thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Herd Immunity Is Back On The Agenda – And Raising Big Questions

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Herd immunity is back on everyone’s radar after a group of scientists signed an open letter expressing “grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing Covid-19 policies”.
Their letter – named The Great Barrington Declaration, after the US town where it was signed – argues against strict lockdown measures and policies, in favour of letting the virus run its natural course among the young and healthy in society, while still protecting those who are most vulnerable. The ultimate goal is ‘herd immunity’ which is what happens when enough of a population becomes immune to a disease, either because they’ve been vaccinated or because they’ve had the disease, recovered and developed immunity.
Advertisement
Dr Martin Kulldorff, professor of medicine at Harvard University; Dr Sunetra Gupta, epidemiology professor at Oxford University, and Dr Jay Bhattacharya, professor at Stanford University Medical School, are the letter’s lead signatories.
“The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity, is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those who are at highest risk,” their declaration states.
This approach, which the signatories call “focused protection”, has the support of 2,770 medical and public health scientists; 3,678 medical practitioners and 58,107 members of the public, according to the declaration’s website.
However it does not have the backing of the UK government. A spokesperson for No 10 said: “We have considered the full range of scientific opinion throughout the course of this pandemic and we will continue to do so.
Advertisement
“But what I would also say is that it is not possible to rely on an unproven assumption that it is possible for people who are at lower risk, should they contract the virus, to avoid subsequently transmitting it to those who are at a higher risk and would face a higher risks of ending up in hospital, or worse in an intensive care unit.”
Robert Daly via Getty Images
The scientists involved with the declaration say they are motivated by concern that lockdown policies are producing “devastating effects” on short and long-term public health. They cite lower childhood vaccination rates, worsening heart disease outcomes, fewer cancer screenings and deteriorating mental health, and point out that the working class and younger members of society carry the heaviest burden.
The open letter argues that adopting measures to protect the vulnerable should be the central aim of public health responses to Covid-19, while those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal.
However, some experts are pointing to glaring holes in the idea and are worried about the consequences of adopting such an approach. Professor Jeremy Rossman, honorary senior lecturer in virology at the University of Kent, is one of them.
Advertisement
While he acknowledges the actions taken to control Covid-19 have had “significant physical and mental health impacts across the population”, he is concerned the declaration ignores critical aspects that could result in significant impacts to health and lives. Many others are concerned that key issues haven’t been addressed or explained by the declaration – such as: how do we define who is vulnerable? And how do you then keep those people safe without locking them away?
Here are some of the questions we still don’t know the answer to when it comes to herd immunity for Covid-19.
Is herd immunity to Covid-19 even possible?
In short, we don’t know. “Herd immunity relies on lasting immunological protection from coronavirus re-infection; however, we have heard many recent cases of re-infection occurring and some research suggests protective antibody responses may decay rapidly,” Prof Rossmann says.
Some studies have found a steep decline in patients’ antibody levels three months after infection, which isn’t great news for the herd immunity argument. In lieu of the right antibodies, T-cells – a type of white blood cell specialised in recognising virus-infected cells and destroying them – might help us stay immune to the illness for a bit longer. However we need more studies to confirm if this is the case – and how effective they are.
Prof James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute and a professor at the University of Oxford, points out, that don’t even have herd immunity to the common cold, despite many of us having one or more each year. It would be helpful if the scientists backing the declaration could provide estimates of the achievability of herd immunity with “different immune response decays”, he says – that is, timeframes in which Covid immunity dwindles. Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor of Cellular Microbiology at the University of Reading, suggests that to find out whether herd immunity is possible, “would be to consign a great many more thousands of people to their deaths, and many more would be left suffering from the effects of long Covid, which is even less well understood”. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organisation’s health emergencies program, previously said 60-80% of the population would need to be vaccinated or have antibodies to achieve herd immunity. It’s thought less than 8% of people in the UK currently have antibodies that could fight Covid. Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in the US, previously warned that if America were to try to achieve herd immunity, the death toll would be “enormous”.
What would this mean for young people?
The declaration suggests people who aren’t vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal.
“Simple hygiene measures, such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold,” it says. “Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities, such as sports, should be resumed.”
Young low-risk adults should also be able to work normally, it says, rather than from home, and restaurants and other businesses should open. Arts, music, sport and other cultural activities should also resume. “People who are more at risk may participate if they wish, while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity.”
It doesn’t mention the growing issue of long Covid, however. As Prof Rossman points out, “many healthy young adults with ‘mild’ Covid-19 infections are experiencing protracted symptoms and long-term disability”.
Advertisement
Could ‘herd immunity’ fuel long Covid?
Professor Tim Spector, the lead researcher of the UK’s Covid Symptom Study app, which has 4 million users, recently said the effects of long Covid could turn out to be a bigger public health problem than excess deaths. So it’s definitely an important factor to take into account.
Long Covid appears to be rare in those under 18 and over 65, with higher prevalence among those of working age, according to a report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. The median age of those affected is 45 years-old, and it affects women more than men.
It’s thought around one in 10 people who had Covid-19 go on to experience long-term symptoms including extreme fatigue, breathlessness and brain fog.
The concern is if we let the virus sweep through those who are least vulnerable – so, those of working age – we risk taking a significant gamble not only on people’s health, but also the economy.
Advertisement
How would protecting the vulnerable work?
Prof Rossman’s ultimate concern is that countries which have avoided lockdown restrictions in favour of personal responsibility and ‘focused protection’ of the elderly, such as Sweden, were not able to protect the vulnerable population. Anders Tegnell, Sweden’s state epidemiologist, recently admitted herd immunity has not materialised, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Advertisement
“While there is clearly a need to support and ease the physical and mental health burdens many are suffering under, the proposed declaration is both unlikely to succeed and puts the long-term health of many at risk,” he says.
The idea of protecting the vulnerable is not new, and is indeed already in place in the UK – for instance, in the case of the flu, where we have a national vaccination programme that gives a vaccine each year to the elderly and vulnerable, and sometimes those around them, too.
With that in mind, a Covid vaccine would be a shortcut to herd immunity, but as it stands we still don’t know if and when a vaccine will be ready. There are some other questions raised too: how do we effectively shield vulnerable populations while leaving younger generations to go about their lives as normal?
The declaration’s website suggests, by example, that nursing homes, should use staff with acquired immunity and perform frequent PCR testing of other staff and all visitors, while staff rotation should be minimised.
“Retired people living at home should have groceries and other essentials delivered to their home,” it also suggests. “When possible, they should meet family members outside rather than inside.”
Advertisement
What are the risks of segregating people?
Segregation might seem a solution, but we know that placing people in extreme isolation has profound effects on people’s mental health. Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor in the School of Medicine at University of Leeds, says that while the declaration is “clearly a well-intentioned movement”, their suggested approach has “profound ethical, logistical and scientific flaws”.
“Ethically, history has taught us that the notion of segregating society, even perhaps with good initial intentions, usually ends in suffering,” he points out. Logistically, he questions how the most vulnerable would first be identified and and then effectively separated from the rest of society.
Dr Michael Head, a senior research fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton, warns “it is a very bad idea” and that segregating members of society “would also promote further inequalities across society, for example across the Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities [who are at greater risk from Covid-19]”.
If herd immunity is not a foolproof solution – arguably, even a dangerous one – what is the right approach? Dr Rupert Beale, group leader of the cell biology of infection laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute, says an effective response to the Covid pandemic requires multiple targeted interventions to reduce transmission, to develop better treatments and to protect vulnerable people.
“This declaration prioritises just one aspect of a sensible strategy – protecting the vulnerable – and suggests we can safely build up ‘herd immunity’ in the rest of the population,” says Dr Beale. “This is wishful thinking.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--I’m A Parkinson’s Nurse Living With Parkinson’s. This Is How My Journey Helps My Patients

HuffPost is part of Verizon Media .
We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through @ @ @ @ @ similar technologies , to display personalised ads and content , for ad and content measurement @ @ @ @ @ development .
Your personal data that may be used • Information about your device and @ @ @ @ @ IP address • Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps Find @ @ @ @ @ use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy .
To enable Verizon Media @ @ @ @ @ your personal data select ' I agree ' , or select 'Manage settings ' for @ @ @ @ @ your choices .
You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
I was 30 when I first noticed something was wrong.
Working as a nurse and raising a two-year-old, I developed a tremor in my right hand that became a real nuisance, to the point where people would ask me if I was nervous performing tasks because they could see me shaking. I also felt like I had lost my centre of gravity, which made walking more difficult.
I was referred to a neurologist, who gave me some medication to try. By my follow-up appointment, I was very reassured that my symptoms had reduced. This should have been a good thing, but it only helped to confirm a diagnosis – I had Parkinson’s.
Advertisement
The news didn’t sink in. I couldn’t believe it, and had no idea how I was going to tell my husband and family. So I kept quiet for some time about my diagnosis, only telling my close family and friends – not because I was embarrassed, but because I just wanted to be ‘Clare’, not ‘Clare with Parkinson’s’.
My job as a nurse gave me a sense of purpose and focus, so I kept working – although some aspects, such as the varying shift patterns, became difficult to manage. I found the fluctuation in shifts could make taking my medication on time harder to do, which started to take its toll. For the first time, my ability to manage my Parkinson’s was being compromised.
“I can’t really put into words how proud and privileged I am to be part of a dedicated team who support people with Parkinson’s.”
I had spoken about it with my managers but with the fear of asking for help comes the fear of being judged. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do my job, I just needed help to continue doing it to the best of my ability. I wanted to maintain as normal a life as possible at work and outside of it. As a nurse, mum and wife things aren’t normally about you – and this was certainly about me.
Advertisement
After a long time, and a lot of determination, we found a solution that would meet all our needs. I’d worked hard throughout my nursing career and I was pleased that I wouldn’t have to compromise between a job I loved and managing my long-term condition. The adjustments meant I was able to manage both effectively and for me, this balance is so important.
When I saw the job advertised for a Parkinson’s nurse in 2019, it was my friends and family who encouraged me to apply. First and foremost, I’m a nurse with the professional requirements needed to do the job, but I also have the added empathy that comes with living with Parkinson’s.
I can’t really put into words how proud and privileged I am to be part of a dedicated team who support people with Parkinson’s. I value the time I have with my patients, giving guidance and support as their clinical nurse specialist, not as someone with Parkinson’s. I don’t ever make judgments about their decision-making because one thing Parkinson’s has taught me, both personally and professionally, is that one size does not fit all. The main difference is that I completely appreciate where they are coming from. I fully understand their worries – and often share them.
“While I’m not on any wonder drugs, I know my positive outlook and being surrounded by great people has got me through the tough times.”
I feel really strongly about changing the public’s perception of Parkinson’s. When I tell people I have Parkinson’s they often reply, ‘You’re too young.’ But the truth is, anyone can get Parkinson’s, young or old. That is why I set up a working age group for people with Parkinson’s in Sheffield and Humber, where, at least before the pandemic, we met, ate pizza and talked for hours about the things we all had in common. Raising awareness is really important and change will only happen if we all work together.
Advertisement
As for my own condition right now, I still have a mild tremor in my right hand. I have some issues when I walk. Occasionally I have dystonia in my toes when I’m ‘off’ – my muscles become tighter and shorter than normal, making them stiff and painful to the point it literally makes my toes curl. I also experience mild, occasional anxiety. While I’m not on any wonder drugs, I know my positive outlook and being surrounded by great people has got me through the tough times.
I think that’s why I have achieved so much since my diagnosis – I don’t dwell on what could be, I get on with my life and carry on regardless. For me, it is so important to live your life the best way you can – that way I can continue having a positive impact on the patients I see during their own Parkinson’s journey. And if I can do that, I am left feeling very lucky.
It will be twelve years since my diagnosis. This journey is the hardest one I have travelled but I’m lucky I don’t have to travel it alone.
Clare continues to support the charity Parkinson’s UK. To find out more about Parkinson’s, visit parkinsons.org.uk
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Mum's Hilarious Comics Capture The 'Nonsense' Of Parenting

Francesca Hause has always loved drawing, but it wasn’t until she became a mother that she turned her hobby into a full-blown comic.
Hause is the artist behind “Litterbox Comics” ― a hilarious series focused on the ups and downs of life with small children. She told HuffPost she felt inspired to launch the comic in May 2018 after a particular afternoon watching “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” with her two sons.
“I’d seen the episode a million times, so I was amusing myself thinking how funny it would be if something ‘real’ suddenly happened ― Mom Tiger losing her cool or Daniel dropping the F-bomb,” she said. “I wished I could watch a show like that. Then it hit me; I couldn’t make a show, but I could make a comic!”
Advertisement
Hause had been writing “all the weird stuff” her kids do in a notebook, so she had lots of material to get started. More than two years later, she’s created hundreds of funny strips on topics ranging from parenting message boards to paediatrician visits. She continues to find inspiration from her boys, who are now six and three.
“Their comic counterparts are very much based on them,” she said. “The eldest can be difficult, but he’s dangerously smart and lovable. The youngest is a little bumbling ray of sunshine ― until he isn’t. The 6-year-old is fascinated by the comics, although things have become more awkward now that he can actually read them!”
Advertisement
Hause, who is English but moved to Austin, Texas, 10 years ago, bounces ideas around with her husband, a fellow artist with a sense of humor. He’s also the basis of the character Dad Cat.
“People often ask, ‘Why cats?’” she noted. “In my first draft they were actually tigers, but I quickly realized drawing all those stripes would drive me mad! I considered other animals, but kept coming back to cats. There’s a lot of inner turmoil with parenting, and I love that cats let me show this visually with shirking pupils, bristling fur and tails! I’m not really sure why, but I’ve never enjoyed drawing humans.”
Hause hopes parents who read “Litterbox Comics” get “solidarity and a smile” from the relatable scenarios and funny illustrations.
“Motherhood hit me like a ton of bricks, and the only way I survived that first year was thanks to humor,” she said. “Parenthood can be a dark and lonely place, especially in 2020. I want people to feel seen and find relief in laughing at some of this nonsense.”
Advertisement
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hause wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with the “Litterverse” as she adjusted to life with remote learning and the “general 2020 despair” that began fogging up her brain.
“Eventually I decided the best thing I could do for the world (and my own mental health!) would be to focus on the funny,” she said. “I purposely keep my comics current affairs free, because although what’s been happening is important, it’s also important to take breaks and laugh.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--These Babies In Tiny Halloween Costumes Make 2020 Feel Less Scary

Trick or Treating may or may not happen this year, but doesn’t mean to see you can’t still get into the Halloween spirit and dress up the kids. Many parents plan to participate safely in the holiday this year, by getting their kids into costumes and celebrating together at home.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--I Found Out I Was Losing My Cineworld Job On Social Media

A woman holds an umbrella as she walks past a Cineworld in Leicester's Square, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in London, Britain, October 4, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Henry Nicholls / Reuters
I had my feet up, watching a new Amazon TV show with a custard cream in one hand and a cuppa in the other.
Arguably, things were going well – until a message popped up on my phone in the Cineworld staff group chat.
Advertisement
I wish I hadn’t checked it. All my friends from work were typing furiously: “Not again”; “Seriously…?”; ”Guys check Twitter”.
So I checked, and just like that I found out I was losing my job – by social media.
I’ve worked for Cineworld for four years as a team leader. I’ve given my hardest work, the longest hours and all my efforts to that company unfalteringly. But this is how their staff found out they would be losing their livelihoods in the midst of a global pandemic: through a leaked report in the Sunday Times.
The worst part is, this isn’t even the first time it’s happened. At the beginning of the pandemic, Cineworld asked the general manager of every site to pop their employees a quick phone call. ′Hey pal, yeah sorry, you don’t have a job any more′.
Last time, we were bailed out by the furlough scheme. But this time, it was the media who told us, and there was no government bailout package to cushion the blow.
Advertisement
“We all begin furiously spamming our managers late into the evening, demanding answers. But no one had anything to tell us.”
We all begin furiously spamming our managers late into the evening, demanding answers. But no one had anything to tell us. They were just as upset and outraged as we were.
It quickly became apparent that this decision, that would affect thousands of employees, had been made in a boardroom by faceless executives, and not a single bit of communication had been relayed to those it would hurt.
The next day, we were emailed an apology that “internal discussions have leaked”. It hardly felt like the apology we deserved – especially as it didn’t acknowledge the impact of these job losses, only that they had been caught short. Worse, the email didn’t clarify the situation – would we be losing our jobs or not?
On Monday, we were back at work. Customer after customer approached us: “Sorry to hear you’re not going to have a job”. It was so painful. No one should have to work like that. I didn’t know whether I should be applying for jobs or not.
Advertisement
The managers did their best to keep spirits up, but even they were absolutely appalled at Cineworld’s lack of empathy for their staff.
Later, we were pulled aside and explicitly told “not to talk to the press”, or else you “face losing pay”. But no one asked if we were okay.
I stayed at Cineworld because my colleagues are my family, our managers are our friends – but the love stops there. I have seen time and time again Cineworld treat its staff as disposable – we are undervalued, unappreciated and disenfranchised.
“Cinema is an escape from a harsh reality, and we need that now more than ever.”
Finally, we received an email from the CEO confirming what most of us already knew by this point: Cineworld’s cinemas would be closing.
Advertisement
But still no clarity about our jobs. Are we being made redundant? Or are we going to be laid off? Unpaid leave? It’s been four days and we still have no information. The staff feel as though we are screaming into an abyss and no-one is listening. I ask you to imagine yourself as someone like me, who pays £1,000 a month in rent, bills, phone, car, food and general expenses. How would losing your £1,100 job a month affect you? Yeah, devastating.
And now, get another job, they say. But where? Nowhere is hiring. They haven’t even made team members redundant, they’re keeping the zero-hour contract staff on unpaid leave. Members with families can’t file for unemployment or Universal Credit. They don’t get redundancy. They get nothing, and it’s deplorable.
The only reason Cineworld kept us on last time is because of the government’s divine intervention. Thus, I implore Rishi Sunak or Boris Johnson or anyone to look at our position and help us. The arts sector is dying a slow and painful death in this climate, and we urgently need help. Cinema simply will not survive if you don’t step in.
Do you remember how you felt enveloped in darkness, with the scent of sweet popcorn in the air, when Frodo threw the ring into Mount Doom? When Chewbacca and Han returned to the Millennium Falcon? When the Delorean sped off into the distance? When Woody and Buzz made their way back to Andy? When Hogwarts took its last stand against the Dark Lord? When Captain America picked up Mjolnir?
Don’t take that away from future generations. Cinema is an escape from a harsh reality, and we need that now more than ever.
Advertisement
Cineworld doesn’t seem to care about us. But please, for the sake of cinema, for the sake of our livelihoods and hard work, someone has to. Or else we will all suffer.
This author, who has asked to remain anonymous, is a Cineworld team leader based in south England


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Kate Garraway Reveals Emotional Reason Gardening Has Helped Her Through Her Husband's Illness

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Kate Garraway has shared the poignant reason that gardening has become a comfort to her while her husband remains in hospital.
The Good Morning Britain star’s husband, Derek Draper, was taken to intensive care in March after contracting Covid-19, where he was placed in an induced coma.
Advertisement
Derek has been in hospital since then, and Kate has regularly updated viewers about his condition while appearing on GMB.
During a new interview on Gardeners’ World, set to air on Friday night, Kate speaks about how gardening has given both herself and her two children Darcey and Billy, a sense of hope throughout their ordeal.
Kate Garraway and Derek Draper pictured last year, after she left the I'm A Celebrity jungle James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock
“It was rather sad because the radishes came, they’re one of Derek’s favourite vegetables, and we ate them and he still wasn’t better,” Kate explained.
Advertisement
“So I then thought, we’ve got to go more long-term, planting things that were going to take longer to bear fruit.
“And I’d say, ‘Dad will be better [by the time they grow]’... And of course now that it’s been so long, we’ve got a huge basket of bulbs, so that when dad comes home, the place will be full of colour.”
She continues: “When you’re living day-to-day on a knife edge, doing something that gives you a future just helps with a sense of progress, where there is actually none from the direct situation.”
“You don’t plant something unless you believe it’s going to come up, so by planting something and believing Derek will see it when it comes up, that gives us a sense of future,” Kate adds.
Back in August, Kate fought back tears as she revealed to GMB viewers that her co-presenter Charlotte Hawkins had recently gifted her with a rose bush, which came to flower on Derek’s 53rd birthday.
Advertisement
Kate in the Good Morning Britain studio Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
In the last week, Kate has repeatedly criticised Donald Trump amid his comments about coronavirus, following his own Covid-19 diagnosis.
On Thursday, Kate admitted she was stunned by the US president’s suggestion that him having contracted coronavirus was a “blessing”, stating: “You can’t say something’s a blessing when more than 200,000 people in your own country and more than a million worldwide have died from it.
“It’s not the way we hope our elected representatives feel. You’d hope they can sense the horror before they actually go through it.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Could A Second National Lockdown Be The Best Way To ‘Level Up’ The North And South?

LOADING ERROR LOADING
You’re reading The Waugh Zone, our daily politics briefing. Sign up now to get it by email in the evening.
Earlier this week, the blood drained from Boris Johnson’s face and that of his No.10 team when they received the latest scientific briefing on soaring covid case numbers in the north.
Advertisement
Today, it was the turn of MPs in northern and midlands seats to get the white-faced treatment as chief medical officer Chris Whitty showed a series of scary slides on the rapid advance of the virus in their areas. One of the most alarming graphs showed the number of patients in intensive care in the north west and north east could soon return to the level they were during the pandemic’s peak in April.
To back up the need for action on hospitality already hit by the 10pm curfew, another slide said that 30% of “common exposures” of people under 30 stemmed from pubs, bars, restaurants. Adding in workers and not just customers, the figure reaches 42.2%. Put the two together and that looks like the virus is putting the ‘hospital’ into ‘hospitality’.
From all the hints and leaks it looks as though the government is set to introduce a “tiered” system to close bars and pubs in the worst hit areas, ban household mixing in medium hot areas and keep things as they are in others.
No.10 refused to confirm any plans today, but it has all week been talking about “not hesitating” to act “in areas where cases and hospitalisations are rising significantly”. The truth is that it is indeed hesitating because it is still weighing up the options and we won’t get to know any new action until next week.
Advertisement
But while a national approach is still held in reserve, it seems that Boris Johnson is set to double down on his strategy of trying increasingly strict local lockdowns. I’ve written before that his exit strategy out of lockdown has never been matched by a detailed re-entry strategy, and it seems his sole political priority is to avoid the embarrassment of having to impose a second national lockdown to match the second wave.
One reason for the delay in the new local curbs is that the Treasury has been hammering out the detail of support packages. Here again the suspicion among some in Whitehall is that the main reason Rishi Sunak is opposing a second national lockdown is that he would inevitably face calls for a second furlough, with all the costs that involves.
PA
The situation would of course be much more bearable if England had a functioning test-and-trace system. Today’s latest figures showed it is now reporting its lowest ever contact-tracing rate (68.8%, well short of the 80% needed to make the system viable). The 24 hour test turnaround times are near a record low (11% for all routes, 25.7% for in-person tests), well below the 100% promised by the PM by the end of June.
Buried in the government’s press release on test and trace was a line that there are now 87 council contact tracing teams live across the country, “with more due to come online over the coming weeks”. Given that councils have a much better contact rate than Serco’s call centres, they clearly need more (centrally funded) teams as soon as possible.
Advertisement
It was Ian Hudspeth, the Tory leader of Oxfordshire county council and chair of the Local Government Association community wellbeing board, who today said councils need more specific information from NHS Test and Trace “alongside the right resources including funding and recruiting extra personnel”. Hudspeth famously once told David Cameron his services were squeezed by government’s cuts, but will Johnson listen more carefully this time?
With local lockdowns signally failing to stem the rising tide, more politicians are finally coming round to the idea of a “circuit break” similar to the one Nicola Sturgeon ordered yesterday. And the most senior English voice yet to advocate that idea is now John McDonnell. Speaking to our Commons People podcast, the former shadow chancellor said a two-week “severe” lockdown was needed, including shutting pubs and restaurants to give time to fix test-and-trace.
“I know it’s unpopular,” he said. “Someone put it to me the other day about the economic effects, and people will lose their jobs and the companies being hit, that will have health effects. But you can revive the economy over time – you can’t resurrect the dead.” Actually some polls suggest a circuit break could be very popular indeed.
Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll shows only 34% of the public think Keir Starmer’s Labour are doing a good job of holding Johnson to account on Covid. Given that poll after poll shows an appetite for tough restrictions, could Labour go down the McDonnell route? Starmer’s signal today that he won’t oppose the 10pm curfew next week shows he’s trying to keep his options open.
Starmer could plausibly say: we never wanted one, but the government’s incompetence in keeping a lid on the virus means a second national lockdown is now needed to save the NHS from being swamped. He could add that confusion over the local measures would be removed by a national approach, as well as a sense of national unity and solidarity if everyone endured the same medicine. “Levelling up” restrictions could mean northern voters also feel loved rather than loathed and that we are once again all in this together.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Who Is Allegra Stratton, The Face Of No 10's New TV Press Briefings?

Allegra Stratton is reported to have “impressed” Boris Johnson while working for chancellor Rishi Sunak. Mark Thomas/Shutterstock
The UK government has a new face after Allegra Stratton was named as Boris Johnson’s first spokesperson for televised briefings.
Following the daily televised press conferences that marked the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak, it was revealed in July that Downing Street would be adopting a similar approach to its regular updates to political journalists in Westminster.
Advertisement
At the moment, the twice-daily briefings take place off-camera in a remote corner of parliament. But the current Conservative administration wants a shake-up and appears to have looked to America for inspiration.
The daily White House briefings are viewed across the world and have made spokespeople including Sean Spicer and Kayleigh McEnany, currently Donald Trump’s press secretary, into household names. Stratton, a former BBC and ITV journalist, is the first person to assume a similar position in the UK.
Who is she?
Stratton, 39, graduated from Cambridge University and started her media career as a producer for the BBC before moving into print journalism and working as a political correspondent at The Guardian.
She joined BBC Newsnight as political editor in 2011 before becoming national editor at ITV News in 2015 and also co-presented ITV’s Peston On Sunday.
Advertisement
Allegra Stratton is Downing Street’s new Press Secretary. Former Guardian, BBC, ITN journalist and most recently working for Chancellor Rishi Sunak. — Vicki Young (@BBCVickiYoung) October 8, 2020
In 2011, she married James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator, the conservative magazine which Johnson used to edit.
Stratton has cited her heroes as being 19th century author George Eliot, journalist Stephanie Flanders and comedian, actor and writer Tina Fey.
She left journalism in April to become the director of strategic communications for chancellor Rishi Sunak, who has become known for his slick style that includes adding his autograph to various PR campaigns.
Newsnight controversy
As political editor of Newsnight, Stratton faced a backlash in 2012 for her report on the government’s proposed cuts to welfare benefits. In an interview with single mother Shanene Thorp from east London, Stratton suggested to her it was “a choice you are making” to receive housing benefits and live in her own home, rather than stay with her mother. At the time, the coalition government was attempting to end welfare as a “lifestyle choice”.
Thorp complained that the report implied she was unemployed, when in fact she balanced a job with bringing up her daughter.
“Immediately after filming I was upset: I felt as if I’d been mugged,” she wrote. “I’d been led to believe I’d be defending young people from benefit cuts, not defending my family.”
The programme apologised – although that appears to have been removed from the BBC’s website – following a series of outraged headlines, which included “How Newsnight demonised a single mother”.
What does the government say?
Stratton was quickly named as a favourite to become the face of No 10 when plans emerged in July.
She was appointed after a recruitment process which set out to find someone who could “communicate with the nation on behalf of the prime minister”.
Advertisement
The prime minister was said to have been “impressed” with her abilities while working at the Treasury.
Though Downing Street is yet to comment, a government source said told the PA News agency that she will become the new spokesperoson for televised press conferences, in a politically-appointed role as a special adviser.
Unlike civil servants, Spads, as they are known in Westminster, can give political advice to ministers as well as criticise opposition parties.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Jim Carrey Cartoon Gives One-Finger Salute To 'Super Spreader-In-Chief' Trump

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Jim Carrey basically just told US president Donald Trump to kiss off in his new cartoon.
In a nod to the growing ranks of Trump associates infected with Covid-19 after the leader’s illness, Jim imagined Trump in a kissing... er... “kiss of death” booth.
A gloved hand also raises the middle finger to Trump, who has a giant droplet coming out of his nose.
Advertisement
Thanks for playing deadly power games while Americans lose everything, Super Spreader-in-Chief. Don’t fear the electoral landslide. Don’t let it dominate your life! #BidenHarris pic.twitter.com/ICxASnjbQt — Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) October 7, 2020
Trump’s widely-criticised message in which he told Americans “don’t be afraid” of the virus and “don’t let it dominate your life” was easy pickings for the comedian, who threw the words back in Trump’s face.
“Thanks for playing deadly power games while Americans lose everything, Super Spreader-in-Chief,” the caption reads. “Don’t fear the electoral landslide. Don’t let it dominate your life!”
Trump is badly trailing Democrat Joe Biden in the polls, with less than a month to go before the election.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Jim appears to have picked up the pace with his cartoon takedowns of Trump and company.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--James Corden Notices A Striking Contrast In Donald Trump's New Video

LOADING ERROR LOADING
This is something you can’t makeup ... or maybe you can?
With ongoing concerns about Donald Trump’s health following his Covid-19 diagnosis, the president made a video on Wednesday to show he’s doing well.
Though the video had various notable moments, including the president calling his diagnosis a “blessing from God”, Corden was struck by another curious aspect.
Advertisement
“Is it just me, or is Trump looking especially orange?” the Late Late Show host wondered, as he and Ian Karmel, co-head writer of the US talk show, broke into Oompa Loompa song parodies about the president.
James tried his best to listen to Trump’s message but kept getting distracted.
“I mean, look at the difference between the colour of his hands and the face,” he said, adding, “Who’s doing the makeup?”
“I think they’re like eight feet away with a fire hose applying it,” Ian then joked.
Can you spot the difference? CBS
James just couldn’t get over the contrast between Trump’s hands and his face, which was so striking that he even compared it to his own makeup, leading the Late Late Show host to come to a startling revelation:
Advertisement
Dude’s got the same look.
“I mean, it’s not as bad, but it’s close,” James admitted, looking at his pale hands. “I mean, I’ll be honest. I regret going on this riff now because... I am in a glass house chucking some stones.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Bianca Williams: Met Police Officers To Be Investigated Over Stop And Search

Team GB's Bianca Williams PA
Five Met Police officers are under investigation after Team GB sprinter Bianca Williams and her partner were stopped and searched by police in July.
Williams, a European and Commonwealth gold medallist, and Ricardo dos Santos, the Portuguese record holder over 400m, were stopped and handcuffed while with their three-month-old baby in Maida Vale.
Advertisement
Following the incident Williams, then 26, told The Times she believed it was “racial profiling”.
“It’s always the same thing with Ricardo,” she said.
“They think he’s driving a stolen vehicle, or he’s been smoking cannabis.
“It’s racial profiling. The way they spoke to Ricardo, like he was scum, dirt on their shoe, was shocking. It was awful to watch.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the officers would be investigated for potential breaches of police standards of professional behaviour relating to use of force, duties and responsibilities, and authority, respect and courtesy.
The watchdog said the probe would also investigate whether Williams and dos Santos “were treated less favourably because of their race”.
Footage of the incident in west London on July 4 was shared widely on Twitter at the time after being posted by former Olympic medallist Linford Christie.
Advertisement
Williams made a complaint about the incident on Twitter and the Met made a referral to the IOPC, the watchdog said.
IOPC regional director Sal Naseem said: “Having analysed a range of evidence including police body worn, dashcam video and witness statements, we now have a fuller picture of the officers’ interactions with the couple and their child.
“As a result, we have taken the decision that this meets the threshold for a misconduct investigation, the allegations will now be investigated thoroughly and independently.
“It is important to note that a misconduct investigation does not necessarily mean misconduct proceedings will follow. Decisions on any further action will only be made once our investigation is complete.”
In a statement, the Met said the force had voluntary referred itself to the IOPC.
“The decision to refer to the IOPC was taken due to the complaint being recorded and the significant public interest in this matter.”
Advertisement
The statement continued: “Notices have now been served on those officers informing them they are under investigation. The serving of notices does not necessarily mean misconduct proceedings will follow.
“The officers involved are from the Territorial Support Group. No officer is suspended or subject to restricted duties.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Bradley Walsh Moved To Tears As He Hears How Those In Care Homes Have Been Affected By Pandemic

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Bradley Walsh had a tearful moment during a discussion on This Morning, after hearing the story of a mother who has not been allowed to visit her critically ill son for six months due to coronavirus restrictions.
During Thursday’s edition of the daytime show, Bradley heard the story of Ruth, a woman whose son, Sam, is in the late stages of Huntington’s disease and currently resides in a care home.
Advertisement
Because of Covid restrictions, Ruth has not seen her son in six months, and reached out to the Chase host over Instagram hoping that he could help raise awareness of her situation.
Bradley Walsh was joined by Liz Kendall, the junior shadow minister for social care, for the discussion ITV
“I’ve never met Ruth and Sam but [their story] is heartbreaking,” Bradley told presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
“In Ruth’s case, specifically, six, seven months… having daily contact with Sam and then all of a sudden, none, zero. And he’s in the later stages of Huntington’s… and it’s so sad.”
Advertisement
Becoming choked up, he continued: “It’s hard enough, to see your… it’s hard enough. I’m sorry. It’s hard enough to see your parents go, but if your child is going to go before you, something needs to be done. I apologise.”
Bradley became tearful as he spoke of Ruth's heartbreaking story ITV
Holly then assured Bradley he had no reason to be sorry, after which he said he felt the government needed to step in to help people in situations like Ruth’s.
“It’s so upsetting,” he said. “And I had no idea. I had no idea this was going on… I’ve just done some research, and I believe there are 22,000 care homes in the United Kingdom… and that’s extraordinary.
“I don’t know how we do it, but something… and I also think it should be government-led, and not necessarily locally-led.
Advertisement
“There needs to be a blanket decision made, and the expense would be enormous, but if you’re going to live out your last days, on your own, locked in isolation, without your loved ones and your friends around you… [and] the people you leave behind are going to be scarred for life. And that is just tragic. Tragic, it really is.”
'It's hard enough to see your parents go, but if your child is going to go before you, something needs to be done.'
Bradley Walsh calls for the government to change their stance on care home visiting restrictions.
Watch the full interview on the ITV Hub https://t.co/Q7IV485mUn pic.twitter.com/PIHKS1ENdP — This Morning (@thismorning) October 8, 2020
At the end of the discussion, Phillip told viewers that a government representative had declined to join them, but read out a statement from the Department of Health and Social Care.
Their statement read: “We know limiting visits to care homes has been very difficult for many families and residents, our first priority remains the prevention of infection in care homes to protect staff and residence, which is why more than 120,000 tests are being sent out every day solely for the care sector.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Theresa May Savages Dominic Cummings' Planning Reforms As She Leads Tory Revolt

PA
Theresa May has savaged Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings’ housebuilding reforms, warning they make a mockery of their claim to be “levelling up” the north and south of England.
In a Commons debate, the former prime minister ridiculed her successor’s proposals to replace local planning controls with an algorithm that will “distribute” an annual 337,000 homes across the country.
Advertisement
The scheme, reportedly the brainchild of the PM’s chief advisor Cummings, could deliver an additional five million homes across England in the next 15 years, with nearly a third in rural counties.
May was joined by 31 Tory MPs, including six of her former cabinet ministers such as Jeremy Hunt and Damian Green, as they unanimously passed a motion demanding that the project be paused until after parliament has voted on it.
The PM has been bullish in recent days as the Tory rebellion has grown, but backbencher Bob Seely warned him that the government reforms represented “not levelling up but concreting out” many areas.
The Sunday Times reported this summer that Cummings had been working with communities secretary Robert Jenrick devise the radical planning changes, which are based on US-style zonal developments.
Advertisement
A petition opposing the move has already attracted nearly 150,000 signatures.
One Tory MP told HuffPost UK: “This is government by spad [special advisor] and proves that people like Dominic Cummings have no idea how to implement policy.
“This could have a longer impact on the government than Covid. If they go ahead, it won’t be us they have to deal with, it will be the electorate in the local elections next year and the year after that and after that.”
The criticism came as Cummings. who has set up a new Nasa-style ‘command centre’ to better coordinate No.10′s oversight of Whitehall, is facing fresh scrutiny from parliament over his role.
The Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee on Thursday launched a new inquiry into “the role and status of the prime minister’s office”.
May, who has already criticised Johnson over his plan to break international law on Brexit, was withering in her criticism of the “ill-conceived” reforms.
Advertisement
She said: “The problem with these proposals, the problem with this algorithm on housing numbers, is that it doesn’t guarantee a single extra home being built and, far from levelling up, it forces more investment into London and the south.”
In a pointed reference to this year’s A-level fiasco, the former premier said: “I would have thought that the Government might have abandoned algorithms by now.”
“What this new algorithm does, as regards to levelling up, is flies in the face of the government’s flagship policy. The government needs to think again and come back with a comprehensive proposal to this House for a proper debate and, dare I say it, a meaningful vote,” she said.
Number 10 special advisor Dominic Cummings JONATHAN BRADY via Getty Images
Seely earlier warned the reforms could “hollow out our cities” and “urbanise our suburbs”.
“I support levelling up 100% but, broadly speaking, the danger in these new targets in the way they’ve been shaped is that the biggest housing increases will be to rural shires and suburbs, and the biggest falls are in the urban north and Midlands.
Advertisement
“The worst of all worlds would be to hollow out our cities, to urbanise our suburbs and suburbanise the countryside and yet I fear that is what we may accidentally be achieving. That is not levelling up but is concreting out.”
Hunt said: “The argument for building new houses has been won but what is on the table risks eroding local democracy, reducing affordable housing and encroaching on our beautiful countryside.”
May’s former deputy Damian Green added: “We are in danger of turning the Garden of England into a patio.”
Conservative former cabinet minister Chris Grayling told the government he could not support the housing algorithm, claiming the approach is “wrong”.
“The reality is if we go ahead with a housing approach of the kind the government is setting out in this algorithm, what it will do is it will continue to suck economic growth, the brightest and best people in our society and opportunity into the south-east of England – exactly the opposite to what this country actually needs to achieve,” he said.
Advertisement
Consultation on the government’s White Paper on the reforms is due to end this month and MPs think legislation is likely in the new year.
Housing minister Chris Pincher assured MPs that their concerns would be reflected on “very carefully”.
“I am especially mindful that honourable members are concerned about geographic imbalance – concerns about too many homes in the south and not enough in the Midlands and the north,” he said.
“Equally, I recognise anxieties about what these changes might mean for our countryside in contrast to our urban areas.”
“I want to reassure the House that through this consultation process we are committed to addressing any supposed imbalances.”
Advertisement
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said he had not heard May’s remarks but said: “Unnecessary delays to the planning system are stopping us from building a better Britain.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Lockdown Brass, With John McDonnell MP

Lockdown Brass, With John McDonnell MP

Lockdown Brass, With John McDonnell MP
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss the rebellions brewing in Westminster as efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic by the government lurch from crisis to crisis. Is the time of constructive opposition from Keir Starmer’s Labour over? And is it time to impose a national lockdown?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Exclusive: John McDonnell Calls For ‘Severe’ National Lockdown

John McDonnell has called for a “severe” national lockdown to allow the government to sort out the deep problems in its NHS Test and Trace service.
The Labour former shadow chancellor told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast that he “can’t see any other route” through the recent spike in coronavirus infections.
Advertisement
“I know it’s unpopular,” the first senior Labour MP to call for a lockdown said.
“Someone put it to me the other day about the economic effects, and people will lose their jobs and the companies being hit, that will have health effects.
“But you can revive the economy over time, you can’t resurrect the dead.”
It came as MPs were shown unpublished official data by chief medical officer Chris Whitty – leaked to HuffPost UK – suggesting more than 32% of Covid-19 “exposure” was in pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants.
In a briefing with northern and Midlands MPs, health minister Edward Argar however insisted the government had still not made a decision on whether hospitality venues in locally locked down areas should be ordered to close to curb infections.
Government data shown to MPs and leaked to HuffPost UK HuffPost UK
Advertisement
The approach to local lockdowns has sparked anger among northern leaders, who feel they have not been consulted and are concerned that economically devastating restrictions are not even bringing down the number of infections.
McDonnell said people are “totally confused” about the patchwork of rules, which are “very difficult to enforce”, and called for “absolute simplicity” via a national lockdown, including stay at home orders, a ban on households mixing and the closure of pubs
The Hayes and Harlington MP said he had daughters in Pendle and Burnley and a cousin in Liverpool and pointed out that London infection rates are worse than they were in many northern areas when they were placed into lockdown.
“I can’t see any other route through – to have some form of quite severe lockdown for a limited period while we get test and trace up and running effectively, and in that way I think we’ll preserve lives,” he said.
“I just think there’s a clarity, an absolute clarity about what the rules are wherever you are, that’s quite important.”
Advertisement
John McDonnell Toby Melville / Reuters
Acknowledging his views were “hardline”, McDonnell added: “I’m really worried that we face the nightmare situation that we were worried about four months ago, that we now go into the normal flu pandemic situation and that the coronavirus spike happens at the same time.”
But he acknowledged that the idea of a two-week circuit break could work.
“The government were talking about that two-week contact break, I want to see a break based upon the ability to deliver an effective test and trace system,” McDonnell said.
“Because unless we get that up and running, and if that takes a couple of weeks let’s do it, unless we get that up and running I don’t know how we can manage this situation.”
The senior Labour MP also praised Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who this week banned the sale of alcohol indoors at pubs, restaurants and cafes for more than two weeks.
Advertisement
“I think the way that she’s approached it is the route that I would go down, I might be a bit more severe in some cases,” he said.
It came as 149 MPs were called into a briefing with health minister Argar and chief medical officer Whitty.
Slides leaked to HuffPost UK from the meeting illustrated the government’s concerns about Covid spreading in pubs and restaurants.
The MPs were also shown slides outlining hospitalisations from coronavirus rising, particularly in Yorkshire, the north-east and the north-west.
Government data shown to MPs and leaked to HuffPost UK HuffPost UK
Advertisement
But Argar batted away questions about reports that hospitality venues across the north and Midlands could be ordered to close from Monday under a new three-tier local lockdown system, insisting ministers were still taking decisions.
One MP suggested ministers have worked out what restrictions will apply in the lower two tiers but not what should form the basis of the harshest local lockdowns in “tier-3”.
One told HuffPost UK: “(Argar) was asked about the possibility of a circuit break lockdown of two to three weeks and it wasn’t really answered.
“He passed it over to Chris Whitty to answer without touching the policy, just going on the science.
“I think we might be going into tier-3 lockdown but nobody knows what tier-3 is and I haven’t heard that officially.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Game Of Thrones' Emilia Clarke Shares Gruesome Theory About The Show's Finale

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Game Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke has shared her take on what she thinks became of her character (well, her body at least) after the events of the finale.
And be warned, it’s a little on the gruesome side.
As fans of the hit fantasy show will recall, Emilia’s character Daenerys Targaryen was killed by Jon Snow in the divisive finale, after which her cherished dragon Drogon flew in, melted the Ice Throne and left with her body.
Advertisement
Well, in the new book Fire Cannot Kill A Dragon: Game Of Thrones And The Official Untold Story Of The Epic Series, Emilia reveals her rather bleak theory about what happens next.
Emilia Clarke pictured earlier this year David M. Benett via Getty Images
“I think he flies around with her body until it decomposes,” she says (via TV Line).
See, we told you it was grim.
She adds: “I literally think he keeps flying until he can’t fly anymore. He just keeps grieving.”
Emilia and Kit Harington in the Game Of Thrones finale HBO
The new book features interviews with the cast and crew of Game Of Thrones, taking fans behind the scenes of the hit show.
Advertisement
While fans of the show – not to mention its cast – have been divided about the Game Of Thrones finale since it aired in 2019, Emilia has been largely positive about the events of the last series.
However, she did reveal earlier this year that there was one thing that did “annoy” her about that final episode, admitting: “I felt for her. I really felt for her.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Son Who Decapitated Mother And Placed Her Head In Family Freezer Is Jailed

Angela Tarver PA
A 47-year-old man has been jailed for at least 19 years for stabbing his elderly mother to death with an ornamental sword, before placing her decapitated head in the freezer.
Angela Tarver was murdered by her son Philip Tarver in December last year.
Tarver had taken cocaine and drunk beer and vodka before attacking the 86-year-old. He had also been convicted of threatening to kill his 84-year-old Colin during the attack.
Advertisement
Before police arrived at the family home in Woking, Surrey, Tarver cut off his mother’s head and placed it in the freezer and put her severed ring finger inside a kettle, jurors heard.
Tarver – wearing a woman’s floral negligee – answered the front door waving a Union flag and holding a knife, telling officers: “I surrender, I surrender.”
A jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for more than 12 hours to find him guilty of murdering his mother and threatening to kill his father.
The court had heard how Mrs Tarver had suffered a severe stroke in 1991 which affected her mobility and speech.
Advertisement
Philip Tarver PA
Tarver, a trained clock maker, had lived with his parents for most of his life and had relied on them for financial support as he pursued his love of songwriting and music.
On the morning of the killing, he behaved strangely, claiming alcohol was “poisoned” before unplugging the phone and computer.
When his father confronted him about why the television was also disconnected, the defendant slammed the door and told him to “go and die”, jurors heard.
Mr Tarver set about reconnecting the TV set in time for Bargain Hunt as Mrs Tarver sat in the kitchen having a cup of tea.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Strictly Come Dancing's HRVY Confirms He Is Free From Covid After Virus Diagnosis

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The singer and YouTube star’s future with the BBC ballroom show is now back on track after he received a negative test result on Thursday.
Advertisement
HRVY, who has been isolating since being diagnosed with coronavirus, revealed the news in a tweet that read: “He’s free from Covid, he’s a free elf now… thank you for all the kind messages, I tested negative today so I’m back, love you guys and see you all soon”.
HRVY Dave J Hogan via Getty Images
Filming for the new series of the BBC ballroom show kicks off on Monday, with all the celebrities and professional dancers recording the launch show.
HuffPost UK understands that HRVY will now be able to take part given his negative result.
he’s free from Covid, he’s a free elf now... thank you for all the kind messages, I tested negative today so I’m back, love you guys and see you all soon 🖤 pic.twitter.com/CW2phX6d5s — hrvy (@HRVY) October 8, 2020
Advertisement
The BBC previously said in a statement following his diagnosis: “We have rigorous protocols in place to manage Covid-19 as the safety of all those involved in the production is paramount.”
Last month, Strictly’s executive producer Sarah James confirmed that once the series was underway, any cast members who tested positive would need to self-isolate for two weeks, meaning they’d be unable to continue with the series.
Strictly bosses have already had to make some big adjustments to this year’s series due to the coronavirus crisis, including cutting the show’s run and fewer contestants taking part than usual.
Strictly will launch on Saturday 17 October, with the first live show airing the following week.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Presidential Debates In Chaos After Trump Refuses To Attend Virtual Event

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he wouldn’t participate in next week’s presidential debate after organisers announced it would be held virtually “in order to protect the health and safety of all involved”.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden initially agreed to take part, but suggested the debate be postponed after Trump rejected the new format.
Advertisement
Trump, still recovering from Covid-19, said the altered debate format that the Commission on Presidential Debates announced earlier in the day was unacceptable.
“I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate,” the president, in a hoarse voice, told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo in a phone interview.
The debate commission had said the next event would take place October 15 in a town hall format as previously planned, but that each candidate would participate remotely. Town hall participants and the debate moderator, C-SPAN anchor Steve Scully, would attend in person at the debate venue in Miami.
Biden’s campaign quickly said the Democratic nominee would participate and “looks forward to speaking directly to the American people and comparing his plan for bringing the country together and building back better with Donald Trump’s failed leadership on the coronavirus.”
Advertisement
But later, after Trump declared he would not participate, Biden urged that the town hall event be postponed until October 22, when a third presidential debate was already scheduled to take place. The Biden campaign said that should be the final debate.
“Trump’s erratic behavior does not allow him to rewrite the calendar, and pick new dates of his choosing,” Biden’s communications manager Kate Bedingfield said, noting October 22 was already one of the latest debate dates in recent history.
Biden will dedicate the October 15 day to another event.
“Donald Trump clearly does not want to face questions from the voters about his failures on Covid and the economy,” Bedingfield said. “As a result, Joe Biden will find an appropriate place to take questions from voters directly on October 15th, as he has done on several occasions in recent weeks.”
Bedingfield added that the commission could delay the planned town hall debate for one week “so that the President is not able to evade accountability.”
“The voters should have a chance to ask questions of both candidates, directly,” Bedingfield said. “Every Presidential candidate since 1992 has participated in such an event, and it would be a shame if Donald Trump was the first to refuse.”
Advertisement
The Trump campaign appeared to agree to the new date of October 22, and, as opposed to the Biden campaign, called for the third and final debate to shift to October 29. It also accused the nonpartisan debate commission of being favourable to Biden and resumed attacking the former vice president for taking Covid-19 safety measures, such as falsely suggesting he was “hiding” in his “basement bunker”.
“As president Trump said, a virtual debate is a non-starter and would clearly be a gift to Biden because he would be relying on his teleprompter from his basement bunker,” Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement. “The CPD and the media cannot hide Joe Biden forever. Americans deserve to hear directly from both presidential candidates on these dates, October 22 and 29.”
Earlier, Stepien, who also has tested positive for Covid-19, called the virtual format a “sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden” and said in a statement that Trump would “do a rally instead”.
Days after last week’s presidential debate in Cleveland, Trump tested positive for Covid-19 and was hospitalised for three days. Since his diagnosis, dozens of people in his orbit have also tested positive, including White House officials, campaign aides and associates who helped in his debate preparations.
On Friday, hours after Trump announced he had tested positive, Biden said he tested negative for Covid-19. He has since tested negative several more times, according to his campaign.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Trump and his team have flouted coronavirus health guidelines, such as wearing face masks. Members of Trump’s family refused a doctor’s admonition to keep their masks on in the debate audience in Cleveland.
Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate was held in person with a plexiglass barrier between vice president Mike Pence and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Audience members were required to wear masks.
However, at the end of the debate, Pence’s wife Karen appeared on stage without one, ignoring guidelines both campaigns had agreed to observe.
Throughout the pandemic, Trump has continued to hold campaign rallies with mostly maskless crowds. He also has mocked Biden for wearing a face mask and observing other coronavirus health guidelines.
“I don’t wear face masks like him,” the president said during last week’s debate. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away ... and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
Advertisement
Nearly 212,000 people in the US have died of Covid-19.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-09--A Bus Driver's Death Has Sparked Calls For Stricter Coronavirus Safety Measures

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Calls for stricter safety measures on buses are being stepped up after the death of a driver with coronavirus.
Unite said Kofi Opoku, who was based in Croydon, south London, died earlier this week.
On Tuesday HuffPost UK revealed that London bus drivers are being “forced” by bosses to breach Covid regulations by allowing passengers to pack on.
Advertisement
Transport workers and the union said operators are instructing drivers to stop at every stop along their route – even when full.
The flouting of rules has led London mayor Sadiq Khan to contact TfL, which oversees the companies responsible, and tell it to lay down the law.
The union said bus driver safety is particularly sensitive as during the height of the pandemic earlier this year, male London bus drivers were the profession at greatest risk of dying from Covid-19, with at least 29 succumbing to the disease.
Black people are at almost twice the risk of dying from Covid-19 than white people and mortality rates from the virus are three times higher for men in lower-paid, manual roles, an independent report commissioned by the mayor confirmed last week.
Advertisement
Toby Melville / Reuters
Unite, which represents more than 20,000 London bus workers, has called for improvements to vehicle safety to better protect drivers and passengers as the virus continues to spread.
The union said it wants to ensure all screens and seals are properly installed, health and safety reps are stood down from normal duties to monitor safety in garages, and for a review and enhancement of cleaning regimes.
Ignus Amoris via Getty Images
Unite officer John Murphy said: “The death of Kofi Opoku is a terrible reminder of the horrible human cost of Covid-19. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.
Advertisement
“With infection rates rising swiftly and the knowledge we have gained from the first wave, it is absolutely essential that all these safety measures are introduced to protect bus drivers and their passengers.
“During the first lockdown London bus drivers played a vital role in keeping the capital moving, and for that too many paid the ultimate price.
“Significant safety procedures have already been introduced, but action needs to be taken to reinforce those measures.”
When the national lockdown was announced in March, bus drivers told HuffPost UK they hadn’t been given protective kit and complained about poor cleanliness in their cabs.
Drivers, who were risking their lives transporting key workers to and from work, said they felt disregarded.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-09--GMB's Ben Shephard Shocks Kate Garraway With Joke About Jacqui Smith's 'Jugs'

LOADING ERROR LOADING
We do love an early morning innuendo on breakfast telly, and Good Morning Britain served up a corker on Friday.
Ben Shephard left co-host Kate Garraway stunned when he made a comment about former home secretary Jacqui Smith’s “jugs” on the ITV breakfast show.
Advertisement
Before you go getting any ideas, though, we should stress that he was chatting about her kitchenwear.
Jacqui appeared on GMB live from home as part of a panel discussion, but Ben quickly noticed something was looking a little different to usual.
Good Morning Britain ITV
“We are missing the jugs though!” Ben said. “We don’t want people moaning about the lack of jugs.”
Now, for those that are either a) unobservant, or b) don’t usually watch GMB, what you won’t know is that Jacqui usually sets her camera up in her kitchen, showing off her lovely collection of jugs.
Advertisement
However, Kate failed to recall that detail and looked stunned at Ben’s comment.
“What?! What are you talking about?” she said.
Good Morning Britain ITV
“Kate! You know I usually have my jugs on display when I come on Good Morning Britain!” Jacqui laughed.
“Kate never pays attention to what’s going on in the background,” Ben said.
“No I’m listening to what she has to say, I’m not staring at her jugs!’ Kate joked.
'Usually, I have my jugs on display when I come on Good Morning Britain' - @Jacqui_Smith1
🙈🙈🙈
There was a bit of confusion about Jacqui's jugs when she spoke to Ben and Kate about Strictly. 🤣
Watch GMB now 👉 https://t.co/yyUUJmzswF pic.twitter.com/4LfGESdseB — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) October 9, 2020
But did you notice there was one thing in common? pic.twitter.com/yJhZKnpowP — Jacqui Smith (@Jacqui_Smith1) July 24, 2020
Jacqui is currently gearing up to take part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
She is one of 12 celebrities taking part on the BBC ballroom show, although there’s no word yet as to whether her famous jugs will be making a cameo appearance.
Advertisement
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-09--Covid Has Reignited The North-South Divide With A Vengeance

LOADING ERROR LOADING
We all know there’s a North-South divide – let’s face it, there always has been. You only need to brandish a bottle of Thatchers in Newcastle to make Geordies twitch.
It goes both ways. An ex-boyfriend from London asked if we “even had electricity” up North, and my nanna narrowly eyed up my Kentish husband when I first brought him home – or should I say, hyem.
Advertisement
I’ve (controversially) lived in London for three years now and, as a Geordie, it is terrifying to see the North-South divide thicken from the deemed “safe” side of the line as we watch coronavirus take hold.
Though London was one of the worst hit places at the peak of lockdown, with 213,000 cases a day, according to Public Health England. Now, recovery is in sight with as few as 24 daily cases.
A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stands amongst commercial rubbish bins in Liverpool, north west England. OLI SCARFF via Getty Images
As for the North? The North East is the worst hit in terms of contagion and endured a staggering 4,000 daily cases in May (166 times worse than London) – with an “R” rate double that of the capital.
Advertisement
According to the latest government figures, the 10 worst-rated local authorities are in the North, and eight of the lowest-rated are southern. In the North West, the number of daily positive tests for coronavirus is at least twice as high than anywhere else in the UK.
Right now, two thirds of northern England’s population are living with extra restrictions in attempts to curb growing numbers of infection. No local authorities south of Birmingham are facing these stricter rules.
By the end of September, per 100,000 people, southern England had 1.5 or less hospitalisations, compared to the North West’s 5.5.
This stark reality of the North-South divide compounds frankly outdated stereotypes of northern and southern people. Bluntly, northerners are poorer and have to work harder for less, while the South is worshipped as the powerhouse for the economy.
“It’s a classic case of income wars, which the North has been shouting about since Thatcher encouraged the de-industrial revolution in the ’80s.”
Advertisement
In the North West, more than 10% of workers are employed in retail, according to a Labour party analysis, and 12% of Yorkshire, North East and North West workers are manufacturers – as opposed to London’s 2%. Two of the most vulnerable sectors, of which home working isn’t possible, makes up a significant amount of the North’s working population.
If the treasury decides to end the furlough scheme once and for all this month, their deemed “one-size-fits-all” approach will welcome regional inequality as redundancies are unleashed on vulnerable, struggling industries.
It’s a classic case of income wars, which the North has been shouting about since Thatcher encouraged the de-industrial revolution in the ’80s.
Scarce lower income jobs don’t allow for home-working, therefore northerners are more exposed to disease and job losses; while professional occupations more traditionally based in the South (ie. media, finance, technology) have adapted to office-free life unsurprisingly easily.
The growing confusion in lockdown measures for Northern authorities doesn’t help, which even Boris Johnson didn’t understand. He simply didn’t know if the rule of six, and no mixing of households applied to outdoor settings in the North East (...it does). He had to grovel on Twitter later that day.
Advertisement
He claimed he “misspoke” when it came to matters of legality – literally life and death – in his own country.
It’s almost as embarrassing as when Michael Gove guffawed in Johnson’s so-called victory speech that the Durham Miners’ Gala was, for the first time in history, going to be hosted in a Tory constituency (...it’s not). The working class people’s gala is not held in now-blue North West Durham, but in Durham City, a Labour seat.
This constant belittling of the hard working-class that make up for the majority of the North of England proves that the Tory government has a clear London-centric approach. Not just in their campaigns by getting their GCSE-grade geography wrong, but in their sheer disregard for lives north of Westminster.
Remember in 2013 when one Tory peer said fracking was okay in the North because it was “desolate”? He apologised and said it again – a month later.
Advertisement
For decades, Northerners have had to put up or shut up, with extreme cuts to schools and the arts, spiralling homelessness, living on the breadline, declining life expectancy, pitiful public transport, unaffordable housing, and the highest public spending cuts since the coalition government. Now, they have to gamble with their lives.
You’d be forgiven for thinking we were living in the dark ages with the way the UK’s highest-earners, sitting comfortably in Westminster while the world rages on outside, turn their noses up at the soot-covered fingers of the North.
The chain of events that have been implemented by our country’s Prime Minister proves that England’s North-South divide is thickening by the day. If this London-centric approach continues to be employed, we’ll only see the cracks getting bigger, and wider. Hopefully, before more people tumble down them, the capital will see the promise in the north, the beauty and strength in its people.
First, they were sent to the pits, then to the dole office – now, Northerners are being sent to their deaths. All in the name of a hard day’s work.
Emmie Harrison-West is a freelance journalist.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-09--24,000 Jobs In The Balance As Peacocks And Jaeger Owner Appoints Administrators

By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-09--A Guide For Young Homeless LGBTQ+ People And Their Allies

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Queer people are disproportionately likely to end up homeless. It’s a devastating but unavoidable fact – but whether you’ve come out as queer in a hostile home environment or fear the results of coming out but haven’t yet done so, know that there is support available to you.
Perhaps you’re reading this as an ally. If so, there are plenty of ways you can help a struggling friend or anyone you’ve seen suffering near where you live, or on the streets, or in your wider social network.
Advertisement
It’s more important to help out now than ever before – because, unfortunately, the lockdown has made LGBTQ+ homelessness even worse.
“At the peak of the virus, we saw a sharp rise in referrals amounting to a 107% footfall increase in London compared with April last year,” says Lucy Bowyer, director of services at the Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT), an LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity that has shared its tips for young queer people and their allies with HuffPost UK.
Firstly, here’s how to reach out for help
Moore Media via Getty Images
If you feel unsafe for any reason, know you can get in touch with those trained to help you. The teams who work for charities like AKT are never judgemental and always on hand to offer advice. “We understand the importance in having staff who reflect young people and understand the experiences young LGBTQ+ people are facing, as well as being skilled and experienced in helping with housing,” says Bowyer.
Advertisement
She advises young queer people to “seek comfort in community” when thinking about reaching out. In other words, imagine the community waiting for you and wanting to help. There are other people in the same situation – even if right now it feels like you’re the only one experiencing hostility.
“It’s important to remember you are not alone in what you are going through,” she says. “It is crucial you look after your mental wellbeing and speak with others who have either been in the same boat, or have useful knowledge on the matter who can help generate positive thinking.”
It may not always be best to come out to hostile family or guardians. Wait until you have been re-housed in a safe place or for your situation to change and become safer before revealing anything that may put you in danger.
If you have come out to a hostile response, advice is easily sought online or over the phone by emailing gethelp@akt.org.uk or messaging the team using the chat function on the AKT website.
Leaving home in an emergency? Remember these things
Individuals should prioritise making themselves safe if they are in a vulnerable position. If, for you, this means leaving your home, Bowyer has one failsafe tip.
Advertisement
“If you feel unsafe at home, or worry your parents might try and move you, we’d encourage you to bring an emergency bag that includes your passport and ID to a friend’s house,” she says.
If you’re meeting people you don’t know, make sure someone knows exactly where you are and what to do if they don’t hear from you later on, says Hayley Speed, assistant director of services at AKT.
This applies to individuals in general, but specifically those who have left home and are working in the sex industry, either out of choice or necessity, potentially putting themselves in more danger. “It is also a good idea to register with National Ugly Mugs which is an independent organisation reporting on individuals that are dangerous to sex workers,” says Speed.
Highwaystarz-Photography via Getty Images
This is what happens after you get in touch
Members of a charity team (AKT, or the others services listed below) will get in touch by email or phone to arrange a chat and work out the best way forward. They will advise about potential opportunities for rehoming, as well as offer more general advice and answer any of your questions.
Advertisement
“When I arrived at AKT they immediately put me in a hostel for a couple weeks,” says Blake*, 19, a Black trans woman whose family become physically and mentally abusive when they discovered she was taking hormone treatments she had sought from the internet.
“It was clean and warm and I could sleep at night without being scared. They then put me in a Purple Door safe house – emergency accommodation for young LGBTQ+ homeless people – where I felt like I had found my true family. Everyone was so welcoming.”
Blake was supported with her application to legally change her name, and access services that allowed her to begin gender reassignment treatment.
“They also helped me with my housing application and applying for college,” she says. “Since May last year I have been happily living in shared accommodation, my girlfriend regularly visits, and I have started my second year of my art therapy course.”
Advertisement
For LGBTQ+ people already in accommodation but being served an eviction notice, it’s very important to know your rights, stresses Speed. Even though the lockdown-based eviction ban has been lifted, landlords are still required to serve six months’ notice to anybody with a tenancy.
Where possible, keep all communication to emails rather than the phone so you have a record of what’s been said. Remember that, right now, tenants have increased protections in rented properties because of the pandemic, so landlords will find it increasingly hard to make convincing arguments to throw individuals out. This is due to new legislation it’s well worth being aware of.
If you’re underage, you can still seek help
Rohan*, a young South Asian man who is bisexual, was underage when he first reached out for help. “My parents passed away when I was five years old and I was living with my aunt and her husband,” he says. “When she found me in bed with my boyfriend, she became really concerned for me but in a weird prying way. She started to enforce all these rules on me and became really controlling. She would check my phone all the time, always ask me questions whenever I tried to leave the house and would drive me everywhere and pick me up.”
His aunt’s behaviour became more extreme. She started checking his search history on his laptop and would call him throughout the day to ask where he was. “If I didn’t comply to her rules, she’d say really hurtful comments, become very aggressive and shout bi-phobic insults at me,” he says. “I felt suffocated.
It was his college mentor who referred Rohan to AKT who supported him in leaving home. The team dealt with the local authority and successfully fought an appeal under section 20 of the Children’s Act, which was initially thrown out. Ronan was placed in a host family who were a gay couple.
“They were really understanding and warm and finally I was able to see my boyfriend again,” he says. “I really liked the freedom I was finally able to get with the host family and I requested to stay here and was given ‘looked after’ status.” He also got support to reaching back out to his aunt and talk.
Advertisement
“Looking back, I love my aunt but she did not understand who I was or even try to,” he says now. “I’m planning to apply for university next year and would like to specialise in sociology or social care and try and help others like AKT do.”
How to help when you’re an ally
Supplied
The most important thing as an ally is never to be judgmental, says Bowyer. Offer practical help where you can though never feel guilty when you can’t.
“The most important thing you can do is be a supportive figure in your friend’s life,” she says, adding that for many LGBTQ+ homeless people, simply being “a regular, familiar presence” can mean so much. This will set the tone for helping them access the rest of the help they need from experts and organisations.
“Young people we speak to often report that a two-minute conversation is worth more than the money thrown at you. They may not have spoken to anybody all day, it can make you feel invisible, so a simple, ‘Hello, how are you?’ lets that person know they are seen,” says Bowyer.
Advertisement
If you see someone sleeping rough who looks in need of help, contact StreetLink who can connect them with local services and practical support.
Other things to remember about LGBTQ+ homelessness
Homelessness particularly affects queer people, but within that, queer people of colour are even more disproportionately affected. “63% of the young people we support are people of colour – this rises to 80% in London,” says Bowyer,
Lockdown has been especially stressful for people of colour, given the well publicised statistics around coronavirus and its impact on Black and Asian communities. The murder of George Floyd, which led to a new wave of Black Lives Matter action and protest this summer might have heaped extra mental strain on the lives of LGBTQ+ people of colour.
That’s all on top of the historical injustices that people from minority ethnic backgrounds face. “Unfortunately, black and PoC young people are facing an additional barrier into getting help on account of their gender and race,” says Bowyer. “It feels isolating to have both sides of your identity rejected.”
But she stresses: “You are not alone. Organisations like UK Black Pride and Muslim Pride are in place to show you this. It is important you do what you can to preserve your mental wellbeing and connecting with organisations [like these] can massively help.”
Advertisement
Further support to access
Useful websites and helplines:
Stonewall for more information on other LGBTQ+ services and helplines | 08000 502020
for more information on other LGBTQ+ services and helplines | 08000 502020 London Lesbian & Gay switchboard (LLGS) is a free confidential support & information helpline for LGBTQ+ communities throughout the UK | 0300 330 0630
(LLGS) is a free confidential support & information helpline for LGBTQ+ communities throughout the UK | 0300 330 0630 Manchester Lesbian and Gay Switchboard is a free support, information and referral service for the Manchester and North-West area | 0161 235 8000
AKT recommends these organisations for queer people of colour:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-09--Wear And Care: Turn Tea Towels Into Garments With Momtaz Bagum-Hossain

Wear And Care: Turn Tea Towels Into Garments With Momtaz Begum-Hossain
Crafts & Colour Expert Momtaz Begum-Hossain uses tea towels lying around the house to update shirts. Hand sewing with a needle and thread, the items are given a new look that can be worn as a shirt or jacket. This fashionable approach to upcycling includes examples for kids and one vintage tea towel used with lace trimmings and diamante adornments too.