incredible sport. Always willing to get her hands dirty and join in. One of the boys but all woman. A wicked sense of humour and very easy to look at. Don’t look into her eyes though, cos she can make you do anything.
“What a lady! King of the ladies! The queen of the milk beasts! The one and only @hollywilloughby face of an angel but can have the potty mouth of... well me I guess.
“Super rad! Super nice! My mate! I salute all your wonderfulness. Massive hugs x.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--Six Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

Boris Johnson has revealed that doctors prepared to announce his death as he battled coronavirus in hospital last month.
The PM spent three nights in intensive care at St Thomas’ in London with the disease, where he said medics gave him “litres and litres of oxygen”.
He described it as a “tough old moment”, telling the Sun On Sunday: “They had a strategy to deal with a ‘death of Stalin’-type scenario.
“I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place.
“The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do if things went badly wrong.
“They gave me a face mask so I got litres and litres of oxygen and for a long time I had that and the little nose jobbie.”
Johnson, 55, said it was “hard to believe” his health had deteriorated in just a few days, saying he “couldn’t understand why I wasn’t getting better”.
He told the paper the “indicators kept going in the wrong direction” and that he kept asking himself: “How am I going to get out of this?”
“The bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe.
“That was when it got a bit … they were starting to think about how to handle it presentationally.”
He said he was “in denial” initially about how serious his illness was, and that doctors were right to “force” him to go to hospital.
After a fortnight convalescing from the virus, and just two days after he returned to work full-time, his fiancee Carrie Symonds gave birth to their son, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson.
They named him after their grandfathers, and two doctors – Dr Nick Price and Prof Nick Hart – who helped save Johnson’s life.
Just one in five Britons want lockdown to be lifted, new poll reveals


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--NHS Covid-19 Tracing App Ready To Use In 'A Few Weeks', Says Grant Shapps

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A new NHS smartphone app able to trace the spread of coronavirus will be rolled out across the UK by the end of the month, transport secretary Grant Shapps said.
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The NHSX app, which is being trialled on the Isle of Wight, allows people to log their symptoms anonymously with their data only to be used by NHS staff.
Other app users would then be sent an alert if they have been in contact with the person who suspects they are infected with Covid-19.
Shapps told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge said the app will be a “fantastic way” to stop a second peak of the outbreak, but 60% of people in the UK will need to to download for it to be effective.
“The idea is that we will encourage as many people to take this up as possible,” he said.
“This is going to be a huge national effort and we need for this to work 50-60% of people to be using this app.
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“Not everybody has a smartphone, and I appreciate that for various reasons not everybody will download it but it will be the best possible way to help the NHS.”
Shapps said data from the app would be used by the NHS but it would be completely confidential.
Asked how many of the 18,000 contact tracers the government has pledged have been hired, Shapps said he did not know.
He added: “It’s not an issue because the app isn’t going to be available for some time yet, a few weeks yet, but when it is there we will have the people in place.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps NurPhoto via Getty Images
On when schools would reopen, Shapps said it was “also the case we are still working with teachers” to figure out “what would be safe and when”.
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It comes amid reports the primary school children will be able to return on June 1.
Boris Johnson will set out details of a “roadmap” out of the lockdown on Thursday, but Shapps stressed Britain will not return to “business as usual”.
He said: “I don’t think we should expect us to go from this situation that we have at the moment of social distancing back to where we were in February – that’s clearly not going to happen and I don’t think anyone imagines that for one moment.
“The most important thing is that the absolute focus of what the prime minister will be announcing later in the week is that what we do do going forward doesn’t undo the brilliant work people have been doing to get that R number below 1 – the all-critical reproduction rate doesn’t come back up because that’s when we’d see a second spike.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--Amanda Holden Reduced To Tears As She Picks Britain's Got Talent Golden Buzzer Act

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Amanda Holden was reduced to tears as she selected her Golden Buzzer act on Saturday’s Britain’s Got Talent.
The judge was emotional during the most recent episode of the ITV talent show, after singing mother and daughter act Sammy and Honey took to the stage.
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Honey, 14, said the pair had experienced a “tough” couple of years because her mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Amanda Holden was emotional as she picked her Golden Buzzer act ITV
Sammy, 43, said she is now “absolutely fine”, with her daughter telling the judges: “I’m so grateful for everything. I never thought that when singing along in the car it would bring us to this stage.”
However, their original audition did not go completely to plan, with Simon Cowell asking the pair to return with a different song after their rendition of She Used to Be Mine from the musical Waitress failed to impress.
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Returning to perform Freya Ridings’ hit Lost Without You, the judges praised it for being “faultless”.
The pair’s vocals moved Amanda to tears, who said: “Every single lyric you got right and sang just seemed so poignant to your story. It was the most wonderful thing to witness.”
She then lept up to hit her Golden Buzzer, sending the act straight through to the live semi finals.
Sammy and Honey join David Walliams’ Golden Buzzer act, signing choir Sign Along With Us, Ant and Dec’s pick, comedy pianist Jon Courtenay, and Simon’s choice, 12-year-old singer Fayth Ifil.
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They have all been automatically granted a place in the live shows, which had been due to take place over the last week of May, but ITV has confirmed they will now be held later in the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Saturday’s pre-recorded auditions episode also featured a children’s choir from Hampshire who performed a song about climate change.
“You are exactly what I was hoping we would find this year,” Simon said.
The judges were also impressed by 96-year-old Nora Barton, whose daughter told the audience at the London Palladium: “She’s sung for people all her life so at 96 this is a treat, this stage”.
Britain’s Got Talent continues with its pre-recorded auditions next Saturday at 8pm on ITV.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--Now Is The Perfect Time For A Spring Wardrobe Clear Out

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The weather may not exactly be playing ball, but right about now is usually when we’d start swapping our winter clothes for more summery attire. It’s time for a spring clear out – and what better time to do this than in quarantine?
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“Whilst life feels out of control at the moment, there are small pockets of our lives which we can control,” says life coach Kate Ibbotson, a professional declutterer and author of A Tidy Mind. “Decluttering our wardrobe is one of these and it’s a perfect contained space to focus on at this time.”
Many of us will have more time to do a thorough clear out, so take advantage of it – “but if not, then do it for your emotional health because decluttering is known to promote feelings of calm when you look at the newly sorted space”.
Start by categorising your clothing, footwear and accessories, says Ibbotson. For each category, go through and compare like with like. Do you favour one pair of black boots over another? Do you need both?
When sorting through the clothes like this, Helen Sanderson, author of the Home Declutter Kit, recommends putting clothes into the following piles:
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winter storage
needs mending
donate (to friends, charity or re-sale)
worth trying on
for the bin / recycling
holiday wardrobe (store in your suitcase if you’re short on space)
Once it’s all out the wardrobe, have a trying on party, suggests Sanderson: “Use this time to re-set, create a new wardrobe and a new you! Do it with some friends on Zoom, your flatmates or partner and a glass of wine.” If you haven’t worn it in the last year, chances are you’re never going to, unless it’s a special item for formal occasions. But, she adds, beware of the “I might be able to fit into it one day” trap. “The belief: tomorrow is more important that today. Counter this with: I’ve chosen to create space and order in my life right now. And I choose to have clothes that work for me today.”
When making a decision, don’t just ask yourself whether you like an item. Instead, says Ibbotson, ask yourself specific, intelligent questions such as: How do I feel in this? Would I buy this again if I saw it today? Does the fit flatter my shape? Does the colour suit me? Do I have at least three other things which go with it? Do I own other similar items? “Saying no to some items means saying yes to other things, she says, “and more space for stuff that brings you joy.”
Once you’re done, work out where your clothes will go. If things need mending – and you’re up for it – do it! Set yourself a deadline though, says Sanderson, then put the clothes in a bag and label it with the deadline date. “Agree with yourself that if you haven’t done it by then, it’s time for them to go!
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snorkulencija via Getty Images
Charity shops are shut right now and many local clothing banks are closed or full. Ibbotson suggests dividing your items into sizes and list for free on a local Facebook group or Next Door community group. Local people could pick up from outside your home whilst doing their allowed outdoor exercise, she says. “There may be some charities still accepting clothes, shoes and school uniforms, such as women’s refuges,” she adds.
Sanderson says any high-end clothes, or things that are almost new, may be worth something on eBay – but consider if it’s worth the time it takes to sell them. “The rest could be offered to friends and family if you like, but most likely will best as donations to charity shops.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-03--The Rudest Things You Can Do At A Virtual Wedding

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As social distancing practices have forced more couples to move their weddings online, the rest of us are left wondering about the proper etiquette for participating in such an event.
“A wedding is a wedding, whether virtual or in person,” etiquette expert Diane Gottsman — author of “Modern Etiquette for a Better Life” and founder of The Protocol School of Texas — told HuffPost. “Following some etiquette rules will keep the ceremony and the mood upbeat and celebratory.”
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We asked experts to reveal the rudest things someone could do at one of these virtual gatherings so you know which faux pas to avoid.
1. Forgetting to mute yourself.
If the host of the videoconference doesn’t do it for you, be sure to mute your audio until the end of the ceremony.
“Nothing is worse than hearing your shuffling or kids yelling in the background as the couple is declaring ’til death do them part,” said Janessa White, founder of Simply Eloped. “There will be a time when the officiant or couple will invite you to un-mute and either acknowledge having acted as witness or to simply celebrate with the newlywed couple.”
2. Looking like you just rolled out of bed.
You don’t have to wear a floor-length gown or a tuxedo, but do try to look presentable. Style your hair, change out of your pyjamas and put on a proper outfit.
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“If there is a theme, honour it. If there is no theme, don’t let the fact that you are sitting in your living room give you cover for wearing a T-shirt and shorts,” said etiquette columnist Thomas P. Farley, also known as Mister Manners.
And even if you’re attending from afar, you still shouldn’t wear white.
“Even virtually, a guest should dress to show respect,” Gottsman said. “Underdressing or wearing white will be noticed by the couple and fellow attendees.”
3. Trying to multitask during the ceremony.
At home, distractions abound, with pets, kids, deliveries, work obligations and a pile of laundry all vying for your attention. But do your best to stay fully present for the duration of the ceremony, just as you would if you were attending in real life. That means no multitasking.
“Although you may be in the comfort of your own home, refrain from doing things such as eating or talking to others,” said etiquette expert Elaine Swann, founder of the Swann School of Protocol. “It’s rude to not give the bride and groom your undivided attention.”
“Just because you think Charlie from accounting might enjoy a break from Netflix to watch his co-worker get married does not mean it’s your place to extend such an invite.” - Thomas P. Farley, also known as Mister Manners
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4. Showing up late.
With some video conferencing platforms, a chime may sound when a new participant enters the meeting (though you can disable the setting). So if you’re late, you could potentially disrupt the ceremony and ruin the moment.
“Enter the meeting — aka ceremony — at the right time and resolve any computer issues beforehand to avoid technical difficulties,” Gottsman said.
White said she encourages guests to be ready five minutes before the ceremony start time, “so that when the virtual room opens, they can be there and prepared to witness a beautiful moment on time.”
5. Sharing the videoconference link without the couple’s permission.
“Just because you think Charlie from accounting might enjoy a break from Netflix to watch his co-worker get married does not mean it’s your place to extend such an invite,” Farley said. “If there is someone you think the couple may have inadvertently missed, ask the couple before sharing the link and/or conference password.”
In the same vein, Swann said it would be inappropriate to record the ceremony or livestream it from your accounts without talking to the couple first.
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“A wedding is still a private affair, and the invitation is meant for specific attendees only,” she said. “Sharing it is like bringing a large group of uninvited people to someone’s wedding.”
6. Posting screengrabs on social media without asking the couple.
Hold off on sharing that photo of the newlyweds’ first kiss unless you’ve gotten their blessing to do so.